It’s an open secret we’re fixing our house up for sale. Having decided to retire there didn’t seem much point to staying on in Canberra – rural Victoria seemed a way better option.

Of course when you put your house up for sale you realise that the kitchen ceiling needs repainting, the toilet door lock really should be fixed, and that little bit of board needs installing.

So, last week we reached the point where (almost) everything was done save some outside weeding and and pruning, and we decided to reward ourselves with three days on the coast.

We went to Tathra, which also gives you a digital detox. Cellphones don’t work there – not quite true, up on the headland, Telstra ones do, but if you’re Optus, Virgin, or anyone else, forget it.

Down on the bay, not even Telstra works. Which is kind of interesting. No one looks at their phones in restaurants. They talk to each other.

Of course, as we found when we went for an evening picnic, some unexpected places get a signal, but basically from about 10km out of Merimbula, north to the edge of Bermagui, there’s not a deal of coverage.

Which is fine. Promotes a relaxed lifestyle, and if you do need to check email or twitter, it’s either a coffee somewhere with free wifi or a drive up the coast.

Gets you off the treadmill we make for ourselves.