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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Adios amigos!

I take a sip of my steaming coffee, the strong smell of caffeine mingling with the aromas of the eucalyptus and rose gum trees I am surrounded by. Curious kangaroos have come out to graze, and every so often take a sneaky upwards glance at me, assessing whether I am a threat. Perhaps sensing my peace, they nonchalantly disregard me, and continue grazing. The only noise to compete with their munching of the leaves is the twitter of birds high in the canopy above me. A kookaburra’s laugh sounding as though he is mocking me. A poor human who has to come away from his “real life” to enjoy this side of nature. A human who has come to spend a weekend in Busselton.

We are spending the weekend at Tree Chalets in Busselton. Staying in one of two eco chalets nestled amongst hundreds of trees and with enough space between them to have you thinking you are all alone. Marketed as “simple luxury”, each chalet is well appointed, with a quality of fit out you don’t see in many high end hotels. On the back deck there is one of the most impressive baths I have seen, but more on that later. There is also a Tesla charger, and judging by the amount of Teslas we see driving around Perth on a daily basis, I suspect these chargers will be popular.

Exploring Busselton

Busselton is situated some 2 and half hours drive south of Perth, and is somewhere we have called in at on many occasions, with its proximity to the beautiful Margaret River region. In recent years the foreshore has been tastefully developed with the latest addition, Shelter Brewery, providing a haven for craft beer lovers and pizza aficionados alike. I see that a Hilton hotel is currently in development and I hope they keep the build to a low level, as at present the skyline is not marred by anything higher than the local pine trees.

On our first day we ventured a couple of streets back from the foreshore and had lunch at Rocky Ridge taphouse. The original farm and brewery is located at Jindong, with the traditional custodians of the land being the Wadandi people. The tap house in Busselton is possibly amongst the most picturesque breweries I have been to. Built in a converted cottage, with a large garden at the back and plenty of shaded seats at the front, we spent a leisurely afternoon sampling a paddle of beers, of which there were over 20 to choose from, and had a cheeseburger, which are made by the legends of Margaret River Burger Company.

Looking Back on The Start

Back at the Tree Chalets, with my newly purchased growler from Rocky Ridge, I was able to have a cold beer on the deck, looking out to the trees, contemplating how much I had needed this break. I started 2022 with some clear intentions. Complete the work required to apply to be an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coaching Federation, and finish my university studies. I have now done all I can for both and am awaiting the results. With this hard work behind me I am able to have a weekend with nothing on my mind. And it feels liberating. Sipping my drink, it hits me that I don’t have to be anywhere, or do anything, other than sit, relax and be.

And talking of relaxing, there is that bath. A huge, pristine enamel bath on the back deck of the chalet. A bath that fits two. With our chilled champagne, a self catered dinner of meats and cheeses, and a full bath, we spent the afternoon chatting through our last two years. The challenges everyone has faced, and what the next two years might bring. The world seems to be finally getting a grip on omicron. We are both now triple vaccinated. And borders are starting to open up. This is the most “certainty”, which I still say loosely, that we have had in a very long time. Dare we start to make plans?

As the sun slowly set, and the night sky appeared, it is easy to see why “dark skies tourism” is destined to be the next big thing in West Australia. With the majority of the population living in and around Perth, the regional areas have large masses of space with very little artifical lighting. The views of the milky way are quite astounding. Sit still long enough you are guaranteed to see at least one shooting star, and several satellites making their way across the galaxy.

Supporting Local Businesses

Back on earth, our immediate plan for Saturday was to explore the area around Busselton, and with that we found ourselves being greeted by Polly the kelpie dog, up at Whicher Ridge Wines. Cathy took us through a tasting of 5 wines each, a good mix of sauvignon blanc, viognier, shiraz, and cabernet sauvignon. We had agreed not to buy anymore wine on our travels across the state, simply because there is no way we will get through the stockpile we have at home. However, the wines were so good that we selected three to take away. 

Chatting with Cathy we got a feel for how tough the hospitality industry has had it, especially with the Western Australia hard border for the last two years. We have been described in various quarters as a hermit kingdom. It is hard to disagree. We have cut ourselves off from the rest of Australia, and the world, and businesses have suffered greatly as a result.

If you are going to have a weekend in Busselton, please get out and continue to support local businesses. In keeping with this, we headed down the road to have lunch at Hippo Lakes cafe. Another family run business, we were delighted to hear that they were BYO and promptly went to collect a bottle of cabernet sauvignon from the car. Hippo Lakes is in the process of obtaining a liquor licence and will eventually sell the very same wine, from Whicher Ridge. Businesses supporting businesses. 

The Busselton Jetty Swim

Our final day had us up early and heading towards the iconic Busselton Jetty. Today was the annual Busselton Jetty Swim, a 3.6km open swim around the jetty. Andrew at Tree Chalets had told us about how they start races “in the country”, which is with a shotgun. And he wasn’t kidding. We were there in good time to see a member of the local police force fire off his shotgun, prompting the 8am start to the race.

Some 38 minutes after that 8am start, the winner was leaving the water and crossing the finish line. A 19 year old local kid broke his own record. He has now won the race for the last 3 years, and apparently his preferred distance is 10k. Almost superhuman. I also had a personal connection to the race as my friend was participating. Not a swimmer, at least not until recently, Alistair had bravely entered the race knowing it would be far from easy.

Easy it certainly wasn’t, but I was proud to see him complete the race, achieving a massive personal milestone. He said that with his shoulder being in great pain, he swam the last third of the race with one arm. The lifeguards were doing their best to help and support Ali, perhaps even offering him an easy way out, but with a mental strength I am in awe of, he persevered, and he can now add this race to his impressive life CV.

Final reflections on a weekend in Busselton

My CV includes a long list of breweries I have visited in my life, and to mark the end of a great weekend away in Busselton we called back into the beautiful Rocky Ridge for a final coldie. Sat in the shade, we shared what we were both grateful for in life, and raised our glasses, toasting another great experience and planning for the next one.

The Hot Spot for 2025

It pays to get ahead of the trends. Visit a place before it becomes the next Santorini. Not easy in today’s hyper connected world. When a photo shared on social media could result in a swarm of influencers immediately removing any of the beauty that was apparent to earlier visitors.

Having recently read an article in Conde Nast Traveller Magazine about the hottest spot for food and drink in 2025, I was relieved that we already had a trip booked. A trip that would allow us to enjoy the place before the hordes descended. It turns out we needn’t have worried.

Perth – A Long Way from Anywhere

Living in Perth comes with a large downside. It is a long way from anywhere else in Australia. This trip fell into our “short flight” category, with Adelaide being only 2 hours 50 minutes away. Flying early in the morning somewhat compensated for the time zone change. With clocks going forward two and a half hours upon landing. 

Yes, you read that right. There is an erroneous half hour in there. Apparently harking back to 1899, and a time when local businesses wanted to be closer to Melbourne and cricketers wanted more daylight to play extra overs. The move was made away from the traditional one hour difference between adjacent time zones. Why they still have it is another question.

Clare Valley Wine Region

This was our first visit to Clare Valley, and having visited both Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale wine regions, also in Adelaide, we were excited to try out some new cellar doors. Also, we had heard that the region is very proud of their Riesling. Travelling with hand luggage only, we already knew it would be a difficult decision which bottles to pack and bring home with us. If you are reading this, and work at Qantas, we promise we remained under the 10kg hand luggage limits. Pinky promise.

Mount Horrocks was the first vineyard we visited. After one and half hours in the car, north from Adelaide (130kms), we were glad to stretch the legs and try a cold drink. Mount Horrocks is located in a village called Auburn, in the south of Clare Valley. Certified 100% organic and biodynamic, we joined just one other couple in the blissfully air conditioned cellar door and got to work.

Winemaker, Stephanie Toole, has an award hanging in the cellar door, for her services to wine making in the region. And this is richly deserved, based on the wines that we got to try. Riesling being the wine that now defines Clare Valley, the 2024 Watervale Riesling was exquisite. What I hadn’t realised before this trip was the cellaring potential of Riesling. For instance, this wine could potentially be laid down for up to 15 years.If only I had that kind of patience.

Wine Influencers and the Power of Social Media

One surprise that I walked away with was a bottle of Nero D’Avola. What I didn’t know was that this sumptuous Sicilian red wine from Mount Horrocks already has a cult following. The lady in the cellar door telling us a funny story. Of how she suddenly started getting lots of young people rocking up, phones in hand, pointing to someone called Tom Gilbey, saying “we only want to try the wine he is having”.

As with the lady working at Mount Horrocks, I am not on the app called Tik Tok either, but apparently Mr Gilbey has been creating quite the storm, recommending the Nero D’Avola to his 200+ thousand followers. As I mentioned earlier, the power of social media is shrinking the world.

Before we headed to our home for the weekend, “Stables by the Vines”, a converted stable in a small village called Mintaro, we called in at Claymore Wines. Part of me wished we hadn’t. I was greeted by Liverpool FC memorabilia and a wine called “YNWA”. I bit my tongue and reluctantly agreed that the whole range of wines, both white and red (including the obscenely named one) was very quaffable. So quaffable that Mrs C ordered a box of 6 to be shipped back West. I did wonder if it was the wine, or the football affiliation that convinced her to get her credit card out.

Sleepy Mintaro

Mintaro was a short drive away and if we thought that Clare Valley had been quiet, it was to get even quieter. Mintaro has a pub, a post office, a lawn bowls club, one small cellar door with a restaurant that was closed for a month, and nothing else. Literally. Perhaps one of the quietest spots we have ever stayed in. And it was so peaceful. For dinner we strolled the two minutes across to the pub, the Magpie and Stump, which is apparently famous in the region. I suppose when you are the only pub for miles, there is a lot to be famous for.

A typical country pub, with locals perched in their usual seats at the bar, and a food menu that is “classic” heavy. I had food envy when I saw Victoria’s chicken schnitty. My pork ribs were good, whilst not excellent. One thing that strikes me when we leave Western Australia is the shortage of craft beers. Adelaide is rightly proud of its Coopers beer, and it complemented my dinner well, and I would have loved a wider range to choose from.

The Riesling Trail

Covering a distance of 33kms, from Riverton in the north and Auburn in the south, the Riesling Trail was formerly part of a railway line that ran all the way from Adelaide to Spalding. Opened in 1994 as the Riesling Trail, it is now firmly part of the fibre of Clare Valley and is a massive draw for tourists. 

We collected our ebikes from Riesling Trail Bike Hire, and had a great conversation with Kent, the owner since opening his doors 15 years ago. A very down to earth, convivial, and friendly man, Kent advised on what he thought our best options were on a day when the mercury was forecast to hit the high 30s.

Paulette Winery and those ants

Our first stop was pre-planned as we had a wine tasting flight booked at Paulette Wines in Polish Hill River. Setting off on our bikes, and getting used to the gears and the battery assistance, we made light work of the hill up to the winery. Chrissy in the cellar door was very friendly, giving us the kind of service that we soon realised was indicative of everyone in Clare Valley. Maybe it is all the Riesling, maybe it is something in the water, but the people of Clare Valley were so friendly, fun, and welcoming.

And this is what we came for. Not only a visual work of art, but some great wines and delicious paired food. I opted for the “Riesling Flight” and Victoria had the “Premium Flight”, despite one of the dishes (the second from the left) being adorned by green ants. Yes. Green ants. Chrissy told us that they add a pop and a hit of citrus to the dish. I am not sure it was the pop, or the citrus that caused the look on Victoria’s face as she ate them.

Back on the Riesling Trail

Heading further south on the Riesling Trail we crossed the highway and joined the John Horrocks loop, having great tastings at both Kilikanoon and Skillogalee (Skilly). Both are easier to pronounce at the start of a day wine tasting, than at the end. Over the hill from Skilly, and down into the valley we called at Clare Valley Brewing Company, having an excellent hazy pale ale and splitting a tasty fish and chips.

Trundling slowly back on the trail, we took time to reflect on a really enjoyable day. A safe way to explore the Clare Valley, whilst being out and appreciating the native fauna and flora. We were glad of the battery assistance on the way home, our legs, and the heat starting to tire us out. Kent at Riesling Trail Bike Hire was very happy to see us return a little early as he had plans to “smash a large gin and tonic”. 

Relaxing in Mintaro

Our plans were relaxing back at the cottage in Mintaro. Cracking open a chilled bottle of local Watervale Riesling and sitting with views of the vines and rolling hills. It is amazing when you realise what that noise is. Silence. No cars passing by. No voices nearby. Just the sound of birdsong. We marvelled as Crimson Rosellas came to visit with the Flaming Galahs in the garden whilst a solitary Kookaburra stood guard, high up in the nearby gum tree.

Sat there, sipping my Riesling, something kept flashing across my peripheral vision. There, again. And suddenly I noticed that there were bunny rabbits everywhere. Literally. Their fluffy white tails on display when any noise startled them. 

Chatting to a local we discovered that they have been an issue for a long time in Mintaro. With the long running drought affecting the area, the rabbits, like all the animals, are desperate for water. This results in them chewing through reticulation pipes, and digging up new plants. One drastic course of action the locals have taken is leaving out “spicy carrots” for the rabbits. Needless to say, one spicy carrot results in one less rabbit in Mintaro. 

Whilst there were many rabbits, one thing that struck us for the whole three days we were in Clare Valley was just how few tourists there were. Before a really good lunch and paddle of craft beer at Pikes Beer Company, we visited Pikes Wines next door and were the only people in the cellar door. Just prior we had a very enjoyable tasting at Hill River Wines, and, other than a large hare, and a duck, again were the only visitors that had been that day. Parking up the car for the day, our final tasting was at Reilly’s in Mintaro. At 4pm the young man working in the cellar door was cleaning up. Before us, he had only had one visitor all day. Where was everyone?

Conde Nast and THAT article

Whilst in Pikes Wines I had a chat with the gentleman working there, about what he thought the impact would be of a global travel magazine, the size of Conde Nast, announcing Clare Valley as the number one food and drink destination in the world. It wasn’t the response I expected.

He had not even heard of the magazine, or the article. Neither had his colleague. Blank looks all around. I think this is a travesty. That the Clare Valley region, and the people working there are not all over this massive, positive piece of global press, and doing all they can to make the most of the opportunity.

And what an opportunity. This is a beautiful part of the world. Only a short drive from Adelaide, and an international airport. World class wines, and it is not all about Riesling. We sampled some excellent Pinot Gris, Cabernet Franc, Semillon, and not forgetting the unforgettable Nero D’Avola that Tom Gilbey is so fond of. The wines were so good we shipped three boxes home and packed two each in our hand luggage, and carried one on to the plane. Twenty three bottles to add to our burgeoning collection at home. 

Visit Before you Can’t

My recommendation to you is to visit before everyone in the region, and across the world, finally gets around to reading that article. And before any more wine influencers post content from one of the local cellar doors. I predict that in a very short space of time, Clare Valley will be like many other wine regions in Australia. The top tourist draw of the state, and you will need Willy Wonkas Golden Ticket just to get a reservation.

The what and the how

• We flew Perth to Adelaide with Qantas.

• Car hire was from Enterprise at Adelaide Airport.

• Bike hire was from Riesling Trail Bike Hire.

• Clare Valley is 130kms north of Adelaide city centre.

Heading South

The route started out as so familiar. Merging with the stream of traffic heading south. The sun was rising, the skies were blue, and we were looking forward to some downtime in nature. With a bit of wine thrown in, of course.

What might surprise you is that our destination wasn’t Margaret River. I know it might feel to you that this is our second home. And it kind of is. Yet, there is a destination a little closer to home that has been described by many as the new Margaret River.

Ferguson Valley

Ferguson Valley is just over two hours south of Perth. Shaving over an hour off our usual journey down south. Leaving mid morning we were sampling some of Green Door’s excellent wines. Wines that were new to me on my wine education journey. I got to discover Monastrell. At least I thought it was new. 

A little bit of research showed me that I was very familiar with the grape, just under different names. You see, Monastrell is known as Mouvedre in France, and Mataro in other wine growing regions of the world. Everyday is a school day when you are studying wine.

However, this trip wasn’t specifically to study wine. I was very happy to learn recently that I had passed my exam for the WSET Level 2 in wines. This exam is not too onerous and does give you a very good grounding in wine, wine production, and the various grapes that are grown around the world. I am still percolating on whether my future contains WSET Level 3 and beyond, which are a big step up in commitment.

Our Escape Pod at Skating Goose Farm

My commitment for this weekend was to rediscover Ferguson Valley, a place we first visited a couple of years ago. And we were staying at the same location. The adults only luxury retreat at Skating Goose Farm. With only two cabins, called “escape pods”, Honey was to be our home for the weekend. Set amongst 150 acres of farmland, surrounded by Marri forest, this was the ultimate rest and relaxation location.

Sat on the deck of the cabin, watching the various birds flit in and out. We had a resident honey eater keeping us company in the flowering bushes in front of us. Numerous laughing kookaburras perched high in the canopy of trees serenaded us with their very unique song. A constant background buzz left us in no doubt where the local honey came from. And, as the light of the day started to fade, a mob of kangaroos appeared and surprised us by engaging in a fist fight with each other. We have seen a lot of roos, and this was the first time we have seen them boxing. It was quite the sight.

The Night Sky in Australia

As the temperature dropped, we moved onto a local Cabernet Sauvignon, from nearby Ferguson Falls. Swirling the wine in the glass, extracting the aromas, as I fired up the BBQ and cooked us a t-bone. Is there a better combination? Dinner finished and we were back on the balcony. The sun had set and darkness had arrived.

When you have experienced the night sky in remote Australia you will never need a television again. There is no better viewing than sitting, peering into the universe whilst it peers back. Wondering who is out there, watching us. It is almost a statistical impossibility that we are the only lifeform in the vast universe. We just haven’t found each other. Yet.

Without light pollution the night sky is unlike anything you have ever seen before. Awestruck we tried to count the satellites criss crossing the night sky. That was until our attention was immediately stolen by a shooting star streaking across the sky. It literally takes your breath away. And I literally hardly ever use the word literally. It is so often misused and misunderstood in the modern vernacular. 

Cabernet finished, and the traditional ritual of a whisky nightcap ending a great evening, it was time for bed. Oh, the silence. No noise of the neighbours above us doing whatever it is they do. Every evening. No city sirens racing to the latest emergency. Even the kookaburras were asleep.

10,000 Gnomes

Morning broke misty with amazing views across the paddock as the first light hit the fields. This was my cue to light up the BBQ and create our traditional bacon and egg breakfast. With the happy addition of a couple of chunky slices of black pudding.

Saturday started with a visit to what may just be the world’s weirdest tourist attraction. Although, we did find one even weirder, more on those frogs later. Gnomesville is exactly what the name suggests. A village of gnomes. A tradition that started out with one gnome has blossomed into quite possibly the largest gathering of gnomes in the world. It is a sight to be seen, and also a little creepy.

Estimates suggest there are over 10,000 gnomes, with the number growing each year as visitors from both Australia and overseas bring new additions. Covering a large area of forest that borders the main road running through Ferguson Valley I was astounded by the amount of visitors it had on the weekend we were there. And like us, not just visitors with children. A local institution, Gnomesville is a must visit if you are in the area.

Frog’s Hollow – it has to be seen to be believed

Slightly less impressive, but just starting out, is “Frog’s Hollow”. Taking the weirdness up a notch, Frog’s Hollow is a short 10 minute drive from Gnomesville. And here, frogs are trying to get in on the act. Only created this year, the number of frogs is starting to grow and it has a long way to go before it reaches the “fame” of its nearby Gnome friends. We were, unsurprisingly, the only visitors and it didn’t take us too long to explore. Who knows, 10 years from now and Frog’s Hollow might just be the next big thing in Ferguson Valley.

Lunch at Hackersley Estate

For now, we will stick with one of the Valley’s real highlights. Food. Lunch was at the impressive Hackersley Estate. With a view out across the paddock, watching a large mob of kangaroos hop past, we were there for the 3 course set menu. And it was delicious. Completed by glasses of their own Semillon and Verdelho, served a little too cold, each course was a delight. We completed the lunch with a wine tasting, getting to try the Mondeuse grape. A new one for me and a black grape that is native to France.

Rolling out of Hackersley Estate, our next stop was at Talisman Wines. A gem and a must visit. Driving down an unsealed road you could be forgiven for thinking you had taken a wrong turn. Trust yourself and turn left just after the converted buses that now double up as simple accommodation. We pulled up just 30 minutes before closing time and managed to get a full tasting from the very friendly Kim.

Set around a lake, Talisman Wines is a boutique winery producing some of the best wines of the region. The Riesling is a stand out and who would have thought of aging a Riesling in oak? Strange, right. And it works. As do all the wines we tried. The Chardonnay was exquisite and the Cabernet Malbec had me thinking of last night’s steak. And yes, reader, we purchased a selection to take home with us.

Ferguson Valley – a mini Margaret River?

Driving home the next day we reflected on our weekend, and pondered why we don’t come more often. Not owning a car is a constraint. One that means we can’t just pop down there on impulse. It takes planning and each time we hire a car it seems to drive itself to our spiritual home, Margaret River. That said, people are not far off the mark when they describe Ferguson Valley as a mini Margaret River. Vineyards. Great food. Breweries. And wildlife. What is not to like?

Dropping the hire car off we knew it wouldn’t be long before we were picking it back up. Four weeks long. For our next Margaret River trip. We will be needing some more wine by then.

The importance of food on culture

Having been out of Australia for a few weeks now there are some quintessential Aussie foods that I could crave. If I thought about it for too long. 

Our last week in Western Australia I had one such craving and so found myself enjoying something so Australian it would be remiss of me not to indulge.

The meat pie. It is an institution in Australia and the one I had at the French Bakery in Cowaramup satisfied the craving I had. I knew that for quite some time the cuisine would be very different. For the next two weeks we would be travelling around Bali.

Back to Bali

Bali is somewhere that we have spent quite some time exploring. It is an island that keeps drawing us back for many reasons. The people. The enduring culture. The food. And yes, dare I say it, the chaos. It is vibrant. Alive. And lots of fun. To start our 2026 overseas travels we would be spending a couple of weeks indulging in nasi goreng and Bintang.

We flew into Bali, arriving late as appears to be the norm for us. Over the years the airport in Bali has improved no end. At one time all arrivals were met with huge lines at immigration. Undergoing the laborious process of obtaining your visa on arrival. Taking a very long time. 

Now the arrival visa, giving you a 30 day stay, can be applied for online and with the dozens of electronic passport gates we are now through within seconds. Literally. On our last few visits, as today, there are lots of free gates so we just walk up, scan our passports and we are in the country.

Chaotic Canggu

The benefit of landing at 12.30am is that the traffic on the roads is a little quieter than the usual chaos. This resulted in our anticipated hour plus ride being less than than 45 minutes. A record and we were pleased to get to bed just a little earlier than expected. A quick check in and we were in our room and in bed by 2am.

Our first week was to be spent in Canggu. A place on the west coast that we have previously visited. We even stayed at the same hotel as it is central, close to so many restaurants, and a ten minute walk to the beach for those Balinese sunsets. Breakfast was included and was typical of hotel breakfasts in larger Asian hotels. An egg station, warm Asian dishes, and a buffet of cereals, breads, fruits and yoghurts. 

This is where being strategic pays off. Working out what foods to have and how many trips you will make. I tend to have “3 courses”, starting out with noodles and curry, moving onto fried eggs, and finishing with a few small bakery items and a final coffee. By this point I feel I have had an elegant sufficiency and should be good through to lunchtime.

A typical day would see us finishing breakfast and spending the morning around and in the pool. This is something we learned over the years as the weather in Bali is tropical and often rains in the afternoon. That said, in the two weeks that we were on the island we saw very little rain. Then, before lunch it would be time in the gym to maintain the balance that is so important when you are on the road. Some cardio to raise the heart rate, a few weights, and ending with a little stretching.

If you have travelled in Asia you will know that scooters far outnumber cars on the road. And walking anywhere in Bali is to be aware that scooters come from all directions. Not always in the direction that traffic is flowing. At times the pavements, what there are of them are, also full of scooter riders trying to shave seconds off their trip. It pays to be alert at all times.

Alert, not just for the scooters but also for where the pavement suddenly disappears. Yes, it is common to look down and notice that the pavement has disappeared leaving a yawning great hole that it would be easy to do yourself a lot of damage with. Having negotiated the tricky pavements and had a busy day on our feet it was bliss to end the day with a foot massage, a very common pastime across South East Asia.

To celebrate our final night in Canggu we had a dinner reservation at Yuki. A Japanese restaurant that we had thoroughly enjoyed in the past here in Canggu. On a different Bali trip we discovered that there is an outlet of Yuki in Uluwatu and we enjoyed dinner there too. In even better news, we were to discover later in the trip that their third restaurant will open later this year, in Ubud.

Serenity in Sideman

All part of the charm of this beautiful little island. An island that we love exploring and after five nights in Canggu we were off to the middle of the island. To a village that was new to us. Sideman. A two and half hour taxi ride away. The distance wasn’t too far but the roads are so busy that it takes a long time to get anywhere. 

It was worth the drive. Sideman is stunning. High in the hills, surrounded by resplendent green rice fields and sat in the shadow of the hulking Mt Agung, Bali’s highest peak. An active volcano that last erupted in 2019 we were hoping she remains sleepy through our visit.

Our accommodation was called Samanvaya, a collection of villas around a number of swimming pools. Amazing views in every direction. My mornings started with hot strong Balinese coffee sat outside in silence taking in the expansive views. Paradise.

Being a small traditional village there was not much to do other than enjoy the tranquility. It really was a side of Bali you don’t often see. A local stopped us and asked if we were enjoying Bali “from the 1970s?”

We were. Immensely. In the more built up areas of Bali modern hotels and restaurants now predominate. Here in Sideman it is all local homestays and warungs (a local restaurant). A true step back in time and more reminiscent of my first visit over 30 years ago.

Whilst in Sideman we celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary with a great meal at the hotel. We even managed to splurge on a glass of wine, forgoing the customary Bintang lager. Pre dinner saw us enjoying the 2 for 1 cocktails and a few games of UNO. The less said about the result the better.

Closing out the Balinese adventure

Our final four nights were to be spent in Ubud, the spiritual centre of Bali. A favourite spot of ours. We stayed at Kano Sari, home to six villas in a traditional Balinese compound. Whilst Ubud remains a chaotic place in terms of the traffic, a mere ten minute walk north and we were enveloped by just the sounds of nature.

Each morning and evening we had a very strange noise outside our villa. I initially thought it was a large gecko but it made the strangest noise, almost like a little bark. It became our “nature’s alarm clock” without us establishing what it might be.

Our last day in Bali saw us visiting the Sacred Monkey Forest, me making my traditional visit to the tattoo shop before we both went and had an hour long massage. A perfect end to a perfect couple of weeks in Bali. A place we know we will return to.

For now, it is time to check into our flight, find the business class lounge and relax until our 12.35am flight to Paris, via Dubai.