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Japan, UK & Europe 2026
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Japan, UK & Europe 2026

A 90-day adventure by The Shifting Spanners Read more
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    🇩🇪 Bretten, Germany
    The Shifting SpannersJapan, UK & Europe 2026The Shifting Spanners
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    Black Forest

    Yesterday in Germany ⋅ 🌧 19 °C

    Largely a travel day today as we drove from Switzerland, briefly into France and finished in Germany.

    Stopped in at Lake Titisee in the Black Forest region for a quick photo opportunity and lucky enough to find a bratwurst sausage...yummo.

    Lunch stop was Triberg, Germany, home of the worlds largest cuckoo clock. I also highly rate their pork knuckle which Marg and I demolished at a very nice German pub.

    Spent the night at Bretten for a penultimate group dinner. Hard to believe we arrive back at Amsterdam tomorrow.    Read more

  • The Shifting SpannersJapan, UK & Europe 2026The Shifting Spanners
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    Swiss Alps

    September 14 in Switzerland ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Well the Swiss Alps was always going to be a highlight on this tour, and it delivered in spades!

    Our lunch stop was in Lucerne...a beautiful city on the banks of Lake Lucerne. Here, the Chapel Bridge spans the river Reuss and is the oldest truss bridge in the world.

    Our lodgings for two nights was a quaint hotel in the small village of Wilderswil at the foot of the Swiss Alps and a short distance to our major day trip to Jungfraujoch. We travelled via coach, cable car, and train to the "Top of Europe" and what an experience! Snow and ice greeted us at the top of the mountain as we made our way through the various facilities including the Ice Palace, Sphinx viewing platform and out onto the snow at the very top of the mountain. At 3500 metres above sea level, the oxygen is a bit thin and several people felt tired and nauseous from the extreme altitude. We knew that this might be an issue, so we had some chocolate and water with us, which seemed to help.

    The train station at Jungfraujoch is the highest in Europe and was a brilliant trip through several tunnels and mountain tops...amazing views!

    We will definately have to return and spend more time at this part of the world.    Read more

  • The Shifting SpannersJapan, UK & Europe 2026The Shifting Spanners
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    Venice

    September 12 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Wow, Wow, Wow!!!

    We stopped at the beautiful Tuscan city of Siena on our way to Venice. Siena hosts the crazy, crazy horse race Palio di Siena twice each year. The town goes bonkers for this race and the place is booked out years ahead. Had a beaut Pici al Ragu for lunch in Siena as recommended by Sam a tour guide....bloody beautiful!

    Stayed just over the bridge from Venice in Mestre for 2 days. 30 minute tram ride into Venice, and it's a different world. We had pre-booked a Gondola ride and it was so good...another one of those pinch me moments.

    We chose to wander around Venice and see what we stumbled upon. We're returning to Venice for 4 nights after the tour, so will see Murano and Burano then. Found a little bar in the evening and settled in for spritzes, wine and cicchetti...bellissima!

    We met up with Georgia's best friend Emma and her husband Jayden who coincidentally were in Venice at the same time...very nice to catch up with them.    Read more

  • The Shifting SpannersJapan, UK & Europe 2026The Shifting Spanners

    Rome

    September 10 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Bella Roma!

    Our second time in beautiful Roma. This time we decided to do our own thing as we have visited all the usual sites previously.

    Sam gave us some recommendations around the Jewish Ghetto which proved to be spot on. We stumbled across some beautiful ruins, the highlight being Portico of Octavia, and settled in for a lingering lunch at a beaut bistro.

    Ventured back to our hotel by 3pm and caught up on some sleep before the second leg of our tour tomorrow.    Read more

  • The Shifting SpannersJapan, UK & Europe 2026The Shifting Spanners

    Florence

    September 9 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    Wow! We had a great day today as we drove through what seemed like 100 tunnels into Italia. Had a couple of hours in Pisa to check out the leaning tower and wander through the market stalls and restaurants. The street hawkers were very aggressive here trying to sell their wares.

    We had some thunder storms and rain as we drove in to Florence, but thankfully it cleared as we arrived. A beautiful Tuscan city is Florence...we had a guided walking tour with Sam around the hot spots, before our optional dinner which was beautiful. Florentine steak was the star of the dinner, but was preceded by 3 courses including bruschetta, risotto, and carbonara and followed by tiramisu and sweet wine. Absolutely beautiful!    Read more

  • The Shifting SpannersJapan, UK & Europe 2026The Shifting Spanners

    French Riviera

    September 8 in France ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    A beautiful driving day today as we made our way from Avignon into the French Riviera cities of Monaco and Nice.

    Monaco was all we imagined. Thankfully crowds weren't bad at all, but in summer it can be packed.

    Next stop was Fragonards Perfumery, where we were treated to a tour of the factory, Marg created her own perfume of some sort, and several gift packs made their way onto the bus. Thankfully I made it out unscathed once again haha.

    Onwards to Nice which is a beaut town on the Mediterranean coast. Marvelled at the Promenade where the beaches are filled with large stones instead of sand and you have to pay for the privilege of laying on the beach.

    Had a fantastic seafood spaghetti dinner and a Rose` before hitting the pillow by 10pm.    Read more

  • The Shifting SpannersJapan, UK & Europe 2026The Shifting Spanners

    Avignon

    September 7 in France ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    After leaving Barcelona, we arrived at our lunch stop at Sete, a beaut little village on the Mediterranean coast.

    Next stop was Pont du Gard, an ancient aquaduct built by the Romans in the 1st century AD to carry water over 50km. Amazingly the fall of the aquaduct is only 1cm over 184m. Incredible engineering for the times!

    Stayed 1 night in the beautiful medieval town of Avignon in a great hotel in the middle of town adjacent to the Palais des Papes an ancient palace built for the popes in the 1300's.

    We wandered the streets and found a little bistro where we enjoyed a few local brews, before heading into the town square where we discovered a restaurant serving $6 mojitos. Needless to say, we took advantage of the happy hour pricing, and enjoyed a nice sirloin steak, and pasta.    Read more

  • The Shifting SpannersJapan, UK & Europe 2026The Shifting Spanners
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    Barcelona

    September 5 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Viva Barcelona!

    The drive from Toulouse to Barcelona was beautiful. Stopped at a beaut little village...Canillo, before heading up and over the Pyrenees mountains through Andorra. Wandered through the shopping district of Andorra which is popular due to very favourable tax rates. Fortunately, I managed to came away unscathed haha.

    Had a great couple of days in Barcelona. The main item of significance was of course the Segrada Familia...Gaudi's greatest creation.

    We embarked on a guided tour of Barcelona which was led by a local Spaniard who was extremely passionate about his city. Highlights included Segrada Familia, Barcelona Old Town and Palau Guell...an original palace built by Gaudi the famous architect.    Read more

  • The Shifting SpannersJapan, UK & Europe 2026The Shifting Spanners
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    Toulouse

    September 4 in France ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    A huge 15 hour day today. Started earlier than usual at 7 am on the bus, and eventually back at the hotel at 10 pm. Everyone is very tired.

    Stopped at a winery at Cahors and tasted some nice wines.

    On our arrival into Toulouse, we embarked on a walking tour for an hour, then finished with a nice dinner in town. Another unexpected 30 minute walk back to the hotel saw everyone very weary at 10 pm.    Read more

  • The Shifting SpannersJapan, UK & Europe 2026The Shifting Spanners
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    Paris

    September 2 in France ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    We loved La Ville Lumière!
    Spent 2 days exploring as much of Paris as we possibly could and ticked off many of our bucket list items.

    After ticking off the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Avenue des Champs-Élysées, The Louvre, Notre Dame Cathedral, etc we cruised the River Seine to gain a different perspective of one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

    We ventured on a steep walking tour to Montmartre via the Moulin Rouge, exploring the small alleys to the top of the hill which opened up to a bustling area full of shops, restaurants and street entertainers. The Sacre-Coeur Basilica at the very top was beautiful. Our group had a great dinner at a flash restaurant before heading home...exhausted. No problem getting our steps in here haha.    Read more

  • The Shifting SpannersJapan, UK & Europe 2026The Shifting Spanners

    Amsterdam

    September 1 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    A quick 2.5 hour flight to Amsterdam today. Mostly uneventful until we attempted to travel from Amsterdam airport to the hotel.

    We got stuck at the exit gates at the train station because we hadn't "tapped on" properly at the departing station (airport). After a stressful 45 mins at the gate we eventually were able to purchase tickets online and scan them to get out...very difficult and stressful.

    After escaping the confines of the train station, we had a 700m walk to the hotel...simple we thought. No such luck. The path that Google Maps took us ended up being a dead end due to roadworks, so we had to take a detour which made the trip closer to 1 km. Needless to say we were buggered by the time we arrived at the hotel after dragging the suitcases over some very rough pavements...amazed the suitcase wheels survived the journey!

    Looking forward to our 18 day tour of Europe which starts at the hotel in the morning...    Read more

  • The Shifting SpannersJapan, UK & Europe 2026The Shifting Spanners

    Lisbon

    August 23 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Wow what a beautiful city is Lisbon!
    We had 9 days staying in a great apartment in the old town, just 2 blocks to Praca Do Comercio, the River Tagus and all the glittering lights, restaurants and bistros.

    Loved all the cobblestone streets, the back alleys full of life after dark, the Fado music and of course the food and wine. The local seafood was beautiful as was the copious amount of Sangria and Pastel De Nata we managed to inhale. 😁

    Travelled down to Cascais and marvelled at the beachside wonderland that it is. So many Mercedes, Alfa Romeo's, BMW'S driving around the "Portugese Riviera"

    We will definately return one day to explore Porto and Algarve regions...    Read more

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    London

    August 22 in England ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    The last day!

    We stopped at Cambridge on the way back to London, and after a short orientation tour, we embarked on our included punting on the river Cam. This is a university town and the magnificent colleges line the banks of the river. A beautiful place.

    Had another 2 hours to explore High Street and the markets before having a pint at a pub by the river.

    We've really had a great couple of weeks on this tour and look forward now to Lisbon, Portugal tomorrow. I must admit it will be good not having to pack/unpack suitcases for a couple of weeks...    Read more

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    York

    August 21 in England ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    First stop today was Alnwick Castle...where Harry Potter and Downton Abbey were filmed. Did a guided historical tour where we heard about the sometimes grim early history of the region and castle.

    Arrived at our hotel outside York, where we quickly checked in then back on the bus for our tour of York. Brando took us for a walk through the town pointing out historical buildings etc before leaving us to our own devices for a couple of hours. We walked though the beautiful alleys and streets before ascending the very narrow steps to the top of the city walls. A very intact city wall here, so we were able to walk around to the front gates before meeting Brando and a few others for a pint at The Fat Badger.    Read more

  • The Shifting SpannersJapan, UK & Europe 2026The Shifting Spanners

    Edinburgh

    August 19 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    We travelled along the huge Loch Lomond as we negotiated the Scottish Highlands, before stopping at a bus rest stop where our tour guide had organised a fellow to play bagpipes exclusively for us. Absolutely beautiful spot and to be greeted with the bagpipes was fantastic!

    We then called in to Loch Ness. Marg & I opted out of the boat ride on the lake and just wandered around the town, had coffee and some fish and chips. No reported sighting of Nessie haha.

    Another couple of stops at the Commandos Memorial and to see some Highland Cows before finally reaching our destination...Edinburgh. A quick tour through town passing some Harry Potter significant landmarks and of course Edinbugh Castle. Included dinner at a pub and checked in to a very nice Novatel for a couple of days.

    We visited Stirling township on our free day in Edinbugh. On the way we called in to The Kelpies statues and climbed the 249 stairs of the William Wallace Monument...a great day.

    On the last night in Edinbugh, we were taken to a quaint little pub in Torphichen where the owners put on a great dinner and show. The best haggis in Scotland!    Read more

  • The Shifting SpannersJapan, UK & Europe 2026The Shifting Spanners

    Highlands

    August 18 in Scotland ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

    Today started with a ferry ride over to Scotland...only about 3 hours.
    First stop in Scotland was a beaut little whisky distillery...Jackton Distillery. After a talk and demonstration and few included tipples we set off for our hotel at Arrochar set on the banks of Loch Long and just up the road from Loch Lomond. We had a beaut room overlooking the lake (loch).
    Tried my first haggis and they were beautiful...although I suspect them being crumbed and covered in a peppercorn sauce might have influenced the taste haha.    Read more

  • The Shifting SpannersJapan, UK & Europe 2026The Shifting Spanners

    Belfast

    August 17 in Northern Ireland ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    Today started with a visit to Derry Londonderry. Derry has a great city wall complete with cannons, bastions etc that we walked around.

    Next stop was Giants Causeway. A famous rock formation of much legend.

    Arrived at Belfast and were treated to a bus tour of the city...amazed by the huge walls and gates which are closed at night so that the Catholics and Protestants don't riot.

    Had a great dinner and a few of us visited the beautiful Crown bar (where the royals go for a drink when in Belfast).

    Really enjoyed the Titanic Museum at Belfast the next morning before boarding the ferry bound for Scotland....Haggis for dinner tonight!    Read more

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    County Sligo

    August 16 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    A very big travelling day today...13 hours in total. We didn't arrive in to Sligo until 9.45 pm, so straight to bed it was. A huge hotel here that used to be an asylum, so we were all a little concerned about ghosts haha.

    The weather was a bit drizzly as we arrived at the Cliffs of Moher, so we didn't really see them in all their glory.

    Next stop was Galway. Very nice town. Treated to a "Tales of Galway" show in an very old pub complete with Irish music.    Read more

  • The Shifting SpannersJapan, UK & Europe 2026The Shifting Spanners

    Killarney

    August 14 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Started our day visiting the town of Waterford, (famous for Waterford Crystal) before heading to Blarney Castle. Lined up for 45 minutes, climbing the very narrow stone spiral staircase of the castle and "Kissed the Blarney". The actual Blarney stone is set in the castle wall and is quite low so it means laying on your back, grabbing the hand rails and bending backwards down the opening to kiss the stone. Very cool...

    Stayed two nights at Tralee, which allowed us to complete the Ring of Kerry. This turned out to be a great day and was totally unexpected.
    We started with jaunting (a carriage ride), tried some Irish Coffees at a Bog Village and stopped at a working sheep farm and observed the sheep dogs rounding the sheep.

    Finished the day in the bar watching the All Blacks flog a South African club team with a few folk from the tour.    Read more

  • The Shifting SpannersJapan, UK & Europe 2026The Shifting Spanners

    Dublin

    August 12 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Guinness, Guinness, Guinness.
    Consumed my share (and then some) of Guinness in the two days in Dublin. I reckon it tastes better in Ireland!

    Did the tour of the Guinness Storehouse which culminated in a tipple at the Gravity bar on the seventh floor which offered 360° views of Dublin Town. I must say it was one of those pinch me moments for me...fantastic!

    Really enjoyed our whisky tasting at Pearse Lyons Distillery. Their 7 year old whisky was very smooth.

    Had a great explore around Dublin...which included a traditional lamb stew at a local pub complete with live Irish music.

    The last night saw us at a dinner and show...The Merry Ploughboy Pub. Had a great night with the group...a couple in our group even had an Irish jig on stage with the dancers.    Read more

  • The Shifting SpannersJapan, UK & Europe 2026The Shifting Spanners
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    Liverpool

    August 11 in England ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Had a beaut hot breakfast at our hotel in Cardiff, before hitting the road to Shakespeare's birthplace - Stratford-upon-Avon. What a beautiful town it is. We wandered around the river watching the various boating pursuits, before settling in for a pint at a very olde pub set in the typical Tudor style...very cool.

    Finished up in Beatles territory at Liverpool and went straight through the Beatles museum which was very interesting. A beautiful area around the dockside with food vans, pubs and of course The Beatles statues and memorabilia.    Read more

  • The Shifting SpannersJapan, UK & Europe 2026The Shifting Spanners

    Cardiff

    August 10 in Wales ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    We moved from our AirBnB to a hotel next to our tour pickup point at Greenwich. 3 trains to get here with luggage etc, but no real problems.
    First day of our UK & Ireland tour took us to Stonehenge, Bath then Cardiff. Pretty underwhelmed with Stonehenge, but really enjoyed Bath...a beautiful city. After exploring we found a quaint little town square and enjoyed a busker and a luke warm pint haha.
    A lot of traffic enroute to Cardiff so didn't get in till 18.30...a big first day. Went for an explore before supplied dinner which was great.    Read more

  • The Shifting SpannersJapan, UK & Europe 2026The Shifting Spanners

    London

    August 4 in England ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    We made it! 16 hours from Osaka...thank God it was in business class. I had no feet swelling at all this time as I was able to have them elevated the whole time. We both managed a few hours sleep which makes such a difference. Really enjoyed the business lounges at Osaka and Helsinki too...we could get very used to it.

    Really enjoyed our AirBnB in London. We opted to stay in a traditional terraced home in Earlsfield in a loft room. The owner lived downstairs, but we hardly saw him. Cold breakfast included every day, and we had a washing machine in our room which was handy before we start our 2 week tour of UK and Ireland.

    Quite expensive in the UK when you're only getting 52c to the dollar, but we were able to make our own sandwiches for lunch each day and the local pubs and Thai restaurant weren't too expensive.

    The hop on hop off bus was fantastic, as was the cruise on the Thames. We really ticked off everything we wanted to see very easily.

    Other highlights include:
    Our first West End play...loved Wicked at Apollo Theatre, changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, and Jack the Ripper tour.

    Great weather 17 - 26° most days    Read more

  • The Shifting SpannersJapan, UK & Europe 2026The Shifting Spanners
    Nara Park
    Nara ParkKuromon MarketsKuromon MarketDotonbori CruiseDotonbori cruiseGlico Running ManView from Harukas 300 ObservatoryOsaka CastleOsaka Castle MoatLoving the local brew

    Osaka

    Jul 29–Aug 6 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    A great 5 days in Osaka. Very hot around 37° most days, but we managed to get out and about and see the sights. Train network was great...took a bit of getting used to, but the Japan Transport App made it quite easy. We bought ICOCA cards on arrival which were great.
    Only the first step of our trip but the technology is working well. Japan eSim worked as soon as we landed in Japan, our QR codes that I prearranged on the Visit Japan site got us through customs quickly, WiFi at our AirBnB, downloaded shows on Netflix worked on our tablets, Wise card preloaded with Yen works beautifully, aforementioned Japan Transport App a Godsend, and Google Translater an absolute legend of an App.
    Our AirBnB was fantastic! 200m to Kuromon Markets and Dotonbori a further 10min walk.
    Marg had a fall and hurt her back whilst being harassed by a dozen deer at Nara which slowed her down, but hopefully on the mend.
    Very much looking forward to our Business Class flights (redeemed Frequent Flyer points) to London via Finland and our tour of England Ireland Scotland and Wales.    Read more

  • Trip start
    July 29, 2026