• Put to the Test – Rob the Traveller 24th Aug 2012

  Friend of Millican and renowned travel writer Caroline Eden recently took a trip to Western Australia with Rob the Traveller. More familiar with writing for publications such as The National Geographic Traveller, Sunday Times Travel and the Geographical, we were thrilled when Caroline offered to put Rob through his paces and write a review for The Cave (the Millican blog).

  I have to say, reading about other people’s fantastic trips and adventures gives me slightly itchy feet, but it’s great to read about our bags being used the way we intended.

  I hand you over to Caroline…

  “Rob the Traveller and I were all set for a wilderness adventure into the craggy peaks of northern Pakistan, but the travel gods did not shine on us for that particular journey (the military thwarted us with a never-ending waiting game for a final piece of paperwork). So, after a few tame in-country hops to Oxford, London and Berkshire, we were soon at Heathrow ready to board a Qatar flight to Perth via Doha.

  Rob the Traveller proved just the size for carry-on, I could comfortably fit a Kindle, BlackBerry, boarding pass, passport, bottle of water, ear-plugs and eye-mask as well as a tin of mints and some headphones. My specially designed larger piece of hand-luggage that stores essential, heavy work gear – various lenses, camera bodies and a laptop etc was heaved upwards into the hold, while Rob stayed on my lap for the entire journey. 

  

  Photo courtesy of Caroline Eden

  Eventually on the other side of the world, we wasted no time on getting out and exploring Australia’s best wine region – Margaret River, by car. Rob the Traveller’s pockets and compartments now held a map, keys, sunglasses, small digital camera and purse for our road trip. Light drizzle and sun – the summer months are of course Australia’s winter – created dazzling double-rainbows as our welcome.

  It’s true that there are far older and more established food and wine regions in Australia, but what Margaret River lacks in maturity it makes up for in excellence – 1/4 of Australia’s premium wines come from this region, and after just a three hour drive we were in the thick of it eating marron (similar to lobster) and sipping Sauvignon Blanc at one of the pioneering wine estates.

  A little later, we headed out with Jamie from Harvest Tours, who showed us the very best local producers. Rob was soon emptied of travel essentials and instead was filled to the brim with local chocolates, truffle oils and dukkah spice blends. The canvas top gave just enough to wedge in a couple of limes for fizzy gin and tonic sundowners.

  At the chalet we were billeted at for the night, Rob merged perfectly with the autumnal colours – army greens, rich browns, maroons and burnt oranges. Wildlife occasionally popped up to sneak a look at us – kangaroos kept a safe distance down on the plains, but pairs of parrots and doves were bold and came to breakfast with us on the veranda the next morning. The squawking boisterous parrots took quite a liking to Rob’s antique bronze hue and flitted about pecking at seeds on the bench.

  

   Photo courtesy of Caroline Eden

  A day or so later, keen for a change of landscape, we boarded a quick 2 hour flight for Broome, in the South-West Kimberley region. While it was ‘winter’ there, it’s a sunny-all-year destination and the hot sun shone off of Rob’s gold studs. Broome is a famous beach resort and the traditional lands of the Yawuru people, and is the place to come for unlimited sunshine, hovercraft trips, nautical larks, whale-watching, baobab trees and tie-dye coloured sunsets. In fact, the sunsets are noted (by hotels.com) to be the third best in the world after Santorini and Ipanema. 

  

  Photo courtesy of Caroline Eden

  It was here that Rob and I found our favourite accommodation yet, an eco-tent at The Billi, a new resort on Cable Beach (famous for the telegraph cable laid under the sea all the way to Java in 1889) which is tucked neatly and chicly into a sand dune. This was camping in style as our tent came with not only a microwave but also a fully decked area with butter-soft day-bed and a free-standing tub – earning The Billi a perfect ‘glamping’ score.

  

   Photo courtesy of Caroline Eden

  The bush setting gave a wonderfully remote feel, yet we found ourselves just a short cycle ride away (Rob coped well slung over my shoulder horizontally as we wobbled off) from the aquamarine coast. Turquoise doesn’t begin to describe it. No wonder Australian’s eyes turn misty at the mere mention of Broome, it’s a wild, yet immediately relaxing sort of a place, with views that are simply not to be missed. 

  

  Photo courtesy of Caroline Eden

  Rob left Broome, a bit like me, in classic English fashion -tinged a light pink. But not from the sun, from the ‘pindan’ – the blood-red soil that covers the landscape and blows gently on the breeze. The sun had certainly penetrated Rob along with the pindan, lifting the soft scent of canvas, which captured Western Oz perfectly. Now, Rob and I have just a few days to cool our heels in Berkshire, before we’re back at Heathrow and on a flight to Kathmandu….

  Until next time,

  Caroline

  ——

  Rob the Traveller has been a popular choice for many.  So popular that Rob in Slate Green has been out of stock recently.  Our commitment to small scale, sustainable production sometimes means you may have to wait that little bit longer for your bag. Fear not, as Rob will be arriving in September. If you would like to reserve one please send us an email at hello@homeofmillican.com.

  From all at Millican, have a fantastic bank holiday weekend.

   

  By Rob
  
  

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