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Up in the air

I heard the once familiar chime reminding us that seat belts could now be removed. We could walk about the cabin. Currently in the air, somewhere high above the vast expanse of Western Australia, we are in something called an airplane. If you are not familiar with such a contraption, they are jet propelled machines that convey people across the skies, across large distances.

Today we are being conveyed from Perth to the tourist destination of Broome, some 2,224 kilometres away. 22 hours had we chosen to drive. A more palatable 2 hours 50 minutes by the magic of airplane. Originally a pearling town, Broome has made itself into a tourist mecca, and pearls are never far away, judging by the number of tourists I saw wearing them.

Destination Broome

Broome is not the only thing to have changed a lot. Air travel is almost unrecognisable since we last experienced it over 12 months ago. Airports bereft of excited travellers, and children charging ahead of tired parents. People mindlessly spending money on sunglasses they probably don’t need. Another bottle of perfume to add to the dozen or so that hide below the bathroom sink in cupboards that haven’t been opened since your last holiday. 

Terminal 1 at Perth Domestic Airport offered no such temptation today. Most stores were closed. No last minute electronics, or bottles of single malt whisky for me. Even visiting the business class lounge made me feel that I was at the tail end of some apocalypse. Shelves stripped bare of magazines. A scarce selection of pre-prepared food served behind barriers only accessible to the lounge staff, who must be glad of having something to do. The lounge was no longer a place that encouraged lounging.

And so we found ourselves masking up and boarding an aeroplane for the first time in 12 months. The first time where masks in both the airport, and on the planes, are mandatory. We were going to spend the short flight in business class. Not nearly as impressive as it sounds. Things have changed. Oh haven’t they just.

Business Class without the class

No sparkling wine. What is business class without that first glass of bubbles? Somehow harking back to a more glamorous era, it is almost worth the cost of the upgrade. Sitting and relaxing with a glass of bubbles, smugly watching everyone else file past on the way to their economy class seats. But not today. Our choice was a simple one. Red or white wine. Served in a plastic cup. Horror of horrors. Quite different to our last business class adventure.

Talking of horrors, then there was the food. Or, there wasn’t. The in flight meal has been replaced with a snack box. Literally, a snack. In a box. A tiny, dinky, little cardboard box. I do wonder how airlines can keep enticing customers to pay the often exorbitant cost of flying business class when the points of differentiation from economy are so reduced.

The “luxury” of boarding first, and a slightly bigger seat may no longer cut the mustard. Slabs of processed cheese in little, hard to open, plastic wrappers certainly won’t. I will watch with interest, as vaccines start to roll out across the world, and confidence regarding travel increases, as to how the business class offering evolves. Or doesn’t. 

Economising

On the return flight we opted to fly economy, fully expecting to get the same cardboard box and a plastic cup of wine. We were to be surprised. And not in a good way. Somehow, COVID has resulted in alcohol no longer being offered in economy. Something that truly baffles me. Where is the increased risk just because you are sitting beyond the first four rows in the airplane? Can COVID not breach business class?

And Virgin has always offered a meal option on domestic flights. Today this meal comprised either a sweet or savoury snack. That was it. That was the “meal”. I opted for savoury, my mouth watering in anticipation of the meat pie I expected to receive. Would they have tomato ketchup, I wondered.

As the wheels of the trolley arrived at our seat, and I was handed my savoury snack, I was immensely disappointed to note that it was a bag of chickpeas. Chickpeas! Served with a plastic cup of apple juice. I kid you not. People in prisons get larger meals. Not that I am comparing flying Virgin with being in prison but the whole experience was very underwhelming.

The Popularity of Travel

And despite the inconveniences of mandatory mask wearing. Having to drink out of plastic cups. And no extra pair of sunglasses to gather dust in your drawers. People still want to travel. Our flight was almost full, both heading up to Broome, and coming home. 

Despite a lot of what I read, confidence in air travel remains high. I remain convinced that the air industry is going to bounce back stronger than ever. As more people across the globe get vaccinated, as more countries start opening up their borders for overseas tourists, I believe that the “holiday at home” mantra will become a relic of the past, hopefully along with those pesky little snack boxes.

Perth Point Zero

The State Buildings in Perth are situated at “Perth Point Zero”. The place where all distances from Perth, in Western Australia are calculated. Located in the heart of Perth CBD, and originally known as the Lands, Titles and Treasury buildings, the State Buildings brings three buildings together into one vibrant cultural destination offering bars, restaurants, a bookshop, spa, and the luxury hotel that is COMO The Treasury. Our home for the next two nights.

Awarded the title of The Best Hotel In Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific by Travel and Leisure in 2020, we had wanted to come and visit COMO The Treasury for some time.

Anyone for bubbles?

And so, we found ourselves arriving before noon to check in, demurring on the offer of complimentary bubbles, sure that we would enjoy it more, a little later. Right now, we were on the clock. At midday we had a date at the Fleur in the Royal on Wellington Street for our lunch of “Afternoon Bloom”. A modern take on high tea. Something a little different to our usual high teas.

The reception at COMO The Treasury is unlike any hotel I had ever been to. Granted I had never been to any of the other COMO properties around the globe, and before this weekend I didn’t even know any existed. A gentle fire burning against the back wall. No queues of people at check in, which I can tell you is a rarity for Perth. And there was no baggage. Anywhere. Which did confuse me a little. This was a hotel, right? A carefully curated collection of books and a couple of chaise longs completed the rather modern looking reception.

What I am trying to convey, I suppose, is that as soon as you cross the threshold from Cathedral Square, you really are entering a different world. A world where the sound seems to have been turned down. The colours are muted. And you feel a little like you are in a cocoon. And your bags? They magically find their way to your room to meet you there.

Arriving back at the COMO after lunch, we had a rather comical moment. There had been a change in staff since we had checked in earlier in the day and it caused a little confusion about whether we were arriving, or departing. After the room key was passed back and forth between Victoria and the concierge, we all established that we had checked in earlier, and were in fact returning to the hotel. And yes, we would love a glass of bubbles.

A mini moon

This was our second attempt at staying at COMO The Treasury. The first weekend, which was a splurge to ourselves as we are unable to fly anywhere for our honeymoon, was a victim of COVID, and a snap lockdown across Perth. Undeterred, we were finally here, walking down the hushed corridor on the fourth floor, thick carpet absorbing all noise.

As we were shown into room 46, there are only 48 rooms in the whole hotel, we both did a short intake of breath. Without doubt the largest hotel room I had ever stayed in. Even larger than some apartments I had lived in. And that is a true story. Thankfully, there was an intercom to the bathroom so me and Mrs C could stay in touch.

It is the little touches

It is the case with hotels such as COMO The Treasury that discreet touches hint at the stay you are about to have. Understated luxury. Contemporary. Delicate slices of delicious Honeycake. A complimentary mini bar, replenished daily, offering beer from a local outfit made good, Little Creatures. Once of Fremantle, and now of the world. I even hear you can now buy cans of their finest beer in Waitrose, in the UK. We had fresh coffee and a bowl of apples so shiny that I suspect they get a polish when your room is made up. Talking of making the room up, returning later in the evening our room had been subject to the “turn down” service, with locally produced chocolates adorning our pillows.

And to the pool

Taking an apple for later, we donned our hotel bathrobes, discreetly embroidered with the hotel name, we headed out, and down a level on the grand staircase. The staircase wrapped around an old elevator shaft, which we were told was possibly the first ever elevator in Perth. Level 3 housed the swimming pool and steam room. There was also a gym but that was a level of exercise too far for us this weekend. A few laps in the pool and time spent in the steam room was strenuous enough.

Heading back to our room I had time for a long soak in the very large freestanding bath, silently contemplating how grateful I was to be here, in this moment, and thinking ahead to this evening, where we had a dinner reservation at the fabled Wildflower restaurant, situated on the top floor of the hotel, with views out across the Swan River and the expansive night sky.

What I need to say about dinner has to be reserved for a blog by itself. It was that good. That. Good. We had read about the Saturday dinner option being the 6 course degustation only. What we weren’t prepared for was how blown away by the quality we would be. Indulging in the matching wine option, it was our mini moon after all, we had possibly our best meal ever, and definitely our most expensive meal ever. Would I ever eat again?

This was answered in the morning. It would be a shame to miss the included breakfast. Wouldn’t it? Both mornings, breakfast was served in the excellent restaurant, Post, within the State Buildings. Mindful of how full I was yesterday I was planning to skip everything but the cooked breakfast. This was until I saw the freshly baked croissants and the bowls of fruit. I put the diet on hold, and dived right in.

Time to plan the next chapter

As we tick over two years in Perth it looks as though we might finally be reinstating our long held dream of travelling the world. The two nights we had booked here in Perth, back in March 2020 have stretched out to take in the whole of 2020, 2021, and now the summer and autumn of 2022.

Perth has been very good to us. And quite possibly the best place we could have ended up through COVID. I managed to secure a role that I have been in the whole time I have been here. I have met new people who have become friends. I found a community. A “collective”.  And I have taken my learning journey further than I could have expected when we landed in Perth on that dark night back in March, 2020. On the travel front, we have been busy. We have now travelled the whole length from Esperance in the south, all the way up to Exmouth on the north coast. Not all in one trip, but this is a distance of 2,238kms. That is a lot of long, straight, boring Western Auatralia roads. In fairness, there are also some scenic drives to keep things interesting.

Victoria has had a number of roles, trying out the market in Perth and getting to experience how organisations of differing sizes work over here in the wild, wild West. And it is different. Very different to my experience over in Sydney. Perth feels like a big town. With a gaping hole for its centre. The CBD is bereft of life with most people choosing to live in sprawling suburbs, north and south of the river. Yet, as we speak, sprawling apartment towers continue to be built. There is more tumbleweed than people.

Elizabeth Quay has been transformed over the years I have been coming to Perth, and it is currently in the middle of a development boom. In a few years from now, when the buildings are complete, I believe Elizabeth Quay has the potential to rival Circular Quay in Sydney for nightlife. This is if Elizabeth Quay finds its identity. Perth has come a long way over the years. It could go even further and be a destination that truly attracts overseas travellers away from the glitz of Sydney Harbour, and the 24 hour lifestyle of cosmopolitan Melbourne.

Margaret River, our “happy place”

Over the last two years you may have worked out that our hearts have been stolen by the beautiful Margaret River region. Already our favourite place in Australia, it will forever have a special place in our hearts after we eloped there and got married in the forest last year. The food scene down there is out of this world. Margaret River produces Australia’s premium wines. The scenery is second to none. And the coastline is better than you will find anywhere, however far around the globe you travel. A true “happy place” for us both.

And whilst we have found our spiritual home over the last two years, we are now planning to head off and explore the world. After working out the best time to head off travelling we have now shared with our employers that we will be leaving at the end of May. The first month of our travels will be mostly in WA, as we say farewell to some of our favourite places. Yes, this will include Margaret River. And Fremantle. This gritty port city, 30 minutes south of Perth, also has something special. A real vibe that keeps drawing us back time and again. Breweries. Cool neighbourhoods. Great restaurants. And a community feel.

Time to explore the world

Leaving city life behind we will be heading to an island. Specifically, Hamilton Island. A place we love and were due to visit last December, to celebrate my milestone birthday. COVID put paid to this and so in June we will be finally doing this trip. Staying at the luxurious Qualia, on the island, we will be doing our utmost to celebrate my belated birthday. Picture, champagne and cocktails. Side trips to Noosa and Brisbane will lead us into leaving Australian shores for the first time in three years. 

Our initial plan was to cover South East Asia for a few months first but this would mean we wouldn’t get to the UK until the height of winter. If you know what winter in the UK is like you will appreciate why this is not a great option. It was 13 degrees in Perth this morning and I worried whether I had enough layers on. Our compromise is Singapore for a few nights, then a stop somewhere new for me. Dubai is a place I have never been to and I will be having my second stay in a Caesar’s Palace hotel.

July will see us hit the shores of the UK for the first time since 2019. Without a time constraint we will have the opportunity to slow down a little. Reconnect with family and friends. And take the chance to do a little sightseeing. I am also starting to realise that the football season will have started again by this point and I would love to get to a match. A new manager. A clear out of players. And United might once again be able to provide some excitement. All Mrs C wants is a very big gammon steak. Let’s hope we can both get what we want.

New country, new travel experience

When we last spoke it was all about what a great time we had touring France and how we needed to keep moving. Not only to a new city, but to a new country. 

For today, we ditched the Bradshaw’s train guide and were experimenting with our first bus of the trip. Only recently have I discovered Flixbus. And within days of learning about them I started to see them everywhere. 

Today, we were on the 9.30am Flixbus from Bordeaux, across the Bidasoa river, which is the France-Spain border, and into San Sebastián. 

San Sebastian

There are places in the world I have always wanted to visit. At least, for as long as I remember. The feeling I had when I sat in front of the Lost City of the Incas at Machu Picchu was indescribable. I’d seen the vista on postcards for years and yearned to visit. 

San Sebastián was similar, for me. In the heart of the Basque country, with their fascinating language of incongruous X and Ts. There is also a strong Camino de Santiago connection. 

We stayed in a pension, which is a cheap guest house style of accommodation and we could not have asked for a better location. A short walk around the corner from the glorious playa de la concha, the famous stretch of beach that hugs the San Sebastian harbour. A 10 minute stroll had us in the old town, with its plethora of pinxtos bars. I would have loved a kettle to make my morning coffee, and a fridge to keep beer cold, but, you get what you pay for. 

Pinxtos (peen-chos)

The pinxtos bars need to be seen to be believed. Packed to the rafters. Most with nowhere to sit. The idea is you hustle at the bar, with the locals, pointing to the pinxtos that you want to go with your drink. Somehow, like magic, the bar staff know what you ordered when you finally come around to pay. Always at the end. And not when you order the drink, unless you want to stand out like the tourist you are.

On the surface, you may think that tapas is all you can get in San Sebastian. Far from it. I was surprised to learn that San Sebatian has more Michelin starred restaurants per square mile than anywhere else on the planet. 

A town with everything. Great beaches. Good walks. Amazing food and drink. And a local football team. This could be one of my new favourite parts of the world.

On the bus to Bilbao

Staying in the Basque country, our next stop was a quick bus ride along the coast, to Bilbao. For many years a forgotten city, lapsing into disrepair as old jobs disappeared, there was a lifeline 25 years ago. The city had the foresight to pay for a new Guggenheim museum to be built near the old docks. Creating a “destination attraction” in a similar way that the Opera House is in Sydney. And it worked. Dubbed the “Bilbao effect”, Frank Gehry’s masterpiece glistens on the Bilbao waterfront, attracting a steady 1 million visitors a year.

You won’t be surprised to hear that there is also a great food and drink scene in Bilbao. As we were still in the Basque region, we were eating pinxtos, and not tapas. The Basque region is one of those places that proudly holds onto its culture and heritage. Ensuring that the Basque language remains front and centre, everything is in both Basque, as the predominant language, and Spanish.

Heading to the Spanish capital

And it was into the Spanish heartland we were headed after our 5 days in the Basque region. Back on the bus, we had a 4 and half hour journey to Madrid ahead of us. We stocked up on pain au chocolats and water and we were off.

After San Sebastian and Bilbao, Madrid felt huge. A big, bustling city. We had 3 nights to adjust back to city life. And what better way to feel the pulse of a city than by attending a local football match. Saturday night saw us travelling out to the Wanda Metropolitana stadium to see Atletico Madrid take on Celta Vigo. 

I really enjoy going to football matches in overseas countries. Seeing how fans in different parts of the world celebrate their football team. The Atletico fans were vociferous. All through the match they maintained a great atmosphere. That the game ended with a 4:1 win obviously helped. 

After years of living in Australia I did find it strange that you could not buy beer inside the ground. Watching games at home in Australia we are used to getting a pint each and taking them to our seats to watch the action. Beers would come later, but not tonight. A 9pm kick off meant we were not back at the hotel until midnight. 

Our days in Madrid were spent strolling through the magnificent Retiro park, Madrid’s Central Park. Exploring the streets that sprawl off the main hubs of Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol, Plaza Santa Ana, and others. Mercado de San Miguel is one of the great markets that we have found whilst on our travels through Europe. Opening its doors over 100 years ago, the market is now a gastronomic delight. Selling, overpriced, Spanish delicacies and drinks. Sating the appetite of many hungry tourists.

We are wily travellers, and so we decamped to the Museo del Jamon, where we could stand at the bar, have a jamon sandwich, and a beer, for a fraction of the cost charged in the Mercado de San Miguel. Money saved at lunch can be spent at dinner. One of the challenges of adapting to being a traveller, rather than a tourist, is constantly being aware that our travel budget has to fund months of further travel.

The Alhambra (no, not in Bradford)

And the road was calling us again. An early start had us heading to the outskirts of Madrid, to one of the huge bus stations, and we were on the way to Granada, a place that was not in our minds originally. Sketching rough places to go, we were headed for Seville, until we remembered (or were we were alerted?) to the fact that we could go via Granada and visit the Alhambra.

How glad we are we came and saw this magnificent palace. Described as “one of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture”, we had a good few hours touring the palace and fortress complex. Started in 1238, many years, history, and conflict have passed and I would recommend having a read of the history. I would not do it justice here in a brief travel blog.

Granada

Granada surprised me in the way that Dijon, in France, did. I was immediately taken to the city with its narrow streets and cobbled lanes that house souk style markets. Albacin, to the north of the Alhambra still maintains much of its medieval street plan and is fun just to walk around, capturing the distinctive sights and smells.

On one such walk we stumbled across the Basilica de San Juan de Dios. Oh, my. Never has the inside of a church taken my breath away quite so much. A picture won’t do it justice but I will forever remember the moment I set eyes on it.

We also struck lucky with our accommodation, staying right in the heart of the city. Our two nights were in a new style of apartment accommodation for Spain. With a digital app on your phone that becomes the key to enter the apartment, and no physical presence, they are able to keep costs down and we had probably our cheapest stay yet.

Having a beer we were introduced to the “free tapa” system, of which Granada is the heart of. Each time you order a beer, you get a free tapa. Of the waiter’s choice. When you order a second drink, the same thing happens, only the tapa increases in quality. If you find yourself making a night of it, on the beer, you won’t need to buy dinner. A very popular choice with the city’s large student population, I’m sure.

Where the streets are lined with orange trees

Mention marmalade and many people’s minds will turn to Seville. Unfortunately, the oranges on the trees right now are more green than orange, But this does not take away from the beauty of the city. Seville was our next stop after Granada. And we were here for more than marmalade.

It would be a crime, in my opinion, to visit Spain and not indulge in churros con chocolate. I believe we found the best in Seville. Bar el Comercio starts selling piping hot churros from seven thirty in the morning. We were there a little later than that and still they were creating these hot, fluffy pieces of churros heaven. The thick chocolate to dip them in would be good as a drink all by itself.

We are going to miss Spain

Seville is a whole lot more than churros and marmalade. And we saw a lot of it. From the very impressive Plaza de Espana, to the equally impressive Real Palace de Alcazar. As with all our days in Spain, we have been blown away by the beauty this country has to offer. Friendly locals, fantastic food, I will be genuinely sad leaving. Whilst travelling through I have also had a great opportunity to brush up on my rusty Spanish language skills. Whilst very, very far from fluent, I have been pleased to get by, trying to avoid speaking English at every opportunity.

We now head into Portugal, first stop, Lisbon. I better work out how to say, “two beers, please.”

Adios, chicos.

Entering country number 15

As we left Switzerland by train, crossing the border, (such a scenic train ride), we entered the 15th country of our travels. We took a moment to reflect on the last 6 months. Leaving Perth back in June seems like a very long time ago. We left Australia in winter, spent the summer touring through the UK and now, winter rolls around again. The northern hemisphere version. A much colder version than we are used to at home. 

The year so far has been an exploration and the exploring continues in Austria. This is the first time either of us have visited Austria. We started in Innsbruck and would end in Vienna. From that point our plans dry up. Post Vienna we didn’t know where the road would take us. As it turned out, it wasn’t a road, but more on that in a later blog.

A cold xmas

Back in the height of the UK summer, and yes, this year was a great summer, we romanticised about a cold xmas. The first for 10 years. It is fair to say that I have acclimated to the Australian weather, and a slight drop in temperature sends me searching for my jumpers. Sat in Yorkshire, in August, in a t-shirt, did I ever think we would really stay around as the cold weather set in?

And yet, there we were. Walking from the train station at Innsbruck to our hotel. Woolly hats kept our head and ears warm. Our destination was the Marktbar Studios, sitting on the banks of the river Inn. We had great views across the river, and the nearby snow capped mountains. 

A winter wonderland 

The next day saw us going to the very top of one of those mountains. The highest. A funicular, followed by two cable car rides had us at the “Top of Innsbruck”. Where it was actually snowing. And -6°. Holy moly. We walked in deep snow. I made snowballs. A Japanese tourist nearby was enthusiastically making snow angels, imploring her partner to video her. She was very excited. And rightly so. This was a real winter wonderland. 

At -6 degrees there was only so long we could have a snowball fight for, and so, we headed inside to the cafe for a warming glühwein. Checking our mental “cost of living indicator” we were pleased to see that prices had dropped significantly from Switzerland. So much so that I could even afford a hearty slice of apple strudel. Living the dream.

Hiccups on the rails

Travel has a funny way of throwing you challenges. And bringing the dream to a halt. A snap 24 hour train strike across the whole of Austria put paid to our plan of leaving Innsbruck. We had to scramble to create a plan B. Thankfully, the apartment we were in was free so we booked a second night in this wonderful city. The downside was we couldn’t amend our onward hotel in Salzburg so would end up being there two nights, rather than three. 

The extra day allowed for more exploring of the Christmas markets. If Zurich set the bar high for Xmas markets, Innsbruck raised it. Set up all around this small town the Austrians had gone all out. So festive. Fabulous lights. So many market stalls. And so much glühwein. Obviously.  We even bought our very own mug that will hopefully make it all the way back to Australia with us.

Salzburg

How would the home of Mozart compare? Our next stop in Austria was Salzburg. A city that is overseen by the very impressive fortress. Hohensalzburg Fortress started in the year 1077, and added to over the years, it now welcomes over a million tourists every year. On a clear day, looking across the German border you could probably pick out Eagles Nest. 

Eagles Nest

Inaugurated in 1939 by Hitler, for his 50th birthday, Eagles Nest is now firmly on the “Dark Tourism” trail. Places around the world that have become infamous, drawing the curious traveller. It was used as an Allied command centre until 1960, at which point it was handed back to the state of Bavaria. It now operates as a restaurant and beer garden

Back in the centre of Salzburg, we visited Mozartplatz, dominated by a large ice rink. My first, and only experience on the ice was at the rink set up in winter at Bondi Beach. Based on how well I did that day I chose to give the rink a miss and headed inside for a delicious hot chocolate, laced with a shot of rum. 

Graz

Looking at a map of Austria, considering where to go, en route to Vienna, we landed on Graz. A city of less than 300,000, it is less known for tourism than some of the places we had been. So, we got all the best of a European winter, the Xmas markets and festive lights, without the mass tourism that plagues many cities in Europe. 

Arriving on a cold, wet evening once again we were impressed by the infrastructure these European cities have. Off the train and mere steps to the connecting tram that whisked us through the old town and close to our hotel. Our mission was to dry off and find somewhere warm for a schnitzel dinner.

Graz proved to be an inspired choice for a couple of days. The Xmas markets were excellent. The weather was dry, and bitingly cold. And we felt as though we were seeing a slice of authentic Austrian life. 

Vienna

Why couldn’t I talk about Vienna without serenading Victoria to “Oh, Vienna”?  I’m sure it got very tiresome. Very quick. What didn’t get tiresome was exploring the historic centre of Vienna. A city we had both been very excited to visit. It was Vienna that initially gave us the idea of visiting the Xmas markets all those months ago. If the stars had aligned a little better we would have even been able to meet up with my oldest friend. Next time, mate?

But those markets. Oh my word. Vienna is the place to be for Xmas markets. From the ones in Maria-Theresien-Platz, to across the road at Rathausplatz, and to the cute little ones hugging the side streets in Spittelberg. It won’t surprise you that the count of Xmas decorations that Victoria has bought increased through our stay in Vienna. With the markets comes a lot of choice for food. I just loved this beef goulash served in a bread bowl. Delicious.

Mooching through Vienna reminded me of strolling the streets of Rome. Buildings on a vast scale. So many of them. Most from the Austro Hungarian empire you can only stop and stare. Vienna really lived up to any and all expectations we had. Over a final gluhwein we discussed where we should head next. Our European adventure looked to be drawing to a close. 

The question was, where would we be tomorrow?