One of the great advantages of living in Sydney is that within two hours drive in almost any direction, you can be in a relatively natural, and stunningly beautiful environment. Just this week we went to a beautiful little holiday house in the Blue Mountains, it had sweeping mountain views from its floor to ceiling windows, a cosy log fire and was within a stone’s throw of the local village shops.
It was the kind of place that payed close attention to detail so that you could enjoy a quintessential ‘mountain’ experience, like by having a beautifully leather bound Guest Book with the current page carefully marked for you to leave your comments (in the antiquated mountains, people still consider comments to be of the kind that you write by hand onto a piece of paper).
Flicking through the book, it was great of interest to discover what some of the other guests had to say:
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Clarissa and John:
This house was lovely and we had a wonderful stay! I really knew I was in the “bush” when I went to the shops and found a packet of home made muesli for $20! You don’t get that in the city, such a quaint yet monopolised market here! We will definitely be coming back for more (provided John gets his bonus this year).
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Julie:
We came here for our annual Beaver Family gathering and the house was just perfect for us. Of course, Uncle Jim complained about being in the downstairs bedroom, but when he tripped going down the steep staircase on the first night leaving him holed up in bed for the rest of the holiday with a sprained ankle, it was the highlight of my trip! I couldn’t thank you more!
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Craig and Anna:
We came up here from the city and while I admit it is a pretty place to drive around and look out the car window, I have to say, I was a little alarmed at how slow people were. All the cars seemed to be driving at such a snail’s pace that I wondered if they had their engines turned on, or if they were just left in neutral and allowed to roll around the streets? I even had one bloke stop his car so I could cross the road in front of him! Why wasn’t he in a hurry? I find that unsettling. And what’s with all the quiet?
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Anton and Paul:
This place was simply gorgeous. The log fire was so beautiful, and I had no idea you could have one with real wood! All the ones I have seen are made from gas. It felt so historical. The only problem was that for the life of us we couldn’t find the switch to turn it on. If only it came with a bona fide (hunky, haha!) “country man” to help us light it. In the end we just sat around trying to warm our hands in front of our gold case Zippo lighter.
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Chrissie:
A lovely home, with a beautiful outlook. The kitchen was well appointed, and I found the bathroom to be punctual also.
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Stephan:
This is my first accommodation since arriving from Norway. We have mountains there too. Very large scale. I want to compare. I come straight here right away instantly – but I no see a thing! I bring the rain. All the way from Norway. Oh well! Nice time.
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Brad:
Lovely spot, great views too. Will definitely tell our friends, and maybe bring some of them back next time. Not to sure about that yet, will have to sleep on it. Decide tomorrow. Depends on what they can do for us. Definitely one to think about though. Great house.
omg I used to clean at a neighbouring b&b and always read the guest book in the vain hope that it would be this funny! They even had genuine wood fires. Most of the guests knew how to light them and how to make a bloody big mess in the process!
Haha, didn’t you know?! leaving a big fat mess for the cleaning woman was the “joke”
Weird how you don’t have to travel that far from Sydney to feel like you’re in another alternate world…
I’m getting itchy feet again. May have to plan some short breaks…
Wonder what anthropologists from the future will think of the comments on blogs like these, lol. Kind of your very own guest book…
Be sure to leave a delightful comment wherever you go JJ, something poetic, yet accessible, like “my itchy feet were made for walking, so wherever I lay my hat, thats my home, which is your home! And I love the view and the decor, its lovely”……
It never occurred to me to be HONEST in one of those books.
“Great room. Loved the bed! (…and the floor and the desk and the shower and the back of the sofa and the balcony railing .) Thanks!”
“Great free coffee with the continental b’fast!!! Had eleven cups!!!!! LOVED the bathroom!!! Really hard to leave!!!! I’ll be back!!! Thanks!!!!!!!”
I love your blog…you always make me laugh in the best way.
“Really LOVED the toilet after my 11 free cups of complimentary coffee!!! It was so… well appointed. Not to mention useful!!!”
Thanks Dia, I am happy to hear the blog makes you laugh in the best way – imagine if it was in the worst way?! Actually, no, I don’t want to imagine….
I just came back from a few days away in the Tambourine Mountains and am now anxiously wracking my brains to remember what I wrote in the guest book. Will not be able to sleep tonight for fear that some blogger will one day get hold of it… Yet another thing to worry about – thanks.
There’s nothing I like better than to know I have fueled a fellow blogger’s fear and anxiety. I’m so good at fueling my own, that I feel its only fair to share!
i love reading the guest books, but am almost always disappointed in the wit of the guests. just once i want to read “well appointed! we found the rope, shovel, plastic tarp, bleach and duct tape right where you’d expect it to be!”
Signed: Joe Bradford, 41 Griffith St, Gladestone, 2345. Phone: 0978 677 543
Hahaha! I’ve never actually taken the time to read a guest book, probably because the only time I see them is at Weddings and the occasional eccentric funeral.
Chrissie sounds like a real scholar. Stephan just sounds like an Iron Chef.
HaHa, yeah Chrissie the scholar also happens to be very regular. Smart, *and * healthy, that one. As for Stephan, I could easily see him turning up in a bschooled special: Iron Chef meets Rejected Reader’s Digest Submission, he is that special.
everyone should have a punctual bathroom!
the guest book for the cottage where we stayed in France was hysterical. successive writers were falling over themselves to use more and more superlatives and arguing over the difference between an otter and a coypu. the funniest entry was written by someone who had a threesome with an uninvited guest but it was tantalisingly short on detail
That guest book sounds the second best attraction in France! (second to the Ménage à trois that is)
I always have a lovely stay at your blog, as it is also well appointed. Not to mention sharp and witty! I laugh my guts out every time I come here.. Top notch as always
Well I do hope you come again, and *maybe* bring some friends with you (but not s-wize), I also hope the view from up my ass was sufficiently stunning
I have to take issue with Mikeo here.. What a brown nose, crawley bum licker… GO and empty the compost!
He just knows that if he doesn’t lick my bum there will be trouble for the naughty, naughty boy
How can a bathroom be punctual? Don’t get me wrong, I like that it’s described that way, but what does it mean?
Well, I guess only Chrissie knows the true answer to that, and unfortunately she didn’t leave her contact details. But I love an inquisitive mind, and in order to help you understand, I would hazard a guess that the bathroom, like a well oiled public train system, pulled right in beside her each and every time she needed to open her bowels. Weird, I know, because, how can a bathroom do that?! All I can say is thank God it does, otherwise we might have had more than a stunning view welcoming us when we got there….
How funny-a visitor’s book with a difference!
That’s exactly what I thought when I saw it!
I just saw a guestbook of sorts around Jim Morrison’s grave. But it was done more in a graffiti and roach avante garde.
I’m back baby!
I hope you brought Sexy with you?