La Cesa, Pergo, Tuscany,Italy 18 - 31 July

Dublin, Ireland 11-14 July

Met Ben at Dublin Airport, I left Mel to look for Ben while I sort out a public phone to ring them...she said...how will I recognise Ben Mum, I can't remember him...easy I said...look for the guy who can't fit under the door frame who looks like Dad, but younger and with more hair. Sure enough as soon as I turned away she yelled...Mum he's here!

That morning Ben and Joyanne took us on a country tour past the location of Ballykiss Angel out to the stunning village of Avoca. This place has a cafe that people flock too...infact they have cloned it elsewhere in the world and produce sort after cook books. There are also the traditional hand weaving looms where mohair is woven into lovely throws, scarves and clothes. We finished the day with a stop at a berry farm and bought a strawberry plant for Ben, punnets of strawberries, raspberries, tayberries and gooseberries...YUMMMMM!!!!

Our time with Ben, Joyanne, Grace (4) James (2) was wonderful. Very lucky to stay with them in inner city Dublin where we could walk into the city centre easily and access the free Dublin Bikes. Had a ton of fun trying to keep up with Ben (just retired professional rugby player) riding around the city. He kept telling us we were too slow!!! Ben showed us lots of sites and I have to agree with travel guru Michael Palin, there is nothing better than having a local to show you around. We saw all the magic places, U2s recording studio, Trinity College, the homes of James Joyce, Oscar Wilde and others, Molly Malone's statue, Guinness factory, churches (or as Ben says ABCs...another bloody church) Georgian architecture, the colourful Dublin doors, Dutch architecture. We did a tour on a 'Viking Bus' which came complete with an Irish Comedian as the driver, who made us roar at people on the streets, especially those on their mobiles, this was a lot of fun!


Had a fantastic view of the city from the Guinness Factory viewing tower, and could see Landsdowne Stadium, home of Ben's rugby. We could also see Croke Park, a stadium the size of the Gabba and home to Irish Football. It was here that we had one of our 'magic moments' in the Great Adventure. As we walked past there one morning, 2 officials got out of the car with the Sam Maguire Cup, the 200 year old solid silver trophy. when Ben recognised it I went up and asked for a photo and they said yes! So that is the cup we are holding in the photo.

On the Tuesday, we had a bus trip out to Naas where Bill Gibosn (Mary Clare's Dad) met us and did a fabulous tour guide trip for us back to 2 Mile House. We stopped in Kildare to see St Brigid's Church. She is Ireland's less known patron St. This church had a fire pit with the eternal flame burning for 200 YEARS until the infamous Henry the XIII had the flame extinguished as part of the Reformation. In the church grounds stands a Round Tower, which the Celts built so many centuries ago to save their precious goods and people from the vikings. It is like a Rapunzel Tower, where a ladder was extended to the ground from up high and would be pulled up to ensure the Celts were safe under Viking attack. Mel and I climbed the tower and I have a new respect for Celts! We also stopped at the Curragh where Bill showed us the army grounds, golf club and local surrounds. I think Bill should be a tour guide, his historical knowledge is second to none!

Our days in Dublin and surrounds were precious. We loved staying with the Irish Gissings and especially love Joyanne's cooking. Ben's tour guiding was pretty amazing for footy player too! Great to have dinner with the Gibsons. Thanks Mary for a lovely dinner and Bill for the tour. Thanks to John, Rob, William, Deidre, Sanjay and the kids for coming to see us.

Just a note for future - I will not do the Guinness Factory before I get on plane again...can not afford to leave passports at Ben and Joyanne's again!!

We must come back and see more of Ireland!

Cookham Dean, Berkshire, England

Staying with friends Vanessa and Andrew and their tribe, Alex (15, my Godson), Harry (13, aka Hazza), Chloe (11), Archie (Wheaten Terrier) and Scruffy (my best mate the guinea pig). Chilled out in the local village for the first few days, with visit to the local pub - the Jolly Farmer, Marlow, Cookham and walks in the woods, commons and along the Thames. So good just to hang with old friends and enjoy the local life.

Our Brisbane friends April and Klem came over to England a few years ago to teach and happen to live nearby in Bourne End, so of course we have enjoyed a couple of drinks together at the pub and having an Aussie BBQ reunion. Weather has been magic, first week was HOT, 31 deg everyday, days long with sunrise about 4am and sunset about 10pm.

I am trying a beer at every place I stop, the Marlow beer was fine for one, but a bit bitter for me.

We had an interlude for 4 days in Dublin (see separate post) and after returned to spend more time at Cookham Dean before our flight out to Rome on Sunday 18th July ast 7am. In the last few days we have been into Marlow and Reading and spent a day in London. We walked the streets of the monopoly board starting at Regent Street where Mel discovered the young persons' fav. clothes shop, Top Shop. Higlight of the day was happening on the Movie Premiere of Karate Kid and got to see Will & Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan. Alex got a hi-five with Will Smith and hasn't washed his hand since! We saw many of the great sites in London from Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus to Soho and the West End. We finished with dinner at Maxwells in Covent Garden. Great day!

Helsinki, Finland 4 - 7 July

Lurve Finland!!!! Arrived 6am (Fin time) y'day after long haul flight from Honkas. Chucked bags into Hotel Katajanokka (Helsinki Prison till 1995) and a fantastic hotel! Had to kill time till room ready at 2pm, so after meeting Andrew and Suzanne from Perth followed them down to harbour (5 mins walk) and ended up jumping on Ferry to Parvoo, oldest Finnish town. Two and a half hours on ferry each way on this beautiful harbour (where's my kayak?!) seeing lands of the Vikings. Parvoo gorgeous, walked up 800 year old cobbled road to church of same age. Once Catholic and now Lutheran I bet this church has seen many an event in 800 years. Parvoo was rebuilt a couple of hundred years ago after a cook caused a fire that burnt down most of the town.  We watched traditional glass making and felt making. Shopped in lovely shops with Finnish goods. Got back to hotel at 7pm and were pretty trashed!!!
On Monday we had a 'washing day. Not prepared to pay 12 Euro to wash one pair of jeans through the hotel laundry, I did the 'bath tub wash'. Then we spent the afternoon on pushbikes touring Helsinki. We threw a softball in the park, had icecream by the beautiful harbour and then happened across a chess park. In this park people (mainly older men) had been meeting for many years to sit and chew the fat and enjoy the long summer afternoons of Helsinki while playing chess on huge outdoor chess boards with 2 ft high pieces. There were 5 large boards and then a sheltered area with 3-4 table sized chess boards. We chatted to the man in charge to ask if we could take a photo and recognising us as friendly Aussies he asked if we would like to have a game, which of course we did. It was just one of those lovelyu travel experiences where you happenchance upon something simple and lovely and get to know the locals just a little better.

On Tuesday we followed Suzanne and Andrew's trail blazing and took the one and a half hour fast boat to Estonia. Wow, what a history! Estonia was establisheed at the end of the last galcial age around 8500BC and has had an important history as port for one of the World's major trading routes.  Estonia has had a chequered history of ownership, most recently as part of the Russian Empire. While it gained independence in 1918 from Russia it was illegally annexed back by Russia and only gained true independence in 1991.

We wre grateful to meet two of the world's most genuine guys,Kimmo and Mike on board the Linda Line over to Tallinn (capital of Estonia). Kimmo and Mike are business men by day and by night DJ 60s-90s canadian music in the night spots of Helsinki.The guys were lots of fun and shared a mass of information with us about the best places to see in Tallinn and also the life in Finland (which we think is pretty magic, except perhaps in winter!). Kimmo and Mike introduced us to one of the world's best chocolate shops in 'new Tallinn'. Then headed us of towards the medieval walled city of Old Tallin which is nestled amoungst the high rises and newer buildings. We were enraptured to walk the old cobbled streets, explore the old taverns with their medieval features in tact and just sit and absorb the sites of this place while having a cool drink and some lovely food. The currency is Kroons and 1 Kroon is about 9 cents Australian. After moving through HK dollars and Euros the conversions were starting to do our heads in, but we got the hang of it.We had a wonderful time in Tallinn and are really grateful to Mike and Kimmo for the tourist advice.



Days are 20 hours of sun long, people so lovely, scenery picturesque!

3 July - Bye Hong Kong

HKG was fun! Once we got over the Hawkers at every @#$! 10 paces (Rel they drove us nuts) 'you want rolex, you buy rolex, why you go? rolex v.cheap...you come back!" Had lovely time on HKG isle going upto Vitoria Peak. Impressed by city infrastructure a one we got out of shopping area the nice locals like Mrs Wong, Traditional Chines Physician who fied Mel's very sore neck and shoulder. We had to seek her out through older porter in the hotel, apparently requests for Traditional Chinese Physicians are rare. We were very pleased to find Mrs Wong as she really sorted out Mel's neck and left her wearing a poltis of Chinese herbs across her shoulder and neck for 10 hours. Makes us very happy that we have our Guru Mark Bayley back in New Farm who is equally as good as these practitioners in the 'home country'.

We happened across 'The Modern Toilet Restaurant' while we were in Mong Kok and decided to go there for lunch. It is very funny, sitting on toliets witha washbasin as a table and eating out of replica toilet bowls and off replica toilet seats. Drinks are served in replica urinals.

In the afternoon we hit the 'Ladies Markets' in Mong Kok. They were probably the best shopping experience and there were even some stalls where they had set prices and did not barter! (thanks Rel - great tip to go here).

Back to the hotel to wash and pack up for the 11 hour flight to Helsinki. It was a short stay and we wished we had got to Ocean Park to see the Pandas, but truth be told a short time in HK was fine for us. Next time I would go out to look at the country and where see more of the scenery, probably get a kayak to do the harbour!

1 July

Cathay Pacific, BNE to HKG

Great flight with Cathay Pacific, lovely staff, good food and terrific movies on demand. bit like being in Gold Class for 9 hours at 40,000 feet! I watched Invictis (never thought I would cry over a game of Rugby!), Ghost Writer and half of Ondine (beautiful Irish scenery, must see end of it). Mel packed in 3 movies too.

Arrived to HK Airport but not to expected sign and driver who were supposed to be there to take us to hotel?!  Turned out the transfer was a bog standard bus that we traipsed around humungous airport to find. Anyways we got to Ramada before midnight, checked in and are happy with room. Not flash, but clean and tidy and good service. Good location too. We are about 5-10 mins walk from Nathan Road and can walk to Ferry Terminal and subway. Have Wifi in room for $6/hr and a tv with funny Chinese soap operas!

Friday 2 July

Vital Stats - Time, 2 hours behind Brisbane; temperature about 32 Max, humidity around 85%; pop'n approx 7 million and the most densly populated city on the planet. Public transport cheap. Infrastructure amazing- subways under the harbour; bridge to airport island that makes the new Redcliffe Bridge look like a toy bridge, generally clean city and attractive city. Well organised.

Huge day! Needed a big sleep after the travel yesterday. We headed out about 10am in search of the world outside and food. Discovered yummy bakery on the corner and had bread buns for breaky. Meandered around the bustling streets of Kawloon looking at shops and headed towards the infamous Nathan Road.

Well, Nathan Road, isn't that a treat for your standard Aussie who can't stand those over annoying, pain in the ass hawkers strategically placed at every 10 paces. As Mel said they seemed to just 'apparate' out of thin air and attack us! We soon got sick of being told we were crazy to pass up getting our own suits made, buying rolex watches and fake designer hand bags. Mel was about to go 'postal', she was ready to hit someone. So we did the only thing an 'over it' Aussie can do and headed to the closest safe house, Starbucks. After a refreshing drink, normal people and aircon (it was dang hot out there today) we girded our loins and got into super tourist mode. Adopting our new personas, Gertrude (me) and Wendy (Mel) we played a game of piss off the hawkers and have a fun day. It worked.

We headed to the Ferry Terminal and when approached by very annoying hawkers (very much like loud, annoying commuters only 10 times worse) we would avoid eye contact and engaging with them by going into character mode to fend them off. We now have a repetoire of pretend rows, emotive convos and canned laughter perfected which act as a force field for hawkers.

We caught a ferry over to Hong Kong Island (50 cents each), a bus to Victoria Peak ($1 each) and then headed up the mountain to the Peak by cable car (about $15 each) (Thanks Hillsy great tip to go there loved it!). The ride up in the cable car was steep and it was worth the trip as the view was magic. We stayed up there a couple of hours looking at more shops, taking in the view, chatting to other tourists and then having a cool drinks and a snack overlooking the harbour. We both agreed that it is a beautiful city as cities go, but neither of us is fussed by the built environment of skyscraper cities. We are looking forward to seeing Paris and London and comparing the difference.

Dinner tonight was a delish local joint for Ramen, dumplings and beef rice. We wandered around all the glittery neon streets for another hour or two before heading back to the room at about 11pm. Did we buy anything in this shopping mecca today? Not much, A bag for Mel, some trinkets for others, really we figure this type of shopping is not our thing lots of cheap crap, or really the good stuff is no cheaper than home. Stick to DFO everyone!