It's the end of the year as we know it

Unbelievably Christmas has crept up on me (how does that happen?) and the year that promised so much is coming to a close. I should have realised Christmas was fast approaching as there has been little in the way of trouser wearing, bush and grassfires have been burning nearby and, according to some sources, the entire lefty crew of the ABC are on holiday for two months along with their Labor party mates. It’s been a good year, slightly overshadowed in the first half by going under the knife, but perked up by visitors from overseas, trips to new places and more than enough good food and company.

A lazy-excuse-for-a-blog-post-by-conducting-a-review-of-the-year wouldn’t be complete without mentioning sport and the absolute culmination of the Great in Britain. From tennis champions and cycling kings, to golden heroes and Ryder Cup trouncings, it’s been incredible to watch from slightly too afar. It feels like 2012 has, in one single year, offset all the pain and sacrifice I have made staying up late, getting up early, not going to sleep, not to mention put to bed the teenage memories of waking up in the middle of the night to satisfy myself with Blowers and Johnners, telling me about the Fremantle Doctor whipping up the tumbling English wickets.

And so, to continue in a totally unoriginal way, here are the Green Bogey awards for 2012:

Best accommodation – Green Patch, NSW, Australia

Okay, so you create your own accommodation, but the $20 tent from anaconda held out in a thunderstorm and meant you could wake up with the lorikeets in a natural paradise of bushland beside fine white sand. Electric barbecues, decent wash facilities and nearby friendly dolphins compensate for dodgy air mattresses and sneaky possums.

Best food – French birthday BBQ and gateaux, Brittany

A highly commended goes to the Pizza Toscana in a small piazza of Siena, the blend of salty cold cuts and four cheeses enough to make you repent for overindulgence in the nearby cathedral. But, in a flagrant conflict of interest, the best meal was a birthday barbecue with my family in a French farmhouse. A range of meats cooked perfectly by – ahem – me, followed by a divine chocolate mousse cake cooked my Madame Pattisier. A delicious symbol of Euro-Australian relations. The icing on the icing on the cake? Sharing it with loved ones.

Best drinking experience – Vignate, Italy

Not much to write here as I can’t quite recall the entire events of the night. There was rain. There was meat. There was British style home brew ale and death metal. There were two friends living far apart but coming together, putting the world to rights, sharing philosophies on ageing and life. The hangover – pizza and witnessing an astonishing Ryder Cup victory for Europe.

Best driving experience – Devon & Cornwall

Not one stretch of road but having a car on many stretches of road in Devon and Cornwall. No more reliance on infrequent trains to Cornish towns. Additional cream tea range and access. The ridiculousness of single lane tracks with ten foot high hedgerows on Dartmoor. If I was to pick one particular driving experience of note, it would be on the North Devon coast between Combe Martin and Lynton. Blessed in rare October sunshine, the drive squeezed through steep hedge lined lanes to high overlooks along the coast and down again among narrow, hidden valleys. Just pray for no oncoming vehicles along the precipitous stretches!

 

Best walk – Vintgar Gorge, Slovenia

Even though it was noted in the guidebooks, a genuine surprise and delight. Illuminating a dreary day that could have drifted into serious cabin fever, the zig zag of wooden walkways clinging to cliffs with the colouring autumnal trees, all hovering over the most incredible blue-green water, was a natural gem.

Best viewpoint – Lake Bled, Slovenia

Sticking in Slovenia I was, like many who have come before, mesmorised by the fairytale scene at Lake Bled. I endeavoured to walk its perimeter, climb above it, revisit its shores several times and take photos every ten metres for a slightly different perspective. Despite extensive views of the lake and mountains from the short but steep climb at Osojnica viewpoint, its hard to beat one of the first photos I took of the place, after a flight from London and short drive from the airport. The church on the island reflected in the water, the castle perched above, mountains distant and a convenient framing of trees. Worth the extortionate parking fees on the only car park at the western end of the lake!

 

Best sunrise / sunset – Flinders Ranges, South Australia

This was not an appearance or disappearance of the sun heralding oranges and purples among dramatic, brooding clouds. In fact, with clear skies, the sun emerged in a rather conventional manner. But the early laser beams of sunrise casting a fiery glow on the ancient, arid landscape had a truly elemental, earthy feel, making you feel somewhat insignificant and humble. Worth an early start in the dark and clamber high above the incredible circle of Wilpena Pound.

 

The Cider Shandy award for Chillaxing – Magnetic Island

Despite Campbell Newman, Queensland is best in winter and the further north the better! Maggie provides a perfectly formed chunk of semi-tropical bliss, perfect for, well, not doing too much at all. With koalas on the doorstep, fine food down below, and a bottle shop around the corner, why venture far from a balcony on Nelly Bay and watch the world go by?

Cheesiest cheese eating excuse for fromage – MONA, Hobart, Tasmania

There was no real need to eat cheese, but after a visit of this absolutely fantastic, innovative and thoroughly enjoyable museum, what better to do than indulge in something more traditional? A mix of the best Tasmanian and overseas fromage, local wines, views over the Derwent, and a realisation that some of the best things in Australia come from this small island.

Slight disappointment of the year – National Trust Cream Teas

I have to have a whinge somewhere, so this is it. It may be the slow economy, the Conservative government, the push against obesity, but sadly there appears to have been a standardisation of cream teas in National Trust cafes. Barely enough to cover the scones (which are still very nice), much of the suspense and thrill has gone at the prospect of receiving oversized bowls full of thick yellow cream, home made local jam and endless tea. Potentially, go for the treacle tart instead!

Destination of the year – Murren, Switzerland

I love arriving at somewhere you took a bit of a punt on on the basis of reading a paragraph somewhere in a guide book and finding it is even better than you anticipated. Yes, Switzerland is expensive and full of cliches of mountains and meadows, cows and cuckoo clocks, but I still struggle to find a country that possesses so much stunning scenery. The small, cosy, car-free resort of Murren, perched above the Lauterbrunnen Valley and with views of the massive peaks of Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau, was wonderful. Getting there and getting around was fun. The trip up to the top of Schilthorn, after a dusting of overnight snow, was phenomenal. And the warm, welcoming loft room of Chalet Fontana (a relative bargain) provided the perfect base from which to open the door and walk out into the world.

 

Best blog spin off

2013 promises to be another year of opportunity and reward, although we do have to contend with an Australian election and all the stupidness that will bring. The Green Bogey Down Under will continue to offer a space for some of my pictures and travels. I’ve also decided 2013 is ripe for a spin-off, and have set up another blog for longer ramblings based around travel themes, or just life in general. The goal is to write something based on each letter of the alphabet over 2013...that means 26 things to write about in 365 days, with some awkward letters of the alphabet to spin something on! A bit like getting ZKQUXYVB in words with friends. Luckily I’ve written two letters already – predictably enough A and B – and you can visit (and follow) the blog here: http://gbpilgrim.com.

Wishing you all a rather fine Christmas and even finer 2013
xxx