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Fremantle and Rottnest Island

August 13, 2012 by Fran Leave a Comment

After what must have been my shortest ever flight to Australia, all of circa 4 hours, I landed in Perth, Western Australia. It was rather novel, completing my obligatory landing card, to not be ticking the “tourist” box, rather, opting for the “migrating resident” that I had now become.

Greeted by a light afternoon rain, I hot footed it to the shuttle bus to make my way direct to Fremantle, known locally as Freo.

Freo is only some 30 mins away by train from Perth, but still some 4127 kms from Sydney on the opposite coast. An impressively maintained little town, replete with colonial buildings, it looks untouched for the last couple of hundred years. That said, I don’t think South Terrace would have been known as “Cappuccino Strip” way back then. A moniker that is richly deserved, judging by the amount of bloody fantastic coffee I had whilst there. Double shot anyone?

I was in Freo for 5 nights, having my own apartment some 10 minutes walk from the centre of town. From the moment I bought my Vegemite and Mac ‘n Cheese from Coles, I felt like a local. My first morning breakfast of pancakes with maple syrup and a flat white cemented this feeling.

My time in Freo flew by in a haze of some great experiences. Putting aside the famous Watson’s Bay chippy in Sydney, for me, some of the best fish and chips in Australia are to be found here in Western Australia. It wasn’t long before I found my way back to Cicerello’s (est. 1903) at the fish boat harbour. And what visit to fish boat harbour is complete without a cheeky visit to Little Creatures micro brewery? Sat in the late afternoon sun, sipping a chilled pint of cider, brewed on the premises. Did somebody say “promised land”?

One fine winters morning, a short train ride had me at Cottesloe Beach. More famous in the UK over the last few years for notoriety gained by shark attacks in the shallow waters off the beach. Safe to say, I didn’t venture into the water but I did have the whole beach to myself. I have to keep pinching myself to remind me that it really is winter. As you can see from the picture, not a bad winters day by anyone’s standards. With a golf course that overlooks the sea, one friend had suggested that I get myself some clubs, move to Cottesloe, and grow old. Not bad advice.

One full day of my visit to Freo was taken up by a visit to the mercurial Rottnest Island, home to the small, indigenous marsupials known as Quokkas. Rottnest is a short (if somewhat choppy) 30 min ferry ride away and is like a little oasis.

Hiring a bike for the day, the island is small enough to cycle the length and breadth, discovering amazing little beaches and coves. And that is exactly what I did. Freewheeling down long empty hills, Missy Higgins on the ipod and the ubiquitous smell of eucalyptus. Boy, was I ever in Australia. And the Quokkas? Judge for yourself.

And 5 days later, I was once again packing my, rather oversized, North Face duffle bag and making my way to Perth by train. The beautiful city of Perth, Kings Park, and Uncle Doug awaits.

11 (and a ½) Magic Moments in Margaret River

April 28, 2019 by Fran 3 Comments

Day 1

Get Breakfast – No day starts properly without a great breakfast. And they don’t come much better than the ones served up at the White Elephant café in Gnarabup. Mingle with the locals who are drying off after their early morning dip in the ocean, grab a table, and enjoy scrambled eggs whilst being mesmerised by the huge waves crashing on to the beach. Have a post brekkie stroll, along the beach path towards Surfers Point at Prevelly.

White Elephant cafe, Gnarabup, Margaret River — White Elephant cafe, overlooking the sea

2. Get Underground – The parts of Margaret River that you can see are beautiful. What I didn’t realise is that there is as much beauty beneath your feet. There are over 200 limestone caves in the region, some of which you can explore. An opportunity to learn your stalactite from your stalagmite. On the rather aptly named Caves Road, there are a number that you can enter, choosing to visit either just one, or a combination of all of them. We visited two, both of which were enchanting.

Lake Cave with a guided tour for $22.50, bookings essential
Mammoth Cave with a self guided audio tour, no booking required

Cave entrance — Somewhere down there is the entrance

3. Get supplies for your picnic – If it is a Saturday morning, get along to the excellent Margaret River Farmers Market, just south of town on the main road. Very much a community event, there are many stalls selling everything from wood fired bread, artisan cheeses, fruit, vegetables, coffee, and anything else you could need. Most of the stalls do have card facilities but it is worth taking some actual, old fashioned cash to cater for the few that don’t. If like me, cash is something you are not familiar with, there is an ATM conveniently located in the service station just across the road.

4. Get amongst the vines – Let’s get this straight. Nobody comes to Margaret River without planning to try a few of the world class wines produced in the region. And, what fun is there in being amongst all this quality wine, but then having to worry about driving? None. So, spend the afternoon exploring one of the many vineyards with an organised wine tour. We went with Margaret River tours. An excellent tour visiting 4 very different vineyards, and with the opportunity to taste chocolate, and cheese in between. Are you sold? What is not to like. Margaret River has over 215 wineries, over more than 5000 hectares, and produces some of Australia’s most premium wines, over 20%, despite only producing 3% of Australia’s wine. The wine tours can book up early. Another option to check out, which I can also highly recommend, is Grape Escape for either a private, or group tour. Having only relatively recently escaped the rat race of the big city, these guys are now making quite a name for themselves in the tourism scene.

5. Get Settled – After a long day, you probably need a big feed. There are many options for dinner in town. We went traditional, and chose the iconic Settlers Tavern, which has its own meat smoker on the deck. That sold it for me. I certainly took advantage, having the very succulent lamb ribs, 8 of the beauties. If you want something lighter, there is a very extensive menu from you to choose from, together with, as you would expect, a very comprehensive wine list. Being in Western Australia, I opted for a beer, not being able to resist a pint of Little Creatures, brewed just up the road in Fremantle.

6. Get your single malt on – Limeburners whisky may be better associated with Albany, on the southern coast, but there is an outlet of the Great Southern Distilling Company in Margaret River. As well as some of the best whisky you will taste, this distillery also produces excellent gin. A whole selection of them. And you don’t have to spend too much time deliberating which one to try. Pop in for a tasting flight of either the whisky, or the gin, and you can try four, with matching garnish for the gins. Rather predictably, I found myself leaving with a bottle of single malt safely tucked under my arm.

7. Get soothed – The day started early, and was filled with some great activities. Following a nightcap of my newly purchased whisky, I was ready to turn in. As my head hit the pillow I drifted off to sleep, very content, and soothed by the sounds of the waves crashing on nearby Gnarabup beach. Dreaming of what tomorrow has in store.

Day 2

8. Catch some waves – Early to bed, early to rise. Start with a walk on the beach, stopping briefly to watch the surfers, before heading to Sea View Garden café for great coffee and better seaside vibes. Oh, and the food is first rate too. Whether you pick a classic, as I did, of eggs Benedict with crispy bacon, or take the more adventurous option of Nasi Goreng, the Indonesian breakfast of champions. Find the surf boards and you will know that you have found Sea Garden café.

Surf Boards, Sea Garden Cafe, Prevelly — Surf boards of Sea Garden cafe

9. Catch the local sealife – Don’t make the mistake that I had made on previous visits to Margaret River. Don’t miss Hamelin Bay. Not only is it another incredible example of the amazing beaches and coastline of this part of Australia, but you also get to spend the morning gazing in wonder at the very sizeable, stately stingrays that come right in to shore. Join the throngs in the shallow water getting up close and personal with these amazing creatures. Just a word of warning. Don’t get too close to the tails of these beautiful rays, as a sharp whip can be painful, as I can testify. Hamelin Bay is a truly beautiful spot and should be high on anyone’s list when in Margaret River.

10. Catch some of Australia’s best produce – Not just producing some of the best wine you will ever taste, many of the vineyards also have restaurants serving lunch to hungry visitors. I would highly recommend Amelia Park on Caves Road. You may have noticed by now that much of the best of the region is on, or around Caves Road. Amelia Park has a dedicated restaurant, across the car park from the cellar door. Sat in the large, busy restaurant, with sweeping views out across the vines, I was treat to one of the best lunches I’ve had in in recent memory. And I have had some good ones. Following a glass of bubbles, I moved on to the Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, oh my word, produced right on site. The wood grilled Fremantle octopus was perfectly complemented with avocado and nduja, adding the perfect level of spice. For main the strip loin and rosemary salted hand cut chips were delightful. With no room for desert I finished on a Pedro Ximenez sherry that was the colour of butterscotch, and tasted even better. I can also recommend the scallops entree, followed by the duck breast, yes, with delicious crispy skin.

11. Catch the last rays of the day – Another full day, and now time to unwind. And on the west coast, what better way than to marvel at the sunset anywhere along the coastline that hugs Margaret River. My choice this weekend was the lookout point on a slight elevation above the iconic White Elephant café, or Ellie to locals. A short 5 minute walk from our charming little accommodation, booked via AirBnB. With a couple of cold beers in the bag, we slowly wandered up to a prime spot to watch the sun set on another day in paradise.

Sunset over Gnarabup Beach. Margaret River. — No words required

11½ Catch the world’s second longest jetty – Only getting half, as not strictly in Margaret River, but worth a mention. Start the easy drive back to Perth, but call in at the beautiful Busselton and check out the magnificent, monumental jetty. At 1841 metres long, it is the second longest wooden jetty in the world. Explore on foot, the whole length, or for those that are tired, jump on the little tourist train that runs back and forth, carrying weary travellers. If you find all this thirsty work, and have not had enough libation over the last couple of days, step into The Goose for a coldie and a window seat view of the jetty.

Happy as we Spring in to Perth and find a home

October 19, 2020 by Fran Leave a Comment

Well, only 8 weeks until Santa comes down the chimney. How did this happen? Winter came and went, seemingly in a flash. Six months ago, as autumn was turning the leaves in the trees to a burnt golden colour, we thought our rented furnished apartment in East Perth would be home for the winter, and then we would be off on our overseas travels. Six months later, and the only travelling we are doing is across Perth, to a new suburb. We have moved home, had our stuff trucked across the country, from Sydney, and yet the borders still show no sign of reopening.

Reframing – Taking a new perspective

This is where reframing comes in. A psychological term to reimagine your present state. We are not locked in to Western Australia. We have been given a great opportunity to explore the best of what WA has to offer. That is reframing. And with practice I am getting better at it.

Spring has sprung here in Perth and as I say, we are now on the downward slope to Xmas. We are rather excited at the fact that we now have our Xmas summer holiday locked in. A campervan trip north from Perth, all the way up to Exmouth, some 1,252kms away. Yes, it is quite some drive. We will be doing it over 2 weeks, making lots of stops en route, so any recommendations you have would be greatly received. We have even “splashed out” on a slightly bigger campervan than we usually get. It will almost be luxurious, but for the 40 degree temperatures.

The Staycation tradition continues

Ahead of this we are continuing our tradition of staycations, with a weekend at the Ritz-Carlton down at the beautiful Elizabeth Quay in the city. A sunny day saw us following up a good bike ride by laying out by the pool with a cold drink and our books. November promises to be a big month, with another staycation, this time in the port city of Fremantle, followed the week after by (another) visit to Margaret River, to celebrate Victoria’s birthday. You can never have too much wine. Right?

Views from the Ritz-Carlton, across the Swan River

We have also booked a holiday to Broome, in the far north of the state, for early next year, but that will be for a different blog. So, as you can see, we are sustaining our love of travel with micro vacations. Whilst our internal border remains firmly closed, meaning we are still unable to even visit other parts of Australia, we are fortunate in that Western Australia is the size of Europe. There are lots of pristine beaches, bush land, breweries, and vineyards to explore. And we are doing our best to get around as many as we can.

There are rumours, here in the state, that the internal border could be lifted in April 2021, post the election. A political move? Stop being so cynical. The hard border closure has been a highly effective strategy in dealing with COVID. As of writing, there have been no locally acquired cases of COVID in Western Australia since April. There have been just over 700 cases in total.

The internal border is one part of the jigsaw. Currently, the Australian international border still remains closed. You can only leave with express permission from the government, if you meet some very strict criteria.

The temporary adventure continues

This means that our 6 month Perth adventure will continue for (at least) another 6 months. Our new lease runs through until April 2021, and we will have to assess the state of the world at this point. Until such time, we will enjoy summer in our new home. I now live in a house for the first time in almost 15 years. We have a great back garden, and have already unpacked the BBQ and spent a wine filled, sun soaked Sunday afternoon settling in. I can see this becoming a regular occurrence.

Getting back on the treadmill

And with the regularity of double cheeseburgers and bottles of Margaret River’s SSB (Semillon Sauvignon Blanc) comes the need for increased balance from a health perspective. And with this we have rejoined a gym for the first time in 6 months. When we arrived in Perth we massively increased our step count. However, the need to work, and be sat in front of laptops for large parts of each day seriously impedes our progress.

This is where the gym comes in. We will revert to our long held routine of going to the gym a number of times a week, walking more at the weekends. At least that is the plan. The challenge I already see is that our new suburb, Mt Hawthorn is reminiscent of Mosman, our old home in Sydney. Great cafés and restaurants. Lovely little spots for a cheeky glass of wine, or two. I will keep you posted on how we get on. We have baselined our Perth weight, on the scales in the gym, so I will be able to track our success, or lack of it.

This is what virtual learning looks like

On the personal front, I have started my training to be a professional coach. Three days of intensive, virtual training, with a great bunch of leaders from across Singapore, Hong Kong, and Australia. Follow on activities include continued practice through coaching circles, and a written assignment, detailing our reflections of what we have learnt about ourselves, and what we have learnt about coaching. It is proving to be a very rewarding process and I am already offering pro bono coaching sessions to my colleagues at work. This is a journey of personal discovery that I feel I will be on for quite some time yet.

Paying for the lifestyle

Holidays, gym, and professional development, don’t pay for themselves. Unfortunately. On the work front, Victoria blazed the way for us, easily securing a job in our early weeks in Perth. She was able to bring the bacon home until I got a job, which was quite a few weeks after. With me now also bringing home some bacon, Vik was able to look for a job better suited to her level of experience and skills. And again, she hit this objective out of the park, moving organisations to a larger role, with more responsibility. The bacon has turned into gammon.

All this talk of bacon is making me hungry. I think I will cancel this morning’s planned trip to the gym, and head out for breakfast.

Until the next time.

365 Days In Perth

April 2, 2021 by Fran Leave a Comment

Falling like dominoes

My fingers hovered nervously above the keyboard. As international borders started closing like the falling of dominoes, putting a hold on our long planned for dream trip around the world, Australia’s internal borders were closing in around us. Our options were getting shorter by the hour.

Fuelled by the champagne we had drowned our sorrows in, we rapidly made a plan b. Or was that plan c, or even plan d? I had lost count by this point. Scanning the Qantas app we found 2 seats available, flying out of Sydney the day after. What did we have to lose? All our possessions were in storage. We had nowhere to live, having vacated our apartment. And we had no jobs.

Little did we know what lay ahead on the flight to Perth — Little did we know what lay ahead

So it was that just 24 hours later we found ourselves settling into an Air BnB some 3,900kms away. Perth was to be where we would spend the next chapter of our lives, a chapter we didn’t know the length of. To be honest, a chapter we still don’t know the length of. What follows is the highlights of our 365 days in Perth.

We were to be sandgropers for the foreseeable future. We had a new mantra to learn, “west is best”, something the proud residents of Western Australia would not let us forget.

March 2020

Arriving in late March, we had booked ourselves into an Air BnB for the week, just to find our feet. We were to end up staying at three different places over the first 3 weeks. With the COVID restrictions we had to self cater and only treat ourselves to a takeaway once a week. It did feel very strange not being able to sit in for breakfast, lunch or dinner but many cafes and restaurants did a great job in switching their business models at very short notice. The word of the moment was “pivot”. There was a very noticeable increase of Uber delivery cyclists up and down the streets of Perth.

On the move in Perth — On the move, again

To be honest, I thought the Perth chapter was going to be very temporary. So we were keeping a close eye on our travel funds. I resisted even looking at what jobs were available. Why would I want a job when I would shortly be off travelling the world?

Thankfully, one of us is pragmatic and before long I was convinced that I needed to pivot. I started putting my toe in the water to see what was out there. And it wasn’t pretty. COVID had emptied city centre office blocks and with the uncertainty, many organisations had put a hold on recruitment. Through this time I got some tremendous support from various people. People who I didn’t previously know that well. That said, there was a point where I was looking in the windows of bike shops wondering which trusty steed would carry me and a large Uber food delivery bag. That would have been the pivot of all pivots.

April 2020

Still without a job, we managed to secure our first rental property. A 2 bedroom furnished apartment in East Perth. A great location by the Swan River which allowed us to keep up our regular exercise, running around Optus Stadium, whilst we couldn’t afford a gym membership.

Optus Stadium on the banks of the Swan River, Perth — Optus Stadium, on the banks of the Swan River

As I continued to try and find work, I was using the down time to catch up on some books that had so far eluded me. I managed to read Mandela’s “Long Walk to Freedom” with a deeper connection, as last year we had visited Robben Island where he was incarcerated for 18 years of his 27 year sentence. George Eliot’s “Middlemarch” was another massive tome that I finally finished with a sense of achievement and enjoyment at the stories she (Mary Ann Evans) weaved.

May 2020

It was with great relief that one of us finally got a job. Victoria started bringing home the bacon with her first job in Perth. No, she didn’t become a butcher! It’s a metaphor. Never mind.

With some money coming in, and the easing of COVID restrictions, we finally managed to start eating out again. Our first “proper” night out was at Balthazar restaurant in the city. And what a fabulous meal. With a great bottle of red it was a real reminder of what it means to have these experiences in our lives.

I kept myself busy by studying and passing the exam for the Level 1 wine exam with WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust). I found this very enjoyable and appreciated the deeper connection I have with wine through knowing more about its history and the different wine regions of the world.

June 2020

Hurrah! I got a job. And a good one. I started working at Synergy as a team coach, on a 6 month contract. My early days were all worked remotely, as was the interview and onboarding process, but it wasn’t long before we were allowed back into the office. It was good to once again have some semblance of normality to hold on to.

And talking of normality, with two incomes now coming into the house we upped the occasions we treat ourselves to meals out at restaurants. The food scene is very good in Perth and it wasn’t long before we started creating a list of places we wanted to visit. The list continues to grow.

July 2020

July heralded a massive milestone with Victoria becoming an Australian citizen. Unfortunately no guests were allowed into the ceremony so whilst I couldn’t witness the actual moment, I was waiting patiently outside to whisk her off for champagne and a celebratory curry.

On the self development front I trained and became a Mental Health First Aider. This is a topic that I feel is so important that the more people we can train, the better the world will be. Thankfully, the stigma of talking about mental health does seem to be lifting a little and I will continue to do my piece, however small.

Regular readers of the blog will know that this time of year always brings “Xmas in July”. This is an event often celebrated by expats in Australia. As July is the “coldest” month of winter, we dig out our xmas jumpers and celebrate the festive season. A good excuse for a big xmas lunch. This year we celebrated at Durty Nelly’s Irish bar in the city.

xmas in july at Durty Nelly's — Xmas in July at Durty Nelly’s

Having not visited for a while, it was time to have a weekend away to Margaret River. Three days in a region that will forever be my happy place was topped off with an excellent lunch at the ever reliable Rustico restaurant at Hay Shed Hill winery.

August 2020

Imagine the joy I felt when I realised I lived on the doorstep of a whiskey distillery. Whipper Snapper, Perth’s urban whiskey distillery in fact. I wrote about it here. We had a tour and with only one of us enjoying whiskey it turned out to be a great day for me.

One thing we both enjoy is high tea. You may have seen my search for Sydney’s best high tea. This time we were trying out the delights at the Lobby Lounge bar at Crown Towers. I am pleased to report that Perth has a strong high tea game.

Gin high tea at the Lobby Lounge, Crown Towers, Perth — Gin high tea at the Lobby Lounge, Crown Towers

Hiring a car for the weekend we headed up to the Edge Retreat for a staycation in Lower Chittering, a short drive from the city. This truly was off grid, with the eco property built right on the edge of a bluff so that it appeared to be at “the end of the world”.

Outdoor bath at The Edge Retreat, Lower Chittering, Perth — Outdoor bath at The Edge Retreat, Lower Chittering

September 2020

September saw us once again making the short journey to the Margaret River region, this time staying at the “Tack Room” in Cowaramup. Another great find on Air BnB. As well as the beautiful farm we were staying on our host also had a house in Cornwall. Find me two better locations in the world. I’ll wait…

You may know of my love for burgers. You may also know of the “best burger” spreadsheet I have. I may have to retire the spreadsheet as we found quite possibly the best cheeseburger ever, at the Old Faithful in the city. Just look at this beauty.

Double cheeseburger at the Old Faithful in Perth CBD — Take. My. Money.

On the subject of food (I am never far away from it), we had a visit to the historic Rose and Crown in Guildford. Reported to be the oldest operating pub in WA, they do some of the best Sunday lunches on the planet.

On the professional front I completed Level 1 of my Organisational Coaching course. This was an intense 3 day Zoom workshop. And still. it was highly engaging, and more energising than I expected.

October 2020

The staycations continued in October with our first stay at the Ritz-Carlton, located in the revitalised Elizabeth Quay. The views over the Swan River were almost as exquisite as the food we had for dinner at the in house restaurant, “Hearth”.

In very exciting news we moved into the new house, in the vibrant suburb of Mt Hawthorn, a short distance from the city. Moving from apartment living, to a house for the first time in over 10 years. We now have a front and back garden to chill in on long, lazy Sunday afternoons.

After a busy day of moving in we found a local curry house and had a great evening talking about the plans we wanted to make for this exciting chapter.

Moving onwards and upwards, Victoria started a new role at HBF, the largest health fund provider in the west. The bacon was upgraded to gammon.

November 2020

Year round, Perth often has festivals and events happening across the city. The start of November saw us heading over to South Perth in the rain for our first “Beer and beef” festival, a combination we could not miss. Despite the rain there was a good turn out and we got to sample some great beers to go with the mouth watering Tony Roma ribs.

Needing a staycation we jumped on the train to the port city of Fremantle. We spent a night at the very European looking Port Mill bed and breakfast. Dinner saw us moving across the world to Asia and we had a delightful tasting menu at Tonic & Ginger. Somewhere we are certain to return to.

Margaret River was again on the agenda to celebrate Victoria’s birthday. A private wine tour with Grape Escape had us checking off some more of the over 200 wineries in the region.

December 2020

December brings summer and a close down of most workplaces as people take an extended Xmas break. We took the opportunity for an epic 2 week road trip from Perth all the way up to Exmouth and back. Something I wrote about here.

It is these kinds of trips that really bring home how big this vast country is. We were often driving for hours on seemingly empty roads. With nothing but red sand and scrub all around us. The occasional road train thunders past, snapping you out of your reverie.

Rottnest Island, just off the coast of Perth used to be the Butlins of Western Australia. No more, with the arrival of the new luxury beach retreat, Samphire. We decided to check it out, spending two nights by the sea. In between lazing around the pool we also took out e-bikes to explore the island, saying hello to the many quokkas that call Rottnest home.

On the work front I must have been doing something right as I was asked to extend my contract for a further 6 months.

January 2021

We had our first real lockdown. A COVID case in the community sent shockwaves through a Perth community that had become very complacent over the last 12 months. The Premier, big dog McGowan, with an election on the horizon, took a very tough stance and enforced a 6 day full lockdown, with the introduction of mandatory masks if you ventured outside the home for one of the official four reasons.

Thankfully, we still managed to have a trip to Margaret River before the lockdown hit. We stayed in a new part of the region for us, a little further south in the charming village of Witchcliffe. The highlight of this trip was the world class lunch at Leeuwin Estate.

February 2021

Thankfully, Perth pulled together, and the COVID case proved to be an isolated incident. With no further community transmission our restrictions were lifted, and less than 2 weeks later we were living the life we had before the snap restrictions.

And with that it was time for another high tea. This one a little different. A cheese and champagne high tea at the Crown Towers resort. Baked Brie was amongst the cheeses that accompanied our flight of champagnes. Decadent? Yes. Enjoyable? Absolutely.

For the first time in a year we once again stepped foot in an airport, and flew to Broome for a holiday at the Cable Beach Club. The whole experience was different to any travel we had previously done. Have a read of our experience here.

March 2021

Closer to home, and without the need for a flight, we had a 2 night staycation at the QT Hotel in the Perth CBD. This was to be the first of two staycations in March, with us also spending a night, finally, at Crown Towers, home of three hotels and Perth’s casino.

We also managed to catch a movie under the stars, just before they ended for the season. It is a great experience, laid under the night sky, on a bean bag, sipping chilled white wine and watching a film.

Professionally, I decided to take my learning to the next level. Having logged well over the mandatory 20 hours of professional coaching, I embarked on level 2 of the organisational coaching course with the Institute of Executive Coaches and Leaders. If you are ever interested to hear more about coaching, and how you can benefit from it, give me a shout.

What is the next chapter?

One year ago we could never have predicted what life had in store for us. Reflecting on our achievements I am proud of us as a couple on what we have achieved. Through adversity, and in a new city, we have adapted to our new surroundings and thrived.

We have explored so much of the vast state of Western Australia, and really got a look at Perth as a city to live in. A very liveable city. A city that continues to expand, with new bars seemingly opening up every second week. The village where we live is so vibrant, with a large Italian population. The weekend just gone we visited an Italian Street Market, which could have been a square in Naples.

As we enter our second year here on the west coast, again we can only speculate what the next 365 days will hold for us. Much as we felt a year ago, we very much hope that global travel becomes top of the agenda. Either way, we will keep you posted.

Heading to Hobart

August 29, 2021 by Fran 1 Comment

Finally, back to the airport

A short ride from home, we made it to the Qantas domestic terminal at Perth airport in good time. Not that we needed to worry. A bag drop. A fast transfer through security, with no queues (a “benefit” of COVID?), and we soon had a glass of Australian sparkling wine in hand, people watching. How good are airports for this? Not the sparkling wine, although that IS good. The people watching. Find me a better place to just sit and watch humanity go about its daily business. Fascinating.

We had a 13.00 flight from gate 18 at Qantas terminal 4. I had thought that our flight to little Tasmania, one of the only places we can visit without the need to quarantine upon return, would be quiet. After seeing people in the airport with red and black scarves I quickly reassessed. Due to the pandemic, changes had been made on the mainland and now folk were heading to Tasmania for the Aussie Rules. Called the AFL, this is a weird mash up of 1970s porn star outfits and Gaelic football. Truly odd. It turns out the “Bombers”, whoever they are, play in Launceston on Sunday.

74 weeks in Western Australia

After 74 weeks in Western Australia we were finally leaving her borders. Who knew it would be so long? Way longer than we planned when we landed in March 2020 on our last minute flight from Sydney. What we hoped would be a brief hiatus to our world travel plans has turned into an extended stay in Australia’s largest state.

We have been very fortunate to be living in Perth through the worst of the pandemic. What is now disappointing is the hard line taken by the pocket dictator, state premier Mark McGowan. Whilst the federal government is looking to a way of living with COVID, and some state premiers providing glimmers of hope to their residents once vaccination levels reach 70% to 80%, McGowan remains defiant.

Just this week he reiterated his stance. Saying publicly that he “will not tolerate” the thought of opening WA up to the rest of Australia whilst COVID is in the community. Regardless of vaccination levels. Looking out across the world, rather than the insular Western Australia view, and seeing parts of the world living normal lives, does cause me angst and frustration. I have travel in my soul. A deeply ingrained wanderlust. Take that away and you take a piece of me away with you. I want to be whole again and I am not sure how long I can resist the lure of foreign lands.

Masked up, and not

Masks are mandatory in the airport and for the full length of your flight. We were grateful for the wine in the airport, giving us a brief respite from the uncomfortable, annoying feeling of wearing a mask. Being able to only remove them to eat and drink, on the plane never had I taken so long over a tiny pasta dish and a glass of, too chilled, Merlot. Not wanting to return to the confines of the mask I had a second cold mini bottle of red.

Still being winter, and seeing that the temperatures in Tasmania were markedly lower than those we had been having in Perth, a bit more wine won’t do me any harm. It should add an extra layer of insulation for when we get to Hobart.

Wheels down in Hobart

The flight was scheduled for over 3 hours and we had wheels down in Hobart, Tasmania at 6.41pm, some two hours ahead of Australian Western Standard Time. Back on the same time zone we had whilst living in Sydney, this could play havoc with the timings of the Premier League games we want to watch.

Hobart is the capital of Tasmania and whilst we had visited before, for a long weekend, we had never ventured further. This time will be different. After two nights in the capital city we will pick up a car and go on a road trip for just over a week. We have many wineries and whisky distilleries on our itinerary. For those in the know, I am told Tasmania is a foodies paradise. We should be able to keep ourselves entertained then as we have been know to like a bit of food and wine. And, I am partial to the odd drop of whisky.

A selection of whiskies from Tasmania’s east coast

One whisky tasting down and I already know it is going to be a good holiday. Watch this space for updates…

What to do with 1564 weeks?

January 8, 2022 by Fran 6 Comments

What is “average”?

Let’s try a thought experiment. How long does the average person live? Notwithstanding I don’t know what the “average” person is, if we just use this measure, how many years do you think this “average” person would live for? How about we agree on 80 years old. And if said person was to live to the ripe old age of 80, how many weeks would you guess this is?

Go on. Have a guess. Without Google and without a calculator. Off the top of your head, how many weeks? I have been reading a new book called “4000 Weeks”, and yes, if we live to 80 years old, we will have 4000 weeks at our disposal.

The problem is, many of us have already used up a large portion of these 4000 weeks. A decade ago, (a decade? Seriously, a decade??), I wrote a blog about it being “Half Time”, and as I turned 40, what changes did I want, or need to make in the second half, to use a football analogy.

Past the half way mark

I am well and truly in the second half now. As I turn 50, and using 4000 weeks as an average (total) length of my lifetime, I now have 1564 weeks left. This feels scary. It feels way too short. And it feels very real, reminding me of one of my favourite quotes, “memento mori”. Literally, remember we die, but more abstractly, I see this as a stark reminder to live. Being acutely aware of our guaranteed demise brings into sharp focus for me the need to live a life of purpose. A life of adventure. A life that I look back on at the close of my 4000 weeks and say, “yeah, I am happy with that”.

This is the reason I do this blog on an annual basis. Or at least, annual-ish. We are in the second week of January already and before we know it we will have Easter eggs adorning the shelves in Woolworths. I reflect on the year that has just passed, and look back at what my intentions for the year were. Balancing the books to determine whether I achieved what I set out to achieve, and if I have in fact lived the last year in the way I wanted to live it.

What is left to say abut 2021 that hasn’t already been said?

2021 has again been a year that we didn’t expect. We said this about 2020 and I genuinely thought the world was starting to turn the corner. Then, along came Delta, and more recently, Omicron, and suddenly it feels like Groundhog Day. Countries are closing down, not opening up. COVID cases are going up, not down. And we are back to wearing masks indoors.

Perfect day in Boranup Forest, Margaret River

The sun sets on.a perfect day, Redgate Beach, Margaret River

And yet, the year has been very good to us. The absolute highlight being April when we took ourselves off to Margaret River and eloped to the forest. I could never have predicted how perfect the whole experience would be. Staying at the Empire Spa Retreat in Yallingup for 3 nights was a great way to relax and enjoy the big day. Vasse Felix was the ideal place to celebrate the nuptials the day after with a delicious degustation lunch. And the best hotel in Australia, Como The Treasury was the absolute perfect place to celebrate our mini-moon.

Como The Treasury, Perth — Checking in for the weekend

We were on the move, again

The year started in the cottage that had been our home for some months. A home that we had grown very attached to. Lazy Sunday afternoon BBQs in the back garden became a highlight. Sadly, our landlords returned from Queensland and we had to move once our year rental was up. Thankfully, we didn’t have to move far. We are actually on the same road, except we had to move back to apartment living. You may remember the washing machine debacle, the very week we moved in. I don’t think I will forget it.

Not the greatest first week in the apartment!

The long awaited travel sabbatical

In terms of travel, it is now pushing on 3 years since we were last allowed to leave Australia. This continues, with Western Australia still locking out the rest of the world, and locking us in. We had planned my big 50th celebration over Xmas in Queensland and this got cancelled a week before we were due to leave as a result of the ever changing border restrictions. Thankfully, Mrs C is very organised and within minutes we had a new plan. Three nights on Rottnest Island over Xmas, and two nights in the port city of Fremantle for New Year.

We have managed to get on a plane this year, having a great holiday in Broome, north WA, and a fabulous road trip around Tasmania, somewhere we would both like to spend more time. We have also taken the opportunity to explore even more of this vast state we live in. Western Australia has so much to see and we have spent many (not enough?) weekends in Margaret River. This truly is our happy place and I suspect there will be much more of it in our future.

Winter is not that cold over here in the west, but weekends in picture postcard little country towns Bridgetown and Nannup allowed us to witness the changing seasons with leaves on the trees turning a beautiful golden brown. It also gives us the opportunity to book a cottage with an open fire and spend the evening relaxing with a bottle of red wine. Perfection.

With our state premier (dictator) promising to catch up with the rest of Australia, and open our borders in February, we have renewed hope that 2022 will be the year we finally get on the road for our travels. Just a slight delay of two years, but the best things come to those that wait.

I became a professional coach

Whilst we have been waiting to travel I have been continuing with my personal development. In the last year I have been deep on a journey of discovery and learning, training to be a professional coach. With a few remaining activities to complete, I should soon be able to apply for my Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential with the International Coaching Federation. This will be a massive milestone for me and something I will be very proud of. It is too early to determine what comes next after this.

On the education front, I have been at university, studying for a Graduate Certificate in Organisational Coaching and Leadership. At the time of writing I have about 6 weeks left before I complete this. As much as I love learning, and will continue to learn, what I have discovered is that I don’t like academic writing. Something that is critical to being a university student. A good reflection and this gives me pause for thought before I commit to any future courses.

What comes next?

What I am happy to commit to is that we will continue to enjoy life. Despite the restrictions we are all facing across the world, we know how fortunate we are and are very grateful for the opportunities 2021 provided to us. Life is not something that eventually happens to you. It is what happens now. In every moment. The present.

“How we spend our days is of course how we spend our lives.” – Annie Dillard

The next time we speak, the world may have changed again. For us, or against us. Time to embrace complexity and see what emerges. Either way, I am excited.