Antony the Travel Man

Welcome to my new Travel blog!

Welcome to my new travel blog! I’m an Australian freelance writer embarking on a new adventure of travel! I’m based in a small country town called Moss Vale in the state of New South Wales, about 120 kilometres south of Australia’s biggest city, Sydney.

The region I live in is known as the Southern Highlands, and is a picturesque area of rolling hills, nearby rainforest and quirky towns with great coffee, great shopping and is full of great people, too!

I recently completed an online Travel Writing course with the Australian Writers Centre (AWC), based in Sydney, and have since been inspired to want to start writing about my travel experiences.

Please bear with me as I develop this blog a bit more over time. As I’ve only just started, I’m still learning how to use WordPress, so if I make a few mistakes, its all part of the learning process for me!

THIS IS ME!

An idyllic coastal trip

In late October of 2020, with coronavirus travel restrictions in NSW somewhat relaxed, we embarked on a short holiday to Ulladulla, in the Shoalhaven region, which was a much needed break after a busy rest of the year.

We stayed at the beautiful Holiday Haven Ulladulla, one of 12 Holiday Haven parks run by the Shoalhaven City Council, which overlooks the picturesque harbour and bay that Ulladulla is renowned for. There are a myriad of activities for both the kids and parents alike to enjoy, such as a nine-hole mini putt-putt golf circuit, a jumping pillow, kid’s playground with a climbing spider, a synthetic bowling green and a swimming pool with splash buckets and deckchairs to sit and relax by the pool on.

It also has BBQ, picnic and camp kitchen facilities as well as Internet and wi-fi access, too.

There are also a variety of accommodation options to choose from, including your basic caravan or tent (powered or unpowered site), up to the more luxurious fully self-contained cabins, complete with cutlery and crockery, the basics including a kettle, toaster, microwave, fridge and sink to wash up in.

Unfortunately we chose the wettest time of the year to go to Ulladulla, with well over 120mm of rain falling over the time that we were there! But there were a couple of sunny days where we could enjoy fish and chips down on the harbour, and visit the town’s shops and other amenities.

Also, you can’t visit Ulladulla without the obligatory visit to Rowan’s Funland, a cornucopia of fun, games and slides, all indoors, and all relatively good value for money!

I celebrated my 34th birthday whilst we were there, and there is a great Ex-Servicemans Club that serves tasty meals and offers the usual pokies and other activities, but we, having a 5 year old daughter, went to good old McDonalds!

All in all though, a great trip, and only approximately 2-2.5hrs from Sydney, and about the same from Canberra.

The view from our cabin over the beautiful Ulladulla Harbour and north up the coast towards Nowra.
Our humble abode- the cabin we stayed in for the week.

Our memorable England trip

In March and April of 2018, myself and my family embarked on a trip to the United Kingdom, primarily to catch up with family on my father’s side and with my wife’s sister and her small family in London, but also to do some sightseeing across the country. As part of the trip, we travelled to south-western Wales, specifically to the town of Cardigan (or Aberteifi, as the Welsh call it). My uncle and aunty and cousins had not long moved there, and were getting themselves established in the community. The town and surrounding area is arguably one of the most beautiful parts of the Welsh countryside. Cardigan Castle, built in 1176, is a castle full of history and Cardigan was also the birthplace of the Welsh signing phenomenon known as ‘eisteddfod’.

The nearby hamlet of Mwnt (pronounced ‘Mwoont’) is a stunning coastal location where in the spring and summer months, you can watch the sunset over the ocean, hike the nearby hill and visit the historic tiny church. Mwnt also has a beautiful secluded little beach and I think it is one of Ceredigion’s best kept secrets! Have a look at some of the photos of Cardigan’s castle as well as the beauty of Mwnt.

My wife Phoebe, my mother Bronwyn and my then 3 year old daughter Grace walk across a bridge over the River Teifi in front of Cardigan Castle, built in 1176.
The road approaching the tiny hamlet of Mwnt, only 5 miles or so from Cardigan. It has a secluded beach where you watch the beautiful sunsets in spring or summer.
The tiny historic church on the headland at Mwnt. Sadly the time we visited the site, the church itself was closed, so we couldn’t have a peek inside!

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