Author - Cindy Collins

Hiking the Warrie Circuit, Springbrook National Park

The Warrie Circuit is another hike that has been on our hiking wish list for years. Every time we’ve visited Springbrook National Park in the past, the trail was closed, either from heavy rain, storm damage, or ex-cyclone recovery. But persistence pays off, and after almost five years of waiting, we finally got to experience it for ourselves. Taking a Chance on the...

Carnarvon Gorge: Queensland’s Hidden Canyon Adventure (Totally Worth the Drive!)

Carnarvon Gorge has been on our “one-day” list for way too long. You know those places that always sound amazing, but are just far enough away to make you say, “Maybe next year”? Well, this was that place but no longer. A sunrise to remember! At about 9 hours’ drive from the Sunshine Coast/Brisbane, it’s not your average weekend getaway, but that’s also part of its...

A Weekend Escape to O’Reilly’s – Lamington National Park

Ever since exploring the stunning Binna Burra section of Lamington National Park, I’ve been itching to visit the park’s lush Green Mountains section. While both areas are part of the same national park, visiting them in one weekend is quite a trek—so despite our best intentions, it took us a while to finally make it to O’Reilly’s. Life has a way of getting in the...

Three Days in Chitwan National Park

After having to cut our Everest Base Camp trek short due to a nasty bout of altitude sickness (thanks, thin air), we found ourselves with an unexpected extra week in Nepal. Changing our international flights wasn’t an option, so the question was—what now? Thankfully, our amazing trekking agency, Nepal Hiking Team, came to the rescue yet again. They suggested a side...

How to Spend 48 Hours in Kathmandu

After a year of planning our Everest Base Camp trek, we were finally en route to Nepal to turn a long-held dream into reality. Our first stop: Kathmandu — the bustling, vibrant capital that offers a sensory overload in the best possible way and is well worth exploring before heading into the mountains. Following a long, chaotic journey from Brisbane (complete with...

Chasing Altitude: Our Epic Trek to Everest Base Camp

Let’s be honest — I’ve got some pretty wild dreams on my bucket list. And trekking to Everest Base Camp? That’s been right up there, screaming for attention for years. There’s just something magnetic about the Himalayas — the crisp air, the towering peaks, and of course, standing in the shadow of the legendary Mount Everest. Trekking along the Everest Base Camp Trek...

Esk

The 10 Best things to do in Esk, Queensland

Esk is a quaint little country town in the Somerset region, which is nestled between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast. Because it’s so close to both the Wivenhoe and Somerset dams, Esk is the perfect getaway for water sports enthusiasts. But even if water sports aren’t your thing, there are plenty of other amazing things to do in the area. The beautiful scenic drive...

A Day Trip to Yamba, New South Wales

During our stay in Ballina over Christmas, we drove an hour south to the picturesque town of Yamba, another delightful seaside town in northern New South Wales. Set right at the mouth of the Clarence River, Yamba is a little gem that is well worth visiting. Like Ballina and Byron Bay, Yamba is known for its beautiful beaches and great surf, as well as for the...

Ballina

How to Spend a Week in Ballina, New South Wales

The coastal town of Ballina is a short 30-minute drive from the famous Byron Bay. While the hipster town of Byron Bay attracts hordes of backpackers and tourists every year, Ballina is the perfect, quieter alternative. We don’t like crowds, traffic or sharing a beach with thousands of others, so Ballina was perfect for us. Basing ourselves there to explore this...

Bohol

The Best of Bohol – Our Quick Travel Guide

A 90-minute flight from the capital, Manila, Bohol is one of many islands in the Philippines. This oval-shaped island is a picturesque isle home to stunning coral reefs, quaint stone churches, breathtaking waterfalls, and thousands of brown-hued limestone formations known collectively as the Chocolate Hills. It’s also home to the smallest primates in the world, the...