Oh my gosh - I'm in Lima and absolutely loving it. My first few days here have been working in a baby orphanage in San Miguel - they are absolutely adorable and so easy to love. Unfortunately they don't allow photos to be taken of the children but I have others I can post soon. Just wanted to let everyone know I arrived safely.
I am so very happy to be here. :-)
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Friday, October 14, 2011
MUNICH - OKTOBERFEST
What an absolute blast this was. I honestly dreaded the thought of fighting our way to Munich when mum suggested we make the trip up there. Having the car has been a blessing but it can also be difficult with directions (why didn’t I get a GPS!?!?) and finding parking.
We checked out of our wonderful apartment on Thursday around noon and slowly made our way to Germany via Austria and Liechtenstein (a teeny country I visited for the first time here). We got to Liechtenstein late afternoon and went walking. We come across the loveliest little stream and found a great restaurant at the foot of their castle. It is such a clean, friendly little place and because of its size, easy to navigate around also. We left at around 9pm and headed for Munich in search of a quiet parking bay to spend the night.
We woke up around 7am to a fog filled car and got ready for a busy day. We had a brilliant run through and headed straight for the nearest train station. We were parked and on the train before 10am. The first sight of the Oktoberfest was super exciting – we power walked our way to the entrance like children and spent the first hour walking around in awe. It is absolutely massive!! I have to say that it is by far the best fun park (other than Disneyland Anaheim) I have ever been to. The atmosphere was like nothing I had experienced and the rides were brilliant - as good (possibly better but that may also be the beer) as the major theme parks in Australia.
I could only manage 1 and a half pints of beer before I had to stop – I should have had more practise! I was drunk by 1pm and spent the entire day/night on top of the world. We managed to find mum a couple of baileys and we were skipping through the crowd. We tried every German food we could find and popped our heads into every tent (sooooo many of them). You never had to travel very far to find the local ambulance busy picking up the wounded – all of whom had passed out and had lost all ability to function at all.
The costumes were outstanding – we were amazed by how many people wore them and couldn’t stop staring in admiration for the tiny women who carry the 10-12 steins. I was so side tracked (again it must have been the beer) I even forgot to take a photo.
Just on sunset, I left mum standing by the side of a stall why I fought the crowds looking for an entrance to a tent that had traditional yodelling. Less than 10 min later I found her with a grin from one end of the festival to the other and a massive love heart gingerbread in her hand. Some random guy saw her standing there and either felt sorry for what looked like a lost little child or simply tired of carrying this treat and handed it to mum. She was tickled pink and carried it around for days until I made her throw it out before boarding our plane to Scotland. I know!!!!!
Even more amazing was when we left after dark around 9pm. We were about 100m from the entrance when these cute guys approached mum and popped a hat on her head. Not knowing what they were doing, she took it off and looked a little distressed at these strangers in the dim light. They were sweet and said they wanted to give a little something to someone special – they had just been waiting for the right person. When mum felt the traditional hat and saw the photos I took – her reaction was priceless. It actually looks like it has been passed down for generations. Dad swears he is going to stretch the darn thing until it fits his own. Super nice gesture and hat. No better way to top off the perfect day!!!
Mum would say the best bit was at the end watching drunk people trying to stable themselves on a fast moving conveyer belt, only to spend the trip on their backside (this seriously was hilarious) I’d say the best part was the rides and watching mum experience something so damn big and exciting for the first time. We had an absolute ball.
SWITZERLAND
After 2 night drives to Munich and back and spending each night in the car, we made our way back to Switzerland, this time Lauterbrunnen. We stayed at this beautiful hostel at the foot of Staubbach waterfall. I had spent almost 2 weeks searching for somewhere in Switzerland that did yodelling but had NO luck. By absolute fluke, on the night we were in Lauterbrunnen and after asking around, mum found out that there was the yearly folk music festival being held at the local school up the mountain in Wengen that very night. Can you believe it!! Mum was in her element listening to their traditional music incorporating yodelling and she was all teary with joy bopping along to words we couldn’t understand. Mum (of course) made friends with the local yodelling teams (outside having a fag) and we made our way back on the last train close to midnight. Really wonderful night.
The next day we hiked around the local valley in the morning and late afternoon drove the short distance to Stechelberg. This is where we caught the cable car to the peak of the Schilthorn (2971m) which is famous for being the setting where the 007 classic, ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’ was filmed. Very cool. We had a coffee in their revolving restaurant on sunset and caught the last cable car back down. The scenery was breathtaking, you literally felt like you were on top of the world. We then made the sad journey crossing the Switzerland border en route to Paris.
FRANCE
Talk about an action packed week. We stayed a few days longer in Switzerland than thought as we loved it so much so our time in France was limited. After a day of hiking and site seeing around Lauterbrunnen, we made our way to the France border where we spent the night in the car. We woke early and headed for Paris – I had wanted to take mum to Moulin Rouge but didn’t risk booking tickets in advance as it was going to be an 8 hour journey without getting lost or heavy traffic. We actually made it on time but we were disappointed to learn that all 3 shows that night were booked out (the 3rd show less than 30min before). It wasn’t meant to be so we caught the underground and headed for the Eiffel Tower instead. It was just on dark and the very moment mum saw it, the lights were flashing – it literally took her breath away. It was also the first time I had seen it at night – simply beautiful. We caught the elevator to the top and just caught the last train back to our car just after midnight.
We then drove and found a quiet park to sleep (close to Euro Disney). The next morning I surprised mum with a day at Paris’s version of Disneyland. We were there from open to close. Another amazing day full of lots of fun and food – it is, after all, the happiest place on earth. We enjoyed the rides as much as the kids. Our day revolved around making it to the ‘thrilling’ rides and the longest we had to wait was a whole 15 min!!! All of the rides were great but we particularly liked the tea cups where you could spin the wheel in the centre to make you go faster and Tower of Terror - VERY unexpected. We also spent a few hours in Walt Disney Studios (like Universal Studios). Having been to Disney land in Anaheim in the US, these parks were considerably smaller but equally as fun. I never want to grow up. :-)
After a relaxing night, we headed in the direction of the airport, spent our last night in the car then the following day, we found a shower, re packed our bags and cleaned the car for our flight to Edinburgh. Oooohhhhh I’m excited…. I have a surprise for Mum!!
What an absolute blast this was. I honestly dreaded the thought of fighting our way to Munich when mum suggested we make the trip up there. Having the car has been a blessing but it can also be difficult with directions (why didn’t I get a GPS!?!?) and finding parking.
We checked out of our wonderful apartment on Thursday around noon and slowly made our way to Germany via Austria and Liechtenstein (a teeny country I visited for the first time here). We got to Liechtenstein late afternoon and went walking. We come across the loveliest little stream and found a great restaurant at the foot of their castle. It is such a clean, friendly little place and because of its size, easy to navigate around also. We left at around 9pm and headed for Munich in search of a quiet parking bay to spend the night.
We woke up around 7am to a fog filled car and got ready for a busy day. We had a brilliant run through and headed straight for the nearest train station. We were parked and on the train before 10am. The first sight of the Oktoberfest was super exciting – we power walked our way to the entrance like children and spent the first hour walking around in awe. It is absolutely massive!! I have to say that it is by far the best fun park (other than Disneyland Anaheim) I have ever been to. The atmosphere was like nothing I had experienced and the rides were brilliant - as good (possibly better but that may also be the beer) as the major theme parks in Australia.
I could only manage 1 and a half pints of beer before I had to stop – I should have had more practise! I was drunk by 1pm and spent the entire day/night on top of the world. We managed to find mum a couple of baileys and we were skipping through the crowd. We tried every German food we could find and popped our heads into every tent (sooooo many of them). You never had to travel very far to find the local ambulance busy picking up the wounded – all of whom had passed out and had lost all ability to function at all.
The costumes were outstanding – we were amazed by how many people wore them and couldn’t stop staring in admiration for the tiny women who carry the 10-12 steins. I was so side tracked (again it must have been the beer) I even forgot to take a photo.
Just on sunset, I left mum standing by the side of a stall why I fought the crowds looking for an entrance to a tent that had traditional yodelling. Less than 10 min later I found her with a grin from one end of the festival to the other and a massive love heart gingerbread in her hand. Some random guy saw her standing there and either felt sorry for what looked like a lost little child or simply tired of carrying this treat and handed it to mum. She was tickled pink and carried it around for days until I made her throw it out before boarding our plane to Scotland. I know!!!!!
Even more amazing was when we left after dark around 9pm. We were about 100m from the entrance when these cute guys approached mum and popped a hat on her head. Not knowing what they were doing, she took it off and looked a little distressed at these strangers in the dim light. They were sweet and said they wanted to give a little something to someone special – they had just been waiting for the right person. When mum felt the traditional hat and saw the photos I took – her reaction was priceless. It actually looks like it has been passed down for generations. Dad swears he is going to stretch the darn thing until it fits his own. Super nice gesture and hat. No better way to top off the perfect day!!!
Mum would say the best bit was at the end watching drunk people trying to stable themselves on a fast moving conveyer belt, only to spend the trip on their backside (this seriously was hilarious) I’d say the best part was the rides and watching mum experience something so damn big and exciting for the first time. We had an absolute ball.
SWITZERLAND
After 2 night drives to Munich and back and spending each night in the car, we made our way back to Switzerland, this time Lauterbrunnen. We stayed at this beautiful hostel at the foot of Staubbach waterfall. I had spent almost 2 weeks searching for somewhere in Switzerland that did yodelling but had NO luck. By absolute fluke, on the night we were in Lauterbrunnen and after asking around, mum found out that there was the yearly folk music festival being held at the local school up the mountain in Wengen that very night. Can you believe it!! Mum was in her element listening to their traditional music incorporating yodelling and she was all teary with joy bopping along to words we couldn’t understand. Mum (of course) made friends with the local yodelling teams (outside having a fag) and we made our way back on the last train close to midnight. Really wonderful night.
The next day we hiked around the local valley in the morning and late afternoon drove the short distance to Stechelberg. This is where we caught the cable car to the peak of the Schilthorn (2971m) which is famous for being the setting where the 007 classic, ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’ was filmed. Very cool. We had a coffee in their revolving restaurant on sunset and caught the last cable car back down. The scenery was breathtaking, you literally felt like you were on top of the world. We then made the sad journey crossing the Switzerland border en route to Paris.
FRANCE
Talk about an action packed week. We stayed a few days longer in Switzerland than thought as we loved it so much so our time in France was limited. After a day of hiking and site seeing around Lauterbrunnen, we made our way to the France border where we spent the night in the car. We woke early and headed for Paris – I had wanted to take mum to Moulin Rouge but didn’t risk booking tickets in advance as it was going to be an 8 hour journey without getting lost or heavy traffic. We actually made it on time but we were disappointed to learn that all 3 shows that night were booked out (the 3rd show less than 30min before). It wasn’t meant to be so we caught the underground and headed for the Eiffel Tower instead. It was just on dark and the very moment mum saw it, the lights were flashing – it literally took her breath away. It was also the first time I had seen it at night – simply beautiful. We caught the elevator to the top and just caught the last train back to our car just after midnight.
We then drove and found a quiet park to sleep (close to Euro Disney). The next morning I surprised mum with a day at Paris’s version of Disneyland. We were there from open to close. Another amazing day full of lots of fun and food – it is, after all, the happiest place on earth. We enjoyed the rides as much as the kids. Our day revolved around making it to the ‘thrilling’ rides and the longest we had to wait was a whole 15 min!!! All of the rides were great but we particularly liked the tea cups where you could spin the wheel in the centre to make you go faster and Tower of Terror - VERY unexpected. We also spent a few hours in Walt Disney Studios (like Universal Studios). Having been to Disney land in Anaheim in the US, these parks were considerably smaller but equally as fun. I never want to grow up. :-)
After a relaxing night, we headed in the direction of the airport, spent our last night in the car then the following day, we found a shower, re packed our bags and cleaned the car for our flight to Edinburgh. Oooohhhhh I’m excited…. I have a surprise for Mum!!
Our final week - UK
SCOTLAND
Now this was another fantastic part of the trip. Months ago I made a list of things I wanted to do with mum – I also asked her for a ‘wish list’. The only 2 countries she really wanted to visit was Switzerland and Scotland and if she could see a ‘real’ chalet in the Swiss mountains, listen to some yodelling and see a Lock (lake) in Scotland then that would be a dream…… Having made the massive effort to make it so far, I wanted to do something special. I had organised for us to stay 3 nights in a Castle – Knock Castle hotel and spa in Crieff. Mum has not complained once about our accommodation. She graciously stayed in share rooms and in the car to save on money and boy was it worth it. Perhaps it’s a country thing, but we often slept better in the car than in a bed.
We arrived late on Wednesday night and stayed in a little motel on the highway (bit cool for the car). After a nice little sleep in, we jumped in the car and I simply drove into the country side in the direction of Crieff. Mum had no idea and didn’t’ ask questions. She just thoroughly appreciated the green rolling hills and old fashioned stone walls and homesteads.
We then rocked up at the castle and I said ‘surprise’. She couldn’t believe it. And neither could I. This castle has only been operating as a hotel since 2007 and it is just as I had hoped. Actually it was better with the spa – so discrete and OMG amazing!!! I had also booked us into a day at the spa where our time there went something like this;
9am – stumble out of bed for breakfast on the rooftop
10.00am – put on our dressing gowns and slippers provided by the hotel and made our way down to the ‘relaxation room’ to completely chill out in anticipation of our first treatment
11.00am – we both had massages
12.00pm – 2 course Table de Hote meal in the roof top restaurant with a glass of wine
2.00pm – back to the relaxation room for a spot of reading and closing of the eyes to the music and sound of running water
3.00pm – second treatment, facial and exfoliation massage
4.45pm – when we woke up (on the massage table) ….. we slowly come to life in the relaxation room and decided to watch a movie in their cinema – Out of Africa.
7.00pm – upstairs to get changed for dinner then pre dinner drinks in the bar
8.00pm – dinner in the restaurant
9.30pm – what the hell.., another movie in the cinema – The Constant Gardener.
11.00pm – perfect nights rest and sleep in ……
I have never indulged like this and thought a lot about it before deciding to jump in and it was absolutely brilliant. I would recommend everyone do it at least once. I was ready for Peru before but I am biting at the seams to get into work again now. Only 3 more sleeps until Peru!
It was so funny – mum didn’t know what to do. The therapists were terrific and just took control making us feel so welcome, relaxed and fantastic. Don’t know that I would do it again anytime soon but I would highly recommend it. Everything was luxurious from the the room (adorned with robe, slippers and scottish butter biscuites) to the restaurant, castle library, pool/spa/sauna/gym and full CD library. The staff were outstanding and even though the hotel was fully booked on Saturday night (a whole 20 rooms) we barely saw a soul.
The entire 4 day experience in the castle was sensational. We even wore our robes to breakfast! When we werne't by the pool, having treatment or eating, we were lounging in the library or out for a wander in the neighbouring valley with its literally breathtaking views. What more can I say…. Very relaxed and revitalised. And good thing we are….
Today is Sunday and as I write this we are sitting in Crieff hospital waiting for someone to see mum. She is ok, but with a wee bit of pain in her abdominal area. She can’t sit, stand, walk or lie comfortably. And we have an 8+ hour drive to London in front of us…… oh boy.
The nurse sent us to Perth hospital to see a doctor (about 25 min away) and mum was given a couple of prescriptions for a pretty nasty infection. She experiences the least amount of pain when she walks slowly – it will be a slow, limited drive down south with regular stops until the antibiotics kick in. If only we didn’t have to be in the London for the flight. :-( Can hardly believe our trip together is almost at its end.
LONDON
This city has long been one of my most least favourite cities. It’s busy, cold (in both meanings of the word) and expensive. This trip has made me think differently. The weather was sunny and pleasant, the people nice and excursion great.
I decided to take mum on a tour to see all the sites and receive a detailed description on each (something I was unable to do in 1 day). Our accommodation is located very close to Heathrow airport so the hike into town by underground took almost an hour.
The few things mum wanted to do and see included;
Standing in a red phone box
See the Thames river
Ride a red double decker bus
See the London Bridge and
Walk around Buckingham Palace
We managed to do all these and more. The journey into to the centre of London (Picadilly Circus) tooks us almost an hour on the tube. We entertained ourselves by identifying all the names on the train line that are on the manolopy board game. Fun times.
We arrived into town, grabbed our tickets and jumped on the red double decker tour bus for an awesome fully guided adventure. It took us all afternoon but we saw more in 4 hours than I saw in 3 days. It really was terrific. We saw the impressive London Eye (massive ferris wheel), Trafalgar Square, Downing Street (where the President lives), Big Ben, Leicester Square, Saint Pauls' Cathedral, Hampton Court Place, Westminster Abbey and caught a ferry on the River Thames.
We had traditional Fish and Chips for lunch and had a magnificent pub meal for dinner. It was an action packed day. I can now see why so many Australians and people from all over the world enjoy living in working in this oversized city. I would happily return.
Even though mum was still feeling very uncomfortable from her nasty infection, she soldiered on like a trooper and made the very most of the day. Please know she is doing ok and thank you all so much for your concerns.
We packed our bags that night and headed for the airport early. We slept like babies. It was nice to be in a bed.
Our last journey together was in Kenya 2010 (also in this blog) so this trip has been a very different experience for mum. She has been able to fulfill a dream of visiting Switzerland and Scotland and she has had a blast experiencing the diverse cultures. It has been a wonderful 6 weeks, so happy to have experienced it with Mum. No doubt we will be planning our next adventure soon....
Now this was another fantastic part of the trip. Months ago I made a list of things I wanted to do with mum – I also asked her for a ‘wish list’. The only 2 countries she really wanted to visit was Switzerland and Scotland and if she could see a ‘real’ chalet in the Swiss mountains, listen to some yodelling and see a Lock (lake) in Scotland then that would be a dream…… Having made the massive effort to make it so far, I wanted to do something special. I had organised for us to stay 3 nights in a Castle – Knock Castle hotel and spa in Crieff. Mum has not complained once about our accommodation. She graciously stayed in share rooms and in the car to save on money and boy was it worth it. Perhaps it’s a country thing, but we often slept better in the car than in a bed.
We arrived late on Wednesday night and stayed in a little motel on the highway (bit cool for the car). After a nice little sleep in, we jumped in the car and I simply drove into the country side in the direction of Crieff. Mum had no idea and didn’t’ ask questions. She just thoroughly appreciated the green rolling hills and old fashioned stone walls and homesteads.
We then rocked up at the castle and I said ‘surprise’. She couldn’t believe it. And neither could I. This castle has only been operating as a hotel since 2007 and it is just as I had hoped. Actually it was better with the spa – so discrete and OMG amazing!!! I had also booked us into a day at the spa where our time there went something like this;
9am – stumble out of bed for breakfast on the rooftop
10.00am – put on our dressing gowns and slippers provided by the hotel and made our way down to the ‘relaxation room’ to completely chill out in anticipation of our first treatment
11.00am – we both had massages
12.00pm – 2 course Table de Hote meal in the roof top restaurant with a glass of wine
2.00pm – back to the relaxation room for a spot of reading and closing of the eyes to the music and sound of running water
3.00pm – second treatment, facial and exfoliation massage
4.45pm – when we woke up (on the massage table) ….. we slowly come to life in the relaxation room and decided to watch a movie in their cinema – Out of Africa.
7.00pm – upstairs to get changed for dinner then pre dinner drinks in the bar
8.00pm – dinner in the restaurant
9.30pm – what the hell.., another movie in the cinema – The Constant Gardener.
11.00pm – perfect nights rest and sleep in ……
I have never indulged like this and thought a lot about it before deciding to jump in and it was absolutely brilliant. I would recommend everyone do it at least once. I was ready for Peru before but I am biting at the seams to get into work again now. Only 3 more sleeps until Peru!
It was so funny – mum didn’t know what to do. The therapists were terrific and just took control making us feel so welcome, relaxed and fantastic. Don’t know that I would do it again anytime soon but I would highly recommend it. Everything was luxurious from the the room (adorned with robe, slippers and scottish butter biscuites) to the restaurant, castle library, pool/spa/sauna/gym and full CD library. The staff were outstanding and even though the hotel was fully booked on Saturday night (a whole 20 rooms) we barely saw a soul.
The entire 4 day experience in the castle was sensational. We even wore our robes to breakfast! When we werne't by the pool, having treatment or eating, we were lounging in the library or out for a wander in the neighbouring valley with its literally breathtaking views. What more can I say…. Very relaxed and revitalised. And good thing we are….
Today is Sunday and as I write this we are sitting in Crieff hospital waiting for someone to see mum. She is ok, but with a wee bit of pain in her abdominal area. She can’t sit, stand, walk or lie comfortably. And we have an 8+ hour drive to London in front of us…… oh boy.
The nurse sent us to Perth hospital to see a doctor (about 25 min away) and mum was given a couple of prescriptions for a pretty nasty infection. She experiences the least amount of pain when she walks slowly – it will be a slow, limited drive down south with regular stops until the antibiotics kick in. If only we didn’t have to be in the London for the flight. :-( Can hardly believe our trip together is almost at its end.
LONDON
This city has long been one of my most least favourite cities. It’s busy, cold (in both meanings of the word) and expensive. This trip has made me think differently. The weather was sunny and pleasant, the people nice and excursion great.
I decided to take mum on a tour to see all the sites and receive a detailed description on each (something I was unable to do in 1 day). Our accommodation is located very close to Heathrow airport so the hike into town by underground took almost an hour.
The few things mum wanted to do and see included;
Standing in a red phone box
See the Thames river
Ride a red double decker bus
See the London Bridge and
Walk around Buckingham Palace
We managed to do all these and more. The journey into to the centre of London (Picadilly Circus) tooks us almost an hour on the tube. We entertained ourselves by identifying all the names on the train line that are on the manolopy board game. Fun times.
We arrived into town, grabbed our tickets and jumped on the red double decker tour bus for an awesome fully guided adventure. It took us all afternoon but we saw more in 4 hours than I saw in 3 days. It really was terrific. We saw the impressive London Eye (massive ferris wheel), Trafalgar Square, Downing Street (where the President lives), Big Ben, Leicester Square, Saint Pauls' Cathedral, Hampton Court Place, Westminster Abbey and caught a ferry on the River Thames.
We had traditional Fish and Chips for lunch and had a magnificent pub meal for dinner. It was an action packed day. I can now see why so many Australians and people from all over the world enjoy living in working in this oversized city. I would happily return.
Even though mum was still feeling very uncomfortable from her nasty infection, she soldiered on like a trooper and made the very most of the day. Please know she is doing ok and thank you all so much for your concerns.
We packed our bags that night and headed for the airport early. We slept like babies. It was nice to be in a bed.
Our last journey together was in Kenya 2010 (also in this blog) so this trip has been a very different experience for mum. She has been able to fulfill a dream of visiting Switzerland and Scotland and she has had a blast experiencing the diverse cultures. It has been a wonderful 6 weeks, so happy to have experienced it with Mum. No doubt we will be planning our next adventure soon....
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Here I go, here I go, here I go...
I am sitting in JFK airport en route to Lima, Peru. I am tired but I can’t possibly sleep. I have waited for what feels like decades to make it to South America. In less than 40 hours I will begin working with an Orphanage based in San Miguel. 4 hours 12 min until I can board the flight…..
I am still working post detailing the last 2 weeks I had with mum. Must focus and finish it... :-) We had a teary farewell earlier today. It has been such a treat sharing Europe with her and I miss not having her with me. Albiet busy, Europe was a great break but I’m really ready to get my hands dirty again.
Something has been drawing me to South America / Brazil for quite some time. I am not sure why but I’m ridiculously excited to get there and experience this diverse and challenging continent. I will be in Peru for 3 weeks before flying to meet a friend in Brazil for the month of November. Is there a better way to see the world than through volunteering and catching up with friends/family. I doubt it!!!! Ooooohhhhhh 3 more hours till I board the flight for Lima now. I’M EXCITED!!!!
I am still working post detailing the last 2 weeks I had with mum. Must focus and finish it... :-) We had a teary farewell earlier today. It has been such a treat sharing Europe with her and I miss not having her with me. Albiet busy, Europe was a great break but I’m really ready to get my hands dirty again.
Something has been drawing me to South America / Brazil for quite some time. I am not sure why but I’m ridiculously excited to get there and experience this diverse and challenging continent. I will be in Peru for 3 weeks before flying to meet a friend in Brazil for the month of November. Is there a better way to see the world than through volunteering and catching up with friends/family. I doubt it!!!! Ooooohhhhhh 3 more hours till I board the flight for Lima now. I’M EXCITED!!!!
Monday, October 3, 2011
Still recovering from Oktoberfest....
AND Eurodisney in France! :-) For a once in a lifetime trip for us we really are making the most of our wee adventure. Loooovvvvveeeeee the Tea Cups!!! Leia and Rob - WHERE WERE YOU!?!?!?!
Mum at Oktoberfest - It was around midday, I had had my first beer (mum had a sip, haha she is NOT a beer drinker) and we were feeling great.....
We are heading to Scotland tonight for the last leg of our journey. Will post a detailed entry from there. Be warned - it will be a long one..
Stay safe and happy. We are! X
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Switzerland
Other than the first couple of days in Amsterdam, we have been blessed with wonderful weather.
There has to be few things in this world more enjoyable than witnessing someone encounter new experiences for the first time. There have been many ’wow’ moments for mum. For the both of us. I could have crashed the car a dozen times over with her ’ahhh, OMG Tarsh look at that, and that over there’ as she thrashes her arms in front of my view of the road. It’s been fantastic.
We are currently in St Moritz in Switzerland and couldn’t ask for more perfect days. They had a half metre dump of snow just days before we arrived and we spent 5 days watching it slowly melt away until it snowed again last night ready for another perfectly sunny day.
Every morning we have made our way around the 5km lake, sometimes twice. And every time we are in awe of its beauty. If people aren’t walking, cycling or jogging around it, they are rowing or sailing on it. Mum complains I take too many photos. I say I haven’t taken enough!!
Mum’s biggest phobia in the world is horses. One morning on our way around the lake, mum froze, reached her stiff right arm in my direction and said ‘horse!’. One had managed to get out of its pen less than 50 metres from the pedestrian path. Before I had a chance, mum reassured herself out loud to say ‘if I don’t show fear, it won’t bother me..’. She was right, I slowly put myself between mum and the beast only to have it looked in our direction then went about its way eating.
Once mum was safely ahead, I took photos. :-)
Tomorrow we are heading to Munich for the Oktoberfest via Liechtenstein. Mum’s idea, not mine. I’m absolutely serious AND she doesn’t’ even drink beer!!! But we are looking forward to the experience of what we are sure will be a crazy ride. Mum has promised to look after me – the beers only come in Steins (1ltre) and I am so out of practice drinking, a few sniffs of the fumes and I think I’ll be half drunk.
We then head back to Switzerland where we will spend a couple of days in Lauterbrunnen exploring the central and West Coast before making our way to France.
Rewinding back to Italy……., after our ‘police encounter’ somewhere between Rome and Naples, we followed the coast down to a cute little town called Pozzuoli. A lovely little town where there were few international tourists. Mum wasn’t keen Naples, for its traffic and rock beaches.
We then went to Pompeii and left as quickly as we had arrived, almost taking a wrong turn and heading to Sorrento. Instead, we spent the night at a well-lit parking bay somewhere off the highway where we witnessed a wild Italian storm at its best. If the fierce thunder and lightning didn’t wake us, the wind rocking the car did. It lasted most of the night and the following day. Looking back we were extremely grateful for the timing of the storm. 2 hours earlier and we would have been in trouble. After spending the afternoon and night fighting the crazy Italian traffic, we managed to get a flat tyre around 10pm exiting the freeway – VERY BUSY FREEWAY! In the dark we unloaded our luggage (after shoving stray items back in our bags first) and searched for the tyre – after finding out how to lower it from under the car, we proceeded to raise the car but found no wheel jack. Seriously – nothing to unlock the nuts! Just as we were contemplating flagging a car down (it was now 10.35) flashing lights pulled up behind us. First we thought it was the local road rescue guys but after a second truck arriving, we realised they were Ambulances. Once we initially pulled off the freeway, we put out the safety triangle to warn oncoming traffic. As chance would have it a passer-by must have alerted the emergency services not knowing if we were ok. Unfortunately none of them spoke English (although 1 was very cute) but after a little sign language and them understanding we had nothing to undo the bolts (and searching the car themselves), the first ambo sent the second ambo away to find one. What awesome guys. They returned about 20 min later with a wheel jack but refused to let us change it, so by the headlights of the car behind, they quickly changed it, reloaded our luggage and sent us on our way with a few enthusiastic waves. We said our thanks with a key-ring Koala. They were chuffed and gave us an escort out with sirens!
The next day we did a little exploring of teeny towns on our way toward the Tuscany region. We arrived at night and parked the car at Lucignano, a place I knew was beautiful. After a couple of Amarula and milk’s we drifted into a deep sleep and woke on sunrise to the stunning views of the magnificent Tuscany region. It was special to be able to share it with mum. So many castles which she really appreciated.
Again after making our way slowly through the windy roads and taking plenty of opportunities to grab a photo, we found our way to Siena where we stayed in luxury - a tent!! It actually was awesome.
The camping grounds were amazing, the staff friendly and beds comfortable. Oh and the restaurant was amazing. Mum found the best lasagne she has ever had. She even had it for lunch again the next day. She still talks about it. We spend time relaxing, catching up on a few emails and changed the tyre.
After Siena and following the advice from a few locals, we visited a brilliant and surprising little town called Monteriggioni (a little village in castle grounds). We chose a restaurant according to its pasta selection and mum found another amazing lasagne. And I had a glass of the best wine I’ve had in years. Yummo!
Mum was super keen to have ‘real’ spaghetti bolognaise in Bologna so following mum’s instructions, she chose to skip Pisa (too touristy), Florence (too big) and Cinque Terra (too much walking) and we headed straight for Bologna. We made it to town in perfect timing for lunch. We found this little restaurant/cafe and ordered. I think mum’s expectations were very high as she was disappointed. I assured her we would find another restaurant (Trattoria) to give it another go. We headed out of town and after deciding where to go next, spending a few hours relaxing and drinking the best coffee in the world (I’m always ruined after visiting Italy) we stumbled across this great busy restaurant operated by and teeming with locals. We had the ‘perfect’ bolognaise as well as impressive tortellini, parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar which all originated from this area. We left very satisfied!!
We enjoyed our time in Italy but we had decided to move straight on to Switzerland – the most anticipated place in the world for mum. Ever since her honeymoon in Tasmania 38 years ago, 2 places she has dreamt of visiting was Switzerland and Scotland (numerous people told her that Tasmania was a combination of the 2 countries). She was itching to get here and she has not been disappointed. And neither have I. I have seen different, more stunning parts of Switzerland I didn’t know existed. The pass from Tirano on the Italian border to St Moritz was quite possible the most beautiful road in the world. Actually it was one of the top 10 roads to drive in the world according to Top Gear and I now know why. We will be experienced 2 other roads they also voted in their top 10 later this week.
The view from our apartment is a stunning unspoilt panorama of the Alps. We also have a large balcony to appreciate it and full sized kitchen where we have been appreciating home cooked meals – it has been so very nice to have a little food in a fridge again. It is also a treat being able to unpack our clothes and not share a bathroom. The little things..
Mum has experienced much of what she had hoped in Switzerland. She has witnessed the alps, seen and touched (and ate) snow, seen a typical Swiss chalet, come close to cows with cow bells and a chair lift. The one thing she has wanted to do which I have been unable to organise yet (I’m working on it) is to hear a local yodel. Uhuh!
Travelling in Europe again, especially the Czech Republic, Netherlands and Italy, has brought back many memories of travelling 3 years ago. It has been great reliving some awesome memories but happier to be experiencing new ones with mum. :-)
Saturday, September 24, 2011
EUROPE WITH MUM. What a ride..
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Travelling with mum again has been a fun experience. In just 2 weeks we have had some pretty crazy adventures. And laugh!!!! Oh boy we should have six packs by now!
We met in Amsterdam on the 6th of September. It was a teary reunion. Although Holland was a little cool and wet, it didn’t stop us exploring the sights.
We spent a day in Amsterdam visiting the Anne Frank Museum, tasting the ‘local cuisine’ and passing by the ‘window displays’. More than ever I seriously wish I could have taken a video of mum’s first ‘red light’ experience. Her jaw dropped and she stood staring in shock until I composed myself long enough to drag her away. Once over the initial disbelief she couldn’t stop laughing and saying ‘but they are so pretty..’. Perhaps it was also the cake…. Lol
The following day we took a bus into the country where we saw the most impressive windmills and sampled (and bought) the best cheese and chutney we have ever tasted (other than Dad’s homemade – NOTHING will beat that).
We also checked out the diamond factory and clogg making factory – now that was a hoot.
On the 9th we flew to the Czech Republic, spent a couple of days in Prague getting lost on local trams, walking over and around Charles Bridge (where we also had the most amazing pickledcabbageand sausage soup!!) and stumbling across a fantastic little market on the water before taking a bus to Cesky Krumlov , a gorgeous little medieval town I had visited once before. We spent 3 glorious nights there exploring the old town and coasting 10.5km down the incredibly beautiful river. Cruising on a canoe was definitely a highlight, as was watching the 3 bears wandering below the castle grounds, getting drunk in a café writing postcards (blurry pic on way home) and trying to make our way through the biggest serving of ribs and pork knuckle (1kg+) you have seen!
This dinner was in an old, creepy looking dungeon. It was dark (little candle light) and food was served roughly on a chopping board with bity horseradish. Yummmm.
I then surprised mum with a quick trip to Salzburg in Austria where we did a Sound of Music tour. This musical is one of mums (and my) all-time favourite movies. Every night at 8pm in the hostel we stayed, they played the movie. We watched it both nights and sang in the bus of the entire tour (we weren’t the only ones!) Pictured is the glass pavilion where they sung I am 16 going on 17..... Simply wonderful.
On the second night we were in Austria, we took an overnight train to Venice. Having been there before and knowing how much walking is involved and how far away accommodation is to the centre, we only spent the day there. After popping our luggage in storage, we made our way through the canals. Of all days we decided to visit Venice, this day was a particularly interesting day. Around 10am we started seeing dozens of SWAT looking guys gathering around the square. By lunch time hundreds of political protesters were shouting and ranting something in Italian over loud speakers. There were dozens of different flags, bright flares and smoke bombs (let off by the police we think). The police also had a helicopter constantly circling overhead and very low - we believe to drown out the protesters. It was at this time we decide to escape the madness and take a gondola ride around the quiet canals. Another highlight!
At 9.30pm we flew to Rome where we picked up our car and headed for the coast. We intentionally hired a station wagon so we had the option to sleep comfortably in it. The first night (Saturday) we found a little dirt road off another quiet road somewhere between Rome and Naples. We turned off the car at 2.30 am and at 4.30am we were startled awake by 2 police literally bashing on my window. Once they quickly discovered we don’t speak Italian, they asked for our passports and did a very slow, thorough check of the car, inside and out. They then nodded, jumped back in their car and drove away. We just about wet ourselves when they woke us and then again laughing once they had left. Oh boy did our hearts pound. We were literally in the middle of nowhere – seriously!!
We have now been in Italy for 6 days and have decided to head to Switzerland tomorrow. We spent our time in Naples, Pompei, the Tuscany region and Bologna. It’s been very handy having the car but also stressful with the crazy traffic they have here. After swearing I wouldn’t’ drive near the Malfi Coast again, I did and immediately remembered why I was MAD doing it again. The roads are super skinny (why didn’t I get a smaller car!!), the locals fiercely irrational behind the wheel and motorbikes who are somehow worse weaving in and out of the wild traffic finding space where I swear there wasn’t’ any. I think Mum and I aged a few years in a few hours! Getting lost in Tuscany on the other hand was extremely pleasant!
There is a lot more to say but must publish this post (sorry for delay Dad). Will catch up on rest of Italy in next blog.
After spending most nights sleeping in the car, we are looking forward to treating ourselves a week in an apartment overlooking the alps in fabulous St Moritz!! Certainly a change from the accommodation in Kenya. Every day I miss it.…
Mum loves hot chocolate but not strong and certainly not thick syrup. She didn't dare order another until Italy and even then with caution. This brief video doesn't do the thick mix justice;
In addition to the last quick entry, here is also a wee lil rapid that took us by surprise down the river at Cesky Krumlov;
Travelling with mum again has been a fun experience. In just 2 weeks we have had some pretty crazy adventures. And laugh!!!! Oh boy we should have six packs by now!
We met in Amsterdam on the 6th of September. It was a teary reunion. Although Holland was a little cool and wet, it didn’t stop us exploring the sights.
We spent a day in Amsterdam visiting the Anne Frank Museum, tasting the ‘local cuisine’ and passing by the ‘window displays’. More than ever I seriously wish I could have taken a video of mum’s first ‘red light’ experience. Her jaw dropped and she stood staring in shock until I composed myself long enough to drag her away. Once over the initial disbelief she couldn’t stop laughing and saying ‘but they are so pretty..’. Perhaps it was also the cake…. Lol
The following day we took a bus into the country where we saw the most impressive windmills and sampled (and bought) the best cheese and chutney we have ever tasted (other than Dad’s homemade – NOTHING will beat that).
We also checked out the diamond factory and clogg making factory – now that was a hoot. On the 9th we flew to the Czech Republic, spent a couple of days in Prague getting lost on local trams, walking over and around Charles Bridge (where we also had the most amazing pickledcabbageand sausage soup!!) and stumbling across a fantastic little market on the water before taking a bus to Cesky Krumlov , a gorgeous little medieval town I had visited once before. We spent 3 glorious nights there exploring the old town and coasting 10.5km down the incredibly beautiful river. Cruising on a canoe was definitely a highlight, as was watching the 3 bears wandering below the castle grounds, getting drunk in a café writing postcards (blurry pic on way home) and trying to make our way through the biggest serving of ribs and pork knuckle (1kg+) you have seen!
This dinner was in an old, creepy looking dungeon. It was dark (little candle light) and food was served roughly on a chopping board with bity horseradish. Yummmm.
I then surprised mum with a quick trip to Salzburg in Austria where we did a Sound of Music tour. This musical is one of mums (and my) all-time favourite movies. Every night at 8pm in the hostel we stayed, they played the movie. We watched it both nights and sang in the bus of the entire tour (we weren’t the only ones!) Pictured is the glass pavilion where they sung I am 16 going on 17..... Simply wonderful.
On the second night we were in Austria, we took an overnight train to Venice. Having been there before and knowing how much walking is involved and how far away accommodation is to the centre, we only spent the day there. After popping our luggage in storage, we made our way through the canals. Of all days we decided to visit Venice, this day was a particularly interesting day. Around 10am we started seeing dozens of SWAT looking guys gathering around the square. By lunch time hundreds of political protesters were shouting and ranting something in Italian over loud speakers. There were dozens of different flags, bright flares and smoke bombs (let off by the police we think). The police also had a helicopter constantly circling overhead and very low - we believe to drown out the protesters. It was at this time we decide to escape the madness and take a gondola ride around the quiet canals. Another highlight!
At 9.30pm we flew to Rome where we picked up our car and headed for the coast. We intentionally hired a station wagon so we had the option to sleep comfortably in it. The first night (Saturday) we found a little dirt road off another quiet road somewhere between Rome and Naples. We turned off the car at 2.30 am and at 4.30am we were startled awake by 2 police literally bashing on my window. Once they quickly discovered we don’t speak Italian, they asked for our passports and did a very slow, thorough check of the car, inside and out. They then nodded, jumped back in their car and drove away. We just about wet ourselves when they woke us and then again laughing once they had left. Oh boy did our hearts pound. We were literally in the middle of nowhere – seriously!!
We have now been in Italy for 6 days and have decided to head to Switzerland tomorrow. We spent our time in Naples, Pompei, the Tuscany region and Bologna. It’s been very handy having the car but also stressful with the crazy traffic they have here. After swearing I wouldn’t’ drive near the Malfi Coast again, I did and immediately remembered why I was MAD doing it again. The roads are super skinny (why didn’t I get a smaller car!!), the locals fiercely irrational behind the wheel and motorbikes who are somehow worse weaving in and out of the wild traffic finding space where I swear there wasn’t’ any. I think Mum and I aged a few years in a few hours! Getting lost in Tuscany on the other hand was extremely pleasant!
There is a lot more to say but must publish this post (sorry for delay Dad). Will catch up on rest of Italy in next blog.
After spending most nights sleeping in the car, we are looking forward to treating ourselves a week in an apartment overlooking the alps in fabulous St Moritz!! Certainly a change from the accommodation in Kenya. Every day I miss it.…
Mum loves hot chocolate but not strong and certainly not thick syrup. She didn't dare order another until Italy and even then with caution. This brief video doesn't do the thick mix justice;
In addition to the last quick entry, here is also a wee lil rapid that took us by surprise down the river at Cesky Krumlov;
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