Travel Inspo

“That’s Your Bloomin’ Lot” – A Visit to the Tasmanian Community Food Garden

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Blooming artichokes at Tasmanian Community Food GardenFriday night free-to-air television viewing in Australia features the usual reality TV shows, football or cricket matches (depending on the season) and endless repeats of American sitcoms and B-grade movies. The only bright spot for the horticulturally-inclined is Gardening Australia on ABC TV.

I do admit to finding these and other home/lifestyle shows to be incredibly frustrating as everything is so effortless and perfect. I can assure you there is nothing perfect about my house and garden and it takes a fair bit of effort to even achieve an imperfect state.

Despite that, I do admire the conversation generated by Gardening Australia, especially around the importance of backyard vegetable gardens and fruit orchards. Hence my desire to visit Pete’s Patch, also known as the Tasmanian Community Food Garden, at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens.

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A Deeper, Dustier Visit to Silverton, Outback NSW.

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I have enjoyed a couple of work-related flying visits to the iconic outback village of Silverton and when the opportunity arose to return as a ‘proper’ tourist, I couldn’t resist.

Even though Silverton is tiny and officially in the Middle of Nowhere, it delivers history, scenery and serenity in spades.

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The Camino Story. What’s it all about?

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A tile representing the shell logo of camino de santiagoThe popularity of walking a camino has gone through the roof over the past five years or so.

What is it, you may ask, and what is the attraction?

In this post I want to tell the camino story. The Who, What, Where, When, Why and How of the crazy passion for tying on your walking shoes, pulling on a backpack and strolling across Spain.

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A Wild and Wonderful Boat Ride Down the Tasman Coastline

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I know boat trips and cruises aren’t everyone’s thing, but in my humble opinion, there is no better way to blow the cobwebs out than to scoot down the stunning Tasman coastline, with the sea air pummelling your senses under sparkling blue skies.

Come with me as I step aboard a Pennicott Wilderness Journeys boat for a truly remarkable day out.

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The How, What, When, and Why of Walking the Italian Via Francigena

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A large bronze sculpture of a horse in Piacenza
Sculpture, Italian-style…

I was tempted to call this post “All You Need to Know About Walking the Italian Via Francigena”. However as we are all individuals, no doubt we all have quite different experiences of walking 1000km through Italy. Instead, this post has a more modest title.

Modesty aside, what I hope this post does achieve is a comprehensive summary of the planning, the actual experience on a day-to-day basis, and then the obligatory post-walk reflections. I also hope it saves you a bit of legwork as you tackle you own planning.

Ciao…

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A Quick Trip to Macquarie Island, Antarctic Region

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Apologies. That is a very deceptive title.

I wish I had enjoyed a quick trip to the snowy Antarctic.

Instead, I stepped through a set of vacuum-sealed doors into the fascinating Subantarctic Plant House at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens.

I don’t know about you, but when I picture subantarctic anything the last thing I think about is plant life. All I imagine is endless snow, blasting wind and horizontal sleet. But, No.

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Fat, Fifty & Flabby? How fit do you have to be to walk a Camino in Spain?

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A long, straight road on the camino via de la plata in Spain
A long hot road on the camino Via de la Plata

There’s a whole lot of mythology out there about walking a camino in Spain.

To you, it may appear to be an attractive romantic notion – out there strolling across the Spanish countryside, breathing in that fresh country air and restoring yourself at the end of each day with copious quantities of vino tinto.

It may also seem to be something well out of your comfort zone and far above your fitness levels.

But, No!

This post will remove some of the mystique and hopefully a few barriers stopping you lacing up your walking shoes and joining the friendly flow of folk on their way to Santiago de Compostela.

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Everything You Need to Know About Mona, Hobart Tasmania

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Art at MONA, Hobart TasmaniaLove it or hate it the Museum of Old + New Art, affectionately known as Mona, is a must-see.

It is shocking.

It is thought-provoking.

It makes you smile and grimace in equal parts, and it’s a mind boggling inclusion in any visit to Tasmania.

Here are the nuts of bolts of how to make the most of Mona…

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Movie Review: The Way – Does it Really Show What it is Like to Walk a Camino?

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Silhouette of a bull against a cloudy blue sky in Spain
Only in Spain…

It took a particularly wet and miserable Autumn day to keep me inside. As a rule I love rainy days as they happen so rarely in Australia and it was the perfect excuse to dust off my well-loved copy of the movie, The Way.

I put my hand up and admit that this is possibly my sixth or seventh viewing of The Way so obviously I am a bit of a fan. It never fails to create a sense of wanderlust and the urge to walk out my back door and just keep going.

But, how accurate is it? Does it really portray the highs and lows of walking the Camino Frances to Santiago de Compostela in north-west Spain? Or is it all glossed over with a thick layer of Hollywood schmaltz?

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“We’re Here for the Beer” – Research at the Cascade Brewery Co, Hobart Tasmania

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I need to be clear from the outset that I am prepared to go to any lengths to research interesting places for you, dear Reader.

If that means learning the finer points of beer-making and then tasting the output, I am definitely ready to put in the hard yards.

It may be early in the day here, but somewhere in the World it is a very appropriate beverage time to step through the doors of the historic Cascade Brewery in Hobart.

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Walking through history in Broken Hill

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When visiting Outback Australia on the cusp of Summer, it pays to get outside early and then disappear inside under an air conditioner for the rest of the day.

That was our plan when we signed up for the Broken Hill Heritage Walk Tour.

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Bringing History to Life – the Cascades Female Factory, Hobart

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History sometimes earns the reputation of being dry, dull and boring. I put my hand up as a bit of a history-lover so I tend to look for everything good in any history talk or presentation.

You certainly don’t have to worry about being bored when you take part in the Her Story presentation at the Cascades Female Factory in Hobart.

Walk with me and Mary James and listen to her story…

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5 Walking Books to Inspire You to Pull on Your Backpack and Walk Out the Front Door

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Just because we can’t physically travel at the moment doesn’t mean we stop dreaming of travel and planning our next adventure.

What it does mean is that we can walk in the footsteps of others, all from the safety and comfort of our cosy armchair.

Here are five tantalising travel books to inspire and deliver a solid case of both envy and admiration.

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Why Go to White Cliffs?

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A very good question and one I asked myself continually during our 17-hour visit.

White Cliffs, in Outback NSW, is located approximately 1 020km West of Sydney and 268km North East of Broken Hill. When we jumped in the car in Broken Hill to head towards our destination it was already 34°C and leapt to 38°C in three minutes and it was only 938am!

We were in for a long day…

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Salamanca Market, Hobart – Shop ‘til you drop!

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Freshest Tasmanian apples at the Salamanca MarketsWhen you are heading down Hobart way, there are at least two must-see places:

  1. Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) and
  2. Salamanca Market.

Salamanca is an area set slightly back from Hobart’s waterfront and wharf area. Its backdrop is a row of stunning old sandstone warehouses and on Saturday mornings, the foreground is chockful of market stalls.

Feel like a piece of chewy biltong? Want to buy some new socks?

Or how about a taste of the freshest and sweetest natural honey?

Then get yourself to the Salamanca Market…

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Review: Free Walking Tour, Hobart

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Our guide’s jeans were ripped and torn, and her eye shadow matched the hot-pink of her t-shirt. The fact that the fly of her torn jeans was completely open also did not add to her credibility.

What had we got ourselves into?

At least it was a gorgeous, blue sky day to set out to explore the streets of historic Hobart.

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Green Thumb Inspiration in Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, Hobart

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A wooden sculpture of a man with a hoe at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical GardensI am a bit partial to wanders through lush, green spaces and nothing fits the bill better than a visit to the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens on the edge of the Hobart CBD.

The gardens are one of Australia’s oldest, established in the early years of the colony over 200 years ago. While it may not be the size and scale of more famous gardens, it has a variety and beauty that makes for a very enjoyable couple of hours or a longer day out.

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Get Your Rainbow On in Outback Australia

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When you think of Outback Australia, you may think of wide open spaces, searing heat, endless miles of nothingness and dust. Lots of dust.

What may not immediately spring to mind is big hair, sparkly sequins and endless rainbows of feather boas.

That’s until you step through the front door of The Palace Hotel in Broken Hill.

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Menindee – Exploring Small Towns in Remote New South Wales

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Menindee? Where’s that? I hear you ask.

Head West out of Sydney. West over the Blue Mountains. West through Dubbo and past Cobar until you nearly drive into Wilcannia. So far you are a mere 960km from the Sydney Opera House.

Turn left on a dusty, bumpy dirt road and head south-west from Wilcannia and after about 160 dry, sandy kilometres, with any luck you will hit the tar again and be enjoying the bright lights of the thriving metropolis of Menindee. Population 551 (on a good day).

Your next question, “Why on Earth would you want to visit Menindee?”

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In the Outback & Up to My Armpits in Art

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Broken Hill is located around 1 150km west of Sydney and 520km from Adelaide and is officially in the middle of Nowhere! Despite its remote location, the city does have a fascinating history (which I will share in a later post) and its other huge selling point is the depth and diversity of artistic talent.

Here is a small taste of the 27 art galleries that can be found in, and around, Broken Hill.

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Hitting the Road to the Australian Outback

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When I am traveling overseas and I tell people that I live in rural New South Wales, they immediately assume that I come from Outback Australia.

Not by a long shot!

This is what Outback Australia really looks like…

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The Camino Less Travelled in Spain – Camino San Salvador

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Walk Eat Sleep RepeatThis post discusses the next main path I will be stepping out on when I head to Spain in May 2020.

First will be the Camino Madrid starting from Madrid and second will be the Camino San Salvador from Leon.

Here is what I have found out about this little travelled path.

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What is your Gintelligence level?

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For us southern hemisphere dwellers Spring is here and Summer is threatening just around the corner. As soon as the weather warms my thoughts go to lazy BBQs and outdoor dining, and something cool and refreshing in my hand.

When I saw the promotion for a local ‘Gintelligence’ class, I thought that this was definitely something I needed to learn more about. Who knew that getting educated could be so much fun?

With a fellow gin-lover by my side, we rolled up our sleeves and poured ourselves into the history of gin.

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Women can be adventurous too, even in the olden days…

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Book Title: The Valley of the Assassins And Other Persian Travels

Author: Freya Stark

Front Cover of The Valley of Assassins book by Freya Stark
Source: penguinrandomhouse.com

Promotional Blurb: Hailed as a classic upon its first publication in 1934, The Valleys of the Assassins firmly established Freya Stark as one of her generation’s most intrepid explorers. The book chronicles her travels into Luristan, the mountainous terrain nestled between Iraq and present-day Iran, often with only a single guide and on a shoestring budget.

 Stark writes engagingly of the nomadic peoples who inhabit the region’s valleys and brings to life the stories of the ancient kingdoms of the Middle East, including that of the Lords of Alamut, a band of hashish-eating terrorists whose stronghold in the Elburz Mountains Stark was the first to document for the Royal Geographical Society.

 Her account is at once a highly readable travel narrative and a richly drawn, sympathetic portrait of a people told from their own compelling point of view. Source  Continue reading →

How did I not know about Kiama, South Coast NSW?

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Growing up on a farm, when things were good and the seasons were kind, we would escape to the beach for a dose of salty sea air and sand between our toes. Invariably the road would take us North to the North Coast of New South Wales (NSW) or even further north into the glitz and bling of Queensland’s Gold Coast.

It is only now that I start to discover the gems I missed out on tucked away on the South Coast of NSW.

Introducing…Kiama.

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Is this the World’s Most Beautiful Bookstore?

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Walking into Porto on the Camino Portuguese, I instantly fell in love with the city. A trip to the stunning Livraria Lello bookstore tipped me right over the edge.

It seems ridiculous to fall in love with a building and its content, but I did, and I encourage you to include this store on your itinerary if you are heading over to Portugal.

Introducing…Livraria Lello.

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Exploring the Sydney Coastline – Bondi to Manly Path – Stage 3

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As the title says, this post describes the third section of the Bondi Beach to Manly route, this time from Rose Bay to Darling Point. As this stage was my third for the day, I actually cut it a bit short as after +25km, the ol’ legs were starting to protest.

Interested in more stunning views of Sydney and palatial homes?

Then read on…

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Exploring the Sydney Coastline – Bondi to Manly Path – Stage 1

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There is no better way to explore a city than on two feet. It gets even better when it is a sparkling Winter’s day and you have no time pressure to do anything other than stroll in the sunshine.

Welcome to the Bondi to Manly Walk.

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Airline Review – Singapore Airlines

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Flying is stressful!

As much as I get excited about each and every trip, there is always that feeling of controlled chaos at the airport check-in and the bun-rush to get the ‘best’ seat, and get rid of your luggage.

It couldn’t have been more different with Singapore Airlines.

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Webjet Deals – Are They Too Good To Be True?

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You may have seen the print and other ads for the Webjet tour business and wondered if they were too good to be true. The prices seem incredibly low and chockful of meals, entrance tickets and other add-ons, making you wonder, ‘how can they do it’?

Well, they can AND it is well worth doing…

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