Come From Away ✈️ 🎭

I want to share with you my experience of seeing this musical and hopefully inspire you to go also 🙌🏼. I’m not sure if you have heard of this one as it’s relatively new so I will give a quick synopsis soon. First of all, being back in the theatre to see any show was such a novelty and a welcome back to normality. It’s one thing that I have really missed, live entertainment. I used to work in a theatre in Belfast, The Grand Opera House and it was from there, where my love for theatre began and grew. Being able to see every show that entered the Opera House many, many times was such a treat, especially the musicals as they’re right up my street. Anyway, being able to return to the theatre for a musical that I have been dying to see for ages was a real joy 🤩 (postponed so many times due to covid). Even just having a drink at the theatre bar was amazing!

Come From Away takes place from 11th September 2001 (can you believe it’s 20 years ago?) over a few days and tells the remarkable true story of those stranded after the events that occurred that day. I’m sure we all remember or know about the 9/11 attacks and the Twin Towers/Pentagon etc. However, you may not be as familiar with the aeroplanes that could not land as they were diverted due to the American airspace having completely shut down.

A total of 38 aeroplanes were told to land suddenly in the small town of Gander in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada as part of Operation Yellow Ribbon (to clear the American airspace). The characters in the musical are based on real Gander residents who rallied around to help the 7,000 stranded travelers that had just landed there. They found them accommodation, provided food for the people and showed great kindness and hospitality. People were stranded there for several days and it managed to double the entire population of Gander temporarily. On a side note, those people not from Gander are known locally as those who “come from away”. Interesting fact ✌🏽.

I won’t say too much as I don’t want to spoil it for you but the story is really fascinating and one that I had never heard before. The music is amazing, really uplifting and memorable and tells the story wonderfully. It makes you realise also how far we have come from that time space, for example, no one really having mobile phones then, making it harder to call loved ones etc when in a time of panic and uncertainty.

If you’re looking for a night out that lifts your spirits and highlights the kind nature of human beings in troublesome times, then this is the show for you! I feel like we can all relate to this in some way, especially now with us living through a pandemic and needing to be empathetic with one another.

This musical is only 1 hour and 40 minutes long with no interval. So bring your drinks and snacks in with you. We saw this at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney, one of my favourite venues so far in Sydney 🤩.

Please let me know if you have seen this also or if you plan to see in the nearby future.

Thanks for reading and stay safe!

Wayne ☺️

November 23, 2021 10

Jacaranda season 💜

For this post I want to simply show case these amazing trees here in Sydney. I have been a huge fan of Jacarandas since arriving in Australia over 4 years ago. I think it’s the colour of the trees that make them so special and the fact that I had never seen them before. The season starts around mid October until mid November and it really provides that sense of spring being in the air and a gentle reminder that it is almost summer here.

Although it’s easy to think of these trees being native to Australia, they are interestingly a tree originally from South America, predominantly Argentina. If you want some more info on this tree you can find more info here.

These trees, presumably because of their attractive purple/blueish colour have become increasingly popular with social media people, all vying for that perfect snap or selfie. This is great to see people taking such an interest (me included), however, it can prove difficult at times to take some pictures without any other people photo bombing 🙈.

I will show you some of my Jacarandas snaps over the last few years and where they were taken. The good thing is, there are lots of places that Jacarandas can be found 🙌🏼.

If you’re looking for a grove of Jacaranda trees, McDougall Street in Kirribilli is a popular spot for bloggers and social media people.

I think the trees found near Como Hotel in Como, NSW, are pretty special, as are those found at Hogben Park in Kogerah. If you’re simply looking for a random tree or two, you can see these in many different streets in and around Sydney. I see a lot of them where I live in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney.

You can find them in lots of other Sydney suburbs, for example, Croydon.

I hope you all have the chance to see a Jacaranda this season and if not, at least you can see them here 🤗. Thanks for taking an interest in my love for the Jacaranda tree!!

Take care & stay safe,

Wayne ✌🏽

November 16, 2021 22

Happy Sunday 🌺

The most epic tree I ever did see 😜 or is it a plant? Does anyone know what we call this fine specimen? I was honestly so delighted to have seen this today. It’s a really stunning tree (or plant). I think it also really stands out due to the white wall behind it. It’s the little things in life, am I right?! ☺️

Have a lovely Sunday everyone, wherever you are in the world.

Wayne ✌🏽

Ps. Post update: apparently this tree is in fact Bougainvillea. Confirmed by my WordPress and Instagram friends. Thanks everyone ☺️

November 13, 2021 21

Celebrating my 50th blog post and what I have learned so far ✌🏽

Ok so I know this might not be a big deal for most people but for me, this is a huge milestone 😊. I normally do not write blogs daily or even weekly. I am more an every month kind of blogger or when I feel inspired to write. I don’t put pressure on myself to write a blog. I just have never seen the point 🤷🏼‍♂️. It’s an achievement for me as I have been blogging for over 4 years now and I am proud to have lasted the distance of time.

I would like to share with you five things that I have learned over the duration of my 50 posts:

1 – Don’t feel pressured to write a blog post all the time. It’s your blog and you can write whenever you want to. No one will judge you. Or if they do, don’t let it bother you 💁🏼‍♂️.

2 – I know this may seem obvious but it is super important to write about things that interest you. Otherwise it will become a chore.

3 – Always proof read your blog posts or have someone that can check them over before you publish. We’re human and we do make mistakes. Even if you miss something during a proof read, hopefully someone reading can inform you and it’s really easy to fix your mistake 🙌🏼.

4 – Don’t stress about the amount of likes or comments you do or do not receive. I know it can be disheartening when you spend a good amount of time on a post and you receive little to no likes. This concerned me at the beginning. However, I soon realised that many people may still have read my blog and have enjoyed it or been inspired by it. I have had people thanking me for my blogs but maybe were not WordPress users and therefore did not or could not like the post on the WordPress site. This gave me some comfort and reassurance that my efforts were not in vain 👍🏻.

5 – This brings me to my final point. If you want to have people noticing your blog and interacting with you, you have to be social on WordPress. You need to be reading other blogs and showing an interest. This is how you connect, make friends and become involved in the blogging community. I must admit, this is something I have only realised in the past few months. I have a somewhat noteworthy Instagram following and I assumed my Instagram followers would join me on my blogging journey. The reality is, this is just not the case. People perhaps like Instagram solely for pictures and not a lot of dialogue. Therefore, they maybe do not want to read a whole blog piece. It is essential that if you want to grow your blog audience, you need to interact with fellow bloggers and those with similar interests. If you show enthusiasm for other blogs and comment with your own opinions, you will see the same happening for you also ☺️. For me personally, having people react to my blog posts inspires me and encourages me to write more often. This is something I am excited to be doing now and in the future.

I hope this is some help to other bloggers or those who are beginning their blogging journey. Good luck and happy blogging 🤗.

Take care and thanks for reading.

Wayne ✌🏽

November 12, 2021 31

NSW on a vaccine high ☺️

90% of people here in New South Wales are double vaccinated. I am so thrilled for everyone here for pulling together, listening to the health professionals and getting their shots. I know it hasn’t been easy with some people divided over having the vaccine. However, the fact that it has been made almost compulsory to have the vaccine has enabled us to be safer in our daily lives and get back to some sort of new normal.

I’m hoping things continue to improve for us here in Australia and for everyone around the world 😷.

Stay safe and sane everyone ✌🏽

November 9, 2021 3

Covid 19 Booster

This blog is in response to Fandangos Provocative Question #FPQ, which is: If you have already received your initial COVID-19 vaccinations, are you intending to get a booster shot when it becomes available to you? Why or why not? If you have yet to be vaccinated for COVID-19, are you intending to ever get vaccinated? Why or why not?

Although I’m a travel blogger per se, I think this is such an interesting question and a very topical and divisive topic at present. Personally, I cannot wait to have a booster shot, 3rd vaccine in total to protect against the coronavirus.

I’m a nurse, so I appreciate the importance in protecting ourselves and others from the virus spreading. I am no medical genius by any means but I trust the medical professionals and the advice they have provided. I know with the vaccines you can still be infected and can still pass the virus on to others. However, the chances of this are significantly reduced and if you do happen to become infected, your risk of hospitalisation is decreased drastically. Very few, if any people here in Australia are hospitalised after having the initial 2 shots of the vaccine. This therefore frees the hospital beds for those people that are sick from other illnesses etc.

I believe a 3rd shot is needed to maintain a high number of antibodies in your system. I look at it like a flu shot we receive every year. Different strains may evolve again as we have seen in the past. Therefore, vaccines may need tweaking in the future again and given again to people en mass.

Even with my initial 2 vaccine shots, I still do not want to get covid 19. So bring on my 3rd shot already 🤣🤣. At present we have to wait 6 months for our booster so hopefully I can receive mine next month 🙌🏼. I think we should be extremely thankful that we have the vaccines, especially as some people living in third world countries may find it harder to obtain them or some people may lack the education and knowledge of how the vaccines work.

Stay safe everyone and get vaccinated ✌🏽

Wayne ☺️

November 3, 2021 14

1 night in Manly ☺️

When you need a break but can’t have more than a weekend off, 1 night will have to suffice. We just wanted to get away for a couple of days for a change of scenery. So we decided on Manly. Although Manly is still within Sydney and easy to travel to, we have never stayed overnight here. You see, you normally would catch the ferry here from Circular Quay and have a day trip in Manly, normally catching a ferry back home at around sunset. There are a few lovely bars and restaurants at the harbour and we would often have a couple of drinks here while waiting on the ferry to come in and take us home. However, when the craic is great and the drinks are flowing, you seem to just watch the ferries arrive and then they depart, without you on them. There’s always time to catch the next ferry 😉. This could go on for about 3 or 4 ferries until we have decided, enough is enough and head back home.

Drinks at the harbour waiting for the ferry ☺️

So this in itself would be a novelty for us to stay here and not have to worry about catching the ferry home. There’s lots to do at Manly and we still hadn’t seen all that is on offer. You have the harbour, bush walks, beaches and rock pools, as well as, amazing bars and restaurants. We decided to stay at Hotel Steyne. It’s a hotel but more so, it is a restaurant and pub, with outdoor areas, a glasshouse bar, whiskey bar and a rooftop with stunning views of Manly beach. It has charm, character and is right in the heart of everything Manly has to offer. We loved this place.

I could not recommend Manly enough for a short stay (more than 1 night would have been amazing) or a longer holiday. It honestly has everything and really feels like a holiday destination. I am seriously looking forward to a longer break but for now, 1 night will have to do 🙏🏼

Daniel San – this Japanese restaurant was amazing 🤩

We caught up with friends from home at The Ivanhoe Hotel.

The beaches and walks are stunning. We didn’t do any bush walks this time but they’re really worth checking out.

Is anyone else planning a night away? Where’s your favourite place to travel for a weekend break?

Thanks everyone for reading!

Keep safe,

Wayne ☺️

November 1, 2021 5

Halloween anyone? 🎃

Is Halloween a big deal where you live? I feel like it’s pretty big here in Sydney. Parents go to great lengths to make it fun for the children. They really decorate their houses well and also outside their houses. I once seen hoards of children and their parents travelling the streets en mass here to go trick or treating. I had never seen this before.

Where I’m from in Northern Ireland, the kids would get dressed up and parade the streets to find sweets and candy from the neighbouring houses (you were devastated if someone gave you fruit or nuts!). I had never seen parents also getting dressed up and travelling with their children. Maybe that’s a sign of the times.

I used to love Halloween as a student. It was a great chance to be dressed up in anything really and head to a party with other like minded souls. The outfits didn’t have to be particularly scary. I never really understood that part. As I grow older, Halloween means less and less to me sadly. What about you? Does anyone else look forward to Halloween and it’s festivities?

Some photos from my walk this morning. Love the decorations. Definitely felt a little spooky 👻

Wayne 🧙‍♂️

October 29, 2021 13

E.G. Waterhouse National Camellia Gardens

I happened to stumble across these gardens when working in Caringbah, within the Sutherland Shire recently. I was trying to walk somewhere pleasant and increase my step count when these gardens appeared like an oasis in a desert. It was such a awesome surprise to find. I just wanted to share some pictures of the gardens and the nearby Kareena Park Reserve. Here you can find an abundance of camellias and other flowers, a quaint tea house, numerous bird species and many sleepy flying foxes. This is the perfect spot for a picnic or simply getting lost in nature. If you want to read about the history of the gardens you can click here.

This is somewhere you should check out if looking for a day trip out of Sydney to see something a little different. It honestly made my day to spend some time here and I felt I should share with others who may not have heard of this spot.

Take care and thanks for reading 🙏🏼

Wayne 😊

October 24, 2021 7

Sydney lockdown is officially over 🙏🏼

We made it guys! After 106 days we are now officially out of lockdown. Boy it feels good…but also a bit nerve wrecking. It’s so nice to have our freedom again, seeing people out and about, hustle and bustle everywhere. However, you can’t help but think, the virus is still out there. I’m still in favour of social distancing and trying to be as safe as possible. Although I’m double vaccinated, I’m still keen to avoid contracting coronavirus 😬.

People of Sydney, or anywhere in the world that has lived through a lockdown (I’m sure everyone has), what was the first thing you did when the lockdown was lifted???

For me, it was work as usual. Being a nurse, we didn’t have any time off during lockdown. Yes I am forever grateful to have been in employment and have some sort of normality. At least we could see our work colleagues and chat about the ever changing pandemic days whilst still earning an income. However, I’m sure I speak for many nurses, it would have been lovely to have a couple of weeks off at home. Not annual leave or being off sick but just days at home to chill out and reset. Alas it wasn’t meant to be and that’s ok.

Finishing work, it was really amazing to see people out on the streets, seeing people sitting through cafe windows enjoying their soy caps and shopping malls with shop doors finally opened again. There was a real buzz around Sydney today and it felt good, albeit a bit strange. The first thing I did was go to the gym. As much as I was slightly nervous, I couldn’t wait to get back to training and seeing friends. Finally I could lift a heavy weight again 🏋️‍♂️ and maybe feel the burn the next day 😅.

I hope you all enjoy the next few days/weeks of having no lockdown. What are you excited to do/see? I personally can not wait to be able to travel again ✈️.

Thanks for reading guys and stay safe 🙏🏼

Wayne 😜

October 11, 2021 19

Sydney Lockdown: My 5km radius

This week we enter our 15th week of lockdown and hopefully the last, as restrictions will ease here next week. As you may or may not be aware, we have been restricted to moving within 5km of where we live or our local government area. I can honestly say, I have exhausted my 5km radius, having walked almost every area possible 🤣. I want to display a few photos to show you my 5km radius from when lockdown here began and you will see for yourself how diverse a small area in Sydney can be 🙌🏼.

1 – Coastal walks – Bondi to Coogee (or anywhere in between)

2 – Centennial Park

3 – Double Bay

Seven Shillings Beach (my personal fave)

4 – Rose Bay

5 – Hermitage Foreshore Walk

This encompasses many of Sydney’s intimate beaches along the harbour with great views of the Sydney city skyline. Includes Milk Beach, Parsley Bay & Nielsen Park.

6 – Paddington

Lots of art and quaintness in this suburb

That’s it folks. Thanks for taking a look around my 5km radius. It has been great to be able to show some photos again as it has been a while.

Take care and stay safe everyone.

Wayne ☺️

October 3, 2021 10

Lockdown week 10 🤦🏼‍♂️

How are you all keeping out there??? What’s happening with covid where you are? We remain in lockdown here in Sydney, Australia. This is week 10, with another few weeks to go. Lockdown will start to ease here when we reach 80% vaccination rates. Currently we are at 70% which is amazing in such a short space of time (we were slow to begin vaccinations).

I’m getting on with everyday life. Working, walking, exercising, eating, drinking, sleeping and repeat. I’m still grateful for the little things, fresh air, good company, nice scenery, the ability to still work etc etc. When you look at how Afghanistan is doing, how can we not be grateful for what we have. I honestly think about Afghanistan on a daily basis. Heartbreaking. It’s even sadder that people around the world (myself included) will get on with life and Afghanistan will slip from our minds on a regular basis, unless we see some fresh news via the media. I hope the people will get some freedom/relief from the current struggles. I don’t know how that will happen 🤷🏼‍♂️.

Anyway, I just want to remain connected to those in the blogging community. Stay safe for those that are dealing with lockdowns/covid and try to see the good things we have in our lives. Others are not so fortunate.

Wayne ☺️

September 3, 2021 6

Blogger Interview With Wayne

I had the honour of being interviewed by a fellow blogger that I really admire. Thank you Pooja of Lifesfinewhine! This is my 4 year blog anniversary and it feels fitting that this should appear as my 40th blog post. I am delighted to have made it this far and I am still thoroughly enjoying being a small part of the blogging community and connecting with other like minded people. Have a read of my interview with Pooja below 👇🏼

I would like to thank Wayne for stopping by lifesfinewhine- he has one of the best travel blogs I’ve had the pleasure of reading so be sure to stop …
Blogger Interview With Wayne

July 3, 2021 1

Lockdown 2.0

Hey everyone! I thought I would write a quick blog post without any photographs and just let the writing do the talking (so to speak). Seeing as we cannot travel yet again, this won’t be too difficult. I actually have no photos to showcase interesting places recently. We can’t even travel locally now as we have been in lockdown since Monday. I think everyone here, in Sydney at least, knew this day would come again.

With the vaccination rate being one of the lowest in the world, this was bound to happen. Covid cases have jumped dramatically from 1 known case. The only way to curb the increase is to go into another lockdown, maintain strict social distancing and wear a mask. Other essential things to practice include hand washing, coughing and sneezing into your elbow and wearing your mask correctly 🤦🏼‍♂️.

The number one thing people can do here in Australia is to become vaccinated. It hasn’t helped that the media has continually reported on the negative aspects of the vaccines, for example, the blood clot incidents from AstraZeneca. Scare mongering people and creating a fear of the vaccine. Every medicine/vaccine will have some side effects. The odds of receiving life threatening side effects are minimal (yes of course there is a risk with anything). If a person was not vaccinated, would said person have worse outcomes with receiving the virus itself? Who knows 🤷🏼‍♂️.

The lack of travel is understandable and of course we can live without it for a short time. The main thing is for everyone to be safe and healthy. My only concern is when will be return to some sort of normality? There are so many questions that cannot be answered as yet unfortunately. When we will be able to travel internationally to see our families? Will the Australian border be closed forever? Are the states in Australia more divided than ever before? Will we all be vaccinated this year?

Anyway. That’s my little rant 🤣. I hope everyone will abide by the rules, become vaccinated, stay safe and look after each other. This may get worse before it gets better. I am still forever grateful to be in the position we are in here in Australia and feel thankful to have a premier who has done good by NSW #gladys 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

June 29, 2021 3

Travel bloggers question time 🤗

A really cool blogger Theredphoneboxtravels that I follow and always inspires me suggested these questions to be answered by her followers. I thought it was a great idea to share travel experiences ✌🏽. Feel free to have a read below ⬇️

Why did you start blogging?

I started blogging in 2017 when I moved to Australia from Ireland. I initially wanted to share my new experiences here in Sydney and keep people updated with my goings on. However, I soon started to blog about places of interest to travel and explore. I wanted to share trips locally to promote them and show others interesting places to check out. Lots of people ask me about places I have travelled so I thought it would be fun and beneficial to create blog posts about them ✌🏽

What souvenirs do you buy on your travels?

I like to buy items that remind me of a place I have been. I especially like items with the place name on them, for example, T-shirts or vests that state the name. I also like fridge magnets that remind me of a certain place.

Name your top 5 cities that you’ve visited.

This is hard as I feel I have seen so many amazing cities from living in Europe most of my life.

Number 1 – I suppose this ought to be Sydney. I lived here in 2009 and fell in love with this city. I had to come back and explore it more. Hence, why I have lived here for the past 4 years. I love the scenery, the weather, the culture and the fact that there is always something new to discover. You have the city life, beach life and bush walks all in one place.

Number 2 – Amalfi. This is more a town than a city but it is my most favourite place I have ever visited. The area is absolutely stunning. The quaint little streets are beautiful and the Amalfi Cathedral is breathtaking. The view of the cathedral and the steps leading to it from the Piazza del Duomo are really a sight to behold. The food, the people, the culture, scenery and infamous coastline make this area simply out of this world.

Number 3 – Paris. The best city to get lost in. Beautiful city, oozing with culture, history and diversity. The famous landmarks do not disappoint.

Number 4 – Berlin. The city that keeps on giving. Steeped in history and offers so many things to see and do. Constantly evolving and so so friendly. To be honest I love any city in Germany!

Number 5 – Barcelona. Never a dull moment in this city. Love the architecture and culture. The food and eateries are stunning. You could walk around the streets of this city all day and night.

What’s the best dessert you’ve ever had on your travels?

Limencello. Also not really a desert but this always stands out in my mind and it’s something I would have after a main course so it feels like a desert to me. The first time I experienced this liqueur was in Amalfi. Obviously it was going to be unreal here and it was constantly being offered to you. My love for limencello had begun 🍋.

Have you ever travelled somewhere by boat? (ferries, cruise ships, river boats etc.)

Too many places to mention. Taking the boat from Nadi, Fiji to Musket Cove was an unreal experience and definitely worth doing if you’re over this side of the world.

I once took a small boat trip to Tory Island, just off the coast of Donegal, Ireland. Take the boat from Magheroarty in Donegal and head over to Tory. Not best if you suffer from travel sickness as the waters can be very choppy but it is an amazing island to visit and explore some of the fine art available.

Do you have a favourite travel movie/book?

Life of Pi is one of my favourite books and the story is set in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The movie is pretty epic too with the special effects. I was also fortunate enough to see the stage show at the Grand Opera House Belfast and it was fantastic.

What are you looking forward to when the lockdown/covid-19 restrictions in your country finish?

Travelling home to Ireland to see my family and friends. It’s been 2 years this week since I have been home and the home sickness is well and truly setting in.

For those of you who are up for participating, here are the rules: provide a link to the creator’s original award post; answer the questions provided; create 7 unique questions; nominate up to 10 bloggers; ensure that they are aware of their nomination.

My questions:

1 – Why did you start blogging?

2 – Where has been your favourite place to visit on your travels?

3 – What has been your favourite food on your travels?

4 – What is your favourite thing about the country you are from?

5 – Who do you love to travel with?

6 – What is your favourite type of accommodation to stay in whilst travelling and has there been a stand out accommodation experience?

7 – What is your favourite thing to do whilst travelling?

I have nominated 5 bloggers. Please feel free to answer my questions and there is no pressure if you choose not too ☺️

Emerdblog

My mere musings

The thoughts and life of me

Life’s Fine Wine

Love Travelling Blog

May 1, 2021 7

12 months and 12 photos (2020)

What a year it has been. I think most of us will be glad to see the back of 2020. Coronavirus has a lot to answer for…but it hasn’t been all bad. For me personally, it hasn’t been the worst year. It was sad not to be able to go home this year to see family and friends but thank goodness for the internet and learning to socialize online with video calls etc. Here is a look at my year with 12 photos for each month of 2020.

JANUARY

I was starting the new year on a high. We had just completed a cruise holiday for Christmas and I was feeling my best with my weight gain. I was at my heaviest here at 77kg. This was such an accomplishment for me and I was excited to see my progress continue with the gym and eating well.

FEBRUARY

It was AMAZING to have family here from Ireland. When friends and family come to Australia and love it like you do, it’s priceless 🥰

MARCH

The pandemic reached Australia and everyone went crazy for toilet roll. (I think this was world wide). We were in an 8 week lockdown and people were panic buying. It was insane, however, this was just the beginning.

APRIL

Celebrating the main man’s big birthday. We were in lockdown so all holiday plans were cancelled. However, we had a lovely party at home Mexican style 🇲🇽 🌵

MAY

All gyms are closed. Home workouts ensued. They were fun enough but I lost a lot of muscle mass. Sad times after all the work put in but at least I maintained my fitness and you ALWAYS feel better after a workout 🏋🏼‍♀️ 🤗

JUNE

Hooray! Our 8 week lockdown was over and restrictions started to ease. Pubs opened and we went for our 1st schooner in what seemed like an eternity.

JULY

Visiting Madame Tussauds was awesome. Healthcare workers were given free entry to some venues in Sydney and this was one of them. This was a nice touch! Hiya Oprah!

AUGUST

A little local holiday to Hunter Valley for my birthday. We feel really fortunate to have so many great places to travel to within our state.

SEPTEMBER

We’re still travelling local but Sydney never gets old. I love living in this city. To be confined here is not too shabby.

OCTOBER

Trying to see as much of NSW as possible, as that’s all where we can go. This is Ballina. Make sure to stop here before heading on to Byron Bay (see previous blog post).

NOVEMBER

And after being back to the gym for a few months, I am finally getting back to the shape I was in pre Covid. I honestly never thought it would take so long but hey ho, thankful to be in a position to even visit a gym these days.

DECEMBER

Back to Byron Bay for a 2nd time. Our Queensland trip was cancelled again (3rd time now, sooooo over it) but this was the best place to spend Christmas with close friends. Grateful for small mercies and staying healthy.

Happy New Year everyone! May 2021 be better for you than 2020.

Keep safe everyone,

Wayne ☺️

January 3, 2021 2

Byron Bay – My top 5 highlights

Returning to Byron Bay has been my dream for a while. Luckily for us, Byron lies in NSW, meaning we were allowed to travel there as it’s in the same state as Sydney. Being able to catch a flight was surreal. We had contemplated driving the 8 hour car journey to Byron, however, the flights were too cheap to pass by and it’s only an hour and a quarter journey. Being in the covid era we were wary of taking a flight but taking the necessary infection control measures, we were hoping it would be ok. Also the case numbers are very low here in NSW with none having been reported in Byron for a looooong time. Hands sanitized and masks on (provided by the airline) we were happy enough 🙂

Anyway, yes we had been to Byron before, 10 years ago and we were intrigued to see the changes, whilst reminiscing and creating new memories. See below for my top 5 highlights of our trip to Byron Bay. Hopefully, they can provide you with some ideas if you decide to travel there soon (seems like everyone from Sydney has either been recently, is there now or heading there soon!!).

1 – Ballina

When travelling to Byron by flight, you will fly into Ballina Byron Gateway Airport. Most people will catch a coach from here straight to Byron. However, we wanted to stay in Ballina to see what this seaside town had to offer. It did not disappoint and therefore is my first highlight. Just a tip, the bus to Ballina town only accepts cash. I haven’t used cash in about a year so this was a hassle trying to find an ATM. (Covid times I’m surprised cash is still being used but thats beside the point). Otherwise, just grab a cab.

We stayed in the Ramada Hotel and I couldn’t recommend this hotel enough. Situated on the Richmond River, the views are spectecular. You can sit outside for food and drinks in a really stunning setting and watch the dolphins swim by. We couldn’t beleive our luck but apparently this happens all the time. The staff are extremely friendly and helpful, rooms are class and the pool area is fantastic.

Drinks outside the hotel. Such a lovely spot just at the water’s edge.

Take a walk along the North Wall and you will be in awe of the scenery Ballina has to offer, from little bays and rockpools to the ocean on both sides of the breakwall. You can then walk to Ballina Lighthouse and stop for an ice cream at the Lighthouse Beach Cafe.

Best places to eat – The Point Ballina, situated at the Ramada Hotel. Great food, atmosphere and scenery. We also loved the Wharf Bar and Restaurant. This is perfect for watching the sunset and the decor is really cool and chilled out.

2 – Byron Bay town and accommodation

The actual town of Byron Bay is really cool. It has this really unique vibe of being quite relaxed with a great community spirit. It has that holiday/hippy kind of feels about it. You have the beaches, the quaint shops and restaurants and quirky bars, all on your doorstep. There are so many cool hotels and air bnbs to choose from. We went with Aloha Byron Bay, beautiful villa style apartments in the heart of Byron within walking distance to the town and beaches. We loved it here as the apartment was fully equipped with everything you need as well as having a pool and BBQ.

3 – The restaurants and bars

There are so many to choose from. Just be sure to book your restaurants in advance as they book out quickly due to so many people heading to Byron and the fact that social distancing has to be adhered to. Our favourite was the Balcony Bar and Restaurant. I remember going here 10 years ago so its pretty impressive and a testament to its service that it’s still as popular. Great vibe here and the food/drinks are amazing. Be sure to try the oyster shots! We also loved Miss Margaritas. If you love Mexican food then this is the spot and the margaritias are stunning (as you’d expect). Beach Hotel was our go to bar, you never tire of this place. It has a real Byron Bay feel, chilled out and with everything you would want food and drink wise.

4 – Byron Bay Solar Train

This world first solar train only lasts about 15 minutes but it’s a fun excursion that you don’t see every day. It provides a unique way to see some of Byron’s country side and it allows you to experience the antiqueness of an old train but with the modern twist of being powered by the sun.

5 – Cape Byron Lighthouse

I feel like this lighthouse is the heart of Byron Bay. This is a must see. Not only the lighthouse but the walk to get there is really something else. The scenic route to the lighthouse can be tough enough as there are a lot of steps and it’s a pretty steep ascent but it is totally worth it. Otherwise, you can drive to the lighthouse or walk to it from Byron via the main road. The lighthouse is so impressive I think due to its size and stage presence. It is situated on Australia’s most easterly point on top of a rocky headland. It towers over you and it’s situation really allows for some epic photographs to be taken (I’d say the most photographed thing in Byron).

Ok that’s my top 5. There is honestly so much more to do and see in Byron. Pretty much everyone these days is heading to Byron if you’re living in NSW. With all the borders closed, it’s the closest thing you will get to feeling like you are on a summer holiday. Since writing this blog we have returned to Byron again there for Christmas and had the best time again. The vibe here is unreal and the people are so so friendly. Big up Byron Bay! It has been our saving grace through the pandemic.

Thanks for reading guys and gals.

Wayne 🤗

November 1, 2020 3

Malabar Headland National Park

If you are looking for an awesome way to spend your day off in Sydney then this is the place to visit. Many people have done the Bondi to Coogee walk but have you done the Coogee to Malabar walk via Maroubra? If that’s too long, you can catch the bus to Maroubra and walk from there to Malabar. The beginning of the National Park is only a 10 minute walk from Maroubra beach.

Entering the Malabar Headland National Park

Malabar Headland National Park boasts dramatic coastal views and walks between Maroubra and Malabar beaches, in the east of Sydney. Follow the path within the National Park. There are many steps, areas of bushland and at times rocky terrain so my advice is to wear comfortable footwear. It takes about 20 minutes to reach Malabar Beach along the western section of the walk. The views on the route are incredible. The beach itself is quite small but has lots of character and is a really beautiful spot. From the beach you then follow the path along the eastern section of the park. This can be closed at times so be sure to check the opening times at https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/malabar-headland-national-park. The views on the return leg to Maroubra are stunning and you can often see whales here migrating from May to November on their annual migration route.

Honestly, this is one park you will want to check out. I had no idea it was there, a real hidden gem in the eastern suburbs that’s right on your Sydney doorstep.

All the best,

W 🙂

July 10, 2020 5

Bundeena

Hi everyone. As previously mentioned, due to Covid, we are only permitted to travel within our state of New South Wales (NSW). I’m going to kick off my short trips within NSW with our latest trip to Bundeena. It is just over an hours drive from Sydney and lies within the Royal National Park. Although you are literally only down the road, you will seem a million miles away. You have to drive into the National Park to find this seaside village. Alternatively you can take the small ferry from Cronulla.

This village is really quaint, lies between the beach and bushland and has numerous walks to undertake. My go to website for things to do in NSW is http://www.sydney.com. A simple web address but is really useful for finding the main attractions to see and do and also provides restaurants, bars, cafes etc to check out. For us, the main things to undertake were; checking out the local area, scenery, places to eat etc, explore some of the Royal National Park, see the famous wedding cake rock, explore the walk to the indigenous rock engravings, drive to Wattamolla Beach and stop at the Audley Dance Hall on the return home.

We stayed in a really cool Air BnB, if you want the details you can let me know. We just wanted somewhere cosy and close to all the sights. I really wanted a hot tub (just for the novelty factor 🙈) and the BBQ was a nice touch.

It was really close to the village (10 minute walk) and a 5 minute walk to Jibbon Beach. The local area has a beach found at Berenice Forster Park, just across the road from the main street. It boasts a selection of eateries and a supermarket. Bundeena has a bowling club and RSL, these are the 2 places if you want a beverage (whilst social distancing).

Royal National Park

This park is huge!! There are many walks and trails to explore with varying distances to suit all. With bushland, insane rock formations, ocean views and beaches, this park has it all. We headed to wedding cake rock which is only 3.6 km round trip. I would loved to have explored further but we were racing against time as the sun was going to set in a couple of hours.

Wedding Cake Rock

Amazing landscape piece. Such a shame you can’t get closer but many people have ruined it for others, trying to get that perfect shot. People have lost their lives here trying to sit on the edge. We see this time and time again, those competing for the most daring shot. As a further result the landscape has been compromised and become very fragile. You can even see a large crack in this photo. The area has had to be fenced off as the rock could crumble and fall into the ocean at any time.

Indigenous Rock Engravings

Follow the beach along to the bushland area and follow the directions to the indigenous engravings. The walk takes you along the coast and boasts some really stunning views.

The engravings here are over 3000 years old.

Wattamolla Beach

I have always wanted to check out this beach and it didn’t disappoint. Not only is the beach amazing and quite unique but there were also some really breathtaking waterfalls that I had had been unaware of but pleasantly surprised with.

Audley Dance Hall

This is a great spot to stop on the way back to Sydney. The dance hall is a lovely spot to grab a bite to eat and the grounds here are really beautiful.

These photos are just highlighting the spots that we were able to see in a couple of days. There is so much to see and do in and around Bundeena and within the Royal National Park. Hopefully, I will be able to return here one day to explore the area further.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more day trips in NSW.

Wayne

June 26, 2020 7

Travel during Covid

As you may or may not be aware, I havent written a blog post in quite some time. I mainly write about my travels and positive experiences in Australia, however, 2020 has been a very strange year so far. Australia had a rough ride at the end of 2019 and entering 2020 with the insane bush fires that were reported all over the world. This coupled with drought was very catastrophic for most of the country. Even here in Sydney the amount of smoke was crazy and pretty scary as you worry about your physical health with regards to breathing and being outdoors ( it was, at one stage, the worst air pollution in the world). You could feel it with every breath, even sitting in your home and sleeping at night. So dear help those who were living in the middle of it all and the poor animals who lost their lives.

This was then followed by severe flooding, which crazily enough, initially made putting the fires out even harder. So when the fires, finally, after many months began to be contained and controlled, people here believed the worst to be over. Enter the coronovirus.

This needs no explaining, as every country in the world and every person is being affected in some way or another. Thankfully, Australia has been doing really well up to this point and long may it continue. I have just been grateful to still have a job and maintain some sort of normality. I think the fact that we can’t travel is the least of anyone’s worries. Everyone just wants to be healthy, both physically and mentally, ensure safety of our loved ones and come out of this covid situation being able to have a new way of normal life.

As we begin to ease out of lockdown here, we begin to live our lives in a new era of social distancing and strict infection control measures. We may not be able to travel internationally here, however, I am extremely grateful that we are now in a situation where we can travel locally and soon to be inter state. For us, it provides the opportunity to see more of Australia, as will be for most people here and in turn will help the economy and the tourist industry. Therefore, I will be continuing to write about day trips to make in and around Sydney for now, with the hope to expand to places more further afield in Australia. We were meant to be travelling home to Ireland this month but that will have to be placed on hold for the time being unfortunately.

Stay tuned and keep safe everyone.

W 🙂

June 18, 2020 3