Plitvice National Park

The Blue Lake in Mt Gambier is unusual. We expected the Plitvice Lakes to be similar, but with waterfalls. Adam and Eva organized our itinerary and did the research. Boy, did they find a gem. If you are ever passing through Croatia, it is worth going there. We travelled by bus through the mountains and through the many tunnels, the longest was 5.6 kms. The mountains and the forests we passed through were spectacular. We found some fantastic accommodation on our arrival in a little village which looked very Austrian. It was a fantastic home for 2 nights and breakfast was included. In the morning, up early, crisp and cloudy we ventured into the park. Little did we know that 8.5 hours later we would still be there.

Our first sighting of the lakes was breath taking - hopefully our photos will do it justice. Plitvice Lakes http://www.plitvicelakes.com/ . The waterfalls between the lakes were formed by mosses that retain the calcium carbonate that is absorbed in the water as it rushes through the karst (limestone rock). Travertine builds up, sprouting plants that grow on top of each other to create barriers to the river. It is an UNESCO World Heratige site. The turquoise lakes are surrounded by hectares of wooded mountains and linked by a series of waterfalls and cascades. The water is crystal clear and there were lots of fish everywhere. We were able to follow the boardwalks and hiking paths for 8.5 glorious hours. There were caves, but no bears, even though we were told that there may be a possibility of sighting one. At night we took a little train to the restuarant for dinner. During dinner there was a thunderstorm and it started to rain, we had a perfect day with no rain for our sightseeing. We had to run and walk rapidly for 45 minutes through the forest in the pouring run in the darkness, it did not help that Adam had to pretend he was a bear. It was a great ending to a great day to have shared it with Adam and his beautiful wife Eva.

Getting lost in Sibenik

We arrived in Split and found a bus going straight away to Sibenik back up the coast. Arriving in Sibenik was a huge change. The cars were a lot older and rustier, the people and the children were poorer and there was a lot more grafitti. There were empty shops right on the sea front, obviously not a tourist hot spot, but we did manage to see a wedding party emerge from a church, accompanied by a whole jazz band, bass and all, that certainly entertained us for a while. Nothing was open to find accommodation, so we went wandering to find a sobe (rooms to rent). Not a one in sight. We stubled across an agency and we were relieved to find there were two rooms available. Adam and Gabrielle went a wandering to find an ATM as a lot of the society is run on cash. Gabrielle stopped to ask directions, turned around andAdam was gone. Meanwhile Nick and Eva were enjoying a coffee back in the square watching the world drift past. The old town is a labyrinth of old and narrow dead end streets, wandering up and down stairs and Gabrielle also ended up well and truly lost. It was hot and we did mention the stairs everywhere. At last she found 3 lads about 10ish years old, smoking around the corner and asked them for directions. The little buggers asked for 5 kunas (about $1). She didn't have any money so they sent her off in the wrong direction. Meanwhile Adam had found his way back to Nick and Eva. Adam and Nick took the luggage to our accommodation and left Eva to wait for the return of Gabrielle. We all got back together about 30 minutes later. The place we were to stay at was a whole 3 bedroom apartment and we were able to do our laundry. There were lovely views and lots of stairs.

On the road again

On the road back to Split we passed through Bosnia and Herznegovia. we had to show our passports, but no stamps added to the passports. The journey was four and a half hours, but it was the most beautiful coastlines with lots of coves, boats, houses and the mountains were picturesque. A good proportion of the Croatians that we have seen seem very well off. This would have to be one of the most affluent country we have visited. Not much culturally challenging about it at all and most people speak very good English. The place is so clean and tidy, they seem to take pride in their gardens and cities, but the parking on footpaths means that often a walk on the road is the only place to be.. We have only seen one McDonalds, so far, and that was in the city. Lots of stairs and little fast food is probably the reason behind so many well figured bodies, both male and female.

Dubrovnik the jewel

After catching a bus and a short ferry ride we arrived in Dubrovnik with great anticipation. It is the one place you see on all the travel shows. It was also the main focus of the war that destroyed a major part of the city that finished in 1995. The scenery was truly out of this world. We have never seen such clear azure seas. Croatia is very clean including all the waterways and the seas. Dubrovnik shows little signs that they suffered in the war. The rebuilding that has gone on is amazing to say the least. We managed to find some photos of the bombed and destroyed streets and being there to see the renewal was incredible. All the buildings in the old town have always had the same orange tiles. So many roofs were destroyed they had to find other countries to supply them, like Italy. You can tell the rebuilt ones as they are different shades of orange. The old town where we stayed is a walled city. Staying in there was a strange experience. We did not venture out on foot until the last night. The place is thriving once again and full of tourists. Just as well it is not summer. The boat harbour is the place to be to feed the fish.(Nick and Adam wishing we had rods to catch them).

Right through Croatia the sea life is so abundant. We walked for nearly 2 hours around the wall one morning. That was incredible. It would have to be the best walk we have done around a walled city. From the sea views to see exactly how the city was built was very special. The city is so squashed in with very narrow lanes. It is a great feeling in Croatia everyone is friendly and most speak English. This would have to be the easiest travelling we have done. After the wall walk we boarded an old boat to travel to the Elafiti Islands. We visited 3 of them. That was fun having time to swim , have coffee and icecreams and of course to marvel at the scenery. On board they cooked up a delicious seafood lunch that was so tasty We are so lucky to have experienced all this. Back to the mainland to watch lots of kids jumping off very high rocks into the ocean. A little scary for us. There were a few Australians in there as well. I recckon our daredevil Paul would have done that too.. We would have done it but we did not bring our bathers.

Korcula the island holiday from heaven

Next stop was a 3 hour ferry ride to Korcula an island off the Dalmation coast, it is 47 kms. long. It was full of olive trees and vineyards and the bluest seas. We stayed in an apartment right next to an inlet with views overlooking a marina. Poor Nick he desperately wants a boat, and with all these boats sailing and laying idle is like rubbing his face into it. Adam reckons if I did not spend the money on the kitchen (now called the galley) Nick would have a boat. The walk we did to the next village Lombarda for 45 mins was fantastic as was the village itself. After climbing numerous steps we discovered the vineyards. Walking through those was something out of a book. We found our way back to the sea and discovered a little restaurant tucked away under vines.

The smells emanating were inviting to say the least. After sharing a plate of local fare and a few beers and the free local liquer we realised the last bus was leaving soon. As we scrambled across the white rocks we realised we were not going to make it. Luckily they had a water taxi who took us across the water to our town. That was great. What a day we had ! Great to share that with the others. Off to our next adventure to the well known Dubrovnik.

Split

Split is a very large plce, second largest in Croatia. The harbour in the old town was stunning with a new promenade next to the Diocletians Palace. As usual every one and his dog has taken over Croatia at some time in its past.

Diocletians Palace is a Roman ruined town in itself. 3000 live in it, so it is a living mesuem. At night, having a coffee on the steps facing the still standing facade was a great experience. The footpaths of the towns we have visited have all been paved in marble, and one can't dismiss the fact thet this is the same marble those Romans were walking on. And while talking about beauty the tourists are dressed immacuately from Italy, Germany and France. We stayed in rooms which were in an apartment block only a couple of km from the coast. That gave us a lot of exercise. we are eating and drinking well. Seafood is abundant, so we have been taking advantage of being on the coast and eating lots of it. The beer is great. The Dalmatian ham, similar to prosciutto, and cheese are fantastic. Yum..

Croatia

One thing we have found in Croatia is relatively slow internet and most do not allow access via USB ports, but at last we have found one will be able we hope to upload some pictures. We landed at Zadar and managed to taxi to our accommodation, which was right on the coast and from the balcony we could see the ocean. In the morning as we walked around Zadar we found that the water was incredibly clear and clean and there were plenty of fish. No fishing rods, bait or fridge to keep them in though. As we walked we could hear some haunting "music". Located right on the water front was the source of the music, seahorns, which made organ like noises with the action of the waves. Very impressive. There were also many Roman ruins. We travelled by bus to Split and what beautiful scenery. There were so many small coves and villages, each with their own marinas. And so many boats. We would love to know what they do with all of the old boats as these were all new and big. The buildings are all creamy white with orange terracotta tiles. It is all very uniform and picturesque. The land is very rocky and stony. Lots of walls made with grey stones everywhere

Blue, blue Adriatic Sea

We left Scotland, reluctantly and travelled with Adam and Eva to Croatia. You have to love Ryan Air with their .01p flights. We arrived in Zadar after following the beautiful coastline. It would have to be one of the nicest approaches to a country. Through customs and off to our accommodation in a villa that we had prebooked. The host was very friendly and helpful and after we had settled in drove us to a restaurant where we ate croatian style pizzas. Next day we explored the old town of Zadar and then travelled on to Split by bus. The road was very scenic, it was a 3 hour trip, but passed very quickly. The road followed the coast and we sighted many small villages and towering cliffs and lovely little bays. The seas must be the bluest that you are likely to see anywhere. The buildings are mainly white with red or orange tiles. Beautiful. There are still Roman ruins in Split and many cafes abound. We walked many kilometres and rested with nice coffee. Europeans love their ice cream and we have had some great flavours.

Sunny Scotland

Photo : Just to prove we were in Scotland Adam and Eva's accommodation

Five flights later and some 30 odd hours and several meals later, at last we land at Glasgow airport. We wandered into the Arrivals lounge and there was the reason for our trip. Adam and Eva were there waiting for us. Many hugs and cuddles later we were in their rental car and headed off to Inveraray. Scotland, everything is beautiful and green and as a sign of things to come, we had the windscreen wipers on for the entire length of the trip. The drive there was spectacular with Lochs and steep mountains, bare of any vegetation above the snow line . The pines and the fir trees were very pretty. As we rounded the bend coming into their village it was fantastic to see the pure white painted buildings with black slate tiled roofs fronting onto the Loch Fyne. What a sight that was. After seeing their photos and hearing all about were they were living we were actually there. They are both looking great. Lost a fair amount of weight... not that they were overweight but they have toned up. Eva has lost a couple of dress sizes and Adam has lost his dresses and now wears kilts exclusively.... only joking. Our first afternoon we walked to their castle, well, not actually theirs but the Duke of Argyll's and he and his family still live there for part of the year. We knew we were in Scotland then. It is quite a forboding sight to come across in the misty rain. There were babbling brooks and much water everywhere. Everything is so green.The bluebells are out. Whole fields of them. It is so pretty. Very hard to describe how stunning it is here. The loch is a sea water one and is affected by the tides, the water rises and falls a fair bit and mussels and weed abound. We have been eating well, probably too well. The George hotel where they work has great meals, last night mussels in provencale sauce for about #6, but there were about 30 or 40 good size mussels. Yesterday Thursday Adam worked in the day until 6 and then Eva worked from 6 to 10. We left the hotel after 10pm and it was still quite light. The sun was gone, but it was still very light. The hotel has a very family atmosphere and all the staff look after each other. Adam and a couple of others went about a km up the road to prepare a patch of ground for the growing of vegetables and herbs. The hotel wants to start using its own organic produce.

Scotland

Well, time passes suddenly. It was only a short time ago there was to be a takeover of the national airline, Qantas, and there were many references to honouring the frequent flyer program. Immediately we thought, use them or lose them, that is frequent flyer points, so we decided we would have a quick trip to Scotland to see Adam and Eva, who have now been overseas for nearly 10 months. What an opportunity, we could visit Adam for his birthday in May and then visit some people that we had met in other travels. It quickly came together and we are off tomorrow 15 May with a Frequent Flyer paid trip.
We intend to visit Adam and Eva in Inveraray, Argyll, Scotland and have a quick look at the west coast of Scotland, then we are off to sunny Croatia for a fortnight before returning to a whirlwind trip of Ireland and finally Edinburgh, Scotland arriving home 15th June. Whew!! It sounds like a bit of a rush after our last few trips, but we always enjoy ourselves and each other's company, so I can picture us enjoying a lovely coffee overlooking the beautiful Adriatic Sea between all of the sight seeing.

Busy! Busy! Busy!

Photo: Jake on his first birthday

Photo: My mum, mother of 6, grandma of 19, and great grandma of nearly 9.

Photo: A ring in. In the middle, Sinead (Bethanys best friend) joined us for Jake our newest nephew's Ist birthday. Bethany and Jake share the same birthday.

I can't believe it is April already. Adam and Eva have been away 8 months already. We had Bethany and Hannah's birthday over the last few weeks..... 6 and 4 respectively. The excitement that builds up to their birthdays is incredible. Maybe because they are only 6 days apart. It was also our son-in-law Raffs birthday on saturday he is a little older than the others. What a lovely guy he is.


Photo:My little brother Damien with Tanya and Jake
Our newest addition to our family Jake also turned one . We celebrated with a birthday in the park . It was a fantastic day. Jake is adorable and much loved by all the family and their friends. We were lucky to have Ella ...nearly 5 and Charlotte.. 2 come to stay overnight. We are very fortunate to have the opportunity to have that special time with them.

Photo:Hannah our catering queen wearing her apron made by her Nanny.

We don't have Rachels kids over now because they are at their Dads most weekends. That is continuing to work out well for all concerned. I have been quite unwell lately. Top to toe has been affected.. brought on mostly from the stress we have been under, trying to find a solution to keep both Mum and Dad happy while dad is undergoing some very drastic changes. Mental health is a huge problem to deal with within a family and even though there is support, at times I feel I am going it alone. Everyone else is busy with their lives and only can do so much. I had, what I call a meltdown which made me realise I can't do everything without something giving way. I am going to counselling to try and get some help emotionally. I don't know how I would get by without my darling Nick. He is always there and very understanding. Maybe it is good practise for him if I go like Dad as I get older. The mental health system here is fantastic and everyone always calls me back and have a lot of empathy. Mum is slowly coming around to the fact that dad really needs some serious help and will need hospitalization very soon. She is an incredible person my Mum, what an inspiration in selflessness. I want to keep both of them happy but I fear my dad is not going to like our next move. I hope that we all can be at home for Easter Sunday to show support for Mum. It would be the best if our brother Tony and his wife Cheryl would come to complete our family. Heres hoping. Happy Easter everyone

No kids!

Photos:

spot the difference

Today, because the weather was cooler we decided to take a hike... literally. We only ventured as far as the Barossa Goldfields. They are only 10 minutes or so but we have never been there. We walked for 1.5 hrs fairly easy except for a couple of hills. My knee held up well so we can step up the exercise now, thankgoodness. It was very interesting. The place was so quiet and pristine. You have got to love the Australian bush. The things that go on in your own back yard is incredible. Our history is so recent compared to other places in the world but it is still our history. We really enjoyed the day.

Our trip to town with Rachel's children

Last weekend Nick took Ryan, Bethany, Hannah and Sophie to the big smoke by train. He loves spending time with them, because he doesn't catch up with them through the week very often. Rachel and I had a meeting with prospective clients for a wedding in November. It is exciting to be stepping out of our comfort zone for our catering. Thanks to Rachel. We met Nick and the kids at our state library for and exhibition of Australian icons. That was very interesting for all but Sophie (21 mths.). the others had a find the artifact or display and write down answers to questions. That turned out to be a piece of cake for all of them . Even Hannah (nearly 4) was copying the names etc. to the amazement of the library staff. On Sundays they set up games out the front of the museum for the kids and adults. Hence the huge Lego etc in the photo. Just as well they had the games there because our lunch took close on an hour to be served. Rachel took Ryan in to see Leonardo daVinci's inventions at the museum, while we explored the rest of the museum for the umpteenth timein our lives. There are always changes occuring thank goodness. Anyway each time we go the next child is really interested in what is around them, this time it was Bethany. Boy she is a bright spark, full of questions and remembering everything as well. Check out Rachel's blog link.

We got so much out of it and it helps Rachel to have extra adults around. Talking about Rachel. Paul and Rachel are doing a great job in helping the kids adjust to their separation. The kids are not showing any signs of stress about the big changes in their lives and it can't be easy on all concerned. I think they should write a parenting book on how to handle the "extended parenting". I haven't seen Rachel so settled in a long time , she is even starting to put some weight on she says. I think that would be in her little finger. Another great day had by all.

A Day out with Nicole and Raff's Children

Two weeks ago we had Ella and Charlotte over and we took them out to the Barossa for a drive to find a playground. We stumbled across the Herbig family tree.

It was huge as you can see from the photo of the girls at the bottom of the tree. They were months before they all have another baby to add to their familyamazed that 16 children grew up inside the hollow of the tree with their parents. We were amazed that anyone would have that many kids in those conditions. The girls were wonderful as , we enjoyed a long time at the playground at Lyndoch . I pretended to get stuck on the slippery dip . I won't show you that photo it would scare you . We always appreciate every moment we have with our children and grandchildren. We know the kids enjoy their free time and the grandchildren enjoy the extra attention from us. It is a win win situation. Just over 3 months before their third child will be here. Nicole is blossoming. She looks beautiful. I get very emotional to think our daughter is carrying another baby. Wow! Raff is so very busy but to his credit his time he spends with the kids is quality time.

Nick has survived another year

Photo: Impromptu BBQ (Charlotte forgot to bring clothes)

Nick has had a really relaxing birthday this last weekend. I won't say how old he is but he is as fit as he was in his 30s. We spent the Saturday day at a swimming pool with a water slide. That kept most of the kids happy . Hannah (3.5) can't wait until she is big enough to go on it. Ryan(8) can't wait until he realises his mum carries out her ultimatums , which means sitting at the pool fully clothed, watching all have fun. Will he learn? Our girls certainly follow through on their parenting skills. Good to see. Consistency is one of the keys to a successful relationship with your children.

Sunday lunch at our beautiful Henley Beach . It was only 30degrees c but felt hotter. It was a glorious day. The kids gave us a canvas print of one of our favourite photos taken at the beach in Cuba. It is huge and it looks fantastic. It was a very thoughful gift. Thanks guys. The grandchildren were so well behaved .They are a delight to go out with, even at a posh restaurant. Thanks for the lunch everyone. We still miss Adam and Eva at our family gatherings it is a huge chunk missing. Adam called from Scotland at 5 am. their time .He had inbibed a few wee drams for Nick and was standing alongside the Loch ... complete opposite to where we were. That was kind of him wasn't it.Adam and Eva are holidaying in Spain and France for a few days. Only 11 weeks before we head off to see them. Lee our niece in Ghana messaged Nick. He was chuffed about that. On a sad note.. Damiano , Raffs' dad died at the young age of 54. He was waiting for a liver transplant. It has been very emotional time for Nicole and Raff. The familys' wishes were for Ella (4.5) to not attend the hospital or the funeral . It created a lot of angst to say the least between Raff and his stepmum. Ella wanted to say goodbye so they took her and Nicole sat at the back with us. Raff was a pallbearer. To see his face as he walked out of the church it was heartbreaking. So much unsaid. May he find peace of mind. It was the best thing to take Ella and she went unnoticed . She was as quiet as a mouse. Children are so perceptive. Raff has lost both parents . So young they were. Live life to the fullest. . Lucky buggers! Bye for now.

Travelling Wilburys( well Yacoumis's)

Photo; And off she goes .Is she 'Ghana 'make it on time?

Photo: Rachel[our eldest] me, Nick ,Nicole[our middle child] and her husband Raff. at Lees 21st.
note Nicoles baby bump

Off they go again. Our darling niece and nephew have flown the coop together. They are travelling to opposite ends of the world. Paul has returned to N.Z. to work to get back home to Oz to save to travel again. Lee has just turned 21 which was celebrated in style with half of Adelaide. On the Monday we saw Lee off to Ghana to volunteer , working with AIDS sufferers. We are very proud of her she is certainly is stepping outside of her comfort zone. Ahh! the next generation. They have the world at their feet. To travel, to experience , to make a difference. Go girl !My sister Julie has an empty nest for awhile. The best thing for Julie is she is starting her first accountancy position on Monday and boy is our family very proud of her. She has gone to Uni. as a mature student to achieve her degree with a very good result and has a graduate position . Well done and good luck to her for the future. They will be back. I have a feeling it won't be long though before they will be on their next adventure.We know what that is like. We have itchy feet again..we have only been back for10 weeks.

Photo; Paul [our nephew],
,Lee [our niece] and Julie [my sister].

We are indeed very fortunate to have the means and the will to travel and so far the good health

to go with it.

Photo: David[Nicks brother] also Paul and Lees Dad, Tobias [Lees personal backpack outfitter], Paul and Nicks Dad, Peter.

Feeling better now

This week promises to be more organised. Thank god for that. My trouble is the older I get , the more impatient I am when things interrupt my plans. I had a long talk to Adam and Eva on skype that was great. They are still enjoying their work in Scotland and are going to stay longer. That gives us the opportunity to visit them. We need to use our frequent flyer points so we HAVE to go . We leave on 15th. may and return on the 15th. June. We will be back in time for Sophies 2nd. birthday on the 16th. and Nicole, Raffs, Ellas and Charlottes baby due end of June. We are very fortunate to have great bosses that allow us to take time off without losing our jobs. Adam and Eva are paid for their holidays so they are taking time off to travel with us for 2 to 3 weeks. That will be great.We have been quite busy with our catering business . I think Rachel is on a winner here. She will be very successful one day as the business is growing at a good pace. Lucky she gives me time off as well. I visited my friendly Dr. Anthony on Friday .. he really is so nice. I knew when I was summoned to his office that the results of the lesions I had removed were not going to be great. One of the them on my neck below the ear lobe was the worst one because it grew within 3 weeks and was not a good carcinoma. The other one on the top of the nose was a different kind of cancer . It grew over a matter of months. Both of them are all gone he assured me He took 5mm. depth that was tested to 3mm of carcinoma. I had a complete body check... everyone should have that done every year at least. I need to go every 6 months now forever because it grew so quickly. It just goes to show something as innocuous as a pimple looking thing is still worth getting it looked at. Twice now , early detection is the best prevention. Now for the lecture. Please slip, slap, slop and regular pap smear tests. Females are also very susceptible below the knees as we always wore skirts so check there as well I also had 8 burnt from the back of my hands ... another common place to look. It is not hereditary but purely sun damage. It is preventable . I was lucky again. Anyway Nick is complaining I don't have enough life insurance. All went well with Rachel and Paul and the kids. It is still a big adventure. Nick and I wish them all the very best for the future.

Time to send some photos

Nicks dad Peter's 78th. birthday.
Just a small party of 3 of his children
and one daughter-in-law.

It was a lovely night ! Nick and Ryan went crabbing of the Grange jetty

with Nicks new nets and caught 17 along with this beauty

I think he is just a little proud

Yes Bethany has had a bad hair day.

Those cousins love each other so much.

We have had a week or more of sky viewing. It has been exciting to see McNaughts comet every night it was very clear . In all the years we have been on this planet we have not seen anything like it. Keith Martyn was very excited as you can imagine. The photos on the news each night were fantastic. We could just walk out the front door and turn to the west and it was there very cool. Monday night at 2 past 9 the spacestation flew across the sky . That too was quite incredible .

The innocence of childhood.

Nothing to report

Iwas told off for not blogging the other day. Nothing has been happening yet everything has been happening. As I am writing this I am crying..just releasing my emotions so maybe it is just as well I am writing this. The biggest and the most upsetting is happening this week. I am mourning for the inevitable loss of a relationship ... it has been a long time coming. It is not something I would wish on any parent, to have to stand back and be absolutely helpless to help to stop it happening. I know they will all survive but it is still so so sad. I did not realize how much I had hoped maybe things would turn around. Our daughter is the most patient person I know and is handling everything so well as usual she manages to put her life into little boxes to cope with it all. I wish I could do that well. I had some skin "lesions" removed last week that the Doctor was not happy with I was supposed to get the results onMonday but my doc was away I will get the results on Friday because the sister couldn't tell me . I will be glad when Friday comes. Iwas talking to my massage therapist Iona and she said there is evidence to say sunscreen is causing different skin cancers because of the chemicals. Either way the best way is to cover up and stay out of the sun during the crucial times of the day. I don't think Adam and Eva will have that trouble in Scotland. My dad is extremely bad as age is taking its toll on his mental and physical ability and my mum is not coping . Over the next week In need to talk to my brothers and sisters to discuss trying to get him assessed some how. Not looking forward to that one. Nicks dad has also had some disturbing news about his white cell count .. he is worried about that and so are we also. He was hoping to make his first journey home to Greece since leaving in 1939 but won't go now as he has to have regular treatment. That is sad for him. It is funny how all things seem to come down on you all at once. We are all very lucky because we are very close knit family and will help each other get through it all. I am sorry to be all doom and gloom but I needed to get it down.. that is why we haven't blogged. On the upside we have had a fantastic school holiday break with the girls and grandchildren. We have started to organize our 4 to 5 week holiday to see Adam and Eva in Scotland and catch up with some great people we met in Central America . We will be off mid May until mid June.

Christmas at home in Adelaide

Well, after spending a glorious 2 days over Christmas and Boxing Day with our family we have decided we never want to spend that time of the year away from home . Unless of course we had the kids and grandkids with us, and our parents and our family.

Photo : our 6 beautiful grandchildren

It was Charlottes 2nd birthday on Christmas Day. It is and always will be a special day for her we will make sure of that. We actually had quite a cool day , that does happen quite often at this time of the year. Kate came and spent a couple of days with us during the week. We met Kate in Central America and as she was coming to Australia she dropped by to see us. It was great to get to know her a little better away from travelling conditions. She also got to meet our clan and I think she got an insight into our way of life in Australia and particularly a small town like Gawler. Taking her around with me to do my chores made me realize what at great place we live in and how friendly everyone is. As we saw her off to go back to Sydney we realized we will miss her. We went to my sister Julies and our niece Lees home for Christmas. It really was a very relaxing day meeting up with everyone, some we only catch up with a couple of times a year. Our daughters did something very special for us. As most of our readers know our son Adam and his darling wife are away for 2 years and it was the first time we were'nt together as a family. I was feeling a little sad that we wouldn't see them.

As we walked into my sisters living room we were confronted with life sized cardboard cutouts of the two of them dressed in their clothes borrowed from our house as we are storing some of their things... must remember to change our locks... only joking. Well I burst out crying along with my sister ...her son Paul is in N.Z. for sometime as well, it was a good cry fest. They looked so real it was so freaky. They had pride of place near the Xmas tree. It made us feel compassion for those who have lost their kids and are spending this time of the year without them. We must appreciate our time we have with our loved ones and always tell them we love them with an extra hug for them.We love our kids and their adorable children we are so blessed. Happy New Year to all of you. Keep on sharing your smiles.

Back to reality

The transition was very easy. We didn't suffer from jet lag again . Just a bit of tiredness. I can't remember if we told you about the theory that Lenin from Ecuador has. When you leave a country or new culture your soul takes 2 to3 days to catch up with you when you fly.That is what it felt like to us. We have not had much time to reminisce with each other let alone our friends and family. We were extremely busy back at work 2 days after returning. We have managed to have a lot of time with our girls and the grandkids. This time they really did miss us. They have all changed in the 3 months we were away. I can't imagine how Adam and Eva will feel when they return after 2 years. Ella (4 year old) told her mum that she can't remember what they look like even though we have photos it is not the same as in the flesh. We have put up the xmas tree and decorations which has put us into the spirit and nearly finished the shopping. We have been to our local Carols by Candlelight. That reminded me of my childhood being brought up in Terowie and Peterborough(very small towns) not so great choirs and the church organ, along with the town band. it was a good turnout. Gawlers' community spirit is well and truly alive. We love living in a small town. It wasn't the same as the city's carols but certainly made for an earlier night for our angelic grandchildren. We were lucky to be back in time to see Ryan's school concert last week it was top notch. The school that the children go to is also a great community. We caught up with Ella and Charlotte at their swimming classes and Bethany and Hannah's gymnastics. Their mums are certainly busy giving their children extra curricular activities. After Christmas we will catch up with Ryan at his Tae kwando class. He has his yellow belt and he loves going with Raff when Raff is not too busy with work. We are looking forward to seeing the rest of the family at Christmas, particularly my new nephew Jake. Chtistmas will be at my sister Julies this year. It will be a smaller affair than other years with 2 of our boys overseas and along with our daughter in law Eva as well. I am really having a lot of teary times this week as Christmas nears. Ah well that too will pass. We do love being home but our soul is floating around somewhere else in the world. We will be off again soon we are sure of that. Kate is coming to see us for a couple of days this week. It will be great to catch up again. We met our new Irish friend Kate on our travels in Central America. She has been in Oz for a couple of weeks for a 6 week stay. Merry Christmas to all that are reading this. We hope to be reading your blog one day as you are on your journey through life. Nick and Gabrielle hope you have a very Happy and Healthy New Year .

The end is near and so we face the final curtain

Words from the famous crooner. We finished our American experience with a good dose of The Hollywood experience.This meant doing the Universal Studios tour to see the backlots of some of the great movies . It was very interesting, but I must say our Movie World is on par with the attractions on offer, particularly as a few of the rides etc. were closed. We spent a couple of fun days with Niamh and Hin. I t was good to catch up with them and to see what we all had been doing over the last couple of months. They both stayed at the same accomodation which was very inexpensive considering we were 2 mins. from all the action. We embarked on a tour of the homes .... well the gates of the homes of the rich and famous. It actually was very interesting as we were taken places we could have only gone with our own car. We were lucky to have as our guide the guy who was featured with Katrina Rowntree on one of our travel shows we have here in Oz. Our experiences in L.A. have wet our appetite for more as the people were very warm and friendly. It was a fantastic way to end our 13 week journey together. Iwillmiss Nick as we go about our hectic lives .We do travel very easily together without tantrums or hysterics. Iam sad today but never mind we have to return to work to replenish the funds for our next trip. Where-ever that may be. .It was fantastic to come home to 6 very excited grandchildren and to their mums and dads .Boy were we so happy to see them too. Rachel our eldest has done a fantastic job of juggling work, 4 kids and a very busy catering time. Nicole andRachel have supported each other we really appreciate what they did for us while we were away as they are so busy with their lives . Thanks girls. We are very lucky to have a very close family to come home to. Talking about that since we have been home it has hit home that we will not be seeing our youngest Adam and Eva for a while. They are very lucky to have found work in Scotland and are really loving it.Lastly the best news of all Nicole and Raff , Ella and Charlotte are expecting a new addition to their familyat the end of June, congrats guys from nana and papa. Thanks for reading our blog over the last 14 weeks we have really enjoyed logging our thoughts it has helped us all stay in touch and lessened the homesickness for some. Photos will follow

Los Angeles rocks

We arrived at LA airport after 3 flights and 8 hours in the air at 1130pm and waited patiently for our luggage. And waited. And waited.
We contacted airport staff to learn that our backpacks were in Mexico City.
We left the airport at 1 AM after being reassured that our luggage would be delivered in the morning. We spent the night at the Radisson and in the morning after waiting for several hours and then speaking to the Concierge we were informed that best practice would be to return to the airport to chase the luggage.
Well we finally received the luggage at 1230, all intact.
We have found everyone we have spoken to and even some people we haven't are very helpful polite and in some cases bizarre.
We are half a block off Hollywood Boulevardand have walked its length. We caught the Metro to downtown LA and to Long Beach and did a tour of the Queen Mary and a Russian submarine called the Scorpion.
Train travel is $3 per day.
Internet is $6 per hour, but at least it is fast.
LA is a surprise package. We thought we might not like it much after what we have seen, but it is quiet and there is no pollution and there are not as many people around as there is in Cuba or Mexico. I think all the Mexicans are in LA.
So far we love it. Meeting up with Hin and Niamh on Friday.