We decided to have a “sight-seeing” day, and luckily for us we were able to borrow Jason’s car so we took ourselves off to the highly recommended area of Margaret River. It was quite a drive to this region south of Perth, taking over 3 hours to reach our first port of call at Cape Naturaliste. We had higher expectations of this particular area looking out to sea, but it was disappointing. The walk around the Cape is okay but doesn’t really take in the views until much further round and we were constantly beating off flies! This was the worst part and perhaps the biggest memory of this area…the flies. Perhaps it is the season for them but we were covered and they wouldn’t leave us alone, we were glad to leave. One of the positives was that we were able to have our own pack-lunch inside the cafe area. The Lighthouse was closed for refurbishment.

Further down the road we found a spot of paradise in Yallingup Bay. We’d stopped to take a few photos of the ancient coral and rocks before looking over at the beautiful bathing spot and so we decided we would spend a few hours there, swimming, sunbathing and reading. The water is crystal clear in these parts (and for much of what we’ve seen in Australia) along with a gorgeous aqua colour it just tempts us every time. So in we were, it was much chillier than expected but a relief from the hot sun. In some parts of the bay the current is very strong and there is quite a bit of rock on the ground but there are some great spots for swimming and the surfers were there too lapping up the waves.

On our way out of the bay we stopped at a quirky grocery store offering anything from souvenirs to ice-creams, umbrellas and camping food and they had quite an extensive menu. The air was very back-packer in vibe and we couldn’t help but sit and enjoy our ice-creams at this pleasant place.

Moving on along our drive we took the road to Margaret River and stopped off at one of the many many vine-yards in the area. Margaret River is renowned for producing great wines and so it would have been rude not to. We chose to stop at the very grand Laurance Vineyard and were greeted by a slightly out of place statue of an angel in the air along with fountains in the lake at the front of the property. The cellar door is a restaurant and they offer wine tastings including 6 taster of choice for $9 or 3 tasters, olives and bread for $9. They charge because they can, the location is beautiful and the venue is very appealing with large wooden furniture, big swinging doors and the toilets are particularly nice! We went for a tasting of 6 between us with Dave’s favourite being the Chardonnay and Helen’s the Rose. All wines were very good though and even in our post-beach scruffiness we felt quite grand sitting in their luxurious surrounds.

Our next stop was at the River Mouth of Margaret River where huge sand-dunes build up around the beach and river area. Helen’s brother had talked of the sand-dunes and so we were hoping we would find the right place. The ocean here is perfect for surfers, wind–surfers and kite-surfers and we watched in awe taking in the speed of which they were travelling. Further round by the sand-dunes we enjoyed a windy walk taking in more dunes, grass and waves. It really is a beautiful area.

We ended our day at the fish and chips shop in Margaret River, perhaps the cheapest place to eat in what is a busy tourist town. We didn’t spend much time in the town itself but the region is beautiful and we could see why so many people had recommended us to visit there. The drive back to Perth was another 3 hours plus and so it was a long day indeed, but well worth it.

(Leica M9, Summicron-M 50mm f2.0, 18mm f4, 90mm Tele-Elmarit f2.8, processed in Lightroom 3)

The skydive was off once again! We found this out bright and early and decided we would hang around for the morning to see if the weather would improve. With the help of the Motueka I-site staff we decided that the weather wouldn’t be getting better until the next day so armed with this information we moved our skydive once again and went north.

We drove over Takaka Hill which is and steep windy and took quite a while in “Po”, on the other side we stopped off to get a few bits for dinner and then drove on toward Totaranui a DOC campground located partway along the Abel Tasman coastal track. This was a further hour and a half with a scenic lunch break at a quiet bay along the way. The weather was improving at last. When we finally reached the campground we found a spot amongst the vast spaces on offer, this campground is huge and it does get full during the Christmas holidays. Thankfully for us we didn’t have to worry about having too many close neighbours and they have good shelters for cooking under too. We noticed straight away how many sand-flies were around to start feeding on us, so we quickly changed and went on a walk along the coastal route.

It’s not a particularly tasking path the Abel Tasman track but it does reward with great ocean views, with clear skies perhaps we could have appreciated it more. We made it to Awaroa Inlet where we couldn’t go any further along the track as it was high tide which makes it impassible. We watched and photographed the tide coming in quickly, turned around and took the path back to the campground passing back through the beautiful white sand beaches. We enjoyed the rest of the evening back at the campsite which was a quiet event with a spot of ‘Peep Show’ on the agenda after a solid camp meal.

When we woke up the next day we realised that the skydive wouldn’t be happening…AGAIN!! It was absolutely chucking it down and we’d now come to the conclusion that the weather forecast is a little unpredictable over here! After a quick chat with Abel Tasman Skydive we decided to cancel with them completely and hope there would be another opportunity later in our travels. We had spent enough time moving around our agenda trying to fit this in and we were both ready to move on.

But not until we explored Takaka a little more. Helen had been here a few years earlier and was left with fond memories and wanted to share this with Dave. Although it was damp and grey we started with a drive to Te Waikoropupu Springs (also known as the Pupu Springs), one of the largest natural springs in the world. Neither of us have seen a natural spring on this scale before and it was really interesting. This is a cold spring which bubbles out of the ground and the water is crystal clear.

We then drove into Takaka and walked around the little town streets taking in the museum and art gallery; very twee would be our description. We also found the Wholemeal Cafe who’s cookbook Helen had been reading when we were staying with Vic and Dave. We enjoyed a lovely lunchtime dinner at the Cafe and found time to do a little work on the blog. The food at the Wholemeal Cafe is really good, Dave had a vegetarian jungle curry and Helen the salmon and pesto pasta. We were happy to be enjoying another cooked meal as this was supposed to be Helen’s birthday treat in the first place. We also bought cookbook number 2 which at $40 is expensive but their approach to cooking is very realistic and achievable and we also thought we would start using the recipes as we travel to spice up our cooking adventures.

On our way out of Takaka we popped into the I-site to get a few more ideas as to what to see in the area. We were strongly recommended to go to The Grove. We clambered amongst its limestone formations under tropical leaf coverage and as we were leaving we spotted a sign for Anahata; the yoga retreat where Helen had stayed when she was here in 2009.

For the rest of the day it rained as were driving out of the area and into the West Coast region. We made it as far as a DOC campground located at the Lyell township historical site. The town is no longer there and the campground marks the entrance to this area. We read into the history of the gold mining place and then trekked out toward old mining equipment remains along the river gorge. The sandflies were upon us once again so we hid away in the van for the rest of the night.

(Leica M9, Summicron-M 50mm f/2.0, Leica 90mm f/2.8, Zeiss 18mm f/4 ZM processed in Lightroom 3)

We had decided that today would be a beach day especially as Barbara had come all the way to sunny California and not been to a beach yet, so this was long overdue! And for us too, we’d been on the go camping and hiking until reaching San Fran so it was good to have a nothing day! We went south to Avila Beach first and lounged on the sand for a good few hours, enjoyed our lunch and walked along the pier. There were a group a ladies on a religious retreat carrying out Baptisims in the sea! It was all pretty full on but they were enjoying themselves immensely. Helen didn’t quite think that they were doing religious baptisms and was surprised when this was confirmed! It was a little awkard when she was asked ‘are you religious’ and to which Helen’s reply was ‘not really no….’ awkward!!

The next beach was Pismo Beach, again coming with a pier (as most Californian beaches do!) although this place was far from the calmness of Avila Bay! It was fairly tacky, very busy and extremely windy! After enjoying a packed ice cream we walked to the sand dunes, Helen left Dave and Barbara to take in the vast sandunes and watch some kite surfing and when reunited the 3 of us went for a drink. That night we ate at a great little restaurant in Cambria called Indigo Moon and we enjoyed some good seafood, meat and vegetarian options! This was our last night in Cambria and we’d really enjoyed our home from home! Plus the hospitality of Jill and Joe – a big thank you to them!

Up fairly early the next day we started making tracks to San Fran. This time instead of the 1 we opted for Highway 101 as it was way quicker! We had one stop for lunch and the sun was with us all the way to San Francisco and when we arrived we drove over the Golden Gate to the Marin Headlands where the HI was welcoming us! Although there was a bit boat race taking place so it was rammed with cars and roads were closed meaning it took us an hour longer! When we checked into the old barrack’s style accommodation we drove to Sausilito on the west side of the bay. Sausilito is a little Italy, with lots of boutiques, a harbour of expensive boats and packed out Italian restaurants and bistros! Very swish! We walked along the path to take in the views looking back toward the San Francisco skyline before enjoying our own Italian feast at Roma.

On the way back to our hostel for the evening we stopped at a vantage point to get some night views of the bridge. This is well worth doing especially if it is a clear evening as the view of the bridge is pretty spectacular.

(Leica M9, Summicron-M 50mm f/2.0, Leica 90mm f/2.8, Zeiss 18mm f/4 ZM processed in Lightroom 3)

Here are our top FIVE tours from our Notworkrelated adventure in Asia…

1: Cambodia – Boat trip, beaches and fishing village, Koh Kong Island

Company: Koh Kong Eco Tours, organiser Mr T booked from their office next to the Dug Out Guesthouse in Koh Kong.

We met Ali and Carl and the 4 of us wanted to visit Koh Kong Island – our main reason for travelling to the area. After much discussion and debate Mr T customised a tour for us the night we arrived for a departure the following day. We paid $55 each for a 2 day 1 night tour over to the Island, with 2 bbq lunches. one evening meal, one breakfast and a home stay. The Island was breathtaking, with around 6 beaches to explore, on which stood no other tourists other than us, we had the place to ourselves! With one guide and one boat driver they cooked us excellent fresh seafood, taxied us from one beach to another and delivered us back to Koh Kong via a rare and huge Mangrove forest arriving safe and sound.

The reason this was our number one tour is that it was so personal to what we wanted to do and we had the most authentic experience of Cambodian hospitality in the form of a floating fishing village homestay. The children loved us being there, we ate with the families, played pool on a snooker table and slept in their home. A true homestay and a very humbling one. The beaches are also idyllic on the Island.

This tour was excellent value for money, we received great hospitality and it was a wonderful experience.

We booked the tour once we arrived in Koh Kong at Koh Kong Eco Tours office based at The Dug Out hotel on street 3 (although we wouldn’t recommend the Dug Out for customer service they do have a great tour company positioned right on their doorstep) A bus from Phnom Penh took 5 hours and cost around $10 each. Our blog post for this tour is featured here.

2: China – Trekking and exploring The Great Wall

We booked our Great Wall tour through the Chinese Cultural Centre based in Bejing and paid around £22 for a one day trip with no food. We visited a remote part of the wall called JianKou Great Wall and we only passed 3 other people the entire time we were there! It’s 73km north of Beijing and is a truly wild and beautiful section of the wall and described as being one of the most dangerous parts of the entire Great Wall.

Why did we put this as number 2? We had a local tour guide from the village from where the walk started who provided us with information about the history of this part of the wall and what it meant to the village. We walked for around 3-4 hours taking in the immense scale of the wall in a very autumnal landscape. Afterwards sitting in the tour guides home with his family was a great way to finish the day. You can view our full write up on this tour along with a few other China Highlights here.

3: Vietnam – From Ho Chi Minh City, cycling in The Mekong Delta

A 3 days 2 nights cycling tour booked through Sinhbalo Adventure taking us through the  Inner Mekong region. A fantastic tour that saw us take in wonderful parts of the Mekong in a way that most people don’t – on a bike. Most tours tend to operate in the form of bus and boat transport and we fancied something different. There were 4 of us on the tour with one tour guide named Du-at, a driver and our own bikes. Our bags were transported from one destination to the other which was a great help when cycling.

We travelled on a variety of boats to various parts of the Mekong, visited a traditional Mekong Delta house and kitchen, ate seasonal fruits, tea and rice cakes, had 3 lunches, 2 evening meals and 2 breakfasts included in the price, as well as our own branded Sinh Balo cycling top! Our tour guide had excellent knowledge of local routes and trials through the delta and villages. Accommodation comprised of one night in an eco-lodge and one night in a hotel in Cantho city.

On day 3 of the tour we were up early for a visit to the Cai Rang Floating Market, if you ever have the chance it’s best to get there early as many tourists make their way from 9am onwards. Children followed us and ran shouting ‘Hello’ at the top of their lungs. It’s a very welcoming place indeed and this type of tour certainly offers an alternative route through the Delta.

If your wallets can stretch that little bit more and you fancy the exercise we’d highly recommend it. 3 days, 2 nights starts at $165/person. View our Notworkrelated write up for this tour here.

4: Laos – Trekking in Tha Khaek

We booked this 2 days one night tour through the Thakek tourist information, our guides were called Mii and Sawadee (me and Hello in English) we think they might have made their names up!!

The Tha Kek tourist information office is listed in the Laos Lonely Planet and are far cheaper than rivals Green Discovery Laos. We went to Phu Hin Bun NPA for 2 days including transfers, food, eco-lodge accommodation, cave exploration, hiking and an amazing blue lagoon. The food wasn’t as good as any on the top three tours but we did have 2 very cheeky tour guides who provided us with lots of local knowledge and new card games.

We stayed at a village in the national park and participated in a traditional Baci ceremony. The people on the tour with us were loads of fun too which always adds to the enjoyment factor. We paid $70 per person for this tour. There is no official website for the tourist information office but you can compare similar tours with Green Discovery Laos for the area. For more of how we got on visit the blog post here.

5: Thailand – Boat trip, jungle trek and cave discovery, Khao Sok

A wonderful tour booked at the end of our travels in Asia from our accommodation at Nungs house in Khao Sok National park. The tour cost 1500 Baht each which is around £32, it was difficult to find anything cheaper in the area.

The tour comprised of a one hour transfer to Chiaw Lan Lake where we had an hour long boat journey on a long tail boat via various wildlife and amazing karst peaks. An excellent lunch, kayaks and snacks were included along with a 2 hour jungle trek and exploration of the Tham Nam Thalu Cave. The cave was fantastic, we had no idea what to expect and it certainly thrilled and excited us with rivers flowing throughout, bats and spiders to scare us and a spot of swimming!

This again was a great value tour arriving back at our lodge at around 8pm so we certainly got good time out of it. The tour guide was another cheeky chappy who entertained us along the way. Getting to Khao Sok is fairly easy, we arrived on an overnight train from Bangkok to Surat Thani and ended up getting a minibus to the national park, you can also get a local bus if you don’t mind hanging around and being packed in! Our write up for this tour is feature here.

If you have any comments or further Top Tour Tips you’d like to add, we’d love to hear from you!