Hot Springs | Travel

 

It was my best friend’s twentieth birthday on Thursday.

For her birthday, Indy organised a day trip to Rye – which is more or less the bottom of Victoria in Australia – to pay a visit to the Peninsula Hot Springs. Rumor has it that the Hot Springs is the first natural hot springs and day spa centre in Victoria. It’s apparently made up of natural thermal mineral waters that basically turn into these to-die-for spas. To say the least, it was incredible and tranquil – especially the view from the highest spa. It was a photographers dream, I can say that much, and I’m afraid the photographs below won’t do it justice. That is how beautiful it was!

We spent up to five hours going from spa to spa, to sauna to sauna and by the end of those five hours, I felt like my skin was never going to un-prune (is that even a word?), but it was worth it.

The Turkish bath (Hamam) was one of my favourites. Basically, if you don’t know what a Turkish bath (Hamam) is – according to Wikipedia – it is a sauna distinguished by a focus on water, as distinct from ambient steam. It’s a method of cleansing and relaxation. At first, I was very reluctant because when I stepped in I could not breathe for the life of me because of the steam, but once I adjusted, it was relaxing and cleansing to say the least because steam actually exfoliated our skin.

My least favourite thing about the Hot Springs was leaving. I didn’t want to leave. I mean, despite me turning into a prune, I had a ball and I would totally recommend it if you’re going to Victoria anytime soon, or live in Victoria and have never been!

But it wouldn’t have happened without my dearest friend, Indy. So thank you Indy for an amazing day! 

Also, after the Hot Springs, since we were far from home and had nothing else to do, we decided to spend the day in Rye visiting the beach nearby. I will share those photographs in another post, another time.

Mansfield Getaway

It was a Saturday morning when Kevin and I up and left to head northeast of Melbourne, Australia to a little town by the name of Mansfield; a small town in the foothills of the Victorian Alps.

If you have followed me for quite sometime now you would already know that I go to Mansfield often.

My parents own a caravan by Lake Eildon and we use the caravan as an escape from reality from time-to-time and seeing as it was the long weekend, Kevin and I ventured our way down to Mansfield to spend the long weekend by a campfire with my family.

It was a pleasant getaway and I am already ready for another retreat.

Summer in Australia

 

 

 

Barbeques, ice cream, festivals, beaches, Christmas trees, warm nights, campfires, the smell of freshly cut grass, adventures, Christmas, the new year and new beginnings is what reminds me of summer in Australia.

Unlike countries such as America, England and Canada, we celebrate Christmas wearing singlets and shorts rather than festive Christmas sweaters and slippers. And this does not bother me – although, I can’t deny the delightfulness of Christmas sweaters, let’s be honest. They are the best things about Christmas. Nevertheless, I quite like Christmas in Australia because of it being summer.

I don’t know about you, but in summer my mood shifts. I feel a lot more optimistic throughout the warmer months rather than the colder ones. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love winter, but there’s something about summer that reminds me of opportunities and new beginnings.

Last week my family, Kevin and I spontaneously went to the beach. Although it was a little colder that day and the wind was existent, I wouldn’t have had it any other way. The company made the day worth it.

And let’s take a moment and appreciate the adorableness between Kevin and Alex (my nephew) in these photos!

I am so ready for summer in December, and the new year in January!

p.s. I made a new Instagram, so if you could go ahead and have a slight peak, it would be greatly appreciated! Thank you - @jes.cohen

Apollo Bay

 The coast is such a beautiful place to stay for a weekend and I only wish that I lived there permanently.

Last Friday Kevin and I packed our suitcases and headed south to a wonderful place by the name of Apollo Bay in Victoria, Australia.  I desperately wanted to go to Apollo Bay because 1) I absolutely adore and live for the coast and 2) I wanted an opportunity to go wild with my beloved camera and visit the Twelve Apostles – which I will post about another time.

To get to Apollo Bay, there is Australia’s most famous road you must drive down known as the Great Ocean Road – it’s such a beautiful drive, I’ll tell you that much – the views are to die for. And along the way Kevin and I stopped to take some photographs.

 

The location we stayed at was flawless and although we were only ten minutes away from town I felt so far away from civilization.  

I can’t really take credit for the flawless accommodation however. Kevin actually found this beauty himself and we both knew as soon as we lied eyes on it that, that is where we wanted and needed to stay for the two nights we were in Apollo Bay.

I recommend Paradise Gardens Cottages if you’re planning to visit Apollo Bay any time soon!