My final post

Well I've done it - new colours, new title, new blog.  If you'd like a look - just click here.

I'd love to hear from you if you do venture over that way. It's a bit of a black hole in blogger land sometimes in terms of who looks at the blog and what you think. Please feel free to drop me a line at pricepoppets@gmail.com J

And one final word about "Going places" - I'm going to look at printing it - yep - all 300 odd pages of it.  It is such a good record of our adventure (and what an adventure it was!) and a nice coffee table version will be just the ending it deserves.

And some final words about our time away.  I loved it. I love the UK.

I loved seeing the relatives, soaking up the history and exploring the gorgeous countryside.

I loved sitting in English pubs and walking through snow covered meadows.

I loved our house and the green fields next to it.  I loved going to photography club with Ian from next door.

I loved the trees and the grand old country estates.

I love the hedges and old stone walls and the skinny lanes they lined.

I love the rugged coastal cliffs and the quaint old cottages.

I love London with its big red buses, the Thames and Big Ben.

I love Edinburgh and all is historical glory.

I love it and I feel at home there.

But most of all I love that I shared it with my family, who I know loved it too.

What next?

What to do with this blog?  It's been a big part of my life for the last 15 months and I already miss the idea that the adventure is over and that this won't continue, at least in it's current format anyway.

I love that I've got such a good record of what we've been up to and how the kids have skipped, laughed and thrived their way through our time away.  It has been such a fabulous ride, better than I could have hoped for and although the excitement of new and unchartered territory has gone, life certainly still goes on.

And for that reason I'd like to keep on blogging.  The posts won't be as exciting, the scenery not so stunning, but the people will be the same and this time round we'll be doing normal family day stuff.

I need to come up with another name - I think, sadly, that "Going Places" has come to an end.  I need a new beginning again, I've got a few ideas, just give me a few days and hopefully I'll have something up and running....

Watch this space J

Back home

We're back home, safe and sound.  It's been six days now and our time away almost seems like a dream.

Here are a few last shots from Vietnam...

The lovely staff from the Rising Dragon Hotel...

And here we all are at Mum and Dad's

The Old Quarter

When we weren't shopping (which wasn't for very long!), this is what we got up to...

Hanoi is busy and chaotic and while it seems the only rule here is there are no rules, things just seem to work, in their own hair-raising kind of way.

Again - got a plane to catch, last one for a while, so it's just photos.

Hanoi

After a very lazy morning and 10 glorious hours of sleep we were ready to head out shopping.  We had a bit of an explore yesterday and there was quite a bit that caught my eye - shoes and silk and kiddies clothes in particular J.

All was looking good, we were ready, refreshed and keen, only it started to sprinkle.  Nothing an umbrella wouldn't solve....

Got all of about 30 metres and then did a 180.  Back in the hotel room with Miss M who is watching a terrible cartoon on the TV.  Phew it just ended, the cartoon that is, not the rain, oh no, the rain looks like it's here to stay for quite a while L.

Venice

What better ending to our Europe trip than Venice.  When you think you've seen just about everything Venice reminds you that you haven't!  

The train crosses from the mainland through the lagoon area and out you pop, right in the thick of it.  Venice is incredibly popular tourist attraction, catering for an average of 50,000 tourists a day!  I don't know what the 270,000 permanent residents would think of that!

We walked most places, down tiny alley ways and over many of the 400 or so bridges.

and managed to squeeze in a 2 minute Godola ride from one side of the Grand Canal to the other. 

We window-shopped, crossed the Rialto Bridge and watched the lovely puppy below attacking a broom as his owner tried to sweep up (his owner had temporarily given up at this stage and there was a bit of a stand-off).

We found the San Marco Piazza

And then wandered some more.

Venice is a definitely a photogenic place...

This is a bit rushed - got a plane to catch!

Verona

Verona has its own Colloseum, it's not as big as the one in Rome, but it's older, is in better condition and is still used today.  

But that's not all this ancient walled city has to offer.  It is also the setting for Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and there is even a residence on exhibit that is claimed to be Juliet's home, complete with the famed balcony.

Middle Right - Juliet's house and balcony

Inside the walls surrounding the old part of town is a maze of paved alley ways linking large open piazzas.  It is a car free zone and while busy with tourists isn't frantic with cars.

We took a tourist train ride to see the main sights and then wandered around for a bit.

You won't believe what we had for dinner - yep - pizza.  Although I have to say - out of all the pizza we've been having the best has been...... wait for it..... in Germany! Soft, springy, elasticcy crust, slightly charred, fabulous not-too-salty anchovies, caper berries, oregano and mozzarella.  First bite and we were sold!  The restaurant owners were from Tuscany and I had a red wine from the Montepulciano region.

Will try to re-create said crust on return to Aus - as long as I can make one as good as (or better thanJ) Miss Vicki I'll be happy, just like Miss M below.

Hexenwasser!

Today we visited Hexenwasser in the Tyrol region of Austria.  Hexenwasser (Witches’ Water) is themed outdoor water park high up in the Alps and is a kid’s idea of heaven.  These shots were taken before at the base of the chairlift, just outside the small village of Soll.

 

LOVE this photo!!

You get to the park by chairlift, a ride that sets the mood, raises the spirits and creates a sense of anticipation and excitement.

 

  

Once there the choices are endless - hiking paragliding, eating, demonstrations, and of course, the waterways...

Bottom R - Emily making water dance in the witches' singing water bowl 

The idea is to paddle and wade your way through the mini rivers and pools, the whole track is designed to be done barefoot and along the way there are places to cook....

and to eat...

to wallow...

and to balance....

to marvel 

and to swing

to learn

and to relax

J