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I've spent a lifetime travelling the world and I have no intention of ever stopping. There are so many amazing places to see. Read more Sydney, Australia
  • Around the World with JanInto the Red Centre
    Day 5

    Serpentine Gorge

    May 7, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    There aren’t enough words to describe just how beautiful the landscape is here.

    The birds are amazing – bright green budgies in flocks buzzing above us everywhere we walked followed by a sighting of a wedge-tailed eagle as its huge shadow passed above us.

    Simpson’s Gap and Standley Chasm were just stunning. The colour of the rocks, the reflections in the water, the flowers and plants along the path and our local guide showing us how many of the plants here are edible. The chasm itself was spectacular – it reminded me of Petra. Brilliant red stone shining in the afternoon sun.

    I have to admit that the terrain on the trail is the hardest I’ve walked on – big rocks became easy trip hazards – you had to constantly be alert to the possibility of a fall. It was hard on the feet. I had been warned.

    Serpentine Gorge and Counts Point provided more spectacular scenery. From Counts Point, Gosse’s Bluff looks like a mini Uluru – the result of a meteorite hitting the earth 142 million years ago. The view was amazing – the gorge to our left and the hills and ranges as far as the eye could see. Greens, whites, reds – all combined in a spectacular landscape that seems endless.

    The flowers too, from the purple Sturt's Desert Rose to the red of the Australian holly - leaves of every shade of green, some spiky some soft like velvet. More photos....    Read more

  • Around the World with JanInto the Red Centre
    Day 3

    Wallaby Gap

    May 5, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Day 1 of the Larapinta trail at last.

    16 of us, all fresh and clean set out for the Telegraph Station to start walking on a beautiful crisp clear day. There were lots of gorgeous flowers and plants because of rain earlier in the year, a photographer’s paradise for me. I loved it.

    It didn’t take long for it to get hot. The first test of our fitness was Euro Ridge – three rock promontories climbing higher and higher with a couple of scary sections (narrow path, steep drop). It was worth it – the views were stunning in every direction and we could see where we had come from.

    Wallaby Gap was our first experience of the wonderful fixed campsites that World Expeditions is known for – wow! We had a pre-dinner talk about bush tucker from a very inspirational aboriginal woman who provided delicious food to try followed the first of many delicious dinners.

    If this is what the rest of the trip will be like, bring it on!    Read more

  • Around the World with JanInto the Red Centre
    1
    Day 1

    Alice Springs or bust

    May 3, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    As I looked out the window of the plane at our red centre, it looked very red, dry, no signs of life – I’m sure there was but it wasn't obvious up there. Beautiful sunny clear sky, no pollution, just whisps of cloud and the infinite horizon. You tend to forget just how vast Australia is.

    Alice Springs is a small frontier town with not much going for it but it's stunning location in the centre of Australia. I didn't think I'd see this day after 2 failed attempts last year but I couldn't wipe the smile of my face as we disembarked on a glorious warm day.

    The town was quiet, many of the shops were closed, not just because it was Sunday but they are struggling to find staff, some of them just haven't been able to continue.

    The Doubletree Hilton turned out to be a bit out of town and a little tattered around the edges but it's clean, comfortable and set in a lovely spot across from a dry Todd River. I was just so happy to finally make it! Can't wait to start walking.    Read more

  • Around the World with JanInto the Tarkine
    Day 8

    Launceston

    February 19, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Our first stop of the day on our way back to Launceston was Philosopher Falls. The canopy of trees overhanging the roadway provided a shady tunnel along the road as we approached the forest.

    The temperature dropped as we started the walk to the falls, dwarfed by tall tree ferns. Massive trunks of fallen trees littered the forest floor and we saw more of the amazing fungi that the forests here are known for.

    The walk to the falls was pretty easy, much of it on boardwalks to protect the underlying foliage. The steps to the falls were pretty steep but not a hard walk. We stood in silence for a while on a platform half way down the cascade to listen to the sound of the trees, the birds and the tumbling of water as it disappeared into the trees.

    Lunch was a a lovely reserve on the outskirts of town then back into the buzz of Friday afternoon traffic. Not so happy to be back in civilisation, a few more days would have been good.    Read more

  • Around the World with JanInto the Tarkine
    Day 7

    Corinna, Pieman River

    February 18, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Today we sailed up the Pieman River to the beach for quite a long walk to the Conical Rocks.

    The coastline was pretty rugged and wild. We passed a small settlement of fisherman's houses. I couldn't imagine a more remote and wild place to live being constantly whipped by the winds the buffet the West Coast of Tasmania.

    Once again the weather was kind and it was sunny. The Conical Rocks are massive multi-coloured rock formations running down to the ocean, making it hard to get to the beach on the headland where they perch.

    It was a lovely place to sit and just enjoy.

    On the way back on the boat to Corinna we were followed by an eagle and the captain pointed out the Huon pines and the strange way that they grow sideways. They also have male and female trees.

    We finished the day with a walk through the forest that surrounds this old mining town.

    We had our final dinner together in the restaurant in the 'resort' and the food was really good - huge portions, we all struggled to finish our meals.    Read more

  • Around the World with JanInto the Tarkine
    Day 6

    Corinna, Pieman River

    February 17, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ -6 °C

    Our first walk of the day today was along a windswept beach that reminded me of something out of a sci-fi movie. It was pretty wild and woolly out there are as we tried to find some petroglyphs along the edge of the water. They are fairly well hidden. Saw lots of animal tracks on the beach but no critters to speak of.

    The Balfour track was next and we once again headed into the rainforest. The temperature dropped significantly and we were once again surrounded by massive trees and every size, shape and colour of fungus you could possible imagine. Another magical place.

    Corinna is an old mining town that is now an eco-resort for want of a better word. Sitting right the forest at the end of quite a long dirt road, it's the sort of place you could spend weeks, not just a few days. The cottages were clean, comfortable and spacious. As I sat on my porch, a pademelon and her joey paid me a visit. What a beautiful spot.

    I asked the guides to leave me there and pick me up on their next trip.    Read more

  • Around the World with JanInto the Tarkine
    Day 4

    Arthur River

    February 15, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    We farewelled Stanley this morning. Our first stop was Dip Falls, a cascade waterfall over basalt pillars reminiscent of the Giant's Causeway in Ireland only black. The water looked like pieces of string cascading down the face, coloured a slight brown by the tannin in the water from the tea trees. Very spectacular.

    As we ventured again into the forest we were astounded by the size of the trees. I haven't seen anything quite like this before. After lunch we hiked up the Milkshake Hills to look down on a more Australian-looking forest with a view all the way back to Stanley, the Nut and the ocean.

    Our last walk of the day was around Lake Chisholm and then on to Arthur River and accommodation much more luxurious than I was expecting. The beach at the mouth of the river was strewn with huge trees, the biggest driftwood I've ever seen - picking my way across it was a bit of a challenge to not trip.

    A lovely meal, a beautiful sunset and we settled in for the night.    Read more

  • Around the World with JanInto the Tarkine
    Day 3

    Stanley

    February 14, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Our first taste of the nature of the Tarkine. We spent a few hours at the Tarkine Wilderness Lodge and explored an enchanted temperate rainforest, the first of many on this trip. The temperature drops as soon as you walk into the thick canopy of trees soaring into the sky.

    We saw fungus of every colour, shape and size. The trees are more than 200 years old and you half expect to see an ancient creature crash through the undergrowth to greet you.

    Our first stop for the night was the town of Stanley - a collection of beautiful well-restored old homes, many of them holiday cottages. This is where "The Light between Oceans" was filmed.

    It's the home of a rather special rock called The Nut which of course yours truly had to climb. There is a cable car but I chose to walk at 450 metre steep zigzag trail which takes you to the top. The rest is relatively flat until you loop back and walk down again. The day was sunny so the view was spectacular in every direction. There's even a small forest up there providing a bit of shade towards the end of the walk.    Read more

  • Around the World with JanInto the Tarkine
    Day 1

    Launceston

    February 12, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    This day has been a long time coming. I never thought that it would be more than a year without being able to travel even in my own country. It felt good to take off and head to somewhere else leaving behind all the restrictions and rules.

    Launceston has become quite a busy town since I was last here. Still a place of beautiful old buildings but lots more cars. A few more nice places to eat and a revamped waterfront where I could sit and drink a glass of bubbles while the sun set.    Read more

  • Around the World with JanUK and beyond
    1
    Day 51

    The Final Curtain

    October 2, 2019 in England ⋅ 🌙 7 °C

    Well, it’s done. I’m back in London on my way home. We walked 280km in the end not including sightseeing or the occasional detour when we couldn’t understand the instructions – some things were lost in translation, literally!

    Was it worth it? Absolutely! Would I do something like this again? Not a chance! We met some amazing characters from all over the world. We suffered sore feet (thankfully only one blister on the last day) got very very wet on one day and pretty wet on a couple of others.

    We had fog, rain, drizzle and sunshine. We walked through trellises of grapevines and saw the biggest pumpkins I’ve ever seen in my life. There were beautiful forests and ancient monuments and more and more pilgrims as we got closer to Santiago.

    I couldn’t begin to describe how it felt to walk into the cathedral square on the last day of the walk. It was a lovely sunny afternoon and the place was full of people who had walked or cycled from France, Portugal and the centre of Spain. Some travelled a hundred kilometres while others did eight hundred or more and everyone had a smile on their face even if they limped into the square.

    It’s been an amazing trip and I’m glad I did it. Buon Camino!    Read more

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