So it has begun, restrictions have been lifted here in Australia, and slowly but surely, our life has started to feel like it once was (not really, but you know what I mean). There is a long weekend here in Australia, so the lifting of restrictions has come at the right time! So this is what this long weekend in Sydney will look like to me.

What this long weekend will look like to me

Travel, holiday homes and holiday rentals on this long weekend

My sister and brother-in-law can drive up to Sydney from Melbourne without quarantining. Having this restriction lifted makes this weekend that little bit more special, as we have a tough week approaching, and it means all my siblings can be together, and we can help each other and support each other through this rough time and a massive change to our family. I think it would have been tough for her to be isolated in Melbourne and not be here with us. 

Beauty, nail, waxing and tanning salons 

I can finally have my nails done (I know it isn’t on most people’s priority list, but for me, this will make me become a human being again). Sure, the lines are going to be long, and the wait is a certainty, BUT WE CAN HAVE OUR NAILS DONE!!!! It is worth the delay in my eyes, and I am willing to wait as long as necessary this long weekend.

Bars, pubs, clubs, breweries and casinos are open to the public on the long weekend

The thought of catching up with friends for a drink is so exciting! To be able to sit and chat and be social with friends, I haven’t seen in a while (or at least in person). Is super exciting! To be able to order a drink at a bar rather than pour a glass of wine at home, well, it feels like Christmas has come this long weekend.

Cafes, restaurants and food courts over the long weekend

My son will be home from boarding school, and we can go to a restaurant for dinner or a cafe for lunch. All the usual things we once took for granted is high on my priority list. Being able to order a coffee and sit down and eat brunch in a lovely cafe or dine in a restaurant that I have missed will be a great way to top off this long weekend. I am sure they are sick of my cooking, so this will be a relief to the kids too!!

Caravan parks and camping grounds are open.

Well, as much as I would love to say I am going away this long weekend, I am not. And to be honest, camping in winter is not my thing. (I hate cold weather and throw in a tent and sleeping bag, oh and a bit of rain! Nope, not me!). But for others, it means they can head anywhere in New South Wales and camp or visit caravan parks.

Community centres over this weekend

So not all facilities can open, just those that provide a service to assist vulnerable members of the public or as an early education and care facility. So it won’t apply to me, but I am sure it will be great news for those who now have access to these services.

Cultural buildings, libraries, galleries and museums open this June Long weekend.

The thought of being able to enter a library to borrow a book, browse a museum just because you can or enter a gallery or cultural building when we have a few days off during the cold and rainy season is the best news I have heard in a while! As much as some of these facilities offered virtual options, it is not quite the same as making a day of it over this long weekend and physically walking around. 

Entertainment and amusement centres this long weekend

Wow! To have options is surreal! Sure, I won’t be needing a betting agency, but the thought of an aquarium or drive-in cinema is so exciting. I think I have binged watched so much Netflix that the idea of watching a movie on a big screen is pretty tempting.

Sports and recreation

This weekend Sports and recreation facilities can now allow ten people, and we can now use the outdoor equipment in parks (no more depressing roped-off areas at parks). Although I won’t be playing golf and lawn bowls or fishing and hunting this weekend (or ever, let’s be real here), many people do have the option to enjoy these activities. 

Visiting family and friends over this long weekend

It will be nice to see them in person instead of Zoom calls. There is something about human interaction (not talking about the virtual kind) that makes life more fulfilled. You can also have an overnight stay, which means my family can sleep the night if they choose to. WOW, who knew such a small thing could make me so happy? This long weekend looks so promising, even though I do have some hesitation in entering places where social distancing rules will be challenging to comply with, as everybody flocks to many of the newly opened premises. 

I think for the most of it, just mentally knowing that we have the freedom to walk the streets, jump in our car, eat out, drive further than our neighbourhoods and eat somewhere other than our home has a positive mental spin on our outlook. Staying positive during this time of isolation has been difficult for some. So the restrictions have come at just the right time, as we enter into this long weekend. 

Although I still may not be able to be reunited in Singapore with my husband, and we are still living apart together (LAT), it is one step closer to the reunion being a reality in the not-too-distant future.

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