JulieReganAdventures

JulieReganAdventures

Regan and I make it our mission to have as many adventures as possible, even if it is just a weekend camping at a local park. Read more🇦🇺Melbourne

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Christmas Holiday 2019 Traveler
Shepparton to home
January 4, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
Luckily the severe heat reduced overnight. We still awoke to 23 degrees and it increased fast to 28 by the time we hitched up and departed just after 9am. The day was heading into the 40’s so thought it best that we get away early. Traffic back to Melbourne was less than expected so made good time. Mainly dual carriageway freeways until we took a backroad and met up with Julie from Timaru for brunch. Only another hour or so back to Melbourne to sadly unpack and clean up.

Overall our trip was uneventful as we were always at least a day ahead of any bushfires. Taking notice of the official warnings was good for us and most of our fellow travellers. The heat day after day was hard work and draining. Our trip was of course a test for us and our rig to see what is practical with respect to comfortable distances and making sure we allow time to stop and see the sights.Read more
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Christmas Holiday 2019 Traveler
Wagga to Shepparton
January 3, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C
Once again we woke to bushfire smoke. Temperature was forecast to hit 39 right through our trip today. Had a 300km trip staying off the main highway and the predicted traffic due to holidaymakers heading home earlier.

Heading west was a good move away from smoke and traffic. Went through small towns which feed the local areas. Wherever we went the bush flies were with us. We spend most of our time doing the “Aussie wave” trying to shoo them away. They are really persistent and have little respect for us trying to swat them. I now realise that corks on hats are a brilliant idea but we would probably get laughed out of town if we wore them. Julie had another drive along a very narrow and isolated road. These back roads really tested the suspension and us. It was a hard drive and slowed us somewhat due to lack of comfort.

Stopped for lunch on the Murray river at Barooga then a quick coffee stop at Cobram. Walking the town in 37 degrees isn’t much fun.
Got to Shepparton around 3pm and set up in 37 degrees before a quick trip into the cbd for groceries for our last night.

Back to camp for a swim. As always the pool was full of kids but very understandable on a day like today. The water always seems really cold compared to body temperature but very refreshing. Then back to the comfort of aircon in the caravan, constant heat is really quite draining.Read more
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Christmas Holiday 2019 Traveler
Wagga Day Two
January 2, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C
Woke up to very thick smoke so gave us a taste of what the rest of the state has been experiencing for the past month. We heard early one group of friends were safely back in Melbourne and tonight the other group we were concerned about are on the road to Canberra which is a relief.

This morning we did a bike ride around Lake Albert supposedly. You can see from the photos why we think there was a lake there. Halfway around we ran into someone who we had met in Morocco who is now a policeman in Wagga. It was lovely to catch up with him and hear some local outlook. Hi Tony! Our eyes were stinging with the smoke by the time we got back to the caravan. The air quality in Wagga today was 259ppm. Safe air quality is 50ppm.

Regan baked some awesome scones in the caravan oven for lunch. This afternoon we had some cabin fever with the smoke and 35 again so took off into town for a visit to the National Glass Art Gallery. Wagga is the home of glass in Australia evidently and work on display was amazing.

We drove up the hill to a look-out but was a bit pointless today. Back to the camp for the predictable swim and evening tipple. We watched the news and saw more communities being told to leave before it was too late this time Wagga and Tumut were the evacuation points. This evening when we were swimming we met a family who had had 3 days in the danger zone with no power and had made the call to drive out. They hope to go home on Monday but there are absolutely no guarantees. On the way back to the van we saw at least 4 other families we suspect are in the same situation, all rather confronting.

Tomorrow we are heading Melbourne way but will break the trip with a night in Shepparton. More heat predicted but hopefully less smoke hazeRead more
TravelerGet back to the city, high rises are safe I think 🤔 I like 'bit pointless' seems soooo kiwi!!!!!
1/2/20Reply
TravelerTotally agree with safe in the city, seems no where is safe currently
1/3/20Reply
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Christmas Holiday 2019 Traveler
Junee to Wagga Wagga
January 1, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
Awoke to dense smoke in Junee. The smell hit us and the view was like dusk. As we packed up and set off the day was forecast as another warm one. Only 34 degrees but it does slow down our activities. On the road to Wagga the smoke was thick but within 15 minutes we were out into a clear day. Still a light haze but nothing like the brown tinge we came from. The wind had changed direction overnight which pushed the smoke our way.
Uneventful drive as it was only 40 minutes. Got into Wagga late morning and wandered the shops for a time then set up camp. By now the temperature was hot so a quick grocery shop, a visit to the old railway station then back to the camp pool with about 10 noisy kids churning up the water.
Book reading in the shade with a drink, dinner and another swim. Nice to have a slow day.Read more
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Christmas Holiday 2019 Traveler
Tumut to Junee
December 31, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 37 °C
A shorter drive today. Only 100km. Had an early walk into Tumut town before breakfast and before the temperature climbed into the 30’s.
One of the motels had multiple fire trucks parked outside. A reminder that there is a large bushfire 30 km away. 54000 hectares and still out of control. Luckily we are upwind from it so quite safe.

Stopped off at Gundagai which is a village that has been bypassed by the main Sydney to Melbourne highway. Some really old bridges there from the railway era. The heat was intense but we managed to walk the main street for coffees and a local craft shop.Headed to June on a back road with hardly any traffic which gave Julie the perfect opportunity to drive with 2.5 tonne of caravan. Temperatures were in mid 30’s so a leisurely trip was very uneventful.

Junee is a railway town and we got there and had to wait at the railway crossing for the Sydney to Melbourne train. We normally see this at our place in Footscray as it passes by to deliver its load to Melbourne.After setting up at the campground and a swim we headed to the supermarket for supplies and a quick drive around town. Not like us to drive but at 36 degrees it’s a safer option.

The news here is all about the bushfires and a few tragic deaths also. We were sad to see the historic Genoa bridge which we were at a few days ago has succumbed to a fire. Pics included of us there and the latest photo taken earlier today. A quiet New Year for us before we head south to Wagga Wagga tomorrow . Another swim before dark.

Happy New Year everyone. Where did that decade disappear!Read more
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Christmas Holiday 2019 Traveler
Eden to Tumut
December 30, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 37 °C
Left Eden around 9.30am for the drive north west. Took a back road through farm country as a shortcut to Cooma. Road was narrow but hardly any traffic which was relaxing for a change. As we moved inland the temperature started climbing. A big climb after Bombala really tested the Ute. Temperature was showing low 40’s and with a steep pass of about 16km to climb the engine temperature was getting high. Took our time with a couple of breaks and made it up into the Snowy country.

Stopped at Cooma for lunch with our friends Michelle and Iain who were heading back to Lake Tyers. (unfortunately as they traveled south they got blocked by bushfire then got isolated at Orbost as another fire came in behind them. They are stuck tonight with all roads closed)

The Snowy land is around 1100 to 1400metres above sea level and reminded us a lot of the Mckenzie country. Tussock and lots of lay-bys to fit snow chains. At 36 degrees we had no chains! Temperature stayed well above 30 for the whole trip and the rig had a few tests with steady uphills and a long steep downhill to test the brakes..

Arrived in Tumut at 4pm to 41 degrees and windy. Julie tried the river beside the camp which is obviously ice-fed. Regan dipped his legs and lost feeling soon after. Tonight is the aircon test as it’s still 37 degrees at 8pm. We expect more of the same in the next few days as we head to Wagga Wagga tomorrow if we can get accomodationRead more
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Christmas Holiday 2019 Traveler
Eden and Merimbula
December 29, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C
A more relaxing day at Eden Reflections campground. Considering it is a big camp and full it is really quiet after 10pm. Wakeup call is provided by the cockys about 6am. They are big birds swooping and arguing with one another. The Australian birdlife always stops us in our tracks to view. So many parrot varieties.

Decided a trip up the coast without caravan would be good so went to Merimbula for coffee with our friend Del. The town was packed with people so we were glad to get back to our more relaxed and less populated Eden. Merimbula is known for being a perfect environment to growing oysters.

A final swim in the sea with the breakers crashing in, such a good beach to go swimming (4 gentle swells to every wave that gives you some excitement). A walk after dinner through two other campgrounds and then back at camp for the last nightRead more
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Christmas Holiday 2019 Traveler
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Eden
December 28, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
So far we have had beautiful weather in Eden with the temperatures significantly improved from Lakes Entrance. Yesterday was a day of discovery we biked around Lake Curalo which is bit like an estuary. Obviously there has been no rain and the lake entrance was closed to the sea. It made things a little smelly and a whole pile of dead fish where the water had obviously become way too salty.

We then walked into the town which was a bit of an uphill climb and especially warm when the sea breeze disappeared. Not a hugely exciting little town and almost completely over run by visitors. In the afternoon I had my first swim of the holiday in the sea which was much warmer than I anticipated.

We raised a gin to my Dad who would have been 80 yesterday and had a good catch up with Mum on the phone. The humidity was up so was a lovely night to go out to the beach to check out the stars in the dark.

Today we did a beach walk before breakfast . We discovered yesterday lovely Melbourne friends Del and Pete happened to be staying just up the road in Merimbula and were able to come for lunch. Such a bonus to be able to spend some time with them and a perfect holiday lunch, couple of bottles of wine and delicious nibbles.

A storm came in while Del and Pete were here which cooled things off and gave us the perfect excuse for a little afternoon nap after they left, we have totally slipped into holiday mode.Read more
Traveler Tad wasted on the residents!!!
12/28/19Reply
Traveler Ditto, best B-I-L in the world...xx
12/28/19Reply
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Christmas Holiday 2019 Traveler
Lakes Entrance to Eden
December 26, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
We had heavy drizzle in the morning so got a bit damp packing up. We had expected heavy traffic but it was not too bad and with all Australian roads there were regular passing bays. You know it is holidays as multiple cars passed packed to the hilt and multiple bikes bouncing along at the back.

We stopped at Orbost the last real town before the border, I would suspect it has a population of a few thousand. We walked the Main Street and I had a lovely time browsing a craft collective market. I bought a pretty shoulder bag and onion jam which was delicious in our lunch sandwiches.

We then pushed on for a hundred kms to get the majority of the driving done. The road was mainly through state forests so very green but quite bumpy. Lunch was at a tiny spot called Genoa, the campers and tourists out numbered any local residents by about 40 to one (local pop estimated at 5). They had saved a lovely Central Otago summers we love.

Arrived in Eden around 3:30 and I was so excited to see we are right across the road from the beach. Was very warm setting up but we are getting it down to a fine art now, less than 30 mins. We are on an unpowered site so will be testing the solar power and all out set up throughly. Quick trip into town to pick up some supplies including cold cider and back for drinks and nibbles. Simple BBQ dinner and camp walk before dinner.

Amazing sunset, a little sad that the pink skies are due to the fires but it does make for a spectacular view.Read more
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Christmas Holiday 2019 Traveler
Christmas Day
December 24, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
Christmas Eve
We started early with a trip down to the fishing boats at 7:30am to see if we could get some prawns. The first boat had all theirs pre ordered and sent us to the co-op which supposedly had a boat unloading. After a wait for the doors to open I was lucky enough to snap up a kilo bag. More than I needed but I was not going to quibble. We decided while we were out to brave the supermarket as well. Everything done and dusted by 9am. The supermarket was sure getting busy by the time we left.

Not long after that the weather closed in and most of the day was heavy cloud and passing showers. We pretty much surrendered to holiday time and got stuck into our books. We braved a walk mid afternoon and then drove to Lake Tyers to meet some friends for a drink. We spent a very pleasant couple of hours catching up looking out to sea. Back to the van for dinner and a relatively early night.

Christmas Day
A lovely lazy morning responding to lots of messages from NZ and then a delicious breakfast. We went for a long walk into town and out to the beach and then a drive up to the lookout to get some photos of the view that took my breathe away on the day we arrived. Lunch was simple spring vegetables with steak for Regan and prawns for me (so worth the early get up). We also enjoyed a delicious sparkling Shiraz from our Christmas trip to South Australia 2 years ago.

Very lazy afternoon enjoying the sun, icecreams and Regan braved a swim. Simple tea of sandwiches I think and Regan will enjoy his family recipe trifle. We have also started to pack up as tomorrow we move to stop two at Eden. Expecting heaps of traffic so will take our time. Merry Christmas to you all from the caravan couple. XxRead more
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Christmas Holiday 2019 Traveler
Day One Lakes Entrance
December 23, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
Woke this morning after a fantastic sleep to a very smoky sky. Nice leisurely breakfast and then a walk into town to explore. There are a large number of fishing boats based here and we were too late for any prawns off the boats today. We would have to be up and at the wharf by 7:30 to be in with a shot tomorrow. So nice being right by the water though.

In the afternoon we took the bikes out and explored the North Arm which is behind the township. We avoided any hills and really enjoyed the ride. I bought some fresh duck fish for my dinner which was delicious. Later in the afternoon we both did a few caravan set up jobs and of course then it was gin o’clock again.

We christened the new BBQ with dinner and then another camp walk. There must be over a dozen camping grounds here and almost as many mini golf courses. That might be our Christmas Day entertainment.Read more
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Christmas Holiday 2019 Traveler
Christmas Holiday 2019
December 23, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
Finally the holidays arrived. Regan and I both left the office a little earlier than expected on Friday. With the temperature climbing rapidly over 40 people were advised to get on the trains early to avoid disruptions. It was 42 when I got off the train and blowing as well so was like walking into a blast furnace. The rest of the afternoon was spent getting organised for our family Christmas and packing the truck.

Saturday was a lovely day with Gareth, Jess, Ahmarni, Lola and Sonny this year coming for lunch. We took the girls to a local park in between courses for us all to try and process the first course. Sonny was rather obliging and slept through the whole event ( unfortunately that meant he was up all night!) They left about 4pm and we did the large clean up , finished the packing and headed to their place around 6pm.

I had a disaster as I was unpacking things into the van. I dropped a can of coke and it completely exploded, I was washing coke off the ceiling, cupboards and even the mattress. I suspect I will be finding dried coke in unexpected places for the whole holiday.

We left Gareth’s on Sunday morning around 11 and drove 300km to Lakes Entrance close to the VIC/NSW border. We had lunch in Traralgon which has the very impressive post office in the photos. Lunch was in the van as we have heaps of left overs to get through before we start again on Christmas Day.

As we drove into Bairnsdale you could really see the smoke from the Vic Fire about 50km away. We arrived at the camp just after 5 and were all set up and enjoying a drink before 6. We are starting to get the set up routine down pat. We did a large walk after dinner around the lagoon and out to the beach before coming back to town, was good to stretch the legs after the driving.Read more
TravelerMerry Christmas Julie and Regan love following your adventures.
12/23/19Reply
TravelerLakes entrance is awesome. We loved it.
12/23/19Reply
TravelerGreat photo, Merry Christmas to you all xxxxx
12/23/19Reply
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Leongatha Traveler
Leongatha
April 25, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
Our first opportunity to take our new caravan for a trip away. Have been having a few things not quite right in it so have already taken it back to the factory twice. Unfortunately we discovered another issue so this time we will be dropping it off at the factory on Sunday on our way home. We are in a campground which is only an hour or so from the factory so at least it's not a special trip. We also can try out all the caravan features and add any problems to the list of warranty repairs. So far we have no extras which we are pleased about as we do love our van.

We picked up the caravan from Gareth's and Jess' house as they are storing it for us then headed away and arrived at Leongatha just after the local Anzac parade had finished. The Australians do Anzac Day remembrance really well. Lots of local dawn parades and usually another later in the morning to catch the late risers. Parked up the caravan at a very small camp where the new owners have just moved from Brisbane to buy the business. A walk into the town for supplies ( coffee and milkshake) and a look around the closed shops being a public holiday. A typical small Australian town feeding the surrounding area. Friendly, a couple of pubs and an RSL. Found some local wine to try for dinner and then back to the caravan to try our first meal in our portable home.

Friday after Anzac Day was actually a work day for us both so we studiously set up our laptops and started work at 7.30am. Was a very productive day for both of us work wise. The weather helped as a large storm hit for most of the day with gales and sideways rain and very cold. No incentive to leave the warmth of our space. Had a break about 1pm for a quick trip to Vinnies thrift shop for a new book and browse. After work we drove all of 500 metres to the RSL for dinner. Rain was still coming down. Not like us to drive but it was miserable.

Saturdays weather wasn't any warmer but less rain and wind. A walk into town as it was open. We tend to support the local businesses so came back to the caravan with coffee, cake, a large mat for the caravan, and a couple of books from Vinnies ( again). Then we braved the weather and got on our bikes and headed out along the Great Southern Rail Trail to Koonwarra. Mostly downhill on the way so uphill home. Was really cold and windy so not the most enjoyable ride. Better weather would make this a great ride as the trail is well maintained.

On Sunday we woke to thick misty rain so wasn't much fun packing up the caravan. But as we left the campground the sun shone. A short drive to Wonthaggi to grab lunch which we ate at Kilcunda which is on the Bass Coast. The gusty crosswinds tested the caravan and driver as squalls of rain came off the sea. Swung by Pakenham to drop the caravan back to the factory for its final fix ( hopefully) then home before 5pm to prepare for the work week ahead.Read more
TravelerGosh, have you not posted much or have I missed you?. Van looks fabulous. A shiver wen down my back remembering our trip, the exception being a great wedding in the middle of it. LOL HOWEVER we have recently discussed hiring a camper which would be so much better for both our sanities... Your weather sounds horrendous, come on up north, short sleeves. The downside, Clive Palmer, OMG Donald Trump all over him!!!! creditors chasing him, not paying bills, buying publicity and votes, the list goes on...... Disgusting human being with the hide of a rhino..... the similarities go on and on.... Much love from us xxxxx
4/28/19Reply
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Bali Birthday Traveler
Last days
January 28, 2019 in Indonesia ⋅ 🌧 31 °C
We really struck the best weather. The forecast for Bali when we left Melbourne was for rain and lightning. How far from reality. Each day has been above 30 degrees. The sun is fierce. The humidity is draining. Our holidays normally involve lots of walking or biking. This one involved quite a few strolls to the beach or pool.

Mondays breakfast was on the beachfront watching interesting people. There are still an abundance of Russians here. We had at least 30 mins entertainment watch a women asking repeated strangers to take a series of posed bikini shots searching for the perfect Insta gram shot. So much work for one shot including changing bikinis halfway through. I was exhausted for her. The Aussies will be heading home to school we suspect.

We walked along the beachfront and discovered The Grand Hyatt hotel. It's by far the largest around here with manicured gardens and groomed sand on the beach. From there we walked onto the island that has blow-holes. Considering it was near low tide we still had a few explosions of foam.
Security is everywhere along the beaches. Even our bags are checked each time we visit the local mall. The thoroughness of these checks is not high but at least there's a presence. We leave our day bag on our beach chairs without any trouble. Balinese people are very respectful overall. Always bowing to us. The Kuta sellers aren't quite like that but they do not dare touch us to entice us into their shops.

Afternoons are at the beach were a constant. Book, swim, drink, book, swim, drink. Then back to the pool for a final swim, book etc. we normally are quite busy on our holidays but this time the heat, humidity, and atmosphere has slowed us down. No complaints at all though.
Our last dinner was at the Spanish styled restaurant at the resort. Food was nice but the drinks were ridiculously priced so we kept away from alcohol.

Our last day was a midday checkout for a 9.30pm flight. This is where the resort stands out. We have access to everything at the resort except our room. There's a departure lounge where we can shower and relax. We are of course following the tried and true routine of beach life.....book, swim, drink..... A large brunch of Indonesian food at the mall. The mosquitoes made the best of us this time. They were vicious. Then our last full Balinese massage before we leave this island.

Trip to airport uneventful and the Premier Lounge at airport seemed fine. The reviews about this lounge were terrible so we weren't sure what to expect. A 6 hr flight back to Melbourne then a freshen-up at home before we head straight in to work. It's going to be a long day but this trip away has been a blast.

Highlights to note. Bali is great if you stay away from the people in Kuta area. The locals are quiet and respectful but they do really also want you to spend your money.
Beware of the prices on items. Most restaurants quote the gross cost then add GST and service charge at the end. GST is 11% and service charge is anything from 10-17%. Look at the fine print on menus. The prices look reasonable until the add ons occur. Wine is a crazy price here.
Oh.....and if you really need a soy latte daily then I suggest going somewhere else!Read more
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Bali Birthday Traveler
Day 3
January 27, 2019 in Indonesia ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C
Another warm humid day with no rain. We took a taxi to Kuta town area as there were a few items we wanted. Namely shirts and shoes. Last time we were in Bali we found the department store called Matahari. The selection is large and there are prices on the items. This saves the trouble of trying to haggle prices with street sellers. We easily spent 1.5 hrs in airconditioned comfort with only the respectful attention of the shop assistants. The street sellers outside are a direct contrast. They have all sorts of methods to extract your money. This years major attraction is timeshare resorts. The seller approaches you with a free "scratchy" card then once you have it in your hand it's all on. One guy would not leave me alone walking with me for over 100 metres. I cannot count how many times I told him that I wasn't interested. Then what really annoyed me is that he attempted to guilt me into the sale ( oops....it's not a sale cos it's free!). He said that if I don't attend that he won't get paid. That comment got me mad. He left....

Most other sellers block the footpaths enticing us into their shops. The Australian presence there is high so we are presumed as Aussies. I turned down a massage and the woman countered back at me saying "c'mon maate " in such a well rehearsed Aussie accent. I started laughing. It was such a good impression but coming from the mouth of a petite Balinese woman was so funny.We did finally buy some items from a street seller. We didn't get a bargain but was also ok with that as the lady got a sale to feed her family and we got what we wanted.

Julie has had a problem with access to a soy latte. Yes, spot the Melbourne girl. If there was soy milk it was sweetened which is just not right. My lack of compassion probably didn't help overly. Julie is looking forward to her morning coffee on Wednesday morning when we return.So after a few hours we grabbed a taxi and headed back to the safety of our sanitised resort. Taxis are cheap but get the metered ones from a reputable company. We chose the light blue taxis with a picture of a bird on the door. And I tracked him on GPS as he drove us home.

Back out to the beach for a swim, drink, and book read amongst the all the Russian guests.The afternoon heat really slows us down from discovering places as is our usual routine when traveling. Dinner was out of the resort to the local shops for authentic Indonesian food. I tried the local spirit called Arak. It tasted a bit like a fragrant kerosine. Maybe it was! The look on Julie's face when she tried it said it all. I missed a pic of that. Upon reading more about this liquor I discovered that a lot of tourists have died drinking this stuff. The locals tend to add methanol to make more money. I'm still alive but I do smell a bit like a Boeing 737!Read more
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Bali Birthday Traveler
Day 2
January 26, 2019 in Indonesia ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C
After the eventful birthday we slowed down a little. The humidity, heat, and time zone all take their toll and after all, we are here to relax. First up was a swim in the pool. No breakfast required as we were still full from the night before. We then walked into the local shops(5 mins) and wandered around. Had brunch. The heat of the day really got to us so we headed back to the resort and relaxed on the beach with a couple of swims in the sea which has the temperature of luke warm bath water. This is where we stayed for almost 3 hours reading and resting. A cocktail did arrive later on.
Did a large walk along the beachfronts track looking at all the neighbouring resorts. Club Med is by far the biggest. As it's low season none of the resorts looked overly busy.
Our resort has had an influx of Russian tourists. We are more used to Asian dialect so the Russian language is quite foreign to us. We are also used to keeping left on pathways in Australia and NZ. The tourists here not only keep right but a lot of them just will not give any room to pass by. We have ended up off the path as others just don't care. We are passing in single file. Maybe we were just brought up understanding courtesy.

Dinner was at Pirate Bay which is a very funky tree house family restaurant. They have built three levels into the trees. We had a lovely dinner once we had slathered on the insect repellent, the one downside of life in the tropics. We had intended to have a swim before bed but it was closed for cleaning. So after a few minutes watching the lightning over the sea we headed back to our cool room and an early night is planned.Read more
TravelerWhat are the prices like?. The grandies would enjoy a tree house dinner I am sure.... xx
1/27/19Reply
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Bali Birthday Traveler
Bali
January 26, 2019 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 0 °C
We left Melbourne directly from work in 38 degrees to head to the airport. Normally a tropical holiday includes an increase in temperature compared to home but in this case we dropped about 13 degrees between starting point and destination.

The 6 hour flight took us across the red centre of Australia. It's immense size is really misleading until you fly across for hours seeing the ground continue in its barren state forever. We remarked that hopefully we soon will attempt to drive this continent and really experience its amazing landscape. We saw the enormous Lake Eyre which is completely dry at this time of year and stretches out for miles. There was also the Marree Man( look it up for its history). Landed in Denpasar at 8.30 pm in rain but warm and a 25 min ride into our hotel where we collapsed into bed. Bali is 3 hours later than Melbourne so was a big day. The room aircon is efficient. In fact it was 16 degrees and much too cold for us so that was turned off immediately. I'm yet to work out how to warm it to a suitable temperature.

After a really good sleep we both woke early to Julie's special day. Breakfast after a walk to familiarise ourselves with the resort. Melia Bali has over 400 rooms and set in 4 ha of spectacular gardens. There are probably twice as many staff on duty as guests at any one time. We have so many greetings everywhere. The staff are fully engaged and attentive to their guests. Breakfast brought a lovely surprise when the waitresses brought out a birthday cake for Julie and sang in English and their native tongue. Really sweet.

We then wandered down the beach and started searching for a shopping area we had been told about. We finally stumbled on it but realised later that we had walked a long way to find shops that were actually within 400 metres of our resort. We treated ourselves to a Balinese massage so an hour of strong hands found our tender bits.Read more
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Bali Birthday Traveler
Day one extended
January 26, 2019 in Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
After a lovely relaxing afternoon swimming and reading all my beautiful birthday messages we got ready for dinner. I had booked a special dinner on the beach at the next door resort as it turned out. As we walked into the resort we passed a gazebo all set up with a romantic table set for two.

Regan joked and said is that for you? Well it turned out it was! It was too windy to be on the beach so we had been set up in the garden with a view of the beach. We had a beautiful three course dinner with lovely wine including a bottle of Bali sparkling which was surprisingly delicious.

The waiter service was spectacular, so friendly and attentive. I think we had 4 staff checking on us, topping up our glasses and taking away anything we had finished. I was lucky enough to receive another birthday cake with more singing. There were several attempts to try and keep the candle alive but we gave up after the 4th attempt.

We had a wander along the beach back to our hotel room and did enjoy walking back into a cool hotel room. I really had the most amazing day and felt so loved. First plan for today is a Pilates class in the garden. Work off some of the birthday cakes.Read more
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Euroa Traveler
Euroa
January 3, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
After 10 days in Rangiora we landed back in Melbourne at 11pm and promptly repacked to depart by 10am next morning with caravan in tow. As the caravan is for sale with no buyers yet we saw the opportunity to enjoy a few more days in camping mode. Euroa is about 2 hours north on the road to Sydney. Weather was promising warm conditions. That was an understatement. Stopped at Seymour for lunch. This town has a large Vietnam war memorial area. Worth visiting. Arrived in Euroa mid afternoon with temperatures in early 30's. After set up went for a walk into the village for food.
Euroa is a small town that was bypassed by the Hume highway. It's very quiet but the small river that passes through is lovely. Not many shops but the local supermarket is a large general store selling groceries, paint, clothes,hardware and pretty much anything you may need. And a bottle store of course! The town boasts some large renovated historic buildings with placards explaining their heritage. A warm nights sleep in our caravan with small double bed and no aircon.
The next day started very warm. 30 degrees by 10am. A river walk for us then into the camp pool. By midday it was past 40 degrees so we hopped in the car for some relief and sightseeing. A drive to Mt Wombat up a rutted track tested the vehicle clearances. At the top there was a volunteer bush fire warden watching for smoke. He was already watching 2 puffs of smoke in the distance that we couldn't see. He was in his flight tower hut with aircon which was lucky. Within 2 hours of us leaving I believe he got very busy as a large fire started a few miles away. It lasted for a few days and burnt over 10000 hectares.
We continued a circuit to Polly McQuinns weir and dipped our feet. Was really just too hot to be outside the car by then. A coffee stop at Violet Town then back to camp and the pool which by now had quite a few like-minded people in it. Then out to an airconditioned pub for a meal. Still in low 30's when we returned to our caravan but thankfully a cool change was due overnight.
The cool change arrived with wind, rain and 16 degrees. Talk about extremes! We also have no heating in the caravan so the wardrobe choices really contrasted to the previous days. A quiet relaxed day reading for our last day before returning home to face the first day of the 2019 work year.
Happy New Year everyone.Read more
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Heathcote Traveler
Heathcote
May 5, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
A weekend away to Heathcote. Officially it's only 1.5 hrs from home but a Friday afternoon with traffic slowed us down a lot. Arrived at the campground about 5.45pm and almost dark. Camp manager reminds us that there's a sausage sizzle still on. Unfortunately we really need to use the last of the available daylight to set up including the awning. We did have to wear headlights though. As we drive in a family of kangaroos are grazing on the campsites. This still amazes us. These Roos are big fellas. I wouldn't test their friendliness. After setup we walked to see the camp movie night on their big screen. A few hardy souls are rugged up with their camp chairs watching "Crackerjack". We headed back to our warm caravan to start our books. The coolness of late autumn is prevalent.
The magpies start chattering by 6am. This woke the crows by 6.20. Then finally the kookaburras finally woke all life-forms by 6.45am! Still too chilly to leave the bed though. We walked the very short distance to the Saturday market. Two bus loads of retirees had arrived and the town was humming. We had breakfast from the bakery then walked the town. Our afternoon was biking the rail trail towards Bendigo. A few gentle inclines kept us working hard. Some more very large kangaroos along the way. These animals sure can move fast. There were more in the camp later- fast thumping shadows hopping between the caravans.
Heathcote is a big wine area so we walked the main street tasting at 3 of the cellar doors. Shiraz is the grape of the area but there are a lot of other varieties that we had to try. A good selection will be travelling home with us after that walk. Had a meal at the very local pub. I think we were the only non-locals. Basic food in an old style pub. Looks like it's last renovation was in the late 50's.
Once again the magpies did their thing on Sunday morning making sure their mates were following the process. A cool foggy start. The camp manager cooked up pancakes for the whole population. Such a lovely atmosphere at this camp and very well maintained.
A quick stopover to pick up our purchased wines that we couldn't carry last night, then on to Merindoc winery for an early tasting. Lunch at Lancefield on the way home. A very small village and typical of Australian townships with a large grassed median strip down the main street. An easy drive home from there being home early afternoon.Read more
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Portland Traveler
Portland
April 1, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
On Easter Sunday we awoke to our 5 year old camping neighbour opening our caravan door and giving us an Easter egg. The camp kids were all on a chocolate high. Easter bunny soon arrived to top up the egg supplies, probably to the quiet moans of the parents attempting to keep the kids in check.
Had a small drive out past the Aluminium smelter to Point Nelson Lighthouse. Quite a rugged and windswept area overlooking the Southern Ocean. The next stop was Bridgewater which has a massive flat and calm sandy beach. Just right for a walk. No chance of swimming in that icy water! A small drive to a petrified forest passing through the wind farm with the turbines gently rotating. They are really quiet and very mesmerising. Back to camp for a book read but due to the social nature of the camp there was more neighbourly chatter than reading. Campgrounds are like that most of the time. There's always time to chat to like-minded people. Although as we packed up the caravan ready to leave a few came over to talk about our caravan. Thankfully we had plenty of time. By the time we left the camp on Monday there were more vacant sites than full. The Easter break is definitely over. As we hit the road late the traffic was light all the way home. The worst part of the holiday is unpacking the caravan but we of course have already started planning our next weekend away.Read more
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Portland Traveler
Portland
April 1, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
A long weekend means a break away from our Melbourne base. We loaded up the caravan and headed away on Good Friday. The traffic was light. Breakfast in Colac at 10am was good. Small towns are friendly and welcoming. Onto Portland by 1pm through the area devastated by bush fires 2 weekends earlier. The smell was still around. An easy drive with light traffic. Apparently the travellers who arrived before us had heavy traffic all the way. Camp set up in 30 minutes at the tourist park. Lots of large boats in camp as there's a tuna fishing competition on. Also the "grey nomads" are prevalent with their massive rigs towering over our tiny Avan. Nearly always advice being given when setting up camp.
A walk down into the town centre via the cliff top gave great views. It's a 2km walk and did it again on Saturday as the local Easter market was on. Very busy town with lots of elderly and almost as many dogs being dragged through the hordes of people. Portland was first settled in 1832 and is the oldest town in Victoria. It's natural harbour sure helped. The large Port and aluminium smelter are the main industries now.Read more
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Torrent Bay 2018 Traveler
Torrent Bay
March 8, 2018 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
Yet another 2 days of perfect weather. Warm but not hot. The obligatory morning walk along the beach before breakfast and before the water taxis bring in the tourists for their day trips. Quite a few books are being consumed by the 4 of us. The library has over 40 books to choose from and lots of magazines. That was one of the heavier boxes brought in on Saturday. Food and drink has been high class. A mix of Australian and Kiwi wines are tasted each day to mix with the lovely food.
A few walks can be had from our base. There's a 3km stroll around the lagoon to Cleopatras pool. This is a favourite for the hikers. The pool boasts a natural rock water slide. The fresh water is very chilly but the the trampers love it. The sandflies also enjoy the additional bare skin for a feast. Another walk north along the Abel Tasman track to the Frenchmans Bay view. It's a great view down to the private bay with just one very impressive holiday home. There is a hidden track down to the bay but the owners use a boat for access. We kayaked into the bay a few years back for a closer look. Lotto winnings discussion continues to this day!
We had another tryout with the paddle board. We both started on our knees and slowly progressed to standing. Regan is now up and paddling but still far from relaxed. Julie is close to being upright. We have a few more days left to master it. Nick managed a sail on the lagoon with the Laser. Just light winds but still a good speed.
Phone and internet access is sparse. SMS and broadband can be found at one place on the beach but it's incredibly slow and sporadic. This is one part of our week away that we don't miss.Read more
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Torrent Bay 2018 Traveler
Abel Tasman
March 5, 2018 in New Zealand ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
After a day at work we got home on Friday afternoon via Aldi for some last minute snacks to take away with us. Packed our bags realising we have plenty of room for extras. But also knowing we have to transport our luggage on and off a water taxi.
At airport by Uber just after 9pm, through the necessary security and immigration which is now really fast, probably because we know it well. Off to the club for a couple of wines and a bite then on the plane 5 mins after boarding time. Flight attendants were calling us. We were far from late. They were just very efficient. Plane wasn't full so an easy boarding.
Flight was quick as usual. Smooth and super efficient at Christchurch airport. A quick walk to check-in for our Nelson flight then off again into the skies just on daybreak for another hour.
Greg arrived at the airport so a cuppa with him, Shelby and the kids before the next drive to Kaiteriteri via breakfast and a few supermarket essentials. Met Nick and Shona and dropped our combined luggage on the Kaiteriteri beach ready for the chartered water taxi.
After loading all our luggage including Nicks Laser yacht we were off for the 40min cruise to Torrent Bay. Lucky that it was a super high tide as the taxi berthed at the jetty in the lagoon so only a 50 metre walk to the holiday house. One hour later the food is packed away, the wine cellar is full, and the fridge is struggling to cool the kilos of goods.
Julie and I by this time are a little exhausted from lack of sleep so a small power nap helped on by a few wines to celebrate the 4 of us being back together in our secret paradise.
Fish and steak dinner and a few more wines thanks to the aussie and kiwi vintners we finally collapsed into bed by 10pm after not having seen a bed sice 6.30am the previous day.
Woke up after a long sleep to a poor weather forecast. How wrong it was. Beach walk mandatory, eggs for breakfast then some reading, chatting to locals. Not many locals- a few Weka, fantails, and sparrows. Last night there was even a hawk that divebombed the sparrows just missing Regan. Was incredibly fast action. We watched a skate gliding smoothly in the shallows looking for a snack. We even tried the paddle board in the lagoon. Practice required on that one. A swim was included in the training.The sun is fierce in the bay. Such a sheltered area not affected by southerly winds.Read more
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Christmas 2017 Adventure Traveler
Home Safely
January 8, 2018 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
We decided to sneak in one more night on the way home and put off the washing and unpacking for a bit longer. It was predicted to be 41C so we thought the coast might be a better option and booked at Warranambool. On the drive from Port McDonnell we stopped at Nelson, there is not a lot there other than the mouth of Glenelg river. The temperature climbed to 41 for most of the trip so we didn't venture too far from the car.

We arrived at the caravan park and set up the camper, as it was still so hot we decided to head to an air conditioned cafe for lunch. It was a good choice as we bought a painting which appealed as well as a sandwich. We had made a plan to continue the air conditioned theme by heading to the movies. Of course everyone in Warrnambool had the same idea and the movie was sold out. Thankfully the cool change decided to arrive and so heading back to the camp was more appealing.

We had a walk along the beach which is a lovely safe swimming beach and very busy. There are 3 very large camping grounds all along the beach and they were all packed out. Dinner was everything left in the fridge and it was a quiet night. Next morning we packed up early and headed away. TomTom took us on the country route with every roadworks in the area. We had breakfast at Terang which is a quiet country town.

Arrived home early afternoon and unpacked all the wine we had bought - a bit more than I had expected, Amazing how it all adds up. We had a fabulous time and felt very relaxed which is the sign of a good break. Now we just have to plan where to head next.Read more
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Christmas 2017 Adventure Traveler
Port McDonnell
January 6, 2018 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 40 °C
Port McDonnell is definitely a place where you go to do nothing and relax. Regan and I took two drives out to see the local attractions and were back within an hour. The Bay faces directly into the Southern Ocean so the water is cooler and there was lots of seaweed in the water.

There has been a colony of fairy penguins there for a long time but about 18 months ago a storm took away the cliff where their breeding ground was. It left the penguins vulnerable to the foxes so most of them have left the area.

In between these two outings we did more reading, drinking and of course eating. Regan has finished 3 books so far and the 4th will be done by tomorrow. I think my count is at 8 so almost one a day! Feeling very relaxed now. We treated ourselves to a delicious dinner out on our last night and I had an incredible seafood platter with beautiful fresh locally caught produce.Read more
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