I entered the gates at Cambewarra Winery and dove straight into some wine tasting and cheese board goodness! The view of the mountains was incredible, and I found myself feeling more relaxed with each sip. I wandered through the Community Gallery that had just opened and admired the local artwork. With my final glass in hand, I strolled down to the large watering hole at the bottom of the vines. There was a little rowboat and a tiny adobe with a pale pink door and a huge deck overlooking the water. I let myself in and felt like I had stepped into a wonderland, just like Alice.

To my right was an old-school writing desk, a cozy tea station to my left, and a comfy-looking bed in the middle! I slipped on the glamorous robe laid out on the bed, complete with pink fluffy sleeves—it had such a queenly vibe! I skipped out the sliding door onto the deck to enjoy the sunset, and there was a large clawfoot bathtub facing the pond! It didn’t take long for me to get my gear off and fill the tub with bubbles and my royal presence! Ha! Wine, of course—would be rude not to!

The next morning, I woke to the sound of ducks on the pond and frogs singing their songs! I sipped tea on the deck and watched the day unfold for most of the morning. I found some duck feed and thought that if I sat still enough, they might get curious and come see what I was up to. And it didn’t take long—they nearly left their tail feathers behind on the pond! They knew exactly what was going on! I held out my hand, feeding my new friends. Everyone was happy!

I set out to live my Notebook dreams with a little row on the pond. I was just missing the rain and, ahhh, my lover to read me poetry. In that moment, I decided I could recite my own poetry, so that’s exactly what I did. I headed into North Nowra for lunch since there wasn’t a spot to whip up a storm at the boathouse. It was nice not having to wash up, so I enjoyed that perk. Speaking of storms, I just made it back to the stay and watched the storm roll in. I sat on the deck, pondering whether I wished for the rain. I mean, I was in a magical wonderland, so maybe I did!

I slept peacefully that night and woke up fresh as a daisy! #weloveflowers Before check-out, I found a kayak under the boathouse and was super keen to get out on the water! It had been ages since I’d paddled. I didn’t make it far, though, before I fell into the pond. I swear the ducks were laughing, but none of us made eye contact. Good excuse for another bubble bath—with extra bubbles this time! So, that’s exactly what I did.

Smelling more like roses, I left the tiny boat abode with self-love and compassion in my heart. I’m proud of my curious and playful nature, as well as my bravery to travel solo. This stay reminded me of all these things, and these are the moments I carry in my heart. Thanks for the wine and the ripa good time!