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The travel day of all travel days

As we crawl into bed, shattered, in a small bed and breakfast in downtown Manila, it is easy to forget the day we had to leave Malaysia. Our taxi picked us up just before 9am in Melaka to take us to the rather hectic bus terminal. The 9.30am bus to Singapore took us over 3 and a half hours, negotiating both Malaysian customs, and then Singapore customs and immigration. Even though we were only transiting through. Getting off the bus in the city state of Singapore we then had to find a taxi to take us to Changi airport. Arriving in good time for our 4.30pm flight to Manila we had time to refuel, knowing that this would be our last meal of the day.

Arriving in Manila we once more negotiated customs, our third country today, and went off to collect our bags and use the Grab app to get a taxi. We had the foresight to book into a very simple bed and breakfast close to the airport, making it easier both that night, and for our flight out the next morning. The reception we got at Rain B&B could not have been friendlier, and after a refreshing drink, a cold towel, we were shown to our room. Where I promptly collapsed into bed number 88 of the trip and slept like the dead.

Bound for beautiful Boracay

The next day we were headed to the holiday island of Boracay, in the central Philippines. A simpler travel day and yet… If you have been to Manila you will know what the traffic is like. Then, there is the small fact that Manila airport has four terminals, none of which are connected. There is a reason that the Philippines does not always figure high on the itinerary of travellers passing through Southeast Asia. A collection of 7,640 islands, the Philippines is hard to get into, and even harder to move around.

Knowing of those 7,640 islands, we had grand plans of island hopping for a while but due to the logistical challenges of this we settled for a week of rest and relaxation on the island of Boracay. Boracay is rightly popular amongst Filipino travellers. A tiny island, fringed by beautiful palm trees, and sand so soft and white that you could almost be back on the famous Whitehaven Beach in Australia.

The week of relaxation was due to be our last stop before heading back home. But, midway through the week, sipping cold San Miguel whilst watching the best sunset of our lives, we looked at each other and just knew what each was thinking. We let it sit there. Between us. Unspoken, yet so powerful. In that moment we knew that the Philippines was not to be the end of this amazing odyssey.

The rehabilitation of Boracay

Boracay is not this beautiful by accident. Whilst naturally stunning, and blessed with beaches, the island suffered a fate common to other tourist hotspots in the region. Overdeveloped. Too many tourists. Not the correct infrastructure to deal with the volume of people. We saw, or rather smelt this, first hand on the Thai island of Phi Phi. Without the sewerage to deal with the vast numbers of visitors the streets literally stink of shit, emanating up from the open sewers.  

Boracay may, or may not have been at this level, yet in 2018 the Philippine government closed the island down for 6 months. They even went to the extent of posting soldiers and police officers at the entry points on the pier to turn visitors away. The rehabilitation was considered a success and now the island is abuzz with tourists looking to laze away the day on the perfect “White Beach” and party long into the night.

I am afraid to say that the “influencers” are out in force too. It is probably the first time in my life I have seen grown women dressing up in mermaid outfits and lolling around on the beach. The photographers that are paid to follow them about throw out demands to “lift your tail higher”. Could I BE any more saddened at what the world is becoming?

White Beach of Boracay

Our 6 days there were spent in a state of bliss. Starting with the excellent breakfast provided by the hotel, followed by long walks along White Beach. The feel of the sand under our feet was unreal. So soft. As part of the rehabilitation of the island, sun loungers and parasols are no longer permitted and this does cause an issue as the sun gets higher in the sky. It is a bit of a scramble to find a spare palm tree to lay in the shade of.

As the sun goes down, Boracay comes to life. There is something for everyone. Many restaurants serving every cuisine under the sun. Cheap beach bars where I was having a rum and coke for $1.37 (74p). And enough karaoke bars to satisfy all the budding Filipino Gloria Gaynors. Days passed way too quick.

Makati in Manila

Before we knew it, our time on the island had come to an end. We now had another travel trek back to Manila. Getting picked up at 6.30am from Watercolors Hotel was just the start of it. What followed was a ride to the boat terminal in Boracay. A boat across to Catical, saying goodbye to the island of Boracay. A minibus to the airport, which took all of 4 minutes. A 40 minutes flight  to Manila and finally a Grab taxi to Havitat Hotel. Phew.

Thankfully, on arrival at the hotel our room was ready and we were able to drop the bags and freshen up, before heading out for some lunch. We were staying in the Makati part of Manila, and were conveniently very close to the Power Plant mall, which had many dining options. It was also here, in the Starbucks Roastery, that I got to catch up with an old friend.

Friendship and the importance of connection

Whilst working with a client in Sydney back in 2019 I had the opportunity to travel to Manila for a week, delivering some training to the teams based in the Bonifacio Global Centre in Manila. Having met him previously in Sydney, being in Manila gave me more time to get to know Edwin, who has turned into a great friend. Meeting Edwin for a coffee and catching up on the last few years, and how the Filipinos have been navigating COVID was great. And a great reminder that connection to each other is so important. We can use all the technology we have available to us and yet nothing beats the human connection we feel when we are sat facing each other, chatting over a coffee.

With our Philippines adventure drawing to a close it was time to look ahead. Look forward to where the road will take us. Reluctant to head home as first planned, we scraped a little more money out of the travel jar and are now on our way to country number 25, and onto Indonesia. We are Bali bound.

Last minute preparations for the visitors to Perth

One minute you are buying a new mattress and another wine glass so there is one for everyone. The next minute you are wondering what to do with the extra glass. It all goes by in a blur. An exciting blur. A fun filled blur. But a blur all the same.

Recently, we said a sad farewell to Jane and Dave who have been over in Perth, visiting us from England. They have previously visited us in Sydney and this was their first trip to the wild west of Australia. Escaping the last of the English winter by baking in the remaining remnants of our Perth summer. In the time that they were here we gave the bottle recycling people a little more work to do. Increased the profits of the local pizzeria. And kept the Margaret River wine industry going for a little while longer.

Western Australia’s Wonderful Wine

It wasn’t all about wine. We also got to return to some of our favourite restaurants, enjoying them again, as for the first time, through the eyes of our guests. Who knew that we would enjoy crayfish, oysters, prawns, crab, and raw scallops with our beef loving visitors? There was once a rumour that “beef” was Dave’s middle name but I am not sure this is true. They also now know that the world grows more grapes than Pinot Grigio. Semillon became a firm favourite and I wonder if they will find a bottle on the shelves of Tesco supermarket?

Supermarket shopping was one of the highlights of the Perth trip, with Jane getting to explore the wonders of Woolworths. Not the same Woolworths that she recalls so fondly from England. A brand that no longer adorns the UK high street. Jane discovered that Woolworths itself is not very exciting. Another supermarket much like the Tesco and Sainsbury’s that she is so familiar with. Although, she got a little giddy to discover Brussels Sprouts on the shelves. Alas, there was not a fig roll to be seen.

Sliding Doors

One thing she was less familiar with, as was Dave, it seems, is the sliding glass door you see in every home. Something I have come to take for granted whilst living in Australia. Obviously, Jane and Dave are a little less well aquainted. Both of them tried to defy physics, and emulate the magician, Dynamo, by walking right through a closed glass door. Yes, on separate occasions. They both tried to walk through the very same, closed, glass doors.

A loud crack made me jump and look up from my book in time to see Jane rebounding off the glass door. With Dave, I actually watched him walk towards the door and wondered why he wasn’t moving to open it. He decided to try and walk straight through it.  I know this is not funny. Even remotely. But, once I had checked that they were not injured I could not help but stifle a giggle or two. It is not something you see every day. And we got to see it twice.

Swan Valley, Australia’s Oldest Wine Region

Walking into glass doors was not enough to take the shine off the holiday that they got to enjoy. And we got to enjoy with them. Exploring our little suburb of Leederville and the many eating and drinking options. A day trip to the Swan Valley, the oldest wine region in Western Australia, where we experienced both the large corporate winery, Sandalfords, and a couple of much smaller ones, Lancaster Wines and Sitella. And yes, of course we walked away with wine from all three cellar doors.

Resting our legs, we called in at Padbury’s restaurant in the historic suburb of Guildford where Dave devoured the “instagram worthy” stack of thick, fluffy pancakes. Post pancakes, we called in for a drink at what is reputed to be WA’s oldest pub, the Rose and Crown, a long time Sunday lunch favourite spot of Mr and Mrs C. 

Magnificent Margaret River

It won’t surprise regular readers of this blog that we took our visitors to Margaret River for a long weekend. Of course we did. Did you expect anything else? We called for coffee at the cult classic “Crooked Carrot” cafe, breaking up the three hour journey south. The traffic was light and before we knew it we were pulling up at the beautiful Meelup Farmhouse where we had a delightful lunch. Share plates and a bottle of chilled white wine. Is there a better way to spend a Friday?

It got better, with a call at another favourite spot of ours, Wild Hop brewery. Cold beers all around, sat in the sunny courtyard, under the shade of a large parasol. Heaven. For our time in Margaret River we had a large AirBnB booked that was within walking distance of the town. And, importantly, within walking distance of West Coffee Co. for our early morning brew.  Our visitors continued to marvel at just how different the lifestyle in Australia is. With most people rising early, they were soon getting into the swing of things, sat in Margaret River drinking coffee before 8am.

Chicken Parmi, an Australian Classic

Perhaps just as importantly, within walking distance of the famous “Tav”. We could all have a few drinks at Settlers Tavern without the need to draw straws for who was going to be the skipper. The designated driver. We all had the opportunity to indulge in some of the best local beer around, from Beerfarm, and perhaps the best pub wine list in any pub across the country. Also, we got Dave to have his very first chicken parmi. He just had to, didn’t he? Myself and Victoria joined him. We knew just how good the parmi is at the Tav.

Morning walks along Gnarabup Beach from the iconic White Elephant cafe cleared any cobwebs away from the previous night. Spotting surfers catching waves, and marvelling at a pod of dolphins frolicking nearby. Life in Margaret River always slows down to a pace that I could very well get used to. The region has the best of everything. World class wines. Belting beers. Fabulous forests. And some of the best beaches you will have the privilege to walk on. I get the sense that our visitors started to understand why we spend so much time down there.

On the way home we called in at the seaside town of Busselton. Home of the longest pier in the southern hemisphere. A walk to the end is always good for working up a thirst. Which is fortunate as Busselton is home to two of our favourite breweries, Shelter and Rocky Ridge Tap House. We quenched our thirst, and had a great lunch at Shelter, before hitting the road back to Perth.

Beachside fish and chips on Rottnest Island

Closer to home, and impressive in a different way, Rottnest Island is truly a world class destination. Situated a short 30 minute boat ride away from Fremantle docks, there is so much more to “Rotto” than the ubiquitous Quokkas that Jane chased around the island trying to get her selfie. Whether it is quiet strolls along Pinky’s Beach, a walk up to the lighthouse, or simply having a great fish and chips with a few cold beers on the beachfront Hotel Rottnest pub, Rottnest is a must visit destination.

We were now into the final few days of the holiday. In the week we got to visit Sculptures by the Sea. Now in its 20th year, as at Bondi in Sydney, the beach is taken over by artists from all over the world, with sculptures, some more impressive than others. Much time, and head scratching prevailed as we tried to make sense of the meaning imbued by many of the sculptures. 

Checking the holiday spreadsheet, our final long lunch was at The Shorehouse in Swanbourne. Another favourite spot right on the beach. Our table order was simple. Four crab linguine dishes and a bottle of chilled white wine from the Swan Valley. Which turned into two bottles. Which might explain why Jane thought a surfer was carrying a musical organ, rather than his surfboard. Thankfully, there were no glass doors to negotiate.

Fond Farewells

Our last evening came around far too quickly. We decided to spend it just as we started, two weeks earlier. On the balcony at home with some of the best pizza in Perth (thank you Pappagallo) and a few drinks. Closing the circle. With the Uber ordered, our visitor’s bags packed, we said an emotional goodbye. A goodbye that was made a little easier knowing that we will be visiting the UK in June. 

I wonder if we can sneak in another trip to Margaret River before then…

Smell the Eucalyptus

Strolling through the park, as we started our usual weekend walk, the smell of eucalyptus was strong. There had been overnight rain. Heavy rain. The kind of rain that signals the changing of the seasons. The grass becomes a lot greener. The lake rises a little. The pelicans head north for warmer weather. Mating frogs call out to each other. A sound we haven’t heard in over a year. And the temperature has dropped. Oh yes, summer is slowly becoming a distant memory. 

When it rains, it rains

At home there has been a wardrobe change. Gone are the oppresive days of 40 degree heat. There is less need for shorts and an increased demand for the jumpers and hoodies that hibernate through the oppressive Perth summer. The flip flops get little use. It is time for boots. Long trousers. And a rain jacket.

When it rains in Perth, it rains. Torrential. Our apartment is on the upper level of two and is the first line of defence against the downpour. The sound is deafening. So much that we can’t hear the TV. It becomes a sound track all of its own. 

Makuru in Perth

This morning’s soundtrack is dominated by the cockatoos, congregating on the edge of Lake Monger. Squawking. It sounds like they are making great demands of each other. It sounds almost violent. Perhaps it is, in the bird world. They could learn a lot from their friends, the pelicans. Majestically gliding across the lake.

As we continue walking around the lake, we can feel the dampness in the air. We can smell it. The “white fellas” would call this Autumn. Arriving on boats from England, the colonists tried to replicate what they had at home. Forcing nature into the four seasons they called Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. Tried to grow the same crops. Perturbed as to why they didn’t take. Not considering that they were in a whole new world. A new land. A land that has been home to people for over 60,000 years.

And over those thousands of years, these First Nations people had worked out how to partner with the land. Work symbiotically. In harmony. They weren’t “in nature”, they were nature. Not for them the imposed four seasons of the colonists. The indigenous people of Australia align to a six season calendar. The changing weather, and changing landscape tells them that we are now in the season of Makuru. Represented by the colour blue, symbolising rain and cold weather. 

Makuru runs through June and July, at which point we will have Djilba, in August, symbolising the growth of wildflowers and plants. Our “winter”, or Makuru, will be spent in the Northern Hemisphere, hopefully enjoying a traditional summer. Although, from what I am hearing from up there, summer has yet to arrive. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so hasty in thinking I will be living in shorts and t-shirts.

Exploring the Back Yard

Before embarking on our bi-annual trip to the UK and Europe, we have been doing more exploring in our own part of the world. I got to spend 4 days in Sydney. Unfortunately, not as a tourist. I was over for some coach training and spent most of the time in a classroom with a passionate group of coaches from across Australia. That said, our training was over at Manly Beach so each day I had the pleasure of the world’s best commute, crossing over on the iconic green and gold ferry.

Exploring Australia’s South West

A little closer to home we spent a long public holiday weekend in the South West. For once, we didn’t get as far as our beloved Margaret River. Home for the weekend was an eco cabin at Southcamp, a large brewery located just 30 minutes north of Margaret River. This was our first stay in Dunsborough, as we usually just pass through. And we got to see a lot more of this small town. Scratch the surface and there is a lot to enjoy.

Being lovers of good food, we thoroughly enjoyed our dinner at Blue Manna bistro, which I now know is named after a crab. Makes sense, for a seafood restaurant. Victoria had a delicious blue swimmer crab linguine. I also had linguine, with fresh seafood. After a period of 5 weeks of sobriety, this weekend we allowed ourselves a couple of glasses of wine. The chardonnay was a perfect accompaniment. 

Morning walks along the oceanfront, trying to spot the migrating humpback whales, in vain. Breakfast in one of the many excellent cafes dotted around town. Afternoons were spent in the cabin, reading. Isn’t this what long weekends are for?

Football comes to Perth

We also got to, finally, visit Optus Stadium in Perth. And I was underwhelmed. We were there for the football. An Italian extravaganza with AC Milan taking on AS Roma. Sadly, Optus Stadium was built for Aussie Rules so it is a round stadium. Not ideal for football as you are so far from the pitch. An Italian dinner was the obvious choice pre-match, and probably one of the only times I have had a night out, and gone to the football, without having an alcoholic drink. Our holiday health kick continued, with us indulging in non alcoholic Peroni.

Looking after body and mind

Part of the health kick has included reigniting our love for reformer pilates, something we did for a few years in Sydney. Having a studio so close to the apartment here in Perth was the perfect excuse and we have really loved getting back into it. I had forgotten quite how hard it is. But, great for my aging body. Regular gym sessions, weekly pilates, weekend walks, and the best part of 8 weeks of no alcohol and I’m feeling in fine fettle.

How long the fine fettle will continue is up for debate. Next week sees us head overseas to escape winter. Some long overdue family time, and then a few weeks exploring the best of Puglia and Sicily. I can almost taste the pasta and wine already. Apart from a long weekend in Bali, this will be our first overseas holiday in over a year. We are ready.

Ciao, ragazzi!