An Overnight At Mornington Peninsula Airbnb

Good morning from the Captain’s Retreat – our Mornington Peninsula Airbnb for the weekend. I write while being enveloped in complete silence.

It was still too cold to sit in the garden outside when I woke up earlier, so I opted to cozy up on the couch with the knitted blanket to keep me warm.

Unlike in Melbourne, where I usually get served bed coffee, I had to make my own today because Fafa was still sleeping.

He didn’t hear the crowing of the neighbour’s rooster that woke me up earlier. Instead, I found Robert Timms instant coffee in the tin ━ , the same brand Amma loves to drink whenever she comes for a visit.

I remembered seeing a carton of milk in the fridge when we put the wine bottles we bought from the wineries, which we planned to drink yesterday but were already too drunk for the day from all the wine tasting. So I added a dash of it to the piping hot black coffee.

The sky colour gradually changed from the huge window overlooking the backyard garden. I realised I was having a moment. It might be a cliche, but I am feeling nothing but gratitude for this moment. A moment that I will treasure for a long time.

This trip is much more than just a weekend getaway. It’s our first private overnight trip to the countryside in Victoria. It’s our first trip after Covid, after the lockdown, and after almost a year (our last trip was during the Australia Day weekend in January). On top of all those, this has been a much-needed break from the work pressure on me.

It’s a soul-recharging getaway.

Yesterday, after dinner (we had a sublime Afghani takeaway from Afghan Marcopolo Restaurant), I opened up to Fafa about my worries and woes. I shared my worry about not being able to tick any of the goals I set for myself this year. And of my weariness of everything that is going on in the world.

He showered me with words of encouragement and support, which is not rare, just that yesterday I had the mental space to hear it clearly, directly and loudly. To digest it and start feeling better almost immediately.

The night went dark soon after our heart-to-heart session in the garden.

We went inside, facetime-ed the parents, put on a beauty sleep face mask and ate Indonesian crackers with chilli while waiting for it to dry. I made my sleepy tea soon after, but it went cold before I drank it as I was too engrossed by the food reality show on SBS Food. Nevertheless, I was hooked ━ from the Tiger, Milk shot made from oysters ceviche to the unappetising food from the English country-town hosted by two hairy bikers.

I almost fell asleep on the couch when Fafa urged me to move to the bedroom. Unfortunately, the bedroom was the cottage’s least favourite part for us. It was small, tackily decorated (two vast paintings of creepy-looking people hung opposite the bed). It has a standing fan placed nowhere near a plug and a mirror right in front of the bed, which was a big no-no Fengshui-wise.

I kept waking up all night because the room was too stuffy. But I was too sleepy and disoriented to turn the aircon on from the living room or open the bedroom door. Which was why I was pleasantly surprised I woke up feeling completely rejuvenated.

The itinerary for the rest of the day includes continuing to read the book I brought, Belonging, preferably on the hammock ━ , a bit more journaling and doing an early check-out. Then, before returning to Melbourne, we are heading to the Mornington Peninsula centre for breakfast, bookstore visits, and the beach.

Follow me on Instagram @KultureKween for more recent updates.