Starting 2026 right

Happy New Year everyone. I know it’s twelve days late but better late than never!

It’s been an interesting start to 2026, but I’m really not complaining. I had one of the best New Years I’ve ever celebrated. Me, Justy, Ruby and Steve decided to escape the chaos that is Sydney on New Year’s Eve and head up the Central Coast to Noraville. I’d never been before, but the Airbnb was cheap and right near the beach, so I was immediately sold. I’m honestly sitting here smiling just thinking about it.

Not long after arriving, we headed straight to the beach! The waves were far more intense than what we’re used to in Sydney, and of course there were warning signs for blue bottles everywhere. They were not joking. I swear I counted at least ten scattered along the sand. Stephen still gave the ocean a solid go. He’s not the most natural swimmer, but he really pushed through. Honestly, I thought he’d tap out much earlier than he did, but he stayed out there with us and deserves full credit for that.

Our first night we decided to stay in, and it was an absolute hoot. We played games, sang, danced, and completely let our hair down. We laughed so hard it hurt, the kind of laughs that leave your stomach sore and your cheeks aching. I hadn't laughed like that in so long. It's safe to say the next day I was feeling a bit rough.

In the afternoon, we headed to another beach, one with fewer blue bottles and calmer conditions. Of course, we like waves, so we wandered over to the more wavy section anyway. The problem was that the waves were breaking ridiculously close to the shore, meaning if you got caught, you were basically guaranteed to hit your head. The only safe option was to run really far out and avoid the big ones altogether.

Once again, poor Stephen. This time he really copped it. Every time we turned around, he was getting absolutely smashed by a wave and tumbling through the whitewash. Stephen, I love you and I care about you deeply, but it was hysterical. I genuinely couldn’t move because I was laughing so hard. Eventually, Justy and I went over to help him, but he simply would not stand up.

“Stephen, you have to stand up or you’ll get smashed by another wave,” I yelled.

He tried to reply, but I didn’t catch a word of it because he was immediately taken out by yet another wave.

Despite the chaos, I actually really loved this beach. There was a whole section without waves, so if you’re not a fan, you could easily head down there and relax. After that, we chilled on the sand, played some Uno, and properly unwound. Honestly, if you could have seen the amount of sand Stephen had collected in his swimmers, you’d think he’d swallowed half the beach. He was pulling it out of his pockets and it just kept going, and going, and going.

We finished the day with Mexican for dinner at The Entrance before heading back home. While we were eating, someone had backed into Ruby’s car, but thankfully a lovely couple who witnessed it took down the other car’s number plate and let us know. A stressful moment, but restored a bit of faith in humanity.

Day three involved a trip to Norah Head Lighthouse before heading back to The Entrance for the 9pm New Year’s Eve fireworks. We also created our own charcuterie board, which is always elite behaviour, but the real highlight for me was the dodgems. I don’t think I’ve been on them since travelling through Europe with Stephen in 2023, so naturally, this was a non-negotiable.

Were they good? Yes. Were they Paris-level dodgems? Absolutely not. Anything compared to the dodgems in Paris was doomed from the start. Ruby and Justy refused to go on any rides because apparently they hate joy.

Ruby did, however, redeem herself by bringing glow sticks to the fireworks. Elite planning. We were thriving. Unfortunately, the vibes did not last...

We had parked in a nearby car park along with what felt like the entire population of New South Wales. Trying to leave was an absolute nightmare. We sat in the same parking spot for a solid fifteen minutes, unmoving, questioning our life choices. Eventually, we decided to abandon the car, get a drink, and return once the madness died down. While waiting, we witnessed some truly aggressive car park rage, which was enough to put me into fight-or-flight mode. When we came back about an hour later, the car park was mysteriously empty, which felt suspicious but we accepted our freedom and drove home.

Back at the house, the vibes picked up again! Stephen insisted we play Goon of Fortune, which I had never played before. At first, I didn’t understand it. There were only four of us and I’m confident we were doing it wrong, but after a while, logic left the building. We lit a fire, played Kings Cup, used a portable karaoke machine, and single-handedly disrupted the peace of the quiet streets of Noraville. If you were a local trying to sleep, I am so sorry. Justyn insisted we all stay up to watch the first sunrise of 2026. A cute idea...but was never going to happen. The night was just too eventful and sleep was required.

To end the trip, we stopped by The Entrance once again to visit my favourite pie shop in the entire world, Ken’s Humble Pies. I wish I could explain the emotional hold their satay chicken pies have over me, but it’s something you simply have to experience. Unfortunately for me, I chose a boyfriend with a nut allergy, so I went for the Thai green curry pie instead, which was genuinely life-changing. Don’t worry though, I still took satay chicken pies home like a responsible adult.

Mimosas, pancakes, games, karaoke, beaches, fireworks, and questionable decision-making. Noraville was a massive success and the perfect way to kick off the year.

I hope everyone else’s New Year was just as chaotic and fun as mine. 🥂✨

Sez