A Love Letter pt. 2

Before heading anywhere new, Justin and I usually do a fair bit of research on the area. Using various different Google searches and following along with other van life/ travel blogs, we normally find a collection of different spots to check out in each region, but Tasmania was a whole different ball game. Ever since we decided to do this trip we’d been talking, dreaming and therefore researching about Tassie. We looked into each national park, waterfall, mountain range and wildlife reserve, until we had two–three pages worth of research and several handmade maps marked with all the spots we couldn’t wait to see. So, as we began travelling further down the east coast towards Freycient National Park I was almost worried that the beauty of Wineglass Bay and Hazards Beach would be obstructed by the amount of photos and articles I had read online about the area. But as we drove into the park and Mount Amos emerged through behind the winding highway, I realized just what we were in for. The enormous mountain ranges, beautiful bays and towering bluffs make Freycinet one of the biggest tourist attractions in Tasmania and we were finally privy to why. We knew it would be beautiful, but we would need to make sure that we could get the experience we wanted by trying our best to beat the crowds.

 Side note: If you’re visiting Tasmania and heading down the east coast definitely make time to check out the Friendly Beaches. On our way into Freycinet Justin and I stopped on a search for a campsite and found a 5km stretch of endless beach and an awesome free campsite. We stayed and admired the vast white beach and the seemingly floating lava rocks that lay in the sand. We spent a lot of the evening watching the waves wash over the rocks and be sucked back through the crevasses.

Friendly Beaches TAS/ 📷@justybumsptead

As we drove in into the Freycinet Peninsula, the sheer scale of the mountains and the beauty of the bays that sit perfectly underneath them caught us off guard. Silent and in awe, we drove up into the national park where the most of the Great Short Walks in the area begin.

TIP: The book of Great Short Walks is a guide put together by the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service and was our guide throughout our entire Tasmanian adventure. It holds 60 awesome walks ranging from grade 1-4 (Easy- Very Difficult) as well as guides, maps and some descriptions on the walk, as well as the surrounding areas.

Freycinet National Park, Freycinet Peninsula TAS/ 📷me

Whitewater Wall, Freycinet Peninsula TAS/ 📷@justybumpstead

When we arrived we quickly realized how busy Freycinet National Park is during the summer holidays. The HUGE (4-5 lot) car park was completely full. We quickly decided to change our plans and head to Whitewater Wall campsite and come back to hike Wineglass Bay at sunrise. Whitewater Wall, a free campsite about 17 minutes from the car park, was in theory, the perfect place to stay the night. Unfortunately when looking on Wiki Camps I didn’t realized that this site was along another, and may I say more challenging, 4WD track. Oops! We made it through and it was well worth it because Whitewater Wall itself was absolutely gorgeous and the campsites were spacious and free for the taking.

At sunset we walked down to Bluestone Bay where I might have had the best wipeout of our trip so far. Ask Justin; he’ll probably just laugh at the thought of it. It was pretty funny. I fell right on my ass and then slid down a hill for quite sometime. Anyway, the sunset was spectacular enough for me to completely forget about the cuts on my hands and the bruising of my ego.

Sunset at Bluestone Bay, Freycinet Peninsula TAS/ 📷me

At the crack of dawn we hopped into our trusty stead and carefully made our way back to the national park where we hiked the 4-5 hour Wineglass Bay & Hazards Beach circuit.  The first climb is mostly stairs until you reach the magnificent and cutely named Wineglass Bay.

Wineglass Bay Lookout, Freycinet National Park TAS/ 📷me

The white beach scooped out by a sea of blue is something extra spectacular in the hazy light of sunrise. We continued along the 11km track through the very white, but extremely windy, Hazards beach and then along the outskirts of Coles Bay. Hungry, pooped and ready for a swim, we made our way to Coles Bay where we found a perfect spot for Frenchie to sit along the rocky beach. We ended up spending the next day and a half snorkeling in Coles Bay and relaxing in the sunshine.

Coles Bay, Freycinet Peninsula TAS/ 📷@justybumpstead

Coles Bay at Sunset, Freycinet Peninsula TAS/ 📷me

On our way out of the park we stopped at Freycinet Marine Farm where Justin treated me to an early birthday lunch of fresh oysters, scallops and a beautiful bottle of Riesling that was made in the area. (This restaurant is a little hyped up so don’t go out of your way to get there, but if the time is right and the lines are to a minimum I would definitely suggest the Ginger Soy Oysters). It was the perfect way to end our time in Freycinet and more importantly a nice little toast to our next adventure…. MARIA ISLAND.

A Love Letter to Tasmania

Between the plunging waterfalls, crystal blue beaches, active wildlife and mountain ranges that seem to last for days, I can easily say that Tasmania is my personal favourite Australian state. Okay, I know I have only seen 4 out of the 7 states, but forgive me when I say they are all going to have to be pretty spectacular after our last three weeks on this incredible island. Tasmania is a state of what seems like ever-changing landscapes. As you drive down the Tasman Highway the dreamy green pastures filled with cows and sheep instantly draw you in. The rolling hills in the background and the hazy sun dancing on top of the wheat fields brings you a sense of ease that you somehow cannot articulate. Then suddenly you are along the eastern coastline where the water is as blue as the sky and the sand is as soft and white as flour. The boulders that stand along the coastline have been stained a coppery red and seem as if they are as old as time. You then drive inland and the mountains ranges go on for miles and if you look at them closely you can see how time has warn them down and how they have persisted on throughout the ages. Massive craters and pinnacle rocks that stretch higher than skyscrapers stick right out of the bluest ocean you’ve ever laid eyes on. Trust me, this state is fucking wicked and I haven’t even gotten to the good stuff yet.

We arrived in Devonport on January 22nd via the Spirit of Tasmania ferry. For the 9 to 11 hour adventure we opted for the private cabin. Considering it was a little pricier, we were very happy to find clean linens, a great (hot) shower and our own private view of the Bass Strait.

Frenchie sitting pretty at Bakers Beach, TAS / 📷@justybumpstead

We had three weeks on the island state and wanted to try to make sure we could use our time to the fullest. This meant getting started right away. We don’t usually drive at dusk to avoid collisions with critters and friends who like to come out to the road, but we figured we would hit the ground running and make our way towards Bakers Beach on the northern coast. We drove through stunning farmland encompassed in a remarkably colourful sunset as the wildlife started to appear. Before we parked the van we saw wallabies, eastern quoll’s and little pademelons (miniature wallaby-type creatures). I think at that moment we both knew just how incredible Tasmania was going to be. Later that night, after a quick bite, we watched the Wolf Blood Super moon light up the entire sky. It was quite a warm welcome.

We started driving from Bakers Beach down towards the Tamar Valley. Known for it’s famous “wine route,” we decided it would be rude not to partake in a couple cheeky tastings. Even though it was only 11am, we drove down along the Tamar River and checked out Vèlo Wines and the Tamar Ridge Vineyards. A little tipsy and feeling snacky, we decided to stop into the nearby town of Launceston.

Bridestowe Lavender Estate, TAS/ 📷@justybumpstead

We got some groceries and stopped at the famous Cataract Gorge, where for the first time in my life I saw a wild peacock. After lunch we drove east to the Bridestowe Lavender Fields. Lavender is honestly one of my favourite plants, smells, essential oils, etc. so needless to say I was very excited to stand amidst the 260 acres of pure purple aromatherapy. To cap it all off we enjoyed one of their homemade lavender infused ice creams!

Taking it all in @Bridestowe Lavender Estate TAS/ 📷@justybumpstead

Me and Frenchie @Bridestowe Lavender Estate, TAS/ 📷@justybumpstead

 Finding free camping in Tasmania was not a problem at all. Almost everywhere we visited had either free campsites, or unmarked land that we took the liberty to stay on. The only issue is that lots of the campsites within Tassie are along 4WD tracks and although Frenchie is quite a beast on a gravel road, she is not a 4WD. So when we arrived at what we thought was “Little Blue Lake” we realized that we were really going to have to push the van to get to our spot for the night. We drove slowly and carefully down the dirt track and found a rocky spot along the lake. It ended up that the maps had taken us on a wild goose chase and we were wrong side of the lake. When we settled into our spot we went down to the water and found a group of caravans along the other side. Exhausted from our long day and what felt like endless kilometres of gravel roads, we decided to take our chances and stay on the more secluded side of the lake.

The real Little Blue Lake, TAS/ 📷 me

We got settled, went for a swim and made an Asian Style Chicken and Rice (see recipe in taste). The stars that night were just as bright and beautiful as I would have imagined them during the Jurassic period. I woke up and went down to the lake for a morning shower. It felt so incredible to be alone among the trees and the mountains, cleaning off in what felt like my own private lake. Once we were on the road we found the sign for the real Little Blue Lake, which happened to be a lot bluer than the one we had previously been at. This one was so blue it was almost electric. We had a good laugh about our mishap but were happy with our choice to stay where we had. It’s always fun to have our own personal spot and not have to share.

Later that afternoon we arrived in Eddystone Point along the northern most part of the Bay of Fires. This is where we both fell in love with Tasmania. While Justin was shooting I decided to walk the short track to the nearby Larc Beach and what I found was unlike anything I’d ever seen before. The track opened up on top of the red stained rocks to white sand that glistened in the sunshine and teal water that seemed to stretch on for miles. The statuesque boulders carved out alcoves along the white sand and the water was so clear that the blue skies reflection sparkled along the shoreline. I walked down to find I was the only one there. As I was walking down the beach I was overwhelmed by the utter natural beauty and the how breathtaking this planet is when we take care of it. There was no litter, no people, no pollution; just me and the waves and it was extraordinary. Eventually I brought Justin over and we spent the rest of the afternoon revelling in this little slice of heaven.

Larc Beach, Bay of Fires TAS/ 📷 @justybumpstead

Relaxing at my new favourite spot, Larc Beach, Bay of Fires TAS/ 📷@justybumpstead

The next couple of days were glorious. We spent most of our time at The Gardens, which is a small beach along the mid-section of the Bay of Fires. The beach was beautiful and the water was the perfect temp for a day of swimming and relaxing. We also went inland to see St. Columba falls, a waterfall right outside Pyangana. There we spent hours taking in the 90ft. cascade and cooling off in the shallow pools near the bottom.

Happy as a clam @St. Columba Falls, Pyengana TAS/ 📷@justybumpstead

St. Columba Falls, Pyengana TAS/ 📷Me

Pyengana also had “The Pub in the Paddock” a wicked old pub where you can feed Priscilla the beer drinking pig. Justin and I had a couple schooners there and chatted with Shawn the owner’s husband. The pub has been around since the 1880’s and if Shawn didn’t tell us enough about it, the walls sure did. Covered in old signage, notes of worldly currencies and pictures from when the establishment first opened, made it one of the coolest country pubs we’ve been to on this trip.

We capped off this incredible week with an inland hike at the Douglas-Apsley National Park. Our morning was spent hiking through the bush that eventually opened up to the Douglas Apsley gorge. The gorge was slightly dry but we found a sweet pool a little further into our hike. We spent a while there, swimming and enjoying the sunshine.

Douglas Apsley Gorge, TAS/ 📷@justybumpstead

After only a week in this state I started to realize just what we were in for. The northern east coast gave us awesome hiking, towering waterfalls and some of the most magical beaches we’ve ever seen. Follow along as our whirlwind Tassie adventure continues south to Freycinet National Park!

On the Road

2018 was quite a whirlwind and the last couple of weeks were probably some of the craziest of my life. I left my home, moved to a new country and set off on an insane adventure travelling and living out of a van. So with 2019 rolling on in I’d like to set a goal or two. I don’t believe in the idea of a new years resolutions so, I want to be clear that these are things that I will be actively and mindfully working towards in life, not just for the year ahead. This year my I want to try and allow myself to be truly free and open my heart and mind to new and other experiences. I want to make an effort to truly step out of my comfort zone and to find the freedom that lies within that. For the first time in my life I have little responsibility, no permanent address and no place to be and I’m ready to take full advantage that. So, with that this is what I’ve been up to for last little while.

We left Brisbane early on the 30th and set out on the road. For the next little while we’ll be joined by our friends Ian and Lily, so once Lil landed they hopped in a rental and met us at Mount Tamborine, just inland from Brisbane. We got situated and drove up into the mountains towards Lamington National Park to see the acclaimed Morans Falls.

Justin and Ian looking out over the falls/ 📷: Me!

About a 4km hike through jungle trails will lead you to the top of Morans Falls. This magnificent waterfall drops about 80 meters! We hung out atop the falls for a while and admired the vast expanse of tree-covered mountains. The boys even took a dip into the chilly rock pools.

That night we stayed in Bangalow where we met up with a couple friends and even made a new one in a horse that belonged to the owner of the site! In the morning, before we head towards the New Years Eve festivities, we stopped at Killen Falls. Conveniently only 10 minutes from our campsite this waterfall was the perfect place to go for a morning swim! After cooling off in the brisk water it was time to head over to the New Years Eve soirée. One of Justin’s friends invited us to his place near Mullumbimby and it looked like something out of a fairytale. The house was surrounded by lush green rainforest and beautiful palms. We swam in the creek, cooked an amazing Thai Green Curry (see taste page for recipe) in the camp oven and Justin and Beast (another good mate of Justin’s) made a wicked fire that lasted all night long. Waking up the next morning a little worse for wear, we said our goodbyes and officially hit the road. 

A beautiful sunset at Minnie Water, minutes before crawling into bed for the night, NSW/ 📷: Justin Bumpstead

Free camping has been something we have become pretty accustomed too. Whether its finding a sneaky place to park up for the night, or looking on Wiki Camps (awesome camping app) for a free spot, we have yet to really pay for any camping! We got super lucky finding camping in Minnie Water, our next stop on the way down the coast. We arrived hung-over and ready for a quick dip in the ocean before heading straight to bed. Shortly after setting up camp a police officer came up and asked us if we were intending to camp for the night. Thinking we were totally screwed, we all started to panic but he ended up being super cool. He was just coming over to let us know that the locals weren’t the biggest fans of people camping on the beach and just to make sure to leave early in the morning. We all let out a sigh of relief. Trying to be as respectful as possible we were sure to leave early the next morning. Passing through Coffs Harbour for a grocery shop and look around, we made our way down to Valla Beach, one of Justin’s favourite spots on the east coast.  

Valla Beach, NSW / 📷: Justin Bumsptead

I was very excited to see Valla Beach because Justin has hyped it up to me ever since I decided I was coming to Aus and let me say it definitely exceeded my expectations. If the beautiful blue water and the small rivers running through the sand weren’t enough, the rolling green hills in the background made it one of the most picturesque beaches we’d been to this far.

A beautiful lesser known beach just past Coffs Harbour. Justin found this spot years back and since then has been back on every trip down the coast. Now I can see why he raved about this place and so can you! Valla Beach, NSW/ 📷: Justin Bumsptead

After an afternoon lazing around at Valla Beach we decided to get a couple more hours of driving in before settling down for the night.

Me before the wind picked up and it cooled right down. Crowdy Head, NSW / 📷: Justin Bumsptead

We pulled into Crowdy Head around sunset and it was already starting to cool down. By the time we got to our campsite and started to make dinner the wind was blowing at about 40k an hour and the temperature had dropped drastically. I didn’t expect for it to get that chilly until at least February, but you can never be to sure especially when staying right by the ocean. I think its safe to say that if you’re planning to camp in Australia, even in the summertime, remember to pack some warm clothes.

We woke up early and decided to make one more stop on our way towards the Blue Mountains. The next day we’d be meeting up with friends who had just arrived from Canada. We wanted to try and get there quickly, but not miss too much goodness along the way. Pulling into Port Stephens we were instantly stunned by the amount of people and traffic there was. Being that it is still the school holidays the beach was pretty busy, but it hardly took away from the magnificence of the bay and the adjacent Shark bay. The two beaches form a strip of sand that leads to a beautiful island peninsula which sits in the centre on the Tasman Sea. We spent the day exploring different areas around the beach and along the rocks. It was definitely a treat for the eyeballs.

Fingal Boardwalk, Port Stephens NSW/ 📷: Me

Snorkeler on the reef, Fingal Bay/ 📷: Me

Me at Fingal Bay! / 📷: Justin Bumpstead

Probably looking for fish friends / 📷: Justin Bumpstead

The next morning we head into the Blue Mountains to meet up with Mitch, Blythe and Sara; our friends from home! They were joined by some of Mitch’s friends who had been travelling with him on his way down the coast. We caught up, played some cricket and hung out in a shady spot before splitting off to see the glorified “Three Sisters.” They were just as beautiful as I’d imagined but insanely busy, so we got a quick pic and went to meet the rest of the gang at Minniehaha Falls.

The Three Sisters, Blue Mountains National Park NSW/ 📷: Me

We hiked down a somewhat sketchy rock face and found another magical waterfall.  It was lovely to hang out with old friends and spend the hot day admiring the falls and swimming in the icy water. Later on we found another free camping spot at Bulls Camp Reserve and chilled out for the evening.

Hi Ian!, Minnihaha Falls NSW/ 📷: Justin Bumpstead

Our “Va-mily”, Bulls Camp Reserve / 📷: Justin Bumpstead

Wentworth Falls, Blue Mountains NSW/ 📷: Me

The next morning Justin and I split off and hiked down to Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains.

Wentworth Falls are maybe the most impressive waterfalls we’ve seen on this trip. After hiking down the numerous narrow rock staircases we got down to the bottom of the falls. What we found down there was other-worldly. There was not only one set of falls but several bodies of water moving over different rocks, all forming crystal clear pools throughout. We spent a good part of the morning there just taking it all in. Moving through the central coast as quickly as we have been its so important to stop and appreciate the true beauty of this incredible country and the amazing opportunity we have to experience it. I’ve been so entranced by the different landscapes that make up this country and we’ve only exploring it for 12 days. Needless to say i’m beyond excited to see what lies ahead.

RAINBOWS at Wentworth Falls, Blue Mountains NSW/ 📷: Me

Test Run Pt. 2 - The Fixer Upper

The idea of buying a van is easy and pretty exciting. You start to look around for what you want and try to find something that’s fitted out the way that works the best for you. You try to ensure that the van is livable and that it will accommodate everything you need to live comfortably and then you check out how well it runs and if it will need any further maintenance after purchase. Other than that it seems like a simple enough task. That’s what we thought too.

Justin and I had been talking about our cross-country tour for a while when our friend Mitchell told us about a guy on Instagram who was basically doing the same trip that we were planning. He posted about tips and tricks for van life, along with beautiful photos of his adventure. His girlfriend, also somewhat “insta-famous” has a blog which detailed their life on the road and all the gear and tools they needed for their trip. We followed them closely and with every post we learned more about their way of van life, which inspired new plans for our trip. After spending a couple months searching for our own van, they posted that their 2002 Toyota Hiace was for sale. It felt like fate. Both of us jumped at the opportunity to find out more about their incredible van. It came completely fitted out with beautiful wood paneling and cabinetry, along with some other key amenities. They would provide a fridge, two-burner stove, gas tank, solar panels and the comfort of a homey little space to make our own. The van was a little over budget even after negotiating a new price, but considering all that we were getting we decided it was worth the extra couple bucks.

A much needed cold beer after a hard day of working on the van!

Finally I arrived in Australia and met our van. Boy was she beautiful. The interior was even better than the pictures made it out to be and there was so much more storage space than I had originally imagined. Unfortunately there were also some things that we were not made aware of before picking up the van, but since they were such small fixes we didn’t really pay them much mind. Justin had already put a little work into the van when I arrived and after getting our roadworthy, registration and insurance we were both ready to get on the road and take advantage of our new home.  When we got back from our first little trip around the east coast and inland we took the van in for a routine service just to be sure it was suitable for our big lap around the country. The service turned into three days in the shop and with every phone call there was more that needed fixing. Thank goodness for Chrissy, Justin’s mom, who works in the auto-shop and was able to get us a better rate on all the repairs or we might have really been screwed. We ended up needing new breaks, tires, wheel barring’s and last but not least we needed our break lights fixed.  Needless to say it was an extremely rattling couple of days. Of course there’s not really any way to know all these things before buying a van, especially when buying one that has done as many kilometers as ours. We realized quickly that this van was going to be a lot more expensive than we had originally anticipated. Extremely frustrated and somewhat disappointed we forked over the cash and paid for the repairs. Fortunately I have a pretty incredible man with some wonderfully handy friends who were able to fix the break lights free of charge.

Our last day in Brisbane!, Mt. Coot--tha

Moral of the story is that there will always be complications and added expenses when deciding to buy a van and make a huge lifestyle change. Although it sucks and might not bring out the best in us, these experiences teach us that we must take the good with the bad and try our best to see the bigger picture. Finally we’re ready to head out on our big adventure. With the Ol’ girl all fixed up and ready to run we are so excited to take advantage of our new home and make this year one to remember.

G'DAY

As the waves crashed along the shore I looked out at the orange sun waking up and saying hello while it rose up into the pink and yellow clouds. The wind was soft but carried a certain coolness that made the hairs on my arm stand up slightly. Looking out through the back door I watched as a pelican searched for food in the shallow water.

 This is my first morning living in a Toyota Hiace converted camper van. This is the first morning of the next chapter of my life.

 I’m Nicole and a week ago I was living in cold snowy Toronto, working a bartending job at Terroni, a lovely Italian restaurant in Rosedale and spending the rest of my days like many other 23 year old people do, pondering what the hell to do with the rest of my life. That was up until about six months ago when my boyfriend Justin proposed that I come back to his homeland and we do a tour around Australia all while living in a van. The idea immediately peaked my interest. I have always wanted to find a way to live more sustainably and was itching for some much needed change of scenery. Don’t get me wrong I had a pretty wonderful life in Toronto. Great friends, incredible family and a job that paid the rent, my job also led me to so many incredible relationships, including my current romantic one. But, I was having trouble seeing myself outside of that comfortable bubble and was looking for something new.

Happy Camper/ Girraween National Park, QLD/ 📷: Justin Bumpstead

I have always wanted to see the world. Since I was a kid I’ve been interested in the diversity that exists through so many of the cultures and people that populate our planet. In 2016 I moved to Singapore for a school exchange and spent eight months travelling through the magnificent countries of South East Asia. After coming home from Asia, I finished up my degree at Queens University and settled back into my life at home, but in the back of my head I was awaiting my next adventure. After a year of being out of school and working at Terroni full time I started to wonder if I would ever be able to get back out into the world. I was really struggling to figure out what I wanted to do and where I wanted to be. So, when the time came for Justin and I to decide what to do when his visa expired, “van life” didn’t seem like that crazy of an idea. Sure, I was somewhat hesitant at first, how could I not have been. Just the idea of moving across the world to join my boyfriend on a cross country trip sounded insane, but then to add the fact that we would spend most of the year living out of a converted campervan was beyond crazy. When I spoke to my family and friends most laughed and said it was unlikely id make it two months, let alone six. Some were extremely critical too, saying that I should be spending the next year of my life working towards a “real career”, but the people that mattered the most supported my decision to go and understood why I needed too. Trust me, the possibility that I will come home broke and broken hearted with absolutely no plans for the future is still there in the back of my mind. But the reality of it is that this could also be the adventure of a lifetime, one I get to share with the man that I love.

The Old Girl, Northern NSW

So on December 3rd I hopped on a plane and embarked on my journey to the land of plenty. I have just arrived and there will be many adventures to come. Here, I get the opportunity to share it all with you, which I guess makes me your tour guide! So stay tuned because I promise there will be lots to see, plenty to eat and many adventures to come.

xo -Nicole