I love birthdays! Some people don’t like celebrating but I think it’s important more than ever to celebrate a birthday, especially now when 1 in 3 of us will get cancer in our lifetime….and we never know when our time is up. So celebrate while we are here, that’s what I say!

So for a birthday present, last month I went on a full day wine river cruise of the Swan Valley along with hubby and my in-laws. It was wonderful to be a treated like a tourist all day with such fantastic customer service. All I had to do was relax and enjoy….. absolute bliss!

We left Perth city on Captain Cook wine cruitse at 0945. Then headed east along the river. The staff were very friendly and explained what the day would include. We started with morning coffee then had a cheese platter all the while they explained the scenery; the new stadium being built, the wild life and the history of the Swan Valley. We also were able to sample a few wines before we reached Sandalford. The atmosphere was all very relaxed!

At Sandalford, we were given a tour of the winery and cellar room along with a brief history of the winery. We then sat down to a table in a private room in the restaurant and sampled 8 wines while the Sandalford guide explained the different styles and methods of production. A delicious three course lunch followed and then a bit of free time was allowed for us to browse the gift shop.

On the trip on the way back, everyone was in a very jolly mood! Think the wine might have helped here. One of the stewards had a fantastic voice and sung a few well-known songs to which we all merrily sang along. Sparkling wine and wine was complimentary so I ordered a few glasses for the trip back while soaking up the sun on the front deck with other like-minded people.

Such a wonderful day out. Sometimes it’s good to just sit back and relax and enjoy being a tourist in your own city!