Mountain Madness in May #Take12Trips

May saw us take two trips to the mountains - one trip was to the Blue Mountains in NSW, and the other was to the Stirling Ranges down south of WA.

I'll start with the Blue Mountains: 

Scotty had wanted to compete in The Northface 100 since we moved to Australia 3 years ago. Due to injury the first year and then our trip to the States last year it hadn't been possible... until now!

We scored super cheap flights with Jetstar, booked a trusty i20 through Europcar (can't pass up the Velocity points) and our friend hooked us up with a house 1.5km from the start line. 

Scotty had been to the Blue Mountains in April for two weeks to train for the race, but this was my first time there. 

Thursday rolled around and it was time for take off. We arrived in Sydney at about 5pm and were on the road by 5.30pm. The drive to the mountains went pretty quickly with not too much traffic. Scotty was able to point out some of the suburbs along the way which was cool, and less than 2 hours later we were arriving in Katoomba.

Welcome to the Blue Mountains

On Friday morning we went for a short run to check out the Three Sisters and the view out to Mt Solitary. I was instantly in love. There were trails leaving from the town, and not only trails, but amazing trails that had amazing views. I was in heaven! 

Running along the trails only minutes from the town centre of Katoomba

Friday morning run in Katoomba

My first sighting of The Three Sisters

Echo Point, Katoomba

After our run we went to a quaint wee cafe in Leura just five minutes up the road. Leura was my kind of town. Very bohemian with lots of arts/craft stores and fantastic healthy cafes. 

The rest of the weekend was spent exploring and of course crewing for Scotty's race on the Saturday. 

Mt Solitary

Such amazing scenery in Katoomba

For some crazy reason I had the urge to climb down (and then back up!) the Giant Staircase on Sunday morning. It was never ending! But the views from the top and on the way down were amazing, and it was really cool climbing down towards the valley floor. 

Just a few of the stairs going down the Giant Staircase

One of the incredible sights on the way down the Giant Staircase

I met one of the locals at the bottom of the Giant Staircase

If you're ever thinking of heading to Sydney, you must make the trip up to the Blue Mountains. There is so much to see and do! And if you don't have a car, the train line goes all the way there, stopping at each suburb along the way. 

I haven't gone into too much detail in this post because there will be more on the Blue Mountains another time, but for now... the Stirling Range National Park: 

Scotty has two big races coming up in Europe in the coming weeks so he needed to find some serious elevation for his training. The only place you're going to get anything remotely close to what he needed was down south of WA near Albany/Mt Barker in the Stirling Range National Park. He's been wanting to get down there for years but we'd always been busy doing other things or visiting other places. 

It was going to be a very quick trip, leaving Friday morning and getting back in time for work on Sunday afternoon. 

We packed up the car with our tent and sleeping bags and all the food and clothes we'd need for the weekend and we were off. 

It's usually about a 4.5 hour drive, but thanks to a lot of road works (and a nice picnic lunch along the way) it was closer to 5.5 hours by the time we got there. 

We'd booked a campsite at the Stirling Range Retreat and when we arrived it was exactly what we hoped it would be. The owners were lovely and very helpful, and we got a fantastic spot where we could watch the sun go down. 

Our home for the weekend

The view from our tent

The rest of the weekend was spent exploring and hiking. It was incredible. Scotty did the training he needed to do, and I hiked up three of the peaks. There's nothing we love more than being in the mountains together. 

On the Saturday I hiked up Toolbrunup Peak which was really cool. Scotty had run ahead but met me on his way back down to say it wasn't really what he was looking for for his training run. There were heaps of rocky screes and lots of scrambling required so although it was perfect for what I wanted, it wasn't so great for him. He hiked with me back to the top before we made our way back down together. It was a really fun hike, but time to head to the next mountain. 

The start of the hike up Toolbrunup Peak

Hiking up Toolbrunup Peak

The top of Toolbrunup Peak

Next up was Mount Hassel. From the description this sounded a lot more like what Scotty was after for his training. I stayed in the car while he did his first repeat to hear whether or not it would suit what he needed to do for his programme. He came running back down with a big smile on his face and said it was perfect. So as he ran off again I started hiking to the top. It's an unusual mountain with lots of bush/trees most of the way and then it becomes quite rocky at the top and looks very 'knobly'. 

Mt Hassel

I had the biggest smile on my face when I reached the top because as I was putting a rock on the cairn I could look across and see the mountain we'd climbed earlier! Pure bliss! (If you love being in the mountains you'll understand why this was such a cool feeling).

The view from the top of Mt Hassel looking out towards Toolbrunup Peak

We cooked our own meals both nights in the outdoor camp kitchen. They had a fantastic set up with a fridge, microwave, kettle, toaster and gas hobs with frying pans provided. 

The outdoor camp kitchen

If you don't want to cook yourself they also sell Lite n Easy freezer meals that you can heat up and eat which I thought was a great idea for people that didn't want to have to worry about bringing their own food.

The next morning we set our alarms for 4am. Scotty needed to get a long session in before packing up and heading back to Perth for work that afternoon. I had planned on waiting in the car until the sun came up and then hiking up Bluff Knoll.

Once we arrived in the carpark and saw a few people with head torches heading off up the mountain I decided I'd do the same and was hoping to see the sunrise from the top. Just a slight problem... I didn't bring a head torch. Nevermind, Scotty had a back up light in his pack - a tiny flash torch about the size of my finger! It did the job and before long I was making my way up the trail in the pitch black with a small light on the ground in front to guide me. 

This was incredible, it was such an amazing feeling not being able to see anything around me. I climbed further and further to the top and could start to feel the conditions changing. As it opened up and I came out from the shelter of the trees it was blowing a gail. And it was starting to get quite wet. I couldn't tell if it was rain or not and Scotty later told me that it was just moisture from being up in the clouds. Scotty had run ahead and met me on his way back down. He said the weather was really bad up the top and he didn't think it would really suit for him to do 5 repeats in those conditions. He hiked with me up to the top which was cool. I was glad he was there because he wasn't wrong about how bad the weather was. I was almost getting blown off my feet. We took a photo with the sign at the top and then started heading back down. There was definitely no chance of a sunrise from up there! 

The summit of Bluff Knoll before sunrise

On the way back down the weather started to become nicer as we got back into the shelter of the trees. And as we hiked down, like fate, the sunrise started to show. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to join The Topless Tour, a fun instagram challenge. 

Taking part in #TheToplessTour at Bluff Knoll

I'd highly recommend the Stirling Ranges to anyone that likes hiking. There are so many different mountains and hikes to choose from. We were given maps and descriptions of each of the hikes when we arrived at the campground which was really helpful. It said how long the hikes were and the estimated time it would take to complete them. They also had a mud map of where each of the mountains were which was great when we were planning our days. 

We loved it so much that we went back the following weekend so that Scotty could train some more and I could explore some of the other peaks (and climb Bluff Knoll in the day light)! 

Bluff Knoll

The summit of Bluff Knoll in daylight

Scotty doing repeats of Bluff Knoll

The view out the back of Bluff Knoll

Scotty getting in a couple of extra km on the road back to the campground

There you have it, my #Take12Trips adventure for May. Next up will be a June/July European Adventure - but you'll have to wait until the beginning of August to read that one! 

One of those 'pinch me' moments!

Growing up with five siblings and a single mum meant having the bare minimum, just enough to get by. But I never used to want for anything, and it made me the person I am today, which I wouldn't change for anything.

It also meant that I'm not the sort of person that always dreamt of traveling or visiting exotic places. I was happy living my life and was more than happy with what I had. 

In my late teens and early twenties I started thinking about other countries and wondered what it would be like to visit places I knew nothing about. I started seeing traveling in a whole new light. My passion for traveling was starting to grow and I soon wanted to go everywhere and see everything. 

Fast forward to January this year and Scotty and I were on a 5 week trip around Asia and had flown to Beijing to visit the Great Wall of China. Just booking the flight seemed surreal. We were traveling from Malaysia to Hong Kong but decided to add in a few days in Beijing on the way, just because! One of the many things I love about traveling, you can go wherever you want!

The day started with our private guide and driver picking us up from our hotel. Scotty was pleasantly surprised when he realised it was just the two of us doing the tour for the day. He thought we were going to be in a mini van with a whole lot of other tourists.

We traveled for about 2 hours out to the Jiankou section of the wall. This is one of the original sections of the wall that hasn't been restored. The funny thing about our 2 hour drive was that the first 40 minutes or so was spent just getting around the corner from our hotel. Sitting in the car and looking around after 40 minutes and realising we'd done a big circle and were only about 15 minutes walking distance from where we'd started made us laugh.

The beginning of our hike

When you think of the Great Wall of China you picture nicely manicured steps, amazing towers and a fully functioning wall that carries on for miles. But the true Great Wall of China, the section that really makes you feel like you've taken a trip back in time, is the unrestored section.

Our driver dropped us off in the middle of nowhere, a small village called Xizhazi. We started hiking along a trail up through the trees. Every now and then you would see remnants of what used to be. I kept stopping and looking around to take it all in. It was absolutely freezing which I think added to the whole experience. Poor Scotty was on camera duty and his fingers were starting to freeze each time he took them out of his pockets. And that was through the gloves he was wearing! 

We soon came to the first tower and climbed up the ladder to get to the top. Once we'd all climbed up we stopped to take some photos. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. I was looking out into the distance at the wall as it disappeared over the horizon and I suddenly had an overwhelming sense of happiness. Here I was hiking along the Great Wall of China with the love of my life. This is what dreams are made of!

At the top of one of the towers

At the top of one of the towers

Scotty standing in front of one of the towers

We continued along the wall climbing up to each new tower as we went. I should clarify that when I say 'tower' you must remember that this is on the original part of the wall where no restoration work has been done. We were climbing up the remains of towers that were built many centuries ago, sometimes using ladders, other times clambering up the bricks!

Hiking along some of the original parts of the wall

I loved seeing the wall making its way out to the horizon

It was amazing to see the contrast once we arrived at Mutianyu, the restored section of the wall. It's so commercialised and 'perfect' looking. But as I said earlier, that's the way I had pictured it would be, until we arrived and realised the true beauty of the wall was in fact where there had been no restoration work done at all. 

Just a few more steps until we reach our destination

Hiking along the wall

Hiking along the wall

One of the most magical views I've ever seen

I couldn't wipe the smile off my face - although my face
found it difficult smiling in the cold!

After completing the hike we were given the option of either catching the gondola down to the carpark (which is what our guide did) or walking further along to the toboggan and riding down that way. Of course we chose to spend the extra time walking on the wall and then getting the toboggan down to the car park.

Our ride back down to the carpark

There's always time for photos with guys dressed in random costumes

Once at the bottom, and after having our picture taken with the funny characters in the carpark our driver and guide took us to a local restaurant down the road for lunch.

This was the perfect way to end our tour. And we'd certainly worked up an appetite after hiking over 10km on the wall. Our guide ordered lots of local dishes for us to try which were delicious! And all of which was included in the price of our tour. 

If you're planning on visiting Beijing I would highly recommend hiking along the Great Wall, and booking a private tour through Wild Great Wall Adventure Tours so that you can experience the difference between both sections. It also means you get to experience the wall without hundreds of tourists around and gives you the opportunity to really soak up your surroundings. 

Our hike along the Great Wall of China is definitely something we will never forget. Next stop... Hong Kong!

Flying Solo to Raro #Take12Trips

I had mixed emotions about this trip - I couldn't wait to explore a new country, but I knew it wouldn't be the same without Scotty there to share it with. We're one of those annoying couples that do everything together, and we love it that way! So spending a week apart (or even one day) was very foreign to us. 

Scotty was going to the Blue Mountains to train for a big race he has coming up, so I decided to go to Rarotonga. He wasn't very keen on me traveling by myself, but I wanted to tick a new country off 'the list', so I tried finding somewhere not too far away, and somewhere he would feel comfortable with me being alone. The Cook Islands were the perfect place! 

It was school holiday time again, so we both flew to Sydney together on the Saturday and then I continued on to Raro. After leaving Sydney at 9pm Saturday night, I then traveled back in time and arrived in Raro at 7am Saturday morning. 

I had a very warm welcome (quite literally, the humidity was at a high) and was given a beautiful flower necklace to wear, and pointed in the direction of my transfer to where I was staying. 

The lovely necklace I received when I arrived in Rarotonga

This was only the second time I'd traveled internationally on my own. The first time was for my 21st birthday when I went to Fiji for two weeks. I love my own company and I'm pretty confident when it comes to doing things by myself so I was pretty excited for a week of rest and relaxation on a tropical island. 

The stunning beach only 50 metres from my front door

The place I was staying at was absolutely perfect. It was a gorgeous wee house right on the beach. And the owners were so friendly. I chatted to them every day and even had the opportunity to see them perform one night at a bar on the other side of the island - Rudy played the ukulele and Heidi danced. 

My island home

Rudy performing at a local bar on the beach

Rudy and Heidi weren't around when I first arrived, and I knew that I couldn't check in until later that afternoon as there was someone else in the house I would be staying in, so in true island style I wrote a note on a napkin and left it with my bags on their verandah. 

I met a lovely girl as soon as I arrived at the place where I was staying. She was just heading out to catch the bus to the markets so I joined her and we ended up spending the day looking around the markets and the town together.

The Saturday markets

We were able to borrow bikes from the place we were staying which was really cool, it was heaps of fun biking around the island to explore. I love walking/running or biking around new places, it's a great way of being able to stop and look at things in your own time. 

Louise and I riding around the island

I spent a lot of the week running and riding around the island. There's something really cool about putting your backpack on, jumping on your bike and heading off for a day of exploring, snorkeling and reading on the beach! Pure bliss!  

The sunrise on one of my runs

Another great way of getting around the island is the local bus. Two buses leave town every hour, one heading clockwise and the other anti-clockwise. You can wave them down from anywhere along the side of the road. 

I was lucky enough to be able to attend a church service while I was in Raro. It was such a beautiful experience with all of the locals singing and celebrating life. And the free morning tea afterwards was an added bonus too. 

Sunday School students before church

The locals were all so friendly and always wanted to chat about where I was from, what I do for work etc. I really enjoyed chatting to some locals while they were pulling in their fishing nets - this is probably not something I would've taken the time to do if I hadn't been there alone, and it's those interactions that I loved about traveling by myself. 

Locals fishing

One of the must-do activities in Raro is the Cross Island Hike with Pa. Pa is such a character and the perfect way to describe him would be with a saying that goes a little something like this - 'Never let the truth get in the way of a good story'! The hike is fantastic, heading up through the jungle to The Needle and then back down the other side. 

The infamous Pa

The Needle

Another must-do is the Te Vara Nui village tour, dinner and cultural show. You get to learn a lot about the Cook Island history and culture during the village tour. You then get to dine with other holiday-makers and enjoy an amazing buffet dinner with lots of local specialities before enjoying the cultural show put on by the local men and women. They are such amazing dancers and the costumes are incredible. The dessert after the show was the perfect way to end the evening. 

Te Vara Nui Village Tour

Local girls and boys performing cultural dances

If you want to run with the locals while you're there then get in touch with the Hash House Harriers. They do a group run (followed by beer drinking and chatting) every Monday night. It's a fantastic night and a great way to meet some of the locals. 

I picked up a fantastic brochure at the airport on my way in that showed a list of some of the different bars and restaurants that had activities or special events on certain nights. One of the fun things I decided to do was the 'party night' at the Coco Putt Ale House. For a mere $20 they will pick you up, provide you with a delicious burger, a free drink and a game of mini golf. There was a party bus (another fun night activity if you want to see the Raro nightlife) there that night so there was a great crowd and the night ended with me winning a game of limbo and doing my first ever funnel of beer as my 'prize'... I'm a non-drinker remember! 

As you can see Raro has something for everyone. It's also a famous wedding and honeymoon destination. While I was there I saw about 6 weddings and lots of honeymooners. It was really nice to be in a place where there was so much love in the air. And it was always funny when people asked where my husband was and I told them he was training for a big race so I had come there to relax. The girls all thought it was fantastic, and the guys would laugh and tell them not to get any ideas!  

I would highly recommend Rarotonga as a travel destination for people that are looking to relax and soak up the island culture. And I couldn't recommend Tropical Sands enough for the perfect place to stay. 

Stay tuned for my next #Take12Trips adventure in the Blue Mountains, NSW.

My final sunset in Rarotonga