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Recently, we reached a milestone in our lives in Perth. Somehow, we passed the 100 day mark. Not that we were counting. Not really. But the 100 days in Perth have slowly crept up on us, tapped us on the shoulder, and whizzed right by. 100 days that have perfectly aligned with the global timeline we have all been working on with coronavirus.

We boarded a packed Qantas flight and departed Sydney on the afternoon of 23rd March not knowing what the immediate future had in store for us. And not just because of coronavirus. After 8 years in Sydney we were stretching our wings. Off to explore the world, and have some new adventures. At least that had been the plan. I should have known better. 

At work I am always extolling the benefits of planning, but stressing the need to remain flexible. The oft quoted Dwight Eisenhower is resurrected. 

Or as the rather more eloquent Mike Tyson put it, “everyone has a plan, until they get punched in the mouth.” So I coach people to expect the punch in the mouth. Or in professional terms, to “inspect and adapt”.

And this is what we did. The fabled spreadsheet didn’t quite get consigned to the garbage, but it did get mothballed. For now. Full disclosure? I have a new version already prepared, and cleverly renamed “Travels 2021.” Because as the stoics taught us, this too shall pass.

So we find ourselves entering the second half of 2020. A new financial year, the adverts in my social media feeds keep telling me. We may have only been in Perth for just over 4 months, but pausing to reflect, over my ice cold pint of Guinness, which is bloody good by the way, I remember that we have a lot to be grateful for. And gratitude is one of the practices that will get us through this. A practice of daily gratitude has been shown to improve our mental health. And mental health is something that has been climbing up my personal agenda of late. 

Uprooting a life of 8 years in Sydney was a deliberate choice. A choice that I own. 100%. But even our choices can bring consequences. Intended, and unintended. Expected, and unexpected. Personally, I have found it harder than I thought. And I am not sure whether this is as a result of mentally knowing that we are not where we planned to be. That we left Sydney with only a backpack because only a day before we thought we were travelling to Asia.

Whatever the reason, I have felt adrift. A feeling that is slowly dissipating. I was struggling to find my connection back to life. Drifting in a land that I didn’t recognise. I felt liminal. On the threshold of something. I am managing this. Meditating, when I remember. Leaning on Buddhist teachings. Knowing that our thoughts are not reality. And thoughts, if left to run amok, can drive you mad.

Which brings me back to mental health, a topic that interests me more and more. And for this reason I have recently undergone training, and become an accredited Mental Health First Aider. I want to help. Wherever I can.

Besides keeping myself busy with learning, we both have a lot to be proud of. We arrived in a new city, with no jobs, and nowhere to live. An apartment was the easy piece of the puzzle, with the jobs being much harder. But I am proud of how we have both thrown ourselves into it and are both now working. And due to coronavirus we are both working from home. Which has its own challenges. I forgot to put myself on mute one day this week, and the call I was on suddenly went silent. 

“Who was that?”

“Did someone say something?”

“…”

“It was a Scottish lady speaking. How weird.”

The “Scottish lady” was Victoria, in the other corner of the lounge, chatting on another call. 

Apartment. Jobs. Trips to beautiful places such as Margaret River and the Swan Valley. Continuing my personal growth. I know we have plenty to be grateful for.

I read something from a friend the other day, that I think is advice that everyone should be following right now. In the days of homeschooling. Working from home and interrupting each other’s calls. In the midst of all the stress, we should all “just do what we can”.

It’s worth repeating, as we head into the second half of 2020. Just do what you can.

Were the European xmas markets as good as we expected?

The last time we spoke I was extolling the virtues of Austria. Such a beautiful country, and it felt even more special having the opportunity to visit through the festive period. I have read a lot about the Xmas markets in Europe, and from Switzerland, through to Austria, they lived up to all our expectations.

It was also as cold as we expected. Knowing this, we hadn’t committed to still being in Europe over Xmas and my birthday. Packing in Australia, for an extended world trip, our options were limited. There is only so much you can fit into a 55 litre bag. This resulted in us surviving the European wintry conditions by wearing many layers, and the only footwear we had available, which were trainers.

Europe did not disappoint

Europe was excellent. Right from the get go. We landed in the UK in July and enjoyed a rather unprecedented warm summer. We caught up with family and friends. I even got a side trip to Dublin to keep the “annual lads trip” tradition going, even if it is somewhat more erratic than annual. Now, it was time to say goodbye to Europe, with a final swansong back in Lisbon. We had a boat to catch. We were headed to New York City.

Start spreading the news

You heard that right. We were going to take a 9 day cruise to NYC. Our first cruise. Ever. And something that definitely was not in plan until a week or so before we booked it. Looking at options for flights, and when we wanted to be in New York, a slow cruise across the Atlantic Ocean, with planned stops in the Azores and Bermuda sounded like a great experience. Yes, we had always said we didn’t want to do a cruise, but life throws opportunities that sometimes you just have to grab. A discounted cruise across the ocean was one such opportunity. Coupled with lower carbon emissions, had we flown, was a bonus.

An “Epic” adventure

This is how we found ourselves leaving Lisbon onboard the Norwegian Cruise Line’s “Epic”. A huge ship that was being repatriated back to the US, after cruising the Meditteranen for the summer. She sails back across the Atlantic to spend the winter sailing between New York and Puerto Rico. With a capacity of 4000 guests, there were approx 2000 other passengers that joined us for the crossing. A crossing that just got a little more monotonous even as we boarded. It turned out there was a strike in Lisbon that day which meant that we could not leave until 2am the day after. The knock on effect of this was that we would no longer have time to dock at The Azores.

Exploring the boat

One stop cancelled, with just the Bermuda one remaining. How we would relish arriving in Bermuda for an opportunity to stretch our legs on dry land. Until then, we had to settle into our cabin, and get familiar with where things were. Starting on the top deck, 15, and working our way down.

As part of our package we had food and drinks included. All inclusive. A concept that is still relatively new to me. I had done it once, on safari in Africa, and I still marvel at the fact I can just rock up to the bar and order a drink without paying. This is how we started the cruise. Finding O’Sheehans Bar and Grill, which is where we watched the World Cup unfold, and ordering a pint of beer each. We sat at the bar, trying to get our heads around how we would fill 9 days at sea.

Life at sea finds its routine

Soon, days took on a familar pattern. A great breakfast, during which I predicictably ate too much. A stroll through the casino and onto the library to pick up our daily crossword and sudoku. An Irish coffee at O’Sheehans. An hour in the gym, trying not to get thrown off the treadmill as the boat see sawed through the large waves of the Atlantic. Another walk through the boat, people watching, which, by the way, could be a full time activity on a cruise. Watching them at one of the many “exciting” offerings on the boat was hilarious. People rushed to join in line dancing lessons. Napkin folding classes. And even fruit carving demonstrations.

We bypassed the fruit carving, but definitely not lunch. There were a multitude of restauramts to choose from, all very good. Food was a highlight of the cruise. It was excellent. From the option of a buffet, offering most foods you could think of, to a la carte restaurants that were included in our ticket. I even had quite possibly the biggest lasagne in the world.

On World Cup days we had matches to watch at 3pm and 7pm. This was before we hit a run of clock changes. For the last five days we had to change our clocks back one hour each night. This was so that by the time we reached NYC we were on the same time zone. On the few days that there was no football on, we either spent time reading or went ten pin bowling. Like trying to stay on the treadmill as the boat roiled in the waves, bowling had its own challenges. You may think you have bowled a strike, until half way down, the boat rolls, and your ball ends up in the side gutter. Let me tell you, it made for a very low scoring game.

Bermuda, blocked

Each evening, when we returned to the cabin, we had a “Day at sea” itinerary. We were excitingly going to be docking in Bermuda on day 7. Except, we didn’t. The evening before, the tannoy cackled with the voice of the captain. The first time we had heard from him. This couldn’t be good.

And it wasn’t. Due to the rough crossing, and bad weather, we were unable to dock at Bermuda. Very sorry, blah, blah, blah, but we were now going to go the whole way to NYC without touching dry land. A long 9 days. This was sweetened, slightly, with every guest receiving $200 credit to use on the boat. Vik took the opportunity to get a manicure. With my nails already in excellent condition I bought a bottle of single malt whisky.

Sailing up the Hudson

Our experience of crossing the Atlantic turned out to be long, and memorable. Some days, when I couldn’t stand up straight as I was walking to dinner, I cursed the day we boarded. Other days, sipping my regular whisky nightcaps, I marvelled at the simplicity of it all. The routine. The confines of the boat. The same faces, day after day. There is comfort in routine, and for the last nine days we hadn’t had to find a hotel, book a train, or search high and low for a good evening meal.

So, as we woke on that final morning, with views of New York City, we asked each other, “would you do another cruise?”

“Absolutely not”, we both replied. But then, as the last week has shown us, life has a funny way of turning out. And, I do love an Irish coffee.

Laos, the missing jigsaw piece

I first visited Southeast Asia way back in 1994. I can scarcely believe this is now almost 30 years ago. How young and naive I must have been. Over the years, hopefully a little bit wiser, and definitely older, I have been back numerous times. 

And yet, there was always a piece of the jigsaw missing. A piece that I could never seem to find no matter how hard I tried. With this in mind, as we embarked on our big travel sabbatical, I knew that this was my opportunity to complete my Southeast Asian jigsaw. This time I was going to Laos. 

The Peoples Democratic Republic of Laos

The Peoples Democratic Republic of Laos is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. Bordered by Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. I had travelled fairly extensively through all these neighbouring countries and never once ventured into Laos. How remiss of me.

As our small propeller plane from Bangkok had wheels down in Vientiane there was a slight sense of relief and a smile on my face. I was finally in Laos and in the 49th country that I have travelled to in my wanderlust years. 

The capital, Vientiane, is described as sleepy. I would say this is an understatement. Walking from our hotel, that first morning, and into town I could count the number of travellers on one hand. Where is everyone, I thought. And why are the streets so quiet. Possibly the quietest capital city I have ever been to. I had expected a buzz. Busy cafes. Street side tour operators selling you bus and flight tickets, much like you see almost everywhere in Southeast Asia. 

Yet, there was none of this. We strolled to the river front, taking in the views of nearby Thailand across the river. Ambling along the river it felt as though the town was deserted. What were we going to do for the next couple of days?

Finding excellent craft beer in Vientiane

When you travel you find that life finds its rhythm. Wherever you are you adapt. And so it was in Vientiane. We slowed down and mirrored the pace of life. We did find an excellent brewery. Incongruously situated quite a long walk from the centre of town, on a main road, and amongst a strip of run down shops. Following the blue dot on Google Maps I did think there must be a mistake, but eventually, set back from the road, we found it. 

Core Beer is a very new, very modern building that houses a brewery. A brewery much like the excellent ones we are blessed with in Western Australia. A cavernous place, and yet we were the only customers. Ordering two, excellent pale ales, I mused at how the young man working there filled his day. Much like everyone else in Southeast Asia, it turned out. Glued to his mobile phone. The beer was excellent and priced accordingly. Much more expensive than our new local drink, BeerLao, which cost about 11,000 kip each. Which equates to approx 97 cents, or 54 pence.

Our days in Vientiane were brightened up by food. We afforded ourselves a well earned break from the monotony of rice every day. Whilst in Vientiane, our dinners were an excellent pizza, from an Italian chef, and on the second night a tasty Indian curry, that cost us pennies. Finding good food for dinner becomes a mission after you have experienced the hotel breakfasts in Asia. Some are a lot worse than others and the one at S2 Modern Hotel in Vientiane left a lot to be desired. 

Not tubing in Vang Vieng

Moving on from Vientiane we headed to Vang Vieng by minibus. On a trip that used to take many hours, the new Laos-China expressway reduces this considerably. Less than two hours after leaving the capital we had arrived and were trundling our bags to Jasmine hotel. When you are travelling on a budget, the Jasmine hotel is the sort of hotel you end up at. 

On the way to the hotel my spirits immediately lifted. Vang Vieng had the vibe that was missing in Vientiane. Lots of travellers wandering about. Cafes full of digital nomads on their laptops, and first time travellers updating their travel journals. It did appear that the demographic was about 30 years younger than me. If you can’t beat them, join them. Due to a scheduling issue, which I’ll touch on later, we were only here for two nights but would have happily extended. The Jasmine hotel was friendly, and if we look past the free breakfast, the balcony that provided us with amazing sunset views would have been enough to keep us in town.

Vang Vieng gained notoriety for the “tubing” activities that backpackers flocked here for. After a few deaths, and many near misses, the government clamped down heavily on this in 2012. Plying young people with alcohol and sending them down a fast flowing river on an inner tube suddenly seemed like a very bad idea. 

Diversification followed and now Vang Vieng is a hub for many activities such as hot air ballooning. Cycling. Rock climbing. Kayaking. And still a bit of tubing, of the more sober variety. The tourist numbers that dwindled after the 2012 tubing clampdown have started climbing again and once more there are new hotels being built to accommodate them. 

A Thai German serving schnitzels in Laos

There are some great food options in Vang Vieng and over the two nights we had a good Thai meal, and a schnitzel. A very good schnitzel I might add. From a Thai gentleman who had spent time in Germany and brought the schnitzel to Laos. His “restaurant” was simply his front garden, and his “kitchen” was a simple outside stove, but the schnitzel and potatoes he cooked up were delicious. If you do find yourself in Vang Vieng be sure to look up Viman, the Thai German. 

Luang Prabang

After Vang Vieng we were off to Luang Prabang. By bus. Or so we thought. When the young man on reception at the Jasmine told us the road was unsealed and it could take up to 7 hours to get there, we agreed with him that the train would be a much better option. 

The Chinese had recently finished building a train line from Laos to China and we were going to be one of the first to try it out. I had hoped to be on the bullet train that I saw advertised everywhere. Alas, we weren’t. However, the train was still very new, very busy, and fast. We were in Luang Prabang in under 2 hours. Met outside the oversize train station (as part of the train line the Chinese had built brand new, enormous train stations) by dozens of white minivans, to transport us all the 20 minutes into Luang Prabang town. 

Luang Prabang turned out to be one of my favourite places in Southeast Asia. Small. Friendly. And full of Buddhist temples. There is a peace and serenity to the town that holds a stillness. It helped that we were in a beautiful hotel. After the S2 in Vientiane and the Jasmine in Vang Vieng we slightly increased the travel budget got a whole lot more quality. 

Parasol Blanc hotel in Luang Prabang

Parasol Blanc was welcoming. And stylish. Set in large leafy grounds with a swimming pool and a breakfast area located in the middle of a UNESCO protected lotus pond. Talking of the breakfast, it was excellent. We even had a menu of options to choose from, all freshly prepared by the Indian chef who popped out each morning to have a chat. 

In Luang Prabang we strolled along the Mekong River, having a lazy lunch whilst watching the longtail boats sail past. We visited many of the beautiful Buddhist temples. One day we hired an electric scooter, my first time riding one, and visited the Kuang Si waterfalls, having a refreshing swim in the gorgeous pools. Kuang Si waterfalls are a must visit, it is such a beautiful area. On the way back to Luang Prabang, fretting slightly over the remaining battery life of the scooter (it turns out “range anxiety” is real), we stopped for lunch at a stunning location. Set amongst rice paddie fields, and very reminiscent of Bali, we had a simple and delicious lunch.

Importantly, after a lot of travel, we had some down time. Lazing around the hotel pool and having a cool dip. Being the only ones around the pool it felt like we were in our own private villa. We swam. Read. And I took the opportunity to catch up on the travel blog. 

Trekking with elephants at MandaLao Elephant Conservation Park

However, the highlight of our stay in Luang Prabang, and quite possibly of the whole trip through Southeast Asia was the day we spent at MandaLao Elephant Conservation park. Reading about this a few weeks ago we knew we had to visit. And when we booked, the only day that was available to us meant we would have to cut short an earlier part of the trip by a day. Hence the two days only in Vang Vieng.

To say it was worth the sacrifice would be an understatement. We had a full day trekking with two beautiful elephants. MandaLao work to provide elephant friendly interactions and their elephants, they have 10, have been rescued from terrible conditions. Either from logging factories or from the very outdated, and very harmful elephant camps that still allow the practice of riding the elephants.

As we now know, this causes irreversible damage to the spines of the elephants, not to mention the emotional trauma they are surely being put through. There is no riding at MandaLao. No chains. Just freedom to roam, and hundreds of bananas. The team work hard to educate the other elephant camps in Laos but elephants are so ingrained in the culture of this small Southeast Asian country that it will take a generation or two to change the mindest.

I was sad to leave Luang Prabang and sad to be leaving Laos. The country is truly beautiful. It feels a lot more rustic than its neighbours. And even though there are a lot of travellers, the numbers are a lot lower than other places we have visited. This is good. This helps retain a little of its “undiscovered” charm. Long may Laos remain this way.

Whilst tinged with sadness at leaving Laos, we were both very excited to get back to a country we have visited previously. The Land of Smiles. And fabulous food. Thailand would soon be country 21 of our world trip.

Heading south from Chiang Mai to Phuket

We loved our time in Chiang Mai. Our first visit and we were really impressed. Now, we were headed to a place that Time Magazine had just announced is in their “Top 50 Places in the World” list. Our second from this list, after visiting the beguiling Luang Prabang in Laos. Our short flight from Chiang Mai would have us landing in the pearl of Thailand.

Phuket is Thailand’s largest, and undoubtedly, most popular island. Who knew it was so popular with Russians escaping from the mess and turmoil that Putin has inflicted upon them? Russians visit Phuket in larger numbers than any other visiting visitors, and I read that many are now simply out staying their visas, and not returning to Russia. Their presence is felt in Phuket, from the menus that are translated from Thai into Russian, to the property signs that are enticing them to put down roots in Phuket.

Pool Life at T-Villa in Phuket

We didn’t plan to put down roots but we were staying on Phuket for six nights and we chose to stay at T-Villa. Only 10 minutes from Phuket Airport, we had a poolside villa and we were only a short walk from Nai Yang beach. It sounded like the perfect proposition. And so it proved to be. Lazy mornings at the beach. Chilled afternoons in the pool by the villa. And great evenings eating, barefoot, on the beach.  We have previously shared our love for Thai food and we were spoilt for choice. I even got a freshly prepared mango sticky rice. Oh my, it was so delicious.

We hired a scooter for a couple of days and headed down the busy, and smoggy, highway to Phuket old town, a ride of some 45 minutes. The town is in great shape. Some enterprising locals have revitalised many of the old shophouses and they now house excellent coffee shops and restaurants. The buildings are bright, colourful, and exude character. And, most importantly, serve great coffee.

Taking advantage of having the scooter we also explored some of the beaches that hug this wonderful coastline. Banana Beach was once a bit of a secret but the amount of scooters parked at the top of the hill told me that the cat was now firmly out of the bag. Nai Thon beach was a great place to park up and have lunch by the side of the ocean. Once we had made sense of the Russian menu.

The Boxing Day tsunami

It was hard to leave Phuket. It is a wonderful place to visit. But we had a minivan booked to take us a couple of hours up the coast. We left the island of Phuket and headed to the small town of Khao Lak. A town that has seen unimaginable disaster. On Boxing Day in 2004, an earthquake in Sumatra, Indonesia, caused a tsunami that affected many Indian Ocean countries. The full death count is estimated to be in the range of 250,000 lives. Khao Lak, a very small community, suffered immensely. Official estimates are that approximately 4000 people lost their lives. Unofficial estimates have the figure much higher, around 10,000, as there were many undocumented Burmese migrants who disappeared.

The community of Khao Lak has recovered and is once again thriving, with many beachside resorts catering for high numbers of tourists. We had a hotel by the beach, and once again we quickly settled into a slow pace of life. Leisurely morning breakfast and coffee, strolls along the beach, and then the days spent reading around the pool. I may have even experienced my first ever water slide, much to the surprise of an incredulous Victoria. I can’t recall having been on one in the past. Whilst it wasn’t the largest water slide in the world, it gave me great enjoyment. I felt 50 years old again.

Having fun with the locals

I also get great enjoyment from interacting with the locals. As a tourist in Asia you soon get used to the refrain of “where are you from?” When I replied that we live in Australia, all we got back, every time, was “G’day, mate, got any kangaroos?” Victoria, tiring of the fake Aussie accents, tried something new one day, wondering what the locals would reply if we said England. It may seem dated to our younger readers, but we got the reply of “lovely, jubbly.” Who knew Only Fools and Horses was so popular in Asia?

Krabi town was our next port of call. And it wasn’t as we expected, which often happens when travelling. I had images of a town like Chiang Mai in my mind. And we got somewhere a lot more like Vientiane, Laos. Krabi was not as vibrant as we expected. That said, after a few days exploring we did find things to love about it. And, something we definitely didn’t.

On a relaxing stroll through the mangrove forest we came across a group of small monkeys. They scattered, peacefully, when we were on the way in to the forest. This was probably their strategy. Because, when we tried to leave, things got nasty. It appears they had appointed a “bouncer” and this piece of work was determined not to let us pass. Now, I have heard these tales of unfriendly swans, and I am sure a big duck can be quite scary. But wait until you have faced off with a troop of snarling, teeth baring, monkeys, lunging at you. I had to use my water bottle as a sword to fight them off. There was no way out. We were trapped. Thankfully, we walked deeper into the forest and found a path, which took us through a small village, and back to the main road.

Much friendlier was the “9th House” guesthouse. A simple, clean place on the edge of town. Nearby we discovered Much & Mellow, serving some excellent coffee, and even better pain au chocolats. The Friday night markets provided us with some great fun, having a range of street food for dinner, and watching the local musicians whilst we sipped our cold beers. As with a lot of places around the world, Thailand has legalised cannabis, and it is hard to avoid the unmistakable whiff of people smoking joints. I am not sure whether it was the buzz off the happy hour beers, or from second hand cannabis smoke, but we had a great evening.

One of the highlights of any stay in Krabi is getting a long boat to Railay Beach. Only a 15 minute ride from the town of Ao Nang, Railay Beach is quite stunning, if somewhat crowded. A victim of its own success. 

Koh Phi Phi island, both of them

As we moved on we were to visit another such place. Phi Phi island is a small, dumbbell shaped island that is now overrun with development. So much so that the small island struggles to manage the waste of sewerage that so many visitors produce. We visited the island, Phi Phi Don, on a snorkelling trip and a quick walk around the island rubber stamped our decision not to stay on the island. The pungent stench of sewerage is pervasive. 

If it is good enough for Leo Di Caprio…

It was whilst being based on the island of Koh Lanta that we did the snorkelling trip. We got to visit the smaller of the Phi Phi islands, Lee. Lee is home to Maya Bay, made famous by the film, “The Beach”, starring Leo Di Caprio. At one time so overrun with tourists, it was closed down for a period and is open once again, under rather strict measures. Swimming in the bay is no longer allowed and is policed by over zealous guards tooting their shrill whistles continuously. Mooring the boat off the island did allow for Victoria to indulge in her great passion for snorkelling. Back on dry land, later in the day, she also got to indulge in another passion. She had a Thai massage, despite claiming beforehand she wouldn’t due to the pain they put you under. Bending you in two and cracking every knuckle in her body.

Koh Lanta is yet another great island and place to stay in Thailand. We had a rather rustic bungalow for four nights, managed by the very friendly Ron. The bungalows were set around a small pool and were located in a prime beachfront location. We settled into a rhythm rather easily. Morning walks, barefoot, along the beach. Breakfast. Then a spot of relaxing in the sun catching up on our books, or the latest podcasts we had downloaded. Life was tough for a while.

Koh Lipe, the Thai Maldives

Things continued in the same vein on the island of Koh Lipe, a 3 hour boat ride from Koh Lanta. We spent a little more on our accommodation, staying at the excellent Ananya resort. For the 83rd bed of the whole trip we thought we deserved some comfort. Koh Lipe is a tiny island. Referred to as the “Maldives of Thailand”. I haven’t been to the Maldives, but if it is anything like Koh Lipe, I am up for a visit.

For such a small island it certainly packs in bags of charm, and many great places to eat and drink. As with all the west coast of Thailand, one of the simple pleasures is getting a sundowner on the beach.

Koh Lipe was our last stop on what has been an outstanding trip through Thailand. You have probably gathered that we enjoyed slowing down. Long walks on the beach. And drinks watching the sunset. Believe me, Thailand is hard place to leave, emotionally.

Onto Malaysia, country number 22

Physically leaving was easier. Passing through passport control, literally a hut on the beach, we boarded the boat to Langkawi Island in Malaysia. From the makeshift jetty on the beach, all our bags got crammed on a long tail boat. It looked as though it would sink under the weight and me wondering whether we would ever see them again when we arrived in Malaysia 

A land of contrasts

Good day to you all. How have we been keeping since we last spoke? I suppose much of this depends on where in the world you are reading from. Our Southern Hemisphere readers have been warming up nicely as we count down to the festive season. And “oop North”? A lot chillier, I imagine. Seeing all the bobble hats and gloves at the Premier League just gives me the shivers.

To escape the thoughts of any shivers, we have been exploring more of WA. Somewhere that is a firm favourite for us (and thousands of others), and somewhere new for us. Last time we spoke I was writing about The Wheatbelt and Margaret River.

Rottnest Island

Today, we explore Rottnest Island and Ferguson Valley, two places that could not be much different to each other. Our visit to “Rotto” was to celebrate Mrs C’s birthday. Everybody who knows the island will not be able to think of it without bringing to mind small, little, furry marsupials. Quokkas have become world famous as everyone from me and Victoria, to Rafael Nadal attempt to get a selfie with them. Here is a shot from a trip a few years ago…

The Land of the Quokkas

When we first started visting Rottnest the quokkas were quite elusive and we had to cycle deep into the island to catch a glimpse. Over the years, this has changed a lot and now they meet you off the ferry and offer to carry your bags for you. OK, maybe that is stretching the truth a bit, but they are now ubiqitous and are very relaxed around humans. I did honestly see one eating a fried chicken drumstick. I am not sure what that will be doing to her tiny insides.

With the only traffic on Rottnest being the tourist bus, and having no natural predators on the island, quokkas are free to roam and basically do as they please. Which usually means running around your feet as you munch on your fish and chips in the pub.

Rottnest by (e)Bike

To burn off lunch, the absolute best way to see Rottnest is by bicycle. But not any old bicycle. On Victoria’s first visit to the island I told her, (which I thought was true from memory), that the island is relatively flat, and a normal push iron would do the trick. Well, it did. Until the first hill. And then the second. And third, fourth, and…

You get the picture. It wasn’t as flat as I remembered, and learning from that experience, we always hire electric bikes now. What a difference. Effortlessly gliding up the hills, and free wheeling down, the whole island is now your oyster.

An island that has to be seen to be believed. Imagine beaches and a sea that would only look real in a painting. Even that does not really do it justice. It is breathtaking. Perfect bays, secluded beaches, and a cobalt blue sea that looks very inviting. Inviting that is until you dip your toes in it. Even as warm as the day was, I was not ready to start experimenting with the Wim Hof method.

Sundowners on the Island

What I was happy to experiment with was the Happy Hour. There are not many things in life better than sat on a comfortabe seat, on the beach, sand in your toes, cold drink in hand as the sun sets. It is a gift that never gets old. A gift that gives you a pause for thought, to remind yourself to be grateful for this amazing planet.

We had two nights on Rottnest, once again staying at the exquisite Hotel Samphire. Two nights is never enough, but we can console ourselves that we are only a 30 minute ferry ride away. An island on our doorstep that always leaves you feeling you have been on an actual holiday. We will be back over in early 2024, showcasing the island to our visitors from the UK. When did you last ride a bike, Jane?

From Sand to the South West

In a land of contrasts, there is no contrast quiet as big as the island life of Rottnest, and the rural life of South West Australia. We were headed somewhere new for us. Described by a friend as a “small Margaret River”, we were very excisted to explore. Once again, Victoria hit the jackpot in finding us accommodation. We had two nights in “Minnie”, an off grid cabin on Skating Goose Farm.

I would have been happy just to sit on the deck with a bottle of wine, and follow the arc of the sun across the summer sky.

Wine Tasting in the Ferguson Valley

The bottle of wine would have to wait, we had wine tastings to explore. And we had some great wine tastings. The vineyards and wineries we visited were excellent. And busy. Driving around the quiet roads of Ferguson Valley, through towns such as Dardanup, you could be excused for thinking you were the only ones there. Where is everyone, you ask yourself? And then you arrive at a cellar door.

Ah, this is where everyone is. We braced ourselves for the inevitable question, “have you got a booking?” And we weren’t disppointed. We had no booking, but at Green Door wines we managed to get the only unreserved table for a lunch platter and a wine tasting.

Our second tasting was at Willow Bridge, just up the road. This was quieter, with us being the only visitors. I think Jules on the cellar door was just glad to have someone to talk to. We tasted the whole range of wines, with me being the designated “spitter”, as I was the skipper for the day.

In wine country, you will see signs asking “who is the skipper?”, conscious that when wine tasting it is all too easy to drink more than you should when driving. So, using the spitton, I was able to fully taste all the wines, without drinking them. Victoria seemed to be enjoying herself, and one hour turned into two as we were supplied with wine, and regaled with stories from Jules. She was hilarious.

Back for BBQ

Maybe it was a ploy by Jules, to ply Victoria with wine, so she purchased a few bottles. What Jules did not know was, Victoria will buy wines, regardless of whether she has been drinking, and we subsequently left with a box of 6 excellent wines.

On the way back to the cabin we called in at Wild Bull brewery and had a middy of craft beer each. I love these local breweries that you find in the country. Always so rustic. So welcoming. And a great range of craft beers. Wild Bull was no exception. But, one beer was all we could allow ourselves as we had a t-bone at home, waiting to be barbecued.

Gnomesville, Seriously

Can you imagine a tourist attraction that is just thousands of gnomes by the side of the road? In Ferguson Valley, Gnomesville is an actual place, signposted all over the valley for tourists. What started out as a bit of fun, and one gnome, has become one of Australia’s top 100 tourist attractions. I am not sure whether this is weird for Australia, or weird for the tourists. It has to be seen to be believed. Thousands of gnomes, brought from all over the world, all keeping themselves company in the forest. Some even have their own homes!

Farewell to Ferguson Valley

Like all good trips, this one was over way too soon. Two nights were a great taster of what the Valley has to offer and we are sure to be back. Before heading home we called into St Aidan’s winery for a tasting. That we got there at 10.59am, before they were even open, turned out to be a master stroke. Again, without a booking, there were few tables left. We sat by the window and as we waited for our wines, the cellar door soon filled up. Where do all these people come from?

The drive back to Perth was via Brugan Brewery, another new one for us, for a classic pub lunch of chicken parmi for me and chicken schnitty for Victoria. A great way to round out a great weekend.