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Steven Coe
Steven Coe

Steven Coe

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  • Steven CoeLiving in the UK Part 2Traveler

    Iceland Day 4 & 5

    Sep 14–15 in Iceland ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    📌 We left early as today was a decent drive, we were finished on the east coast and heading to the North. It was beautiful as we left the fjord valley and we were soon in central Iceland, a very dry and baron landscape with crazyyy winds. We stopped at a small shack overlooking the vast land where we got some deep fried twisted doughnuts, delicious! 😋

    📌 The main mission was to see several waterfalls very close to each other and a canyon. This meant driving 30km on bumpy dirt road, luckily it had been recently grated and the I10 handled the bumps well. The reward was well worth it as this side had less people and everything was super close. The falls were huge, the most powerful in Europe! Shortly up stream was a cascading large waterfall whilst the other way was a beautiful canyon. It may have been my favourite landscape of the trip. We headed back along the long dirt road where we welcomed the asphalt once again, this time heading towards an area high in sulfur pools. This felt like another planet, and the smell was horrendous 🤣 it was also quite fascinating to see the geothermal energy stations nearby.
    We finished the day with some hot chips, a delicious caramel apple pie and a beer on the marina of husavik, a fishing village of the north known for Wales.

    📌 The next day didn't involve much driving, we headed for a small but beautiful waterfall close to the accommodation before heading to the capital of the north, Akureyri. Ofcourse we tucked into some coffee and pastries, wandered around the Botanical gardens and then enjoyed some drinks at the local bar. We had plenty of time to spare and the peninsula an hour north had a brewery, we grabbed a quick lunch and off we went on another great drive! It was off the beaten track, the roads were quiet, gravel, the Cliffs close but the views amazing. The town was small, the brewery was great and it was a great relaxed afternoon.    Read more

  • Steven CoeLiving in the UK Part 2Traveler

    Iceland Day 3

    Sep 13–14 in Iceland ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    📌 We started day 3 with a beautiful morning and not a whole lot of driving stops to do so it was nice to not feel the need to rush them. The first stop was the popular stokksnes beach, where the morning light, the black sand, and the gloomy clouds around the mountain created a gorgeous scene. We had a quick look at the nearby viking village that was a film set and then continued our journey towards another waterfall.

    📌 On the drive we found a small organic farm cafe serving their own produce daily for lunch, we had a hearty vege and celery soup to set us up for our next stop, Hegnifoss waterfall. This was a beautiful waterfall, it appeared out of nowhere in the side of the valley, it was a lovely walk up to it, with a smaller sister waterfall cascading between long hexagonal rock and a long stream coming from the main fall. On the walk down enjoyed some tasty afternoon ice cream made from local sheep's milk which was deliciously creamy. That evening we had an adventurous drive out of the valley on some sketchy Highland roads (we took the dirt route by accident) before we headed into the valley where we were staying.

    📌 Seydisfjordur was a small town on a fjord surrounded by cascading waterfalls off the sides of the valley. The town was small and quaint with colourful buildings and a nice restaurant serving us some local beers. Our accommodation was an old historic hospital which was lovely and cosy. We had to laugh as the loud obnoxious group of Greeks cooking in the kitchen and occupying nearly the very large room the whole time 🙄    Read more

  • Steven CoeLiving in the UK Part 2Traveler

    Iceland Day 1 & 2

    Sep 11–13 in Iceland ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    📌 We arrived nice and early in Iceland and picked up the little I10 that would drive us around a ring of an island. We were keen to see some dramatic landscapes and the east side of the island had many on offer. We had a quick shop at the supermarket as spending money on food would be unnecessarily expensive and likely unfeasible given the remote accommodations.

    📌 We started with a few waterfalls, a beginning of many. It was reasonable with crowds and the weather was holding, they were large and beautiful against the greens and browns of the gloomy landscape. One of these falls you could walk all the way behind and get a massive spray. We stopped for lunch at a great little roadside cafe making some delicious breads and soups. Chloe went for the hearty Icelandic transitional meat soup. The last stop of the day was the black beach that's notoriously dangerous. It was nothing overly special and a bit of a waste of a high car park fee. We ended the day at a cute farm guesthouse with a couple of collies and a distant view of glaciers.

    📌 Day 2 started with a delicious coffee at a cool US school bus cafe (converted from an old air base) before heading off to see some more glaciers. We had seen one on day 1 but today's were even better as the walk along the glacial lake was quiet, there was broken ice floating everywhere and then it led out to the black beach full of glacial ice. We even saw a seal enjoying the tides. Another little stop along the way was the unique martian like lava field landscape, stretching for miles one way whilst the tops of glaciers were in the other direction. We ended the day with a chat with some Germans over some soup at another great farm guesthouse.    Read more

  • Steven CoeLiving in the UK Part 2Traveler

    Cambridge

    Sep 5–7 in England ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    📌 Weekend meet-up/away in Cambridge, we met late Friday night for a pint and a meal at the local pub before retreating to the hostel after a long week, Chloe coming off 4 nights was rough!!

    📌 We spent a sunny day wandering around Cambridge, admiring the old buildings, the college's, the canals and enjoying some tasty food and coffee. One highlight was the random coffee joint where the guy was run off his feet which was ironic as the place was this hip coffee bar (without a sign) which was supposed to be slow and chill. The coffee was actually delicious so the wait was semi worth it. We also enjoyed a historic Chelsea bun/scroll, and ofcourse some pints at various independent pubs.

    📌 The highlight of the weekend was dinner at a Beduoin tent, a little flashback to Jordan and Egypt. We were treated with Tajine, feta, olives, pomegranate and chilli marinated eggplant. It was a delicious meal and a nice way to end the day exploring the historical town.    Read more

  • Steven CoeLiving in the UK Part 2Traveler

    Retford

    Aug 30–Oct 15 in England ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    📌 A long journey to Retford from Southport after a shift was a little exhausting but check in above the clinic was seamless. A little run down, but spacious and private, so for free accommodation, it did the job! Sunday before work was a lovely day, the sun was out and Retford had some nice charm to it, the centre square and old Georgian buildings were beautiful. It seemed like not a bad place to spend a few weeks working.

    📌 Portland house Vets was a pretty good place to work, the team was young so it was fun to work with everyone, and the work was reasonably chill. I did my first ever ceaserean which was exciting also 👌 I also got the opportunity to work with some of the nearby zoo animals including a lemur, a mongoose and a snake. A couple of the weeks I had a student house mate, Charles, this was good fun and even included a visit to the sketchy local fair which seemed to have little safety standards. It was fair to say that too much spinning was involved! Overall probably the best clinic I worked for within the last 18 months.

    📌 One weekend when Chloe was here we had a little pub crawl around Retford drinking cheap pints 8(8 AUD). The Saturday we went and visited the nearby town of Lincoln, it had a beautiful old gothic church and castle, surrounded by a quaint street. We spent the day enjoying the town which meant a pub crawl, looking at some nice buildings and even some tea and scones to break up the pints ☺️    Read more

  • Steven CoeLiving in the UK Part 2Traveler

    Preston and Bristol

    Aug 17–30 in England ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    📌 Two weeks back at Bamber bridge for some jam packed 6 day work weeks whilst Chloe was in Bristol. The accommodation was an interesting one, the host obviously rented out his room too, hence he would sometimes be sleeping on the couch. It was comfy but a standard UK dingy apartment. Thankfully Chloe wasn't there as it was pretty messy and grimey. I did manage to escape the Airbnb one night, heading to drinks with Tahsin at a nearby local, a bit of a interesting crowd for sure but some good beers and nice to socialise for once.

    📌 The August long weekend meant a good opportunity to visit Chloe in Bristol. A eventful journey down from Preston thanks to a train strike but I eventually made it. We had a lovely Sunday of day drinking in multiple pubs, a roast and even some drinks with Chloe's temporary housemates. Bristol is a nice spot and always feels lively.

    📌 As usual Bamber bridge was chaotic work but also enjoyable. I finished off the fortnight with a cruisy Saturday shift down at Southport vets4pets, a seaside town that seemed a little hit and miss.    Read more

  • Steven CoeLiving in the UK Part 2Traveler

    Paris

    Aug 13–17 in France ⋅ ☁️ 34 °C

    📌 A short getaway to Paris because why not? We caught the Eurostar over and kicked off the long weekend with a french brasserie meal and a few pre drinks before ACDC at Stade De France. It was a big concert with a big crowd, there was rain, there was very loud rock and roll, there was a guitar solo that was way too long and there were fears the musicians might die on the stage 🤣 Overall a fun time and worth seeing in a cool atmosphere.

    📌 Given we had both been to Paris, there were no expectations other then to enjoy food, drink wine and wander around. It is such a huge city we would always find something interesting, ofcourse we also visited the main landmarks. One afternoon thanks to Intrepid, we had a free private tour with a local around Montmartre talking about politics, art and history.

    📌 A couple of food highlights included a delicious west African meal (horrible service), a incredible burger, a cheap banh mi lunch enjoyed in a hidden old Roman Ampitheatre park and ofcourse a few eclairs and croissants 🥐🥐 The drinks were just as good, a few breweries, some tasty wine bars and hanging out in the warm summer nights.

    📌 On our final day we headed to Versailles, to admire the massive palace and it's gardens. Although we have seen many, it is definitely one of the most incredible examples of luxury and detail. It was nice to get out of the city and wander around for a few hours..    Read more

  • Steven CoeLiving in the UK Part 2Traveler

    London and Surrounds

    Jul 20–Aug 13 in England ⋅ 🌧 20 °C

    📌 We returned from Italy and had to part ways as Chloe was heading to Bristol and I was working around London. My first week was a fill in the gaps week at a Medivet in Sidcup (East London), I was staying with a nice but awkward F1 software engineer, so it basically felt like I had the house as he was never around. The work was easy and it was a nice transition back into the next period of work. One standout experience was heading to the local gym, this area was kind of rough, and the gym was unique, I can imagine a gym in the 80s would have looked like this. It felt like a set from Rocky with the boxing ring and the atmosphere, everyone was lovely however and it had very local and family vibes.

    📌 Chloe was back in ICU in Bristol and this would likely be her last stint of work in the UK, carrying her through to October. Her accommodation was pretty chill but she was annoyed by her non-human housemates which included many little spiders coming through the cat flap and also the cat itself who was very needy ☺️

    📌 I filled the rest of the couple of weeks in the south at a clinic near windsor. I lived upstairs, went to the gym and had a pretty chilled few weeks. One weekend Chloe had off, we headed into London on a mini pub crawl. We started with a visit to Windsor, the castle and surrounds for a coffee. We then headed into more central London where we visited Richmond for a light lunch, a couple of pints and a bit of a wander. We ended the night on London with dumplings around convent garden which were delicious before heading to stand up from Nazeem in Soho. The pub crawl finished with a few pints of Guinness at a great pub around Soho.    Read more

  • Steven CoeLiving in the UK Part 2Traveler

    Turin

    Jul 17–19 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    📌 Our last few days in Italy, we decided on Turin because we wanted to taste h few days included a delicious apertivo (very important in Piedmont culture) at a brewery that meant we didn't need dinner and resulted in us sitting there for hours drinking and making some influenced but decisive decisions about end of the year travels ☺️ We also enjoyed delicious regional panini with fresh cured meats, sauces and bread all locally sourced. We still had to try the local pasta, agnolotti, we found a great restaurant that was sticking strictly to regional food (no Aperol or Tiramisu 😮) and we had some delicious dishes! Finally our last food on the agenda was the pizza, but a regional version, pizza al padellino. Essentially unlike a Napoli pizza, it was thick and baked in a deep dish pan. It was delicious and a perfect lunch to end our stay in Turin.Read more

  • Steven CoeLiving in the UK Part 2Traveler

    Rifugio Cinque Torri 5

    Jul 15–16 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    📌 Today was another difficult day, perhaps it wasn't the hike as much but the fatigue was playing a role, particularly as the map wasn't as clear today and the day was warming up making things extra challenging. There was definitely some mental battles going on but eventually we made it to the final hut area. This area had several huts around so it was quite busy, but we were exhausted, Chloe was semi injured and we were hungryyy! We dined out on the deck of the busy Rifugio and enjoyed beautiful views and a well earned drink.

    📌 Once we'd had enough of the busyness, we did a short loop around the cinque torri (the 5 columns) and headed to our quieter Rifugio down the hill. This was our favourite hut so far, it was quiet, super comfortable and we had a private room overlooking the mountains! All the challenges of the day had been worth it, we played some cards, enjoyed some afternoon drinks with delicious home made cake. As per previous nights we then enjoyed a 3 course meal with delicious pasta and even steak. It was a great finish to the hike and just the right amount of time, any more days would have been a slog and also Chloe's toe nail would have probably fallen off ☺️    Read more

  • Steven CoeLiving in the UK Part 2Traveler

    Rifugio Lagazoui 2752m

    Jul 14–15 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    📌 Day 3, the hardest hike planned, 400m ascent over a pass around 2400, descending another 600m and then reascending to around 2700m. The overall hike took approximately 5 hours with a total ascent of 1100m. It was hard!! The hardest hike we have done but it was amazing at the same time.

    📌 The scenery continued to become more dramatic as we ascended up to the highest pass, everyone was going along well and we eventually made it to a very narrow break in the ridgeline where the pass went over. After some lunch, we began the switchback descent onto the other side of the pass, we were welcomed with a beautiful view of a lake and in the distance was the Rifugio, it didn't look that far. We were wrong. The descent was fun but we could start to see some clouds rolling in so we needed to be quick. The group separated a little as the ascent kicked in, it was rough, one because you could see the destination the whole time and the other because of the sheer steepness! After some tough climbing and only a little patch of light rain we made it!

    📌 The views were astonishing over the mountain into the next valley, there were old war tunnels everywhere from the Italian/Austrian war, it was a well earned finish to the hike but it posed a question for the others, how was the taxi supposed to get up here!? They hadn't realised but the taxi was coming to the bottom of the cable car 😂 Hence, the others departed early to avoid a 90 minute hike down the mountain at 3.30am which was sad as it was an abrupt end to a great few days hiking and catching up. Part of us wanted to go and join them in a comfortable bed back in Cortina also ☺️ However, we were glad we didn't, that evening the clouds cleared, the view was amazing, me and Chloe got chatting to another couple which one was Aussie and we enjoyed some drinks and cards! It was actually perfect up there and a real highlight ❤️    Read more

  • Steven CoeLiving in the UK Part 2Traveler

    Rifugio Fannes 2060m

    Jul 13–14 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    📌 The optimism was definitely lower on Day 2 after the tough first day 😂 Everyone knew the trail was not technical and many people do it, so I suppose we didn't expect the difficultly of continuous ascent. Chloe and Mick were definitely the least keen for a brutal ascent. The hike however wasn't as bad, we had either adapted quickly or perhaps day 1 was just a shock. We descended approx 600m and then ascended another more gradual 850m. The hike became more dramatic as we tracked further south into the Dolomites, we passed many cows with their bells creating music for us as we walked and we took many pictures. The morale was good!

    📌 We made it to Fanes reasonably early and enjoyed a warm lunch again, well earned after another descent hike! This hut was pretty grand, it looked over another one approx 500m down the hill and it was a big shared dorm this time. Me and Chloe left the others to relax and headed down to the other hut 'Laverella' which is claimed as the highest altitude European microbrewery. We enjoyed some beers in another day of fortunate beautiful weather, and upon our way back ran into the others making their way down. We decided to not backtrack with them which was a great decision as they ended up rocking up a couple of hours later saturated and drunk, 14-15 home made grappas between 3 and some rain would do that 😂

    📌 We enjoyed a included 3 course dinner, some drunk antics, a few wines and more grappas that weren't too bad at all, and the final of the Men's Wimbledon. It was another amazing day in a amazing part of the world with good company.    Read more

  • Steven CoeLiving in the UK Part 2Traveler

    Rifugio Sennes 2126m

    July 12 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    📌 Day 1 of hiking, the group was a good level of fitness and we were optimistic for the 9km day and approx 900m ascent to get to the first hut. We started early in Cortina after working out a fairly confusing, poor scheduled bus system to get to one town where we would then get a small bus in order to get to the Lago Di Brias lake starting point.

    📌 We made it to the lake smoothly, enjoyed the beautiful serenity of the early morning and set off. The trail soon became a persistent ascent that felt like it was never going to end. Matt and Kelsie had only about 700ml of water each 😂, Chloe was not happy with the ascent and Michael was contemplating why he had come ☺️ It was hard, it was warm and despite the beautiful surrounds, there wasn't much rest. Eventually we made it to the Rifugio Sennes, which was appropriately named because it did feel like a refuge from the trail. Everyone scoffed a lunch and a well earned beer after the hard work, which left Horn and Chloe raving about the soup! There was one last hurdle to overcome on day 1, Matt being CC'd into my booking to add 3 more people had been lost in translation and the Hut had added a 3rd person instead..... Luckily, they had some dorm spots for Matt and Kelsie otherwise who knows where they would have slept.

    📌 After a good feed, some drinks and a bit of socialising everyone retreated to the comfort of bed, the private room for us and Mick, and the dorm for Matt and Kelsie ☺️    Read more

  • Steven CoeLiving in the UK Part 2Traveler

    Cortina D'Ampezzo

    Jul 11–12 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    📌 An early start and we were off to the mountains on the usual Flixbus. The drive was beautiful as we got into the mountainous dolomites. Cortina was a large place and the hills and streets were dotted with gorgeous alpine/ski style lodges.

    📌 We checked into a beautiful accommodation and then headed out for a pizza, some drinks and a catch up, this time with Matt and Kelsie present. It was awesome to be travelling as a group, something me and Chloe haven't really had much of. Cortina had a cool vibe, not overly touristy but definitely Ski town vibes. The bars would definitely be fun if you were staying for multiple days as a base. Our hotel even had a Sax 🎷 DJ playing some bangers.

    📌 We planned our day, packed our bags for the next few days and got keen for hiking. We would be coming back to stay another night and chill after hiking in the same hotel.    Read more

  • Steven CoeLiving in the UK Part 2Traveler

    Venice

    Jul 10–11 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    📌 A short stop in Venice before the hiking started. We both hadn't been to Venice for years but I was keen to wander through the unique city, eat some good food and admire the canals and architecture. We checked into a quaint guesthouse and headed out for some lunch. A delicious Italian Panini and Aperol 😍

    📌 Wandering through the streets of Venice was lovely, the quiet areas and the maze of lanes where you suddenly walk over some canals. This contrasts to the busy Grand canal and the St Mark's Square which are beautiful but definitely less enjoyable.

    📌 We met up with Michael which was great, enjoyed many Aperols at a bar before eventually getting a table at the popular neighbouring restaurant. It was great to catch up and just chill, it felt like nothing had changed and we had seen him yesterday. It was a good stop in Venice and worth seeing again for 1 night.    Read more

  • Steven CoeLiving in the UK Part 2Traveler

    Naples

    Jul 7–10 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    📌 Round 2 in Naples, and it was a treat! Night 1 around the station was quickly forgotten as we were staying in a much nicer area and travelling around their super convenient and clean Metro. After a fun train back to Naples thanks to stubborn Americans wanting to sit in our seats, we made it to the bustling city. We were mainly keen to eat more delicious food. Day 1 was a light lunch as we had a good tour to prepare for, the weather was perfect, mid 30s had dropped down to pleasant high 20s, perfect for outdoor dining. We then headed for a quick tour of the opera theatre, the oldest operating theatre in the world. It was beautiful and very extravagant!

    📌 The food tour was a treat, ofcourse it was us and another Australian family! The guide was great, we had about 4-5 stops, learnt plenty and had lots of delicious food, wine, limoncello and ofcourse Aperol. We even saw a rare sight with dad polishing off a decent sized red wine. The party kept going afterward where we ended up back at the Aperol bar with the other Australians talking rubbish until midnight, sipping 3-4 euro Aperols.

    📌 Day 2 was a long day out at Pompeii, such a massive place and fascinating to see. We have seen many Roman ruins but this was another unique one, the preserved mosaics, the bodies immortalised in stone and the beautiful large villas. We ran into Liam Dullard and Kristie on the way back and soon enough everyone was chatting/catching up over some wines at dinner. This inevitably ended up with mum and dad going home and us 4 out at the Aperol bar again 😂 It was too good, too cheap and very local, so it was too hard to stay away 🤤 We even were joining in on a locals party, eating cake and singing.

    📌 Our last day we wandered around Naples, the chaotic Spanish quarter decorated with Maradona on every corner. We enjoyed one more pizza in the home of pizza, easily some of the best pizza we have ever had. We visited the cathedrals and the coastal views before heading out to a delicious final dinner and drinks. We had some delicious Neapolitan entrees, the fried pasta dish smothered in ragu sauce and fried frittatina pasta (arancini like) dishes were amazing. I had to try Genovese sauce which was great but perhaps not something I'll have again ☺️

    📌 We bid farewell to Mum and Dad, it was so good to travel with them, getting around each day, eating delicious food and celebrating a milestone with them in different parts of the world. Some memories for us all to cherish ❤️    Read more

  • Steven CoeLiving in the UK Part 2Traveler

    Sorrento

    Jul 3–7 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    📌 Amsterdam -> Naples was a hoot thanks to the baggage handlers telling me to put my bag in oversize and therefore it was never loaded 😂 Arriving in 35 degrees southern Italy with no other clothes was fun, lucky I had dad's shorts, my underwear and then we went out and brought an extra tee. Baggage eventually was delivered 48 hours later, a little annoying but after all, being in Italy bagless was better than being at work!

    📌 We stayed around the Naples station as a late arriving plane meant getting to Sorrento was hard. Mum, Dad and Chloe were thrilled to get into the secure comfortable accom after walking the sketchy midnight streets with fireworks going wild above ☺️ We made our way down to Sorrento the next day on a loud chaotic train, it was a fitting welcome to southern Italy so far. Lunch however already set us up for the next 6-7 days, a very authentic pizzeria in Piano where the waiter was super friendly and the food was incredible, mum and dad were already sold!

    📌 We left the parents to their own devices and met up with Britt and Spencer for drinks, dinner and long awaited catch up. Another great meal that you couldn't fault, the fresh simple ingredients make it every time, particularly the tomatoes 🤤 We organised and awesome day out with them, hiring a boat to head out and around Capri with lunch also on the island. We were glad we had a skipper, as the sea was fairly rough and heavily trafficked. A little bit of a nauseating journey to start became much butter as the day went on. The scenery was amazing, the weather great and the water unreal to swim in, which included a few swims into some caves. Capri was beautiful but wildly expensive, our lunch of 2 mains, water and 2 sides was $250 AUD 🥴. They definitely hid us (in our bathers) in the corner away from the rich people 😂

    📌 Our last day back with mum and dad was awesome, the bus ride out to Positano, although difficult to get on due to the crowds was unreal! The views on the narrow coastal roads were unmatched, I've never seen anything like it. We wandered around Positano, had a great lunch at another quality pizzeria before heading back on the ferry, which provided more incredible views of the coast. Another great day, you can definitely see why the region is so popular.    Read more

  • Steven CoeLiving in the UK Part 2Traveler

    30 in Amsterdam

    Jun 30–Jul 3 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    📌 One of the reasons to travel to Amsterdam was for Green day live on July 2nd, a nice 30th present I bought myself. This was also where we would meet up with mum and dad for 10 days some proper travelling. We arrived in Amsterdam via bus which was a little slow again but the weather was good and we were keen to go catch up with the parentals. We caught up at the De Pijp market, aiming to get some street food such as croquettes and of course a freshly made Stroopwaffle. We had a chilled afternoon at some pubs by the canal and ended up ordering takeaway pizza to eat alongside the canals also, it was perfect, the city was buzzing, the sun was going down and it was a great start to Amsterdam.

    📌 30th birthday kickstarted with an awesome book made by Chloe including some friends and family messages, we then headed to a Melbourne inspired cafe called Little Collins and then headed onwards to Utrecht. Getting Margaret and Wayne around on the transit network was new for them but one that was smooth and enjoyable as it always gives a different perspective, especially when it's packed and delayed on the way home ☺️. Utrecht was approx 30 mins away, it was a beautiful city with unique canals lined by cellars and it was much quieter then Amsterdam. We wandered around, found a local brewery that was serving beautiful 100+ Dutch beers. That evening we then headed out to a modern Dutch restaurant serving 5 courses, it was a great experience with some interesting dishes that we usually probably wouldn't order, particularly dad ☺️ Overall a great 30th well planned by Chloe.

    📌 Before the gig we headed out to Indonesian, due to prev colonization and immigration characteristic Indonesian in The Netherlands is Rijstaffel, a variety of small dishes. The food was incredible and authentic. This set us up for a wild Green day concert! Possibly one of the best live gigs we've seen. The crowd was right into it, the performance was energetic and the set was classic after classic from all different albums. Minority went off and Chloe was the only one amongst 15k on shoulders for Bobby Sox 🤘 It was definitely worth going to Amsterdam to see, redeeming the less fun atmosphere 1 year earlier that the Britt's created 😂    Read more

  • Steven CoeLiving in the UK Part 2Traveler

    Antwerp and Maastricht

    Jun 28–30 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    📌 A few short trips to see some other areas of Belgium and the Netherlands on the way to Amsterdam.

    📌 First stop, Antwerp. Antwerp is known for the beautiful central train station which we thought was pretty grand. We were staying on the top floor of an old 18th century Airbnb, the host was lovely and we went and explored the city. Antwerp was nice for a short stay, it has a nice central square, some beautiful architecture and a nice marina/porr area. We spent the afternoon playing cards and drinking at a nice Belgian brewery offering 100+ beers.

    📌 Next up we caught the bus into the Netherlands, a typical flixbus experience, stinky and slow 😂 We arrived into Maastricht, a beautiful city with the goal to see a little more of the Netherlands other then just Amsterdam. This region was the Lambic region, influenced by neighbouring Belgium, and France. The old town was cute, with a lovely river running through it, we found another brewery and enjoyed the warm afternoon. Another little highlight was having a tasty Lambic region pie, usually cherry or other fruits such as plum. The bakery had been making them for 100+ years, using an old water mill type method to grind the flour.    Read more

  • Steven CoeLiving in the UK Part 2Traveler

    Brussels, Ghent & Brugges

    Jun 25–28 in Belgium ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    📌 Some people say Brussels is boring and not worth a visit, but we thought it was great! We were staying in a quirky Airbnb loft in a cool area with plenty of people enjoying the summer evenings. The central square of Brussels was extravagant and extra impressive as it was quite old compared to other rebuilt European squares. The beer and chocolate options were everywhere, the cafes were great and the dinner options were delicious including some West African one night and maybe one of the best burgers I've ever had another night.

    📌 We used Brussels as a base and headed out on some day trips, the weather was lovely and we enjoyed Ghent and Brugges. Ghent seemed larger and a little more modern but had a beautiful promenade along the river filled with many beautiful buildings. Brugges was a little more compact and seemed to have more abundant old architecture around the residential areas and centre. The city also had many beautiful canals running through it, one where there was a great brewery perched right on the water.

    📌 A few other highlights included trying some delicious Belgian chocolates and pralines, some monastery breweries beers (Trappist beer) and ofcourse a fresh Belgian waffle with chocolate, cream and strawberries.    Read more

  • Steven CoeLiving in the UK Part 2Traveler

    Dublin

    Jun 23–25 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    📌 After enjoying a few days in the countryside it was time to head to the capital, we headed via Ireland's oldest pub and potentially the oldest in the world, 900AD. Of course we enjoyed a pint of Guinness, one of many since arriving in Ireland. Driving through Ireland had been beautiful, the towns had so much character and colour, it also felt very country and quaint.

    📌 Dublin was also a beautiful quirky city with the highlights being the various pubs and their historical coloured fascades. We enjoyed a few more delicious pints over a few days, making the most of Guinness from the source. We also visited Whelan's where Robbie used to work, it happened to be an open mic night so lots of novice Irish artists were playing their songs which were a great listen.

    📌 Another great experience was onboard the Jeanie Johnson, a replica of a Irish famine ship ( which Steve helped build, the NZ guy we met whilst rowing) that travelled many times to the USA and Canada. It was interesting to hear the stories of the famine and incomprehensible how hard it must have been, it painted a clear picture as to why Ireland likes to separate themselves from the English, and why they are adamant on bringing their culture and language back.    Read more

  • Steven CoeLiving in the UK Part 2Traveler

    Ireland: County Clare

    Jun 20–23 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    📌 A few chilled days around country Clare staying with Clara's parents and getting a real feel for country Ireland life. Their house was on a beautiful edge of the estuary, allowing great views of the water on a quiet farm road. John and Assumpta were so lovely, serving us breakfast every morning and making us feel right at home.

    📌 We were fortunate enough to have a local tour from John around nearby Scattery island, this involved a row out on the boat he was part of making. It was a great experience rowing out to the island and wandering around, there was some fascinating history but the best part was simply just enjoying the day without sightseeing or rushing around. We all then went out for dinner that evening, earning a few pints and a delicious meal, including Chloe's long awaited mussels.

    📌 Whilst in Clare, we explored the Wild Atlantic way, we visited Galway for a wander and some drinks, a brief stop at The Cliffs of Moher and we enjoyed sitting around the comfortable house listening to John's history lessons on boating, Ireland and the locals ☺️    Read more

  • Steven CoeLiving in the UK Part 2Traveler

    Reading

    Jun 1–20 in England ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    📌 A short but jam packed little stint around reading and surrounds. The place we were staying was character building, quite a dingy Airbnb without a living room and often being shared with loud or strange other guests. It was in a bit of an awkward place but fortunately I had a bike and in the end it was only 2.5 weeks. One guy was particularly interesting, he would spend the whole day in his room and we never saw him eat, he'd have a tea and then go back upstairs 🤔

    📌 On day 1 at my new clinic our suspicions were confirmed and mum and dad rocked up to the clinic, I was onto them kind of but didn't think they'd come to work, plus I was already in unfamiliar territory so I was a little thrown off by that too 😂 They were to spend the next 3-4 days in the area, which meant a pub trip and a couple of nights hanging out in their superior apartment. Additionally Chloe also went for a little adventure around the Cotswolds with them on a nice day trip. It was a great "surprise" and it meant the upcoming trip to Italy/Netherlands would be extra fun which motivated me to work.

    📌 Another weekend we headed into London and met up with Katie, we had a wander around Hackney, the canals and then headed out for a Sunday roast. It was a treat and also lovely to see another inner suburb of London rather than just central. The vibes around the inner London suburbs when the sun is out are pretty crazy, the Britt's definitely make the most of a sunny day.

    📌 Overall reading was okay, probably one of our least favourite stays, but atleast work was pretty chill, and it was short stint. We were also keen to get summer travelling, so that made it feel longer ☺️    Read more

  • Steven CoeLiving in the UK Part 2Traveler
    1

    Glencoe

    May 30–Jun 1 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    📌 Our last stop in Scotland, we headed out to the west Highlands to do a little more hiking. So far we'd been fortunate with the weather but that changed for the last few days. We were staying at a lovely guesthouse with a great view of the loch across from the house.

    📌 We headed out in the afternoon for a small hike into a valley, where there was a history of clans fighting one another. It was a nice walk through some forest and waterfalls and it meant on a return, a well earned beer at a awesome brewery in the town. We had a few craft beers, some delicious wood fired pizzas and relaxed.

    📌 The next day we planned a strenuous hike up one of the local munroes, it was a bit of a race against the weather and as we finished what felt like 90 mins of straight ascent, it started raining 😆 A quick few minutes at the summit and we got back down, nice and wet with smelly shoes and ready to get dry. We'd been fortunate enough with weather until now so it didn't really matter. We ended up at the brewery for a few more drinks. We ended the day at a great pub, had a chat with a couple of Americans in their 60s that were still out doing hiking holidays and finished with a good pub meal.    Read more

  • Steven CoeLiving in the UK Part 2Traveler

    Isle of Skye

    May 28–30 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    📌 We enjoyed our drive up to Skye through the highlands, it was lovely driving past all the lochs and Skye was definitely more mountainous. We checked in at a very cool hostel, it was star wars and movie themed with lots of interesting nice nacs and wonderful people. We spent the afternoon at a pub down the road, it was a pretty remote area with single roads, so it felt like we had really stepped out of the bustling cities of the UK we were used to.

    📌 The plan in Skye was to hike, so on our full day we were blessed with great weather and the plan was to tackle 2 of the most beautiful hikes, firstly we started early at the Quiraing, a loop hike onto a table with beautiful views over the sea and surrounding mountains. Despite being only 1000m high munroes/mountains, they are quite rugged and therefore appear high and large to the surrounding sea level. It was a lovely walk. We then headed to a small town near the coast down the road and tucked into a delicious lunch at a cafe giving off coastal Aussie cafe vibes. The afternoon was then spent with a quick visit to the beach at low tide to see the 170 million year old fossilised dinosaur footprints which was pretty cool. We then headed onwards to do short 1-2 hour hike around The Old Man of Stor, the characteristic isle of Skye picture.

    📌 We explored Portree, Skye's biggest town which was still quite small, where we enjoyed a late afternoon drink before heading back to the hostel and cooking up some pasta to restore the carbs after a day of hiking. A short stay in Skye was lovely and it is definitely one of the nicest areas in the UK.    Read more

  • Steven CoeLiving in the UK Part 2Traveler

    Inverness

    May 27–28 in Scotland ⋅ 🌬 13 °C

    📌 A short stop in Inverness on the way to the Isle of Skye. We visited the loch Ness of course and stopped in Inverness for a drink at a distillery. The drive into the highlands was beautiful and you could start to see the appeal for Scotland road trips.

    📌 We actually ended up staying in a town (Drumnadrochit) which held some history around the lake, one of the first supposed reported Nessie sightings was around here. We were staying in a lovely guest house right next to a pub so we headed across for a beer garden drink in the sun and a little dabble in the local whisky which was okay but we definitely weren't going to go out of our way to try whiskey distilleries. We tucked into a local meal which included some haggis and this was actually quite nice! It was a nice little afternoon and evening stop to break up the drive to Skye and enjoy the nice weather.

    📌 Ofcourse in Scotland, there are many castles, one of the highlights was the Eileen Doonan castle. Given we have been in many glamorous castles in Europe, we decided to just enjoy this one from the outside which was by accounts the best part anyway, the landscape was gorgeous.    Read more

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