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Ice Ice Disney
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  • Flight of the phoenix

Ice Ice Disney

The Big Five have left the enclosure again.. Leggi altro
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  • Ice Ice Disney
    1Public transport here is amazing and great value. View from bus 165.
    First stop Kohl Apple Farm. Seems to be a worm on the right.8 hectares of apple trees produced for premium juice onlyHow do you like them apples?1Jonah wanted this one to be the best. It is the sweetest of the 6.Elliot had other ideas.Narrow gauge railway from Collalbo to Soprabolzano2Some things are better than ice skating1Cable car back to Bolzano

    Hold the Ice

    5 gennaio 2023, Italia ⋅ ⛅ 4 °C

    We had ignored all of Lara's pleas to go ice skating in places like Garda because we had a plan to skate near Bolzano... on a real lake in the mountains.
    Unfortunately, today was a balmy 11 degrees! You can't skate in a Slushee. Thankfully there were other fun things to do and a cold front is around the corner for skiing (fingers crossed).Leggi altro

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  • Ice Ice Disney
    Homework! We'll stay in a 3* hotel on nights 1 and 5 and three different mountain lodges in between.
    Our first time up the mountain. Not sure what to expect.2Teenage daughter basking in ski chic aura of her father.1There's always one overcompetitive person in the group1Alta Badia! We finally made it after 18 months of planning.The sledging track. We'll have to provide some go pro clips later.Laying down the race rules2My jokes usually make them smile for the camera. Losing my touch.The only morsel we had to eat between an early sandwich and dinner at 7. Best chocolate ever.2We wouldn't starve: Dessert buffet!!! If this is 3*...

    Aussie Sledging

    6 gennaio 2023, Italia ⋅ 🌙 -1 °C

    Snow at last! Even better we have entered a "bubble" under the care of Manuela: travel agent, resort owner and wife of a previous Italian national 4 course ski champion. We were provided with coffee, instructions, sleds and a bag of sandwiches and off we went. We imagined that the 15 minute 3km sledging run would be a nice warm up for skiing tomorrow. It was more like Mario Kart! High speed, tight corners, poorly manoeuvrable sleds and inexperienced drivers! Luckily our injuries were all minor so tomorrow the serious stuff beginsLeggi altro

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  • Ice Ice Disney
    The Dolomites are spectacular. No run shots today.. In survival mode!
    1How to tell if Germans frequent your mountain top diner1Relieved and exhilarated... Probably more relieved.Our mountain lodging.. l had rustic log cabins in mind but these were fancy inside with amazing food1Outdoor sauna... or iPhoneSunset from the lodge. Luca was offended if we compared the Dolomites to the Alps. No comparison!1Very cosy in the family room!

    Ski Safari Day 1

    7 gennaio 2023, Italia ⋅ ⛅ 0 °C

    This was the whole reason for coming to Italy, but we (the adults) were full of nerves. The concept is to do the Dolomites with a guide who would take us from mountain hut to mountain hut a bit like the Milson Sounds walk in NZ. The unknowns: how far were we expected to ski? What sort of slopes are they? Could we remember how to ski since pre-covid? What happens if we don't make it by sundown????
    The end result after day 1:
    A looong way >50km. I put Strava on after lunch and it was 45km by dinner.
    Mostly red and some black
    I think our guide was a bit worried when he first saw us, but muscle memory kicked in after a couple of runs so he didn't cancel our dinner reservation. (He did suggest we hold off the off piste until later in the week!)    Leggi altro

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  • Ice Ice Disney
    Wake up, boots on, ski!
    A small bite for lunchSnow chumpsDay 2 muscle fatigue. Come on quads!Transport to our new Mountain LodgeChains don't cut it up hereHot tub! Complete with a series of buttons that would not look out of place in JapanOnsite bakery plus separate kitchen. They put on an amazing degustation. Lucky food was prepaid!1Their own speck and cheese larder1Wine cellar one of four. All two stories underground.

    Ski Safari Day 2

    8 gennaio 2023, Italia ⋅ ☁️ -4 °C

    Our step learning curve continued today. It seems like two steps forward, one step back - especially when the visibility dropped off in the afternoon. At least the afternoon gloominess brought fresh snow so tomorrow morning should be nice. Our lodgings went up a notch too. It doubles as a restaurant. People hire snowmobile taxis to get here for a meal!Leggi altro

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  • Ice Ice Disney
    1A decent dump of snow overnight
    And blue skies to boot!A short ride in the mega skidooAnd back up the slopes to follow LucaRunning repairsBetter than a drive thru Macca'sDorm style. Kids were happy.. Bunk beds with charging points!1Someone's going to sleep well tonightCommunal but clean facilities1Santa has already been and I don't think he'd want to go near these stockings anyway

    Ski Safari Day 3

    9 gennaio 2023, Italia ⋅ 🌧 0 °C

    There was plenty of powder today but also pretty bumpy runs. Our accommodation was a step down to a dorm style set up with shared toilet and shower etc. Outside, however was the "set" of For Your Eyes Only which l will now have to watch again.Leggi altro

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  • Ice Ice Disney
    The Dolomites put on a show today
    But that didn't stop the walking wounded from having their own funThe highest Rifugio in the Dolomites. The walk up icy stairs in high winds was tough.We met some ice climbing buddies of Luca. Nuthin' we can't do ; )The best way to tackle a long, flat traverse... Get a horse to pull you! This was great fun.We didn't realise how good the views were back at our base hotelBut they weren't bad up here eitherJust part of the long, long run through the valley back to La Villa.Four days of follow the leader! Tomorrow we'll get silly when we are left to our own devices.

    Ski Safari Day 4

    10 gennaio 2023, Italia ⋅ ⛅ -8 °C

    Today we completed the big loop around the Dolomites and returned to Alta Badia. A bit more detail: "The Lagazuoi circuit leads across canyons for 7.8km along the Armentarola slope". It was also our last day with Luca. The wind was high today, but the sun was bright and the runs were all smooth powder. It was just the three boys for the afternoon and a busy afternoon it was. There was a lot of backcountry stuff and amazing long runs as we made our way back to La Villa.Leggi altro

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  • Ice Ice Disney
    2Bedroom window view. A magical day for our last day on the slopes
    1Elliot was the family slalom champion. I had to settle for sledging champion.The ski path off run 17 and across the bridge to within 50m of our hotel.Hotel Rezia. 3 star but great location, food and staffChoice of cologne in the men's room!Undoing all the good workManuela and happy family : )

    Freestyling

    11 gennaio 2023, Italia ⋅ ☁️ 1 °C

    A final day on the slopes... We were back at base today so skiing was optional. It was now survival of the fittest: Elliot, Lara and yours truly.
    At the peak of our powers before we forget half of everything that we've learnt we took on the fun parks, the timed slalom runs and let our hair down. This is the first time that I've skiied for five days straight. After a couple of weeks of touring and eating in Italy it feels good to get the fitness level back up a bit!
    We covered 28-55km/day on the slopes although day 1 was probably more with all the zig zagging at that stage!

    Manuela turned up to farewell us before dinner which was a nice touch. Overall impression: best skiing experience I've had by a long way. For more serious skiers than us, this would also be the best way to get into the movie level off piste stuff with the best teachers in the world... and the best surroundings too!    Leggi altro

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  • Ice Ice Disney
    We beat jetlag and some slow Americans to start off with a rope drop win
    1Outside a new attraction for us: Mickey's Runaway Railroad - 4 stars!The very popular Slinky Dog Dash: great theming and a fun ride but not one for thrillseekersMy pancreas was sending me alarm signals. Luckily there's safety in numbersToy Story Mania. No trip is complete without doing it at least twice. Elliot was the boss.1Fifties Prime Time Diner: old school food and a "Karen" as a waitress. Great funThe roast and meatloaf were the best. Servings were: half a chicken anyone?PBJ shake so thick that the straw just sits thereThe perfect option after a giant meal: Alien spin!The most treasured blanket we now own as the temperature dropped for Fantasmic

    Park hopper plus PLUS

    14 gennaio 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    We had in our minds a leisurely few days of strolling around the parks, but a few things happened:
    1. FOMO: that ugly beast again
    2. Genie plus: another ugly beast. We don't like the concept of paying for fast passes beforehand, but also didn't want to spend all our time in lines. The problem is that it works and once you pay for it you don't want to waste it
    3. No dining plan available at the moment and "bots" taking over the dining bookings: we had less TS meals
    4. Less available time because we were booked into the Halcyon
    End result: 3 very, very busy days (hence no penguin for a bit) that were a complete whirlwind. They were, however, lots of fun and made even more fun because we got to share all the new rides, snacks, shows etc with the Berlee clan. Thanks Berlees!
    This is our first full day: Hollywood Studios    Leggi altro

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  • Ice Ice Disney
    Coffee: check. Key to the world card: check. Pro tip: ignore staff advice. Just walk from Poly - TTC
    Our other home in the distance: Grand FloridianThe Epcot ball!Rope drop plan B. Admit it Berlee boys, you loved it. We heard you singing ; )Le Crepes... Not bad! The fixed lunch menu is more than enough for 2 people.Ratatouille Adventure: I'm still stressed about that champagne cork! No spoilers!!!Gaston's Tavern. Alex seems to have gotten too close to the head shrinkers from the Jungle CruiseOne day we'll figure out how to control these things1The new star attraction: GOTG Cosmic Rewind. Ryan scored group 45 on the virtual queue. Great rideOff you go kids. Parents need time to wind down and wander through the shops

    Epcot and Magic Kingdom

    15 gennaio 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 7 °C

    This was our big day! All the big ticket items across the two parks with the exception of 7DMT. First stop: Test track - "sorry folks it's down"! Quick to Frozen Ever After! Heather's step counter kept prompting her to admit that she was taking part in some sort of event: no, just Disney.Leggi altro

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  • Ice Ice Disney
    The wilderness must be explored!
    Satu'li: a must do on every tripNightshade blossom: pretty, but a bit too sweet for usExpedition Everest: waiting for the Yeti!Some of us take the T Rex pose more seriously than others1First appearance of our home made t shirts. Anybody speak Aurebesh?A relaxing free hours until I dropped my card in the pool somewhereOf course you can have a giant weighted Stitch.Ok this was Magic kingdom, but I couldn't leave it outElliot is a dentist's dream

    Perfect Disney Day

    16 gennaio 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 3 °C

    Having hit the must dos it was now time to slow the pace... "just after this next genie plus hit, I promise!" Today we went to my favourite park, Animal Kingdom, and after the big three ticket items we did indeed turn it into a lovely, leisurely day. We had lunch at my favourite Disney eatery, Satu'li Canteen, then headed back to the Poly for a long siesta. I stacked a few Epcot Genie items from the hot tub then, at sunset, we jumped back on the monorail for our last park evening with the Berlees. Dinner was a snack "around the International Showcase" affair before we settled in for Harmonious and a bit of shopping. Lastly, we scored one last Cosmic Rewind spot for good measure so we went out with a bang.Leggi altro

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  • Ice Ice Disney
    1Looks like we both saw it
    Not strong enough with the force yet - hands still requiredCheating at sabaac was ill-advised1My request for a dance-off being rejected1There seems to be a lot of hate in this oneTouching base with our domestic robot assistant1Boarding the Falcon1More civilised space attire for dinnerThe food was amazing. Not a burger in sight.Space beverage

    Galactic Starcruiser

    17 gennaio 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Galactic Starcruiser was better than expected... And my expectations were very high. The theming and the food were excellent, but the whole vibe created by the staff was fantastic. It wasn't a show or anything like that. The whole thing was like one long RPG where various cast members would come and find you and give you specific tasks. The choices that you make and the allegiances that you declare determine your future experiences and outcomes. It was super fun.Leggi altro

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  • Ice Ice Disney
    Goodbye Halcyon!
    Hello Riviera - pretty, but a bit out of the wayThey could've made more use of Ratatouille given the French Riviera themingDisney's Skyline: a nice way to see some resorts and parks from up high, but not super efficientGetting maximum use from the Park hopper Plus tickets1Nice form but not good enough to beat meThe best funnel cake in the parks. Fresh and super generous servings.The evening entertainment

    Heatwave

    19 gennaio 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    Today we checked out of the Starcruiser. It was 28 degrees so there was only one logical option: Blizzard Beach! We were given the VIP treatment coming off the Starcruiser so were allowed to check in at 10am. This gave us time to explore the new cable car system attached to Disney's Riviera before ditching our luggage. A lazy day on the waterslides and mini-golfing was a great end to a short, but super-satisfying WDW trip.Leggi altro

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  • Ice Ice Disney
    Lara has been promoted to chief navigator. We make a good team.
    A bit of outlet shopping en route. We didn't go too crazy..yet!Hilton Embassy Suites. Looks pretty in the right light, but it's heyday was circa 1985.

    California Drivin'

    20 gennaio 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    We flew from MCO to LAX today. The new Clear Reserve system worked really well to get us through a disorganised airport full of people who know their rights and live to express them. We hired a car from an ultra budget mob called Fox, but so far they've been great to deal with. With 3 nights before our flight home we decided to try something different and head to Palm Desert as a base to explore the Joshua Tree National Park.Leggi altro

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  • Ice Ice Disney
    The Bump n Grind Trail. This is the Grind.
    This is the bump.Life's sweet when you're not the one with cactus needles in your backsideSome of the locals travel in style on and off the golf coursePioneer town. All free, but a little oddNot ones to stay on the path. A small taste of things to comeSkull Rock. The destination of many an Instagrammer.Lara managed to score her favourite avocado topping. She's been addicted since Mike's weddingKitchen in the Desert. If you're in the area book ahead

    Bump n Grind

    21 gennaio 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 8 °C

    Today we decided to tackle the Bump n Grind hiking trail in Palm Desert. We did more bumping than grinding and soon came to the group conclusion that the view at the top was not going to be worth the steep 4 mile climb. We were expecting cold desert temperatures and dressed accordingly. Unfortunately it was hot so we quit while we were behind. We went to Petco to overspend on the dog and then continued with our main plan for the day... Onwards to Joshua Tree National Park with a stopover at Pioneer Town. The park is better than the Town! The highlight, however, was dinner at a place called Kitchen in the Desert. It is an outdoor restaurant with a great setting, funky music, amazing cocktails good food and good value.Leggi altro

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  • Ice Ice Disney
    A 10 minute walk from the vehicles with our gear
    Wouldn't be Joshua Tree National Park without a few of theseJonah was the first to master the practice boulderI took a little longerHeight isn't an issue, but it takes strong fingers and toes.. And a lot of willpower.Scrambling was not for the claustrophobicOr the obese!1Did I mention not for the claustrophobic? This pass is called "the coffin"Safely out the other side1Chasm of Doom... Conquered!

    Bouldering

    22 gennaio 2023, Stati Uniti ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    Our last full day of the trip and we went out with a bang. We went on a guided bouldering adventure back in Joshua Tree National Park. It was near zero cold initially but warmed up so we went from down jackets to long sleeve T shirts. Bouldering was very physical but lots of fun. We all overcame a few hurdles, copped a few scratches and left feeling strangely proud of ourselves. We finished by "scrambling" through the Chasm of Doom!Leggi altro

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  • Ice Ice Disney
    A sandstorm whipped up as we left complete with tumbleweed and bales of hay scattered on the freeway
    Last minute outlet shopping. For once we didn't buy anything for the dog. Close call tho.Dropped the boys off at the Amex lounge..1Then went to the Qantas Lounge because they have Oreos. Sorry boys!Home Sweet Home!

    Any cricket left?

    23 gennaio 2023, Australia ⋅ 🌙 12 °C

    Well, we're back. It's always mixed emotions to be back home.. lots of cobwebs (both literal and metaphorical) will need to be brushed off, the dog will need to be collected (thanks Hugo!) and timetables synchronised. Lots to be thankful for regarding this trip...It was one of the better ones. Hope to see you all soon.Leggi altro

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    Fine del viaggio
    22 gennaio 2023