Living on the lighthouses was sort of like that TV show, ‘Round the Twist’ in more ways than you think!
Forty South Tasmania
When I finished my 3-day Three Capes Track hiking experience earlier this year I realised after pitching to many publications that I probably needed to tell this story in the land it was set. So the lovely people at Forty South Magazine, a magazine I have long admired and read, took me up on my offer of tourism travel blog with a side of memoir. Enjoy 🙂
I have scanned the magazine as best I could.
Three and half hours gets you to Bali from Perth. Why not go for a weekend?
Day One
As we wind through narrow streets and torrential Bali rain, we dodge scooter drivers with no rear lights, helmets or shits given. Water covers the narrow treelined roads, almost jumping out to catch our car. Our intrepid driver grips the wheel as he honks the horn gently at each corner to warn of our approach.
An hour and a half from the craziness of Bali and the International Airport we arrive at our destination, Campuhan Sebatu Resort and our Balinese host who has waited up for our arrival. I hand our relieved driver an extra 100000 Rupiah knowing he still has to drive back!
Our accomodation is lush and I slip immediately into our private plunge pool before drying off and climbing into crisp white sheets beneath the shroud of a white muslin mosquito net and the whirring sounds of the forest.
Day two
Roosters, birds and forest sounds awaken me and I know that no matter how sleep deprived I might be, the view needs to be viewed and damn I am not wrong! Soft light reveals jungle as far as the eye can see (which is not super far with my bleary eyes!) The roof of the building in front of ours has a proud statue of a rooster and the pool reflects frangipanni trees so clearly it’s hard to distinguish reflection and reality.
The water in our pool is a cool green and we have the obligatory pissing boy on the corner, waiting for the fountain to be switched on so he can piss into our pool. The sounds are times ten louder outside the room – roosters, cicadas, frogs and birds loud and encompassing. I have indeed landed in paradise!
We have a day of wandering to water falls down narrow country roads flanked by rice fields and jungle. Two Balinese with woven carry baskets balanced on their heads stroll effortlessly before us, their low murmurs floating back to us. Chickens, athletic looking Balinese chickens, with long legs and no fluff forage roadside. A proud cockeral is locked in a small wire enclosure declaring his distaste for being locked up. A fighting cock perhaps?
Bali dogs never restrained and incredibly streetwise trot around with tails in the air. They don’t care for people. Two dogs see us off as we pass their property and check out two perfectly restored split-screen combis. I walk without looking back, unleashed dogs freak me out – twice bitten, always shy!
The waterfalls are not far down the steep road. 60000 Rupiah to enter Ulu Petanu. We can hear the water thundering from the road. Below the falls are hundreds of colourful carp swimming lazily with mouths agape and tails swishing. The ground is muddy and mud squeezes through our toes and hiking sandles.
The main waterfall is where everyone stops and strips down to their swimmers for Instagram pics – most don’t venture any further up the jungle path. We leave them all behind to find ourselves alone at the next small fall where we hold onto a rope and cross the river to see if we can find the cave that is apparently close by. No luck.
When we get back to the main fall the crowds have increased and the queue to get your insta pic is long. There are entire tours with the title ‘Instagram Tours of Bali’ it really is quite amusing.
We decide to head back to paradise. Wait, what – I think we are already there! Later that afternoon we meet up with my great friend and ex-teaching partner in crime, Jim, at the Bali Green School. Our trip back down the mountain now revealed in daylight what we couldn’t see the night before. We got the grand tour. Incredible bamboo structures, classrooms with no walls (hello open planning!) No airconditioning aside from fans and the jungle.
Animals with a chance of snakes including a mini herd of cows, pigs, rabbits, a pack of Bali dogs and a jungle playground with no restrictions, where the children run wild with no shoes! Every teachers ‘duty of care’ nightmare! They even have their own ambulance (I wonder why?)
Snakes are frequently spotted and removed during the school day. At the very bottom of the grounds is a mud pit where the kids play and learn. That afternoon’s lesson had been testing floating craft and the class went home covered in mud.
The tour over, we hand back our bamboo passes and wander across the road to a cocktail bar frequented by teachers enjoying Friday drinks. The cocktails are flowing and live music pumping. Two margaritas and some loose arrangements to meet up at Bambu Indah in Ubud later, we grab a Gojek driver and head back up the mountains. Bambu Indah is designed by the same people who designed the Green School so we were expecting loads of Bamboo!
So we get to the entrance of Bambu Indah which is sort of nondescript but we had googled the property beforehand so knew what to expect. The entrance, once we had signed a waiver (yes, a waiver) was this long stone tunnel so we headed for the light! Our host simply pointed us down the tunnel and disappeared so when we arrive at the crossroads it was a ‘choose your own adventure’ type experience.
We chose a fork and ended up in this amazing bar high above the rice fields and palm tree tops. We informed the waiter we were headed for the restaurant but she ushered us to some stools and took drink orders, trying to ply us with satays. We once again said ‘no, it’s ok we are going to the restaurant but we will wait for our friend’ (Jim)
Half an hour later we noted that some people were being ushered into a bamboo lift and disappearing down below. So we wondered if we were in the right spot. We took matters into our hands and asked if we could go down in the lift. ‘yes of course!’ Oh, OK we just had to ask? We had been sitting watching the sun go down (which was incredible!) while waiting patiently to be invited!
Down we go in this rickety bamboo structure carved into the cliff only to emerge into another tunnel. It soon becomes apparent why we signed a waiver! Once again we were pointed in a general direction until we reached a fork in the path. A swinging bamboo bridge or a rocky climb? We chose the swinging bridge. We continued to select our own turns and passing very close to a rushing river before stumbling (literally) into the restaurant!
It was dark by this time and we laughed about being on a Lara Croft type adventure to get to dinner. When we arrive we are told we need a reservation and that they have no tables but we were given a spot on some steps with a pillow or two and a low table. Jim arrived about 20 minutes later after taking a wrong turn!
Had we arrived at the restaurant in the light we would have seen the beautiful fresh water pools and swinging cane chairs – It’s ok I had googled it so I knew exactly what I was supposed to be seeing!
The amusing thing was the whole time we were there a table set for three was untouched – I’m sure it was ours! Anyway, we ate from a buffet type menu where all the items on the menu were grown and foraged from the property – delicious but way more expensive that any meals we had during our stay.
Day three
A delicious Nasi Goreng breakfast on the terrace at our resort washed down with fresh pineapple juice and Balinese coffee is followed by another swim before calling up a Gojek driver for an excursion into Ubud.
We have massage and day spa on our mind so following a wander through the town we settle on a small massage spa up a very steep stairway. Shoes off before we head up to be pummeled and scrubbed to within an inch of our lives! Two hours later and still wiping the petals off from our flower bath we decide to go to lunch.
Sun Sun Warung had been recommended as the place to go for eats so we found a lovely spot overlooking the rooftops and ordered the blue rice Nasi Goreng and an Arak cocktail. All food was served in banana leaf containers and it was so delicious, spicy and aromatic, I will have dreams about it for a very long time!
A Balinese painter balances in front of us on a bamboo scaffold wearing jeans and a hoody with bare feet. We are sweating in our shorts! On top of this he is within falling distance of a tangled mass of powerlines. I can’t watch!
We head back for a quiet night with some snacks and plans to relax by and in our pool. Bliss.
Day four
I woke up before the sun and crept out to capture the sunrise over Mount Agung, Bali’s highest mountain and still active volcano – last erupting in 2019. Sunrise did not disappoint!
Our flight that day was at 2:00 pm but knowing how long it takes to get from one end of Bali to the other we booked Made, our lovely driver, for 9:30 am. A swim or two while packing followed by Me Goreng and fresh juice for breakfast is a lovely way to spend our last morning. I even slip in a couple more swims after breakfast and make sure I absorb the view completely!
Bali in a weekend! We certainly packed a lot in and it truely was worth such a short trip, after all everyday can be an adventure!
What’s the skinny?
A few airlines service the Perth Bali run – we flew Air Asia which is budget but got us there and back o time with no issue. 3.5 hours from Perth
Our accomodation was pretty cheap as we went out of school holidays – Campuh Sebatu Resort is stunning and off the beaten track. Breakfast was included – delicious!
Transport around Bali is pretty easy to come by – we used Gojek (Bali Uber) and our drivers were all very accomodating. We actually hooked up with a local driver and he became our go-to for transport.
Australians hit the road in droves when they could no longer travel overseas. Women travelling solo continue to make up a significant number of adventurers to call the road their home.
On any given day, there are thousands of people road-tripping around Australia. The numbers increased over the 2020 – 2022 period, with caravan and motorhome sales going through the roof. Many of these thousands of people travelling around this vast country are women travelling solo. This is their story.
Queenslander Lynda Greening, 66, recently drove her Windsor Daintree motor home from Brisbane to Perth to visit her grand children. She travels alone because she loves road-tripping and camping, while her partner of 30 years prefers not to.
Melbourne local Ashleigh Hobson – 28, road-tripped solo for 18 months through 2021 and 2022. Ashleigh is a freelance writer who quit her “perfect job” and hit the road in her decked-out Rav4 for a trip of a lifetime!
Elaine Dowd, 57, is a public servant from WA. She enjoys camping in her HiAce Van or Subaru with a pop-top tent. She regularly camps on her own throughout WA and has plans to drive solo from Perth, WA to Tasmania, with a few stops along the way.
Lynda is a marketing consultant who is able to take her work on the road. She works 20 hours a week – pulling into caravan parks and connecting to the internet to service her clients. When in Perth, she stays in caravan parks close to her family and takes short trips away.
Lynda is part of the Facebook group Women Caravanning, Camping And Travelling Solo Australia. She found the page helpful in garnering travel tips and support while preparing for her trip. The page has 22K members and caters to women who “must be travelling solo”. According to the group admin Carlea Visco, the page is “a safe place for women to have a laugh, inspire and encourage each other when travelling solo.”
Lynda also joined the Windsor Daintree Facebook group (not a women’s only group), which helped her with advice and information specific to her motor home.
Ashleigh drove her Rav4 from Melbourne to South Australia, through the centre to Darwin, across to Western Australia, where she took the Gibb River Road, visited the Kimberley, and then travelled down to Margaret River. She stopped for six months in Margaret River and worked in a winery. From Margaret River, she headed back up to Exmouth and then Bali for a change of scenery. She has recently arrived back in Melbourne after crossing the Nullarbor.
This adventurous young woman is no stranger to solo travel. She has previously travelled overseas on her own, but she said that didn’t really prepare her for life on the road in Australia, especially during the Covid lockdowns.
When Ashleigh stopped on her first night on the road, she arrived in a dark, deserted park and questioned her decision. The Facebook Group Women Caravanning, Camping And Travelling Solo Australia were there for her when she posted her thoughts, and the feedback she got from the group helped her pass her first lonely night.
Ashleigh consulted the group while she prepared for her trip. She loved that she could post any questions without fearing ridicule for asking “stupid questions”. Ashleigh also used the Facebook group Planning a Lap of Australia to help with her planning.
Ashleigh was two weeks into her trip before she started to see that she had made the right decision. Darwin and the Northern Territory gave her hope as she met and made like-minded friends and spent time with her fellow travellers.
Elaine started as a member of the Rolling Solo Australia group, “an online, offline and real-time community that provides support, friendships, information and connections for independent female road-trippers interested in camping, outdoor adventure and travel in Australia.” The group operates on a subscription-based membership.
Elaine no longer subscribes to Rolling Solo as she found the mass gatherings (of 500 upwards) not her thing. However, she has used the same Facebook site as Lynda and Ashleigh and found the advice and support invaluable as a solo woman traveller. The fact that there are never any “stupid questions” when it comes to solo travel or camping in a group is one of the reasons Elaine uses the page.
Elaine has found that members of Facebook groups expressly set up for solo women campers have been willing to meet up for coffee and chat about their travel experiences. Members will post on the page that they are planning to arrive in a town or city at a certain time and if there are members in the area, they arrange to meet for coffee or a meal. Sometimes a friendly face or company on a solo trip is most welcomed.
The groups provide a place for women to check in with others before travelling. Elaine and Lynda agree that there is never a shortage of topics to chat about in the groups and at caravan parks. Travellers have many things in common, even if they have had different experiences and come from all walks of life. And who doesn’t love to talk about their setup?
All three agree that there is a higher percentage of solo women travellers on the road in Australia, than men. There are women on the road for many reasons and who have differing circumstances, from the recently widowed to those on a working holiday. Or, as in Lynda’s case, they have a partner who prefers not to camp or travel.
While there is no age limit for those who join the Facebook page – Women Caravanning, Camping And Travelling Solo Australia, the group tends towards retired or semi-retired women in their 50s and 60s. Elaine says she has come across women in their late 70s and even 80s who are camping and road-tripping on their own, sometimes for the first time.
Some of the other groups, such as Solo Camping Ladies Australia and Ladies Camping Group Perth WA, attract younger women with and without children, and their meetups tend to be on weekends. There are even groups for women who travel with dogs – such as Ladies camping with puppies in WA.
Many women travel with dogs for company and security. Security is always forefront of everyone’s mind. It is high on the list of topics discussed in the Facebook groups and the caravan park chats or meetups. While women do occasionally report negative experiences on the road, the women I spoke to were not overly fearful of travelling alone.
The Facebook groups are all closed groups, meaning that women must answer a series of questions before being allowed into a group. While this gives some peace of mind to solo women travellers it is important to practice cybersafe habits when posting to any social media platform.
Lynda says that she had security concerns when she first set off on her trip and initially felt nervous. However, in 2.5 months of travel, she hasn’t had any negative experiences and finds that she can talk to anyone while travelling. The Facebook group helped her to realise that their other women out there travelling solo. Her only fears now are breaking down or getting a flat tyre on her big van in a remote location.
Ashleigh said had no security concerns and has always felt safe on the road. She thanks her Mum for doing the worrying for her!
Elaine says she very rarely feels unsafe, apart from the occasional incident where she errs on the side of caution. There is truth in the adage “safety in numbers.” The Facebook groups’ sheer size is a testament to the many women taking to the road to see this amazing country.
With so many other women hitting the road there’s no need to feel alone. If you are considering a solo trip, get in touch with a group today and start planning your getaway!
In November 2016, my partner and I traveled to Taiwan. One of the reasons we decided on Taiwan, apart from the fact that neither of us had been before, was because we had read an amazing account of a hiking and mountain bike adventure in Taroko Gorge.
Taroko Gorge is in the Taroko National Park on the east coast of Taiwan. The mountains are incredible, spoiled only by a massive concrete factory at the foot of the mountains. The limestone and marble is quarried for concrete and jade.
Before we traveled to Taiwan we had researched and planned to stay at Taroko Lodge, a home stay set at the foot of the Taroko mountain range. This modest accommodation is run by Rihang and his family. Rihang purchased National Park passes for us and assured us that he would be at the train station to pick us up when we arrived.
True to his word, a white van was waiting at Xincheng station, and we were greeted warmly by Rihang. Rihang spoke some English and his son, who we met later, also spoke quite good English.
We stopped at the 7-Eleven for supplies and then settled ourselves into our accommodation. Taroko Lodge is the front part of the family home. The sleeping arrangements were very comfortable, with our own bathroom, and a shared living area.
The only other guests at the time were a group of Americans who were leaving the same day as us. We had access to bikes the whole time so we could cycle into the town for snacks or meals.
The first morning, following a delicious home-cooked breakfast on the veranda, we were piled into Rihang’s van with our bikes and transported to the top of the Taroko Gorge access road. Rihang let us out with a few words of warning about the tunnels we had passed through on the way up.
We strapped on our helmets and waved goodbye to our host with some trepidation. We had a brief discussion about the tunnels which were numerous and completely dark and the fact that we had no lights on our bikes! Too late now, we were at the top and the only way was down.
Luckily there didn’t appear to be a lot of traffic on the roads, that was until we saw the stream of tourist buses making their way up the winding road. Tourist buses that I wouldn’t like to meet in a pitch-black tunnel with no light! We watched them approach and started our descent. Once the last tourist bus had reached the top and the crowd of local and Chinese tourists had disembarked for their obligatory selfies and group shots, we decided it was time to go.
The initial part of the descent was fine. We stopped along the way to take photos and to take in the incredible views. Our first tunnel was one of the shorter ones and there was light at the end so it was easy to navigate. “We’ve got this!” we thought.
The next tunnel was one of the super long ones, no light at the end of this one. There came a point where we were literally plunged into pitch black. Fumbling for phone torches while avoiding potholes. A huge sigh of relief when we reached the other end and had not been taken out by a tourist bus or fallen off. We lost count of the tunnels and needless to say we got to the end without further incident. Rihang’s white van was a welcome sight!
Gauging from the loose health and safety precautions of the previous day, we prepared for our upcoming hike on the Zhuilu Trail with some caution. The region had experienced an earthquake in the months leading up to our visit and we were informed that parts of the trail were unstable. The ranger let us onto the trail through a locked gate and checked our permits. Apparently, they only allow a limited number of people on the trail per day. The signs warn of not attempting the climb if you have a fear of heights or a heart condition. Venomous snakes and falling rocks are also something to look out for. None of this deterred us but we proceeded with caution, nonetheless.
A suspension bridge that spans the entire gorge is at the beginning of the trail. We were two of maybe 5 other people hiking that day. Breathtaking and exhilarating are the only words I can use to describe our adventure. The trails were used by the indigenous inhabitants of this region for centuries before our arrival and later by Japanese forces in their bid to control the area. Towards the top of the climb the trail becomes a very narrow ledge of around 1m in width and there was nothing but a steel cable to hold onto and a 700m drop. There was only one-way traffic on this stretch of the path.
We had a clear day, so the view was phenomenal. Such experiences do not come along very often. If the thought of the Zhuilu Trail is enough to give you vertigo, there are plenty of places to hike or take in the view without balancing on a ledge.
That night we had a lovely meal at a local restaurant with our fellow travellers from America. It was the eve of the US election results in 2016 and they were certain that Trump would not be elected. They left early the following morning before we knew what the result was. I often think about them and how disappointed they must have been.
The final morning was spent exploring the small village and venturing onto the deserted, rocky beach. Rihang took us back to the train station and we said farewell to our lovely host before heading back to Taipei.
If you haven’t read the full account of our trip to Taiwan. https://www.xyzasia.com/home/first-time-taiwan-hiking-biking-train-trips
Fancy seeing the world from the top? A sunrise hike up one of Western Australia’s highest land forms will not disappoint.
We were up at 3:15 am on a Friday to climb WA’s highest mountain in the South West! Bular Mial/Bluff Knoll stands 1095m above sea level and it is classed as a grade 4 climb of 6.8 km. Bluff Knoll is part of the region in the Stirling Ranges originally inhabited by the Mineng and Goreng people. The mountain is a four hour drive south from Perth on the way to Albany. https://parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au/site/bluff-knoll-car-park-trail-head
The night sky was lit with bright stars and there was no cloud cover to be seen when we strapped ourselves in the car to drive 45 km to the base of Bluff Knoll. We were staying in accommodation at the Karribank Chalets in the Porongurups. A stunning part of the world and a first time visit for my partner and I.
Being around 6 degrees Celsius, we layered our clothing and made sure we had something warm to put on at the summit. Water, a small flask of coffee and some nut bars for sustenance, were jammed into our backpacks. I decided against taking the big camera and opted for my GoPro instead.
The car park was empty – we were the first to arrive! We paid our National Park Fee of $15/car at the Trail head using the automatic machine. This is a requirement of entering the park. Your docket must be displayed on the dash of your car. At 4:16 am we strapped on our head torches and found the beginning of the trail. Apart from the amazing skyscape all we could see was the imposing shape of Bluff Knoll looming above us in the dark.
The beginning of the trail lulls you into a false sense of security as it plunges down into a valley before rising. The paths is well maintained and made up mostly of steps fashioned into the granite rock and box wood construction. It wasn’t long before our glutes were singing and our heart rates pumping. After walking for around 30 minutes the path began it’s spiral around the Knoll. It was still dark so we were relatively unaware of the growing drop to our right.
It wasn’t long before we were warm enough to take off some layers and stop for a quick drink. We could hear another hiking group not far behind us and this spurred us on to keep going. Nothing like a bit of competition to inspire you!
Sunrise was supposed to be around 5:33 am and we started to see a change in the available light. The looming Knoll was very imposing. We also realised the sun was rising behind us so we quickened our steps to reach the summit in time. When the sun started to come up over the horizon we had reached a point on the climb where we could see the orange glow lighting up the peak. Perfect timing!
At 6:16 am we reached the actual summit, which is a bit further than you first think. Breathtaking! Our hiking competition arrived around 10 minutes behind us so we had the summit to our selves for the shortest time.
We were poised above the low cloud cover which made the view even more spectacular. There was not a breath of wind but it was certainly cold. Our layers were quickly relayered, coffee poured and we sat on top of the world looking down on some of the most beautiful country in the world.
Unable to bring myself to stand close to the edge like some of the young climbers who seemed hell bent on getting the most crazy Instagram photo they could, I lay down and peered over. Took my breath away. Sheer rock face all the way down. A sign warned us not to throw rocks off the edge as rock climbers could be below.
Once we had taken our photos and rested for a while we decided to head on down to see what scenery we had missed on our dark ascent. They say that “coming down is the hardest thing”, to borrow a song line from Tom Petty, and I must say my calves and knees are certainly paying the price 3 days later.
This climb is one I have always wanted to do and I was not disappointed. Come prepared, wear appropriate footwear and clothing in case of extreme weather on the summit. I used a stick that a previous hiker had kindly left by the beginning of the trail, and I would recommend walking poles especially on the way down.
If you love hiking and climbing the Porongurups are around 30 minutes away and boast amazing granite peaks with a number of climbs. We climbed up to Castle Rock and the Granite Skywalk which was well worth the walk. https://parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au/park/porongurup
All in a Day Adventures 