The last few days of my Christmas holidays were spent surrounded by family in the picturesque Blue Mountains – bliss!

To celebrate my father and mother’s birthdays we all gathered together to eat, drink, talk and, most importantly, explore! I spent most of my Saturday within the remarkable Jenolan Caves. For now though, I just wanted to take a moment to reflect on the joys of gathering together with good people.

Spending precious time with family, especially when you live far apart from one another, is such a gift. In just one weekend we managed to:

• Celebrate some milestones with our favourite celebratory champagne – Veuve Clicquot.
• Dance the twist to the Beatles in the middle of a kitchen.
• Consume more cheese than is possibly good for us.
• Explore some street art off Katoomba’s Main Street.
• Make pasta with fresh vegetables from my parents’ garden.
• Indulge in the deepest and bubbliest of bubble baths.
• Take two different tours deep within the Jenolan Caves.
• Explore the stunning blue lake and spot water dragons.
• Taste test some cocktails to celebrate our successful spelunking.
• Enjoy dinner out at Vesta, including the best pork dish any of us have ever tasted.
• Take in the view of the Three Sisters.
• Relive some of my husband’s childhood memories at the Paragon Cafe.