Reset search
435 World Tour
  • Paisleys Abroad
  • Paisleys Abroad

435 World Tour

Exploring Europe and Asia, one family squabble at a time... Read more
+11
FollowInsightsInsightsCalendarCalendarPhotosPhotosShareShareBucket list
Newest first
  • Trip start
    August 29, 2018
    Paisleys Abroad435 World TourTraveler
    2

    Heading out

    August 29, 2018 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Off we go, ukulele and all...

  • Paisleys Abroad435 World TourTraveler

    Ground zero - Reykjavík

    August 30, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    Playing morning euchre at the funky Oddsson Hostel while Geoff braves the rain and city bus to get the keys to our AirBnB. Four hours in Iceland and we are already down 28 degrees, 6 hours of sleep, and $200 for breakfast and bus in from the airport! On the upside, the $8 coffee is great and bottomless, the hot chocolate comes in white, milk, or dark, the people are friendly and the wifi is free :).Read more

  • Paisleys Abroad435 World TourTraveler

    End of a long day in Reykjavik

    August 30, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ 🌧 9 °C

    First day we are quite jet lagged. We came in to Iceland at 6:20am Iceland time (2:20am Ontario time)! We went to an amazing pool today with 8 hot tubs with all different temperatures, and 2 pool’s. It’s 7pm and were off to bed.

    Talk to you later, Malcolm    Read more

  • Paisleys Abroad435 World TourTraveler
    Learning kitchen for the elementary students.

    West End Elementary School

    August 31, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    Malcolm, Dale and Geoff visited an elementary school near our apartment this morning. We saw several classrooms and met some of the children. We learned that they have a long summer break but only short holidays at Easter and at Christmas, their school day is also shorter than ours. They do many of the same sports and activities that we do including soccer, swimming and dance. The children speak Icelandic but they begin to learn English in grade 3 and begin leaning Danish in grade 7. We were surprised to learn that their curriculum includes classes in cooking, woodshop, sewing, and swimming (at a local pool). The roof of their school has a greenhouse for the students to grow plants in the warmer months.Read more

  • Paisleys Abroad435 World TourTraveler
    1Brrrrrrrrr

    Thoughts on Reykjavik

    September 2, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ 🌧 9 °C

    I love Reykjavik . I would stay here for the whole year if I could. Well, maybe not because the other places sound good too. The funny thing about the weather here is that one second it’s beautiful and sunny, and then you blink, and it’s raining. Today it feels so hot out, even though it’s only 10 degrees Celsius, just because it’s been so cold out the other days. My favourite Icelandic sentence so far is ‘ég tala ekki íslensku’ which means ‘I don’t speak Icelandic’. I wish we could stay here longer. 😥 🇮🇸🇮🇸🇮🇸
    - Chloë    Read more

  • Paisleys Abroad435 World TourTraveler
    Blue whale's penis

    Last days in Reykjavik

    September 2, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ 🌧 10 °C

    We are finishing up in Reykjavik today. Yesterday we all went to a very large pool with a “hot tub” that was 5 degrees C! There was a huge water slide that took 10 seconds just to get to the bottom. On Friday we went to a Phallalogical museum (penis museum) and (unfortunately) learnt a lot about the subject. Malcolm and Geoff are picking up the camper van that we will be using for our last five days in Iceland. Talk to you later, MalcolmRead more

  • Paisleys Abroad435 World TourTraveler

    The hike before dinner...

    September 3, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ ☀️ 6 °C

    In the Vik campground Dale and Geoff went on a rainy hike before dinner. Behind our campground we climbed a small waterfall that led into a canyon. Along the way we saw a dead bird with white and grey feathers and a hooked beak. Near the end of the canyon we had to whack through a lot of bushes to get to the top of the cliffs. We walked through the bushes and we scared many birds that were hiding. We found an easy way down that led to some black sand! And then we saw Malcolm. He had come to find us to tell us our dinner was getting cold.Read more

  • Paisleys Abroad435 World TourTraveler
    Seljalandsfoss
    1Behind SeljalandsfossSkogarfossSvartifoss - rock formations look like church organ!PjofafossMore foss...And more foss...And more foss...

    Foss, foss everywhere!

    September 3, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    South Iceland is rife with waterfalls (foss). There are the famous ones, and then just miscellaneous foss spilling out of all corners of the beautiful green hills that seem to rise straight up from the flat miles of volcanic rock. Little villages and farms are not generally along the main road - instead you can find them under a foss. Here are just a few examples...Read more

  • Paisleys Abroad435 World TourTraveler

    Beautiful Iceland

    September 4, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    Yesterday, we went to Geysir, and Me and Dad climbed a mountain to see the geysers better. Then, everyone went to a waterfall (Seljalandsfoss) and we walked behind it, and got sprayed. After that, we went to another waterfall, (Skogafoss), but only Malcolm, Lara and Geoff went to see it, because me and Dale were too tired. Then we drove to Vik, and stayed at a campground there. Today we are going to a glacier, and on Thursday we are going to go horseback riding. Apparently, Icelandic horses have a different gait than all other horses in the world. Who knew? 🐴🐎 ❄️ 🚐 🧤🧣🇮🇸🇮🇸🇮🇸
    -Chloë    Read more

  • Paisleys Abroad435 World TourTraveler

    On the move...

    September 5, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C

    Hey everyone. Tough to get electricity and wifi required to blog. We’ll be backdating a bunch of stuff in the next day or so! In the meantime...

  • Paisleys Abroad435 World TourTraveler
    1

    Beautiful Iceland

    September 5, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ 🌙 11 °C

    The past few days have been kind of a blur. We saw a ton of waterfalls (almost too many for me), the geysers in ‘Geysir’, we walked to a glacier, and we also saw a glacier lagoon with a lot of seals. When we are driving in the camper van, everywhere you look, there are always either sheep, birds, cows or horses. Today we went to a black sand beach, and we saw an injured puffin, 🐧😥 and some lady tried to help it by throwing it into the ocean. Like that helped. I named the puffin ‘Popcorn’ even though I think it is probably dead now. 😭😭😭Tomorrow we are going horseback riding, and I can’t wait.
    -Chloë    Read more

  • Paisleys Abroad435 World TourTraveler

    Puffins

    September 6, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    By Chloë
    In memory of ‘Popcorn the Puffin’ of Vik beach

  • Paisleys Abroad435 World TourTraveler

    Icelandic Horses

    September 6, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ 🌬 11 °C

    We went riding on Icelandic horses with guides Lotte and Julie. My horse’s name was Baeasee (sp?). Chloe’s horse was named Ventu, Malcolm’s was Nailah, dad’s was named Oamure, mom’s was a really hard name. It was fun and cold. Two funny things: our horses kept wanting to stop and eat grass, and Lotte’s horse somehow knew when it was time to go back to the farm. We saw a lot of sheepies, small horses, and a sheep skeleton. A dog came to greet us at the end. My horse had to be held by Lotte because I was too little to go on my own. Next time I want to go by myself.
    - Dale    Read more

  • Paisleys Abroad435 World TourTraveler

    Living 5 in a campervan...

    September 7, 2018 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    For those thinking of exploring Iceland by campervan... it was a great way to get around for 5 of us, at least to all the easily accessible sites - would not be flexible enough for more adventurous families. Tight sleeping quarters, esp if there are claustrophobes, but we managed. Lara hit her head constantly, and Dale fell off the top twice (not at night). Not cheap, but cheaper than many other options - better than a tent for the rain and WIND that we enjoyed!Read more

  • Paisleys Abroad435 World TourTraveler
    View from outside the flat12

    Paris

    September 10, 2018 in France ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Today we climbed the Eiffel Tower. Only me and Dad went to the very top, and everyone else just went to the second floor. Paris is really busy, but it is also very beautiful. I think this is the loudest city I’ve ever been to. The second picture is the view from right outside our apartment. And the last one is Gus enjoying the Eiffel Tower.
    I’ve decided to try to collect a pair of socks from most of the countries we visit. (See below, and ‘Beautiful Iceland’)
    Chloë    Read more

  • Paisleys Abroad435 World TourTraveler
    Notre Dame Strasbourg
    Pont couvertParc de l'OrangerieSteve, Anastasia, David, Lara, Malcolm, Dale (missing Chloë, Cassandra, Mariska, Geoff)

    Strasbourg

    September 12, 2018 in France ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    It’s probably not on your list of places to visit in Europe, or even France, but it has been an absolute pleasure. We came to visit friends Cassandra and Steve and their family, and discovered why they left their home in Ottawa several years ago and have no plans to return any time soon. I would be happy hiking a mountain or getting lost in a national park somewhere so I was caught off guard by how attractive this city is. 250k pop, sight of European Parliament, European Court of Human Rights, minutes from the German border and the Black Forest. In the Petit France section of town, I loved taking random turns down tiny alleyways and hopping across the many bridges that span the river. The jewel of the city for me is the Parc de l’Orangerie were we picnicked on our last night. We hope to see Cassandra and Steve’s family again upon our return to Europe in Late April.
    - Geoff    Read more

  • Paisleys Abroad435 World TourTraveler
    Lunch in front of the Tour Eiffel
    Breakfast with Notre Dame pigeonsDinner in Parc Orangerie in Strasbourg

    Everything x5 haiku

    September 12, 2018 in France ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Prendre un café
    En France, en famille...
    Au moins 20 euros!

    Alors, les Paisleys mangent en plain air grâce aux supermarchés...

    See translation
  • Paisleys Abroad435 World TourTraveler

    A Merry Widow moment in Strasbourg

    September 13, 2018 in France ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Just a quick addition to our Strasbourg story, especially for Lara’s parents... walking by the Strasbourg Cathedral while the violinist outside plays “Vilja”. I tell Cassandra that I used to listen to that as a child, and she reminds me “who do you think you’re talking to - of course I remember this from your family!” Anyway, here is a little bit - and yes, we compensated the artist...Read more

  • Paisleys Abroad435 World TourTraveler
    A delicious picnic prepared by Clara for our arrival
    Remains of the Cluny Abbey, formerly a Benedictine monastery, 910 AD. Destroyed after the RevolutionWe stayed in this wonderful house in CormatinClara, Yohann, and Alyosha in the beautiful yurt that Yohann built!The ceiling of the yurt

    Cormatin and Cluny

    September 14, 2018 in France ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Once again we were treated to a warm welcome, this time in Cormatin, about 15k south of Cluny. Our friends Yohann and Clara (who we met three summers ago on their world cycle tour) greeted us with a wonderful surprise! Two had become three with the arrival of their beautiful son Alyosha. For three days we lived in a lovely little house and experienced small town and rural France at its absolute best. A highlight was a gathering of their friends in a pasture with a campfire and food to share. Celeste, an accomplished horse trainer, treated us all to a demonstration of her skills with her three horses. I wish we had pictures or video of this spectacle, but we were all too mesmerized to consider capturing the moment.Read more

  • Paisleys Abroad435 World TourTraveler
    The chateau

    Cormatin

    September 14, 2018 in France ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Today we went to a castle called Chateau Cormatin. Beside the castle there was a large maze and the Paisleys had a lot of fun running around in it. In the center of the maze there is a tower and you can see how lost everyone is. At the end we played hide and seek and when it was time to go, we found Chloe in a small corner of the maze. Here are a few pics of the maze.Read more

  • Paisleys Abroad435 World TourTraveler
    1
    2

    Acrobranch in Cormatin, France

    September 15, 2018 in France ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Today we went to an aerial park and went flying through the trees on zip lines and climbing through large tunnels. Geoff Chloë and our friend Yohann (Who also went around the world on his bike with his partner Clara) went on the adult course and Malcolm Dale and Lara went on the kids course. There were 5 levels of courses, yellow (test), green (easy), blue(medium), red(hard) and black(extreme)! Yohann Geoff and Chloë did part of the adult black and Chloë also did the kids black! Malcolm did the kids black 3 times! Talk to you soon,
    Cheers Malcolm    Read more

  • Paisleys Abroad435 World TourTraveler

    Animals...

    September 16, 2018 in France ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    Hi. It’s Dale and Mama. We are writing about some of the animals we’ve seen in France. In Paris, we saw a lot of pigeons. If a random lady puts food on your head near Notre Dame cathedral, you will have a pigeon chapeau! In Strasbourg, we went to Parc de l’Orangerie where there was a little zoo. We saw flamingos, spider monkeys, parrots, wallabies, and white Alsatian storks (les cigognes) with really big nests that are native to Strasbourg. In Cormatin, which is a little village near Cluny where we stayed for 3 days, we saw lots of cute cats and kittens, and we saw three beautiful horses playing and jumping with each other and with their owner, Celeste. It was really neat to watch and I got to ride Assia, the white one, with no saddle! Finally, I met Java the sheep dog, and his sheep friends at the Acro-Bath, where we went climbing in the trees. Java had one white and blue eye, and the other was brown and black! That’s all for now. Bye!Read more

  • Paisleys Abroad435 World TourTraveler

    The dreaded day has finally arrived...

    September 19, 2018 in France ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    ... now settled in Montpellier, the Paisley children have started school! Geoff does an hour of math in the morning with each of them, while I work on French with the others (mostly verbs right now because I feel on more solid ground...) Given that I am not a native speaker, I sometimes have to turn to other tools to help! Geoff is keen to improve his french as well, so the plan is to skip math one or two mornings a week, and do a family immersion activity out in the city... I feel these should involve food! We take the afternoons off to explore, and tomorrow is our “Saturday” so we are heading to the ocean on our newly rented bikes for the day!Read more

  • Paisleys Abroad435 World TourTraveler

    Lake Cécélés

    September 22, 2018 in France ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Today we went to a tiny lake about a 45 minute car ride away from our apartment with friends Bea, Thierry, Hector and Gaspar. At the lake Hector and Gaspar (ages 13 and 11) set up a rope swing off one of the trees leaning over the water to swing off. The water was a blue green colour, and it was really nice to swim in on such a hot day. There was almost no other people there! Me and Dad swam across the lake, and later Malcolm did too. After the lake Geoff and Thierry biked home, what the the rest of us went out for drinks, and then we all went out for pizza. We ended up starting dinner at 10:00pm. It was really fun.
    -Chloë    Read more

  • 2026© FindPenguins
  • Home
  • About us
  • Group Tracking
  • Press
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy & Cookies
  • Help Center
  • Legal notice