I don't particularly like labels.
Never saw myself as a true traveller. Never envisaged taking time out to globe-trot and discover the hidden gems of the world. Only ever pictured myself as someone wanting to try his hand at living abroad. As someone in need of a change of scenery.
So I changed it.
Since then, I've been fortunate to experience remarkable travel opportunities. See things I may never have seen before. Travel far and wide within Australia. Voyage further afield to take part in iconic journeys.
With overseas adventure comes time away from home so I've decided to dial down the travel for a while and cherish time with family or risk becoming the very thing I strive hard not to be.
Before I do, there was one place I had no qualms with returning to.
When an opportunity arose to be part of the Go Behind The Scenery campaign, Sarah and I willingly flew from Sydney across the Bass Strait to an island literally at the edge of the world.
Tasmania, Australia.
Exploring Cradle Mountain Australia
Tasmania is an extraordinary place and a destination that's wild at heart.
Wild in its rich history of convict settlement and gold rush fever. Wild in its environment, with vast, primeval forests ranging across an island the size of Scotland or West Virginia, deep lakes and winding rivers you could spend (and lose) days on, and a diverse range of towns and cities bursting with cultural and culinary delights.
And my favorite part?
Tasmania is wonderfully quiet and remote, far removed from the crowded mainland coast.
With a population of only 500,000 spread across this astonishing island, if you visit Tasmania then you'll drive within the pristine wilderness and hardly meet a soul, potentially dropping off the radar for days.
Pieman River and Tarkine Rainforest, Tasmania
We'd visited the island before, leaving from Launceston in the direction of the stunning east coast, stopping at classic Tassie destinations such as the Bay of Fires, Bicheno and Wineglass Bay, before ending our trip in Hobart, titled by some as the "coolest little capital in Australia".
This time, we arrived in Australia's natural state for a four-day road-trip around the spectacular northwest, a region of staggering beauty served up in typical Tasmanian style.
Starting in the Cradle Mountain region, we spent our first night at the Pepper’s Cradle Mountain Lodge, free to explore the Valley the following day. From there, we drove along deserted, unsealed gravel roads towards Corinna in the Wilderness, an eco-retreat and former gold rush township buried deep within the Tarkine Rainforest, the largest unbroken tract of rainforest in Australia.
The following day we made our way north to the lonely village of Stanley located on the rugged northwest coast and home to the Nut, an impressive rock formation towering over the tiny northern outpost. There we stayed at @VDL, a beautiful stone guesthouse bordered by the rocks on one side and the bay on the other.
On our fourth day and after more than 500 kilometres of driving, we flew out of the tiny airport at Devonport and back to the bustle of Sydney.
@VDL in Stanley Tasmania
In her first ever post on this blog, Sarah will share her experiences of Cradle Mountain and reveal the importance of taking time out from a busy schedule to focus on relaxing, less stressful pursuits.
I hope you can come back to read her post.
And I'll be sharing my own experiences from our time at Corinna - its remoteness, natural charms and an extremely colourful gold rush past.
Tasmania is often promoted as the natural state or "island of inspiration" and, over the next few weeks, I hope to show you why.
Have you ever been to Tasmania? When was the last time you went off the beaten track? Have you had to cut back on travel to focus on family or work life?
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