Buzacott World Tour 2018

March 2018 - March 2024
An open-ended adventure by Amy
Currently traveling
  • 24footprints
  • 11countries
  • 2,190days
  • 239photos
  • 1videos
  • 33.4kkilometers
  • 29.8kkilometers
  • Day 2

    TSIMSHATSUI, HONG KONG

    April 1, 2018 in Hong Kong ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    DAY 1-2:
    The journey of a thousand miles has begun! We are dipping our toes into Asia with the first couple of days in Hong Kong, an impressive city indeed. Masses of humanity seem to co-exist in a surprisingly orderly way despite the sheer volume of people. It is not quite the stereotype I expected. Definitely seeing a lot of synthetic fabric: animal prints, polka dots and rompers.... the occasional yucky street smell... and more cigarette smoke than I would like. But people are friendly and patient with our non-existent Mandarin (???Cantonese), the crowds flow, and even the street hustlers selling their ‘rolexes’ leave you be after just a small shake of the head.

    Buz and Jesse have crashed after our day of exploring. Zach, like me, doesn’t share that special ability to sleep at will.

    A 4am wake-up (Aussie time zone still) saw us having races on the treadmills at the hotel gym. I didn’t win. Had a feast at the hotel breakfast, took a deep breath and entered the MTR train station. Whoa, the crowds. Felt like a mama duck, continually checking we were all managing to stay together (& lucky we did- as we witnessed one family getting separated as the train doors closed sharply in their face before all managed to board).

    Boxes ticked: the Hong Kong Park (aviary, botanical gardens, fountains- enjoyable even if you’re not a senior citizen), the Man Mo temple, Antique markets, Temple Street night markets, trains mastered. Loved the Man Mo temple. Felt like a bit of an intruder watching the very devout light candles, incense, and pray while rocking/bowing... it was so beautiful inside. Market shopping always fun and the boys got a few small trinkets while attempting to master the art of bargaining. I don’t think any of us excel at this skill... yet. Sooooo difficult to walk past all the shops knowing our suitcases need to stay light... for now. Besides, I don’t think I can rock animal prints.

    Boxes not ticked: Victoria Peak, as the line to enter the trams involved over an hour wait in the sun. Couldn’t be bothered today. Tomorrow is another day, though!

    DAY 3:
    Ngong Ping cable car ride to the Big Buddha was AMAZING and quite a lot scary. Secretly glad we didn’t opt for the glass floor carriage. Zach conquered a fear of cable cars only to ask to do it all again on the way back. There was even a bit of floss-dancing in the carriage on the way down. The Big Buddha did not disappoint in its size. The Po Lin Monastery was chockers with golden statues of Buddha, celestial beings, incense smells, whatnot. A definite highlight of HK.

    Lines to Victoria Peak trams we’re still so long (poor Buz who loves mountains) that we opted for a revisit to Temple Street markets. The fidget spinner stalls did well from us.
    Read more

  • Day 5

    KYOTO, JAPAN

    April 4, 2018 in Japan ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    DAY 1-2

    Japan ❤️. From the warmed toilet seats to the mini-drink vending machines on street corners, I like the way Japan adds its touch to everyday life. And Kyoto is particularly amazing. We are fortunate to be here as the cherry blossoms fall, making for a gorgeous walk through the parks, shrines, and river- getting into cherry blossom leaf fights along the way..

    We found ourselves in the geisha district of Gion. Seems to be a trend where beautiful young Japanese couples rent traditional outfits - kimonos and jinbei and walk along the famous sights trailed by photographers.

    The walk ended up at Nishiki markets.... oh my. Shopping heaven, streets upon streets of stores selling very unique things. Boys found one with live hedgehogs to cuddle. Buz was a true friend and took the boys so I could shop at Amy-pace. Found a couple of dresses at a vintage shop that I fell in love with and bought (guiltily, seeing as suitcases are already overpacked).

    After a few hours chilling in the hotel we persuaded the boys to come to Fushimi Inari shrine. This shrine was built to honour the god of rice, and it’s full of fox statues (messengers to Inari). It was built 1300 years ago (hard to imagine) and is highly photographed in travel books. Easy to see why- the bright orange ‘tunnel’ is fun to walk through. The boys are absolute troopers when it comes to travelling but by tonight were looking a bit weary. Fair enough, given we had clocked up 21,000 steps on the Fitbit today!

    A well-earned sleep, with more treasures tomorrow.

    DAY 3:
    Shrines, temples, and more shrines! Kiyomizu-dera is well worth the hype, whether for the temple itself, the views of Kyoto, or the fun of walking amongst the jumble of kimono-clad women hobbling along in their tabi socks and wooden shoes, through endless narrow streets of souvenir shops.

    Buz is having such a good time with the selfie-stick, too good of a time if you ask the rest of us.
    Read more

  • Day 7

    HAKUBA, JAPAN

    April 6, 2018 in Japan ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    🎼 ‘Sometimes it snows in April’ 🎼.... and sometimes it rains. But lucky for us there is snow (and rain!) in Hakuba... which means we can ski and snowboard!!!! HOORAY!

    After a 5 hour train ride from Kyoto (boring...) with some tight transfers we have arrived at Morino lodge in a spacious room with balcony. Grabbed a veggie sandwich, skis and boards rented, stocked up on cup-of-noodles, mochi, and matcha, and now chillaxing in our room reading and iPad-ing. Bliss!

    DAY 2: SKIING!!!

    MAGIC. DAY. We tried out Hakuba 47 (name of the ski park) as it was recommended for having the best snow at the moment and most green runs. It felt a bit dubious riding the gondola up the mountain. The ground below is snow-free with buds of flowers blooming. The mountain didn’t look super snowy. It is no longer ‘official’ ski season (actually it’s Spring here now) and some of the ski parks have closed. So it was very cool to exit the gondola into winter wonderland. The chairlifts were playing peppy music which I can only describe as ‘ragtime jazz.’ We quickly got our ski/snowboard legs and took off. Throughout the day, I could see Buz, Zach, and Jesse all improving. Meanwhile, I have not graduated from ‘snowplow’ mode and I still think in terms of ‘pizza’ (slow down) and ‘fries’ (go fast), making wide s-shaped arcs downhill. It’s all good, though. Had a brilliant time. And not to brag, but I even managed some ‘green-with-a-thrill’ runs down the C-line run high up the mountain- narrow, winding path down... spectacular views.

    Now back in our cozy room, filled up with hot tea. Don’t know if going out for dinner is even an option. We are all beat.

    DAY 3:
    It snowed!! which means... snowball fights, making snowmen, and (of course) another 8-hour day of skiing. Boys are improving exponentially.. to the extent they are doing big runs on their own and even tried out the ‘sports park’ (think: rails, slaloms, jump ramps) today. My heart was in my mouth for much of today, crossing fingers that they will stay safe. Buz also fully in his element, pushing his limits and boarding like a champ. Me... I’m an Amberg. Still fascinated by the challenge of a good green run. So we’re all happy.

    Buz’s birthday tomoz!

    MORE STUFF:
    Yesterday celebrated Buz’s 43rd in style with a full day skiing in white-out conditions followed by a party platter of vegetable gyozas at a local Japanese restaurant.

    The weather doesn’t seem to know what to do with itself. After 2 days of heavy powder snow, the sun is shining and our snowman has melted. Boys made the most of today playing on the half-pipe and rails. Meanwhile, I took the day to walk around exploring Happo. Made my way to the top of the ski jump for the 98 Nagano Olympics. Vertigo!

    **
    Left Hakuba reluctantly as we had the BEST time ever here! It’s definitely on the do-again bucket list. A few hiccups on the last day... Jesse accidentally left his iPad at the hotel! He removed it to get some mochi (his favourite food) from the bottom of his carry-on, but forgot to re-pack it! Luckily the hotel staff are exceptionally lovely and sending his iPad on to our hotel in Rome. Phew! THEN, we grabbed a dodgy backpackers hostel in Shinjuku (think shared unisex toilets and paper-thin walls in the red light district). Zach woke up at 4am dry-retching with a sore tummy and nausea. Right on time for a full-day’s travel to Beijing! He managed not to vomit whilst travelling through Tokyo, waiting at airports, 4-hour flight, more customs in China, and then airport express train to out Beijing Hotel. He was an absolute champion for what amounted to a day’s travel.

    Now... Beijing!
    Read more

  • Day 16

    BEIJING, CHINA

    April 15, 2018 in China ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Beijing. We arrived. 🇨🇳

    It was a long journey from Tokyo with a nauseous, sick Zach. After clearing customs we took the 30 min express train into downtown Beijing and decided to connect to our hotel with a taxi - the kids were exhausted. The taxi driver did the typical ‘no meter’ scam and told us the 10 min taxi ride would be 450 RMB ($90), and luckily we have been there, done that once a few too many times in travel history. We insisted... and he insisted there was no meter in Beijing (cough.... bullshit) but we agreed on 150RMB fare knowing it was ridiculous but at that stage we just couldn’t be bothered. We survived his taxi ride. Barely. Seems traffic lights are more of a guideline here. As well as which side of the road you choose to drive on (if the car in front of you is going too slow for your liking).

    It was a relief to arrive in Dongcheng, near the amazing Wangfujing area. Great apartment-hotel (with a great pool and whirlpool!!) with loads of space. China may be a good place to have a comfortable refuge.

    Had a swim this morning and then decided to play tourist close to home. I should mention here that my navigation skills surpassed Buz’s today. We are close to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. We walked in that direction via a hutong neighbourhood where delicacies such as live scorpions on a stick were readily bought and consumed. Buz and Jesse bought a tea drink that ‘smoked’ from dry ice. Baby chickens roasted on a stick. Unrecognisable meats. Lots of cigarette smoke. Senses challenged. By the time we arrived between TS and the FC, we looked at queues blocks & blocks long. Buz forgot his passport (you must carry them with you at all times here), so we decided a nap was more appealing than trying to get in today. After re-grouping we went out again tonight for dinner. Jesse fell asleep waiting for his food, and we had fun balancing stuff on his head while he slept.

    Tomorrow we will be more adventurous!

    MONDAY (‘tomorrow’)
    Slowly getting our Beijing feet- although a lot gets lost in translation. For example, if a strange man missing teeth who looks a bit creepy walks up and says something about ‘lovely boys’ and tries to grab-hug your child, are you over-reacting when the first thing you do is yell ‘HEY! NO!’ and he walks off looking embarrassed? We all get stared at a bit, which is surprising as Beijing is a pretty major world capital and I wasn’t expecting to be a novelty here at all. It was lovely to get asked to pose for photos with a stranger, but quite a few people (not so subtly) sneak photos of us, which can make you feel like a bit of a freak-show. Boys have mixed feelings about it. Sunnies and a hat may be the go for tomoz..

    We made it into Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, although it was Monday (things close on Mondays), so we only got into the outer walls of the FC, and we were not able to see the embalmed body of Chairman Mao. We will save those adventures.

    FRIDAY
    At last, we have gotten our Beijing vibe on! Took awhile to get in the rhythm. Spent Tuesday at Panjiayuan markets hesitantly practicing our bargaining skills. Zach got an awesome ‘antique’ chess set and Jesse found a few gems as well. Jesse is my shopping buddy, so we carried on to the Silk Market while Buz and Zach retreated to the hotel room. China makes the most awesome embroidered cloth shoes which I have fallen in love with. Unfortunately every shopkeeper takes one look at my size 9’s and says ‘no’ or directs me to the men’s section.

    Wednesday was declared a ‘rest day’ by the troops, who needed a bit of time to process all the delights of Beijing. Fair enough. China is an interesting place. You name it, it’s different. Our hotel overlooks a primary school, and we listen to a military-like flag raising ceremony each morning at 7:45 and enjoy spying on the school kids doing exercises. The boys have realised the Australian school day is not so bad, after all. CCTV cameras and police everywhere. Ordering food at a restaurant is a lucky dip. Jesse ordered a ‘burger’ and got shredded unspecified meat and cabbage with sesame sauce on a bun. Cookies are filled with lychee and rose jam. Menus need to be scanned for duck gizzards and the like. Crossing the street is an art form. Mostly you need to hold your breath, cross your fingers, and walk close to a group of locals. We have mastered the train system, but still working on our boarding/disembarking skills as you have to be prepared to push and get right up close to your fellow human. And of course, there’s the Great Firewall of China (no google, Facebook, unauthorised web searches, or interactive video games) so we all had a bit of withdrawal.

    So, with renewed vigour and better-rested, we got up bright and early Thursday morning to catch the train to the Great Wall. We sardined ourselves in during morning rush hour to arrive at Xizhimen (Beijing north subway station) only to realise the trains to the Great Wall were recently switched! Lonely Planet guidebook fail! (But because you can’t Google here or speak Mandarin, how can you otherwise know?) Undeterred, we switched plans to see the Forbidden City instead (it was closed Monday). Completed in 1420, the 600 year-old city-within-a city housed a fair handful of emperors. Luckily, it wasn’t destroyed under Mao, so you can walk through and marvel away at what it would have been like to be one of the few, privileged royalty of the time.... or the flip-side. We sat on a bench while Buz read the history highlights to us from the Lonely Planet. It was at this time we (I!) got approached by an entire tour group to pose for photos with them. I enjoyed my 15 minutes of fame immensely.

    Today we got a private driver to the Great Wall at Badaling. AWESOME. And not just because there were more photo opportunities with locals. Today is when I started to realise how amazing China actually is. And I’ve started to like it. Efficient. The crowds flowed up the cable car (because if you can’t hustle and jump on those speedy cars in time, tough luck). Little, stooped old ladies hiked up those super-steep steps. Families managed to coax their kids up while looking after the elderly, all without disrupting the shoulder-to-shoulder traffic. There is a flow to the pace here and a group mentality that seems to work. Hard to explain as it’s late and I’m sleepy. Buz noted there could never be a Great Wall in Australia because it wouldn’t meet OH&S standards. The other thing I liked about today was being in a private car driving through Beijing you could spy on life in everyday Beijing neighbourhoods. A man on a motorbike flirting with a blushing lady at the bus stop, a man sitting on a bus smiling/laughing to himself, a street worker washing himself off, partially dressed, after a long day’s’ work... that sort of thing.
    Read more

  • Day 24

    LEVI, FINLAND

    April 23, 2018 in Finland ⋅ ⛅ 4 °C

    Safe and sound in the Arctic Circle. Been up since 2am (we are all on Beijing time). Trying to stay up til 8, then we will dose up on Melatonin and sleep the sleep of champions, ready to ski/board tomoz.

    THURSDAY: It's still winter wonderland here in late April. What a beautiful pocket of the world. Except for the ski field, the area is very flat which makes for long, easy, picturesque walking tracks. Wooden cabins are dotted around the place and birch (?) trees everywhere. Scandinavia feels very home-y to me. Maybe because some of my ancestors came from this corner of the world? Maybe because if you squint really hard this place is a bit like Iowa in winter: flat, empty, snow-covered. People are friendly, healthy, & happy looking (not like the dour Finn stereotype). I like Levi. It has good mojo. I like that shopkeepers speak to me in Finnish, not recognising me as a tourist.

    Finnish design deserves mention. Cheap, made-in-China knock-offs don't exist up here in Lapland. The clothes are beautiful (& expensive)- gorgeous cuts and fabrics. Furniture is funky and practical. Loads of wood.

    We have been skiing daily. I conquered a few red runs, quite a feat! Boys had to wait about 10 minutes for me to get to the bottom, but still.... and I learned how to use a T-bar (although stacked it here). Meanwhile, the 3 of them go off on races and jumps. Jesse should enrol in speed-skiing. Zach has invented a new kind of snowboarding he calls 'Superman.' Today I am thinking of trying out some cross country paths.
    ....
    We were sad to leave lovely Levi! From the great skiing, the buckets of strawberry milkshakes, rummy tournaments, snowball fights, saunas, and friendly locals. Such a great time! I found something called ‘Sauna Honey’ at the supermarket (‘Sauna Hunaja’)- a gooey lotion that you put on before the sauna, and as you sweat it exfoliates your skin and you smell heavenly of ‘midsummer birch.’

    On the last night we had a massive, quiet snowstorm with thick, chunky flakes. I took a midnight walk. It was the Levi Festival- so loads of people out in party mode. I ended up chatting to a couple of locals who said it was nothing- it even snows in May. They love Lapland but said the winter is constantly dark and you get depressed. The White Nights of summer are amazing, but they get plagued with giant mosquitoes in the ‘heat’ of 15C (their words!). So seems like we visited at just the right time.
    Read more

  • Day 32

    HELSINKI, FINLAND

    May 1, 2018 in Finland ⋅ 🌫 5 °C

    Wow. This is a fantastic city! I have totally underestimated Finland. In 2017, Finland was rated the 5th happiest country in the world. It has one of the best educational outcomes on a global scale as well. In other words, they are doing something right.

    We are lucky to have unwittingly arrived during the public holiday of ‘May Day.’ This is a big thing here in Helsinki. On May Day Eve, the city comes alive with people. During the day it was warm-ish and sunny. We rented City Bikes and rode around people-watching, wondering why there were an increasing amount of people wearing sailor’s hats, and why the many statues all had sailor hats on. We stopped at Market Hall for some famous Finnish salmon soup (yum!) and eventually came back to the flat for a mid-afternoon rest. By 6pm we were out again, and the streets were packed! Most people were wearing sailor-looking hats (which actually are something uni-related), and all the engineering students (of which there are many) wear brightly-coloured work overalls covered in patches. Everyone seemed to be carrying a large bottle of alcohol. Buskers played accordions. There was a musician who played glass bottles. Bands were parading down the street- most notably a drum band whose conductor was dressed in an inflatable dinosaur costume. Someone had filled the main fountain with laundry detergent. Groups of students were singing. Weird and wonderful people-watching. The boys played soccer in the square for a bit. Memorable day.

    Today (May Day) was cold and rainy. The City was amazingly cleaned up after all of the partying, but it was very quiet and much was closed. A good day for doing homework with the boys.

    THURSDAY
    At the airport, about to board for Rome. It is a sunny Spring day in Helsinki, good memories. Jesse is hobbling about. He had a sore leg after a stack on the last day skiing, but seemed to be recovering. After an hour's soccer the other day the injury has reared up again. Buz reckons it may be a hairline fracture of the fibula... which you can't do much about but stay off it. Not ideal for Rome! We are looking at crutches, but the pharmacist told us that you need to get them prescribed by a doctor here. We shall see what they do in Italy!

    Ambled around the National Museum of Finland yesterday to school ourselves up on Suomi history. The gist is that it had an interesting prehistoric past, typically dark and religious middle ages where bring poor would have sucked abysmally, then found Itself in the middle of a tug of war between Sweden and Russia for its land. So pretty impressive they have maintained their identity and language. And possibly why they seem to be such adaptable people.

    Also, amazing vintage shops! Bought 3 dresses for 6 euro! I can't wait to alter them a bit when I get my hands on a sewing machine. I think only getting 3 shows my level of restraint. Buz disagrees.

    Anyway, 'kittos' Finland for a great stay!
    Read more

  • Day 35

    ROME, ITALY

    May 4, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Waking up in a 16th century AirBnB in Campo di Fiori!!

    Saturday night:
    48 hours into this incredible city- a whirlwind! Staying in the most amazing 1500's apartment. You drive through a maze of narrow, cobbled streets to get here. The building front has super-thick massive wooden security doors which lead through an arched hallway into a 4-story courtyard complex, smack in the middle of an authentically Italian neighbourhood- but also within walking distance of all the main sights. Even though it has been modernised, the exposed hand-carved wooden ceiling seems to be the real thing, as well as a few stone features.

    Yesterday we started off wandering about with no specific intentions- just in the direction of the Colosseum. We found ourselves in the Jewish Ghetto (in the 1500s the Pope made all the Jews live there), then strolling past the Teatro de Marcello and ruins from the Temple of Apollo. Wandered into a gorgeous church (randomly), and then in front of a National War Memorial, which had a lift that took you to amazing rooftop views of Rome. Brief pizza/gelato stop to recharge the batteries and then into the Colosseum and a stroll through Palatine Hill area.

    Jesse definitely seems to have fractured his tibia from skiing. Our amazing AirBnB host had a spare crutch to lend us. He carried on like a champ but was hurting a lot by the end of the day.

    Today we hit the Vatican, St Peter's Basilica, and Sistine Chapel. Took a 3-hour tour which was sooooo interesting and worthwhile. Boys' history (& mine) definitely schooled up. Maria, the tour guide, pointed out so many historical anecdotes and small details that I would have never noticed. The Vatican lets in 35,000 visitors per day, though- so we were packed in like a Chinese subway carriage. And there's just too many amazing pieces of art- by the end of the Museum part of the tour we just walked passed original works from Chagall, Dali, Matisse, etc. because there's literally too much to see.

    I do struggle a lot with the grotesque wealth of the Church and how so much of that wealth has been acquired in very dubious ways (to put it mildly), as well as the massive scale of abuses they have tolerated- even supported- which has become even more clear in recent years. So I was actually against taking us to the Vatican, as if felt somehow complicit to get tickets. But Buz vetoed me... & it is a jaw-dropping place (even the boys appreciated that). but I had to suppress a gag when the tour guide said at the beginning that the Vatican has few ways to make money - it relies on the generosity of the Catholic community. You only have to look at the priceless artwork in there to understand how they are one of the most wealthy institutions in the world.

    To avoid the dangers of dreaded 'hanger' after that 3-hour tour we grabbed a taxi to Piazza Navona and watched artists make some cool stuff and then feasted on beer, pasta, and a shameless platter of desserts!

    Tomorrow should be an easier day of a short stroll to the Pantheon and lots of gelato breaks.
    Read more

  • Day 39

    LEVANTO, ITALY

    May 8, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Bongiorno from the Cinque Terre, a place of 5 seaside towns snuggled in the cliffs of some rather beautiful little mountains ovlerlooking the Mediterranean. Very quintessentially Italian- complete with 'siesta' time. So I think we will fit right in!

    Levanto is technically included as part of the CT, although on the very far end. It's more budget/family friendly due to easy access to the beach and an earthy vibe. I guess the main 5 towns are a bit fancy-pants. We shall check that out tomorrow! In the meantime, we are absolutely happy with this gorgeous place, even if it is the 'poor man's CT.'. It's so cute!

    Arrived after 5 hours on a boring train from Rome. The boys had energy to burn and were entertaining themselves with 'hilarious' games like pretending the train could sing Game of Thrones theme song (by lifting the flaps of the seats), as well as playing 'keep-away-from-the-cripple' with Jesse's walking crutch on the station platform. I was not amused.

    Luckily we fed them, played catch, and took a freezing swim at the beach & they were calmed back to their 'normal' selves (Buz included, of course).

    This morning rented bikes and cycled 6km or so through Bonnasola to Framura. Cycled through super-cool tunnels that were chiselled through the mountains in the early 1900's to connect these rather remote towns. That was THE BEST! Small exits from the tunnels led to tiny pockets of empty beach, where the boys had fun jumping off the rocks into the sea. Tried to warm themselves up after by covering themselves in stones heated by the sun.

    Unfortunately en route home Jesse stacked it on his bike! The tunnel tracks are damp and dark. Poor child. He was finally able to take off his moon boot and crutch for short periods- now he has possibly fractured his right wrist! So glad that Buz can tend to him. He's wrapped it up in a tight splint- and if it doesn't feel better in a day or so we will take the train to La Spezia for an X-ray.

    In the meantime we are enjoying the gelato (especially Zach!)

    SATURDAY:
    Had a wonderful week in the Cinque Terre; it had everything except for decent wifi! (Hence, the length between posts). So... Jesse's wrist swelled up and he was in enough pain we thought we ought to take it seriously. A lovely pharmacist pointed out there is a small hospital in Levanto, so we got to experience firsthand the wonderful Italian health care system! Jesse was seen straight away by a kind nurse who apologised for not speaking better English (?!) even though her English was a million times better than our key-word Italian phrases and mimed reenactment of Jesse falling off his bike. The doc saw him straight after and recommended he get x-rayed the next day at the mobile x-ray service visiting Levanto. Then they wrapped him in a zinc-cream bandage and we cycled home. Luckily, no broken wrist on x-ray!!!! Took it easy the next day though- just a stroll through the local markets, play on the beach collecting sea glass, and Jesse cooked a fine spaghetti meal for us (one-handed).

    Finally on Thursday and Friday we got out to explore more CT towns: Monterosso, Riomaggiore, and Manarola. Stunningly gorgeous, they all look pretty similar- like Levanto on steroids. Different shades of red, orange, and yellow old-style architecture built into the cliffs with maze-like, narrow and steep stone streets where you struggle to keep your sense of direction. Surely nobody with arthritis could live happily in these towns. And although super-adorable, it kind-of got overshadowed by the throngs of tourists, knick-knack souvenir shops, and way overpriced food that made you feel like you got sucked into a big tourism vortex. So happy to return to flat, chillaxed Levanto each night to escape the crowds. Also happy I didn't vomit on the water taxi (touch-and-go briefly). And happy that we managed to elbow our way onto the tourist train home. Can't imagine doing that in the height of summer.
    Read more

  • Day 43

    ROME, ITALY (part 2)

    May 12, 2018 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    We had a few open days before our flight, and reviewed travel options. The boys (& me) were really keen to spend more time in Rome... so here we are again!

    WEDNESDAY EVENING:
    Second time around, just as cool- if not better! Because we had already seen the 'big ticket' items like the Colosseum and Vatican museums, we thought this time we would check out the smaller attractions like Castel San Angelo, Boca de Veritas (Mouth of Truth), Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps- with a strong focus on food, ambling around, gelato breaks, and getting happily lost.

    Thoroughly enjoyed it! Castel San Angelo was a hit! It was initially built by Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and family. It was later turned into a fortress and castle for the popes (complete with sneaky passage to Vatican 1.2km away), and also used as a prison where they executed prisoners for naughty things like alchemy and freemasonry. The boys enjoyed the antique weapons museum, such as a medieval crossbow/cannon, swords, suits of armour, first-generation pistols, etc. Buz and I enjoyed the rooftop view- stunning.

    We spent a couple of days walking around - hiking up the Spanish Steps with Guy Clarke's lyrics from Dublin Blues going round and round in my head. Threw coins and made wishes in the Trevi Fountain. Revisited the Pantheon after a rain- it really does rain inside. Put our hands in the lion's mouth at Boca Della Veritas and tried not to lie (else the lion bite our hand). Walked around Palatine Hill, the place where Rome is said to have started, thanks to Romulus killing Remus. Saw the Colosseum again. Jesse got his caricature drawn by a street artist. Went back for fruit cups in Campo Di Fiori. Sampled way too many gelatos and threw in a few tiramisu for good measure. And of course, there was rummy at restaurants.

    Buz is keeping us honest with our packing, so some of tonight was spent at Poste Italia with another box of goodies sent back to Aus.

    So, Ciao Rome- una citta multi bella! Tomorrow we head for new adventures in Madrid.
    Read more

  • Day 48

    MADRID, SPAIN

    May 17, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Finally, a chance for my Spanish skills to come in handy. Spain is good. For sangria, churros, and shoes, in particular. I'm not usually a shoe-type-of-girl, but Spain could turn me.

    Our first day has been excellent. We are staying in a great big AirBnB apartment very close to Gran Via. The neighbourhood, Malasana, is funky, artsy, retro. Reminds me a bit of St Kilda before it became swank. Street art, cafes, panaderias, boutiques, second-hand shops, a bit of grunge, a bit of mental illness...

    Today we visited the grounds of the Palacio Real (largest palace in Western Europe), although a glance at the entrance lines snaking around the courtyard put us off tickets. Perhaps after Rome we are just a bit spoilt by grand buildings. Also, the kids are fantastic travelers but am trying to be a bit selective about how much we put on them- they will get overloaded on museums in Paris and London.

    So that was my excuse for spending the afternoon sharing a jug of sangria with Buz, feasting on veggie paella, and watching the world go by at Plaza Mayor this afternoon. Think we all had fun with that. The 3 hombres got matching fedoras and looked muy guapo!

    LATER:
    Madrid was great fun, especially the last day at el Rastro Flea market, flowing along with the slow shoulder-to-shoulder crowds, trying not to lose sight of each other when we stopped to have a look. Great bands playing in the street, and a mojito or two. Buz kept us honest and educated by making us tour Palacio Real, in all its glittery, posh glamour. Soccer, gelatos, baguettes- Madrid was fun.
    Read more