Week 2

Yep and so the journey continues (no airline safety messages, clipping seatbelts etc) as we zip down the Italian leg further south for 5 more days into the wild Puglia region of Italy. We have not visited the east coast previously but seen and heard so much of it, particularly in May each year, watching the Giro cycle race. Puglia region is very popular for walking, hiking and cycling. Now that we are heading to the warmer region, south, the sun comes up from the left, the other side which feels strange for those not familiar where north is. And if you are still not sure which way is up, (see photo) see photo for further guidance.

Commencing in the seaside resort town of Rimini, is a great way to wind down a further notch. It is like when going north in OZ, you wind down. Another node of transport was tried out, use of the hotel bike on the right hand side of the road. All went well with no road rage from either side.. not sure how I would go speaking to an angry Italian driver.... not good I would suspect 🤕

Besides the Roman amphitheater and other historical artifacts, a causal walk along the beach revivals all. We see tattoos like never seen before, cellulite on parts where I have never it before and lots more never seen before ... keeping sunglasses on is a wise move but being completely dressed is right out of place. Planning / mapping on the train has taken on a life of its own (see photo). The next few days planning go well until a hotel concierge offers you a welcome Spritz and some local planning ideas. (See photo). The plans change 🍹🍷. There maybe more travel plan changes, depending on the variety of folk we meet.😎

The evening meal has now taken a turn with a Spritz and condiments buffet prepared in a momento (see photos) a further sign of ‘slow travel’. Now with another bottle of Campari empty we stay over in Pescara for a night.. Heavens to bettsie... we not wanting to rush this journey.

Transport means is via a vast variety. Eg Zurich is tram no 2, Rimini bus 11 worked a treat, walking the narrow lanes of Pescara and Bari bus 4 works wonders. But now we find ourselves staying over in Matera. For the next 3 days it’s a rental a car. (See video of our early Mediterranean lunch pull over stop) ps when hire car driving, safety messages are of a different type... coming from other road drivers and June. (All very civil atm)

Driving is different besides being on the right hand side, the road signage means go in this general direction. We think we have worked it out, not to take signage too literally. There was a couple of towns we traveled through today on the way to Alberobello and Matera, in that we circled the town, because the sun was on the wrong side, signage, or my navigator... who knows.. it wasn’t the driver!!!!

Alberobello looks interesting (see photo) until we again looked into a shop door to see lots of Italian hams hanging from the ceiling. Yep another invitation for another lunch.... yep, local ingredients of wine, breads, cheese, antipasto and hams of all sorts, for another late afternoon lunch. Food full now, but walking the stairs of Matera, was all worth it. (See photos)

Early morning walk of Matera before the crowds is in order to start a discovery tour of what the next 5 days (page 3) may bring.

If you are wanting to discover your own journey, I know of a very good Mobile Travel Agent  who will get you to these places (and back)...(See photo) 😎

Week one

Over the last 5 days we have wondered our way around the central parts of Europe visiting the mountains, waterfalls, lakes and the lush greenery of the valleys of Switzerland. For the next 10 days we will navigate / zip our way down the back leg of the boot of Italy - Adriatic coast

The experience of exploring the Swiss transport, such as the trams, trains and buses make for relaxing & a pleasant viewing environment without the queues & hassles at airports which we will have to encounter eventually. The slow pace of travel is worth it after the hectic busy renovation period, and now there is just time to take a deep breath and relax. There are plenty of examples of relaxation, such as when we arrived in Zurich, it so happened be the 40th day after Jesus died (Easter) and his resurrection so happen to be on our flight arrival day... all shopping is closed for the day. But never the less there was plenty to do and see.

In total the cows, cow bells, chocolate, unique style of housing and lack of dogs ‘off leach’ (👌) make for a wonderful Swiss experience.

Then off to Lucerne and Interlarken Ost. Don’t ask me what the Ost is for.. Prost perhaps. More lakeside train travel views not to different from my youthful days touring with Contiki... or in my Combie van, well in reality perhaps it has changed and it is my mind at play!!!

Then lakeside at Lugano - stunning!!!

Tick - Switzerland

Until the next post take care

Ready get set....

One of the last things to do before we depart for Europe is to get to lockup on our renovation. Here is the proof that we have accomplished the task  with the tradies party, 11 weeks since the job was started. Yes, it was beers, banter, food. We passed on the boobs. The beer, banter and boobs is only available in WA. 

It is now prep time for our house sitter.

India journey will look a bit like this

Follow the link

https://youtu.be/OO836r5rJ-c

Oh Lora [aka Domestic Blis]

We are getting pretty good at setting up on the road side and pulling out our camper trailer kitchen draw / bench and making a cuppa and lunch in about 30 / 60 minutes for a welcome break / rest stop. When we see a welcoming "pull over" aka as a rest stop we find the location is often full of free caravaner's [20 to 50 of the vans depending in locations eg next to a Billabong] stopping over for a couple of nights also [their rig costs about $150k, i would have to say.. good on them]. At one location there as Lora directing her husband into one of those "rest stops". She had the boots, the broad brim hat and a set of leveling devices under her arm, looked like she knew how to manage the routine of leveling the van. We pulled in with our camper trailer next to a shaded spot with a picnic table and pullout the kitchen draw. In no time we had connected the gas, boiled the water made the tea/coffee, made and eat our lunch while watching Lora being told to stand here, there and generally all the wrong places.
The previous day at Fitzroy Crossing while walking the supermarket isles, i spotted in the bargain bin "tuna and prawns" for a very much reduced price. Not wanting to miss a bargain, yep, i will have a couple of those tins!!!
Well at this lunch stop, on close inspection, the tinned food was "cat food" not meant for human consumption...

Seeing as Lora was providing us with such good lunch time entertainment, i will guess her husband we will call for want of a better name "Phippy" we were pleased to give them the two cans of "cat food" as they had a dog with them - pretty close animal in my estimation, LOL

Our next stop was Derby and by then we would hope Lora and Phippy would had had there cuppa...

NT, If you never ever go, you will never ever know!!!

Dinner cruise of the Ord River is a MUST! this is one activity you should not go past!!. Words cannot describe this...

An activity even the folk on the journey who had clearly done the second best sunset dinner from the pump station, committed on 😀

Is there a Dr in the house?

Here at Katherine at camp happy hour.. well I hope it is happy hour and trust KS has a friend in the house, much like at Daley Waters Hotel.

The champion singer informs the audience that he awoke this morning feeling a bit dizzy and his wife took him to hospital. The next 30 seconds listening to his musical tones could be interesting.. much like the whole adventure from Brisbane so far!!!

Anyway today, we spent much of it in hot pools down the road, as they say in NT. In the pool in the middle of a tropical oasis I was able to explore the features of the 'GoPro' under water.. photos which you will not get to see.

There may an update to this news bulletin in the next 30 seconds 😀