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Europe and UK 2025
  • Deb Jamieson
  • Tracey Oneill
  • Janine Kuizinas
  • Deb Jamieson
  • Tracey Oneill
  • Janine Kuizinas

Europe and UK 2025

We’re off to see more of the world and tick off a few more bucket list items! You know what we say!! Read more
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  • Europe and UK 2025
    1

    Bath

    June 18, 2025 in England ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Bath (Aquae Sulis) is up there with Pompeii in my opinion- absolutely stunning! The Roman Baths are beautiful and are still being excavated- hard to believe they’re just sitting there buried under the city. The pools and Temple are all centred around a hot spring- the overflow that maintained the levels of the pools is still operational so it’s been going for 2000 years!
    The water from the spring is drinkable- but a bit odd tasting
    Drove through to Portsmouth- then realised about 10pm that we should have been on a Ferry to France!!!
    All sorted now ( thank God for Travel Agents!!) and we catch the Ferry tomorrow 😂    Read more

  • Europe and UK 2025
    211Old burial mounds

    Stonehenge

    June 19, 2025 in England ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Another bucket list item done and dusted! Sorted out our new travel arrangements and then drove an hour to Salisbury. Walked the couple of kilometres in 30 degrees heat - but loving being back in the sunshine lol
    Wow! The stones are very impressive and amazing that after 4,500 years, no one really knows what they were there for! Lots of speculation over the years but nothing definitive. The stones came over the sea from Wales and would have needed in excess of 100 men and horses to move them!
    Dropped the car off and sat at the Ferry terminal for 5 hours to make sure we get on the Ferry to France tonight!! 😂    Read more

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    Mont St Michel

    June 20, 2025 in France ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    New fave of all faves!
    Drove (the long way if you look at our route tracker lol) from Chambourd to Mont St Michel
    One of those OMG moments when you first see it - absolutely magnificent!!
    The island and Abbey have been a pilgrimage for Christians for centuries and because it sits on the border of Normandy and Brittany and is an island when the tides in, was a strategic stronghold during the warRead more

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    Les Sables d’Olonne and Nantes

    June 21, 2025 in France ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    Left Mont St Michel and headed to Les Sables d’Olonne, a beautiful beachside town ( recommended by my friend Patris) Stunning beachfront and hundreds of people swimming ( a sweltering day today) There was an Ironman event happening, so the place was pumping!
    Next stop Nantes. Walked around the stunning Chateau. Built in the 1500’s it is really well preserved. The gardens and surrounding areas are used as public spaces which is cool. Love the idea of the huge splash area for kids!
    Arrived in Bordeaux to a pumping city - today is the longest day of the year and the annual music festival, wine festival and another festival!    Read more

  • Europe and UK 2025
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    Bordeaux

    June 22, 2025 in France ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    When in Bordeaux …
    Spent the morning wandering the streets Did a group tour in the afternoon to St Emilion and 2 of the wineries
    Met a great group of people and ended up spending the rest of the day/night with them! Lots of fun 🤩
    Wandered around the village of Emilion as part of the tour which was really cool
    Fun Fact: the only other country in the world that has the same soil as Bordeaux, is New Zealand!    Read more

  • Europe and UK 2025
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    Limoges

    June 23, 2025 in France ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Limoges is way bigger than I expected and they LOVE Rugby and the All Blacks! So of course we loved telling everyone where we are from! 😂😂
    Wandered around the city and took in the sights
    Fun fact: Limoges has the most beautiful railway station in France - Limoges BénédictinsRead more

  • Europe and UK 2025

    Oradour-Sur-Glane

    June 24, 2025 in France ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    Did a final wander of Limoges and our next stop was Oradour-Sur-Glane (the Martyred Village)
    On 10th June 1944, Nazis surrounded the village, herded all the women and children into the Church and set fire to it- 1 survivor escaped
    The men were rounded up in different areas of the village and simultaneously shot dead- 5 men escaped.
    In a few hours 642 lives were lost.
    General de Gaulle wanted to preserve the ruins in order to bear witness for the rest of mankind to the consequences of the barbarity of war.
    This village was one of many.
    What remains is destroyed buildings, electricity lines that no longer have purpose, tram lines leading nowhere, burnt out shells of cars and buildings is all that remains.
    All of those men, women and children had rejoiced in the Allied landings 4 days earlier.
    So sobering- we were both quite overcome with emotion - hard to explain.
    Only a few stood trial.    Read more

  • Europe and UK 2025
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    Poitiers to Tours

    June 24, 2025 in France ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    Set off from Poitiers to Tours and wandered around Tours for most of the day. It is so hot we had to keep stopping for a cold beer!!
    Tours is lovely - lots of old buildings and Churches - there’s a particular wood and brick architecture style that is interesting and seems to be everywhere.
    Went into a cool shop where the guy designs his own label and it is based on Le Mans, so Ian was very excited ( and got the teeshirt lol) He used to play Rugby for France!
    Our Hotel is very central and quite grand 😁
    Still mid 30s at 7pm!! Scorcher!!    Read more

  • Europe and UK 2025
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    Le Havre to Lille

    June 27, 2025 in France ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Stopped off at Etretat to see the beach and cliffs, which were spectacular!
    Such a shame it was raining as our original intention was to lie on the beach for a few hours! 😩 well worth the detour though.
    Love the French countryside - it’s so- French lol
    Lille is a beautiful bustling city, with lots of lovely old buildings. We wandered through the old town and had a lovely meal.
    They’re gearing up for the Tour de France, which is on next week.    Read more

  • Europe and UK 2025
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    Dunkirk to Bruge

    June 28, 2025 in France ⋅ 🌬 20 °C

    Hit the beach of Dunkirk In WW2 1940 the Germans were making a swift advance towards the English Channel, trapping English and French troops- operation Dynamo, a daring strategic plan, evacuated 338k British and French soldiers from the beach- a huge gamble that miraculously worked!
    Hard to explain but you can’t walk away and feel nothing. There are still shipwrecks visible at low tide. A very poignant experience.
    Nek minute- we’re in Bruge!!! lol
    We weren’t intending to pop into Belgium - but you know what we say 😂😂
    And I’m not surprised Bruge was awarded most beautiful city in Europe.
    And then there’s the Beer Wall - I’ve never seen so many beers in one place! Very cool
    Finished our French leg of the journey back in Lille for dinner - awesome day today 😎    Read more

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    Calais to Dover

    June 29, 2025 in France ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Au Revoir France!
    Got the train from Lille to Calais (a bit of a mission with 4 suitcases, 2 full backpacks and shopping bags! lol) and then jumped on the Ferry to Dover.
    The crossing itself was only an hour and a half - so close!
    I got tears in my eyes when I saw the White Cliffs of Dover - absolutely magnificent!
    Alison picked us up and we drove the 2 hours to Halstead, our base for the next 4 days.
    Great catching up again with Ali and Ian - we last saw them 2 years ago in Paris.    Read more

  • Europe and UK 2025
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    Woolwich to London

    June 30, 2025 in England ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Ian and Ali gave us a tour of London - via the Thames!
    1. Woolwich - walked the tunnel under the river to North Woolwich which was a bomb shelter during the war
    2. Ferried back over the river and walked thru the Excel conference centre and jumped on the cable car and flew back across the river
    3. Jumped on the Clipper boat from Greenwich and sailed to London Bridge
    4. Walked to Borough Markets for lunch- so cool with all the different food options
    5. Back on the Clipper to Battersea Powerstation- an amazing experience travelling to the top of a chimney stack to have a Birds Eye view of London- so amazing - everyone gasped at the view.
    6. Sailed all the way back up the river past Parliament, Tower Bridge, Tower of London, Shakespeare Globe Theatre, London Eye - the list goes on!
    What a day and the perfect way to see London!    Read more

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    Felixstowe Pier

    July 1, 2025 in England ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    Girls off to the beach! It’s a glorious day and the 2 Ian’s are going to Duxford to the Aviation Museum
    Ali and I had lunch and Prosecco and then lay on the beach and swam- so relaxing! 33 degrees!
    Went to visit Judy - Martin’s mum. Great catching up after 7 years.
    Ian was rapt with his museum visit - he saw a Polaris Missile ( fired from Nuclear submarines to deploy nuclear weapons)
    He also visited the house where his mum Anne lived as a child 75 years ago!    Read more

  • Europe and UK 2025
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    Cambridge

    July 2, 2025 in England ⋅ 🌧 18 °C

    We drove to Cambridge and jumped on the Hop on Hop off bus. I didn’t realise Cambridge was so huge!
    There is actually 2 Universities and 31 Colleges - a total of 20,000 students and nearly as many staff- and 35.000 bicycles! lol
    The 2 main Colleges, Trinity and St John’s, have a long standing feud that has lasted for Centuries. They have built a foot bridge with a gate that was designed to never be opened!
    We learnt this while punting along the River Cam 😎    Read more

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    Silverstone - Opening Day

    July 3, 2025 in England ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Familiarised ourselves with the Circuit etc - it’s huge!! Thousands turned out for what is traditionally a ‘quieter day’ as they prepare for the racing.
    Our tickets included a walk of the Pit Lane, which was exciting because Kimi Antonelli signed my cap and we saw Liam Lawson ( but he ignored me lol)
    Heaps of entertainment including feature bands Blossoms and Sam Fender
    Thousands of tents and campervans set up in camping areas with their own entertainment etc
    Cool day! 😎    Read more

  • Europe and UK 2025
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    Practise Day

    July 4, 2025 in England ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Pretty chilled day watching Formula One practise sessions and Formula 2 and 3 qualifying
    Our accommodation is so cute and located in a tiny village just outside of Milton Keynes..
    We got back about 8.30pm ( after losing our car 😂😂) and went to the local Pub across the road for dinner, which is 300 years old!Read more

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    FP3 and Quali

    July 5, 2025 in England ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Yes- I’m an F1 chick now…
    Up early to get to the track before the crowds. We drive to Milton Keynes station and get a shuttle, which drives through quaint little villages on the way.
    Liam’s out - he should’ve acknowledged me when I called out to him!
    Rain threatened all day but it didn’t happen- maybe tomorrow though!
    The crowds are unbelievable- queuing for the toilet takes half an hour! But they are incredibly organised with their crowd control with buses and entry ( I guess they’ve had 75 years to perfect it!)
    I’m actually enjoying the racing believe it or not!Back to our local 340 year old pub for dinner.
    Excited for tomorrow 😁    Read more

  • Europe and UK 2025
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    2Queue for the busesChurch across the road- for saleOur hosts Laura and Stuart

    British Formula One Grand Prix

    July 6, 2025 in England ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    This is the 75th anniversary of F1 GP at Silverstone
    All the stars were here - I saw Keanu Reeves, Jeremy Clarkson, Vin Diesel
    Our stand was uncovered, so we sat through 4 seasons in one day! One minute it was scorching and nek minute it was thunderstorms and howling gales!!!
    But it was exciting watching them race in the rain - lots of skids lol
    We all stood up for the National Anthem but I was the only one who sang! Weird!! Followed by a cool Jet Flyover by the Red Arrows
    And the race was won by Lando Norris - a Brit and crowd fave (apart from Lewis Hamilton)
    P.s the cars were too fast for me to get a decent photo lol    Read more

  • Europe and UK 2025
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    The Cotswolds

    July 7, 2025 in England ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    I’m so glad we “popped over” to the Cotswolds for our last bit of sightseeing- so idyllic!
    Stopped in at Bibury, famous for the row of Weavers Cottages from the 15th century then went to Bourton On The Water for lunch and a wander.
    We then drove to Chipping Norton and Woodstock and visited Blenheim Palace where Winston Churchill was born and raised. (We got there 10 mins before closing, so couldn’t get in) They also have an annual music festival- but it is not the famous 1969 festival which was held in Bethel New York!
    Being in the Cotswolds is like stepping back in time- absolutely beautiful!    Read more

  • Europe and UK 2025
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    Colchester

    July 8, 2025 in England ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Had a lovely drive through the countryside to Colchester- which is the oldest recorded town in England.
    Wandered around doing last minute shopping.
    Colchester has the largest remaining Victorian water tower in Britain, which was built in 1883.
    Some of the names of Pubs are hilarious - we passed the “Shoulder of Mutton” on the way in.
    Fun fact: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star was written by Jane Taylor in Colchester 1806.
    Final night of our holiday tonight - Ian’s cooking Curry for us all. luggage is way over our weight allowance- I think we’ll have a few wines and discuss what we’re going to do 😂😂    Read more

  • Europe and UK 2025

    Halstead to Heathrow

    July 9, 2025 in England ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Last day - did a wee last minute tour of Halstead and then Ali drove us to Stansted Airport where we boarded a bus to Heathrow.
    They tried to charge us $500 for excess luggage- which we argued and pleaded until eventually he waved us on and whispered “go”
    Phew!!!!!!!
    Anyway - on our way- about to board - see you all soon xxx    Read more

    Trip end
    July 11, 2025
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