A part of me thought perhaps I might simply casually begin posting once more and never point out my SECOND hiatus since covid, however I figured that was the simple method out.
Realistically, I don’t even actually know why I ended writing final 12 months. Life was busy for certain, but it surely was extra that after I jumped again in that I spent a lot time sharing my writing and making an attempt to get it seen by as many individuals as doable that I began to resent it. The writing was the half I loved most but it surely was the half I bought to do the least of.
So, I’m again. I’m writing once more however this time the main focus is solely on writing and sharing with my already established and far beloved readers, reasonably than burn myself out making an attempt to get new ones.
RED CENTRE ROAD TRIP
In April of final 12 months, Dad and I scored some low cost flights into Alice Springs and determined to do a father daughter journey across the pink centre. We scorching air ballooned over Uluru, swam in wonderful gorges and waterholes, hiked Kings Canyon and practically incurred what would have been the world’s most costly tow!
TOP END GETAWAY
In June of 2022, Ella and I took a number of weeks to get away from Adelaide winter. We first flew as much as my previous dwelling in Darwin and did a little bit weeklong highway journey within the High Finish. We launched child turtles, went on a chopper to a non-public swimming gap and went fowl watching in Kakadu Nationwide Park earlier than heading to our subsequent vacation spot – Bali.
BALI HOLIDAY
Our 6 nights in Bali had been the definition of a vacation. We did a teeny tiny little bit of exploring however we spent most of our time consuming in eating places, getting massages and swimming in our personal villas. This was my first abroad journey since Covid-19 and it was good to move someplace acquainted whereas navigating all the principles and rules that had been applied in relation to covid.
LEBANON
A number of months later, covid restrictions had been easing all all over the world and lots of nations had been now not requiring pre departure testing. I made a decision to embark on a visit to a rustic that I’d wished to go to for a few years and the one option to get there was by going by way of Lebanon. I need to admit, I had at all times pictured Lebanon as a pleasant place to go to however I used to be fully bowled over by simply how stunning it’s. We spent three superb transit days primarily based in Beirut and my solely remorse was that we didn’t keep longer.
SYRIA
Syria was my meant vacation spot after our time in Beirut. I had initially meant this to be a solo journey, however my dad determined final minute that we wished to return alongside and by chance we had been in a position to kind a visa for him in time. Syria is clearly not a typical vacationer vacation spot, however it’s someplace that I had at all times wished to go to. I had met so many individuals over time who had been lucky sufficient to journey to Syria earlier than the battle and so they solely ever had unimaginable issues to say concerning the nation.
Tourism has been slowly reopening in Syria since round 2019 (though covid positively impacted it) and it was a spot that I used to be lastly in a position to go to. Our week there was a visit like no different and I’ve a full weblog put up coming about our journey – in addition to a dialogue on the ethics of travelling to nations experiencing battle.
UZBEKISTAN
After leaving Syria I travelled to Uzbekistan to spend ten days catching the trains throughout the nation. I had picked up a water-borne sickness in Syria and continued to be fairly unwell, which meant my vitality for exploring was fairly restricted, so I spent my days rising earlier than the solar, wandering across the cities within the quiet of the morning gentle and napping within the afternoons.
GOT A PUPPY
Ella and I had talked for ages about getting a canine, but it surely took us fairly some time to resolve on probably the most appropriate breed for our family. Provided that we’ve got bunnies who reside in the home (and whom are our first infants) discovering a canine that wouldn’t need to assault them and wouldn’t damage them by accident was paramount. I additionally solely actually like large canine, in order that restricted our choices considerably. We ended up narrowing our choices right down to a Bernese Mountain Canine, a Newfoundland or a Nice Pyrenees. In the long run, a pyr appeared like the best choice for our home and inside a few 12 months, we had discovered a pet. Not like within the USA, breeders of pyrs are far and few between in Australia – there are solely three lively breeders and all of them solely breed each few years.
The day we bought our Wally was such a cheerful one. Watching him develop from a terror of a pet to the calm, light and protecting boy he’s now has been unimaginable. He’s an extremely properly behaved canine and contemplating the truth that we’re subpar canine trainers at finest, it says quite a bit concerning the breed and about him.
GOT ACCEPTED INTO A MASTERS PROGRAM
I ended up feeling fairly twitchy with regard to my work life exterior of travelling and determined that I wanted to do some type of examine and increase my information or ability set indirectly. I ended up deciding to undertake a Masters in Public Well being with a tropical drugs focus.
WENT DIVING IN RAJA AMPAT
Ah, this journey was years within the making. I keep in mind reserving this week-long diving journey in mid 2018 for November 2020! Even then, a two 12 months wait checklist was not remarkable. After all, 2020 occurred and I wasn’t in a position to journey to Raja and thus our reserving was pushed to November 2022. Over 4 years I had been ready for this journey!
Now that that journey has been and gone, I can safely say, it was bloody definitely worth the wait.
I travelled to Raja with my buddy Chelsea and it was an totally excellent vacation.
We might rise with the solar, have a espresso and a light-weight breakfast, go for a dive, come again and eat a extra hearty breakfast, go for an additional dive, come again and eat an unimaginable lunch, have a day snorkel or kayak or laze about studying a e book, then have G+Ts on the deck of our overwater villa earlier than indulging in an enormous dinner and an early evening.
Then we simply repeated this for six days! It was paradise and I really can’t wait to return someday.
GOT MARRIED
Most likely the most important factor that has occurred since my running a blog absence has been that I bought maaaaaarried!
Ella and I tied the knot on April fifteenth of this 12 months within the pouring rain while surrounded by the gorgeous surrounds of Burbrook Forest, a non-public reserve within the Kuitpo area of South Australia.
Regardless of the rain (and the worrying week beforehand making moist climate plans) our day was excellent. I do know most individuals most likely really feel this fashion about their weddings, however there isn’t a single factor I’d change. Ella and I promised to like one another for the remainder of our days surrounded by all of the folks we love most and it was utter perfection.
TURNED 30
Gosh, after an unimaginable decade spent navigating my twenties, it was time earlier this 12 months to enter a brand new decade. As a lot as I held a little bit of trepidation about this (the truth that I’ll be too previous to remain in some hostels in a number of years is insane to me) we threw a really laid again lunch adopted by kick ons at our place. It was a terrific evening surrounded by my favorite associates and we lastly made a dent in all of the leftover alcohol from our marriage ceremony!
DID MY FIRST LIVEABOARD TRIP
Ever since I realized to dive, doing a diving targeted liveaboard has been a dream of mine. I had booked per week off work and flights to Bali and initially deliberate to spend per week in Laos, however as soon as once more the flight schedules simply didn’t work out to be an efficient use of 1 week off. As a substitute, I seemed into going diving in Indonesia’s Komodo Nationwide Park.
I spent 4 superb days aboard the ‘Bajak’ and did a few of the finest diving of my reside. We noticed mantas, sharks, turtles and oh a lot extra. It was reasonably priced, enjoyable and such a straightforward journey to do – I can’t wait to jot down a full weblog on the journey.
WENT BACK TO TONGA
Will there ever be a time the place I’m not planning a return journey to Tonga?
Extraordinarily unlikely.
The whalies pull me again in nearly yearly and every journey is nothing wanting unimaginable. It’s the one journey I do over and over with out making any adjustments, and given what number of journeys I’ve been on, that’s saying one thing. I captured some unimaginable video footage of the whalies on this journey that I can not wait to share.
In a number of quick weeks Ella and I can be off on our a lot awaited honeymoon, we can be heading to Iceland and Greenland (northern lights come at us) earlier than heading to Thailand and Indonesia to defrost. I even have plans to do a freediving course with Chelsea, a visit to South Korea with Ella and an enormous journey with Dad to Madagascar and Norway (odd mixture however you’ll discover out why).
This would be the first 12 months in a very long time the place I’ll be again to travelling for 3-4 months within the 12 months and I’m so bloody excited for all that’s to return.
As soon as once more, I’m deeply sorry for my absence however I can’t wait to get again to what I like, running a blog about my adventures across the globe.
Keep tuned! xx