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The almost, but not quite year

Let’s just get the obvious out of the way. 2020 was not the year we all had planned. Not the year any of us could have predicted. And definitely not the year the world wanted, or needed.

A global pandemic. People’s lives turned upside down. Life plans decimated. Large parts of the world having to suffer through tough lockdown periods. It was unprecedented, the amount of times the word “unprecedented” was rolled out. 

But how else to describe the year that was 2020? It truly was an annus horribilis.

And yet…

Gratitude and Positivity

I hear a lot of tales of positivity as people reflected on the year. People learned to slow down a little. Had time to reconnect with loved ones. Started to appreciate the simple things in life. Walks in nature. Home cooking. I mastered home made scones! Less time commuting to work. For some people, in parts of the world, the commute stopped completely. Work from home became a full time occupation.  Dare I say it, the new normal.

Ironically, this brought unexpected consequences. It turns out that people used the commute time to read. Listen to podcasts. Think. It gave a lot of people that elusive white space so often missing in our busy lives.

Suddenly, this time, our time, was lost. The new commute was from the bedroom to the living room. We had no transition from home to office. The home was the office. Many people found themselves working longer. Pausing less. Becoming more sedentary. Missing their old nemesis, the commute, something I wrote about.

Starting 2020 with a sense of optimism

But this was all to come. At the start of the year nobody had any inclination of what was ahead. We started 2020 in Mudgee, New South Wales. A quiet weekend in wine country, looking ahead to what was to be an exciting year. Using the first three months of the year to finalise our plans to sell what we could of our possessions, and pack up the rest, and leave Sydney. Embarking on a long term sojourn across the globe.

A plan that was a couple of years in the making, it was suddenly almost upon us. We had talked about which was the best week to resign from our jobs. When to give the notice on our rental apartment. And when to book our first flight into Asia.

As we neared the end of March, we had resigned, and said our goodbyes. We packed up the apartment and moved all our possessions into storage. And we were homeless, staying in a hotel when we found out that Australia was closing the international borders. Like dominoes, other countries followed suit, and suddenly our world became very small.

With no jobs, nowhere to live, and only a backpack, we made a snap decision. I pulled out my phone and booked a couple of seats on a plane leaving for Perth the day after. We were moving to Western Australia (WA), arriving only 2 days before WA closed all the internal borders, effectively creating an island within an island.

Moving to Perth in a pandemic

This proved to be one of the best decisions we have ever made. At the time of writing, WA has not had a locally transmitted case of COVID for over 9 months. Life, fortunately, has carried on largely as normal. In the first couple of weeks after we arrived, whilst bouncing around Air BnBs, we could only get takeaway food and drinks. 

But not long after, life returned, and for the best part of the year we have been enjoying a life not seen much outside of WA. For those not familiar with the size of West Australia, it is 975,000 square miles, with a population of only 2.6 million. That is a lot of space to explore. Not difficult to social distance.

And we have taken as much advantage as we possibly can, exploring lots of this beautiful part of the world. On our doorstep we have the wine country of Swan Valley and the Perth Hills, visiting both. A little under 3 hours away we have the magnificent Margaret River region, where we have already spent numerous long weekends, trying to get around as many of the 200+ vineyards as possible. And we have had staycations in Perth, the vibrant port city of Fremantle, and the beautiful Rottnest Island.

How to be productive in a pandemic

In the early days of our arrival in Perth I naively thought that we would sit out the virus, and be heading off overseas within a couple of months. I filled this time productively, studying for my WSET (Wine and Spirits Education Trust) Level 1 qualification, and also becoming an accredited mental health first aider (MHFA). Very different, but both very fascinating subjects to learn more about.

When I took my head out of the sand, I realised that we were not travelling anywhere anytime soon, and reluctantly found myself a full time job. This provided another example of the best in people. How people rally around and help. There were numerous people, many who didn’t know me, happy to get on the phone with me as I searched for a new role in Perth. I am thankful to each and every one of them for their kindness, help, and support through a difficult time.

The outcome was that I got a 6 month contract. And I was lucky enough to get a renewal for this just before xmas which means that I now have work through to June of this year. Beyond that? I daren’t plan, as the world has shown us about the “best laid plans”, and all that. What does give me hope is the news this week that Qantas have resumed selling international flights from July 1. Definite green shoots that give me cause for optimism,

Both our jobs started out with working from home, but as normality returned, the offices reopened and now we have a happy hybrid of splitting our work week between home and the city. An arrangement that really suits how I like to work.

When a house becomes a home

With work came the need for somewhere longer term to live, and after 6 months in an apartment in East Perth, we found a perfect little cottage in a suburb called Mt Hawthorn. A suburb that is very reminiscent of where we lived in Sydney, which was Mosman. Streets lined with old style cottages. Many bars, cafes (with great coffee) and restaurants. And only 10 minutes into the city for work. We definitely landed on our feet.

For the first time in over a decade I live in a house. We have an actual front door and both a front and back garden. Having always wanted a couple of Adirondack chairs, they now sit pride of place in the back garden, close enough to the BBQ so I can quickly flip my steaks when needed. A small table between the two chairs completes this idyllic picture, holding our glasses of wine. A covered patio area is where our new bicycles live. 

And we finally transported all our belongings from storage in Sydney, bringing to an end the “living out of a backpack” phase of our Perth adventure.

Perth is very bike friendly, being largely flat, and having a great network of bike paths. Weekends we can head off towards the Swan River with a picnic of egg mayonnaise sandwiches, a couple of pork pies, and a bottle of wine. Does life get any better than that?

So, whilst we have all lived through a crazy year, we have been very fortunate to have spent it here in WA.

Even in crazy years, where events are not what we expected, a lot of the time it is how we respond to the events. As the saying goes, “when life gives you lemons.”

Reflecting on what I hoped for in 2020

I started the year, fully expecting to be a full time nomad, embracing my love of travel writing. I set a lofty ambition to get at least one travel article published. With overseas travel off the cards, I switched my focus to get at least one piece of writing published. 

And I was very pleased to win second prize in a freelance writing contest, with a short story about the future of work. I won $350, which was beyond anything I expected. This gave me great confidence in my writing and as we enter 2021, my focus switches back to getting a travel article published. 

On the professional front, I finally got my coaching journey started. September saw me joining a great bunch of leaders from across Asia as we embarked on a virtual 3 day training course by the Institute of Executive Coaching and Leadership. With the follow on activities completed, and a successful assignment, I became a certified coach at the start of November. I enjoy this work so much that I have already enrolled in Level 2, starting in March.

Our regular pilates and yoga practice has taken a back seat since we relocated to Perth. With everything that has been going on we just haven’t got around to joining a new studio. Typical of the world we now live in, I have been checking out virtual alternatives. I would love to hear of any recommendations that you have. Of the ones I have looked at so far, “Glo” seems to get the best reviews. Are there any others that you recommend?

Daring to look ahead to 2021

I am not one for making new year’s resolutions, but do look ahead to the year and consider both what changes I want to make, and what I would like to achieve. And as with every year, I start this one wanting to shed a little of the xmas weight. We have just had an epic 2 week road trip up the west coast of Australia, and I ate and drank everything in sight. The body will get a shock as I lock the booze cabinet, hide the chocolates, and get back on the treadmill.

This year I also hope that we can finally fly overseas and start our travelling. We are not making any plans for this, at the moment, other than continuing to save money. I have a natural reflection point as my current work contract expires in June. This will give the opportunity to assess the state of the world, the success of the various vaccines, and the likelihood of us being able to travel through countries without being quarantined anywhere.

Last, but certainly not least, this is the year I leave my 40s and enter my 50s. Quite a milestone, I am sure you will agree. And for a few years I have been putting some pennies aside for the big occasion. The “plan” is to travel on the Eastern & Oriental Express. 3 days of luxury, travelling the rails between Singapore and Bangkok. With all the Belmond Orient Express journeys currently paused, it is hard to say when this will happen. But I remain committed to it being a “when”, and not an “if”.

Putting the spectre of 2020 behind us, what are you hoping for in 2021?

Saturday – Day 1 – Perth to Cervantes (211kms)

Excited, we woke early and after a light breakfast we got an Uber out towards the airport. No, we weren’t flying today. We were headed to Apollo campervan rentals, on the outskirts of the airport. Being confined to the state of West Australia for the whole year, it was obvious many locals, known as sandgropers in these parts, had the same idea as us, and we all patiently waited our turn to get out and hit the wide open spaces.

On previous road trips we had always booked the “hi top” campervan. Small, but with enough room for two people. When I saw the van we booked this time I thought “good lord”. It looked much bigger than I imagined. Much bigger. It turns out we had booked a motorhome. 

The first day was one of our shortest in terms of driving distance, yet we managed to break it up as we eased into the holiday. Cruising up the Indian Ocean Road we had a stop in Lancelin for lunch. Apparently, Lancelin is “addictive” if the local tourism board is to be believed. I’m not sure I’d agree. After lunch at the Lobbster cafe (spelling intended) of a lobster wrap each which cost as much as a small deposit on a house, we were back on the road, headed to the fabled Pinnacles.

It wouldn’t take us many more days to understand that every National Park we entered would cost us $15. It was no different at the Namburg National Park, home of the Pinnacles. And it was worth every cent. A must visit on any road trip from Perth to Exmouth.

What a sight the Pinnacles are. Reaching up, out of the ground, like soldiers erect in the face of the blazing sun. Opting for the walk amongst them, we were able to get up and close to these limestone wonders that have been here for over 25000 years.

The town of Cervantes (population 527) is named after a ship that came to grief off the coast. The ship itself is said to have been named after the legendary Spanish author, which cleared up my confusion upon being greeted by Don Quixote and Sancho Panza on arrival. There are nods to Spain all across this small town with streets named after cities and rivers from the Iberian peninsular.

We stayed the night at the RAC Cervantes camp site. With a perfect beach front location, we ended our first day with a cold beer, sat on the beach as the sun slowly set on a great first day of the long road trip ahead.

Sunday – Day 2 – Cervantes to Kalbarri (378kms)

After a simple breakfast of Weetbix and a strong coffee, we were back on the road. A short time later we pulled into Jurien Bay (population 1761). Another little town that hugs the coast. We had a walk along the new jetty, completed in 2011 to replace the old jetty that was destroyed in the storms of 2003.

Leaving Jurien Bay, en route to Kalbarri, we drove past Pink Lake in Port Gregory. We had been hoodwinked into visiting a “pink” lake previously, in Esperance. That particular lake had not been pink for a long time, if at all. This was very different. Spotting the bright pink water through the bush we pulled over, following the lead of some other travellers and took a few pictures.

Some four hours after leaving Cervantes I was spotting as Victoria backed up the motorhome on the Murchison River Camp Site. A site that sits right on the Murchison river, with views across to the ocean. After plugging the van into the power, the first order of business was to get a cold pint and our thirst was slaked at the Kalbarri Hotel. A pub typical of small Australian towns. A front bar with a great choice of cold beers and a back “bistro” selling everything from “gourmet pizza”, to steak, seafood, and even a selection of Asian cuisine. These small towns must have a disproportionately high number of quality chefs. 

Dinner for us was at Finlay’s Fish restaurant. Thankfully, Victoria had the foresight to book ahead as we were greeted with a hand drawn sign at the door telling new arrivals that they were “fully booked” for the evening. Rustic and down to earth, Finlay’s is a fully outdoor restaurant. I use the term restaurant lightly as country pub is more the vibe. Live music rocking you through the Sunday Session and an “order yourself at the bar” kind of service.

And what would you eat being this close to the ocean? The fish and chips were quite possibly the largest I have ever seen. I had the fish basket which included some of the same battered fish, but also some giant prawns and calamari. With a bottle of Larrikin Chenin Blanc from Margaret River, we had a very good evening.

Monday – Day 3 – Kalbarri

A good sleep, breakfast, and coffee, and we were soon on the 30 minute drive to the new Kalbarri Skywalk, opened in 2020. The park entry fee is $15 (what did I tell you?) and on paying I was advised to drink lots of water as “it is expected to get up to 50 degrees out there today.” What we weren’t warned about, but soon learned, was how many flies there would be, and how insistent they would be that they set up home in your ears and nostrils. The cheap fly nets we had purchased some weeks earlier were a god send.

The new Skywalk comprises of two platforms that jut out imperiously across the gorge. Looking down upon what has taken millions of years to create is quite a humbling experience. Reminding us how short our visit on this earth is. No road trip from Perth to Exmouth would be complete without a visit here.

For those walkers amongst you there is “The Loop”. A walk that you must start before 7am due to the heat, and you have to carry at least 4 litres of water each. People have sadly perished on this hike so it is to be taken very seriously.

A  5 minute drive from the Skywalk car park is the entry point for “Nature’s Window”. Walking the 800 or so metres, down a fairly precarious path, I can only imagine the line of “instagrammers” had we been living in a COVID free world. This is the kind of sight I have seen people queue a long time for, just for their chance to get the perfect shot for the ‘gram. Today, we were able to walk down and plonk ourselves right in the window for the perfect shot. 

Back at the campsite, sitting under the awning of the van, we had a simple lunch of pasta and wine. With the warm breeze, the sounds of birds all around, and the ocean lapping the shore not far from here, life couldn’t get much better.

Tuesday – Day 4 – Kalbarri to Carnarvon (448kms)

Tuesday started with the pelican feeding on the Kalbarri foreshore. The pelicans have been coming to this spot since the 1970s when a local fisherman used to throw his leftover catch to the waiting birds. As if they all synchronised their watches, the pelicans waddle over at bang on 8.45am each day.

Following a short, very interesting talk about the pelicans by one of the volunteers, who knew they had hollow bones and could fly for 24 hours, they were rewarded with small fish, thrown by an eager line of children.

Our destination today was Carnarvon. A very long drive, on very long straight roads, was broken up with a stop at the famed Billabong roadhouse, taking advantage of some of the cheapest diesel we had seen, $1.17 per litre. Also, I must confess that I have a thing for roadhouses. Maybe gleaned from my very first backpacking trip when I traversed the country on the long distance Greyhound buses that pulled into roadhouses at some ungodly hour. Whatever time of the morning it was I always found myself hungry and hankering after a meat pie. Not much has changed, but it was a bacon and egg roll this time. 

My love of roadhouses is not shared by Victoria, so once both the van and I were refuelled, we were back on the road to Carnarvon. 

Sometimes, you just need the simple things in life. Woolworths, a bottle shop, and a big banana. Thankfully, Carnarvon had each of these, as it didn’t have much else. Described as the fruit bowl of Australia, it is a sadly uninspiring town.

Using the town simply as a place to break up two long travel days, we stayed at the Winter Sun Caravan Park. A large site but relatively empty, we pitched and spent a relaxing day reading and sharing a cold bottle of wine.

Wednesday – Day 5 – Carnarvon to Exmouth (365kms)

The best way to start the day on a road trip? A homemade bacon, sausage and egg butty. Delicious. A couple of coffees and we were on our way. A fairly short drive today, just 3 and a half hours. Refuelling in Carnarvon, at $1.27 a litre, we drove to Exmouth in one shot, apart from switching drivers.

When I travel and finally arrive somewhere, places never look how I imagined them. First impressions are a big thing, and sometimes, like Kalbarri, I am immediately charmed. More often, I feel like I felt on arrival in Exmouth. An undercurrent of disappointment after looking forward to being here for so long. 

I envisioned a small, bustling town. Somewhere nestled amongst would be the RAC Exmouth campground. Exmouth is on a peninsular with the town side on the east. This does protect the town from the worst of the wind that rattles towns up and down the west coast. The camp site had been impressively upgraded in recent times. A brand new, large camp kitchen and a lagoon style swimming pool. I can imagine that it will be even better in a few years when the newly planted trees have grown large enough to provide some shade from the unrelenting Exmouth sun.

In the absence of trees we decided our best option for shade would be the Froth Brewery. A great choice as it turns out. A short 10 minute walk from the campsite, albeit in intense tropical heat, we were soon sat with one of the many craft beers brewed onsite, swiftly followed by a tasting paddle each. Lunch at Froth was Spanish mackerel and chips. Mine beer battered, Victoria’s grilled. Both delicious. 

The afternoon heat saw us taking a swim in the new pool on the campsite. This was going well, until someone’s mother turned up, complaining that someone had deposited a turd in the pool. With thoughts of the water that had gone into my mouth as I had been swimming, we beat a hasty retreat.

Pushing thoughts of turd infested swimming pools aside, in the evening we headed to Adrift Cafe. Such is the power of Instagram, despite being over 13 hours drive from home, I already felt I had been to Adrift. I had been following their posts for a while and was looking forward to trying it out for ourselves.

Sharing a few entrees, we had the tempura battered prawns, the calamari with a nam jim sauce, and a bruschetta. A bottle of Pinot Grigio and lemon meringue for dessert completed a great evening.

Thursday – Day 6 – Exmouth (124kms)

After breakfast in the van we drove the 45 minutes to Turquoise Bay, paying $15 to enter the National Park (sound familiar?). As you would expect on Ningaloo Reef, the snorkelling was excellent but despite spying a turtles head popping up for air we were unable to locate her in the water.

Lunch was on the beach, Victoria popping back to the van to make us a picnic of a ham and cheese sandwich. Simple pleasures. Simple life. Very enjoyable.

In the evening we called at Whalebone Brewery, a short walk from the RAC Exmouth camp site. On the way there Victoria made me smile by saying, “I hope they have aircon”. When we got there she discovered it was just a large converted shed with nothing but outdoor seating areas, some of which were thankfully in the shade. 

A very rustic place, but again so very enjoyable. We each had a couple of very cold beers. I tried an excellent NEIPA and a pale ale. Victoria quaffed a couple of the Lighthouse Lagers.

A short walk from Whalebone and we were at Whalers for my much anticipated birthday dinner. And what a success it was. A lovely outdoor restaurant, part of a resort, serving great food. Chilli mussels were followed by an excellent seafood spaghetti. Delicious. 

Victoria had scallops to start and “reef and beef” for main, enjoying them both. Having started the meal with a glass of bubbles we soon moved onto a bottle of Riesling. 

An amazing evening was put to bed with the last of the whisky I had brought from Perth in my hip flask. I drifted off to sleep wondering how Santa would get into the van in the night, and what he might leave for us.

Friday – Day 7 – Exmouth (Xmas Day)

Celebrating my birthday somewhere new has almost become a tradition. And with it comes the happy ritual of Victoria cooking up an excellent bacon, egg, and mushroom butty for breakfast. Who knew good black pudding would be so hard to come by in Australia?

Following happy video calls with family, and after opening a couple of birthday presents, we had another ritual to complete. The “beer on the beach” picture we always take on Xmas day.

For this we drove to Bundegi beach, a long stretch of sparsely populated sand. Hats on, Emu Export at the ready, and smile! Emus are obviously a thing in Exmouth and they became a common sight for us around town. There was even a family that casually strolled through the camp site each day.

Knowing all would be closed on Xmas day we had stocked up and had plenty of food and drink for us to while away a pleasant day. Grazing on food. Drinking cold beers. And cooling down with dips in the, newly cleaned, pool.

After a dinner of steak and halloumi cooked on the camp BBQ, I had my new birthday whisky to enjoy. A customary nightcap preceded an early night, ending a perfect birthday.

Saturday – Day 8 – Exmouth to Coral Bay (153kms)

An early start, and a quick refuel of the van and we were back on the road for the one and half hour drive to Coral Bay. Sadly, we were now on the return journey, heading back south.

On arrival, I was immediately charmed. Coral Bay is the kind of place you dream about. The kind of place that lots of places were like before becoming “discovered”. A single road in and out, passing the one pub as you slowly make your way into a coastal settlement with a population of 207. Yes, 207. I must have met most of them through daily visits to the bottle shop, bakery and small supermarket that make up the “town”.

Coral Bay is what I expected Exmouth to be, but wasn’t. Despite hearing from people how great Exmouth was, Coral Bay is the place we would definitely return to.

A wide, pristine beach slowly meets the sea that has colours that have to be seen to be believed. Even more impressive than Turquoise Bay. We spent the afternoon snorkelling. Walking in from the beach, side stepping the sting rays lazily resting in the shallow waters, we were immediately immersed in a living aquarium. As the sandbank falls away, and pockets of both cold and warm water wash over you, you are immediately snorkelling over the nearby coral, with an abundance of marine life. 

Sunday – Day 9 – Coral Bay

After a simple breakfast of Weetbix and coffee at the van, we had another day in the water. Choosing to snorkel in a different location on the beach we found more coral, and even more fish. The GoPro performs very well in the water but a lot of the photos do not capture the majesty, and colour of everything you see under the water.

Being by the seaside means fish for lunch. At Fin’s cafe I had an excellent battered snapper burger and Victoria had battered snapper and chips. As Fin’s is BYO we took a couple of cold beers from the van. Simple and heavenly.

With an early start on the road in the morning we enjoyed another glorious sunset, had a BBQ on the camp for dinner, complemented with a few glasses of Riesling. Over my whisky nightcap, Limeburners Peated Cask, I contemplated what a great couple of days we had in a paradise called Coral Bay.

Monday – Day 10 – Coral Bay to Shark Bay (Denham) (556kms)

Up and off for 7.15am, refuelling and getting the 6 hour plus drive underway. Victoria started the day as skipper as I finished my second coffee of the morning. After a couple of hours we switched drivers, refuelling at the BP service station in Carnarvon, not far from the camp site we stayed on not too many days earlier.

A final switch of driver just 90kms from our home for the night, saw Victoria driving us into Denham, population 754. A small, cute, seaside town, right on the seafront. The campsite was in a great location, as was our pitch, even if the van seemed a little too big for where they put us. It could be fun driving in and out, amongst all the tents and utes parked around us.

With our tummies telling us we needed lunch, we took ourselves off to the Waterfront Hotel, securing a couple of well needed cold beers. We would need to make alternative arrangements for lunch as we had missed the kitchen by 6 minutes, getting there at 2.36pm. A packet of Nobby’s nuts and a ham and beetroot wrap (minus ham) from the service station next door had to suffice.

The evening saw us with cold beer, a takeaway pizza and a prime spot on the beach for the sunset. We sadly contemplated how close we were to the end of a great trip, but talked about things that we were grateful for. We have a daily gratitude practice and even reflecting on things that may seem insignificant helps with our overall well being. 

Tuesday – Day 11 – Denham (50kms)

If you have heard of Shark Bay, you will have heard of Monkey Mia. We woke early with a sense of anticipation, driving the 25 minutes to Monkey Mia National Park, ($15 EACH this time), for the dolphin experience. Along with over 200 others we were there for the first feeding at 7.45am.

There we were, quietly hoping for a morning of oohing and ahhing over lots of frisky dolphins. Then, we waited. And waited. And waited some more. At 10.30am, with no dolphins in sight we called it a day and headed back into Denham.

Whilst at Monkey Mia we discovered that the dolphins had been rather elusive recently, with only one turning up the day before, and a run of 3 days without any being spotted.

I am not sure how they calculate the 99% success rate of dolphin “attendance”.

The evening made up for the disappointment, with a fabulous dinner at The Old Pearler restaurant. Of the places you eat on your road trip from Perth to Exmouth, this is a must visit. The only restaurant in the world made from coquina shell, it also has an interesting booking policy. No website. No booking app. Just Wayne’s phone number that you have to call and see if he has room for you. We even saw a lot of people speculatively walk in and ask for a booking on future nights. 

“Call Wayne”, was the stock response for everyone.

Thankfully, Victoria had called Wayne the day before and we had a great evening of seafood and BYO cold wine from the bottle shop conveniently located just across the street.

As Wayne came out to help clear some of the tables in the small restaurant he was asked, “do you make everything yourself, Wayne?”

“I do,” he proudly replied.

“Do you?”, said the daughter. “I thought you bought the cheesecake.”

Wednesday – Day 12 – Denham to Geraldton (420kms)

Our penultimate day of holiday, and one that we knew wouldn’t hit the heights of the ones that had gone before. Nothing against Geraldton, I am sure it has a lot to offer, but we were just using it as a stop over to break the long journey back to Perth up.

Heading out of Denham we made a very short detour to Hamelin Bay, home of the stromatolites. The oldest fossils in the world, dating back some 3.5 billion years, Hamelin Bay is one of only two places in the world to see these living marine fossils. I would recommend a visit as you are in the area.

We were soon back on the road and when we finally got to Geraldton, it wasn’t just the van that needed refuelling. Walking through the heart of Geraldton we came across Cafe Fleur, and had a fabulous lunch.

Our home for the night was the Double Beach camp site, slightly out of town, in Cape Burney.

Thursday – Day 13 – Geraldton to Perth (420kms)

After a breakfast of a muffin, hash brown and a strong coffee we were on the road for the final time. 

Our drive was just over 4 and half hours, and by lunchtime we were back at Apollo Motorhomes near Perth airport. It certainly was strange being back amongst city traffic. For long stretches of time over the last 2 weeks there was no one ahead of us, or behind us on long, dusty stretches of road. On the wide, often empty stretches of road up north, you often forget how big the motorhome is.

With a tinge of melancholy we bid farewell to Bessie and promised we would be back in the future to take her on another long road trip.

As the heat increased, sweat pooling around my eyes,  I wondered how much longer this would go on for. How long I could go on for. It was getting hard to breathe. It felt as though we had been in here for hours. Close your eyes, I told myself. Breathe slowly. 

“Smell the cedar?”, asked Victoria? “How good is this? This is what we paid for.”

Paid for? Yes, indeed, we had paid for this experience. Having our own sauna, small and, rather aptly, wine barrel shaped, outside the room we were staying in was definitely a benefit.

Swan Valley Retreat

The Swan Valley Retreat is nestled in the Henley Brook area of the valley, some 25 minutes drive from the city of Perth. Having just two rooms makes Swan Valley Retreat an exclusive staycation. One that we had to wait 5 months for, due to the demand of the people of Western Australia holidaying at home. In truth, we don’t have that many options. Holiday here this year remains as relevant as it was over a year ago, when the pandemic hit. And so it was, we found ourselves checking in for a couple of nights in May.

The retreat’s only two rooms are quaintly named Cabernet and Merlot. Separated by a day spa, each room has a large outdoor seating area, perfect for that first, and second coffee of the morning. There is a private spa bath (jacuzzi) for lazy afternoons. On arrival we were presented with a fabulous looking platter of meats, cheeses, and fruit, together with an icy bottle of bubbles. A perfect way to start our relaxing weekend.

Swan Valley Wine Region

Thankfully for those of us based in WA, we have world class venues and destinations literally on our doorstep. And the Swan Valley region is one such location. The home of WA’s oldest vines, and the second oldest wine region in Australia, Swan Valley has been growing grapes since 1829. The warm Mediterranean climate is perfect for white wines such as verdelho and chenin blanc, whilst the reds of shiraz, grenache, and petit verdot are as good as you will taste.

There are some great food options to go with your wine. Sittella winery is one such option. It has a restaurant overlooking their vines and we indulged in a very good lunch which included dishes of lamb rack and grilled barramundi. We complemented the meal with Sittella’s wine, starting with a glass of the excellent bubbles, the sparkling chenin blanc, followed by an rather tasty cabernet sauvignon.

High tea in Swan Valley

Sunday speaks more to high tea, and where better than Cottage Tea Rooms, advertising “the best scones in the valley”. And who am I to argue? Granted, I do spend a lot of time searching for the best high teas in Australia. And the little warm delights served up were delicious. What I would give for places in Australia to provide authentic clotted cream, yet this is a minor criticism.

Something nobody can criticise about the Swan Valley is the sheer number of quality eating and drinking options. Mandoon Estate offers not only a cellar door for tasting, a fine dining restaurant, a brewery, and an outdoor “Garden Bar”, but also, its very own hotel, “The Colony”. You could happily spend a weekend at Mandoon Estate without ever leaving the vast grounds.

Breweries seem to have proliferated in recent years in WA, and Swan Valley is no exception. In addition to the one at Mandoon Estate, there is also Mash Brewery, Elmar’s, Henley Brook, Duckstein, and the newest member, Bailey’s Brewery which sports the tagline, “It is simple really”. And it is. With them all offering quality brews and food, all you need to do is decide which to visit. And my advice would be to book ahead. Despite many options, and them all being quite large, they book out very quickly.

Reflecting on a great staycation

Suitably fed, we retired back to our accommodation at Swan Valley retreat. With a bottle of that excellent Sittella sparkling chenin blanc we watched the last of the day’s light turn to a carpet of stars from the private outdoor spa that comes with the room. All we had to do was sit back and work out the plan for tomorrow. Where would we have lunch after starting the morning in the sauna. Would we opt for hop or vine? In the Swan Valley you truly are spoilt for choice. No sweat.

Reality Bites

It only feels like last week that I collected the work laptop and rather reluctantly started my Perth working career. I say reluctantly as it is not what I expected to be doing. As you all know, and it has been well documented, we left Sydney intending to embark on an open ended trip around the world. 

With the next milestone birthday only a couple of years away it was time to step off the hamster wheel and take stock of what the next chapter would hold for us. As we changed seasons in life, what life did we want. Without the distractions of needing to work, and in the creative haven of changing world settings, we hoped to achieve a little bit of clarity. Only, we didn’t get to go.

My journal reminded me of the day last year when this dream took on a more permanent hiatus.

“Back to reality. It had to happen. Hopefully this 6 months of work will fly by.”

Time Flies

And they did. So much so that the following 6 months went just as quick and here I am into year two of my current role. In fairness, a lot has happened in that year. And my role has evolved into something that I am really enjoying. Working with the organization in making work a better place to be. Changing to a more modern, emergent way of working, where people have more autonomy and purpose. 

Coupled with this, having trained as a professional coach in the last 12 months, I am also able to blend this work in, allowing me to help even more people, on a one to one basis. Very satisfying. Being a vocation that I can do from anywhere in the world, coaching is an area that I see playing a big part of the future.

Will we ever see the back of COVID?

What the rest of the future holds, we really don’t know. Just this week we had another snap lockdown in Perth. 3 cases of COVID resulted in the state premier, Mark McGowan, slamming the whole of the Perth region into a 4 day lockdown. A circuit breaker, to “crush” the virus, as he never tires of telling us. I do wonder where the right balance is when I see the sharp increase in cases across the UK and yet there are thousands allowed at the football, jumping all over each other in drunken delirium as England progress.

And one of the poster childs of early COVID success, Israel, also living life as normal whilst their own numbers are on a sharp incline. I guess what both these examples are showing us is that getting everyone vaccinated is key. The only way to move from a suppression strategy to one of management, which is the pivot the Australian government made this week.

All well and good if we get people vaccinated. Currently we have only around 6% of the whole population vaccinated. Which is just not good enough. We were looked on with envy from around the world as we lived our lives in relative freedom over the last 12 months. And this bred complacency. Why rush the vaccine? Why should anyone in the lucky country get vaccinated? So, the government did not make this a priority.

A glimmer of hope

Now, with most of Australia suffering lockdowns, with each state struggling with containing the new Delta variant, we now look wistfully at those countries that have really cracked on with getting people vaccinated. In Australia we have got a bad case of catching up to do. And catching up is what the government says we will do. With a new target (about the tenth we have had) of having the majority of people vaccinated by Christmas, there remains a glimmer of hope that the borders will open for international travel next year. 

Magnificent Margaret River

In the meantime, we will continue to do what we do best. Exploring all the best that Western Australia has to offer. Which last weekend meant another trip to Margaret River. Somewhere I have written about previously. Quite possibly, close your ears in Europe, the best wine region in the world. The quality of wines are hard to beat and the region has everything. Some great beaches hugging a wild coastline and inland there are forests that need to be seen to be believed. Magical. The Boranup Forest will forever hold a place in our hearts.

This trip we had the opportunity to stay at Barn Hives. We were in one of only 6 self-sustainable luxury-eco pods, based in Yallingup, at the top end of the Margaret River region. Very convenient for a great dinner at the nearby historic Caves House Hotel. Even more convenient was the Cape Lavender cafe next door, serving up quite possibly some of the best scones I have ever had. And I have had a lot. That said, I have yet to try the legendary Mrs B’s high tea, the talk of Yorkshire. Maybe if we ever get to leave Australia.

Lunched is served

Whilst in Margaret River we took the opportunity to have a long lunch at Wills Domain. Not quite as long as the 4 hour chef’s table the people behind us were enjoying. I am sure with every course they ate, the ladies’ stool just got lower and lower. A very heavy handbag. Apparently.

Our lunch started off with a glass of obligatory bubbles. The Wills Domain Cuvée d’ Élevage Chardonnay Pinot Noir. Made in the champagne style, and much to the chagrin of winemakers outside of France, unable to call it so. The food that followed was delicious, as was the 2019 “Eightfold chardonnay” that we chose to have with lunch.

Margaret River cellar doors

There are over 100 cellar doors to choose from across the entire Margaret River region and we are on a mission to try every one of them. We visited 7 new ones on this trip bringing our total visits up to 45. A few more trips required to tick off the whole 100. Not that you will find either of us complaining.

So, whilst we navigate the end of our current lockdown, I will get out the map and start planning which vineyards to visit next. Until we can next raise a glass to the good life in Margaret River.

Salut!

Hobart to the North Coast

The weekend flew by and before we knew it it was Monday morning and sadly time to leave Hobart. This meant we needed a hire car, and after searching for quite some time the cheapest I could find was Bargain Rentals. The clue, reader, is in the name.  Did I tell you I was from Yorkshire?

However, Amit was very friendly when we went to collect our car, and he did have a very warm office. Very warm. And he was wearing multiple layers. Now, I know it was still the back end of Winter but the office was like a sauna. Not somewhere you want to linger and spend some time debating the merits of purchasing additional insurance, or a GPS. By the way, does anybody seriously use these nowadays? With Google Maps programmed we were heading north from Hobart.

Our Trusty Steed

It may not have had built in GPS, but I had Google Maps. The car did have electric windows so that was a start. Mrs C described it as a bullet and I wasn’t sure if that was a compliment or not. I just hoped it would safely take us around Tasmania for the next 7 nights.

Our First Vineyard in Tasmania

So far so good with the bullet and just over 3 hours after leaving Hobart we were rolling into the car park of Ghost Rock winery on the north coast. We were booked in for a wine tasting and then lunch. Lunch was outstanding and from the wine tasting we each picked a glass to complement our food. Tasmania was quickly taking on a theme and it centred around food and drink.

A short drive from Ghost Rock, along the coast, was to be our home for the next two nights. The Cove. And let me tell you, it is breathtaking. I hadn’t booked it, trusting this job to Mrs C, and was unsure of what to expect.

And then there was The Cove

We got a very friendly welcome from Kim on reception who is part of the family that has farmed the land for generations and The Cove is the latest addition to the landscape. Only open since March 2021, this is luxury redefined. The exposed cliff top has been transformed into three luxury en suite chalets, two glamping tents and five separate cabins with shared facilities. There is a main building, called the Alexander Center that houses a massive luxury kitchen, a huge, warm lounge, and plenty of outside seats, strategically placed around the fire pit.

The weather was wild and blustery the two nights that we spent there. And this was perfect from my point of view. Shielded from the weather, wind and rain hammering against the windows, glass of wine in hand, safe and secure. On the second night I even took a bath, with views out across the Bass Straight as I had a long soak.

The morning started with a short walk along the cliff top, contemplating what we were making of Tasmania so far. And it was overwhelmingly positive. Such a beautiful, very accessible country. Short drives, which makes a nice change from driving in Western Australia, and such lush scenery. Many times we remarked on how much it reminded us of certain parts of the UK.

Hell yes, to Hellyers

Did I mention that Tasmania has quite the reputation for whisky? Well, just along the coast from The Cove is the highly regarded Hellyers Road Distillery, so obviously I booked us in for a visit. We actually had lunch, which was very good, before I indulged in a flight of their best whiskies. Thankfully, today I wasn’t the skipper so didn’t have to worry about driving us home. After seeing the size of the whiskies I breathed a sigh of relief.

Pick up a Penguin

Ok, not a reference that everyone will get, but I am sure many of the UK readers will. If you are in Australia, think Tim Tams.

Driving west from the Cove, along the road that hugs the coast, we followed the train line as it snaked along to Penguin. An actual town called Penguin, with a population just under 4000 people. First settled in 1861, it was named Penguin by the botanist Ronald Campbell Gunn, for the many penguins that inhabit this part of the coast.

Penguin has a lovely feel to it, strolling from the church at one end, past the local library, with current restrictions of 8 people at any one time, and serendipitously onto the Penguin Beer Co.

Beer o’clock in Penguin

Loving both penguins and beer, we could not resist calling in. And it turns out our timing was perfect. The bar had only been open for 7 weeks. A large, modern looking fit out, with a wide range of Penguin beers on tap. We went for the Pale Ale and a Session Ale, took a seat by the window, and slowly supped whilst watching the waves crash up against the shore.

I think Penguin Beer Co is in for a successful run. There is nothing else in the small town quite like it and the “kids eat free” on Tuesdays offer is sure to bring the mums and dads in. Open mic night on Wednesdays could have tempted me but, alas, we had to move on.

Launceston

We were heading south, to Launceston, but not before calling in at Tasmania Food and Wine conservatory just off the A1. The building first caught our eye as we passed a couple of days earlier and being almost time for “elevenses” we swung in to the car park. In the middle of nowhere, you would expect it to be quiet, right? Think again. This, my friends, is Australia through the pandemic. Unable to travel internationally, most people are holidaying at home, meaning you often can’t get in anywhere without making a booking months in advance. But here?

Tasmanian Food and Wine Conservatory

We walked in just after 11am and immediately my heart sank. Tables full of reserved signs. On closer inspection these were mainly for lunch so we were able to grab a table just for a coffee and a cup of tea. Mrs C had also spied the jam donuts so it wasn’t long before she had a dusting of sugar all around her mouth. The coffee was excellent as was the whole interior. Gourmet Tassie foods galore, but what caught my eye, and will come home with me, were the small bottles of Hobart whisky.

Whisky Galore

Tasmania has rightfully now got a global reputation for whisky, (I may have mentioned it), after being put on the map by Sullivan’s Cove. There are now distilleries the length and breadth of the country and I was doing my best to try them all. Next up, Launceston Distillery. Located a short 10 minute drive south of Launceston, next to the airport, in Hangar 17, this was a slice of Tasmania whisky culture served up in a big dash of Australian aviation history. 

Last used as the hangar for the now defunct Ansett Airlines, Chris Condon the head distiller has made it home. Having worked at some of the major whisky distilleries in Tasmania, Chris moved home to Launceston and started his own. And he is doing good. He gave us a talk on the history of the airfield, which started out as a grass paddock runway, right through to the present day, with Launceston Distillery producing a range of single malt whiskies. Having been guided through a tasting of 5 of their best I made my purchase. A whisky matured in tawny port casks. Delicious. 

Exploring the city of Launceston

Launceston is about an hour’s drive from where we started out this morning, Devonport, on the north coast. It is Tasmania’s second city after the state capital, Hobart. Within minutes of walking around we were immediately in awe of the architecture. Such beautiful, grand old buildings. On every block. And trying to count the number of churches was like being back in Adelaide. When my pal, Mr Walker, gets a final count I would love to hear the number. (Update: I believe there are in excess of 60).

Red Feather Inn

Not being the religious type, I hunted down a glass of wine instead, and Mojo’s fit the bill. A tasty lamb gozleme and a glass of local Pinot noir, we were up and running. Tonight we were staying at the very highly acclaimed Red Feather Inn. Again, it may surprise you, but this was not one of my bookings. A collection of historic convict built sandstone buildings dating from 1842, they have now been transformed into a luxury boutique bed and breakfast. Our home for the next couple of nights was to be “The Loft” room. And it was delightful.

There is also a restaurant on site and we had ourselves booked in for dinner on the second night. The first night we indulged at Black Cow Bistro in Launceston city centre. And what an indulgence. We shared the 1kg Longhorn special. Medium rare. Being the designated driver I had a glass of Cabernet Merlot whilst Mrs C started with a glass of bubbles and pushed on with a couple of glasses of local Syrah. Impeccable food and impeccable service. Highly recommended. 

Night two in Launceston was a little closer to home. Literally. We walked down the steps from our room, “The Loft”, came outside and entered next door. In a converted barn, with only three tables immaculately laid out for dinner service. Having a reputation that means you have to book in advance to get a seat, the restaurant at Red Feather is something that will be long remembered. 

A set four course meal started with an amuse bouche before moving onto an entree of quail. Quail is something I have only recently discovered and this was an exceptional dish. Unsure what the etiquette was for stripping every morsel from the tiny bones, I was pleased to see my fellow diners each with bones in their hands. Main was a sous vide steak cooked to medium rare perfection, and paired beautifully with the bottle of local Pinot Noir. How they cook the steak so well is beyond me but my only job was to enjoy it. Which I did. Did I also have room for the decadent chocolate torte dessert? You bet I did. 

In and around Launceston

Exploring Launceston is a delight and it soon became my favourite city in Tasmania. On the edge of town is Cataract Gorge, somewhere we had been recommended to visit. And the visit was worth it just to have a trip on the longest single span chairlift in the world. Something one of us enjoyed more than the other. Mrs C was not impressed when the chair stopped suddenly, just as we were at our highest point over the river.

Tamar Valley

Tasmania is rightly famous for its quality wines as much as it is the whisky. And much of the wine comes from Tamar Valley. A short 30 minute drive from the city and we were sat in Moores Hill winery, having a tasting and a platter lunch. With the sun shining off the river and with views down rolling hills and across the vines, we raised a glass and shared how grateful we were.

Heading East and part 3 of the Road trip

Rolling out of Launceston towards the next stage of our holiday, exploring Tasmania’s east coast, and the numerous wineries, we were left counting our blessings to have already had the best part of a week exploring this beautiful part of Australia.

The best bit? We still have time left to find some more whisky distilleries. 

Closing a chapter in Perth

This week saw us both close the chapter on our Perth careers. Victoria, a couple of days ahead of me, aligned to the one year anniversary of her starting her contract. I think she has earned the nickname “ping pong pom” as she seems to keep leaving that big yellow bank, and then returning. My stint at Synergy was almost two years. I remember those early days in Perth, job hunting. In a world that was finding its feet due to the new coronavirus pandemic, job opportunities were few and far between. I knew the work I didn’t want to do, but would I have a choice? That said, it was the job that nearly wasn’t. 

The hiring manager thought my CV did not show enough experience for the advertised scrum master role. Despite the previous three years showing me holding roles in Sydney that entailed me training, coaching, and mentoring scrum masters. Thankfully, the recruiter, thanks George, persisted, and got me an interview with people who actually knew what they were doing, thanks Pete and Mike, and the rest is history.

Reflecting on our time in Perth

I never imagined we would be in Perth some two years later, and this is testament to how beautiful the state of Western Australia is, and also how great the people are working within the walls of the company that is literally keeping the lights on for WA. And through the people I also got a better understanding of what it means to be a WAer. I learned that a guernsey is not an island near the UK. That bush chook, Emu Export. is a drink. Walpole is a place to camp. And that the men running around in 1970s sports vests and shorts are actually playing a sport that the world has never heard of, but is taken rather seriously all the same.

Have I mentioned our passion for Western Australian wine?

What is taken seriously in WA is the wine. And for such a small wine region, that is relatively modern, over 25% of Australia’s premium wine is produced here in the Margaret River region. When Tom Cullity planted his first vines in 1967, calling the vineyard Vasse Felix, little did he know what he was starting. Now there are over 200 vineyards, many of the best in class, and we are (still) doing the best we can to get around them all. Our quest continues next week with a “last hurrah” to Margaret River, not knowing when we will return.

Time to wrap things up in Perth

It was by design that we finished work a month ahead of us leaving Australia. We knew that we would have a lot to sort in the apartment, and we didn’t want to feel rushed. The plan was to have a chilled 4 weeks before heading off. OK. That was the plan. Now we have the Margaret River trip, on the back of two nights in the Swan Valley wine region. A trip to Fremantle will follow shortly afterwards, as will a three night side trip to Melbourne. I can see that we will still be packing boxes in the days before we leave Perth, heading to Queensland in mid June.

The big 5-0. Eventually…

The Queensland trip should have happened at christmas. For my milestone birthday, and we all now know that COVID had other plans. We will finally get to spend those three nights in the lap of luxury at Qualia resort on Hamilton Island. Ending our current stay in Australia with nights in both Noosa and Brisbane. Short stops in Singapore and Dubai will precede our arrival into the UK, early July.

What is on the reading list?

I get worn out just reading this and know that I will need to plan lots of downtime in between, just to stay centred, and calm. I have just discovered float tanks, and more of that in a future blog. I know I will be doing lots of reading. Getting in the mood for our overseas travelling I am currently reading a book by the very talented Alistair McGuinness. 

Ali is a friend I met through work and I was very impressed to learn that not only has he managed to swim around Busselton Jetty, 3.6kms in open water, but he has also written five books. Or is that six? I am losing count. At the moment I am working my way through, “Wild About Africa”, daydreaming about the African plains, and the dizzy heights of Mt Kilimanjaro. Ali writes a great book. Part travelogue, part history lesson, with lots of humour thrown in. Who can imagine climbing Mt Kilimanjaro in a pair of pink tracksuit bottoms? I encourage you to go and pick up a copy and read it.

In the meantime, we have places to be, and things to do. Sabbaticals are not all about sitting around and drinking gin and tonics. Are they?

Adios, amigos!