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Europe 2023

September - October 2023
A 25-day adventure by k Read more
  • 24footprints
  • 5countries
  • 25days
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  • TravelerEurope 2023
    Day 1

    Day 1: ...and we're off!

    September 12, 2023 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Up early...4.15am...to make sure cats were fed and dogs were too! Cambeys picked us up at 8.15 and we arrived at the airport at midday...now a 3hr wait till boarding......and a 24hr wait till London!🤩

  • TravelerEurope 2023
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    Day 2

    Day 2: Hit the Ground Running

    September 13, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    After a long, long, long, trip we touched down at Heathrow Airport at 6.10am....a full day ahead of us before we could sleep. Luckily our Air BnB host let us know we could have an early check-in, so we arrived at our 1st home at 9am, a gorgeous old 17th Century manor type house which use to belong to Wilkie Collins - author of The Woman in White - and a good friend of Charles Dickens. 4 quick showers later, we set out to explore Hyde Park and Kensington Palace, as they were just around the corner - I am sad to report that both could have benefited from a few hours of me and my mower! We found Harrods and went in for a look...and came out again very quickly with a delicious, but expensive bread stick. We jumped on the Hop on/Hop off bus to do a 3 hr lap of the tourist sites, but hopped off at the 2nd stop to have a pint (or 2) of beer - and Matt made a friend! Hopped back on the bus, but hopped back off to find a loo (due to the beer). We found a loo - in a pub - and had another pint, before Matt and I hopped back on to finish the circuit. After successfully working out the Tube system, we arrived home and hopped into bed - a full 48hrs after we woke in Mount Rankin to begin our trip.Read more

  • TravelerEurope 2023
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    Day 4

    Day 3

    September 15, 2023 in England ⋅ 🌙 12 °C

    Day 3:
    We set off expecting to see 7 major attractions...and ended the day exhausted after seeing just a few. We need more time - or a return trip. 1st stop was St Paul's Cathedral; Wow! It was beautiful without the over the top oppulance of the Vatican. I managed the 300 steps to the gallery and Matt did the extra 200 to the top. We then went to Tower Bridge, then took a boat ride to Greenwich to see the Cuttysark. After a pint, we went to Westminster Bridge to take a photo of Big Ben, then just sat and watched London pass on by, before walking to Trafalga Square - passing by Number 10 to see if the PM was home - he wasn't!Read more

  • TravelerEurope 2023
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    Day 4

    Day 4: A day of Kings.

    September 15, 2023 in England ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    The Tower of London was 1st up today. My favourite part was standing on the walls, touching the stones that the archers would have touched whilst defending the tower 800 years ago. My least favourite was The Crown Jewels - no photos allowed. We had lunch under a tree; egg and cress, sandwiches - so very British, and then met the Cambeys at Liverpool St Station for a train ride out to Windsor castle to visit with Charlie and Camilla...they must have forgotten we were coming because they weren't home. Not many photos from here because you weren't permitted to take any - but sooooo much history! The castle is HUGE, but strangely elegant - my favourite place so far. We walked past Queen Elizabeth's burial tomb, and stood on Henry the VIII's. The day was so hot we bought an icecream each that claimed they were made from milk from the Kings own cows, before heading into the village of Windsor for a pint at one pub and dinner and another pint at another pub. Trained it back home exhausted.Read more

  • TravelerEurope 2023
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    Day 5

    Day 5: A Palace and a soccer game.

    September 16, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Today we headed out to have a look through Buckingham Palace - it felt a bit surreal to be standing in front of the balcony. No photos allowed, but an amazing building just reeking of history at every turn. We walked up the Mall to Trafalgar Square, then the boys headed out to Tottenham Stadium to watch a soccer...sorry, football.... game while Di and I did some shopping at the Camden markets and Marks and Spencer. Di and I were very impressed with our navigation skills, catching buses and trains all over London. Matt was very glad Cambey made him go to the match....he said he had never seen anything like it. They were both so impressed with the very public urinals on the way to the stadium that they thought they'd better take some photos!Read more

  • TravelerEurope 2023
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    Day 6

    Day 6: Gardens, Churches and Beer

    September 17, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Today Matt and I set off to see Kew Gardens (a place I've wanted to see for a long time) and I wasn't disappointed. I got some great ideas for our own garden including the glasshouse, the pond and the rose walk. Matt found some blackberries that he reckoned needed poisoning. On the way to Kew Station we decided to stop at a pub for a quick pint and were getting a bit worried when we were almost there with no pub in sight; then we saw Tap on the Line - a pub right next to the station. We then went to a gothic church dating back to 606!!! We happened to get there just as the choir were singing - magical. Then it was off to the Bermondsey Beer Mile - a mile with a dozen or so craft brewerys, underneath the railway lines. We staggered home exhausted, but happy.Read more

  • TravelerEurope 2023
    Day 7

    Day 7: WE CLIMBED BIG BEN!!!

    September 18, 2023 in England ⋅ 🌧 19 °C

    Today (after a very crowded tube ride and a chat with teachers taking their kids to the Houses of Parliament) we climbed Big Ben...right to the top....we stood behind all 4 clock faces before ascending to Big Ben himself, with amazing views over London. I had to pinch myself many, many times as I couldn't quite believe it. We stood there (with ear plugs in) and listened as the bells chimed 12 o'clock. What an experience. We then went to Westminster Abbey; Matt looked up as I looked down but we were both a little underawed - then we visited both the Houses of Commons and Lords before a quick pint on the way to meeting up with the Cambeys for dinner and another pint - right on Trafalgar Square! Then it was off to Westend for The Phantom of the Opera! I had goosebumps and tears while Matt fell asleep. Home by 11.30pm, ready for a 5am wakeup to catch the train to Belgium.Read more

  • TravelerEurope 2023
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    Day 8

    Day 8: Belgium; Bruges

    September 19, 2023 in Belgium ⋅ 🌬 17 °C

    Up at 5am to catch the train through the Chunnel to Brussels, then on to Bruges. We dropped our bags off and then strolled to the medieval town centre for waffles and Belgium beer. We saw plenty of churches to explore tomorrow and Matt has booked his ticket to climb the 366 steps to the top of the Belfry Tower - he will have to do this solo! While the Cambeys and I relived our Phantom moment by watching the movie, Matt went for a walk...too tired to go out for dinner, so it was bread, cheese and wine at home.Read more

  • TravelerEurope 2023
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    Day 9

    Day 9: Belfry, Churches and Waffles

    September 20, 2023 in Belgium ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    We started the day with the Cambeys, for a boat tour of the canals - learning a little bit about the history of Bruge. Matt insisted he climb the 366 steps of the Belfry tower while I insisted I didn’t - so he did... and I ate waffles, listening to the bells playing hits of the 70's like 'Bright eyes' and 'By the rivers of Babylon'. Matt and I then went to explore some of the many churches here. The church of our lady was built in the 12th century, while Sint-Salvators was built in 1360 - we both liked this one better than Westminster Abbey...and it was free!. We then headed to 'Bougogne des Flandres', a brewery Harry insisted we visit - and we're glad we did. Not only were the beers good; we also saw how hops are suppose to be grown...some work is needed on our hop-frame when we return. A quick rest back home, before we went to dinner with the Cambeys at a small restaurant by the canal, and we strolled home through the lit up alley ways, ready for a 4am start to Strasbourg tomorrow.Read more

  • TravelerEurope 2023
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    Day 10

    Day 10: Strasbourg

    September 21, 2023 in France ⋅ 🌧 19 °C

    After a very early wake up (4am local time) we walked through the quiet cobbled streets to catch the 5.23 train to the station. A quick train change at Brussels...then Luxembourg....and we were finally at Strasbourg. As our room wasn't ready until 3pm (and it was only 1pm) we decided to catch the tram to the Bridge crossing the Rhine river and stand on the mid point between France and Germany...we got some funny looks from the locals. I was soooo tired by then that I suggested a beer stop - and Matt, being the loving husband that he is, found a bar serving craft beer - in an old tudor style pub on the canal. The Cambeys met up for a drink then went on their way to a pork inspired dinner while we crossed the road to another craft beer joint and had spinach lasagne - the things Matt will do for a good beer. We found our way back to our motel and while I had a shower and jumped into bed with the windows wide open, listening to a rain storm outside, Matt went out ( in the rain) to find the Strasbourg Cathedral; I just hope he finds his way home again!Read more

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