My place in the world with Sarah Andrews

Stylist, scientist, sailor, teacher… Sarah Andrews has a beautiful home in an idyllic corner of the world. It’s an award-winning heritage-listed waterfront cottage in Lettes Bay, Strahan, Tasmania called @captainsrest 
Available for stays, at this serene hideaway you can wake with the bird song, walk in the forest, swim in the water, read by the fire and watch the stars at night. We love everything about Captain’s Rest. Sarah shares with us her thoughts on finding your place, home and living simply.

Tell us how you discovered your haven, Captain’s Rest?
Total recklessness. I was desperate to get away, and hole up somewhere no-one else was, or would go… But that all turned on its head after, in the space of a few weeks, my life fell apart. I needed to share the space to help with an income to support me through a difficult time – and, my secret place in the world is now no longer a secret! No complaints however, sharing it with the world has been such a beautiful experience.

What is your favourite time of day at Lettes Bay?
Sunrise. Standing in front of all that old glass watching the whole world turn into a pink daydream is a humbling experience. I’ve been the caretaker of this magical spot now for four years and it takes my breath away every single time. There is a magic here, that can’t ever be understood until you experience it. As one guest said to me once, “I am blessed, I have stayed at Captains Rest.”

What does home mean to you?
Home is the space where what is inside your soul pours out. I think the very worst thing we can do when we are creating a home is look outside ourselves, online or to magazines for inspiration. To seek others to find you seems like the wrong way to go about things. To know yourself and surround yourself with it is true bliss. Well for me it is anyway. I don’t think there are any hard rules to life, just what feels good, and what doesn’t.
It’s no secret I am a vagabond. At nearly 40, I still spend my time travelling from place to place with a suitcase that seems to grow and the occasional outfit change overs in a storage unit on the outskirts of Hobart. But for me, ever-changing environments and adventure truly feel like home. I have my fingers and toes crossed I find a place I want to hang up my things long term. That would be a treat.

What have you found challenging during this time of the pandemic? And what has it taught you?
I spent nearly two months in quarantine alone in various parts of the world. And it was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I have spent a lot of time alone in my life, at sea, on land, far, far away – but this felt so much different and I felt so alone.
As scary and unreal as it all has been, I feel like I have come out the other side a very different person. I feel so very conscious now of what I consume, how I act and think and feel… what I want for my life and who I want to spend it with. It has made me feel so much more pride for the work I do helping other Airbnb owners with The Hosting Masterclass (@thehostingmasterclass) and with sharing my own simple space with others, to perhaps inspire a more simple and free existence too. But on the flip side I feel so very conscious now of what I consume and what impact that has on the world. I feel passionate now about living even more simply, with less. Sharing more, loving more… being even more free.

What do you wish for the world in life after Covid?
This world has needed such a big shift, in a multitude of ways. I think that’s probably different for everyone, but perhaps we have all had the chance to examine how we live, who we are, why we are here. What an important thing and a lucky gift to have had.

How do you keep well?
Keeping well always feels like a challenge with my ever-changing environment. Instead, I gave up on that years ago, and now just focus on keeping happy, and doing things that make me feel good. Interestingly that seems to work for me!

Tell us about your relationship with tea. And your dream of tea and rose gardens?
There is something about tea which leads to a quiet contemplation of life. A cup of tea and the world just seems to stop. Coffee for the world speeding up, and tea for it to come to a sudden halt. Good tea is such a sensory experience, warm hands, spreading and softening leaves, the smells… the taste. I dream of a house of my own one day. I’d love a cutting rose garden and perhaps I’d love to learn about which roses I could try and steep. I won’t say too much, I feel like I am giving away my middle-agedness!