With the state of New South Wales reopening after a lockdown that lasted almost four months, it was a relief to enjoy a weekend away from home. Unable to take leave because of how last minute the trip was, and the fact that I might have ended up as a juror to a court case, I watched impatiently as the time ticked towards freedom. Once the time ticked over 3:30PM, I shut down my computer and picked up my overnight bag before hurrying down the stairs towards my car.

As this was a delayed trip, which had initially been planned for July, I also had several presents to drop off for my friends. A dice bracer, a mimic chest for dice and Villainous, the board game.

To entertain myself should there be nothing of note to see in the Hunter Valley region, I even packed my Nintendo Switch and a few easy to pick-up card games including Gloom, Cthulhu Flux and Sushi Go. Unfortunately, as things would pan out, I would not have the time to play any of these games. But, in my defence, it always pays to be over-prepared. One never knows what could happen and being able to whip out a deck of cards.

My first stop was at Drummoyne to pick up a fellow pilgrim to regional New South Wales. The traffic was horrendous. At almost every set of traffic lights the colour that I saw was red. By the time I had picked up my friend and had got to Eastwood, to transfer our items into the back of a BMW SUV, I’d been on the road for more than an hour.

Despite these minor hiccups, the trip to Singleton was fairly smooth. It was a quarter past seven when we arrived at the Quest accommodations. The rest of the travellers deposited their bags before we jetted off to an Airbnb where the majority of our large travel group would be staying for some light dinner and conversation.

And although I had intended to stay at the Airbnb, situated on a quiet suburban street in the town of Singleton, the single rooms on the far end of the house screamed haunted. The doors to the rooms had a gaping hole where a doorknob should have been. One room had a boarded-up window that could serve as a shrine for possible demon worship. The other looked less troubling but the headboard for the bed clearly belonged to a child.

Not wishing to be murdered in my sleep by vengeful ghosts, I opted to stay at the Quest serviced apartments instead.

Our first day of adventure was supposed to have us tour the Hunter Valley markets. Unfortunately, due to high winds, they were cancelled. Instead, our motley group of seven couples and three single individuals (of unknown status on if they were to ever mingle) headed for the Hunter Valley Gardens. Though the price was a little steep, many of us took our time to wander along the pathways as we took in various interpretations of infamous garden archetypes. There was the Indian, the Chinese, the Oriental, Italian, Rose, Formal, Sunken and Border.

Tucked away in the back, of course, there was also the Storybook Garden. Given our meanderings along the lake path, however, I did not witness the glory that was the Storybook Garden until we returned later in the day to witness the Christmas Lights (set up in NOVEMBER! HOW DARE THEY! CHRISTMAS SHOULD ONLY BE CELEBRATED IN DECEMBER! AND NO SOONER!)

By the time most of our crew had surveyed the gardens, it was time for lunch. To Harringan’s we went, with a small pitstop at Hunter Valley Village to take a peek at the British Lolly Shop and a present for my one-year-old nephew (well, actually my cousin’s son. It’s just easier to call him my nephew).

Once our grumbling stomachs we sated, it was a race to see who could visit the most chocolate and cheese factories around the region in as efficient a manner before we were expected back at the Hunter Valley Gardens for the pretty lights.

With my new compatriots (I did a lot of hopping between cars), it meant another trip to the British Lolly Shop before we made our way to the Smelly Cheese Factory. But while I like to think of myself a purveyor of cheeses, it was clear that I was out of my depth. Probably because the only cheese I ever really eat is cheddar with a slap dash of cream cheese when I want to feel fancy with my smoked salmon sandwiches.

Besides, who would eat my cheese? Almost definitely not my grandmother. Or my mother.

Chocolates, on the other hand, were a much easier sell. And when we stopped by Cocoa Nib, I bought a box of bonbons in the hopes of sharing it with my work colleagues as a reward for being such good sports about playing ‘Guess the Musical Theme of Disney/ Movies/ TV Shows.’ When you’re a bit of a pop culture nerd, it’s hard to know what other people might have watched or seen. After all, when one of your work colleagues tells you that they’re obsessed with Disney, how could they NOT know all the songs to Pocahontas, Tarzan and Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride.

They were lucky I didn’t go MORE obscure.

Unfortunately, the bonbons didn’t survive the drive back down to Sydney the following day. By the time I got home and unpacked, the chocolate had melted to the plastic and I knew that I couldn’t present them to my work colleagues in the office. I mean, how shameless would that have been? Hey, thanks for putting up with my shenanigans, here’s some melted chocolate that doesn’t even look nice as it did before.

No thanks. Don’t want to be that person in the office.

Of course, being the prepared person that I am, I was not content with one possible gift. And so, at the next chocolate shop, I went and bought a few more gifts. One was ostensibly for my mother (soft nougats), but because of what had happened to the bonbons, they were used as a replacement.

Finally, wallet sore from the abuse, we made our way to another cheese factory close the gardens. We commiserated with the other members of our huge group before heading back to the Hunter Valley Gardens.

Words don’t quite do it justice, so here are plenty of photos that I took during my time there.

Sunday was a bit of a hurried affair. After we had finished packing and stowed everything into the car for the trip back home to Sydney, it was off to Audrey Wilkinson for some wine tasting. As someone that does not like the taste of alcohol, the experience was fairly lacklustre. At the very least, I got to sniff each glass. A sommelier, I will never be. Though I don’t really see the appeal too much.

Once everyone had their fill of wine, we had some additional free time before lunch at Oishii. Picking a non-drinking group, we somehow found ourselves in Cessnock. Although we had intended to visit a second-hand book store, it was not to be. Rather, on our trip to get away from the hubbub of the city, I found myself in a local EB Games, purchasing Death Stranding for Seto Kaiba. Not that I’m complaining, but it seemed a little redundant to have ended up at a games store when the trip was all about wine, cheese and chocolates.

But what surprised most of my fellow travel companions was the fact that I had not played Death Stranding. I know that I’m considered the ‘gamer’ of the group, but honestly. Does it look like I have the time to play through every major blockbuster that comes through the pipeline? Am I even interested in all the triple-A titles that major corporations attempt to push at us?

Regardless, once our brief shopping trip was done, it was back to Oishii and some additional wine tasting before I managed to snag a seat on a car headed home.

Thus ended a whirlwind weekend of good company, some decent food and a plethora of memories with those closest and dearest to me. As Australia starts opening up (both internal and external borders), I do very much hope getting the chance to stretch my wings and visiting a few more places that definitely deserve a second or third look.