Europe Adventure

March - April 2023
  • Simon Cook
A 33-day adventure by Simon Read more
  • Simon Cook

List of countries

  • England England
  • Italy Italy
  • Switzerland Switzerland
  • France France
  • Singapore Singapore
Categories
None
  • 14.2kkilometers traveled
Means of transport
  • Flight12.3kkilometers
  • Walking-kilometers
  • Hiking-kilometers
  • Bicycle-kilometers
  • Motorbike-kilometers
  • Tuk Tuk-kilometers
  • Car-kilometers
  • Train-kilometers
  • Bus-kilometers
  • Camper-kilometers
  • Caravan-kilometers
  • 4x4-kilometers
  • Swimming-kilometers
  • Paddling/Rowing-kilometers
  • Motorboat-kilometers
  • Sailing-kilometers
  • Houseboat-kilometers
  • Ferry-kilometers
  • Cruise ship-kilometers
  • Horse-kilometers
  • Skiing-kilometers
  • Hitchhiking-kilometers
  • Cable car-kilometers
  • Helicopter-kilometers
  • Barefoot-kilometers
  • 31footprints
  • 33days
  • 480photos
  • 136likes
  • Vatican City / Rome

    April 18, 2023 in Italy ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    Started the day with a run around Rome. Fair to say it’s not a welcome city for morning runners - the sidewalks are broken, the roads are often cobblestone, the people are all smoking and blowing it at you - and there is little flat ground. I still had fun though - albeit got a little lost.

    After some breakfast we found 4 tickets for a Vatican Tour via our concierge (only $400 for the family). From there, in short, we spent most of the day travelling from our hotel to the Vatican (getting metro tickets alone was a challenge) lining up for the Vatican (the tour company we booked our tour through made some mistakes which set off a chain reaction of problems for the 30 of us in the group - which meant we waited an extra hour for our tour to start….), then a 2 hour tour of the Vatican. At the end, we took the exit from the museum and found ourselves out on the street. We had meant to stay in Vatican City and see the square…. 🤷‍♂️

    But well worth every second - I’m not sure I’ll ever see anything quite like it again. They’ve got some serious cash the popes! 🤣

    Finally made our way back to Rome for some shopping, the Spanish Stairs and some Aperol and dinner out.
    Read more

  • Rome to Sorrento

    April 19, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Didn’t take many photos of this day - which is a shame because it was an interesting one.
    Started the day slowly in Rome after an interesting nights sleep (a drunk lady was making a phone call in the hallway outside our room at midnight - it was in Italian so no idea what she was saying but I think she liked the guy….), checked out of our hotel and walked across to the train station with all of our luggage. We are getting better at it but it’s still a pain in the butt - especially for Clare who struggles.

    Spent some time in the train station waiting before getting in our last regional train this trip. The extra for 1st class has been worth it, we get drinks, snacks, plenty of baggage room and our own reclining seats. Economy class flying home will be a shock to the system.

    We caught the train from Rome to Naples with a top speed of 280km/h. Why we don’t have these in Australia baffles me. You could go Adelaide to Melbourne in 2-3 hours and enjoy a movie on the way.

    Once we got off the trim in Naples it was clear this was going it be a hectic stop. Tried to negotiate with a taxi driver for a fare to the ferry which only annoyed him and he spent the first half of the trip bringing it up.

    Which helped distract us from his driving - which was hectic. I assume everyone drives like that in Naples from what I could see - but being in the front seat made it an experience.

    Then boarded a ferry with a bunch of English tourists - and just as we are boarding they randomly grabbed people to pay a 3 euro luggage tax. I made it through but Krissi got caught out.

    The ferry was great, saw Mount Vesuvius as we entered Sorrento.

    Once we arrived we decided to take the stairs rather than get a cab. Do not recommend….

    Sorrento is lovely - albeit very focussed on getting money from tourists. Sounds familiar on this trip…..

    Had our customary aperol and then a meal out.
    Read more

  • Sorrento Day One

    April 20, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    It did not take long for our adventure to come to a grinding stop.
    Sorrento is a lovely tourist destination - but after 8 hour days walking Rome, Venice, Milan, Zürich, Paris and Singapore - this was a distinctive change of pace.
    And the kids were BORED! 🤣
    Read more

  • Travel Day - Sorrento to London

    April 24, 2023 in England ⋅ 🌧 8 °C

    Started the day in warm Sorrento, Italy - and after a taxi (with a very interesting driver who gave us a run down on everything from crime, employment, politics and sport in Italy), a budget plane flight with a couple of hundred poms, train, train, train - made it to our hotel in soggy London.

    The weather here in London is no good today. Cold and driving rain. Hopeful it improves for the remainder of the trip. It’s Monday evening here and we fly home Saturday first thing. Not long to go now.

    But I digress; didn’t get to the hotel until 4pm - but did sneak in a quick trip to “Sherlok Holmes” 221b Baker Street. The Sherlok museum and the Beatles store next door both closed just as we arrived. Just as well - probably would have bought something I don’t need….

    The currency conversion here is decidedly average - an Aperol in the hotel was going to be $22 AUD - which is a fair change from $5 euro in Italy with some free snacks.
    Read more

  • London

    April 25, 2023 in England ⋅ ☀️ 3 °C

    Started the day with a jog around Regent Park / London Zoo with Krissi. The houses in the Swiss Cottage area were classic English homes - lots of money there! Good way to start the day despite the fact it was 3 degrees.
    We then headed to the breakfast buffet with the kids - a highlight for Clare who has been asking for a hotel buffet ever since we landed.
    Then we made the hike to Abbey Road Studios for the ‘photo’ and found there was also a merch store. So we decided to keep them afloat and buy a few things….🤣
    Checked out of our hotel and into a black cab for the trip to our next hotel. Dropped off the bags as the room wasn’t ready - and did a little walk to the Thames and Trafalgar Square.
    Next it was the epic trip to Harry Potter Studios all the way out in Watford - which meant a walk, a train, another train and then a shuttle bus.
    All up we were in the tour for 3 hours. It was great actually, but as I’m not a huge HP expert maybe some of it was lost on me. None of it was lost on Clare who had a great time.
    We found a store at the end - and decided to keep them afloat and purchase some merch. 🤣
    Then we made the long trek back to our hotel and out for a pub meal.
    Read more

  • London

    April 26, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Big day - started with a jog around Buckingham Palace, St James Park and the Thames with Krissi; then out for a walking and train adventure around London and surrounds including a walk through the Shard and over the Tower Bridge.

    Found ourselves (accidentally) wandering St Saviours Estate and Bermondsey and grabbed a lunch in a cafe. Cheapest meal we have had in 4 weeks!

    Headed back to the tube and out to Harrods for some shopping and then back in to the London Eye for a $300 AUD trip around in a circle for 30 minutes….🤷‍♂️

    Finished the day with a walk to the Seven Dials Markets and a wander through Covent Gardens / SOHO.
    Read more

  • London

    April 27, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Started the day with a run around the Thames with Krissi. Nice way to see the sights and get some steps in.
    Then we took the kids to Buckingham Palace - which was very busy - and were treated to an impromptu marching band or three.
    Preparations are well underway for the coronation - we even got a photo in front of the Australian flag, which has pride of place as one of the closest Commonwealth Flags to the palace. Why that made us slightly proud I have no idea….
    Then it was off to the West End to a really nice food hall for lunch.
    Did a spot of shopping and then it was Hamilton at the Victoria Palace Theatre. Amazing - best musical I’ve ever seen. Met an Australian girl from Sydney who was our usher - she recognised the Adelaide accent and gave us some great tips about the best bathrooms in the venue!
    Came out and the weather had turned - pissing down. Had a drink in a bar and out for pizza but that’s the day done - it’s not an outdoor city when the weather turns.
    Read more