Reset search
Hannah ClarksonHannah Clarkson
SatelliteEdit route
traveled in 17 countries Read more
  • 9 months Sabbatical
    2
    Day 147

    Swan Valley Wineries

    February 23, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Started the day with a bit of exercise and a few lengths of the pool. Then Annie and Justin picked us up for a Swan Valley wine tour.
    We took in a few places including:
    Sittella - ok ish wine
    Cheese barrel - a nice cheese platter and paired wines
    Harris organic wines - small scale winery and all nice.
    Feral beer - great selection of beers. Some very nice and very boozy.
    Tyler's vineyard - all very nice. Especially the port. They do this very cool thing where you print your own labels and stick it onto their wine. The whole room is covered in peoples labels.
    Finished off in a place called Swan Valley Brewery. Where everything mainly tastes like cheap piss. Only been open for a short time and definitely need to get someone who knows about brewing on board.
    Finished the day with a sit overlooking Perth city whilst the sun went down, and a night time drive through the botanical garden.    Read more

  • 9 months Sabbatical
    Day 146

    Beach reading

    February 22, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    Started a sci fi book - The Worldship Humility.
    Up, to Trigg beach for a read, while Hannah and heather met with a friend from the UK.
    Then we drove to Cottesloe beach - for more reading - the ladies had a little swim.
    Went for a plate of meat and olives. Had a read.
    Got back to a sun lounger by the pool, had a read.
    Finished the book - dont do that very often! Didn't even go for a swim.    Read more

  • 9 months Sabbatical
    Day 145

    Freemantle

    February 21, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    Up and a hit workout and 50 lengths of the pool.
    Drove down to Freemantle to start with the Prison tour. Very informative session on how convicts were used to build up the prison, the town and the nearby areas. 7 years for stealing a loaf of bread!

    Then briefly popped into the Freemantle markets before the little creatures brewery tour at 1pm. Had a fun tour and sampled about 10 of their beers. Heather felt rather tipsy so we went to a nearby restaurant called Char Char for Kangaroo. Got it discounted using our entertainment app. Winner winner Kangaroo dinner.
    Found an ice cream place and worked our way back home.
    Went round to Andrew and Emma's for a massive red snapper fish.    Read more

  • 9 months Sabbatical
    Day 144

    37 degrees! Hot hot hot

    February 20, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    Hannah and I finally got off our arses and did a morning workout followed by 50 lengths in the pool.
    We then went south to a restaurant called Odyssea to meet the Bitmeads for a final meal. I had an amazing pancake stack with shaved coconut and caramel. Yum yum yum.
    Then down for a bit of hand planing before saying bye to Penny and Steven.
    Left to go to Kings Park for a walk around and a slushy. A bit too hot to be doing too much walking so came back to the apartment for a G and T and get ready for the Scarborough market.
    Loads of people down at the market, with every country represented at the food stalls. Had a few beers whilst watching the sunset.    Read more

  • 9 months Sabbatical
    Day 143

    Hand surfing with rays

    February 19, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Got up too late and did a 5 mile run. Way way to hot after 7.30 to be running. Got back and had a cold shower followed by a swim in the cold pool. After 30 mins I was finally cool.
    Met up with Andrew and co for an ice cream.
    Then had a few hours hand planing in the sea with the mask and snorkel. A few sting rays were floating around. One guy got panicked after he saw one and was shouting for everyone to get out of the water. We went in thinking he had seen a shark. 🙄.
    After that we went back to the accommodation for another swim and to do some admin in side. Was a bit too hot just to be sat in the sun.
    At 5.30 we met team Bitmead for a last supper of fish and chips before Penny and Steven leave.
    We drove into central Perth to drop the girls off for a roof top drink whilst Andrew and I watched a film about Andy Irons. Great film, well worth a watch.
    We joined the ladies after for a very expensive drink at the Aviary rooftop bar. Back home to watch some lightning over the sea.    Read more

  • 9 months Sabbatical
    Day 142

    Floaty floaty

    February 18, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    Got up, over ate a breakfast of porridge and checked out.
    I drove the girls to the beach and headed for a flotation experience in a pod.
    A very weird sensation where you get into a mega salty, skin warm tub and close the lid.
    First 15 mins were very relaxing as you floated half in the water, whilst chill out music was played on the background. Unfortunately this is where my enjoyment stopped. Even with earplugs in, I could hear the whirring of the ceiling fan, which seemed to resonate in the tub, making it sound like you were in a quiet aircraft. Not ideal and not the sensory deprivation I was going for. Maybe I'll try one again sometime which will be properly insulated from outside sound.
    Spent the rest of the day driving back up towards Perth. Checked in to our accommodation for the next 9 days, overlooking the sea.    Read more

  • 9 months Sabbatical
    Day 141

    The Margaret river experience

    February 17, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    A pretty 'jam' packed day today.
    We started by nipping to the beach, then started calling a few wineries which did tours. Managed to get booked onto one at 3pm at Vasse Felix, which gave us a few hours to fill with all the free nibbles which the area had to offer.
    We managed to visit the Margaret River Dairy Company, the Colony honey maker, the chocolate co, Providore for tasty jams and some un tasty wines, Bettenay's nougat and finally stopped at Rustico for a tapas lunch.
    Lunch was great with fried goats cheese, battered shrimp and chorizo.
    Then time for Vasse Felix. Hannah and I had visited about 5 years ago and remembered the Chardonnay being very good.
    Had an excellent tour taking us through the whole wine making process. Finishing with a tasting of 10 wines. We needed a bit of a sit down after all that, so we waited for a while overlooking their garden whilst I got more acceptable for being behind a wheel.
    We finished the day by going to surfers point to watch some pumping surf rolling in. I did a bit of snake dodging at Gnarabup Beach whilst flying the drone.    Read more

  • 9 months Sabbatical
    Day 140

    Caving

    February 16, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Final day with the Bitmeads. We cleared out the house and went to Iguana Gallery & Bush Cafe for a bit of fancy breakfast.
    Said goodbye to the others and headed off for our own organised fun.
    Stop 1 was caves called Ngilgi Cave. Cool amphitheatre and stalagtites and stalagmites. Heather didn't fancy it so she stayed near by at the cafe.
    We collected her and headed off to our Airbnb near Margaret river town. Dropped Heather off and we went back to town for some shopping and to collect some info of what to do tomorrow.
    Picked up a fish and chips from surfers point on the way back.
    Finished by watching the new Joker whilst having battered mackerel.    Read more

  • 9 months Sabbatical
    Day 139

    Boys and girls days

    February 15, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Ladies went off to the spa at about 10.30, the boys piled in the truck and headed to a natural spa. A massive pool which gets a flushing of gushing bubbling water from waves cascading over the rocks. All the boys had a dip. Then we chased crabs with Archie and Chester for 30 mins.
    Off for lunch to the Caves road Black Brewing Co for a fantastic lamb ribs and pork belly. Tssssk. Ohh sir.
    Had a small play in the playground where Andrew and I spun round on a spinny thing and felt very very sick.
    Stopped into Gralyn Estate to taste some chocolate and wines (mainly fortified).
    Then we went to Yallingup Maze. I teamed up with Archie, Andrew had Chester. Archie and I cruised to an initial lead of 2 towers. Then none of us could find our way to the third tower. Teaming up we managed to navigate through to the end, whilst losing Chester only the once.
    We all fancied ice cream so went to the excellent Simmos Ice Creamery. Soooo yummy, and a small play in the playground.
    Told the ladies to get some shopping on the way back. Whilst the lads played games at home.
    Another great evening of food and wine.    Read more

  • 9 months Sabbatical
    Day 138

    Baking feet

    February 14, 2020 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 33 °C

    Andrew and his dad headed off early to try out the skate park and the rest of us had a more leisurely start to the day. Then we decided to head to the beach in time to meet Andrew. Took a look at Meelup beach but Andrew suggested Castle Rock would be quieter so we quickly headed there.
    We were very British and set up some chairs and an umbrella but it was great to have some shade. After some swimming, frisbee and snorkeling, we headed to Aravina winery. The sand was so hot when walking back to the car it felt like we were actually burning our feet.
    At Aravina we tried some wine and had a look at the surf museum,which was pretty cool.
    Then we headed to Yallingup cheese to taste some local cheese and decided it was a good spot for lunch over looking the lake.
    Before heading back to the house we stopped at r
    Rivendale vineyard to do a tasting of Forester wine. We were served by an Italian man who was married to a lady from Torquay.
    We had some time to chill at the house and using the pool before we started babysitting duties whilst Bitmeads were out having a nice meal. Louis was their taxi driver and almost ran into a Kangaroo on the way home the first time. We read the boys bedtimes stories and luckily they were asleep quickly and quiet for the rest of the night.    Read more

Join us:

FindPenguins for iOSFindPenguins for Android

  • 2024© FindPenguins
  • Home
  • About us
  • Blog
  • Group Tracking
  • Press
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy & Cookies
  • Support
  • Legal notice