Travelling as frequently as I do, it is easy to take for granted and indeed, fail to recognise, the simple pleasures of the company of good friends and the joys of a coastal week away. I was thankfully reintroduced to some of the things that make me happy while travelling down the "Great Ocean Road" to the seaside hinterland of Lorne. A mere 150 kilometers from the hustle and bustle of Melbourne, the journey to Lorne takes in some of the most spectacular coastal scenery anywhere in the world. Nestled on the border of the Great Otway National Park, Lorne, though tediously lively in the festive season, can also offer one the peace and quiet one needs to recover from the rigours of the pointy tree festival. With that in mind, I resolved to take the time to smell the eucalypts, align myself with the horizon and appreciate that "...a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush". In the company of close friends and other animals, I sink more heavily into my wicker chair on the verandah conveniently overlooking the Victorian coast, sigh deeply at the wonder of it all and...pop the cork on a Dal Zotto Pucino Prosecco NV from the King Valley region of Northern Victoria. Pale in colour, this youthful Prosecco has hints of cut pear and citrus blossom and a freshness that is perfectly enjoyed on a verandah by the sea side. What good fortune I have!
