The End, or really, is it just The Beginning?
We've been home for nearly 2 months now. Things have been crazy, and we're coming to the end of the school year for the kids, and into Christmas for all of us. The one thing that's stood out of me is that our trip infiltrates our lives absolutely every day, in one way or another. It might be that on...
The Last Leg - but might not be the last post!
We're home now, arriving at 2.30am this morning. Got a couple of hours sleep in our beds, but responsibly, we got up. Could have slept for days. My brain is very fluffy, so bear with me. I'll try to keep it succinct. ********** Well, we all slept badly as there's a journey ahead of us, but that didn...
Barcelona Day 3
Got up at a reasonable time this morning!! Yay for us!! Managed to get the kids out the door by 10am. Woohoo! Down to the market we went, in search of something yummy for breakfast. Watermelon, pineapple & kiwi juice, a fabulous fresh & warm baguette, jamon & cheese bocadillo, chocolate croissant, c...
Second to last day in Barcelona
Oh, I just want to say, while I remember it, that because I've had a couple of holiday ending aperol spritzes over dinner, apparently I'm now known as Chuck Norris. I'd like to say it's because the kids think I kick ass, but I really think it was a slip up, and while Johnny meant to say "Mum", he ac...
Barcelona - off a rambling
I had a terrible sleep last night, Jess slept in with the big fella, and I shared the teeny tiny bedroom with Syd. And jumped in with Johnny twice, when I couldn't sleep there. And then moved back to Syd's room, after doom scrolling for 1.5hrs, and then magically woke up at 10.30am. Luckily, K4 had...
Barcelona, our very last stop
GET UP, GET UP, GET UP!!! That was our obnoxious alarms shouting at us that we needed to get up and out, in time for the taxi to the airport. We're getting pretty good at packing and moving on. The kids don't even grumble that much now. Actually, I think I was grumbling the most. The taxi turned up...
Rome, with no fixed agenda
This one will be a quick overview, because it's a few days later, and I can't remember all of the details. Sorry! I hate that I've left it so late, but we've had a busy few days, and time ran away from me. We had a slow start, because we flogged the kids the day before. We've been running them prett...
The rest of Rome & the most fabulous meal
After a bit of a rolling around sleep, the kids weren't that thrilled with their beds this time, but mine was excellent! (Sadly, I was kicked out the later tonight, by a kid who wasn't sleeping very well in theirs. To be fair, I didn't sleep well theirs either, but I'm all good <insert thumbs up...
Getting out of Florence, and into Rome
Well, it's nearly 11am, and we're on the train to Rome. Not without it's hiccups though!! We got up well rested, thankfully! But of course, we couldn't get the kids out of bed. Well, YOU try prying 2 teenagers from their pillows!!! Once they were up, we breakfasted, showered and got out of there. In...
A quick trip to Pisa
Of course, we had to get up early to get to Pisa, so no-one slept last night. Everyone is just a little bit cranky, and trying to keep their sh*t together. But out of the house we got at 8.30, and on the road for our 2 hour journey to Pisa. It doesn't actually take 2 hours, the train is just over an...
The view is incredible! And did I mention how much we love ice cream?
A very civilised 9am start! The first sleep in I've had in a while, and I didn't even feel guilty about it! I shot out and got some bread, and we had eggs on toast for breakfast. Delicious! Today's itinerary was pretty simple. Walk to the best view in town - Piazzale MichaelAngelo. Walk to lunch at...
Florence, the ripped pants, a long walk with a heavy pack and the 30 degree day
After far too few hours sleep, we are up again this morning at 6! We have a water taxi (James Bond- speed boat) due to pick us up at 7am, and take us to the train station for an 8am train to Florence. We’re currently on that train. Syd promptly fell asleep, Johnny is catching up on an Italian reco...
Does anyone know where our apartment is?
Morning! As I’m sure you all know, getting teenagers out of bed is a challenge. Johnny had wanted to be woken up early, and out of the house by 9am, but ironically, he was the most reluctant to let go of his pillow. So we let him & Jess have a lazy get out of bed, while Syd, K4 & I went for a pre...
Have we got somewhere to stay tonight? Or not? And are we even going to GET THERE???!!
Well, last night was a very fitful sleep. For some reason I spent the night waking, and worrying that today was not going to go to plan. K4 did much the same. So we got up earlier than intended and just got on with it. Might as well, we weren't sleeping anyway! Because our internet access in Switzer...
Trivia - How many hours did we spend at the Victorinox shop?
The whole reason we went to Lucerne was because Johnny wanted a Victorinox Swiss Army knife. So, into the travel itinerary Switzerland went. Lucerne was my pick, because the other Swiss cities I'd visited weren't much chop. One of the things I've missed with not having a kitchenette of any type afte...
The very long train to Lucerne
Before I start, I just want to say we had one of those firsts today. The first time your kid tells an inappropriate joke, and it's actually funny. It's weird when you realise your kids are growing up. Anyways... We got up early this morning, 6.15am. I know it's normal for a lot of you guys to get up...
Oktoberfest, shopping & BMW Museum
We got out early this morning. Well, 9am, but STILL, that's early for us! Watch us tomorrow, we need to get on the road by 7am! Fingers crossed that goes easily! Onto the train to Munich, for Oktoberfest!!! Turns out the kids thought it was going to be terrible, that K4 & I were just going to sit th...
Photos - just to let you know, I'll be deleting photos from the start, from tomorrow. I only have 100 photo spots, and will need to make room for new ones. Thx! X
<3
Dachau - soooo incredible, so evil and so easily understandable
We had a very slow start this morning. We don't have any Rest Days built in, so I'm trying to let the kids have a break here and there when we can. I think it's saving all of our sanity. As much as I say "rest days are on the train, moving from one place to the next", travel days are pretty hard wor...
On to Munich...
Ok, just want to say that when I said last night that we were going to watch Australia play Wales in the rugby, well, that was a blatant lie. What I should have said was that I was going to watch Aussie roll over to the superior Welsh team, that I was going to get the shits just after half time with...
A puddling day around Strasbourg
Well, a jolly long sleep was had by all. I woke up just before 10am, and the rest were still snoring away. Black out curtains are not my friend! The kids loved their sleeping pods! Apart from if you fluff, it doesn't let the stink out very efficiently. The big fella and Syd went out to forage for br...
Strasbourg
This morning finds us up at the crack of dawn, to get out and onto a connection of Ubers, and trains, to finally get on the way to Strasbourg. We got there in the end, and with no problem, but I still managed to have an apoplexy on the way. So, not much to update thus far, as we thunder along on the...
DISNEYLAND!!! SQUEEEE!!!
After being gently serenaded to sleep by the dulcet tones of Jessie's snoring, we finally fell asleep, to awake to a ridiculously exciting day!!! Disneyland! There's really no point in my telling of Disney Day. So, I'll hand over to the kids.... SYDNEY OMG ITS FINALLY THE DAY!!! I leaped out of bed...
Last day in Paris. <Insert tears here>
It was hard to get up this morning!! Might have had something to do with the aperol spritz, 2 x bubbles & half a bottle of rose last night. AND while the hotel is beautiful, it was a VERY tiny room, and tinier beds, and none of us have been sleeping that well. I'm in with Johnny in a smaller than qu...
Channeling John Wick, & Ewan McGregor, swinging through les Galeries Lafayette, freaky drivers and the Rugby World Cup
I was REALLY looking forward to yesterday. All I REALLY wanted to do in our time in Paris was walk around. I was secretly happy when our trip to Versailles was cancelled by old mate Charlie, because I could have spent more time puddling around the streets. Happily and sadly, we managed to reschedule...
Regal Opulence & Wonderful Views
Wow! Yesterday turned out to be much bigger than any of us expected. I'll start this update by saying that it's 9.45am, and everyone is STILL sleeping! To be fair, we didn't sleep well the night before. We were too hot, and the pillows are VERY flat. We've all had to ball up clothes to prop our head...
A Speed Train to Paris. Squeeeee!!!!
Well, another big day, kicked off at 4am!!! But SOOOOO many stunning things to see! After only 6 hours sleep, we dragged ourselves out of bed, to meet our 5am Uber to St Pancras International station. We were there in plenty of time for the 7am departure on the Eurostar. Our first speed train! The t...
Our Last Day in London & Fabulous Family
While we had a slow start this morning, I had been rolling around since 6am, which is very unusual for me! I love a late night, and a long sleep in! But apparently not today. Getting up and out the house, we headed to Kings Cross to meet K4's cousin, Bernie, and his beautiful and talented wife, Judi...
Cruising on bikes & the Westend
This morning we decided to split up. Everyone had been a bit cranky, and given we're all living on top of each other, and going a hundred miles an hour, it was no surprise really. I took Johnny, and we hired e-bikes and went for a cycle around the place. It was HEAPS of fun!!! Down through the parks...
Jetlag hits...
Bit of a weird one today. I reckon jetlag hit pretty badly, for me anyway. Felt like my feet weren't on the ground for most of the day, not helped by the bottle of bubbles I'd drunk the night before. I'd been having a ball until now, but no time to sit and feel sorry for myself, we had people to mee...
Whoops. I might have broken the kids.
We walked a lot again yesterday. I think all the walking might have been too much. Seems I'm a bit more intrepid than the others. Trying to plan better today. We got off the tube at Westminster, right at the foot of Big Ben. The weather was spectacular, and the sun shone off the newly renovated gold...
We've arrived!
**I'll preface this with "please don't judge". This is somewhat my personal diary, so I'm not just putting the glossy, shiny happiness out there. But I know you're all amazing and kind, so this comment was entirely unnecessary!** Well, we're here! It was a super looooong day! The poor kids were awes...
Up, Up & Away!
Watch this space.... I'm busy panicking, printing tickets, packing bags, last minute scooting to the shops, and still panicking just a little bit more. Now, where is that bum bag...!? 🏃♀️💨😫🤯