Problogger Wrap Up

This Saturday just gone, Cathy and I had the opportunity to attend the Problogger blogging training day.

 

I know I speak for the both of us when I say it was all together fun, informative, exhausting and well worth attending. I had a great time personally, met some great people and was able to learn a few things that I can do to make this blog a fabulous place to visit.

 

I won't bore you with a summary of what went down, except to say, if you blog, try and get along to one of these PBEvents. if for nothing else, the networking is a fabulous experience.

 

I'm really looking forward to seeing how this little travel blog evolves and 'travels' along with us!


How about you? Do you blog? Did you attend? Let us know, we would love to chat some more!

4 Travel Apps You Need To Take With You

So you've booked your trip, hotel is sorted and you are on you're way. Here are four apps we think you should take along for the ride!

ShowtheLoo

 

Priorities first. Right? Have you ever been caught out busting to go? And no idea where to go? Now we are ladies here, if we were men….well they enjoy some certain conveniences. Having said that, these two blokes didn’t find it convenient and I think they both need this app

Just open the app, ensure your location services are enabled in your settings, and it will show you the directions to your nearest toilets.

It also has an ‘I’m busting’ button to show you the closest.

The app is also useful with other information about the rest room facilities, such as disabled access, male/female/unisex toilets, if there is a toilet fee and more.

 

Trip Adviser

It goes without saying, I think this app is well known, but still worth mentioning. Use it as a two way street. Consider the reviews, but don’t forget to leave reviews too.

This app is useful in finding a hotel, looking for a bite to eat or finding something to do in a new city.

 

Geocaching

This is a bit of a curveball I’m throwing in. But bare with me.

Have you ever been to a new city and really wished you had a local to show you the nooks and crannies. Someone that might know the more obscure gems that Trip Advisor and your favourite travel blog don’t know about.

Try Geocaching.

Cachers, usually a local or at least someone who has experienced the area, will hide a cache (think small, like film canister size, containing a treasure, but not always, and a pen and mini-notebook), record it's coordinates on the geocache website. Sometimes they record clues, or a few facts about the area.

Using the app which has a gps and compass in it, you find the treasure. And sometimes these treasures are hidden in locations that are off the beaten track. It's an awesome way to really see a new place.

 

Location Specific Apps

So this is not a single app, but more a recommendation to see if there is an app for the town you are staying in. They usually have information on weather, places to stay, things to do and helpful tips.

If you think of Trip Adviser as a really big encyclopaedia, then these apps are lonely travel planet guides on a particular city.

Yes I’m 35. Yes when I went to school we didn’t have the Internet, computers ect. But my analogy still holds!

Some for WA include: Perth Travel Companion, The Margaret River Guide, Pemberton, Little Miss Bali.

 

Disclaimer: all these apps were available at time of publishing this post. I use a iPhone, and all these apps are available on this OS.

What apps do you swear by?

Any recommendations?

 

xxLela

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

Wild Goose Chasing Through Perth

Also known as that one time I wanted to do something and just couldn't let it go.

 

About 6 years ago I did a kids scavenger hunt through the CBD of Perth. It was a self guided tour of sorts where you started at one point, traveled through the city looking for these blue plaques, decoding the message and learning new things about the City of Perth and its history.

Over the years I kept meaning to do it again, but not getting around to it.

Until this this year!

I did try to get a hold of the map prior to getting to Perth, but the tourist centre directed to me to some different tours. So I found the 'Ground Zero' plaque and trotted off to the Art Gallery to pick up my map.

 

Ground Zero Tales of the City plaque I was banging on about.

 

"You say what" they said. They had no idea what it was, but we're very helpful in suggesting to go to the tourist kiosk and asking there.

A delightful old fellow knew what I was talking about, but said with the renno's in the city, some plaques had been removed and not replaced and the tour had been discontinued.

Damn.

So I trotted back to the Art Gallery because the cafe looked relish and I was hanging for a coffee. No pic, but the coffee was fab and the marinated chicken and salad really hit the spot. It's a great cafe with reasonable prices, nice staff and quirky decor.

Town Hall

Town Hall. A Tales Of the City plaque can still be found here.

 

Whilst there I had a mini moan about goose chasing and this damn tour on facebook.

A fabbo friend, we'll call her Emma the Google searcher hit the jackpot.

WOOO HOOO

With only about 10% battery, I did as much as could from the PDF link. Unfortunately the gorgeous old guy was correct, many plaques are missing (I found half before my phone went flat, but definitely several have been removed).

I love treasure hunting, and this was almost like a geocaching adventure! Trying to find the plaques and hoping that they were still there.

If you would like to give this a whirl, there are enough plaques available to still work out most of the code.

Kangaroo Scultures at the Supreme Court Gardens. One plaque can be found near here.

Follow this link to the City of Perth webpage where you can print of the map and challenge.

 

xxLela

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

C - V = NZ

By some point some of you may be wondering how we are planning on paying for our travel plans. Sadly, we have not found a large sum of money by miraculous needs (although if we did that would be great).

As Lela said in our original post, we saved for Bali literally by putting $5 a week into a joint bank account. Currently we are using the same method (but with a greater contribution, which we are increasing slowly as we can afford it) to pay for our flights, transport, and accommodation for New Zealand in January 2016.

Next challenge is spending money.

I am a total V addict. It is easy to justify. I am a single mum to three very busy teenagers. I work full time. Everyone needs a vice. I was studying at night. Blah, blah, blah. So easy to justify. Sadly my favourite vice is not good for my weight, my health, my iron levels, my sleep, and it is expensive.

I have decided I want to travel more then I want the addiction ..... so for every day I don't have a V I am putting $5 into my spending money fund. So far we are at day 7 and I have $25 put aside. I am pretty proud of myself!

I am not likely to give them up totally, but to go down from a daily habit to one a week I feel is a good start. Hopefully I will get addicted to watching my savings grow instead. I will keep you updated. Now I am back at work the challenge will really begin.

I have no intention of giving up cupcakes. They are a sometimes food, and instant happiness!

Happy saving, and happy planning everyone.

Cath xx

Disclaimer: I do realise that in English 'Z' doesn't rhyme with 'C' or 'V'. Please don't hate me. I just thought it was a cute title.

2015!

Happy New Year blog followers, fellow travelers, and any other random people who have come to our page.

2015! In honour of the New Year, I am writing a list of 15 places I would love to visit. Unless there is a massive change in my financial circumstances I will not be visiting all these places in 2015, but 2015 will be the year I put dates on when I am aiming to get there.

1. New Zealand (January 2016! Road trip around the South Island with Lela, and I can't wait). 
2. Bali (July 2015 - I have already been there once, but I am very much looking forward to taking my girls. I would also love to spend a New Years there. I have heard it is amazing and a big cultural celebration. Plus I figured since is my 2015 list it would be nice to have one place that I will actually go to in 2015).
3. Cruise of the Pacific Islands.
4. UK and Europe. All of it.
5. Antarctica (2030 - to celebrate being 50).
6. New Years Eve in New York City.
7. Driving tour of Ireland.
8. India, and in particular the Girl Guide World Centre at Sangam (the other World Centres are also on my list - see how I am sneaking in some extra places? Sangam is just first on the list).
9. Inca trail.
10. Uluru (I went when I was 8, but I want to take the girls to see it, plus I have a sister and two nephews who live in Alice Springs).
11. Tasmania (It is the only state in Australia I have yet to visit).
12. Cruise up the west coast of Africa, including Mauritius, and to re-visit Reunion Island (I went there on student exchange in 1996).
13. Rio! The date is set. NYE 2020 (or is that NYE 2019? I can never work out how to say it). Celebrating seeing in 2020 and the decade that will be my fabulous 40's.
14. White Christmas. At the moment I am thinking a Christmas in Scotland, followed by a NY in Paris.
15. China - in particular a study opportunity I have been looking at. A bit of family and work juggling will have to happen for me to do this one.

My turn!!! (Lela). Oh! Where do I start! I want to do so much! This time last year I was getting ready to go to Bali for the first time and it was the beginning of a strong yearn to travel and get out and see the world. So my wish list:

1. Take my kids to Bali. We have been busy saving and slowly getting there. As yet we don't have a date set in stone, we are tossing around June.
2. Helping my son on his first interstate trip. This is a school trip to Canberra and his first trip away. Not specifically my goal, but I'm hoping this tour will ignite a desire to travel in him.
3. Fabric shopping in Germany. Or Japan. They each make great fabric and as a sewer, I 'm keen on a shopping trip.
4. NZ road trip. The planning and saving for this is already underway and excitement is beginning to grow.
5. Blogging conference in ? In 2015. I really want to get to the problogger conference, meet other bloggers and see the host city as a travel blogger.
6. Camping. I live in a beautiful part of the world, I want to see and experience more of it!
7. Southern USA. No particular reason, love the accent, love the history.
8. Tasmania. Perhaps 2017. I've heard the most glorious things about Tassie scenery and food.
9. Cruise ship. Anywhere! Just so I can say I've been on one

Cath again: Totally loving the idea of cruises. Did you notice how Lela and I conveniently have some things that that overlap?  I may just need to go on a mini-cruise to see if I actually like being on a cruise and to test out for sea-sickness before I book a big one. Damn it! Another trip. What a tragedy (this last bit may be read in heavily sarcastic tones).

Now just to turn the dreams in to reality with some dates and goals! What are you planning?

Cath and Lela
aka Kris' Angels

PS Stay tuned for a post soon where you will get to meet Kris!

A is for.....Agricultural Show

**A-Z South West and A-Z Perth is an occasional series where we are tourist in our home state and explore WA with new eyes**


There is nothing like an Agricultural show to show of a community and its industry! Like the Perth Royal Show, but on a smaller scale, local producers enter and show off their prized cattle and (tradionally) the wives bake their best cakes.


"An agricultural show is a public event exhibiting the equipment, animals, sports and recreation associated with agriculture and animal husbandry." (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agricultural_show)

These events are hugely important for the local community, they give a sense of pride and unity, they allow for a break from day to day business and they provide a social aspect for the locals young and old.

This weekend I went along to the Bridgeown Agricultural Show and enjoyed the festivities and even won some prizes.

Cost: children under 16 free and Adults $15
          Food: a range of vender type food options available, a very busy bar on site.
          Rides: $8-$10 Assortment, mostly suited for teens and above
          Other entertainment: Assortment of free and low cost entertainment

TIP: if you have small children, look for the "passport" type activities. Many shows have them and they are usually a cheap way to go around the show and collect/learn new things.

TIP: You don't always have to be a local to enter some of the events. Sheaf tossing anyone?

Entertainment: As mentioned above, rides, passport type activities. Many free exhibits. Market type stalls.
The Bridgetown Show had a closing fireworks display which was much enjoyed.

Many of the towns have annual agricultural shows and are worth checking out or marking in the calender. This site is handy, but do check the websites/facebook pages for dates and details of individual events.

Test taste

We road tripped again last weekend.

Another trip down to Bridgetown to visit the lovely Lela and her babies. I am calling it a meeting. We met and we talked.

The view from our South West Office

We saw a pantomime (despite the way it may seem, yes I do have a other things on in my life other than attending performances), featuring my gorgeous Goddaughter (aka Lela's beautiful daughter). She was a fairy. I am pretty sure I am now a fairy Godmother!

Most importantly for the purposes of our travel blog, Lela took us on a taster tour of Greenbushes. What a stunning town! I didn't take any pictures, because Lela and the girls were taking heaps. I am expecting some will surface soon. We have made a date to go back and visit and do the walking tour properly, and I will post more then.

We had a quick stop in Donnybrook. Mostly because we saw that there was a Cafe Tiffany, and while we didn't have breakfast, the urge to visit just couldn't be resisted. Plus I needed coffee. I also had peppermint hedgehog slice which was divine, and the girls' gingerbread men passed the teenager taste test.

The girls have requested that we go back for breakfast one day. Breakfast at Cafe Tiffany (Donnybrook) is now on my travel list as well as Breakfast at Tiffany's in New York. I suspect one will happen a lot sooner than the other!

Cushion. Being held weirdly so her face is all skewy.

Some more driving tips:

• Miss 11 suggests that you find out what station plays "cool" songs before you leave.
• I suggest packing snacks so that you don't have to deal with grumpy children.
• Make sure you stop and stretch so you don't get too sleepy.
• Christmas carols will either be very exciting, or a call for mutiny. Hopefully the car vote isn't a 50/50 split.

Happy adventuring everyone.

Cath xx