The Sunshine Coast

As much as I've fallen in love with the Mediterranean, nothing quite compares to swimming at an Australian beach. Going to the beach with my family for the summer is a foundational memory, and it's something I look forward to every time I visit my family.

I hope you enjoy this account of a day I spent at the Sunshine Coast with my parents on my recent trip back to Australia (including some Aussie slang). If you're in the middle of winter, I hope it provides some sunny respite, and if you're in Australia, I hope it gives you a hankering to head for the surf next weekend.

The rain drives down as Mum and I run to shut the windows all over the house. The storm's beautiful to watch: trees gyrate in the wind; thunder rumbles on and on. Everything smells clean and there's nothing to do but surrender and enjoy the morning inside.