Last weekend, I found myself asking a question I hadn't expected to ask.
Where am I?
The water was calm and remarkably clear. Paddleboarders drifted across the bay. Families were spread across the beach and despite it being a beautiful summer's day, there was still a sense of space and tranquillity.
Earlier in the day, we had been playing cricket on the beach and swimming in the sea before heading to The Hive at Burton Bradstock for lunch.
As we sat looking out across the coastline, all of us found ourselves saying the same thing.
"It feels like we're abroad."
And for a moment, it genuinely did.
The sea was crystal clear. The atmosphere was relaxed. People seemed in no particular hurry to be anywhere else.
Yet this wasn't the Mediterranean.
It wasn't a long-haul destination.
It wasn't even a holiday.
It was Burton Bradstock, on Dorset's Jurassic Coast.
Just over an hour from home.
Growing up, I spent much of my childhood and teenage summers around Ringstead and the Dorset coast, so perhaps I shouldn't have been surprised. Yet it struck me how easy it is to forget what we have on our doorstep.
Particularly at a time when the news feels dominated by political uncertainty, economic speculation and endless discussion about what may happen next.
The headlines change almost daily.
Interest rates.
Taxation.
Politics.
Property forecasts.
Yet standing on the beach that afternoon, none of those things felt particularly important.
Because whilst the headlines continue to change, the reasons people choose to move rarely do.
People don't move because of a headline.
They move because they want a different way of life.
More space.
A stronger sense of community.
Excellent schools.
Access to nature.
The ability to spend a Sunday afternoon on the coast, in the countryside or with family and friends.
A life that feels a little slower, a little calmer and a little more connected.
As a buying agent, I spend much of my time helping people find property. But more often than not, what they're really searching for isn't a house at all.
It's a lifestyle.
And places like Dorset continue to offer that in abundance.
The coastline remains beautiful.
The countryside remains beautiful.
The villages remain welcoming.
The schools remain excellent.
The things that draw people to this part of the world remain remarkably constant, regardless of what the latest headlines might suggest.
As we left Burton Bradstock later that afternoon, I found myself reflecting on how fortunate we are to have places like this so close to home.
The sea will still roll in tomorrow.
The cliffs will still stand.
Families will still gather on the beach.
And perhaps that's worth remembering.
Whilst markets rise and fall, and politics continues to dominate the news cycle, some of the most important things remain unchanged.
Sometimes all it takes is an afternoon at Burton Bradstock to remind us of that.