The day before we flew out of Perth towards our South-East Asian travels we spent the day on Rotness Island. Thanks to Louise who kindly booked our boat over there and bike hire for the Island we enjoyed a fantastic day on Rottnest. First thing we were up and drove over to Cottosloe Beach where a sunrise festival was taking place representing the first day of the Perth Festival of Arts. We got there a little too late but enjoyed the early morning appreciation of the beach and many people were swimming or enjoying breakfast on the banks. There were also a few photo shoots taking place that couldn’t help catch our eyes.

When we left the beach we drove onwards to Shed (3) where the boat to Rottnest Island leaves, we found all day parking and promptly queued for the boat. It takes around 80 passengers perhaps more and it was pretty full, people were also bringing their own bikes with them which is a much better way if you want to save the pennies. It only takes around half and hour to reach Rottnest and once we arrived we were quickly instructed to where the bikes were, again getting our bikes didn’t take very long so we were all geared up and ready to go.

We cycled around the east side of the Island first passing by The Basin and a few other lovely bays, we decided to stop at one of the smaller bays and got out the snorkeling gear straight away. There wasn’t that much to see in terms of marine life, if you go deeper in then you’ll see more but we were happy to play in the shallow waters, plus you never know if a shark may rear its ugly head! The bays are beautiful, nearly all of them are small alcoves and so they are very private too, we made our way to Little Prakeet before lunch. We came across a few Quakkas which are only native to Rottnest, they are very sweet creatures belonging to the Kangaroo family and they don’t have any fear of humans so it’s easy enough to approach them although you’re not recommended to feed them.

We biked up to the highest point on the Island at Wadjemup lighthouse. Our last stop was at Parker Point and Dave and I snorkeled out quite far above the kelp and there was more to see. On our way back to Perth Louise had booked us onto the fast boat, more of a thrill experience. Not quite as rough and ready as the other fast-boat experiences we’ve seen in New Zealand and in Oz but it was a nice bit of fun and a small thrill for us! We were back at the sheds for 5pm and not long after that we were home.

We decided to eat at a Mexican restaurant for our last night in Australia called Zapatas, the atmosphere was good as was the food and the cocktails. We enjoyed our time in Perth and on the whole Australia has been really kind to us, especially our friends and family who have helped us out along the way.

From our 5 week experience in Australia and on the route we did these are the following highlights:

• Freedom camping in camp sites listed in the official Camp book 6 (on the Great Ocean  Road we had a fantastic spot right on the beach for free!)

• The Great Ocean Road is a must if you’re in the area, the beaches, the 12 Apostles and camping was a real delight.

• Getting tickets to the Melbourne Open Tennis Championship, we got the opportunity of a lifetime to watch the world number 1 and 2 in the men’s singles finals, it was an amazing 6 hour epic match.

• Visiting Wilsons Promontory National Park, we felt like this is what we had been waiting for. Fantastic beaches, mountains and forest all there to see and explore.

• Margaret River and Rottnest Island, equally beautiful and appealing. Again the beaches hit the mark here and the colour of the sea is mouth-watering.

We hope this may help with any plans you have to visit the areas we’ve explored and written about. Our next stop is Ubud, Bail, we’re ready for culture, more beaches in paradise and Asian delights.

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

After a surprisingly good nights sleep on the side of the dual carriageway/motorway/freeway (and no trees crashing down on our tent) we drove down the road to the local McDonald’s and BP service station. Home made breakfast in the car park, followed by a cup of coffee and some free internet at McCafe we were ready to hit the road and make our way to the Great Ocean Road which starts its coastal journey from Torquay.

To swap our defective hire car (to one with a working seat) we had to make our way to Frankston south of Melbourne which was on-route to what we had already planned so it wasn’t a huge detour. Driving through Melbourne would have taken too long, over 200km from one peninsula to the other so we opted for the ferry from Sorrento to Queenscliff. Crossing the bay by Searoad ferry cost $69AUD including two adults one way which took 45 minutes.

Driving along the Great Ocean Road we stopped several times to take in the beauty of the coastline and walk along a couple of the beaches. Sand and rock pools lie in wait and are great to explore. The road twists and turns its way along the coast dipping inland every so often through fields and hills. With the sun setting on our long driving day we arrived at the Johanna Beach Campground which is free and a great spot for a night of camping. We watched the sun set over the ocean whilst fishermen reined in their catches before a spot of cosmos viewing and shooting star spotting.

The 12 apostles are a great stop over point whilst on the Great Ocean Road, just make sure that you arrive early enough to avoid the mass of tourist buses that arrive later in the morning. There are plenty of places to pull over and explore the coastal beauty away from the main visitor centre but that is well placed with good boardwalks to see the limestone formations. Other notable features along the way are the “The Arch” and “London Bridge” which true to the nursery rhyme has indeed fallen down!

We wanted to have a few days at one campground located on a beach so decided on the Killarney Beach Camping Reserve which is a short distance from Port Fairy and the larger Warrnambool (both libraries in each town have two hours free internet). It was $17AUD per night per campsite which is great value considering the proximity to the beach and bay, a 30 second walk! The amenities are a little rough around the edges, but the showers located near the beach and BBQ area are much nicer than at the main building.

Port Fairy is a nice town to explore as well as Griffiths Island. A two hour walking track around the island gets you close to the ocean, some nice beaches, sea birds and wallabies. Back to the camping site for a BBQ and a walk along the beach before our last night in a tent for quite a while! Port Fairy will be as far as we will be going on the Great Ocean Road, our plans to drive to Adelaide have changed and tomorrow we will head to Melbourne and a stay in a family home, a comfy bed at last.

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

A windy night ensured some light sleeping in the swaying van over night but waking to find a seal outside your van is a nice morning surprise. This is perhaps the most scenic spot we have camped at looking straight out toward huge waves crashing in. We were hoping to hire surf boards but as we couldn’t get any cash from anywhere we just packed up and went onwards along the Caitlins scenic route.

We ended up having quite a sightseeing day starting with a much needed coffee at the Whistling Frog Cafe on the road toward the McLean Falls which is where we were headed next. We walked up to the base of the falls which at 25 minutes return was a little quicker than the 45 minute forest walk advertised on the Southern Scenic Route info. We soon found out that they were way off on their timings after walks to the Matai Falls and the Purakaunui Falls, we also felt like we were suddenly on a tour of New Zealand’s waterfalls. They’re all lovely though with Purakaunui coming out top and also attracting the most tourists.

As we followed the route round we came across the Lost Gypsy Curios shop and gallery in Papatowai. This place is very intriguing and full of surprises and quirks. Containing old and the forgotten we spent some time playing with the gadgets, reading the funny signs and taking it all in. You can’t miss this place as there is a dummy outside holding a ‘Curios’ sign and the main gallery is housed in an old bus. Before making our way all the way round to Pounawae we decided to back track and visit Cathedral Caves, open only 2 hours either side of low tide. So we got there not long after 3pm and paid the $5 entrance fee, we were the first people on the beach which is private access only and along with a few other sight-seers we went to explore the caves.

It was only just low-tide so we had to climb onto rocks in order to get into the caves and make sure we were far in enough to avoid the tide coming in. We were able to loop round to another cave entrance where more shallow waves were splashing in but it was getting less and less. They were fairly impressive caves and the walk to and from the car-park is equally as enjoyable. We had a good chat with the warden about the caves and local birds and the like, the carpark was full so whoever is running this attraction is certainly doing okay!

When we continued along the road we stopped off in Owaka the Caitlins largest town with a sort of cash machine at the 4-square, accommodating only New Zealand account holders! We were able to pay on card though which was a good thing and so we stocked up and then made our way to the lovely Pounawae Bay where we would spend the next two nights at the Pounawae Motor Camp (lovely owners and really good facilities).

The following day we drove to Surat Bay, it’s not that far from Pounawae at all but we were heading for Jack’s Blow Hole straight after which was too far to walk. Surat Bay is a beautiful untouched bay stretching for a mile or so. Seals try to cool themselves in the sand whilst flies pester them and we also came across a dead seal and the remains of a sheep, harsh life!! Aside from this though we enjoyed a really nice walk along the full stretch of the bay as the sun came out to warm us. From now on the weather was looking to be good through to Christmas so we were happy about this.

When we left Surat Bay we drove west to Jack’s Blow Hole which includes a pleasant 30 or so minute walk to the hole. This blowhole is in the middle of a farmers field some 50 meters or so from the cliff edge. The waves come through to the hole underground and crash against the walls of the hole pretty much all the time, although high-tide is probably more impressive. It’s a pretty awesome sight though in terms of what is happening there. It’s closed off during the sheep-sheering season too which gives you an idea of its location.

By the afternoon we simply decided to chill out back at the campground, we were more than happy to read, work on the blog and cook some nice food before getting ready for our next drive to the Otago Peninsula the next morning.

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

This was to be 3 days of sheer relaxation and fun with Vic and Dave. Starting early we all piled into “Po” along with bedding, food, booze and games and set off for Picton. Dave G had arranged with his brother for a boat taxi to meet us at a pier east of Picton, so thanks to his brother’s boss we got a free taxi ride out to their bach in the Malborough Sounds. This would have cost $90 between us if we hadn’t had this ride! It took around 15 minutes in the speed boat to get to the Gillan bach house and we realised we would have passed the area the day before when we were on the ferry coming in. Dave’s brother was waiting for us at the jetty as he was then getting in the boat to go to work.

For the first part of the day we just chilled out, sat around the decking area, chatting, drinking tea, eating lunch and reading. The boys rigged up the fishing rods and the girls had a good catch up. We went out in their fishing boat for a few hours in the late afternoon, early evening with each of us having our own rod. This was Helen’s first stint at fishing and it was pretty unsuccessful, but for Dave G he got a trout and another mean looking fish. The trout went back in the sea and we kept the bigger fish for dinner later on. Vic and Dave R caught some spotties whilst Dave G kept on bringing in the fish, they were all small so we had to put them back in the sea. It was a lovely day weather wise and it was fun being out in the boat.

Back at the bach Dave G got the barbecue sizzling and we opened the wine. We enjoyed a fishy dinner, more wine and more of Vic’s birthday cake. It was a very funny evening indeed ending in part 1 of Cranium taking place.

The next day was equally as relaxing and hot. So after a lazy start we enjoyed more tea, more chat and a dive off the jetty into the freezing waters of the Malborough Sounds. We couldn’t quite manage the full swim out to the buoy but it was refreshing enough for us to spend a little while in the water before getting out. Back on deck we enjoyed lunch, relaxation and reading.

Later on we went out in the boat again and this time round Helen did catch some fish, she managed to get about 4 whilst Dave caught about 7, Vic 3 and Dave G got quite a few too. We weren’t counting but we caught a lot of spotties and as they are so small we just let them back into the sea again. Not pleasant but it’s better than killing them.

We went a little further in the boat around to Lochmara Bay and had a hot drink stop at the Lochmara Lodge. The day before a pod of dolphins were making their way around the Sounds so we kept our eyes open but there were none to be seen. Alas the chai and hot chocolate’s were a very good distraction. Back for our last night at the Gillan bach Vic cooked a lovely lentil and pasta dish and we finished Cranium, only to be defeated! The following day we helped to tidy the bach in preparation for the Gillan family Christmas holidays, we read and just enjoyed being outside in the warmth.

To sum up our experience we really enjoyed the Malborough Sauvignon Blanc wines, we loved just relaxing in the sun, reading and chatting with friends and it was so good to have a taste of home. The Malborough Sounds are pretty idyllic and the idea of a bach by the sea is very tempting indeed.

(Leica M9, Summicron-M 50mm f2.0, 18mm f4 & Olympus PEN, 17mm f2.8 & 100mm f2.8, processed in Lightroom 3)

Getting into the routine of getting ourselves up and ready in a good time would take a while but we were both surprised at how well we slept in the van. It wasn’t bad at all! So we enjoyed our first breakfast on the road in NZ and before long we were packed and ready to be on the move. This was a breeze compared to camping with the little tent in America! We decided to pass by The Bay of Islands, mainly as we didn’t want to be where everyone goes, and from what we’ve read we’re going to be seeing a lot of this kind of landscape and ocean as we travel, plus we can always pass by on our way back down!

We ventured went a little further up the coast, passed more beautiful beaches and eventually landed at Matauri Bay. This bay is stunning, hardly anyone was there, the sand is white, the sea is crystal clear and all in all it was pretty idyllic. We walked along the beach and up to the Rainbow Monument on the top of the hill overlooking the bottom end of the bay. The monument is a tribute to Rainbow Warrior lying beneath the sea surface a few kilometres out of the bay. It was moved there after the ship was bombed whilst on an anti-nuclear weapons protest years ago, something worth reading about. We got chatting to a guy who was camping at the Matauri Bay campground resort, he said it was $14/person so we thought we’d enquire. It just felt right to stay there, the weather was fantastic, and the setting perfect so we booked in for the night.

Earlier on we’d spotted a few people digging in the shallow sea water for what appeared to be clams, they’re actually called pipi’s. So we thought we’d like to try and get some for our tea! The only problem was the tide was already on it’s way in and it appeared as though people had got their catch for the day. Dave managed to get one from underground and then we found a few more around the surface but after nearly an hour of searching we knocked it on the head and put them back into the sea. We will try again next time! The resort has laundry facilities, hot showers, and a shared kitchen so we took advantage of all of these and enjoyed a little spot of luxury. For sunset we walked up to the memorial again, sat and took it all in. We were in an amazing spot taking in the views of the bays around us, the moon was already on show.

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

We got up and spent a good part of the morning sorting out the car, making sure our bags weren’t quite so spread out as Barbara (Dave’s mum) would be joining us for a week from here on. The first part of the day was spent touring back into Point Reyes and out to the lighthouse, where many tourists adventure to. There were quite a few bird watchers on tour so we had to battle a little for the views but not as many people take the 300 steps down to the lighthouse so it was much quieter down there. A humpback whale had been spotted just before we’d arrived but there were no sightings for us. There are lots of rare birds around that area though and the sky was very clear too which is unusual for a mainly foggy  area.

The lighthouse is no longer in use and is a good spot to view from. The steps back up are not quite as enjoyable though but what is pretty unique about this area is that when you’re in Point Reyes you’re also standing on a different tectonic plate. So instead of being on the North American Plate we were standing on the Pacific Plate! You can see the area of land that was formed and ripped apart by the San Andreas Fault.

Moving onwards the road trip continued along Highway 1 taking in some amazing coastal views eventually coming out of the Waldo Tunnel to an amazing view of the Golden Gate Bridge. Before we picked up Dave’s mother for a family road trip, we decided that we should get the car back in tip-top condition, it was rather dirty on the outside as well as inside. Much fast paced fun was to be had at the self-service car wash, even though we managed to miss large patches of dirt on the outside

Upon meeting up with Barbara in the Cow Hollow district we headed out for our first taste of San Francisco walking up Lombard Street towards the famous eight tight hairpin turns which we would try to drive down the following morning. Onwards to Fisherman’s wharf for tacky tourist shops and hoards of tourists where we visited a recommended fish restaurant. The food wasn’t particularly refined but tasted fresh and wasn’t too expensive. Back to the hotel room for an early night ready to head south on the coast tomorrow.

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

We drove slowly to Arcata and at around midday we found our way to Janine’s place in Indianola. She works and lives on the grounds of the Humboldt Community Foundation, a house donated to the charity. She gave us the option of sleeping in her studio in the forest, bearing in mind that this was a Redwood Forest! We loved it, again we wouldn’t be in the tent! The bed was a wooden table that jutted out from the wall so we made it up with our sleeping pads and bags, cosy! We enjoyed a drive back out towards Trinidad and made our way to College Cove, the most epic of bays in the area! The sea was pretty wild and it was really hot so there were people sunbathing and surfing, but not swimming!

Following on from the cove we drove to the Arcata Co-op of which Janine is a member, the food choices are fantastic if pricey but we instantly got a feel for Arcata and the type of people it attracts. Back in our new little home we explored the forest and then enjoyed a lovely salmon dinner thanks to Janine. Later on she brought out her Leica M3, a camera she used a lot during her art studies in LA, we were amazed by her mint collection of Leica lenses, flash gun, light meter and so on, the camera still had film in it too.

We got up fairly early and enjoyed coffee and breakfast with Janine. She had arranged for us to do a hike at Fern Canyon with her neighbour Genie. We left at around 11am and stopped off at a great deli inside Wildberries Marketplace, we all picked up a jam packed sandwich for the day.

The drive to Fern Canyon took about 45 minutes heading north on the 101 and then a further 14 miles or so through state park roads which took quite some time. We parked at Gold Bluffs beach and set off on a 4 hike. We weren’t sure if this was what the ladies had in mind but we were thankful of the walk and the canyon is pretty special. This is where Jurassic Park was filmed so we were surrounded by dripping fern walls, and more redwoods over-towering us. The light was fantastic for the day and we also had the opportunity to play a little more with Janine’s mint condition Leica 35mm lens! Aswell as finish off the film she had in her Leica M3.

After the walk we took the drive back to Arcata and snoozed along the way. The evening saw  us head into central Arcata and enjoy some fantastic sushi at Tomo located in the Arcata Hotel on one of the corners of the plaza. A really nice place to check out and eat at if you have the time.

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

When we got up the following day the fog had cleared and we spent a few hours at the Indian Creek Cafe topping up our writing for the blog. It’s a popular place for those passing through on-route and we felt a little bad for taking up a table for just a coffee and an orange juice, friendly and funny staff though.

We drove in and out through the fog and stopped off at various places along the route. It’s a rugged coastline with rocks jutting out all along the way, there are so many stopping points it takes ages to get anywhere. We drove through some of the well known Redwood Forests and State Parks but the weather was not so good so we decided not to camp there for the night. A little further down Highway 1 and we landed in Trinidad and decided that we weren’t going to camp, instead we wanted a room…a bed!! After searching and stopping off at a few B&B’s we ended up at The Emerald Forest Resort, where we got a log cabin for a AAA reduced rate because Helen’s aunty is a member! This was our first night in a bed in nearly 2 weeks and we were pretty excited!

We walked up to Trinidad Head, which proved to be very rewarding, it’s a good little walk up to a point with more fantastic views. Trinidad is a nice little town but does seem to have most property on the holiday rental lists so it’s hard to find the community there. Back at our cabin we enjoyed food and Finding Nemo, oh how easy it is to get sucked into TV.

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

As we have a great house to stay in whilst here in Venice Beach and we are travelling for up to nine months, we want to try and save money where we can. Today was shopping day and we ended up at Whole Foods (“Whole Paycheck” as its known by the locals) so we had to be very conscious of each product we bought. We really need to find a cheaper place to shop without a car this might be difficult.

Helen spent the afternoon at Exhale for the 1st full day of Yoga whilst Dave took the Leica and a selection of lenses for a walk around the local area which included a fair few random garage sales on the street. The fishermans pier at Venice Beach is a nice little stroll into the ocean and offers some good photo opportunities.

Venicebeach.com has listings of up and coming events and we just so happened to be here for the Venice Beach Music Festival which was a nice little event. Spending time watching the graffiti artists and skateboarders in the skate park, you can easily loose track of the time.

We decided to cook for ourselves and we were both suffering from the effect of jet-lag as by 8pm we were ready for bed.

(Leica M9, Summicron-M 50mm f/2.0, Leica 90mm f/2.8, Zeiss 18mm f/4 ZM & Olympus PEN EP-1, 17mm f/2.8 & 100mm f/2.8, processed in Lightroom 3)