Paul has gone home and I’ve been joined by Mum and her friend R. Together we will walk the Three Capes Track from Port Arthur. But first, we have the pleasure of taking the 1.5 hour drive from Hobart to the Tasman Peninsula where we will spend a night preparing for our hike. The drive…
After hiking this route over two days in March I am excited to be taking it easier over three days to really enjoy the bush. Mum is hiking with me, which makes it even more special. Gheerulla Trail Bike Camp to Ubajee Walkers Camp I wake in my bivy looking at stars through tall gum…
It’s a hot summer day and we’ve decided to hike Northbrook Gorge. Our group includes my sister, her children and two Couch Surfing guests. Setting off up the creek, my nephew and I waste no time getting our feet wet. The creek water is cool and the gravelly creek bed is not too slippery. The…
We’ve come to Rotterdam to visit Mum’s cousin P and her family, including my great aunt and great uncle. We stay with P and her husband M, who have given up their room for us. My great aunt E and great uncle C prepare feasts for us to eat at their house near P’s home.…
My cousin suggests ice skating at the 3km (2 mile) long artificial outdoor skating track at Biddinghuizen. How can I say “no”? I love ice skating and want to catch up with my cousin so, despite the two hour drive each way, we drive across Holland to Velonice at Biddinghuizen. I’ve only skated two or three…
Loeverstein Castle is part of a network of protection that extended down the Rivers Meuse and Waal for centuries. Originally built as a private home using stolen river taxes, the castle was quickly commandeered by the government of the day while the owner was away. The waterways that surround the castle are more than a mere…
While en route to Lovverstein Castle we take a scenic drive along the Rivers Meuse and Waal and the farmlands of Noord Brabant. My uncle drives us. He knows every tiny byway in the area and we get to enjoy some gorgeous riverscapes that we would have missed on the highway. We pass my Oma’s…
We’ve just landed at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam and I walk immediately to the incorrect side of our rental car. There’s nothing suave about that first dorky moment when you can’t work out how to change gear with the wrong hand, flick on the windscreen wipers instead of the indicators nor look the wrong way at…
It’s school holidays and my sister’s kids love camping. So when Paul suggested we go camping at Tin Can Bay for a night, it seemed only natural to take my two oldest nephews along for the ride. Tin Can Bay is about 230km (140 miles) north of our home. If we were on a road trip,…
There’s always a small sense of sadness when I wake on the final morning of an adventure. I often feel torn between my desire to return home and my contentment at being outdoors. And so it is this morning as I wake and listen to the birds outside my tent. It rained overnight and is…
Looking For 42 