Wagga Wagga to Worcestershire & back again
Over the last few days I’ve been watching from afar the build-up, impact and effects Tropical Cyclone Debbie has had on Queensland. The category four storm bashed into the Whitsunday coast between Bowen and Airlie Beach earlier this week, with my hometown of Mackay (just over an hour’s drive to the south) copping its fair share of destructive winds and torrential rain too.
England officially went onto ‘summer time’ at the weekend and the sun came out in celebration, delivering the two most beautiful Malvern’s had in a long time. It was almost like nature knew daylight saving was starting and put on a show in response.
The air had that first sweet scent of warmth and the sunshine stuck around all day. I managed to ditch my boots for the first time since Adam and I arrived in the U.K. and get around in a pair of ballet flats. It felt luxurious. There was no need to remember a thick winter coat and sunglasses were genuinely needed. With the first of the spring blooms on show and trees starting to shoot their dainty, fresh green leaves, it was the sort of weekend that left you deeply satisfied and smiling.
The older I get, the more I’ve come to savour and enjoy being housebound for the day. In years gone by staying put and purposely choosing not to go out seemed anti-social and a bit of waste, but now the ability to hide away for 24 hours seems a luxury.
In the last week or so, both Adam and I have succumbed to our second dose of of winter sickness (methinks perhaps neither of us actually fully recovered from our first bout of sniffles, coughs and chills in February). That combined with busy work and full on travel schedules has meant it’s been weeks since either of had the opportunity to just spend a day at home.
There is something very English about train travel. From the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter books to those Griff Rhys Jones and Michael Palin travel television series of year’s past, whenever I think of train travel the stereotypical image I get in my mind is a steam train chugging through rolling green hills, whizzing past thatched cottages whilst a middle aged woman serves cups on tea from a trolley aboard.
Once upon a time there was an eight year old girl who lived in northern Australia. She’d never seen snow, only in movies and on television. She liked to pretend the ash that fell from the sky when nearby cane farmers burnt off their crop was snow. Little did she know she’d grow up and one day find herself in her very own snowglobe….
Ever walked around a place and been awestruck at the beauty that surrounds you? When you get that excited grin on your face and have to keep telling yourself, ‘Yes, this is real’. That’s the feeling I got strolling through the Latvian capital Riga the weekend before last. It’s a city that’s got a history dating back to before the Middle Ages, is starting to find its feet after so many decades of occupation and is filled with just some really lovely people.
Adam and I fly back from Latvia today and I’m looking forward to sharing our trip with you next week!
We decided before we left Australia that we would prioritise travel during our stay in England, and so far I think we’ve managed to do that. Wanderlust is a wonderful affliction and something both Adam and I possessed before we met. Since we’ve been together, I think that desire to ‘see the world’ has only strengthened. Travelling with someone who loves exploring new places, experiencing new cultures and having their eyes, mind and heart opened by that, is truly life changing.
However all those wonderful getaways come at a cost. You can’t go on holidays regularly without being smart about your spending. Adam and I are far from being well-off, and because we want to travel, and travel often, we’re doing a whole heap of little things to help save money for our next trip.
The northern hemisphere has now officially entered spring. I’m welcoming it with eager anticipation after virtually doing two winters back to back. While Malvern hasn’t had a terribly brutal winter, our one in Wagga Wagga was wet and grey, so it feels like there hasn’t been much variation in the weather in the last six months. Doing two cold seasons consecutively though does makes you appreciate the hints nature gives, which shows the chill is almost over.
This weekend Adam and I will fly to Latvia for our next mini-break of 2017. Latvia is one of the Baltic states in Eastern Europe and has a long and conflicted history, including being invaded by Nazi Germany and occupied by the Soviet Union in the last 100 years. Part of the capital Riga has a UNESCO World Heritage listing and close to half the country, which is part of the European Union, is forested – a unique mix that allows for varied holiday experiences.
As I mentioned a few weeks ago, Eastern Europe was a region we started investigating after returning from Gibraltar last month, due to its easy accessibility from the U.K., the exchange rate and the fact it was a little ‘off the radar’. When well priced flights to Riga came up at reasonable times on the dates we wanted from our first choice airport, Adam and I decided Latvia needed to be explored.
On Friday Adam and I woke up to the most brilliant sunshine. We’d both been under the weather for a few weeks with winter coughs and sniffles and by chance we also both had the day off work. Adam suggested we get in the car, go for a drive and make use of our National Trust membership.
A little over an hour later we found ourselves in south Wales at Tredegar House just outside of Newport. The property belonged to the Morgan family for around 500 years and is set in beautiful parkland just off the M4 motorway.
Wattle and Ash 