• Are they there yet
  • India Curran
  • Dale Curran
  • Are they there yet
  • India Curran
  • Dale Curran
  • Robyn Ford

World tour

Are they there yet, India, Dale & Robyn tarafından 188 günlük bir macera Okumaya devam et
  • Parkrun, rooftops, lights & otter things

    6 Mayıs 2023, Singapur ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    So doing parkrun in the tropics is a whole different ballgame from home it seems but we got through it (except Ari who latched on to Dad on the return run about half was through 🙊) . Still fun though. Especially when we then got to relax a bit for the rest of the day strolling around near the hotel before heading up to the top of the Marina Bay Sands buildings for cocktails and sunset - at red carpet ever ‘cause that’s just how we roll.
    Once the sun went down we took a stroll into the Gardens by the Bay and watched the trees put on a light and sound spectacular (Star Wars themed too 🚀 🤓)
    Okumaya devam et

  • Old friends, airports and Singapore done

    8 Mayıs 2023, Singapur ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C

    We’ve really enjoyed Singapore. In our last few days we checked our the Singapore Flyer, walked along the bay at night taking in the nightlife (this place always has something happening), and got to catch up with Ben (an old mate from when we lived in London who now lives in Singapore) which was very cool. It did involve a few buckets of large beer and some yum Indian food in the food hall at the Maxwell Centre.
    The girls got to wish Mum an early and public happy Mother’s Day, Ind and Dale squeezed in another fun around the bay, and we hung out in the massive Changi airport enjoying the luxury of all the free goodies in the airport lounge (gotta love frequent flyer points).
    Now for the longest flight so far of the trip - Singapore to London via Helsinki (bargain price though 😜)
    Okumaya devam et

  • The flight was long to see the Poms

    9 Mayıs 2023, İngiltere ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    After a long flight, and thanks to some tactical sleeping plans discovered by Kylie, we landed in Ol’ London Town and head out to see some sights and keep the jet lag at bay. It almost felt like Kylie and Dale remembered where they were going…sometimes…but most importantly we were able to finish the day with fish and chips in a pub #pubgoalsOkumaya devam et

  • Next country: Disneyland!

    12 Mayıs 2023, Fransa ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    It’s a country right? Well to get our numbers up we’re counting it as one 🤓😜
    We got an late night flight from London - in business class of course - no frequent flyers point spared when celebrating a 10th birthday you see 😜
    After checking in to the homestead with Woody and Jessie, hightailed it straight over to the land where dreams come true … it was, after all as may have been mentioned, someone’s 10th birthday 🎂.
    We got in a few rides and sights but really spent the time scoping the lay of the land so we could make the most of full day the next day.
    Then, despite being very tired, Ariah got her best birthday dinner at a massive buffet back at the ranch! (Soooooo full 🫃🤰🤰🤰🥴)
    Bed time now though…early start for a big day tomorrow - Disney Day 2!
    Okumaya devam et

  • Disney Day 2 - Efficiency is FUN!

    13 Mayıs 2023, Fransa ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Operation All the Rides - Part 1:
    We started early making sure we were near the front of the queue for Magic Hour when only those staying in the Disney hotels (or rich enough to pay for the privilege separately) get and extra hour or so in the parks before the unwashed masses enter and the lines get long (up to 2 hours! in some cases!!). Following some serious detective and planning work by Super Kylz we, though, had a foolproof plan to beat the rush and get the best rides.
    We did wonder why everyone was running still though after the gates opened…and the opposite way mostly… 🤔 Turns out Crush the Turtle’s (from Nemo) ride is the most popular in the park…
    But that didn’t phase us - we had started strong with a ride that Ariah thought…at the time…was the scariest thing she’d ever do and never looked back!
    We dropped from great heights, rode haunted broken elevators, spun around…and around…and around… (🤮 Dad), and had an awesome day.
    After a bit of a break, and off-country cultural experience with our first ever visit to a Five Guys, we were back in the park for more rides once the crowds thinned out. However, the best was yet to come!
    First we set a new PB on Ariah’s Scariest Ride lost with a trip on Hyperspace Mountain! Let’s just say, unexpectedly going upside down was not voted as best life moment (until the courage set in…see Day 2 for more on this).
    Then we finished a long day watching an spectacular lightshow that had all the hits and fireworks!
    We were stuffed but went home with big grins on our faces for a good sleep. 😴
    Okumaya devam et

  • Success at Disneyland

    14 Mayıs 2023, Fransa ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    Photos of everyone with Mickey ears on ✅
    Maximum photos with Disney characters ✅
    Souvenirs purchased ✅
    All rides ridden ✅

    Disneyland Paris - Complete 🎉

    …and that’s how you do it people. With some photos of the Ka-ween’s and a loop round on the Obitron that left just the dreaded Crush line to tackle but we did that with ease as well - talk about timing.

    That left time for a second spin on Kylie’s favourite ride - Hyperspace Mountain!
    (Ariah’s too don’t you know?! She was never scared of it - what are we even talking about!! 🤔😜🤣)

    We had a great time at Disney; lots of laughs, thrills and memories.
    Thanks Mickey!!
    Okumaya devam et

  • So much cheese & the 18th arrondissement

    14 Mayıs 2023, Fransa ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    With Disney complete, is was time to head off to Paris (*snobbish voice* you don’t sound out the ‘s’ don’t you know 🥸)

    Our tiny little apartment for the next few days was charming and had on of the best views in Paris.
    Our bedroom looked straight on to the Sacre Coeur and right across Paris to the Eiffel Tower.
    (Nice find Super Kylz)

    It had been a big few days for the girls so they took the afternoon to rest and catch up on some home schooling while Kylie and Dale took a stroll around the neighbourhood (and tested the patisseries 🥐🧁☕️).

    It was during this stroll that we came to the full realisation of how many stairs we would be doing when in Pais and decided to try the funicular next chance we had.

    Before we knew it, it was time for dinner and what a place we found!
    Who knew that taking a large chunk of slightly salty cheese, placing next to a mini stove of red hot charcoals, and saying “melt this and wipe it on bread, pickles, and various meats” would be such a good idea - oh and hers some wine to go with it 😍!!

    In true Curran fashion, we gave that massive spectacular cheeseboard a red hot go for its money! 😋

    The only downside we found was that it only made climbing the stairs back home that much harder 😅

    Time for some rest and the we tackle Paris tomorrow.
    Okumaya devam et

  • Vive La Révolution!! Vive le grand art!!

    15 Mayıs 2023, Fransa ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Dale got to tick off a bit of a recent fan boy moment today with a tour around Paris visiting key sites and areas from the French Revolution…at least where they still existed. A bit like India’s Jack the Ripper Experience though, Dale did have to correct the guide a few times 🤣😜
    So interested was he, that he forgot to take any photos 🤦‍♂️

    Along the way our guide let us in on some of the broader history of Paris, the architecture, and the hidden gems around the streets.
    Very importantly, he advised us that in Thirroul we live in “the arse of the sack” and that in Paris they’ve renamed those streets to give them more…panache 😏

    Then it was time to experience the very frustrating event that is getting into The Louvre. Three long lines later though we raced through the galley to join another long line to see some a painting of some lass possibly smiling, possibly judging with ironic RBF.
    In all seriousness though, The Louvre was pretty cool. Amazing paintings and history and our very lucky girls got to hear a whole bunch of extra information from their lovely parents as the read plaques, Google, and listened to the audio guides…such lucky children! 😝😍
    Okumaya devam et

  • Patisseries and magic spells - Part 1

    16 Mayıs 2023, Fransa ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C

    Big day today.

    We started with a walk around Montmatre to see the artists in Place du Tertre, a square popular with artists and cafes for years. A man was playing the accordion while we wandered looking at the landscapes, portraits of all types, still life, traditional and modern styles - all on display. Whilst it was a bit touristy it was still nice to walk around and see what was being made and sold. The artists really wanted to draw portraits of India and Ariah because they are so beautiful but in our fleeting trip we didn’t have the time.

    The real first item in the agenda though was a good tour…and boy was it good. Our guide, Sam, was great (an American student and foodie who moved to Paris 8 years ago to study and just never left) and able to mix the history of Paris and France in with the most delicious pastries, cakes, chocolate, and other goodies we’ve had.
    Favourites included
    - madelines,
    - choux a la crème,
    - macarons,
    - éclairs,
    - la baba rhum chantilly (rum and cream drenched crown cakes),
    - raspberry mille-feuilles,
    - some sort of delicious pistachio cream filled cake,
    - raspberry tart, and
    - very rich organic hot chocolate mochas.

    (As a shortlist 😜)

    Some of the great stops include:
    - La Patisserie Stohrer is Paris’ oldest bakery dating back to Marie Antoinette days.
    - Fou de patisserie had selection from all the best patisseries in Paris all in one place.
    - Choux choux was a cute patisserie specialising in cream filled puffs of deliciousness
    - Plaq was a a boutique chocolate factory with rich interesting chocolates made from goats milk and the best cacao beans from the world.

    By the end of the tour we had enough food swag to have a lovely, if entirely unhealthy, picnic lunch right in from of some big steel tower.

    Then we had to high tail it though as Kylie and I had to get to a cocktail making class in a trendy Parisian bar we bought for her for Christmas last year… (thanks India and Ariah for being such responsible kids ❤️)

    …or so we thought…

    …to be continued…….
    Okumaya devam et

  • Patisseries and magic spells - Part 2

    16 Mayıs 2023, Fransa ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    🗣️ In the last episode of World Tour 2023…
    [montage plays involving art, food, walking, Eiffel Tower, and suspenseful reference to a great night out for the parentals]

    …and now the story continues in Part 2…

    When we arrived at the bar and were to we should head downstairs and we’ll receive our capes we thought “The French have weird ways of welcoming you…” and headed in downstairs only to find that we were indeed being handed large, heavy, brown capes to wear…oh and that as apprentice alchemists we were allocated to a Master Alchemist who would help us through the evening……

    Turns out…Dale’s French is not as good as he remembered and he had booked into a magic themed escape room murder mystery scenario…thank god it did indeed involve cocktails…even if we were only taught how to make one!

    It was fun though, and in true Dale & Kylie style, once the giggling at our predicament stopped, the competitive streaks soon kicked in and, despite the clues being in mostly French, we absolutely smashed the competition and guessed the murderer… 🤜🤛💥🏆

    Having exposed the reality, saved the school, and graduated from apprentices to journeypeople it was time to pleb ourselves in a non-magical bar (bloody muggles).

    We found a real bar or three so off we went to check out the jazz bars on Rue des Lombards. Whilst the drinks were welcome it was seeming a little difficult to get into see what we thought would be just a band playing in an open bar but just as we were leaving we were talking to the bar staff and they said we could go up and check out the last 30 minutes of the set playing and what we found was great!
    A tiny room with only a few punters and a 6 piece jazz band playing covers and originals…so smooth! Cognac and red wine ordered we sat back and watched the rest of the show before heading home.

    Great night…magical one might say! 🧙‍♂️🧙‍♀️🧪⚗️
    Okumaya devam et

  • Au revoir France; Hallo Deutschland

    18 Mayıs 2023, Almanya ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    It was sadly time to say goodbye to Paris and France…
    Unfortunately we had a last minute panic when we realised a) that Deutsche Bahn didn’t have an office in the station so we couldn’t use the discount from Sydney Trains 🤔☹️ and b) there we no more trains to Münster that day…at least not from that station 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ (edit: heard back from DB today - 9/6/23 - with a confirmation of the discount we asked for in March to use in May…German efficiency!)

    However, with some rapid internet searching and a “short” walk with all our bags through Paris, we were finally off…via Brussels and Cologne to Münster.

    One bonus of the…extended…version of getting to our next destination was plenty of time for homework both for the girls and the parents.
    It also meant we got to see the wonderful sights of Hamm…picturesque…especially at 10pm.

    However, it was all worth it the next day when we got to catch up with the wonder K-Boom and meet Simon (woo woo, Karolin’s got a boyfriennnd!)

    Karolin and Kylie had teed up a ride around Münster which really quite a lovely city with an interesting history.

    It was Father’s Day in Germany and we were worried we’d taken Karolin and Simon away from their families. However, they told us the tradition for Father’s Day in Munster is basically an excuse for a piss up for anyone who is a Dad or, basically, male. We saw loads of ‘dads’ trips with crates of beer and jolly Dads. Apparently Mother’s Day was when you got together with family. Raw deal (for some).

    We hired some bikes and started our ride around the old city walls stopping and looking around at modern sculptures and old towers and stately mansions, statues of famous authors (Baroness Anna Elisabeth Franziska Adolphine Wilhelmine Louise Maria von Droste zu Hülshoff) and beautiful lakes and parklands.

    We stopped at a reconstruction of an old Westphalian village (Freilichtmuseum Mühlenhof) for lunch (snags in bread, or “wurst” as their called - even though they were the best, and yummy cake) and managed to squeeze in our first German beer 🍺
    There was a fair on in the village and we got to watch sheep being shorn, wool being prepared and spun. We even got to visit an old school house where School Mitress Ariah taught the class with a firm but caring hand 📏

    After a bit more of a ride it was time for a pub and good German meal (MEAT!!) along with a quick game of Queens which I think confused the crap out of poor Simon but delighted Ariah.

    Great day.
    Okumaya devam et

  • Castle spotting by bike with Karo

    19 Mayıs 2023, Almanya ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    We had such a fun day yesterday riding around Münster that we immediately agreed when Karolin suggested we ride around the nearby country side checking out old castles. Simon couldn’t join us unfortunately as he had to work but it was a lovely spring day so off we went.

    We rode through the city, out of town, and on through villages and farmland. We saw old country manors and stopped for a picnic at and old castle with a moat, a lot of wedding photo groups, and very large Canadian Geese (India felt right at home talking with them).
    I think maybe we underestimated Karolin’s biking prowess and only realised just how far we were riding today at about the 20km mark. 🥵😂

    In the end though we had to say goodbye to Karrrro and get ready to take on another country…look out Greece, HERE WE COME!
    Okumaya devam et

  • Happy birthday India

    21 Mayıs 2023, Ispanya ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    We spent India’s birthday as true budget backpackers sleeping in an airport. Madrid airport was quite comfortable to sleep in. We had some great Spanish reds in the airport kiosk. Luckily for India she started the trip in Düsseldorf where 16 year olds are of legal drinking age so she was able to sip a beer and have a real German pretzel. We reminisced of her 1st birthday in Washington DC which also included beer and pretzelsOkumaya devam et

  • Athens food on foot by Ariah

    22 Mayıs 2023, Yunanistan ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Today was so fun. I went on a good tour and all of the food was delicious. My favourite ones were definitely the yogurt with the spoon sweets and the ice cream. The ice cream was made by chopping strawberries and choc milk on a metel frozen plate and rolled up and into a ice cream cup. I also had other foods like a cheese platter and pita bread with beef. The cheese platter had herb cheese , feta, meat and olives. The green olives were delicious. The pita bread with beef also had tomatoes with it and tasted really good. Our tour guide also took us places where she told us about Greek history Which was interesting. Then the tour ended and we walked home and had spanakopita (which is spinach and feta in filo pastry) for dinner and for dessert we had baklava (which is honey filo pastry with pistachios) and cherry pie and yogurt we were so tired from our day we went straight to sleep 🛌.Okumaya devam et

  • Hiring Harriet’s happy horses on Hydra

    29 Mayıs 2023, Yunanistan ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    The race is on! Melina takes the lead, Dennis the menace is munching at her butt. Aries, god of war is charging ahead and the bald bloke on the horse with the unknown name is left in the rear.

    Today we saddled up on Harriet’s Hydra horses for a leisurely tour around the island. We were a bit worried about Ariah’s newly gained horse allergy but we dosed her up on Claratyne and popped her sunnies onto avoid horse hair swelling her eyes. India really connected with her horse Aries. He had an attitude when she told him off for eating random grasses, which she appreciated. Ariah had telepathic conversations with Dennis and ended up good friends. Dale’s unknown horse was the perfect height to allow him to collect low hanging lemons on his ride. Kylie led the way on Melina, the best horse. Ariah was so sad when our ride came to an end.

    We ended our day jumping off the rock shelves into the med. Ariah will tell you mum pushed her in. But the truth is mum was just casually walking down the stairs and Ariah slipped in as she approached. Ariah emphatically disagrees. Mums butt has an Ariah-shaped bite mark.

    Oh and we had delicious sunset cocktails at Techne. Look I have to be honest, we bought some crocs today but I don’t think that makes us croc people.
    Okumaya devam et

  • The hills of Hydra

    30 Mayıs 2023, Yunanistan ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    “We’ll hike to the monastry and then shortcut to the beach for lunch” were Dale’s words as we left our house this morning. 8 hours later we got to the beach, thirsty and blistered.

  • Recovery day

    31 Mayıs 2023, Yunanistan ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Diplomat, Economist, Researcher, Solicitor. India got her Morrisby testing results back today and spent the morning contemplating her future career choices. The Greek islands have always been a great place for thinking and pondering so we’re sure she’ll make a great choice.

    After resting our blistered feet from yesterday’s hike, we headed to Vlychos beach for a 20 minute (45min) walk this afternoon. Along the way we saw a sight from home, a row of gum trees. We wonder which Greek Aussie snuck a seedling on the plane.

    A dip in The Med and a sneaky free 😉 (usually 15 euros) lay on the deck chairs and we were ready for dinner at the nearby taverna ’Enalion’. OMG cheese donuts and Cretan pies are sooo good.
    Okumaya devam et

  • Hallelujah Hallelujah sunset tunes

    1 Haziran 2023, Yunanistan ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Kalimera Kalimera. Today we visited nearly every bakery and bottle shop in Hydra to find the perfect sunset snacks, drinks and dinner.

    Ind and Ari stayed in bed till 11am today followed by a few hours of school in their PJs. This world tour homeschooling is getting a bit relaxed.

    Our mission for today was to create a fabulous DIY sunset drinks. We bought rice pudding, galaktoboureko and Glika sweets at Anenome, cheese and salami at the market, chicken pie at ëü, and greek pizza and meat pasties at karagiannis bakery.

    We found a sheltered rocky platform with space for 4. A couple of musicians graced us with some sunset tunes of Leonard cohen and had a magical island evening. The sun shone down over the sea (straight towards mum). We swam in the sea and relaxed.

    FYI there is a show being filmed in Hydra. Indo saw the actor Alex Wolff on the port. Keep an eye out for ‘ So long Marianne’ coming soon it Netflix. We might be in the background.
    Okumaya devam et

  • Culture and brunch in Hydra

    2 Haziran 2023, Yunanistan ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Last night I had a hunch
    That there was much need for brunch
    A hot chocolate was what I needed
    My expectations were exceeded
    Loukamedes covered in chocolate sauce
    Too delicious to share with a horse

    Next, the old mansion
    History as summer rain falls
    Bright Lazaros house

    We did some wondrous homework to expand our knowledge of the vast and magnificent universe around us and then traveled by our beaten down feet to a Greek feast of a dinner that our hunger was craving for.

    For our Greek feast we had fragrant fava purae lavished with lemon liquid. We had sumptuous saganaki sizzled and sliced. We had spinach pie peppered to perfection. We had mashed tomatoes with meatballs masterfully made and delightfully devoured, we had marvellous moussaka masticated with mayhem. Wonderful walnut pie and luscious lemon pie as our delightfully delicious dessert

    Then we went to bed. THE END
    Okumaya devam et

  • Cave diving in turquoise waters

    3 Haziran 2023, Yunanistan ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    “Pass by the boat at 10.30 and if we have enough people, we go”.
    George, Hydra’s worst business man had been non-committal about taking us on an island tour all week and we’d watched people be turned away at 10.30 because he needed 10 and only got 9 people.

    Today the sun was shining and we arrived at George’s boat along with the magic number of people for an island tour on his boat.

    We explored the caves, beaches, and crystal clear water all around the island with some friendly fellow Aussies, Americans and Greeks. We saw goats in serious need of a haircut perched on the side of rock faces. We heard stories of unwed pregnant girls getting pushed off cliffs by her mum ( into the arms of her fisherman lover below). We saw a beautiful old light house about 300 if the 365 churches on the island.

    Such a fun day in the sun.
    Okumaya devam et

  • Ariah jumped in

    4 Haziran 2023, Yunanistan ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    I’d been telling Ariah about when Tracey went on holiday as a kid, she always waited to the last day to do the fun thing. Well today, sadly, was our last day on Hydra and Ariah was finally jumped off the rocks into the Mediterranean Sea like a champion.

    We started the day catching up on homeschooling. We visited the Hydra historical museum and ended our day with a golden hour swim and a gyros at ‘and onion’.

    We’ve loved Hydra and are sad to leave tomorrow.
    Ariah’s favourite thing has been riding horses. Dale’s favourite thing was the 8 hr+ hike with the goats. ( His least favourite thing was the vintage tiny bed in the Airbnb which didn’t fit him). India’s favourite thing was her new dress she bought at the Port. Kylie’s favourite thing was jumping off the rocks into the sea, getting lost in the white-walled alleyways, drinking ouzo in the tavernas and dodging the donkey poop on the way home.
    Okumaya devam et

  • Bring me my sherpa!

    5 Haziran 2023, Yunanistan ⋅ 🌬 24 °C

    Looking back to our last world tour there was the enduring memory of a certain event involving dancing in a gutter and me carrying a metric s#%* ton of bags…and children…and a orthopaedic boot that saw more steps than your average Apple Watch these days!

    And now…we are feeling the déjà vu…and poor Kylz is feeling very sore.

    As we were doing our usual routine of getting ready to leave, all feeling a little sad as we really loved Hydra, out of nowhere Kylie was assailed in an unprovoked attack - heard me, attacked I tells ya!!
    One of the (extra) steps in our AirBnB jumped up out of nowhere and pushed Kylie over!!

    Luckily, she brought her trusty Sherpa with her on tour again. This time though he didn’t have to carry children as well 😅

    We were also helped massively by the wonderful Mr. Dimitri (the AirBnB contact and principal of the local primary school) how not only arranged a (actual) donkey to take Kylie to the hospital but he helped get us through that ordeal and down the the port and onto our ferry.

    Turns out this time poor Kylz has done a pretty good number on her leg with a break in her ankle. Small though it may be, it hurts like buggery and means we had to delay the start to our Egypt leg (pun intended).
    It is to be noted that we did suggest to Kylie that she’s very lucky as “…some Mum’s don’t even have ankles…” and “…it’s a good thing she has two of them…” but that has not helped as much as one would think. Given that, we’ve reverted to just being nice and bringing her things when she needs them…a “summoning bell” has been refused though! 🔕

    So with cast on…the replaced today by a boot in Athens, we are taking a little break for Kylz to hopefully start to mend and then onward we (hope to) go. 🩼🩼

    In the meantime, stay safe out there people - never forget the stairs have had enough of being walked all over and are out for revenge!
    Okumaya devam et