2010

Have been on the go for days it seems so just in 'relax' mode today and doing very little. Might take a wander back into town later for dinner but otherise all very quiet.

Weather is absolutely beautiful today and early this morning there was not a cloud in the sky and the place just sparkled.

Have had the afternoon nap and a couple of nibbly things but not exactly much to say on today's efforts.

Another pre-arranged pickup seemed to work well and we headed off to the Athens Port to meet our ferry. Now that's a ferry!!! We were unceremoniously dropped at the back of the giant ferry wondering if that's where we were meant to be! Dragged the bags (had left one big one back at the hotel) up the gang plank onto the car loading ramp (still wondering what was going on!!), but found a rack to heave our big bag into then asked one of the car loaders where to go - through that door (an EXIT sign) and up the steps - okay!

Our 7.30am pickup became 8.00am after a couple of phone calls - blamed on traffic but I had my doubts, not a lot around and probably just on 'Athen time'!
Did the now usual whizz around by bus - here's this, here's that etc. Have now decided that a 'Hop On Hop Off' bus visit around any city is probably better value than an organised city tour which does not seem to stop at all the places you want to. Anyway on we went and got off at the 1 year old Museum which houses only the icons and works uncovered from around the Acropolis region. It was a magnificent new museum and our thoughts were that it was a museum that wouldn't go astray in Cairo in Egypt where a new museum is so badly needed.

Picked up this morning for our 2 day bus tour up to Delphi and the Meteora Monasteries region - both unknown to us but seemingly the places to go for day trippers. It turned out to be a 3 1/2 hr bus drive up to Delphi to some very ancient ruins then from then on another 4 hours up to Meteora where we were put up for the night in a very nice hotel. A long drive to say the least but it gets us out of the city and into the countryside - even if the weather was cold and miserable. No rain as such but very foggy and misty and a little drizzle here and there.

This morning we were all due to pack up and disembark the ship and head to our next holiday destination. Lots of goodbyes were had and a few friends made with whom to make contact with once everyone is home again. Kemm and I were headed out to the Airport for our onward flight to Athens, Greece.

We arrived into Budapest this morning in the midst of a very thick fog and assuming we were going to see nothing after being told what a wonderful entry to Budapest this would be.However it was almost like going around a corner and the fog and mist just disappeared to allow us all to go "wow", "look at that", gosh this is fabulous" and any other note of wonder! But yes, basically the first thing we came across on the river in Budapest was the remarkable Parliament building - an amazing structure right on the banks of the Danube. The whole city even from the river looked amazing.

I finished off my last notes letting you know we were off to a concert in Vienna.

We are well back from that now and I would have to say it was the highlight of my trip. I can now say I been in a concert hall in Vienna, on the banks of the Danube, filled with chandeliers and marble columns listening to Mozart and Strauss -what a fabulous evening! The most obvious pleassure was listening to the Wiener Hofburg Orchestra play The Blue Danube Waltz. The acoustics in the hall were amazing - not a microphone in place but the sound spread loudly and evenly through the whole hall. Operatic singers were also part of the concert but it was a beautiful way to finish our couple of days in Vienna. On the way back to the boat, we were given a brief 'Vienna by Night' tour also which was lovely.

Thursday – Oct 2 - BAMBERG

Yeah!!!! Have finally managed a ‘play around’ and got this email looking the way I really want it to come out. I might do website work for clients and have everything looking you beaut for them but like a carpenter who never finishes building his house, I never really did get around to making my emails resemble something sensible. But for most email clients, this should now look heaps better!

So, on with the blurb.....

Hi everyone!

Landed safely in London after 3 long flights but did manage to get some sleep along the way fortunately. The flight from Brisbane to Singapore was one of the best we've ever done for that sector - almost bump free and extremely 'smooth sailing' as they say. That was 7 1/2 hrs, Singapore to Abu Dhabi 5 /12 hours then Abu Dhabi to London another 7 1/2 hrs. I had a shower in Abu Dhabi and freshened up a bit which made me fee a little better but for those who have done that haul, you know how hard it is!

Today was what we referred to as ‘Castle Day” – a section of the Rhine River where all the fabulous and very old castles are situated high on the adjoining hills. All very picturesque of course so a million photos taken by all on board. Our weather for this particular day was nothing to be overexcited about – in fact it was very cold, dull and gloomy but that did not stop us all spending the day admiring the scenery along the way.

Lunchtime we arrived at Rudeshiem – the town I have already spoken about in an earlier news blurb! This was our afternoon of sunshine but still not warm enough to bare the arms just yet!

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