HOMEAWAY HOME, WENTWORTH FALLS
Craving a break from the city, we load up the car with our winter woollies and head for the Blue Mountains. Our planned 90-minute drive from Sydney hits a bit of a snag in the form of heavy Friday afternoon traffic, but we don’t mind. We’ve hired a Homeaway home, travelling with our children and friends who drive behind us in a convoy. We chose a home over a hotel because we like the idea of cooking together, letting the kids run around in the space and getting to spend the weekend lazing around in each other’s company, rather than being confined to separate rooms. Turning left off the motorway onto the street of our weekend home away from home, the scent of wood smoke fills the air. Forest trees stretch out, hugging the houses and bending over the road, greeting us like a warm hug. Big houses and cottages are dotted along the road and it feels like Christmas, waiting to find ours. Wide gates open before us and we follow a driveway down into the carport. The home is perfect, a renovated cottage with luxurious touches and a large open-plan kitchen connecting to a balcony that wraps around the property. The living room is small, but we spend most of our time outdoors, seated around the large dining table overlooking a sprawling backyard. The home is fully insulated, protecting us from the chill outside. Upstairs, four large bedrooms await, three of which have their own ensuite – ideal for sharing families. We sleep peacefully on beautifully warm, soft beds and share a cooked breakfast around the marble kitchen top. During the day we take turns exploring neighbouring Katoomba and Leura and snapping multiple shots of the mountains. At night we put the kids to bed, then sip wine downstairs along with a game of Jenga. When it’s time to leave we feel refreshed and calm. We’re all agreed that two days in the mountains feels like a week away – in a very good way. Find our property at homeaway.com.au/holidayrental/p9217428