There have been plans afoot for almost 2 years now, to take off on an adventure into the unknown. For us this means heading into, and around, and down and up the coast (and some parts inland) of Western Australia.

First came the “what if….” stage, then the big picture plan like, where to go, why and when? How much time should we / can we take off to do it justice? Then finally getting down to the nitty gritty. For me this means sitting down to find out what different regions are known for, what are the must see and do’s there and trying to find some really off the beaten track, not everyone knows this…. kind of places and experiences.

When I’m researching for a destination to visit I start with a map of the area I want to explore then I think about where can you stay and what makes it somewhere you want to stay? Are there any free camping places or caravan parks in idyllic locations? What is there to see and do in the area? Is this the best base for other nearby towns, scenic areas, National Parks, activities etc…

Then it’s time to hit magazines, websites and blogs to find out from Tourism sites, locals and other travellers what they have experienced. Not that a bad rap will necessarily put me off finding out for myself but it’s handy to weigh up the words of others sometimes. Especially if there are tips about where to go and pitfalls that people wished they knew about before they went.  I’ve found that the weather can play such an important part in your enjoyment, or not, of a destination too but who can control that? So with the luxury of a reasonably flexible itinerary hopefully we can wait out any bad days to see things in a better light.

Of course with such a vast state to cover we are bound to only get a taste of what’s on offer but personally I can’t wait to discover the south west, see and feel the colour and warmth of the Indian Ocean along the Coral Coast and have my breath taken away by the awesome landscape of the north west.

If there are particular places that simply have to be seen or bloggers I should be following I’m only too happy to hear about them and add them to the ever growing list! Until take-off though I’ll be absorbing everything I see and hear about the west, noting it down, filing it away and counting down the days.

 

Cheers

Glenys