Some roads aren’t meant to be travelled alone ~ Australian Proverb The West Coast of Tasmania has always held a special place in Andrew’s heart, and I too fell immediately in love with it on my very first trip to Tasmania in the mid-90s. I’ve now visited the region quite a few times, and I should be able to say I know it reasonably well; but it has a certain mysterious quality that makes me think it would take a lot more than a few trips to get under the tough skin of the West Coast. Andrew’s family lived on the West Coast for a few years when he was a little kid, so his understanding and appreciation of it comes from within. When you live somewhere as a child, there’s an honest and candid acceptance ... read more

A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour ~ Australian Proverb This blog covers Days 2 and 3 of our trip to the far south of Tasmania… to celebrate our 15th Anniversary. Franklin I absolutely loved waking up and taking in the early morning view of the misty Huon River from our attic bedroom window. It was like looking into an ever-changing real-life painting. It was a very special and beautiful start to our 15th Anniversary. By the time we had a quick breakfast and got going, the light had changed rather dramatically – the mist had lifted and the light was clear and strong. The only comparison I can make is the cloudless sunny bright day that magically appears after an early morning frost. I also loved our walks ... read more

We are all visitors to this time, this place ~ Aboriginal Australian Proverb This is a very different type of blog for us. Firstly, we won’t be writing it in a HE SAID... / SHE SAID...style. I (Ren) will be doing most of the writing with input from Andrew. Secondly, this Tasmanian trip will span the whole year, with day trips, long weekends and possibly week-long excursions being undertaken whenever we have the time. As is our usual routine before we travel, we’ve started immersing ourselves in books, films and TV shows about/set in Tasmania. Tasmania has many faces and moods, but it seems that many writers and directors have chosen to focus on stories about the bleak and austere aspects of island life. It’s even been given a title – Tassie Noir – a sub-genre ... read more

HE SAID... In this short trip we travelled through two Southeast Asian countries. We spent six days in Thailand (travelling northwards from Bangkok to Chiang Khong), and then ten days in Laos (travelling southeast from Huay Xai to Vientiane). We usually try to contain our travel adventures to a single country, as it allows us to get to know the place – the food, the people, the political atmosphere, the historic impacts and the currency. However, we’ve occasionally swayed from our one-country travel rule, and with fantastic results. We explored Guatemala, Belize and Mexico in 2016, and Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria in 2018. Both trips were extraordinary, and with the exception of Belize, I really felt we gained a real sense of each individual country. With this in mind, we weren’t too worried about breaking our ... read more

When you’ve heard it, you must see it; only after you’ve seen it make a judgement with your heart… ~ Lao Proverb HE SAID... Today we were continuing to explore the friendly and peaceful city of Vientiane. We woke late and headed down to the Family Boutique Hotel’s large dining area for a late breakfast. It was the last few days of our Thai-Laotian holiday, and we were focused on relaxing in Vientiane. As was becoming customary on this trip, I enjoyed fresh baguettes and omelettes – my favourite way to start each day in Laos. I also helped myself to cornflakes, toast and jam, excellent coffee, terrible tea and the strange orange cordial that features at every breakfast buffet in the country. After our leisurely breakfast, we shared a jumbo (motorbike with a covered trailer ... read more