Jason Stringer

Kerry, Anthony and I have just returned from our first family holiday away together (brother Michael tagged along as well!). We joined friends Katie & Warren in the south of Western Australia, Margaret River, for a weekend away to celebrate their 30th birthdays. We stayed in a beautiful villa and enjoyed many sights of the area, including wineries, diary farms, a brewery, a chocolate factory and the coastal lighthouse. Further downtime was spent at the beach, playing games of poker, lots of laughs and alcohol.

It was a wonderful weekend away that helped me clear some more cobwebs from my head. It’s interesting how different surroundings – even for a short while – can reset many things within you and help gain even a little clarity. I felt my creative juices bubbling again and I’ve got some writing to do as a result.

Most of all, the reassuring feeling of family was reinstated in me. I hadn’t been on a trip away like this since I did it with my family some time ago. This was the first time we went as our new family, with Kerry the mother, baby Anthony and me as a Dad. Even though he will never remember a single second of it, we have photographs and video to show him one day. I’m sure future family trips away will feature more playgrounds and ice-cream breaks and less poker, but I definitely looking forward to them!

The only downside is that I am now slightly sunburned. I. Hate. Sunburn.