You’ve just survived the summer of all summers. The second hottest on record, and without a doubt the most destructive. Hell fires burned across the country, only to be interrupted briefly by biblical floods.
Australia ping ponged between natural disasters, each devastatingly extreme. Hopefully the worst of the season is behind us now. We leave summer scarred and shaky, but still standing. Stronger for it. Except perhaps the garden.
Autumn is milder. More composed. More rational. Dip your toes into the cooler weather with these activities that you’d forgotten about in that summer days daze.
#1. Read
In my opinion, any time of year is a great time to read. However, Autumn is particularly perfect. The weather means you can still read on the beach, without being cooked alive. Cooler evenings mean that bed and a good book are especially inviting.
Reading is becoming less popular due to alternative grabs on our time and an overwhelming mass of entertainment options. Turn off your screen and disconnect. Allow your attention to be swallowed by one thing in its entirety. Reading is good for both the mind and the soul.
Head to your local bookstore or the library to pick up a good read to chow down on.
The wellness experts at Natural Healing Touch are big believers of self care. They say, “self care doesn’t have to mean meditating for an hour in the morning or doing yoga everyday, but it’s about doing little things daily that make you feel good. Try reading, or even sitting in the sun for five minutes. Take care of your body and mind.”
#2. Go to the Cinema
Go to the cinemas! How long has it been since you were last there? There is something so lovely about going to the cinema on a mild Autumn evening. Check out what you have been missing out on, the Oscar nominees and the Oscar winners.
Grab some popcorn and a date, or go alone. You won’t feel guilty about wasting the day when the sun isn’t so spectacular.
#3. Go for a Bushwalk
Autumn is the perfect time of year to go on a bush walk. The days are still long, but they’re not too hot. You can still be tempted to go for a swim if you come across an enchanting watering hole, but you’re not pushed in by summer’s oppressive heat.
Bushwalking is a great social activity, or brilliant for some solitary contemplation. Tracks are popular and common almost everywhere in Australia. You can choose one according to your mood, depending on what you want:
- New or familiar
- Flat or challenging
- Quick or leisurely
- Inland or by the ocean
Autumn is the perfect time to get outside and get moving. It’s nice to enjoy time outside without feeling like you’re going to drown in your own sweat!
If walking isn’t your thing you could try an e-scooter or e-bike. The team at Watt-A-Ride electric scooters say e-riders are the perfect way to enjoy nature and go on long nature paths without breaking a sweat. E-riders are powered by a rechargeable battery so they have zero emissions that will not require you to visit a gas station to refill your tank with expensive, harmful petrol.
#4. Take a Road Trip
The roads in summer are packed with families making the most of the holidays. Backed up traffic. Heat and tempers rising. Avoid the congestion and the holiday towns over populated with squealing kids. Take your trip in Autumn, even if it’s just for the day.
Head to the beach or for the bush. Either’s good at this time of year. Even just driving to a tiny town for a pub lunch and a look around is a lovely way to spend an afternoon. Take your car, or even the train and explore somewhere new.
Pack a jacket and some snacks. You’re good to go!
#5. Cook
There is something so cosy about cooking. Summer’s heat makes appetites wane. Summer evenings are spent with light salads and cold drinks. Autumn makes the hunger return. Use it. Get creative with it. Enjoy it.
Nutritionist Vicki Witt says cooking can help you reconnect with your pallet, the ability to customise your meals to your liking and experience the sensations that come with cooking (taste and smell) will give you a new appreciation for food.
What was that hearty recipe you’ve been eyeing up for a while now? Make a decadent cake and invite your friends round to enjoy it with you. Host a dinner party or a morning tea.
Bust out the nutmeg and cinnamon again. They’re Autumn’s best companions. Pumpkin soup and pumpkin cupcakes. Relish the ability to enjoy warmer foods again.
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