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Travelling with John, Claire and Caitlin Read more

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Italy Nolene DE LUCA
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Day 285
Friday, April 12, 2019
☀️ 20 °C
Altitude: 371 ft
Australia Tullamarine Airport -37.670937, 144.84751937°40’15” S 144°50’51” E
Melbourne Airport
April 12, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
Plane left Auckland an hour later than scheduled yesterday, finally met Jeanette at our hotel, very ready for that wine!!!
Now back at airport waiting to board our plane to Tassie!!!
Can’t wait. 🤪🤪
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Day 65
Tuesday, September 4, 2018 at 11:14 AM
Altitude: 79 ft
New Zealand Bethlehem -37.698231, 176.11633537°41’54” S 176°6’59” E
No title
September 4, 2018 in New Zealand
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Day 63
Sunday, September 2, 2018 at 7:55 PM
🌙 27 °C
Altitude: 62 ft
Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok 22.314457, 113.92463822°18’52” N 113°55’29” E
Tung Chung
September 2, 2018 in Hong Kong ⋅ 🌙 27 °C
Tung Chung has certainly had a makeover since I was here last, real great place to walk around and take in the sights.
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Day 62
Saturday, September 1, 2018 at 5:26 PM
⛅ 26 °C
Altitude: 72 ft
Hong Kong Tung Chung 22.290973, 113.94270222°17’28” N 113°56’34” E
Stanley Market
September 1, 2018 in Hong Kong ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C
Rain again this morning, sometimes very heavy but I set off for Stanley Market, couldn’t see much from the bus window as the rain and humidity made it steamy, oh well I was able to catch glimpses of Repulse Bay etc. Stanley Market doesn’t really change but I enjoyed wandering around. Had to buy an umbrella because of the rain, it was so heavy at times the drains just couldn’t cope, fun, NOT. Managed to walk along the waterfront to Stanley Plaza, much more pleasant out of the rain. Had a kamikaze bus driver on the way back to Central, he should be on a race track!! Did buy a couple of tops, nothing special. Now back at hotel for Happy Hour. Depending on weather, I might go into town later!!! I do love Hong Kong and it’s craziness.Read more
TravelerMust catch up with you and your adventures when you get home. Enjoy the warmth!
9/1/18Reply
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Day 62
Saturday, September 1, 2018 at 5:15 PM
⛅ 26 °C
Altitude: 82 ft
Hong Kong Tung Chung 22.290963, 113.94241422°17’27” N 113°56’33” E
London to Hong Kong
September 1, 2018 in Hong Kong ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C
Uneventful trip to Hong Kong although plane was late taking off. Nice to see a familiar face waiting at HK airport? Thanks John (and I didn’t catch your cold).
Settled in at Tung Chung then went wandering, MTR to Mong Kok to look around Ladies Market and surrounding area. Market still full of rubbish but did enjoy ‘sneaker street’, remarkably I never bought a thing except dinner on the footpath, loved it. Drizzly all the time. Even the view from my room is dismal with the drizzle and cloud, warm though.Read more
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Day 60
Thursday, August 30, 2018 at 10:47 AM
⛅ 16 °C
Altitude: 62 ft
England Gunnersbury Station 51.492187, -0.27845151°29’32” N 0°16’42” W
Archives
August 30, 2018 in England ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
Weather not the best again yesterday so it was great to be able to spend it in Archives. No hassle this time, amazing!! Found a little more and with the aid of the helpful young man I met the day before I was able to able to email direct to my address, wonderful technology from a govt. dept. Don’t know if it was strictly legal though, he kept looking over his shoulder!!!
and asked that I don’t try it myself!! Great. Met Sandra, Bruno and Gabi’s daughter for dinner, so lovely to catch again, a great night out. Getting ready to fly out today for a couple of days in Hong Kong.😍Read more
TravelerLooks like you had a wonderful dinner.
8/30/18Reply
Gaynor WrightVery healthy looking dinner, including the wine! Have a safe trip home, see you soon
8/30/18Reply
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Day 59
Wednesday, August 29, 2018 at 10:02 AM
⛅ 15 °C
Altitude: 49 ft
England Gunnersbury Station 51.492241, -0.27852851°29’32” N 0°16’43” W
Archives
August 29, 2018 in England ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
To research Archives one must register and join, fine, agree with that but what a process, two forms of ID, no problem, except that one must be an invoice with an address , who carries that when on holiday?? Found an electronic power a/c, no address, so no go, found travel ins. account, hooray, but no? That is not a ‘normal’ a/c, what!! Wearing a big thin now, explain only at Archives for two days, don’t want to know about it, finally someone came to their senses and I got through. Phew. Huge staff, say they are there to help, yeah right!!
Finally had some luck and came away with info I never have been able to get from home. Yay. One young lad very helpful, anyway came away satisfied. Lovely sunny day.🤗🤗Read more
TravelerLOL, you are dealing with poms! They move pretty slow at the best of times.
8/29/18Reply
TravelerNothing like a stress-free break away Nolene! You’ll be able to laugh about all this for months to come I’m sure ...and great that you got some info to take away.
8/29/18Reply
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Day 58
Tuesday, August 28, 2018 at 7:44 AM
⛅ 14 °C
Altitude: 49 ft
England Gunnersbury Station 51.492232, -0.27855951°29’32” N 0°16’43” W
London
August 28, 2018 in England ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
Not much to report the last couple of days. Sunday was VERY wet and WINDY so I stayed in most of the day, boring to say the least. Unfortunately I couldn’t meet with Carol yesterday due to a family illness, so sad but family comes first. I only hope life gets better for them. We were both looking forward to meeting. I went out walking instead. Bank holiday so huge crowds out, I tried to avoid that as much as possible!! Lovely warm day, weather crazy here. Today I will be at Archives all day.Read more
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Day 56
Sunday, August 26, 2018 at 11:28 AM
🌧 15 °C
Altitude: 49 ft
England Gunnersbury Station 51.492208, -0.27854651°29’32” N 0°16’43” W
No title
August 26, 2018 in England ⋅ 🌧 15 °C
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Day 55
Saturday, August 25, 2018
⛅ 16 °C
Altitude: 49 ft
England Gunnersbury Station 51.492219, -0.27847851°29’32” N 0°16’43” W
Around and about
August 25, 2018 in England ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
Went tripping around on Thursday, to Cyfarthfa Castle, amazing to learn of the history of the family who built it, very rich from iron ore mining and then coal mining. Lots of amazing collections from around the world and their art collection just as amazing, incredible to see everything still there. Drove through the valleys to Caerphilly, a beautifully kept town built around a castle, yes another castle, in ruins but once again an amazing place. Dinner at a hotel with Mark, Nancy got called out to work. Another lovely day. Weather good for a change.Read more
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Day 55
Saturday, August 25, 2018 at 10:33 PM
⛅ 13 °C
Altitude: 49 ft
England Gunnersbury Station 51.492199, -0.27855151°29’32” N 0°16’43” W
Archives & Kew Gardens
August 25, 2018 in England ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C
Huge day today. Website said Archives open, walked there, closed, and that was after I thought I was better than Mrs Google, she then punished me by taking me the long way round. So walked to Kew Gardens, not far, lovely place. Did the tree walk, 18 metres up, shame it wasn’t long, never mind after over 200 stairs it was ok. Did all the tourist things in the gardens, even saw a botanical painting by Susan Worthington (John’s mother). Walked over the Thames and watched the rowers, it was s beautiful day, thank goodness. Knackered when I got back to the Hotel late afternoon - 14.2km - 18738 steps, not too bad for the day😍Read more
TravelerBeautiful Kew Gardens
8/25/18Reply
TravelerLove Kew. YOu are certainly getting around, and on foot!!
8/26/18Reply
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Day 55
Saturday, August 25, 2018 at 7:40 AM
☀️ 9 °C
Altitude: 49 ft
England Gunnersbury Station 51.492202, -0.27848651°29’32” N 0°16’43” W
Caerphilly Castle
August 25, 2018 in England ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C
A lovely place to wander around.
Gaynor WrightTalk to you soon. All Blacks won again 40/12 retain Bledisloe cup.
8/25/18Reply
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Day 55
Saturday, August 25, 2018 at 7:34 AM
☀️ 9 °C
Altitude: 49 ft
England Gunnersbury Station 51.49222, -0.27853451°29’32” N 0°16’43” W
Back to London
August 25, 2018 in England ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C
Left Merthyr Tydfil to head back to Cardiff using back roads for half of the way then on to the motorway. I really needed my navigator, Mrs google talked to me but it was not the same, we couldn’t have a conversation or a laugh!! Dropped car off at airport (dreary place) bussed into rail station (massive) then 2 hour trip to London’s Paddington Station, taxi to hotel. Knackered but good. Lovely countryside to look at from the train. Hotel room spacious, hooray!!Read more
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Day 52
Wednesday, August 22, 2018 at 9:04 PM
🌧 16 °C
Altitude: 928 ft
Wales Dowlais 51.759695, -3.35758351°45’35” N 3°21’27” W
Family History
August 22, 2018 in Wales ⋅ 🌧 16 °C
Mark and I set off to find houses that my Mum lived in whilst she was here and where her first husband was born. We went to Yredegar, Pontypridd, Maesteg, Ystrad Mynach, Bedwellty among others, then we travelled through the Rhondda valley, it is so beautiful up in the mountains. Weather was drizzly on and off. Mal had wonderful information on all the iron and coal mines as the relations were mostly miners. He took me to Abergavenny where in 1966 the iron hills slid down into the school killing many children and families. Terrible tragedy.Read more
TravelerLook forward to hearing more detail of this part of your trip, as some of my relations lived in Pontypridd
8/23/18Reply
TravelerAberfan was the village where a coal tip on the hill above collapsed and hit a junior school and adjacent houses. One hundred and forty four were killed including 116 children on 21 October 1966.
8/27/18Reply
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Day 52
Wednesday, August 22, 2018 at 8:50 PM
🌧 17 °C
Altitude: 928 ft
Wales Dowlais 51.759742, -3.35752851°45’35” N 3°21’27” W
Merthyr Tydfil day tripping
August 22, 2018 in Wales ⋅ 🌧 17 °C
Too tired to do this last night sorry. Mark ad things to do yesterday and Nancy was working so I tripped around on my own. Got lost a couple of times but who cares. Most of the street names/places are written in Welsh, lovely!! Mr google put me wrong a couple of times!! Went to Llanelli (rugby country), Swansea around the coast, Port Talbot (revolting steelworks on the coast) got lost and found myself headed to the Brecon National Park. Lovely countryside apart from the showery weather. People very friendly. Also found by accident the birth place of Richard Burton. Beautiful, small town with an old rail viaduct.Read more
Gaynor WrightWell done exploring on your own. Wales has some lovely countryside. Pity about the weather it is autumn.
8/22/18Reply
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Day 50
Monday, August 20, 2018 at 7:43 PM
⛅ 18 °C
Altitude: 292 ft
Wales Coity 51.531555, -3.57238151°31’54” N 3°34’21” W
Cardiff to Merthyr Tydfil
August 20, 2018 in Wales ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
Stayed in Cardiff last night at a pretty ordinary hotel after what Sharon and I were used to!! I picked up my rental car then met Mark ( a relation by marriage) and followed him to his place. Lovely place in Merthyr Tydfil, pity about the weather, supposed to clear tomorrow. We haven’t stopped talking about family (I am waiting to be called for dinner) hence me writing now. Lovely hospitable people. A couple of snaps of the narrow roads I travelled on. Sorry about the bonnet in the pic!!!Read more
Gaynor WrightThose are not to bad. They can be narrower and just metal tracks!
8/20/18Reply
TravelerWayne would like to be driving on those narrow roads, only trouble is he might think he is a rally driver
8/21/18Reply
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Day 50
Monday, August 20, 2018 at 4:53 AM
🌫 13 °C
Altitude: 92 ft
Northern Ireland Annaghmore 54.447176, -6.57649654°26’50” N 6°34’35” W
No title
August 20, 2018 in Northern Ireland ⋅ 🌫 13 °C
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Day 49
Sunday, August 19, 2018 at 7:58 PM
⛅ 17 °C
Altitude: 187 ft
Wales Cardiff Airport 51.397982, -3.33358251°23’53” N 3°20’1” W
Portadown/Dublin/Cardiff
August 19, 2018 in Wales ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
Left our wonderful accommodation this morning and headed to Dublin where we parted ways, Sharon for home and me for Cardiff. Oh dear, my special navigator gone, hopefully Mr Google will take over and do a good job, nothing like Sharon though, she had the patience ‘of Jobe’ with this oldie. I will also miss her company, so nice to share. I am in my hotel in Cardiff ready to move on tomorrow, weather bleak.Read more
TravelerThinking of you Noles.
8/20/18Reply
Gaynor WrightSo am I
8/20/18Reply
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Day 49
Sunday, August 19, 2018 at 6:43 PM
☁️ 18 °C
Altitude: 180 ft
Wales Cardiff Airport 51.398122, -3.33376451°23’53” N 3°20’2” W
Crannagael House
August 19, 2018 in Wales ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
Our accommodation last night and our wonderful pickings from the garden.
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Day 49
Sunday, August 19, 2018 at 6:38 PM
⛅ 18 °C
Altitude: 180 ft
Wales Cardiff Airport 51.398122, -3.33376451°23’53” N 3°20’2” W
Belfast
August 19, 2018 in Wales ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
Few photos.
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Day 49
Sunday, August 19, 2018 at 6:10 PM
🌬 18 °C
Altitude: 180 ft
Wales Cardiff Airport 51.398167, -3.3337651°23’53” N 3°20’2” W
Portrush to Portadown
August 19, 2018 in Wales ⋅ 🌬 18 °C
Was another early start yesterday morning to beat the rush of tourists. Went to the ‘Giants Causeway’. The geology of the rocky landscape is amazing, had to walk down about 1 1/2 kms, ok walking down not tooooo bad walking up but the weather could have been better, drizzly most of the time but well worth the walk. Drove around the coast then into Belfast and saw the ‘peace walls’ still left there after all the riots. Very eerie still especially one of the streets where a lot of the deaths occurred. We also had time to photograph the viaduct close to Portadoen, then on to our great accommodation at Crannagael House, been in the same family since the 1700’s and our self contained accomm. Was just lovely. The hosts were just lovely, we sat outside in a courtyard with them, shared some cider and learnt a lot about their property. We then had a guided tour of the veg garden which supplies a couple of upmarket restaurants, we then picked some for our salad to go with our steak. Yummy.Read more
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Day 47
Friday, August 17, 2018 at 11:08 PM
⛅ 15 °C
Altitude: 26 ft
Northern Ireland Portrush Harbour 55.198749, -6.65059755°11’55” N 6°39’2” W
1
Letterkenny to Portrush
August 17, 2018 in Northern Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
Up early and on the road to reach the ferry for the 9am sailing to Rathlin Island, just made it, the rain and wind came with us. Unfortunately the Puffins left a week ago - bugger!!! Saw lots of other birds and the wonderful barren island where there are only 100 inhabitants. Caught a bus on the island to the west lighthouse, as windy as hell but walked down to the lighthouse, just amazing. Then on to carrick-a rede to the rope bridge with about ‘ten thousand’ other tourists in the wind and light rain at times. Good to walk over, something one has to do whilst here. Then off round the coast and a little inland to our accommodation at Portrush. Amazing place, amazing host who called in to see us. Walked down on the promenade to a local pub, hilarious Batman who could ‘sell ice to an Eskimo’ and then met an interesting Irishman living in London. Great night, home for a light dinner and now bed. Watch this space for tomorrow.Read more
TravelerWow I don’t know that I would manage to walk over the swing bridge. Awesome photo Nolene
8/17/18Reply
Garry Christoffersen Is that a real George Best jersey in the background?
8/17/18Reply
TravelerLooks a bit like the weather we have been having here!!! Great photos!
8/17/18Reply
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Day 46
Thursday, August 16, 2018 at 10:05 PM
🌧 13 °C
Altitude: 128 ft
Ireland Letterkenny 54.952622, -7.7353854°57’9” N 7°44’7” W
Bailieborough to Letterkenny
August 16, 2018 in Ireland ⋅ 🌧 13 °C
Our man to meet this morning was called out by a sick friend but talked to him on the phone, he did a little ‘ferreting’ around last night and is going to continue so we have exchanged details. We will see what happens if anything!!! I think he is like a ‘dog with a bone’ though. We decided to do a ‘roadie’ having never been to Northern Island we thought, why not, so off we went. We wanted to visit some ruins on an island in a lake. Devinish Island had been a monastery, so off we went. Had a private trip in the ferry, skipper so helpful and what a great place. The ruins and where it is situated is amazing. Went up into High country again to Mount Errigal. Very barren countryside, amazing views. Reached our bnb, and is ok. Dinner in a local pub. Back in Ireland but tomorrow in to Northern Ireland, should be interesting. Doing lots of miles and seeing lots of countryside via mainly little roads.Read more
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Day 45
Wednesday, August 15, 2018 at 10:03 PM
⛅ 14 °C
Altitude: 203 ft
Ireland Kingscourt 53.914199, -6.77347253°54’51” N 6°46’24” W
Baillieborough/Cavan
August 15, 2018 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
Out this morning to the registry office, ‘thwarted’ couldn’t find any records for our couple so couldn’t get cert. even though it is on Catholic Church records. Irish!!! Next stop, researcher at Cavan library. Very helpful and eliminated one family from our group. We have a couple with very common names and there several, same Christian and same surname married in the same year, insane!! Next stop cemeteries & more cemeteries. My navigator, I won’t mention who!!! took me up a dirt track only to meet a locked gate, had to back down about 800m, around corners on a steep hill, lovely, compensated by the lovely ripe blackberries. Went to see a crazy Irish women who almost literally dragged us inside and proceeded to bombard us with questions on family and rang half the neighbourhood. Then had to have a cup of tea and digestive biscuits!!! Wonderful woman with whom we will keep in touch, we meet another researcher in the morning, (organised by crazy Irish woman - love her to bits) another hilarious day. Knackered again tonight after wine and dinner here at Cabra Castle.Read more
TravelerI live it the way cemeteries always get the prime spot on the hill. What a great view out across the valley. Sounds as though you and Sharon are having great fun and laugher.
8/15/18Reply
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Day 45
Wednesday, August 15, 2018 at 8:26 AM
☁️ 16 °C
Altitude: 217 ft
Ireland Kingscourt 53.914168, -6.77361253°54’51” N 6°46’25” W
Whoops
August 15, 2018 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
Meant Tuesday not Wednesday. Wednesday today, must be in Ireland!!!
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