Explore with Fran

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!

Bali, rediscovered

Much has changed in Bali since my very first visit, back in 1994. Heck, much has changed with me, so this is not much of a surprise. 

What hasn’t changed are the smiles. I saw that Finland was recently named the happiest country in the world. I would like to nominate Bali as the smiliest island in the world. Would anyone like to second my motion?

In the world’s largest country made entirely of islands, Bali may well be one of 17,508 islands (by official records) but it remains the one island we keep returning to. The smiles of the friendly locals is just one reason.

Travelling in Bali

Over the years we have been fortunate enough to spend quite a bit of time on the island of Bali, exploring the best of what it has to offer. Regular readers of this travel blog will know that we ended our 10 month travel sabbatical last year with a multi stop, multi week exploration of the island. Spending time in Seminyak, Nusa Dua, and Ubud. All very different destinations.

For Easter, we returned to the land of the smiles and stayed somewhere new again. Our five nights were spent in Canggu, a place that would have looked a little different just a few years ago, and would have been on very few traveller’s radars back in 1994 when I was getting drunk in Sari’s Club, Kuta. Right now, like many of the tourist destinations in Bali there is heaps of construction happening. Canggu has very quickly become one of Bali’s hot spots. The place to be. It is not hard to see why.

Exploring Canggu, Bali

Taking advantage of our proximity to Bali, we flew out of Perth on a Wednesday evening and were in bed at the hotel before midnight. This gave us 5 nights and 4 full days of rest and relaxation. The Eastin Ashta resort was our base, right in the heart of Canggu and mere steps from the beach. We had all that to explore, but first, sleep.

Day one dawned brightly, sunny, and the unmistakable Bali humidity hit us as soon as we left our air conditioned hotel room. I was full of excitement. One of my favourite things about the hotels in Southeast Asia is the buffet breakfast. Where else can you start with yogurt, move on to eggs, and finish with a bowl of nasi goreng (fried rice)? Eyeing the nearby pool I just knew that I would have to be doing some lengths on this trip.

As always in this part of the world, days fell into a relaxing rhythm. Breakfast. Mornings around the pool reading. And afternoons exploring Canggu, checking out likely options for our lunch and dinners. Yes, food is one of the pleasures of a holiday in Bali. And the prices remain so low that a $3 beer is a necessity, not a luxury. Paired with a $4 nasi goreng we had a filling, tasty, and very economical lunch. 

Coffee culture in Bali

One daily necessity that does come with an Australian price tag is coffee. And with that price tag comes a coffee that would hold its own in Melbourne, Australia’s coffee capital. Coffee culture in Bali has exploded and looks a world away from my first visit in 1994 where Nescafe was the coffee du jour. I managed to get around a few of the coffee shops in Canggu, but like much of what we saw whilst travelling through Southeast Asia last year, they are no longer hidden gems. They are springing up everywhere, much to my delight.

And with the coffee shops, come the restaurants. Dinner brings many options and as darkness falls we found ourselves heading from beach to restaurant. With the local warungs serving Nasi Goreng for $4, there are now places to eat at the other end of the spectrum. We had an amazing Japanese dinner at Yuki, a restaurant that would not have looked out of place in Manhattan, New York. High end restaurant design, 5 star service, and food that looked too good to eat. We ate it. It was outstanding. 

The sun sets in Bali

Also outstanding are the sunsets? With Echo Beach in Canggu being on the west coast, the sunsets are stunning. A stroll to the beach was mandatory, based on the numbers of people joining us. And the friendly Balinese locals have thought of everything. Cool boxes offer an endless supply of cold Bintang beer for you to enjoy as you watch the remnants of the day fall over the horizon.

If you have ever considered a holiday to Bali I would say, what are you waiting for? There are so many places on the island to visit. The locals are some of the friendliest people you will meet. The beer is ice cold, and cheap. The food is delicious, whether you eat in warung or a fancy restaurant. And the sun shines. A lot. If you find yourself staying on the west of the island you will be rewarded with a sunset that you will find hard to beat, however much you travel.

We are not sure when we will back. So we finsihed this trip in the same way we finished our visit last year. I found my way to the tattoo studio and Victoria went for a massage.

Until the next time, friends…

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…

End of Year Reflections

Another year around the sun. Another Xmas. Another time to pause and reflect. The year end, and the marking of another birthday being the perfect circuit breaker to reflect on the year gone, and set my intentions for the year ahead. 

It is also a good time to catch up on some reading. And there are some people I read about that continue to live long in the imagination. So long that I can only assume they lived very long lives. And what seems to always surprise me is how short some of these lives were. That their lives were full, rather than long. Given the choice I would opt for a long, and full life. If I had to pick one, it would be the latter. Better to live one day as a lion, than a thousand days as a sheep.

One of the books I am currently reading is about Napoleon Bonaparte. The General, and one time Emperor of France. Having now outlived Napoleon, I find it hard to fathom how he fit so much into his short 51 years. Hailing from the island of Corsica, and not even speaking French, Napoleon rose through the ranks, and created a legacy that lives on, even today.

Heading back to Margaret River

I may not have conquered countries, but I have had the great fortune to visit many. For us, 2023 started in Tokyo, Japan, and for the first four months of the year we explored much of South East Asia. The year ended in Australia, in Byron Bay on the east coast. Before then we had my birthday celebrations and Xmas break in Margaret River. You may have heard me talk of Margaret River previously.

Yes, for three days over Xmas we were back in our happy place. Revisiting Injidup Spa Retreat near Yallingup. Waking on Xmas Day to views of the Pacific Ocean, and wide expanses of empty sandy beaches. Truly blessed. Being rather isolated, we had to bring three days food and drink supply with us. A couple of eskies full, we had enough food and alcohol to last. We hoped.

Birthday breakast overlooking the ocean

As has become a birthday tradition we cooked up a full English breakfast on the BBQ and cracked open the Sparkling Shiraz that we had been saving for this very occasion. Later, as we had a dip in the plunge pool, we reflected on the year that we have had. We completed our big overseas adventure, finally getting to do our almost year long travel sabbatical. Upon our return to Australia we found a rental in Perth, and proceeded to readjust to life in one place. The best we could.

One plus to being located in Perth is being so close to the Margaret River region. Picking up the hire car on Christmas Eve, we were pulling up for a vineyard lunch less than three hours later. Rustico at Hay Shed Hill is a long time favourite, usually opting for this excellent degusation menu. Who can look past that crispy pork belly? However, in keeping with the time of year, this time we had the Xmas Feast. And what a feast it was. Victoria had to roll me out once we had finished our Mango and Raspberry Pavlova.

And I rolled all the way back to the plunge pool at the villa. A glass of champagne in hand, we toasted another great day. We didn’t move much for the rest of the day, bouncing between the pool and the sun loungers. As the sun set my thoughts turned to Xmas morning and how long it would take me to open all the birthday presents under the small Xmas tree we had brought with us.

Life is all about Swings and Roundabouts

Boxing Day saw us having lunch at Swings and Roundabouts, a restaurant and cellar door very close to where we were staying. We had pondered on whether it would be busy. Trying to find a space to park in the over flow car park answered that question for us. Victoria had the foresight to reserve a table for us and for a couple of hours we had a very good lunch, decamping onto the lawn with a glass of wine afterwards to soak up the atmosphere of the live music.

Life can be pretty good at times. And this was definitely one of those times. 

Byron Bay Bound

Another of those times was just two days later as we boarded an early flight to Brisbane. Our summer holiday was about to start in earnest. We had a four and half hour flight to Brisbane where we collected a hire car and Victoria drove us the two hours south, across the border into New South Wales, and into Byron Bay.

The last time we were in Byron was about six years ago. Each time we visit we have a great time, and this time was no exception.

Australia’s Most Easterly Point

Five days went by in a blur of excellent food, margaritas, and long beach walks. We walked up to the lighthouse, the most easterly point in Australia, watching large pods of dolphins frolic in the sea alongside us. Taking advantage of the free bikes from the hotel, we cycled out of town to visit Stone & Wood brewery. This visit was even better than the one six years ago as they are now in a bigger location and have a small range of food options. A paddle of beer and chicken wings made for a good afternoon.

Before cycling back to town we went a little further afield and called in at “The Farm”. A large working farm that houses the Three Blue Ducks restaurant. No food for us this time, just a walk around the farm and amongst the sunflowers.

As a reward for a very high step count we ended most days laid around the hotel pool, ordering margaritas from the (too) convenient QR codes that now appear to be absolutely everywhere. Very easy to use, and very easy to lose track of exactly how much money you are spending. Ah well, as we say, “life is short, live it well.”

Over the border to Queensland

Which we intended to do by relaxing and making the most of the break we had. Wednesday morning saw us checking out of the hotel, jumping in the hire car, and heading back over the border to Queensland. We called in at Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast to stretch our legs. This area is constantly changing and part of me feels a little sad to be seeing all the original small apartment buildings being demolished for shiny new apartment towers that a lot of people will not be able to afford.

Some people will call it progress. Thankfully in Australia some things never change. One of these is the love of the humble meat pie. My lunch was a very good one with ketchup before driving the final hour into Brisbane, a city we last visited in 2022, our jumping off point for leaving Australia when we commenced our long travel sabbatical. 

Howard Street Wharves

On our last visit we stayed in Fortitude Valley and this time opted for the hotspot of Howard Street Wharves. An area that has been revitalised with new restaurants, bars, and a huge brewery called Felons, serving an excellent hazy pale ale. Our hotel, the CrystalBrook Vincent, was in a prime location, at the end of the Story Bridge. Australia’s second favourite bridge looked quite a pretty sight, festooned in bright green and red lights in the evening.

What is a holiday without a degustation dinner? Ours was at Rogue Bistro, in nearby Newstead, where we enjoyed the 5 course “summer dego” menu. Every morsel was delicious and with the matching wines, we had a gorgeous meal that almost stretched to three hours.

Final Reflections

As we entered the festive period we planned to completely down tools and switch off for a couple of weeks. And this is exactly what we did. I flew through the excellent new biography of Elon Musk. Victoria managed to read the books she had received for her birthday in November. 

I write this as we enjoy the final weekend before most of Australia returns to work after what always feels like a nationwide summer holiday. I’m left wondering what the new year will bring. What new places will we visit? Which new restaurants will we get to experience? What I do know is that the year will be full of both as this is what we will make happen. It will manifest.

What will you make happen this year?

A land of contrasts

Good day to you all. How have we been keeping since we last spoke? I suppose much of this depends on where in the world you are reading from. Our Southern Hemisphere readers have been warming up nicely as we count down to the festive season. And “oop North”? A lot chillier, I imagine. Seeing all the bobble hats and gloves at the Premier League just gives me the shivers.

To escape the thoughts of any shivers, we have been exploring more of WA. Somewhere that is a firm favourite for us (and thousands of others), and somewhere new for us. Last time we spoke I was writing about The Wheatbelt and Margaret River.

Rottnest Island

Today, we explore Rottnest Island and Ferguson Valley, two places that could not be much different to each other. Our visit to “Rotto” was to celebrate Mrs C’s birthday. Everybody who knows the island will not be able to think of it without bringing to mind small, little, furry marsupials. Quokkas have become world famous as everyone from me and Victoria, to Rafael Nadal attempt to get a selfie with them. Here is a shot from a trip a few years ago…

The Land of the Quokkas

When we first started visting Rottnest the quokkas were quite elusive and we had to cycle deep into the island to catch a glimpse. Over the years, this has changed a lot and now they meet you off the ferry and offer to carry your bags for you. OK, maybe that is stretching the truth a bit, but they are now ubiqitous and are very relaxed around humans. I did honestly see one eating a fried chicken drumstick. I am not sure what that will be doing to her tiny insides.

With the only traffic on Rottnest being the tourist bus, and having no natural predators on the island, quokkas are free to roam and basically do as they please. Which usually means running around your feet as you munch on your fish and chips in the pub.

Rottnest by (e)Bike

To burn off lunch, the absolute best way to see Rottnest is by bicycle. But not any old bicycle. On Victoria’s first visit to the island I told her, (which I thought was true from memory), that the island is relatively flat, and a normal push iron would do the trick. Well, it did. Until the first hill. And then the second. And third, fourth, and…

You get the picture. It wasn’t as flat as I remembered, and learning from that experience, we always hire electric bikes now. What a difference. Effortlessly gliding up the hills, and free wheeling down, the whole island is now your oyster.

An island that has to be seen to be believed. Imagine beaches and a sea that would only look real in a painting. Even that does not really do it justice. It is breathtaking. Perfect bays, secluded beaches, and a cobalt blue sea that looks very inviting. Inviting that is until you dip your toes in it. Even as warm as the day was, I was not ready to start experimenting with the Wim Hof method.

Sundowners on the Island

What I was happy to experiment with was the Happy Hour. There are not many things in life better than sat on a comfortabe seat, on the beach, sand in your toes, cold drink in hand as the sun sets. It is a gift that never gets old. A gift that gives you a pause for thought, to remind yourself to be grateful for this amazing planet.

We had two nights on Rottnest, once again staying at the exquisite Hotel Samphire. Two nights is never enough, but we can console ourselves that we are only a 30 minute ferry ride away. An island on our doorstep that always leaves you feeling you have been on an actual holiday. We will be back over in early 2024, showcasing the island to our visitors from the UK. When did you last ride a bike, Jane?

From Sand to the South West

In a land of contrasts, there is no contrast quiet as big as the island life of Rottnest, and the rural life of South West Australia. We were headed somewhere new for us. Described by a friend as a “small Margaret River”, we were very excisted to explore. Once again, Victoria hit the jackpot in finding us accommodation. We had two nights in “Minnie”, an off grid cabin on Skating Goose Farm.

I would have been happy just to sit on the deck with a bottle of wine, and follow the arc of the sun across the summer sky.

Wine Tasting in the Ferguson Valley

The bottle of wine would have to wait, we had wine tastings to explore. And we had some great wine tastings. The vineyards and wineries we visited were excellent. And busy. Driving around the quiet roads of Ferguson Valley, through towns such as Dardanup, you could be excused for thinking you were the only ones there. Where is everyone, you ask yourself? And then you arrive at a cellar door.

Ah, this is where everyone is. We braced ourselves for the inevitable question, “have you got a booking?” And we weren’t disppointed. We had no booking, but at Green Door wines we managed to get the only unreserved table for a lunch platter and a wine tasting.

Our second tasting was at Willow Bridge, just up the road. This was quieter, with us being the only visitors. I think Jules on the cellar door was just glad to have someone to talk to. We tasted the whole range of wines, with me being the designated “spitter”, as I was the skipper for the day.

In wine country, you will see signs asking “who is the skipper?”, conscious that when wine tasting it is all too easy to drink more than you should when driving. So, using the spitton, I was able to fully taste all the wines, without drinking them. Victoria seemed to be enjoying herself, and one hour turned into two as we were supplied with wine, and regaled with stories from Jules. She was hilarious.

Back for BBQ

Maybe it was a ploy by Jules, to ply Victoria with wine, so she purchased a few bottles. What Jules did not know was, Victoria will buy wines, regardless of whether she has been drinking, and we subsequently left with a box of 6 excellent wines.

On the way back to the cabin we called in at Wild Bull brewery and had a middy of craft beer each. I love these local breweries that you find in the country. Always so rustic. So welcoming. And a great range of craft beers. Wild Bull was no exception. But, one beer was all we could allow ourselves as we had a t-bone at home, waiting to be barbecued.

Gnomesville, Seriously

Can you imagine a tourist attraction that is just thousands of gnomes by the side of the road? In Ferguson Valley, Gnomesville is an actual place, signposted all over the valley for tourists. What started out as a bit of fun, and one gnome, has become one of Australia’s top 100 tourist attractions. I am not sure whether this is weird for Australia, or weird for the tourists. It has to be seen to be believed. Thousands of gnomes, brought from all over the world, all keeping themselves company in the forest. Some even have their own homes!

Farewell to Ferguson Valley

Like all good trips, this one was over way too soon. Two nights were a great taster of what the Valley has to offer and we are sure to be back. Before heading home we called into St Aidan’s winery for a tasting. That we got there at 10.59am, before they were even open, turned out to be a master stroke. Again, without a booking, there were few tables left. We sat by the window and as we waited for our wines, the cellar door soon filled up. Where do all these people come from?

The drive back to Perth was via Brugan Brewery, another new one for us, for a classic pub lunch of chicken parmi for me and chicken schnitty for Victoria. A great way to round out a great weekend.

Happy Elephants

“Look how her ears flap. This is a sign she is happy”, explained Tan, our guide  “Sun” had every reason to be happy. She had as many bananas as she could eat and piles of bamboo to gnaw on. A far cry from her sad, previous existence as a working elephant, dragging logs up and down hills all day in the logging camp.

We were in the sleepy, graceful town of Luang Prabang, a few hours drive north of the Laos capital, Vientiane. I wrote here about how much we loved Laos. Today, we would be spending a full day with the MandaLao Elephant Conservation team. MandaLao is one of a growing trend in this part of the world. A shift away from elephant exploitation, elephant rides, and treating these intelligent animals as slaves. There are no rides available at MandaLao, and this is a good thing.

MandaLao Conservation Camp

What they do have is passionate people. Our guide for the day, the ebullient Tan, had previously worked at such a camp. “It was all we knew”, he told us. “For many years, it was so deep in our culture.” And it is little wonder, in a country that has a motto of “Land of a million elephants.”

Working at MandaLao, and in particular, meeting the project director, Prasop, had changed Tan’s life, and his whole perspective on how we treat elephants. He used to view them as workers. His personal slaves. An income. This has changed and Tan’s mission now is to educate the rest of us, one visitor at a time.

We were his visitors today and he collected us from our hotel in the leafy outskirts of Luang Prabang. The air conditioning in the minivan was welcome, even this early in the morning. Our day would be spent with a traveller from Switzerland, and one from Canada. A young man who was on his winter break from planting trees across British Columbia.

A long way from British Columbia, and around 30 minutes from the centre of Luang Prabang, we we were soon sat around a table at the Conservation camp. Each of us engrossed in the enigmatic Prasop. An elderly Thai gentleman who has been helping elephants for over 30 years. He did tell us that he is of an age where he would now like to retire, but the owner of MandaLao does not share his enthusiasm. Listening to Prasop, and how he draws you in, I suspect that he is too much of an asset to let go.

From Thailand to Laos

Hearing Prasop talk about his work across the world, starting in his native Thailand and then wherever elephants were exploited, you could see how much these animals meant to him. He tells local elephant camps, the remaining few that still offer elephant rides, that we should treat elephants as we treat our friends. Not chained up. Not whipping them. And not having people carried on their backs. Put in such simple terms it is hard to disagree. Prasop has worked with Dr Andrew McLean of Australia, a pioneer of working with horses who introduced the “clicker” to the work with elephants. In place of the old fashioned stick to “encourage” an elephant, they were now trained to listen to a click as the command.

Slowly crossing the river, Prasop’s words bouncing around my head, we got our first sight of the two elephants we would be walking with today. MandaLao has rescued nine Asian (smaller ears than their African cousins) elephants to this point, and one more was due to arrive in the coming days. Today, Sun, of the flapping ears, was going to be one of our trekking partners. Not before we had fed them their morning snack. Dozens of bananas, seemingly inhaled, skins and all.

Meandering with the mahouts

The morning was spent slowly walking with the two elephants and their mahouts. A mahout is the person closest to the elephant. In previous times they would have been called a trainer, and we now know that a free elephant needs no training. The term, mahout has stuck as the person who is the elephant’s best friend. With the mahout leading, we cross shallow rivers. Trek down narrow paths. We wait whilst one or both of the elephants had found just the right tree, neck high, to scratch that irritating itch. And the best of all? Watching as both elephants stop in the river and bathe themselves. Their trunks acting as high powered shower heads, spraying mud and water all over themselves. The mud acting as nature’s screen.

Lunch in the forest

As the sun reached its apex, we found shade under the canopy of the forest trees. It was time for lunch. Sat around simple tables, Tan passed around warm parcels of food from the bag he had been carrying. In a game reminiscent of childhood “pass the parcel” we handed each other a parcel, exquisitely wrapped in a banana leaf. I could still feel the heat, trapped in by the leaf. As we unwrapped our “gifts” we got beautiful aromas of tomatoes, fresh vegetables, and the unmistakable sticky rice. Eating with our fingers, we each reflected on what an unforgettable morning it had been.

Lunch over it was time to head into the forest and chop down some banana tree. We may have been full by a simple, and rather excellent lunch. Our walking companions were still hungry. The surprisingly heavy, and very moist trunk is a favourite of the elephants. I marvelled at how the elephants just eat, and eat, all day long.

As the elephants kept on eating. we had the opportunity to visit a small organic farm. Leaving the elephants with their mahouts, we headed over to meet the farmer. Translating through Tan, the farmer walked us through his very impressive crops. Tomatoes, kale, ocra, cabbage, lettuce, spring onions. Some carrots that appeared to be struggling a little. With each crop proudly presented, the farmer gave us samples to try, smiling and nodding as we nibbled and replied with an approving thumbs up.

Time to head back

A quick glance at my watch told me, sadly, our time with the elephants was drawing to a close. Time that had gone all too quickly. Back at the camp we had a serendipitous meeting with Aaron, the CEO of Planting Peace. Aaron first began helping the elephants when, prompted by a story he had read, he decided to jump on a flight from his home in the US and come immediately to Laos. That resulting rescue story can viewed in a short YouTube video that now has some half a million views. Aaron’s new commitment is to save an elephant every year on his birthday.

Whilst it wasn’t Aaron’s birthday this week, it turns out that the latest rescue will be arriving tomorrow. After protracted negotiations with the logging farm owner. In conditions that Aaron described as “one of the worst states he has ever seen”, previously chained and used to drag logs up and down hills all day, the elephant was now in the possession of MandaLao, thank you in large part to a generous donor, Ash, who we also met. Wondering to myself how much an elephant might cost, I hadn’t figured on the amount being as high as the $32,000US that had just been paid for the new addition to the MandaLao family.

“It was quite a process,” said Aaron.

And I am sure it was. But, holding on to the thought that the new elephant will see out their days, free, out of chains, and able to choose which tree to scratch that itch and where to have a shower, we know that there will be no better sight than an elephants’ ears flapping.

Need to know:

MandaLao offers half and full day treks.

Half day – $100US

Full day – $150US

Website: https://mandalaotours.com/