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Musings from Mosman

May 9, 2016 by Fran Leave a Comment

Welcome to the latest update from the Yorkshire Expat, where we will spend some time talking about how the year is progressing so far (very well, since you asked), what is on the horizon (quite a bit actually), and whatever else springs to mind as I’m writing.

If you didn’t know, but I will assume you do, it is May already. We have passed the fourth, so no Stars Wars jokes here. Or is it Star Trek? I can never work out the difference between the two.

Looking in the rear view mirror, at the calendar, it never ceases to surprise me at what is already in the dust behind us. Where did the previous 4 months go? A full third of the year over already. Only 230 days to Christmas. Did any body else buy some Christmas crackers (bon bons in local parlance. No, I don’t understand either. They are crackers for gods sake) and cards in the January sales?

The biggest story of the year so far is the recent move to a new apartment. When I say move, I use the word loosely. More of a shifting. Just up the road. About 500 meters. Why would you do that you ask? Well, certain criteria had to be met. A second bathroom, for the overseas visitors bringing chocolate from the UK each year. Tick. A larger balcony to be able to make the most of the weather, allowing for al fresco dining. Tick. Still within walking distance of our favourite cafés, restaurants, and bars. Tick tick tick.

Now, as we weren’t moving far, in our wisdom we decided not to hire a van like normal people. We would use a car we were hiring for a trip to Mudgee (wine country, which was amazing), and just make a few trips. The hiring of cars is made very simple with the concept of “GoGet”, where you join up, receive a magnetic card, check the website for a car parked near you, book for any duration starting from 30 minutes, then turn up, swipe the card on the windshield, get in, and drive. Simple.

Driving through Mosman with a mattress hanging precariously out the back of the car, avoiding police cars, and looking a tad ridiculous. Multiple trips were made either side of Easter weekend, by which time we thought we would be done. We weren’t. Being only about 500 meters away from the new digs, we figured we could easily move the remaining bits on foot. And it would be easy. It wasn’t.

We looked at each other on a dark Tuesday night, with the dawning realization we still had lots to carry. And thus, doing what needed to be done, we traipsed through the streets of Mosman looking like Syrian refugees, carrying gas bottles for BBQs, mops, clothes horse, vacuum cleaner, and lots of other detritus. What happened to the so called de-cluttering, before moving? As always happens. It gets left til it’s too late, and all your shit comes with you to the new place.

In the lives we now find ourselves living in, the necessities are somewhat different than they were for our parents generation when they set up home. Their “wireless” was probably a big, dusty, brown hunk of a thing that sat on the mantlepiece, spitting out weekly episodes of the Archers. Or stirring speeches by Churchill. Ours is a little white box with flickering green lights. When it works. Which is another story.

We took the opportunity when moving home, to move broadband providers. This was driven by the fact that the rights to show the live English Premier League games (every single one of them) have been bought by Optus, with Foxtel (the local SKY) losing out. In readiness, a move to Optus broadband followed. Quickly followed by nothing but problem after problem with the reliability of the service. Our wi-if is patchy, at best. I am going to get very annoyed if the same problems start occurring during live football matches. At godforsaken hours of the night. If I was a project manager, oh, I am, I would be flagging this as my biggest risk to Optus being able to satisfy the thousands of subscribers wanting their weekly fix of the beautiful game.

Recently, we had a public holiday (you would call it a bank holiday in the UK), ANZAC day, where we took the opportunity to have a long weekend in the country again. This time in the Hunter Valley, where, conveniently, there are shit loads of wineries. This makes me happy. Also, like Mudgee, we booked somewhere quiet and remote. This time, very remote. The weekend involved lots of wine tasting. Lots of cheese tasting. Peace. Quiet. And a hot tub.

This (not the hot tub) got me thinking what it would be like to have a tree change? If this is not a term you are familiar with, I would usually call it a sea change. Up sticks, quit the busy city life, and move somewhere quiet, living a life far removed from the current one. Maybe make cheese. Keep animals. Open a little coffee shop. Etc, etc. You get the picture. One of the challenges is picking the right place. Getting the balance between social and solitude right.

For example, as much as I like Darwin, a very small place on the northern coast of Australia, I’m not sure I’d want to be ensconced there for any length of time. Subsisting on a diet of titties and schnitties may not be everybody’s cup of tea. And whilst Gulgong, near Mudgee in central NSW, does the best Rogan Josh in the whole of Australia, could I live in a place that only has one street, and you had to eat curry every day? Well, thinking about it…

So for now, the sea change remains a pipe dream. One that I continue to percolate on.

Maybe it will brew into something on my upcoming holiday, or vacation, as they like to say where we will be heading. A road trip up the west coast of the US ticks some long held boxes personally (Big Sur anyone?), as does finally getting to Canada. A place I have been threatening to visit since making friends with a Kelowna local, whilst travelling Australia many years ago. This year I will finally get to Canada. More specifically, to Vancouver. This is a trip that fills me with great excitement.

Will there be pics? You bet. Will there be a few American cheese burgers involved. Without doubt the burger spreadsheet will be getting updated. And will it all be captured in a future blog. You can count on it. Just keep reading.

Happy New Year (almost)

December 31, 2016 by Fran Leave a Comment

Henry David Thoreau. Robert Louis Stevenson. F Scott Fitzgerald. Anton Chekhov. Jackson Pollock. Billie Holiday. Marvin Gaye. And not forgetting Steve Irwin. I have succeeded in avoiding this illustrious list of people. People you may well have heard of. And due to some of their life accomplishments may have assumed they lived long, and fruitful lives.

The truth of it? All dead at the youthful age of 44. I have read the lives of some of these people, and the amount they crammed into their 44 years is nothing short of amazing. And can leave you feeling like you could be doing more with your life. Taking more adventures. Living, over merely existing. If you knew at the outset, that you only had 44 years to do everything you felt you wanted to do, how well would you think you did, or are doing, in achieving this? And as the year draws to a close, what better, cliched time to spend a little time ruminating on this.

In the last week I ticked over to the ripe old age of 45. And I am still yet to either write a book. Write a song. Paint a masterpiece. Or even wrestle with an alligator. I am not one for writing new years resolutions, much preferring a personal list of things I would like to experience, and accomplish in the year ahead. Just ensuring that I am personally happy that when I do come to expiring, hopefully another 45 years from now, I do so with a smile on my face.

2016 has been a very good year. I started as an Australian resident, and finish as a citizen. My application all approved, and just the formality of the ceremony, which I will attend in Mosman, on Australia Day, 26th January. The timing couldn’t be better. It will be 5 years to the day that I awoke on a cold winters day in Halifax, to an email informing me I had been granted my Australian Permanent Residency, after a 2 year wait.

A short while later, in August of that year, I was ensconced in a large Singapore Airlines business class seat, sipping champagne, about to embark on the biggest adventure of my life to date.

Relocating to the other side of the world, sans job, sans accommodation, and sans family and friends.

Riverlea Cottage, Mudgee

And here I am still, over 4 years later, still enjoying life in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, whilst getting to explore this glorious country. 2016 saw a first visit to the wine region of Mudgee, in central New South Wales, and 2017 will see a return visit to the idyllic little country town. City life does leave you yearning for the peace and quiet of towns such as Mudgee, which doesn’t even have any traffic lights in the small centre.

January of this year also saw me ticking off something I had wanted to do for many years. Since first watching the Australian Open tennis, in a hostel in Adelaide, in 1994, I had wanted to witness the spectacle in Melbourne first hand. Being even better than I expected, with a great atmosphere inside and outside the tennis arena, this is something that will definitely be repeated in the future.

One item that always makes my “year ahead” list is to visit somewhere new in the world. And this year, this was achieved having finally made it to Canada for the first time. Having heard first hand how beautiful British Columbia is, and about places such as Kelowna, and the Okanagan valley, I had wanted to get a taste of Canada.

An epic road trip that started in the city of angels, and traversed the west coast, through the Big Sur (unfortunately passing up the opportunity to stay at the Post Ranch Inn – this time) up through San Francisco, and the wine region of Sonoma, into Portland (with a visit to Powell’s Book Store, where I could have spent weeks browsing the thousands and thousands of books), enjoying the world famous mac ‘n cheese at Beecher’s in Seattle, and across the water to Vancouver Island (with a first trip on a seaplane), finally culminating back over the water, in mainland British Columbia, in Vancouver.

Big Sur, California

I am not sure what 2017 holds, and where will be visited for the first time, but I sure will have a good time planning something. There may even be a spreadsheet involved!

Here’s hoping you, and your families, have a great and safe New Year.

See you in 2017.

Reflections on a fantastic Xmas 2016

January 14, 2017 by Fran 1 Comment

I have said it before. And it needs saying again. I live in a very beautiful, picturesque part of the world. The village I live in has everything I could ever want, or need, without having to leave the confines of the post code.

But when I do venture out, beyond 2088, I am always greeted with new, and amazing sights, and experiences.

That said, into year 5 of living in Sydney, and with the daily drudge of the commute into the city, with everybody else, heads down, engrossed in their smartphones, it is often easy to miss what is in front of you. Slightly take for granted that my office, in the architecturally magnificent, restored old General Post Office in Martin Place, is in the centre of Sydney. One of the world’s most visually stunning cities.

So, it is with delight, that when we have first time visitors to Sydney, as we have had over Christmas, I get to see Sydney all over again, vicariously, for the first time. The first sight of THAT bridge, and the Opera House, as the Mosman Bay ferry rounds the bend at Cremorne, and Port Jackson comes into view, in all her glory. This time of year, we also have the joy of seeing one of the many large cruise ships, docked in Circular Quay, speculating on where they are headed for the season festivities as they enjoy their sail away party, which is an actual thing, apparently. Which you would know, if television programmes about cruise ships were amongst your favourite shows too.

In the beautiful Hunter Valley

So, how to best plan for visitors? Regular readers of the blog will be aware of my love of a spreadsheet. Not the boring kind I have to maintain at work, tracking annual budgets, and project forecasts. But the more exciting kind, if there is such as thing. Burger rankings. Wine tastings I have done around the world. And the one that gets recycled the most, the “See everything in Sydney in a week, or two, tour” spreadsheet. Where all that seems to get changed each time it is used are the dates.

Planning for our visitors, the most recent of which arrived on these shores on December 18th, is spreadsheet nirvana. Into Google Sheets (other applications are available) I go, save a copy of the last used, update the names of the guests, and away I go. Wine tour, tick. (Special thanks to Sam at Kangarrific for what is perennially the world’s best day trip). Bondi to Coogee walk, tick. Spit Bridge to Manly scenic walk, tick. Blue Mountains day trip, tick. Proper Aussie barbie, tick. Xmas day on the beach, with beers, tick. Chicken schnitty, tick. Nothing gets left to chance. Nothing gets left out.

I’d like to think, and hope, that all our guests go home with a real sense of what Sydney is like, and having had some quintessential Australian experiences. Tim Tams included.

And in return, I get to learn things myself. Who knew “dabbing” is not just the latest dance craze? That you could get “black jack” scented vapers? (a pretend cigarette, if like me, you were clueless). And that you can actually buy “In The Navy” briefs. Say whaaat?!? Every day is a school day in my life. Thank you Serge, and Serge, for those snippets of information.

Much fun was had over the holiday period, and I am just thankful we still had a regular bottle recycling collection. I think we kept Dan Murphy’s in business over Xmas.

The lads obviously brought their drinking boots. After we warned them we would be sup’ing. Being from the area in and around infamous Blackpool, they assumed it would entail many visits to Yate’s wine lodge, Wetherspoon’s, and the Tower ballroom type pubs and bars. Little did they know this entailed a long board, a paddle, and much balance, as we attempted to traverse middle harbour at Balmoral.

Stand up paddle (SUP) boarding is harder than the people gliding out in the water would have you believe. That said, one of our party was annoyingly good at his first ever attempt. Most of the hour was spent trying to dunk him in the invigoratingly chilly ocean, once he had been suitably reassured there were no sharks lurking ready to take a large chunk out of him. At least in the water he was safe from spiders. And safe from pictures of spiders, which seem to cause the same involuntary reaction, which at first I worried was a stroke.

What is the first thing an English person wants to do in Australia? Yes, determine the hottest part of the day, find the spot with the least amount of shade, and sit there. And sit. Well, I don’t need to spell out the result to you. You have all (Aussies excepted) been there yourself. Day 1, first degree burns. Whilst my call for shade on the first day ignored, the rest of the holiday followed a “safety first” approach. Slip, slop, slap.

End of the Bondi to Coogee walk – beer awaiting

I’m sure the good memories will last longer than the pink faces that were still in evidence as we said a very sad farewell. A great holiday, with great company. You are welcome back anytime chaps.

Squish squish.

Signing off 2017

January 9, 2018 by Fran 1 Comment

Most of you will know that I like to make lists. And that I like to set myself goals for what I consider to be personal growth. Personal growth will mean many things, to many people. To me it simply means, did I learn something new, go somewhere different, or do something that I haven’t done before. If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then, I have achieved some personal growth. Even if the item is just to go to a restaurant I have always wanted to try, I like the sense of personal achievement when I get there.

No, I know that I don’t need an actual list to achieve this. But for me, having a list allows me to keep focussed on what it was that I said to myself that I wanted to achieve at the start of each year. It is my way of keeping myself accountable to, well, myself. And, I just like the satisfaction I get from crossing it off my list.

Some of the items are recurring, and have been for many years. The one item that is not actually on the list, but never leaves me, is the one where I tell myself this is the last year that I work in a corporate environment. Over the years I have become the “accidental project manager”. Without consciously choosing a career path, I have fallen into what I do now. I think I do it well, but that doesn’t mean it fills my soul with joy. Which has left the frustrated writer and traveller deep within me having to comply with the norms of working for large corporations. How, and when I will ever escape isn’t known to me. Yet. Until that time, I will continue setting myself goals to make sure I am filling the rest of my life, and my soul, with things that make me happy.

Here is what I wrote at the start of 2017:

Do a yoga class – result: I didn’t get to do yoga, but did start doing reformer pilates, something I hadn’t even heard of at the start of the year. Reformer pilates classes last for 1 hour, and isolate parts of your body in slow, controlled exercises. Who knew it could be so effective? So much so that I have already pre-purchased classes for the month of January.

See lots of Italy – result: I did see lots of Italy. I wrote this knowing we would be going on holiday to Italy, and we took 3 weeks to travel the length and breadth of that beautiful country. Along the way I brushed up on my rudimentary Italian, and tried quite a few Aperol Spritzs. Whilst in Rome we were lucky enough to be able to eat at Aroma restaurant, which overlooks the Colosseum. We had the perfect table, champagne (I am still scratching my head over the price), and fabulous food.

Do a surf lesson – result: I didn’t get around to this so it will be carried over to 2018. What we did do was more stand up paddle boarding. Even if most of mine was kneel down paddle boarding. On a beautiful stretch of the coastline, in Rockingham, Western Australia, we hired a couple of boards and had a great hour paddling around.

Drive from Perth to Broome – result: Due to realising that driving north would result in us slowly cooking like xmas turkeys in the campervan, we changed our route and went south from Perth, which was a lot cooler in the evenings. Along the way we discovered what I would confidently say are the best beaches in Australia. I also found the best fish and chips in Australia, but that will be part of another blog.

Visit Margaret River in Western Australia – result: We did. This was included simply on the basis that we love tasting wine and visiting new wine regions. Margaret River has a great reputation for it’s wine. I can confirm that the wines are excellent. And I tasted (drank) a lot so feel confident in my assertion. Whilst in that part of the world we even got to another new wine region, the Swan Valley, just 30 minutes north of Perth. I won’t tell you how much wine we bought as a result of all our wine tasting, but needless to say we have had to sell all our furniture to fit it in the apartment.

Learn basic Italian – result: I did, for the holiday. And through the 3 weeks there, managed to pick up even more.

One thing that wasn’t on my list, as I didn’t plan it myself, was a hot air balloon ride. Something I have wanted to do for many years, since watching my Dad go off in one for his 60th birthday. A recent Saturday morning saw us meeting up with Balloon Aloft in Mudgee, at 3.45am, for a sun rise flight, followed by a champagne breakfast. All I can say is a big thank you, you know who you are.

I signed off the year another year older, and happy in the knowledge that I had managed to achieve most of what I set out to achieve, apart from the job. That remains a work in progress.

Now onto the list for 2018. What would be on yours?

My little love affair with Mudgee

January 13, 2020 by Fran Leave a Comment

Mudgee, in the time before the drought, and the bush fires. When my love affair with Mudgee started — Beautiful Mudgee, in the time before the drought

Driving up the highway it was clear to see that there had been bad fires. Both sides of the Castlereagh highway, the fields were scorched. Razed. Fields of green had become fields of black. It didn’t take too much imagination to picture how scary this must have been, just days ago, as bush fires ripped through the region. This fear was made real when Sharon at the cellar door at Burundulla vineyard shared a video on her phone of a Mudgee local and his partner driving through at the exact moment the fire jumped the highway. Frightening, even at a distance of some days. Even the roadkill, so prevalent on drives through the country, look to have suffered in unimaginable ways.

Coming to Mudgee, in the midst of the bush fire disaster taking over large swathes of Australia, family and friends understandably had lots of questions. Is it safe to travel to Mudgee? Is Mudgee affected by the bush fires? Are the Mudgee wineries affected? We are able to answer these, and other questions, including what there is to do in Mudgee and the surrounding towns. Where to stay, and why it is now more important than ever to visit regional towns like Mudgee, when every dollar spent in local businesses is critical. My little love affair with Mudgee was to continue.

My love affair with Mudgee started at Lowe Wines. — Lowe Wines – a firm favourite

We had come to Mudgee to escape the madness that is New Years Eve in the city. In the years I have lived in Sydney I have, like hundreds of thousands of others, joined the crush around Sydney Harbour. Trying to get a birds eye view of quite possibly the best fireworks display in the world. So, whilst I know first hand how impressive this spectacle is, I also know that I no longer want to spend the last day of any year down there again.

If there is an antithesis of the new year carnage on the Harbour, it must be the little country town of Mudgee in regional New South Wales. I have previously written about celebrating my Australian citizenship in Mudgee. Insulated from the city of Sydney by a 3 and half hour drive, up through the Blue Mountains, once here you could be on a different planet. A planet blessed with abundant wildlife and some of the best wines you will taste. The difference now, sadly, is that due to the changing climate, the vines are at risk, and I’m saddened to hear from locals that the animals are just giving up. Just laying down to die. Through lack of water, and lack of green grass to graze on. The heart breaks.

The effects of the changing climate is evident everywhere. Each time we have visited Mudgee in the past, as we broach the hill and descend in to the valley near Windamere dam, we are usually greeted by a lush carpet of green. As far as the eye can see. Green fields stretching out and away as far as the mountains that surround this beautiful little town. This year we audibly gasped as we were met by a landscape that could have been from Australia’s desert. Colours that would not have looked out of place on a long drive through the Nullarbor. Every shade of brown, only punctuated by black. The tell tale signs of the fires. Apart from the trees that have managed to keep the majority of their green leaves, the ground was dry as a bone. Mudgee was in the middle of a very long drought.

My love affair of Mudgee continues, even through the latest drought and bush fires. — The dry landscape of Mudgee

In the middle of this drought, and as the fires raged, tourists stayed away. A town like Mudgee relies heavily on the influx of visitors that spend money in local shops and at the cellar doors. If businesses are to survive, tourists need to keep coming. And so, having made sure we were not in danger, we drove to Mudgee to “reset our senses”, to borrow the tagline of the local tourist board.

My little love affair with Mudgee continues with the discovery of Tom's Cottage in Wilgowrah. — Tom’s Cottage – Wilgowrah

Our senses were going to be reset at “Tom’s Cottage” in Wilgowrah (www.wilgowrah.com.au), a short 5 minute drive from the centre of Mudgee. A self contained cottage, with sweeping views of the Mudgee hills, we were in the right place to quietly celebrate the end of the year together, and to chat through our hopes and dreams for the year ahead. The cottage is nestled in the gardens of the heritage listed Wilgowrah homestead, and is their first offering. Plans are underway to convert a small nearby church in to accommodation which will make for a very unique stay. One evening, take the 4 wheel drive buggy up the hill, with a bottle of wine, and have a picnic, watching the sunset.

Each stay in Mudgee is unique, even just for the pace of life there. No traffic lights. You heard that right. Can you imagine it? And after being there a while, especially coming from the city, you start noticing the absence of something. It takes you a while to realise you have not heard a car horn in the time you have been here. It has sadly become part of everyday life in Sydney, even if a driver has the temerity to take more than 2 seconds to move once the lights have turned green. City people must be in such a rush.

Slowing down in Mudgee, we took the push bikes out. Very little traffic. No car horns. And a very flat landscape. Cycling down country lanes was such a pleasant experience, stopping to chat to the local goats and horses. Every kilometre we cycled we promised ourselves another glass of wine.

Cycling through the country lanes of Mudgee

That was a lot of wine, starting at a cellar door we hadn’t previously visited. Elephant Mountain wines (www.elephantmountain.com.au) have not had a cellar door in Mudgee for very long, with the vines being in the neighbouring town of Lue. The cellar door has been in Mudgee for just over a couple of years. In my opinion, it is a very welcome addition. Having discovered the wonders of Pinot Gris in New Zealand, I was very pleasantly surprised to taste one of such quality here in Mudgee. Needless to say, some made their way home with us.

Elephant Mountain cellar door, now in the heart of Mudgee. — Elephant Mountain cellar door

Talking of quality wines, next up was one of our favourite vineyards in Mudgee. Lowe wines (www.lowewine.com.au) have made us feel very welcome each time we visit the cellar door. The very first time we visited we were supplied with a seemingly endless amount of wine. On a tasting. Which effectively means it is free. However, this is hospitality at its best as what often happens, and it did on that first visit, is that we get to taste how great the wine is, we end up slightly tipsy, and then buy almost every bottle available when we leave. Everybody is happy. It is just this kind of hospitality that keeps us returning time and again to Lowe. Oh, and did I mention that they do an awesome grazing board?

In the heart of Mudgee, the Pipeclay Pumphouse restaurant — Pipeclay Pumphouse restaurant

Suitably stuffed from an afternoon at Lowe, we save our next food experience for the following day. Our first visit to the Pipeclay Pumphouse restaurant (www.pipeclaypumphouse.com.au), out at the Robert Stein winery. From the outside it looks like a tin shed. One that graces many a paddock across Australia. Inside is where the magic happens. You can look forward to a spectacular menu and first class service. We opted for the tasting menu but you would be just as happy choosing from the excellent a la carte options. As you would expect, the wine list is made up of a selection that are made right there on site. We chose the 2019 Riesling and it was superb. Hints of mineral, lemon and lime, and a very smooth finish. Luckily for me, it wasn’t my day to be the designated driver.

Food at the Pipeclay Pumphouse in Mudgee — The food was delicious

Food. Wine. Rest. Relaxation. You truly do get the opportunity to reset your senses when you spend time in Mudgee. Life slows down to a very enjoyable pace. Nothing is urgent. Nothing is rushed. Is it any wonder that I have a little love affair with Mudgee? Each time I leave, I feel like I leave a piece of myself behind. I am always driving away wondering when I can be driving back. Next time I visit, I hope to bring a little rain with me.

A domestic god

May 10, 2020 by Fran Leave a Comment

Hello again folks. How are we all doing? Managing to get through all those toilet rolls you panic bought? Yes, you know who you are. You are the reason people had to wipe their bum with old copies of the Daily Mail. And who has cupboards full of flour rather than bread bins full of fresh sourdough?

So, we made it to May. I’ve been reading that people have felt time is going slow. I can’t believe we have been in Perth for over 6 weeks already. It really is a mystery where the days go. Although the long days are giving me a chance to read the books that have long sat on my “to read” pile. One such book that I had been meaning to read for years was Nelson Mandela’s “Long Walk to Freedom”.

I finally finished this amazing book and was immediately struck by how easy we have things. Even in the age of the coronavirus. Yes, we miss family. We may even miss friends. Well, some of them. But essentially we are being asked to stay in our comfortable homes. With all our home comforts surrounding us. Want a fish finger sandwich? Go and make one. Fancy watching just one more episode of “After Life”? Oh, go on then. A beer? Well, it is 5 o’clock somewhere.

Mandela was incarcerated for 27 years. 18 of which he spent in harsh conditions, on Robben Island. Whilst locked up, he lost his mother, and not long after, his son to a car accident. He wasn’t able to go to either funeral. Regardless of how you view the politics of Africa, or Mandela’s role prior to his arrest, what he and his comrades were put through was nothing short of shocking. I have written about visiting Robben Island, last year. I’ve seen the cell he was in. I’ve visited the quarry where he was made to crack rocks all day long.

Is there a better way too cool down? Gelato in Perth. — Is there a better way to cool down on a hot day?

And this puts a lot of things into perspective. For me at least. As long as my family, friends and those closest to me remain healthy and well, then how hard can things be? Our situation will improve. We will be reunited with our loved ones. And one day, in the not too distant future, the pubs will reopen. Just this weekend, the Premier of Western Australia has announced that cafes and restaurants can reopen. Starting with a limit of 20 diners inside at a time. And regional travel restrictions have been lifted, meaning we are able to visit more of this beautiful state, should we want to. I can hear Margaret River calling.

But before we think too much about holidays, we need to get work. And here I have some positive news. In a job market that is flatter than one of my sister’s Yorkshire Puddings, one of us has found themselves a job. Guess who now has the role of house husband? This domestic god better learn how the washing machine works. And I am told dinner will be expected on the table at the end of each work day.

Learning all about wine. — One thing I am happy to study

Outside of domestic duties, I am filling my time with learning stuff. At the moment I am learning more about wine. And not just drinking it. I am part way through the WSET Level 1 Award in Wine course. The first step to a diploma in wine, should I wish to continue studying. The level 1 course is just 4 weeks long, but I am enjoying the experience. Learning more about the actual production of wine, the differences in the wines regions around the globe, and how to properly taste wine. The practical aspect is great fun.

Whilst Vik hasn’t yet got a start date for work, we are taking the opportunity to explore the local area. We had a great day out last week to a little historic town called Guildford. A short train ride from the Perth CBD, Guildford is a heritage town, referred to as the gateway to the Swan Valley wine region. It is home to the second oldest pub in Australia, the Rose and Crown, and other quaint buildings from a bygone era, such as the Mechanics Institute, and the old town gaol. Being so close to both the city, and the vineyards, we have even started looking for houses that would suit us.

Rose and Crown in Guildford. Second oldest pub in Australia. — Rose and Crown, Guildford

Longer term, I don’t really expect that Australia will open up the international borders until at least 2021. This keeps our longer term plan of travelling the world on the back burner. Which therefore keeps my dream of publishing my very first travel article bubbling away in the background. With travel collapsing, with it went the travel writing market. Hopefully it will bounce back once we are all able to visit places both local, and overseas again.

In the meantime, I’m off to see if I can buy some flour. If the boss wants sourdough with her dinner after work, I am going to have to get my pinny on, and learn how to make it.

Adios amigos!