Explore with Fran

Touring Perth’s First Urban (whiskey) Ditillery

October 13, 2020 by Fran 3 Comments

Whiskey for every occasion

Cold weather. A head cold. A celebration. Whatever the occasion, who really needs an excuse to have a whisky? Feel it’s too early for a stiff nightcap? Then have a cocktail. I’m especially partial to an Old Fashioned.

Whatever your choice, pick up your whisk(e)y from a local distillery. Tucked away behind the local TAFE and mere steps from Claisebrook train station, Whipper Snapper distillery is one of Australia’s only urban distilleries. In a rather desolate part of East Perth, in a mainly industrialised enclave, there is the strange distinction of being a micro brewery and a distillery within streets of each other.

Hidden Gems of East Perth

Bright Tank Brewery and Whipper Snapper distillery have been neighbours since 2014. With the latter distilling a spirit that it can call whiskey once it has been in the barrel for 2 years, a legal requirement. Being such a new distillery, and without the luxury of time, Whipper Snapper had to produce something it could sell. To get a product out of the door, the un-aged spirit, in a clear form due to no contact with the oak barrels, was simply called “moonshine”. A nod to its American influence.

I thought the distinctive spelling on the bottle was also a reference to the way it is often spelled in the USA. “Why the ‘e’ in your spelling of whiskey,” I asked.

“To differentiate ourselves. We even considered “whiskee”, but decided that was a bridge too far.”

I agreed.

History of whisk(e)y

You see, the water of life (uisce (Irish) / uisge (Scottish Gaelic) being the provenance of the name whisky) has a long and storied history. In some parts of Scotland, whisky, minus the ‘e’, has been distilled since 1494, with whisky production first taxed in 1644. There are only so many liberties you can take in the face of tradition.

We were here to see the nascent beginnings of a new tradition being created in East Perth. We joined a tour of the distillery to learn about the story behind this fascinating slice of local business and tourism. I also had a personal interest in tasting the whiskey produced, having long been a fan of a wee dram or two.

The Whipper Snapper Back Story

Whipper Snapper grew out of a conversation in a small beachside suburb on the west coast of Australia. It was in Scarborough, named after the seaside resort in Yorkshire, England, that Al met Vic, a world war 2 veteran with a love of whiskey. Vic had been distilling whiskey and moonshine from his garden shed and before too long was passing on his knowledge on to Al and his mate Jimmy.

With their newly acquired knowledge, and a large warehouse in East Perth secured as their new home, they now needed a distinctive name and brand. If two young men from Perth were going to take on the big boys in the world of whiskey, they were going to need a lot of grit and determination. These young upstarts called themselves “Whipper Snappers”, and were on their way.

And the whipper snappers determined from the beginning that this would be a proud West Australian (WA) operation. Making the commitment to only ever source grain and corn from the state of WA. It probably helps that WA is the second largest country subdivision in the world, with 2.5million square kilometres to play in.

Feeding The Angels

Despite the size of the state of WA, Whipper Snapper has to face very trying issues. Such as the 5% lost each year to evaporation, in the industry known as the “angels share”. In a climate such as the one in the sunny state of WA, the precious liquid can not be left in the barrels for the 10 years you typically see with Scotch whisky. There would be nothing left in the barrel, with the angels taking their annual allowance.

Greedy angels, and the constraints around how much whiskey could be produced, means that there is no export to overseas markets. Which is a shame as Whipper Snapper has much to offer. Not just their deliciously smooth flagship, Upshot, but lots of prototypes such as the Toffee Apple Moonshine, delicious, which sold out in quick time, maybe due to the proximity of Father’s Day.

Yes, The Teetotal Tour

It is not just dads that would enjoy the tour of the Whipper Snapper distillery. Even if you are not a whiskey drinker, you can still accompany friends and family, as a “non drinker” option is offered. I recommend booking everyone in for the full tasting experience, as this could result in more whiskey for you.

I made the most of the tour, getting to sample the clear, distilled liquid, before it had even seen one of the oak barrels that are imported from the USA. A little harsh on the throat, and reminiscent of neat gin, it was good to see and taste how the liquid changes over the time it spends in the barrels.

By the time it becomes the flagship, Upshot, you have a very easy drinking whiskey, which is equally good neat, with a couple of splashes of water to bring out the flavour, or mixed in your favourite cocktail. I am told that it makes an excellent Old Fashioned.

I can’t wait to get home with my new purchase and find out.

100 Days in Perth

August 11, 2020 by Fran 2 Comments

Recently, we reached a milestone in our lives in Perth. Somehow, we passed the 100 day mark. Not that we were counting. Not really. But the 100 days in Perth have slowly crept up on us, tapped us on the shoulder, and whizzed right by. 100 days that have perfectly aligned with the global timeline we have all been working on with coronavirus.

We boarded a packed Qantas flight and departed Sydney on the afternoon of 23rd March not knowing what the immediate future had in store for us. And not just because of coronavirus. After 8 years in Sydney we were stretching our wings. Off to explore the world, and have some new adventures. At least that had been the plan. I should have known better.

At work I am always extolling the benefits of planning, but stressing the need to remain flexible. The oft quoted Dwight Eisenhower is resurrected.

PLanning is indispensable, plans are useless - Dwight Eisenhower

Or as the rather more eloquent Mike Tyson put it, “everyone has a plan, until they get punched in the mouth.” So I coach people to expect the punch in the mouth. Or in professional terms, to “inspect and adapt”.

And this is what we did. The fabled spreadsheet didn’t quite get consigned to the garbage, but it did get mothballed. For now. Full disclosure? I have a new version already prepared, and cleverly renamed “Travels 2021.” Because as the stoics taught us, this too shall pass.

So we find ourselves entering the second half of 2020. A new financial year, the adverts in my social media feeds keep telling me. We may have only been in Perth for just over 4 months, but pausing to reflect, over my ice cold pint of Guinness, which is bloody good by the way, I remember that we have a lot to be grateful for. And gratitude is one of the practices that will get us through this. A practice of daily gratitude has been shown to improve our mental health. And mental health is something that has been climbing up my personal agenda of late.

Raising a glass to being in the magnificent Margaret River region. — In our happy place, Margaret River

Uprooting a life of 8 years in Sydney was a deliberate choice. A choice that I own. 100%. But even our choices can bring consequences. Intended, and unintended. Expected, and unexpected. Personally, I have found it harder than I thought. And I am not sure whether this is as a result of mentally knowing that we are not where we planned to be. That we left Sydney with only a backpack because only a day before we thought we were travelling to Asia.

Whatever the reason, I have felt adrift. A feeling that is slowly dissipating. I was struggling to find my connection back to life. Drifting in a land that I didn’t recognise. I felt liminal. On the threshold of something. I am managing this. Meditating, when I remember. Leaning on Buddhist teachings. Knowing that our thoughts are not reality. And thoughts, if left to run amok, can drive you mad.

Which brings me back to mental health, a topic that interests me more and more. And for this reason I have recently undergone training, and become an accredited Mental Health First Aider. I want to help. Wherever I can.

Besides keeping myself busy with learning, we both have a lot to be proud of. We arrived in a new city, with no jobs, and nowhere to live. An apartment was the easy piece of the puzzle, with the jobs being much harder. But I am proud of how we have both thrown ourselves into it and are both now working. And due to coronavirus we are both working from home. Which has its own challenges. I forgot to put myself on mute one day this week, and the call I was on suddenly went silent.

“Who was that?”

“Did someone say something?”

“…”

“It was a Scottish lady speaking. How weird.”

The “Scottish lady” was Victoria, in the other corner of the lounge, chatting on another call.

Apartment. Jobs. Trips to beautiful places such as Margaret River and the Swan Valley. Continuing my personal growth. I know we have plenty to be grateful for.

I read something from a friend the other day, that I think is advice that everyone should be following right now. In the days of homeschooling. Working from home and interrupting each other’s calls. In the midst of all the stress, we should all “just do what we can”.

It’s worth repeating, as we head into the second half of 2020. Just do what you can.

Margaret River, and why you should visit

July 12, 2020 by Fran 7 Comments

Heading South from Perth

Less than 3 hours after having breakfast in Perth, we were driving through Yalingup in the Margaret River region. We had a little time before our first wine tasting of the day so we headed west off Caves Road, driving the short distance to the sea and called in at Canal Rocks. Our first glimpse of this beautiful coastline. Passing Cape Lavender cafe on the way we made a mental note to try and check out their famous afternoon tea. Being a sucker for a good scone, and always on the search for the best high tea in Australia, we would strive to call in over the weekend.

Canal Rocks in Margaret River, more than wine — First sight of the sea, at Canal Rocks

Time to taste what Margaret River is all about

Thoughts of scones pushed aside, at 12.30pm we sat down to enjoy what we really came to Margaret River for. Wine. This was our first visit to Domaine Naturaliste and we were booked in for a seated tasting and a charcuterie board. Owned by Bruce Dukes, a contract winemaker in the Margaret River region for over 30 years, Domaine Naturaliste is a relatively new cellar door with a vineyard that was only purchased in 2018.

Margaret River wine and the Domaine Naturaliste cellar door — Domaine Naturaliste

We sampled 6 excellent wines, with me favouring the three whites we had. We didn’t have to wait long before making our first purchase of the weekend, taking a “Sauvage” chardonnay and the “Floris” Sauvignon Blanc. Both fresh, with well balanced acidity, and subtle hints of oak.

Voyager Estate, a hint of South Africa

Next up was Voyager Estate, again for a seated tasting. Voyager is a grand vineyard housed in some beautifully tended gardens. This was our second visit and we had previously been struck by the similarities with the cellar doors we visited in Franschhoek, South Africa. This was explained when we read the information on the original owner who garnered inspiration from his many trips to South Africa.

Margaret River vineyards and cellar doors, this is Voyager Estate. — Margaret River, or Franschhoek?

The tasting at Voyager was for 3 wines, choosing from an extensive list of options. I went for the Chardonnay (becoming a firm favourite), and a Chenin Blanc (here again is the South African influence), and finished with a new release Cabernet Sauvignon.

Ordinarily a self confessed red wine fan, my palate definitely leant to the white grape. The Chenin Blanc was a standout, and I quickly added to our day’s wine collection. Vik was quite taken by one of the Cabernet Sauvignons, which she slipped into the bag, before I realised it was $81 a bottle!

No visit to Voyager Estate is complete without a walk around the magnificently manicured gardens, stopping to take in the delicate aromas of the resplendent roses.

Something a little stronger than Margaret River wine

Margaret River is more than just wine, as good as that wine is. As a premier gourmet destination you will find something for everyone. Tucked away off the main Bussel Highway, a short distance from the Margaret River township, is the Margaret River Distilling Company.

Originally started up in Albany, in the state’s Southern region, the distillery’s outpost in Margaret River provides both food and drink. Before making a purchase, which I consider compulsory each time I visit, try a tasting paddle of either the award winning gin or whisky. My love of a good whisky nightcap is no secret and I couldn’t leave without a bottle of Limeburner’s Port Cask single malt. I was already imagining later that evening, sat silently on the deck, star gazing, sipping a wee dram.

Beerfarm, a must visit

But before then, as the sun started serenely setting to our left, we headed the 20 minutes north, back up the Bussel Highway to somewhere that had been on my “must visit” list for quite some time. Located on 80 acres of farmland, housed in an old dairy farm in Metricup, the Beerfarm comes universally recommended. It was time to find out for ourselves what all the fuss was about.

Beerfarm in the Margaret River — Ready for a pint of craft beer

A large open space, with a bar at one end and a kitchen housed by the old cow sheds, Beerfarm ticks all the boxes. A wide range of craft beers on tap, of which the Pale Ale is a personal favourite, and a kitchen slinging out portions of meat that have to be seen to be believed. Friday is “steak night” up on the ‘Farm and we ordered the tomahawk. Sipping our beers, looking out across the paddock, as the sun slowly turned the skies all colours of red, we were in for a surprise.

And this was the surprise. I was assured that it was cow, and not dinosaur, but good lord, have you ever seen anything like it?

The amazing Tomahawk steak served up at Margaret River’s Beerfarm — The Tomahawk steak at Beerfarm

We will never finish this, we mumbled to the waiter. As the empty plates were cleared away we wondered out loud whether we still had room for desert.

Day 2 dawns in Margaret River

Our second morning started the way many of our mornings away start. With bacon and egg butties at home before heading out on the short drive to Prevelly, a surf spot just up from Gnarabup beach. In Margaret River this is often our morning walk, along the sea, amongst the sand dunes, under bright blue skies and a mild winter breeze.

Gnarabup Beach in Margaret River — Gnarabup Beach

No visit to this area, and specifically to Gnarabup is complete without a visit to the White Elephant cafe for coffee. A local’s favourite, the “Elie” is rammed each day with hardy swimmers warming up with their post swim brew. Hordes of hungry locals feast on the breakfast and lunch dishes whipped up but today we were only here for drinks. One of the joys of life is to get a very good strong latte and sit overlooking the beach and sea, taking in views that stretch all the way up to Prevelly beach.

Coffee with a view, at White Elephant cafe, Gnarabup. — My happy place

Xanadu the vineyard, not the song

Suitably caffeinated it was time to move onto something a little stronger, and to head to our first tasting of the day. Another new vineyard, today we were off to Xanadu, a place we can’t pass without bursting into song. Seriously, it is impossible. Xanadu wines turns out to have the longest drive way of any vineyard I have ever visited. At one point I thought we were going to end up back in Perth. But the drive was worth it, entering a cracking cellar door and sampling some more of the world class wine on offer in this stunning region.

Like our cousins across the Tasman, Australia is now charging for tastings as the Kiwis do. I understand why, and chatting to staff at the cellar doors they explain it is to stop the many tour buses that disperse tourists at cellar doors who then taste a lot of wine, taking up lots of time from the staff, and then leave empty handed. It does make sense. Making wine is an expensive business. With tasting fees negated with any purchase of wine, we are seldom impacted, very rarely leaving a cellar door empty handed. And today was no exception.

One of the best lunches in Margaret River

When in Margaret River, one of the real pleasures, besides trying all the excellent wine, is having lunch at one of the vineyard restaurants. There are lots to choose from but today we were returning to the highly acclaimed “Rustico” at the Hay Shed Hill vineyard.

Originally starting out in Rockingham, the Margaret River outpost of Rustico serves up a 5 course degustation menu. From the Abrolhos Island scallops that are first up, to the best ever (really, and I have had a LOT) roast pork belly, and ending with the desert plate, every mouthful was an absolute delight. Being the skipper for the day I finished on a strong coffee, whilst Vik rounded off a great afternoon with a Lady Marmalade gin cocktail.

Cape Mentelle

With one eye on how much wine we had tasted, and knowing we still had to drive, we decided to return to the cottage and leave the car. Earlier, we had discovered that Cape Mentelle, another vineyard we had yet to visit, was literally across the road from where we were staying.

Strolling back along the eucalyptus perfumed back road, towards Cape Mentelle, we soon discovered that whilst the entrance was across the road, and in sight, what we couldn’t see was the subsequent 1km walk to the cellar door. With not long till closing, we needed to get marching if we were to get a tasting, and get back out before the large iron gates closed at 5pm.

I long ago stopped extolling the virtues of the wine from Margaret River. It is no surprise to me that Margaret River produces over 20 per cent of Australia’s premium wines. Ever since Perth cardiologist, Tom Cullity, planted the first vines at Vasse Felix in 1967, Margaret River has continued to blossom into a world leading wine region. And the drops grown and produced at Cape Mentelle are no exception. Another couple of bottles were added to our collection.

The evening saw us relaxing at the cottage, with a charcuterie board and a bottle of Chenin Blanc, sat on the deck as the sky grew dark. Watching the kangaroos going about their evening rituals, and with us even spotting the odd shooting star. A great end to a great day.

Reflecting on another great Margaret River weekend

It is always with a tinge of sadness that I sip my coffee on the morning of departure from this beautiful region. And it was no different this time. Sat in a silence only broken by birdsong, watching the dozens of kangaroos grazing in the paddock in front of me, I reflected on what makes this area so special. So restorative.

The friendly locals, kangaroos in the paddock at Margaret River — What are you looking at?

It is the slow nature of life. The hardworking locals who produce some of the worlds best food and drink. It is the beautiful scenery. The Indian Ocean on one side, lapping against some of the most picturesque beaches you will ever see, and the acres of forest that separate the sea from the township of Margaret River.

However, the sadness I feel about leaving is balanced against the gratitude I feel to be able to share in some of this magical place, and also happiness that I know it won’t be long before we return to Margaret River.

And we never did get back to Cape Lavender but we did get our home baked scones, calling in at Berry Farm who provided us with a takeaway option to keep us going on the drive home.

Winter in Perth

June 15, 2020 by Fran Leave a Comment

Where does the time go?

And just like that, we have winter in Perth. I am going to say it. Where has the time gone? 3 months. Just like that. 3 months was how long I spent when I travelled solo to South America at the end of 2010. And I felt (still feel) like I was there for quite a long time. I saw so much. Met so many amazing travellers. Traversed the whole of South America, from the “end of the world”, at Ushuaia, in Patagonia, to Cartagena on the Caribbean coast, in Colombia. And so much in between.

So why don’t I feel that I have been in Perth half as long? Sure, the obvious answer is coronavirus. The world it has thrown us all into. Only recently being able to pop to the pub for a pint. To start exploring the excellent restaurant scene here. And to get our first trip booked back to the magnificent Margaret River wine region.

Where did those episodes go?

But that aside, the simple fact is that I am still adjusting. This is normal, right? Moving 4,000kms. To a new city. In the middle of a global pandemic gives me some latitude I’m sure. It feels a little like listening to your favourite LP, on an actual record player. For those of us that remember them. And the record must be scratched because the needle has just jumped from a very familiar part of the tune. Jumped quite a lot. So now, you are not sure where you are. Nothing seems familiar. There is a big chunk missing.

If you were streaming your favourite show on Netflix (an analogy you younger readers can appreciate), and missed a couple of episodes, you would be wondering who all these new people were. What happened to the storyline? How did we get here?

And this is how it feels. For me anyway. All that I was familiar with has gone. I no longer know what the plot is? How this part of the story is supposed to go.

Rome wasn’t built in a day

What I do know is that these things take time. Big life events. In the way that Rome wasn’t built in a day, changes of this magnitude take some getting used to. It’s not as though you go to sleep in one city, wake up in another, and everything carries on just as before. Over the last 8 years I built up a lot of social capital whilst living in Sydney. Overnight, that balance was reduced to zero. I had to start rebuilding.

And rebuilding isn’t always easy. It took time in Sydney to find that favourite coffee shop. The Thai restaurant that you went to every single week because the food was THAT good. Finding a “Bistecca alla Fiorentina” to rival the one you had in Florence wasn’t easy. But you did it.

Bistecca alla Fiorentina, in Florence — The original, in Florence, Italy

Have I ever mentioned coffee to you?

Talking of Italy, have I ever mentioned to you that I enjoy good coffee? Having tried dozens, literally, of coffee shops in Perth, I have found myself almost universally disappointed. How hard can it be to make a good strong coffee? My beverage of choice is a small double shot latte? My order was simply “strong latte, please”, and I invariably got what I wanted. Simple order. Simple to make. In the days when I owned an Italian espresso machine at home I could knock these bad boys out for fun.

A strong latte, in Sydney, hard to find in winter in Perth — The original, Sydney

Judging by some of the concoctions I have been served to date, fun is the last thing I am having. Thank the lord for “Engine Room Espresso” in North Perth, and Mike of “Cravings”, here in East Perth. Two beacons of hope in a coffee wasteland. In Perth, barista seems to be a very loose term. Usually meaning those that are closest to the coffee machine, rather than the skilled occupation that it is.

Coffee aside, life is taking on a regular cadence now. Up early for a brisk morning walk around the water, dolphin spotting, before returning so Vik can start work, at home. We have a mid morning walk, to run the coffee gauntlet, and at lunch we take an extended walk along the Swan River. As mentioned previously, our step count is off the scale at the moment. Which soothes my guilty mind as we munch on our evening Tim Tam, or my freshly baked scones.

Winter in Perth, no better time for baking scones

Hunting down the best food in Perth

The last few weekends have seen us back on the foodie scene. A welcome return. A fabulous meal at Balthazar the other week was followed up with an equally excellent dinner at Andaluz in the city last week. With it being winter in Perth, and with the colder days drawing in, we have dropped below the 20s now, we had our first Sunday roast this weekend.

The Rose and Crown, in the heritage village of Guildford, is reputed to be Australia’s second oldest pub. Advertising the “best Sunday roast in WA”, we got ourselves along and tried it for ourselves. Oh my. Are we glad we did. With a choice of pork and crackle, or beef, the rest of the plate was made up of a very large Yorkshire pudding, cauliflower cheese, roast potatoes, swede, and gravy.

Winter in Perth is the best time to hunt down the best roast in WA — Lunch is served

It was delicious. One of the best we have had for a very long time. My ex-pat friends here in Australia will tell you that it is not easy to come by Yorkshire puddings. The meal was complemented by a smooth, full bodied bottle of Syrah from the Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia. A delicious drop.

Start of a new week

Today is Monday, and as is our wont, we will be abstaining from alcohol through the week, making the weekend even more pleasurable. I have finished my WSET Level 1 wine course, which removes any excuse I had for “course related tastings” through the week. We shall revert to copious amounts of Yorkshire Tea in the evenings, as we work our way through the new season of Billions, with the odd episode of Masterchef thrown in for gastronomic inspiration.

So, the 3 month mark in Perth brings us to the mid way point of 2020. A year that is turning out to be very different to the one we, and everyone else in the world, expected. We have the winter solstice this weekend, marking the day with the least amount of daylight hours. Meaning we will leave winter in Perth behind and begin the downward slope towards summer, and hopefully sunnier days, not just literally, but metaphorically.

As I write, Australia’s borders are still closed, and our state border here in WA is also closed to any Australian from our other states. In effect, we are currently our own nation, here in Western Australia. It is hoped, by both the Prime Minister, and both of us, that Mark McGowan re-opens our borders within the next couple of months, by which time the Australian borders may also be opened up. This will pave the way for us to start replanning our Grand Tour, and finally getting on the road.

It will be time to find those missing episodes, and discover the life that we have skipped over.

Are we meant to be nomadic?

June 3, 2020 by Fran Leave a Comment

A Life Packed Up

As the last of the boxes gets packed into the truck, ready to be transported to storage, we give each other a forlorn look. Then glance down at what we have left. A 55 litre rucksack, and a small day bag. Each. The sum total of our worldly possessions for the foreseeable future. It leaves me to ponder, are we meant to be nomadic?

Life in a backpack. Are we meant to be nomadic? — A life, bagged up

How will we cope without our many pairs of shoes, and all the coats we seem to have acquired? What about the glasses we bought for every possible drink imaginable? Did we ever use those jam jars? Not quite the same as when we first had a Pina Colada in that style of glass at a beach bar in Thailand.

Hitting the Road

Ironically, Thailand may be the place that we next get to have the very same drink. We are putting our life into storage and heading out into the world. Or are we? Strictly speaking, we are putting the material possessions we have accumulated into storage. But our life goes on. Here. In the present. And will that life be any less full, or rich, without the accoutrements of modern life to give us a sense that we have made it.

Do you think the early nomads, perhaps the Eurasian Avars of the 5th and 6th century, had, or needed such modern accoutrements to get through life? I would suspect that even the modern nomads eschew the “benefits” we accrue as part of a capitalistic society. Wikipedia reports that in 1995 there were between 30 and 40 millions nomads across the world.

Moving either cyclically, or periodically, nomads wander for a number of reasons. To find work. Search for food. And even avoid enemies. We will be joining them, but to look for adventure. The name nomad comes from the Latin nomad-, nomas member of a wandering pastoral people.

Moving for the fun of it

There are even people, and groups, who seem to move just for the hell of it. Some native Indian tribes in British Columbia get to the point where life is just too damn comfortable and they need a challenge. So the whole village ups sticks and starts again. Completely, and from scratch.

And I wonder whether this is the category that I fall into. I identify with the nomadic culture. At least what we have come to term nomad in the modern age. The term has managed to garner romantic connotations. A life of freedom. And no ties. A life of adventure. Keep moving, like a rolling stone, gathering no moss.

The reality is very different. I know this, having moved numerous times in my life. The reality is that life is hard when you first move. You need to find somewhere to stay. Somewhere for your meagre possessions. Hunt down the best coffee shops. All the important things. Things that take time, and lots of effort.

The Pay Off

But that effort is paid off. Over and over, with the personal growth you achieve. The things you learn about yourself through the process. The new places you get to explore. The connections you make. The sense of renewal you feel, like a snake shedding it’s skin.

What is a life without coffee. Even nomads need their daily brew. — What is a life without coffee?

Travelling light, and not weighed down by things we don’t need. Carrying only what you require. And requiring only that which you can carry. When you pare back your life to just the essentials, you soon realise that the list of essentials is small. A change of clothes. A few books. And a means of making fresh coffee. If you want to live the life of a digital nomad, and earn some income whilst you travel, a good wifi connection is a great bonus, allowing you freelance as you go.

The Question

Watching the truck drive away from the apartment, and not knowing when we will see our possessions again, I’m left wondering whether I will even want to? I suddenly feel a lot lighter. Unencumbered. Free. Will I need all those boxes? Maybe just the ones that have items of personal and sentimental value. Maybe the ones that have my book collection. But those cocktail jam jars?

Time flies when…well, time just flies

May 19, 2020 by Fran Leave a Comment

How fast?

Time flies. Doesn’t it go fast? Even in a pandemic. This week marks the start of our third month in Perth. We definitely aren’t, but if we were travelling as planned, I would be slightly anxious that we had already had 2 months on the road. Our trip, when it finally happens, and it will, is open ended, but after 8 weeks I will certainly be praying for the time to slow down.

Time may have just slowed down for Victoria, as in the last week she has started work. Spending the first day in the office, ostensibly just to collect a work laptop, and ensure that she was able to log into all the necessary work systems. She did. And she was.

Time flies when you have to be on calls all day in a pandemic. — Bringing home the bacon

Now, like all her colleagues at the small, local bank she has joined, she is working from home. This is mooted to be at least for the next 2 weeks. I know how hard it is to join a new organisation, and how long it takes before you start feeling settled. Having to do this remotely adds a level of complexity that can be hard to navigate. I will be sure to keep her supplied with strong cups of Yorkshire Tea.

The elusive job search

Whilst making tea is only a part time occupation, this still leaves me on the hunt for a job. In the 8 weeks we have been here, I have not seen one role for an agile coach advertised. This does not bode well. Either the job market is taking a long time to rebound from the pandemic, or I could have picked the only major city in Australia where I can’t find work.

I did get a slight surge in positivity last week when I joined my first (remote) MeetUp here in Perth. For the uninitiated, MeetUps are organised groups of people with a common interest. And they, well, meet up, obviously. In the world of “agile” which I work in, they are very popular. Agile does love a good echo chamber.

I often attended the Sydney Scrum user group whilst over on the East Coast, and this week I joined the Agile Perth group. To hear that there are over 2000 members in the group self identifying as “agilists” suggests that they must all be working somewhere. I just need to find out where.

Always learning

That said, I am not sure where I will fit work into my busy schedule. Anyone who tells me that they would be bored in retirement, just haven’t got enough interests. My days are amply filled with researching and writing potential articles, studying and revising for my WSET Level 1 wine course, sketching out a possible workshop I could deliver remotely to clients, learning more about the craft of professional coaching, and where I get time, reading widely. Phew.

Learning about wine on the WSET Level 1 wine course — Having fun combining my passions

To relax, I am getting through a list of books that I have wanted to read for a long time but never committed to. After finishing the excellent “Long Walk to Freedom”, by Nelson Mandela, I am now working my way through “Middlemarch”, by George Eliot. Described by Virginia Woolf as “one of the few English novels written for grown-up people”. At 838 pages, and with other books on the go at the same time, it could take me awhile.

Time flies when you have this kind of reading material - the excellent Middlemarch — A behemoth of a book

Keeping fit and healthy

One thing that has been good, with not working, is that our exercise levels have increased from the already high levels we had in Sydney. Not being in an office all day has allowed for a number of long daily walks, taking our average daily step count well in advance of the 12000 target I had in Sydney. Averaging at around 25000 steps a day, and with no increase in weekly alcohol consumption (no decrease either, to be fair), my clothes seem to be fitting better than ever. Once I can afford a haircut, I am convinced that I will be even lighter.

This week we had another positive step on the journey to a “new normal”, post COVID19. Western Australia has fared very well dealing with the virus, and as of writing we have only had 2 new cases in the last week, with only 1 person in hospital. This means we have 3 active cases.

On the back of this, our State Government has allowed pubs, cafes, and restaurants to re-open, albeit for only 20 people at a time. With the 2sq metre rule still in place, this does mean that each venue can only have a few, spaced out tables. This makes for a somewhat strange experience, but I am not sure I would advocate what I saw in the news, where some restaurants are sitting mannequins at tables to make the dining room appear to be busier. That is just creepy. Here in Perth, every real person dining in has to provide their contact details, no doubt to allow for contact tracing should there be a spike in cases.

Back to normal? Kind of…

I’m excited to say that we are going out for our first dinner in a restaurant this week. Friday evening will see us dining at the renowned Balthazar restaurant in the city. This will be the first time we have eaten out since the Sunday evening before we left Sydney. That night was the last that pubs were open and I shall hold on to fond memories of the chicken parmy I had In the Hotel Mosman. My mouth is watering at the thought.

Time flies when you have this kind of coffee to help you through the days. — Oh, how I have missed you

I finally had my first coffee in an actual glass, and sat in a cafe, in over 2 months. Praise the lord. That coffee tasted good. Not only are paper cups bad for the environment, but I also find that coffee does not taste as good in them. On top of this, baristas pour less love into each cup of coffee they make, as they can hide their rushed work with a takeaway coffee cup lid. My impression of the coffee industry in Perth so far is that it is perhaps the Championship to the Premier League that is Sydney and Melbourne.

I often talk about my love of coffee (stop rolling your eyes!), and how my morning brew is one of the simple things that I am grateful for each day. I am hoping the quality of coffee improves now that we can sit in, and the barista has nowhere to hide.

Hello autumn

As the temperature starts to drop in the mornings, with us looking at the quickly approaching winter, it will be me hiding. Inside. I may fantasise sometimes about being back in a cold climate country. Digging out the winter wardrobe. Long walks in the snow. Cold pints in front of a log fire. And believe me, I do pine for this. Probably more than I should. Then I go for a walk around the village, and along the river, and even with the mercury just dipping into single figures I am ready to get back inside, to warm up.

Time flies, when you have to get the winter clothes out already. — Probably not as cold as it looks 🙂

To warm up, at this time of year, we are usually packing our bags, and heading to Europe. And how I would love to be able to do this now. Facebook memories are not helping. At all. Who wants to see that cute little restaurant in Positano, when you are stuck in the middle of an epidemic? Or that time your only worry was the fact that your beer was warming up, languidly laid around the pool at the villa in Kos.

Time flies when you are day dreaming about visiting Positano. — Dreaming of visiting places like this. Beautiful Positano.

Here is hoping that time flies, fast forwarding through this year, and we can all get planning our next holiday. Whether that is to support your local tourism industry, and we will be doing a lot of this in 2020, or if you plan to take yourself off to a beach for a while to put this year behind us.

Tell me, how are you?

I’d love to hear how you are all getting on. How you are adapting, and adjusting to the current situation. What you have learned as a result of this. What you are grateful for. And what you hope will change when we come out the other side. The things you don’t want to “go back to normal”. I would love to write a blog post all about you, and share all our experiences with each other. So drop me a line.

Until then, keep safe, keep physically distant but socially close.

Thinking of you all.