This weekend adventure had been planned for months with my nature-loving friend Amber, and I was over the moon to finally see her in real life. When we hugged hello, I held onto her for an extra ten seconds — and it still didn’t feel long enough. Before check-in, we decided to hit up a winery — which naturally involved an enthusiastic overshare session, plenty of cheese, and cheeky cups of tea.

Our home for the weekend, The Nook, was just ten minutes away. We nestled in immediately, feeling like we'd arrived somewhere both new and familiar. There was a beautifully decked-out caravan on site too, but after so long apart, we decided to share the large bed inside the cabin instead.

Amber lit the outdoor fire while I made us a simple dinner of salmon and rice. The cabin had an open-plan layout with earthy tones and modern beachy decor — even a hidden laundry tucked away in a cupboard! For a petite space, it had everything we needed. It was, quite simply, lovely. As the night air settled around us, so did we, making plans for a 5am adventure to beat the high tide.

We rose before dawn, chasing a tip I’d gotten from a local about rock pools that reveal themselves only at low tide. True rock pool freaks that we are, there was no way we were missing it.

The birds began singing before the sunrise as we made our way through the dark to Bushrangers Beach. Sure enough, the tide was low, and we dove into the rock pools like a pair of mermaids. And yep — the water was hella fresh, my friends! With the entire beach to ourselves, we sat in the golden morning sun, our hearts full, soaking it all in.

When our stomachs began to rumble, we made our way back to our little haven, washing the sand off our toes in the outdoor shower. Amber whipped up brunch while I lazed around, and we spent the morning simply being — still, content, and grateful. In the afternoon, we treated ourselves to the hot thermal pools at the deluxe Alba spa — a serious change of temperature from our morning’s plunge!

Chillaxed AF, we returned to The Nook, cranked the heater, boiled the kettle, and cocooned ourselves in blankets for a cosy night in. A few episodes of Love on the Spectrum, some laughs, some snuggles, and we drifted off into the deepest, sweetest sleep — thanks to a day filled with rock pools, hot springs, and comfy bedding. #sleepingbeauties

The next morning, after checking out, we found coffee and hit up the local op shops. There was no rush to leave each other; we wandered, tried on outfits, and dreamed up ideas for our next adventure. Until next time, my mermaid friend. I adore living life and creating memories with you.