So I figured that its been a while since I updated you on the night delights of my darling Benjamin Holmes. The reason for this being that, believe it or not, he went through a bit of a quiet period...either that, or after 3 years of marriage, I actually sleep through the majority of his antics. Never-the-less, all is not quiet in the Holmes bedroom...(do try to avoid those thoughts).
So recently my challenge has been to engage him in as much 'sleep-talk' conversation as possible. I have noticed that if I am up in the mornings before His Lordship, he is very likely to have an unconscious, (not sure if that's the right word to use?), conversation with me. I have been lucky enough during these times to have him point out to me an array of strange things around the room...which only his eyes seem to be viewing. He has kindly informed me of the fact that he is definitely not going to let me battle today...especially since, half-way through this conversation, he realised that I was not yet dressed, and there is no way he was letting his wife battle naked. His sitting up in bed, cheesy grin on his face as he waved me off in the morning, was also a real treat, especially due to the fact it was not a small insecure flicker of the fingers, but rather a large, you-are-at-the-other-end-of-a-mall wave. So now, each time I hear a mutter or a stir, I come running back into the room trying to engage with him in some way, in the great hope that he will have some delightful insight to share with me.
Not long after we returned from our Europe holiday, I woke to him frantically trying to climb over the top of me. My first thought was that he was giving me an incredibly awkward snuggle, sprawled out on top of me...or trying for some other late night excitement. I very quickly realise this was not the case, as he mumbled away about 'gotta get there quickly'. Now don't get me wrong, we do not have one side of the bed against the wall, so he is very able to exit the bed on his own side. This did not deter him from scrabbling over me...apparently, (so I found out in the morning), to get to the ladder at my side of the bed, which climbed to the top of a water-slide which went down the side of our building. He could not for the life of him understand why I was lying there in his way, not the least bit anxious to have a go on this new adventure ride which had appeared in our room. Well...when you put it like that, what an idiot I was!
But I have to say, despite all the joy I get from his active imagination, I have recently begun to worry...don't tell me, I am getting old...about his climbing out of our bedroom window. Now for those of you who are Kiwi's and hardly live in more than a one-storied home, this is not a completely ridiculous thing to worry about due to the fact that we live on the 11th floor of an apartment building, which looks out over a large, flat, grey, concrete slab. I know that description makes it sound much worse than it is...we do have water on the other side...but for the sake of dramatic effect, it is just a concrete slab. Another reason this is a justifiable concern is due to the fact that our bedroom window completely opens up and can easily be climbed out of. It lacks any form of balcony and is therefore simply a hole in the side of the building. Despite the fact that Ben assures me this will never happen, due to the fact this window is chest high, I can't help but fear I might wake to seeing him fall out, as he imagines the water-slide has now been moved to the window. I feel I can also justify this small worry due to its actually having happened before, not on my watch, and not involving any falling, but an 'exiting the house' adventure never-the-less. And were this to happen again, there would be no awkward waking at 3am, locked outside, in winter, in his boxers, with his pillow under one arm. In fact there would be no waking from this dream. But as Ben puts it, I do tend to worry about pretty much anything that runs through my head and so it is not likely to be a possible scenario.
Despite my worries, I am still most grateful for his night antics as a part of our daily lives. I mean, what else is a husband for, if not to cause his wife a small amount of worry every now and then!
Thursday 3 February 2011
Saturday 29 January 2011
Hong Kong
Well what can I say!! How much do I love Hong Kong, current home town of Ben's lovely Mum! Despite the eventful start we made it for our 3 week holiday!
We had tied everything up in London and were ready to go! After a weekend of snow and flight cancellations, (in which a couple of our friends flights had been cancelled), due to leave on the Monday, we assumed that Heathrow, being one of the biggest airports in the world, will have sorted itself out in time for our flight! We were wrong. Our flight was due to leave at 4:10pm. Till round 10 that Monday morning, all was set to go. The internet was not telling us our flight had been cancelled and so hopes were high. After 10 the message changed...we were suddenly told to call our airline, (Turkish Air). The flight was not showing cancelled, but it wasn't showing that it was flying out either.
With sinking hearts we made the call...busy tone. We called again, and again and again...I could repeat this line no less than 200 times and still not be able to give you any more information. Finally at 12:30, with no more information available to us, we decided we would make our way to the airport on the off chance we might make it out. Whenever our train was not underground and out of signal, we would again call Turkish Air, with no luck. Every now and then the phone would go through to a ringing tone...the anticipation would build, and we would hope for some information, only to have it ring for about 10 minutes before just hanging up on us!
Arriving at Heathrow we were rudely awakened to the reality of our situation, and given explanation as to why we had had no luck getting through to our airline...it was chaos. No one was allowed into the terminal, meaning that the crowds had amassed outside in the snow staring at the one information board...with all their luggage in tow. Ben and I squeezed our way through the crowds to get a view of the board, only to discover our flight was not even up there yet...only those flights before 4pm were showing...so close yet so far. 20 minutes we stood in the cold waiting for the board to change. Flights leaving at 4:05 began to show...
I cannot describe the feeling of absolute relief and joy I felt when our flight finally showed...minus the dreaded flashing red 'CANCELLED', but instead displaying a lovely white 'Terminal C'. I restrained myself from shouting out in joy due to the fact we were surrounded by at least a hundred people crying or stressing that they would not make it out that day...or at all...before Christmas.
Next several staff went around calling out our flight number...to which we were originally told that we were actually not on...due to the fact they had been looking for our names on the not checked-in passengers list, rather than the online check-in list. It was all secrecy as they quietly told us, as they checked off our names, that we needed to wait by the side exit door and that someone would come to open it for us in some time.
Ben and I spent the next 3 hours hiding out in one of Heathrow's airport lounges, courtesy of my bank, watching news reports on Heathrow going from bad to worse. We had promised ourselves we wouldn't celebrate till the plane was in the air...so cheers went up the minute we took off.
Now every cloud actually does have a silver lining...which for us was the 24 hour, all expenses paid stop-over in Istanbul. We had time to do some sightseeing, while eating and sleeping for free in a 4 star hotel! My kind of holiday!
Despite the rocky start, Hong Kong became one of our favourite holidays so far! Our days in Hong Kong were spent, ferrying from Island to Island, sightseeing, exploring...and much to my delight...SHOPPING! Ben had assured me before we left England, that Hong Kong had the best shopping in the world, and this being the case he released the credit card to me. Once we arrived, Mum quickly assured me 'shopping capital' was not the case at all. Despite the fact that I am not a small asian girl and sizes there aren't designed for me, I managed to make the most of my purchasing freedom, and bought pretty much anything that took my fancy and actually did fit! Not to mention the handbags and shoes!!!
We relaxed, ate yummy asian foods, I read, Mum played scrabble, Ben researched our next holiday. It was the perfect combo of chill-out time and adventure. Mum spoilt us with the perfect New Years, a trip to Macau, a stay in the Venetian, Cirque Du Soleil...which we all sat in complete amazement at the things people are able to do with their bodies...and cocktails and dancing to finish! Ben spent the whole time trying to convince me that a couple of years there earning some money would be the perfect end to our 3 years travelling...to which I finally convinced him that my biological clock would not continue ticking forever.
3 weeks went far to quickly, and before we knew it, we were back on a plane, teary-eyed, home bound.
We had tied everything up in London and were ready to go! After a weekend of snow and flight cancellations, (in which a couple of our friends flights had been cancelled), due to leave on the Monday, we assumed that Heathrow, being one of the biggest airports in the world, will have sorted itself out in time for our flight! We were wrong. Our flight was due to leave at 4:10pm. Till round 10 that Monday morning, all was set to go. The internet was not telling us our flight had been cancelled and so hopes were high. After 10 the message changed...we were suddenly told to call our airline, (Turkish Air). The flight was not showing cancelled, but it wasn't showing that it was flying out either.
With sinking hearts we made the call...busy tone. We called again, and again and again...I could repeat this line no less than 200 times and still not be able to give you any more information. Finally at 12:30, with no more information available to us, we decided we would make our way to the airport on the off chance we might make it out. Whenever our train was not underground and out of signal, we would again call Turkish Air, with no luck. Every now and then the phone would go through to a ringing tone...the anticipation would build, and we would hope for some information, only to have it ring for about 10 minutes before just hanging up on us!
Arriving at Heathrow we were rudely awakened to the reality of our situation, and given explanation as to why we had had no luck getting through to our airline...it was chaos. No one was allowed into the terminal, meaning that the crowds had amassed outside in the snow staring at the one information board...with all their luggage in tow. Ben and I squeezed our way through the crowds to get a view of the board, only to discover our flight was not even up there yet...only those flights before 4pm were showing...so close yet so far. 20 minutes we stood in the cold waiting for the board to change. Flights leaving at 4:05 began to show...
I cannot describe the feeling of absolute relief and joy I felt when our flight finally showed...minus the dreaded flashing red 'CANCELLED', but instead displaying a lovely white 'Terminal C'. I restrained myself from shouting out in joy due to the fact we were surrounded by at least a hundred people crying or stressing that they would not make it out that day...or at all...before Christmas.
Next several staff went around calling out our flight number...to which we were originally told that we were actually not on...due to the fact they had been looking for our names on the not checked-in passengers list, rather than the online check-in list. It was all secrecy as they quietly told us, as they checked off our names, that we needed to wait by the side exit door and that someone would come to open it for us in some time.
Ben and I spent the next 3 hours hiding out in one of Heathrow's airport lounges, courtesy of my bank, watching news reports on Heathrow going from bad to worse. We had promised ourselves we wouldn't celebrate till the plane was in the air...so cheers went up the minute we took off.
Now every cloud actually does have a silver lining...which for us was the 24 hour, all expenses paid stop-over in Istanbul. We had time to do some sightseeing, while eating and sleeping for free in a 4 star hotel! My kind of holiday!
Despite the rocky start, Hong Kong became one of our favourite holidays so far! Our days in Hong Kong were spent, ferrying from Island to Island, sightseeing, exploring...and much to my delight...SHOPPING! Ben had assured me before we left England, that Hong Kong had the best shopping in the world, and this being the case he released the credit card to me. Once we arrived, Mum quickly assured me 'shopping capital' was not the case at all. Despite the fact that I am not a small asian girl and sizes there aren't designed for me, I managed to make the most of my purchasing freedom, and bought pretty much anything that took my fancy and actually did fit! Not to mention the handbags and shoes!!!
We relaxed, ate yummy asian foods, I read, Mum played scrabble, Ben researched our next holiday. It was the perfect combo of chill-out time and adventure. Mum spoilt us with the perfect New Years, a trip to Macau, a stay in the Venetian, Cirque Du Soleil...which we all sat in complete amazement at the things people are able to do with their bodies...and cocktails and dancing to finish! Ben spent the whole time trying to convince me that a couple of years there earning some money would be the perfect end to our 3 years travelling...to which I finally convinced him that my biological clock would not continue ticking forever.
3 weeks went far to quickly, and before we knew it, we were back on a plane, teary-eyed, home bound.
Monday 4 October 2010
Nearly Home...
Well...we are in the last few days of our European tour...and feeling gutted and kinda ready to get back to routine! Ben and I have decided that 2 months is about enough for us to be able to really enjoy and appreciate everything we see!! A couple of days ago we went to Bruges in Belgium, which was just gorgeous...and had we seen it at the beginning of our trip we would have been amazed...but instead were like...'Oh that's nice, another cute wee street'. Call me ungrateful or unappreciative...but don't get me wrong, we do still love seeing it, but it hasn't quite the same 'Wow' factor as when we begin! I think once we have had a break for a month or so we will be back into 'Wow' mode...just in time for Christmas in Hong Kong with Mum!!
Well, we have been to Germany and fallen in love with New Wine...which tastes exactly like sparkling grape juice, but is actually wine...dangerous stuff is all I can say! We have seen a million cute wee castles, and Ben has crashed, and flown successfully, a remote control plane. One night we offered to cook tea for the friends we were staying with...Spaghetti Bolognaise seemed the appropriate choice. Now Ben, being used to cooking for just two...in which there is always enough left-over for another two nights dinner...decided, being that there were 4 adults and 2 children, he needed to triple the amount he would normally make. This meant his usually very flavourful Spag Bol lacked the amount of sauce to needed to keep this tradition. Not only this, there, once again, was enough left-over to do another two nights dinner...for all 6 of us, plus some!! We were lucky to find room in the fridge for the copious amounts of left-over pasta!
We then braved driving on European roads again and hired a rental car to drive to the Netherlands! Here we stayed with friends of Aaron's, who he lived with and worked for, for a couple of years! They were the nicest family, and we know that we will be in touch from now on. We fell in love with their youngest daughter...who is just too cute...and tried to convince her to come to Disney Land in Paris with us and then on to London, but I am thinking she didn't understand our English, (due to the fact she couldn't speak it), because for some strange reason, she declined!
We spent a couple of days in Amsterdam...and much to my disappointment, and despite my trying, we didn't get to try hash brownies. Each time I wanted to, Ben assured me that we would be driving soon and therefore couldn't do it. I don't know how me trying a brownie would affect his driving the car? Maybe next time we are in the Netherlands? We visited one part of the red light district...which is literally porn in every shop, visible to all the passing public, and half naked women in every window, beckoning for Ben to come in...despite the fact he was walking next to his wife. They quickly stopped their beckoning the moment I was looking in their direction. I visited the Anne Frank Museum...which was quite amazing, and Ben, who hadn't read the book and decided he didn't want to come, found his way to the Red Light district again, accidentally, or so he says. The minute we met up again, he told me he had a confession...feeling very bad, he said he had been looking for some shop, when he found himself in another part of the red light district and all the girls in the windows were beckoning him. The fact that it was literally the first thing out of his mouth the moment he saw me has convinced me he was genuinely there by accident. I can imagine him freaking out at where he was, knowing he would have to explain himself to his wife later, and trying to get out.
Meeting some of my Dutch family was a bit of a highlight for me. My Opa's brother is exactly like my Opa...despite the fact they hadn't lived in the same country since they were 12. They laugh the same, have the same mannerisms, look the same, even talk the same. It was crazy! And I was amazed that I felt such a connection with this supposed stranger, whether because he reminded me of Opa, or simply cos he is family, I don't know? Never-the-less, we were truly spoilt by them and had the most lovely day, and are planning to return to meet the rest of the family for Christmas next year.
We spent a day in Belgium, eating chocolate till we felt sick, and drinking beer. We travelled up the Dutch canals in a boat drinking tea and eating Dutch food. We danced till 5am in a Dutch bar at a 3rd of October festival. We wandered along the beaches, and tried Dutch Croquettes...mmm...sooo good! All in all it was an amazing visit...and as with Switzerland, we were so sad to leave! But have made our Dutch friends also promise to come visit for a weekend in London!
Now, back in Germany returning the car, and awaiting with dread our 10 hour night bus ride to Paris, we get ready for the last 4 days of our holiday!
Well, we have been to Germany and fallen in love with New Wine...which tastes exactly like sparkling grape juice, but is actually wine...dangerous stuff is all I can say! We have seen a million cute wee castles, and Ben has crashed, and flown successfully, a remote control plane. One night we offered to cook tea for the friends we were staying with...Spaghetti Bolognaise seemed the appropriate choice. Now Ben, being used to cooking for just two...in which there is always enough left-over for another two nights dinner...decided, being that there were 4 adults and 2 children, he needed to triple the amount he would normally make. This meant his usually very flavourful Spag Bol lacked the amount of sauce to needed to keep this tradition. Not only this, there, once again, was enough left-over to do another two nights dinner...for all 6 of us, plus some!! We were lucky to find room in the fridge for the copious amounts of left-over pasta!
We then braved driving on European roads again and hired a rental car to drive to the Netherlands! Here we stayed with friends of Aaron's, who he lived with and worked for, for a couple of years! They were the nicest family, and we know that we will be in touch from now on. We fell in love with their youngest daughter...who is just too cute...and tried to convince her to come to Disney Land in Paris with us and then on to London, but I am thinking she didn't understand our English, (due to the fact she couldn't speak it), because for some strange reason, she declined!
We spent a couple of days in Amsterdam...and much to my disappointment, and despite my trying, we didn't get to try hash brownies. Each time I wanted to, Ben assured me that we would be driving soon and therefore couldn't do it. I don't know how me trying a brownie would affect his driving the car? Maybe next time we are in the Netherlands? We visited one part of the red light district...which is literally porn in every shop, visible to all the passing public, and half naked women in every window, beckoning for Ben to come in...despite the fact he was walking next to his wife. They quickly stopped their beckoning the moment I was looking in their direction. I visited the Anne Frank Museum...which was quite amazing, and Ben, who hadn't read the book and decided he didn't want to come, found his way to the Red Light district again, accidentally, or so he says. The minute we met up again, he told me he had a confession...feeling very bad, he said he had been looking for some shop, when he found himself in another part of the red light district and all the girls in the windows were beckoning him. The fact that it was literally the first thing out of his mouth the moment he saw me has convinced me he was genuinely there by accident. I can imagine him freaking out at where he was, knowing he would have to explain himself to his wife later, and trying to get out.
Meeting some of my Dutch family was a bit of a highlight for me. My Opa's brother is exactly like my Opa...despite the fact they hadn't lived in the same country since they were 12. They laugh the same, have the same mannerisms, look the same, even talk the same. It was crazy! And I was amazed that I felt such a connection with this supposed stranger, whether because he reminded me of Opa, or simply cos he is family, I don't know? Never-the-less, we were truly spoilt by them and had the most lovely day, and are planning to return to meet the rest of the family for Christmas next year.
We spent a day in Belgium, eating chocolate till we felt sick, and drinking beer. We travelled up the Dutch canals in a boat drinking tea and eating Dutch food. We danced till 5am in a Dutch bar at a 3rd of October festival. We wandered along the beaches, and tried Dutch Croquettes...mmm...sooo good! All in all it was an amazing visit...and as with Switzerland, we were so sad to leave! But have made our Dutch friends also promise to come visit for a weekend in London!
Now, back in Germany returning the car, and awaiting with dread our 10 hour night bus ride to Paris, we get ready for the last 4 days of our holiday!
Tuesday 21 September 2010
The Last of Switzerland...
Both Ben and I have decided that Switzerland has been BY FAR our favourite part of the holiday! Having been on travelling round for a month, and seeing so much amazing stuff...we have realised, rather quickly, that the best part of travelling is who you meet, and getting amongst the culture! Not only in Switzerland the most beautiful place on earth, but making friends with some of its beautiful citizens has just meant our holiday had reached new heights of beauty! We have been truly and utterly spoilt by Sylvia and her family...and without getting spiritual about it, I reckon this is how Jesus would make people if they came to visit him!
We took a chairlift to the top of one of the Swiss Alps, and had hot tomato soup and Apple Strudel with Vanilla Sauce, (No I was not even slightly afraid going on a chairlift without the imaginary safety of snow beneath me, despite what Ben or Sylvia might tell you if you were to ask them). We walked around crystal clear lakes in the middle of mountains, and hussed our way down the longest monorail in Europe...I personally reckon in the world! And yes I did huss, but only after I had made quite sure that not using the breaks the whole way down would not result in my cart flying off the rail at the corners, leading to a grusome death...yes then I was quite the speed demon! We ate traditional Swiss, and Austrian food, danced the night away, and were given plenty of much needed hair advice...well that last one was directed at me, and the mess I have made of mine going blond and using straighteners daily! So, now heading to Germany to stay with an old school friend of Ben's, we have planned our Swiss ski holiday for February, and made all our new friends promise to come stay with us in London!
We took a chairlift to the top of one of the Swiss Alps, and had hot tomato soup and Apple Strudel with Vanilla Sauce, (No I was not even slightly afraid going on a chairlift without the imaginary safety of snow beneath me, despite what Ben or Sylvia might tell you if you were to ask them). We walked around crystal clear lakes in the middle of mountains, and hussed our way down the longest monorail in Europe...I personally reckon in the world! And yes I did huss, but only after I had made quite sure that not using the breaks the whole way down would not result in my cart flying off the rail at the corners, leading to a grusome death...yes then I was quite the speed demon! We ate traditional Swiss, and Austrian food, danced the night away, and were given plenty of much needed hair advice...well that last one was directed at me, and the mess I have made of mine going blond and using straighteners daily! So, now heading to Germany to stay with an old school friend of Ben's, we have planned our Swiss ski holiday for February, and made all our new friends promise to come stay with us in London!
Ben Comes Home...
Well, we have returned to Ben's home country, Switzerland...only to find out from a legitimate Swiss person that he in fact does not look Swiss, but Danish, or Dutch...so from now on I will have to cease hassling Ben about looking Swiss, and call him Danish, (I can't go with Dutch, since that is what I pride myself in being).
How stunning is Switzerland! Ben used the word pristine to describe it, and I totally agree! It is much like NZ with gorgeous mountains, rock faces, rolling green grassy hills, crystal clear rivers, etc, but just a bit less rugged! And to top it off are the tiny villages dotted throughout the Alps. Little Chalet style houses, fronted with flower boxes displaying bright red and yellow flowers! Really something picturesque! I am truly in love...and to be honest, it's similarity to NZ had us both feeling a little homesick!
We are staying with a friend of a couple of my brothers and my Uncle, the most lovely girl, Sylvia. And talk about being totally spoilt! Her and her family have made us truly feel welcome! We spent this morning, in true Swiss style, by going into the Alps to collect their horse and donkey. The horse was particularly adamant she was not leaving the Alps, and her other horsey friends, meaning it took a good half hour to get her into the horse float. Pushing her butt, pulling her from the front, teasing her with carrots and bread and lifting her legs did not work. In the end, we had to wrap two straps round her back legs, a man on each end pulling, Sylvia's father lifting the legs, and Ben and Sylvia pulling from the front, to get her in. I think the saying 'stubborn as an ass' needs to be rethought. Ben and I have fallen in love with the silence and fresh air. Even the larger cities are clean and cutely styled, set in the midst of the mountainous Alps. We have fallen in love with Swiss food, and Swiss people. After dinner last night, a group of people invited us to their table for a drink cos they 'wanted to meet the kiwi's'. Ben lapped up the celebrity attention and was in full form, cranking out his knowledge on politics, Swiss banking and farming. He even told plenty a travel tale to get a few laughs. He has truly decided he is home...whether he actually looks Swiss or not!
I look forward to dancing it up in a Swiss club tomorrow night, and checking out more of what this stunning country has to offer!
How stunning is Switzerland! Ben used the word pristine to describe it, and I totally agree! It is much like NZ with gorgeous mountains, rock faces, rolling green grassy hills, crystal clear rivers, etc, but just a bit less rugged! And to top it off are the tiny villages dotted throughout the Alps. Little Chalet style houses, fronted with flower boxes displaying bright red and yellow flowers! Really something picturesque! I am truly in love...and to be honest, it's similarity to NZ had us both feeling a little homesick!
We are staying with a friend of a couple of my brothers and my Uncle, the most lovely girl, Sylvia. And talk about being totally spoilt! Her and her family have made us truly feel welcome! We spent this morning, in true Swiss style, by going into the Alps to collect their horse and donkey. The horse was particularly adamant she was not leaving the Alps, and her other horsey friends, meaning it took a good half hour to get her into the horse float. Pushing her butt, pulling her from the front, teasing her with carrots and bread and lifting her legs did not work. In the end, we had to wrap two straps round her back legs, a man on each end pulling, Sylvia's father lifting the legs, and Ben and Sylvia pulling from the front, to get her in. I think the saying 'stubborn as an ass' needs to be rethought. Ben and I have fallen in love with the silence and fresh air. Even the larger cities are clean and cutely styled, set in the midst of the mountainous Alps. We have fallen in love with Swiss food, and Swiss people. After dinner last night, a group of people invited us to their table for a drink cos they 'wanted to meet the kiwi's'. Ben lapped up the celebrity attention and was in full form, cranking out his knowledge on politics, Swiss banking and farming. He even told plenty a travel tale to get a few laughs. He has truly decided he is home...whether he actually looks Swiss or not!
I look forward to dancing it up in a Swiss club tomorrow night, and checking out more of what this stunning country has to offer!
Thursday 16 September 2010
Milan
So, sitting here on the train to Milan, I am having one of those 'I feel blessed' moments! Every now and then I get these little buzzes, where I am truly so grateful that I get to be over here doing what we are doing. We have just met the most lovely Ozzy girl on our train, who is travelling for a couple of months but is feeling homesick. Naturally I want to take her under my wings and be the nicest person she has met on holiday to cheer her up! I can relate to her homesickness, and hence the reason for my 'I feel blessed' moment...as for a change, I do not feel homesick, and wish I weren't so far away from the people I love most, but am just appreciating our decision to travel!
So Ben, sitting opposite me is attempting to beat my high scores in Bedjewelled Blitz on his phone. He will be lucky, since I have watched him play, and his pause before every move, will unlikely mean he even comes close. Not that I am bragging to you all while he is preoccupied or anything. Actually the other day, we were having competitions on Bedjewelled, and he was hassling me for being so chuffed with myself at my beating him, and I told him, that it is not often I am better than him at something and so I was allowed to gloat every once in a while. He promptly replied that there was plenty that I was better than him at, to which I questioned, 'what exactly?'. Now his response to this was 'Well...you are better at Bedjewelled, and wearing a dress'. Hmmm....is all I have to respond to that. Point proven! Gloat I shall.
I have decided that being away from my new wee niece has turned me into stalker Aunt. I have got photo's of her as my phone screensaver, I made Ben save her to our laptop desktop background, and I spend a good part of each morning looking through the pics I have of her, and just gooing. I think Dam and Lanz will be just slightly relieved that there is thousands of miles of sea between us, or they might have had a daily doorstep visitor!
We have spent the last day and a half building up the last of our tans, before we head up north to the cold, and beginning of winter. No more will I be refused from churches for my lack of clothing...gone are the days of heat, singlets, and swimming!! :-( I had even taking to swimming lengths for exercise, which I had decided was my new favourite, due to the fact that you could not feel the sweat running down your body while you did it, in comparison to running or being in the gym. Not only that, but the minute you stopped you were instantly cooling down...so good! Now, however, it will be back to long runs up the Swiss Alps...which actually doesn't sound that bad when I say it like that.
In Milan: Tonight we found heaven...or at least what any bargain hunting person on a travel budget considers heaven. After not having eaten since 8am, due to train rides, visa card dramas, and hotel check-ins, we did a quick amount of research before deciding it was time to have a quick look round Milan and hunt out somewhere for dinner. Now our Google research told us that there are bars in Milan which will give you free food with a drink purchase...'too good to be true', is exactly what we thought too. However, we were wrong. This is actually legitimate! Being Kiwi's and from a culture where nothing is for free, we did what we felt was our duty, and did not ask for a glass of tap water with a dash of lemon, but purchased an actual beer and wine. Sitting down at the table with our drinks, we were told by the waiter to go help ourselves to the food. Now don't start picturing a couple of sloppily put-together finger foods...no this was more comparable to a Christmas pot-luck dinner. They had pasta, salads, frank and beans, (which much to Ben's amusement, was my favourite), chips, quiche, pizza, fruit, dessert...and more. No we could not believe our eyes, or our good luck at this most wonderful find on a budget, and just when we were in full hunger pang mode! Being that I remember my family sharing stories at their good luck at the races one day when they found a room full of food and drinks which they assumed were free, only to be promptly kicked out, I was very polite in my tiny helping, and began to worry about Ben going up for his second, larger helping, to which he assured me he had seen others do. He was right. People literally had come in, (students I presume), bought a juice for 2 Euro, and had their full of dinner! I was cautious in my approach to a meagre second plate, but still am proud to say that I claimed enough of the bargain to make up for my expensive wine. I could only think how much my brothers and cousins up north would have got amongst this deal had they been here! This one is for you guys!!
Well...what else to do in Milan...we are possibly going to see 'The Last Supper' by Leo Da Vinci, and I will most definitely strut my stuff down the catwalk...just for Andhy Blake! Then we are on to Switzerland to herd some goats on one of the Alps...actually I think it is horses we will be herding...but close enough!
So Ben, sitting opposite me is attempting to beat my high scores in Bedjewelled Blitz on his phone. He will be lucky, since I have watched him play, and his pause before every move, will unlikely mean he even comes close. Not that I am bragging to you all while he is preoccupied or anything. Actually the other day, we were having competitions on Bedjewelled, and he was hassling me for being so chuffed with myself at my beating him, and I told him, that it is not often I am better than him at something and so I was allowed to gloat every once in a while. He promptly replied that there was plenty that I was better than him at, to which I questioned, 'what exactly?'. Now his response to this was 'Well...you are better at Bedjewelled, and wearing a dress'. Hmmm....is all I have to respond to that. Point proven! Gloat I shall.
I have decided that being away from my new wee niece has turned me into stalker Aunt. I have got photo's of her as my phone screensaver, I made Ben save her to our laptop desktop background, and I spend a good part of each morning looking through the pics I have of her, and just gooing. I think Dam and Lanz will be just slightly relieved that there is thousands of miles of sea between us, or they might have had a daily doorstep visitor!
We have spent the last day and a half building up the last of our tans, before we head up north to the cold, and beginning of winter. No more will I be refused from churches for my lack of clothing...gone are the days of heat, singlets, and swimming!! :-( I had even taking to swimming lengths for exercise, which I had decided was my new favourite, due to the fact that you could not feel the sweat running down your body while you did it, in comparison to running or being in the gym. Not only that, but the minute you stopped you were instantly cooling down...so good! Now, however, it will be back to long runs up the Swiss Alps...which actually doesn't sound that bad when I say it like that.
In Milan: Tonight we found heaven...or at least what any bargain hunting person on a travel budget considers heaven. After not having eaten since 8am, due to train rides, visa card dramas, and hotel check-ins, we did a quick amount of research before deciding it was time to have a quick look round Milan and hunt out somewhere for dinner. Now our Google research told us that there are bars in Milan which will give you free food with a drink purchase...'too good to be true', is exactly what we thought too. However, we were wrong. This is actually legitimate! Being Kiwi's and from a culture where nothing is for free, we did what we felt was our duty, and did not ask for a glass of tap water with a dash of lemon, but purchased an actual beer and wine. Sitting down at the table with our drinks, we were told by the waiter to go help ourselves to the food. Now don't start picturing a couple of sloppily put-together finger foods...no this was more comparable to a Christmas pot-luck dinner. They had pasta, salads, frank and beans, (which much to Ben's amusement, was my favourite), chips, quiche, pizza, fruit, dessert...and more. No we could not believe our eyes, or our good luck at this most wonderful find on a budget, and just when we were in full hunger pang mode! Being that I remember my family sharing stories at their good luck at the races one day when they found a room full of food and drinks which they assumed were free, only to be promptly kicked out, I was very polite in my tiny helping, and began to worry about Ben going up for his second, larger helping, to which he assured me he had seen others do. He was right. People literally had come in, (students I presume), bought a juice for 2 Euro, and had their full of dinner! I was cautious in my approach to a meagre second plate, but still am proud to say that I claimed enough of the bargain to make up for my expensive wine. I could only think how much my brothers and cousins up north would have got amongst this deal had they been here! This one is for you guys!!
Well...what else to do in Milan...we are possibly going to see 'The Last Supper' by Leo Da Vinci, and I will most definitely strut my stuff down the catwalk...just for Andhy Blake! Then we are on to Switzerland to herd some goats on one of the Alps...actually I think it is horses we will be herding...but close enough!
Monday 13 September 2010
Venice and Being a New Aunty...
Well this is coming to you from a new Aunty on the Schuurman side. And yes, I am just slightly excited at this!! I have seen photo's of my gorgeous wee niece...and she is just the most adorable wee thing!! I think she is a good mix of Dam and Lanz...being that depending on the photo, depends on who she looks like...and I do have to agree with my wee bro, she most definitely has Lanz wee button nose!! Too too cute! Unfortunately, my little niece has done nothing to dispel my desire for kids...rather the complete opposite...if I was clucky and wanting kids before...it is only worse now!! I am truly in love with the wee munchy...I could eat her she is so yummy!
For those of you who may have seen on facebook, the reference to myself as Aunty Lubie...I am now going to clear the matter of your curiosity up. If this name continues within the family...as I unfortunately am most sure that it will...the poor child needs to know that her Aunty Joe, (as I will always refer to myself), is not some dodge, (the nickname could have a somewhat unseemly meaning when the poor child reaches her teens), but rather, had a horrid nickname thrust upon her as she innocently put lipgloss on her lips, one lovely afternoon at a family lunch. This would normally be an unimportant event, but unfortunately for myself, I have the raucous, joking-around, hassling type brothers, who decided from that moment on I would be known as lip-lube to the family. This name was a keeper, (Yay!). And hence the name was shortened to a more effortless calling-length of Lubie. And the joy of facebook is that this name is not limited to my immediate family, and those unfortunate friends who happen to be present during family gatherings, but only the whole world in which I associate myself! So now that the matter has been cleared, and you are all most definitely in my camp, sympathising in the awful things that brothers thrust upon us, I will move on to more travel blogging. :-)
Leaving Rome, we booked ourselves tickets on the overnight train to Venice. Unfortunately our budget did not stretch far enough to allow us into one of the cabins with beds, and we were therefore we found ourselves in a tiny cabin filled with four others. Despite having presumed otherwise, we were not sitting next to each other, but opposite. The reason for this we quickly discovered. To get ourselves comfortable, we had to pull the bottom of our seats out making it possible to lie slightly horizontal. The only problem with this was that your seat, touched the seat of the person in front of you...explaining why you sat opposite your partner. This was relatively, (and I do mean ONLY relatively), comfy for me...being that I was shorter, I spread my legs out on top of Ben and got some semblance of sleep. Ben however, being that much taller, could not stretch out, and when he did have his feet my way, I had to half lie on them, (as they were too heavy to rest on top of me), and this did not last long before I had cramp and we both had to move. So the poor guy ended up sleeping most of the night with me sprawled out like a child half over him. Despite the wriggling round and broken sleep, the time passed quickly, and before we knew it, it was 5am and we were in Venice. A couple of coffees later and we were ready to attempt the day!
Venice...one of my top three places in the world to visit! Now I had heard from many a mouth, that Venice was a let-down, smelly, boring, expensive and generally disappointing. I, however, totally disagree! This has been my favourite place in the world so far. I had always imagined what a city that has canals instead of streets might look like...and it has lived up to every expectation, and every beautiful photograph I had. It is just gorgeous! We spent most of yesterday wandering around and taking a million photos, (not unusual for us). Ben, who I think has a map for every city in the world implanted in his head, actually got lost! That is truly a first! Me, who since leaving the grid of Christchurch, has no sense of direction what-so-ever, followed him round, innocently believing him when he told me he knew where he was. One would think, that my trust in his incredibly accurate sense of direction, would have been questioned, when he led us to a dead end, (the ocean, at the end of the island), but alas no, I followed him still. Dead end number two had him lead me down a narrow street, which ended in a doorway to another canal. This was the point where I told him, that Venice had beaten him and his perfect sense of direction and that I was going to ask someone the way to the bus station...but being a male, Ben did not approve of this idea, and assured me he would get us there. Which he did, I have to admit, after over an hour of seemingly aimless wandering. Whether he actually knew the general direction, or he was just determined to overcome the challenge, I will never know, but I do pride myself of playing the part of the good wife, and leaving him in control!
So, checked into a camping ground with a gym and pool, (both of which we have made the most of already, despite being eaten alive by mossies in the gym), and in an upgraded room with an en-suite, thanks to Ben working his magic with the receptionist, we are ready for day two in Venice, where I will attempt to work my magic on a gondola punter!
For those of you who may have seen on facebook, the reference to myself as Aunty Lubie...I am now going to clear the matter of your curiosity up. If this name continues within the family...as I unfortunately am most sure that it will...the poor child needs to know that her Aunty Joe, (as I will always refer to myself), is not some dodge, (the nickname could have a somewhat unseemly meaning when the poor child reaches her teens), but rather, had a horrid nickname thrust upon her as she innocently put lipgloss on her lips, one lovely afternoon at a family lunch. This would normally be an unimportant event, but unfortunately for myself, I have the raucous, joking-around, hassling type brothers, who decided from that moment on I would be known as lip-lube to the family. This name was a keeper, (Yay!). And hence the name was shortened to a more effortless calling-length of Lubie. And the joy of facebook is that this name is not limited to my immediate family, and those unfortunate friends who happen to be present during family gatherings, but only the whole world in which I associate myself! So now that the matter has been cleared, and you are all most definitely in my camp, sympathising in the awful things that brothers thrust upon us, I will move on to more travel blogging. :-)
Leaving Rome, we booked ourselves tickets on the overnight train to Venice. Unfortunately our budget did not stretch far enough to allow us into one of the cabins with beds, and we were therefore we found ourselves in a tiny cabin filled with four others. Despite having presumed otherwise, we were not sitting next to each other, but opposite. The reason for this we quickly discovered. To get ourselves comfortable, we had to pull the bottom of our seats out making it possible to lie slightly horizontal. The only problem with this was that your seat, touched the seat of the person in front of you...explaining why you sat opposite your partner. This was relatively, (and I do mean ONLY relatively), comfy for me...being that I was shorter, I spread my legs out on top of Ben and got some semblance of sleep. Ben however, being that much taller, could not stretch out, and when he did have his feet my way, I had to half lie on them, (as they were too heavy to rest on top of me), and this did not last long before I had cramp and we both had to move. So the poor guy ended up sleeping most of the night with me sprawled out like a child half over him. Despite the wriggling round and broken sleep, the time passed quickly, and before we knew it, it was 5am and we were in Venice. A couple of coffees later and we were ready to attempt the day!
Venice...one of my top three places in the world to visit! Now I had heard from many a mouth, that Venice was a let-down, smelly, boring, expensive and generally disappointing. I, however, totally disagree! This has been my favourite place in the world so far. I had always imagined what a city that has canals instead of streets might look like...and it has lived up to every expectation, and every beautiful photograph I had. It is just gorgeous! We spent most of yesterday wandering around and taking a million photos, (not unusual for us). Ben, who I think has a map for every city in the world implanted in his head, actually got lost! That is truly a first! Me, who since leaving the grid of Christchurch, has no sense of direction what-so-ever, followed him round, innocently believing him when he told me he knew where he was. One would think, that my trust in his incredibly accurate sense of direction, would have been questioned, when he led us to a dead end, (the ocean, at the end of the island), but alas no, I followed him still. Dead end number two had him lead me down a narrow street, which ended in a doorway to another canal. This was the point where I told him, that Venice had beaten him and his perfect sense of direction and that I was going to ask someone the way to the bus station...but being a male, Ben did not approve of this idea, and assured me he would get us there. Which he did, I have to admit, after over an hour of seemingly aimless wandering. Whether he actually knew the general direction, or he was just determined to overcome the challenge, I will never know, but I do pride myself of playing the part of the good wife, and leaving him in control!
So, checked into a camping ground with a gym and pool, (both of which we have made the most of already, despite being eaten alive by mossies in the gym), and in an upgraded room with an en-suite, thanks to Ben working his magic with the receptionist, we are ready for day two in Venice, where I will attempt to work my magic on a gondola punter!
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