We were in need of a holiday to look forward to, and a stress-free break from our regular routines, and Hawaii came to mind – English-speaking, welcoming to tourists, warm, scenic, only a ten-hour flight. We knew a bit about it – volcanoes, beaches, palm trees, Hawaiian music. The more Pete researched it, the more interesting it became.

It was a wonderful break! Our first day was a bit long – bus to Sydney at 4pm, plane overnight for ten hours, landing in Honolulu, flight on Hawaii Airlines to Kona on the Big Island (also called Hawai’i), pick up car, drive to our condo, shop, cook, eat, enjoy the sunset and finally sleep.

We had seven nights on the Big Island, three in a lovely condo at Kona and four at a delightful airBNB near Pahoa. The western side is mostly very dry. There are old lava flows everywhere, and consequently not too many sandy beaches, but lots to see and do. The eastern side is lush and receives many times more rain than the west, so there’s lots of rainforest and waterfalls. And then there are the dormant and active volcanoes, (the two largest dormant ones over 4000 metres in height) with Kilauea, the youngest, still pumping up lava, and for the first time in a few years there’s lava flowing into the sea on the southeastern coastline. Spectacular!

Then it was off to Maui, a short flight and drive to our next condo in Kihei on the western side. A lovely long sandy beach fifty metres from our door. There’s a dormant volcano there too, Haleakela, over 3000 metres high, but the majority of the lava flows have had time to be revegetated closer to the coastline, and there are quite a few sandy beaches too. The road to Hana is famed because of its lush rainforest, numerous curves and bridges and waterfalls – a day trip, even though it’s not that many miles.

To Kauai next, one of the oldest islands, and a comfy apartment a few steps from a small beach in Kapa’a on the eastern side. Day trips to the north, where we did part of the Kalalau Trail along the Na Pali Coast (sensibly stopping at the beach before it got too steep and hairy!) and to the south of the island from where we accessed Waimea Canyon and the lookouts towards the southern side of the Na Pali Coast. Wow!

Finally two nights in Honolulu, at Waikiki, where we were lucky to see the 101st Annual King Kamehameha Celebration Floral Parade. Floral is certainly the word – every vehicle and horse was decorated with gorgeous garlands or arrangements. We walked the length of Waikiki Beach (rather narrow in places), and enjoyed the beautiful mild evenings before heading back, refreshed, to rather colder climes!

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After a wonderful, social friends’ weekend at Cotton Beach on the Far North Coast in early November we took some extra time to enjoy the region. We headed inland first to Murwillumbah and the Mount Warning Area, then north to Springbrook and Green Mountains in Lamington National Park in the Gold Coast Hinterland. Lovely weather, lush rainforest and beautiful scenery.

A brief foray down to the Gold Coast, then back inland (west, then south, then southeast) through Beaudesert, Kyogle and Grafton to the coastal highway once again. Camped for a few days at South West Rocks (beautiful!) and had a look at Crescent Head on the way south. Dodged some pretty serious bushfires on the way to Newcastle for a couple of lovely days with family, before heading home.

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Time for a quick escape and camping trip to places we’d not been to since 1984 (the southern parts of South Australia and Adelaide), or places we’d never seen, including Kangaroo Island and the Eyre Peninsula for one of us.  It was a two day drive across a dry landscape to Victor Harbor, a pretty town with a historic centre. Across on the ferry to Kangaroo Island where we first camped in Flinders Chase National Park in a beautiful bushy campground, and then on the eastern part of the island for a couple of days before taking the ferry to the mainland once more.

Kangaroo Island was very dry but had some quite unique plants and coastal scenery. The western part has a very isolated feel, and there are tales of shipwrecked sailors who died or only just survived before reaching the only outpost of civilisation (in the west, Cape Borda lighthouse, built in 1858 with much difficulty.)

Once on the mainland again, we headed up past Adelaide, staying overnight at Port Germein before driving to Port Augusta. We spotted a very high tech installation just before Port Augusta, a central tower, masses of solar panels and huge greenhouses. Further investigation found that it was Sundrop Farms, an impressive use of technologies that integrate solar power, electricity generation, fresh water production and hydroponics. It was due to open soon, and has now done so – very impressed!

We drove down the other side of the Spencer Gulf, past mining railways and the port of Whyalla, many wheat silos by the shore and a mostly dry but clearly quite productive landscape. We reached Port Lincoln, where Pete had lived for several years of his youth – an attractive town set on a bay with views to islands and peninsulas. We visited two National Parks nearby with wild coastal scenery, before driving back around Spencer Gulf, to spend a few days in Adelaide and the Adelaide Hills nearby. Did lots of walking around the centre of Adelaide, and watched the Anzac Day march in the city. Enjoyed the lovely Adelaide Hills too, including Hahndorf and Hans Heysen’s studio.

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