CAFNEC

Cairns Far North Environment Centre Mountain bike ride from Cardwell to Cairns in September 2012  follows on from a 5 day walk along the shores of Hinchinbrook Island. Book now for an adventure of a life time!!!!

Gisborne to Taupo

Ride the "great escapade" across the North Island and then headoff to Walk the Able Tasman and reconnect with nature.. Enjoy as life is short!!!

Sign up now and join the fun and adventure - if it does not rain!! :-)

Travel and tour New Zealand 2012 - Ride and walk one of the 10 great adventures

Gisborne to Taupo and Nelson to Nelson via Able Tasman National Park!

!

Monastery's and their locations

While in Italy we stayed in a Monastery, without firstly thinking about where and why they existed in the first place. Monastery's are places of worship, in isolation from the town folk - thus they are located high uphills and mountains of Italy and so do not have large bags - back packs are what is required as there are  often 8,000 step to get to your bed each night!!

Ride in the Tuscan Sun

A trip is not complete with out a ride in the Tuscan Sun around Lucca.

 This shows the Gothic Line - see attached link

See the attached photos for a glimpse

PHD

Folk, look out for the symptons of this disease.

We both have caught a bug [disease] known as PHD.

We are not sure when this came about but probably last Wednesday night when we were about to board the plane in LA for Brisbane. The plane was full!! You know how that feels

We both have become very irritable and when we are with friends.

It is best you all keep away from us for a time until we sort this out!!! We are not sure when the irritability will go away, but I sure hope it is soon. 

It is particularly worse this time as the build-up for PHD has been over 6 weeks, where as PRD is usually built up in just week, eg Cairns to Karumba, Sydney to Surfers, BQ, FNQ Ride etc 

We feel sure we will get over this soon and we will keep you posted. 

Click here for more information on PHD. 

We are not likely to die from this problem in the meantime we are eating a lot of chocolate.

Take care!!!

Moreton Bay Road Runners[MBRR]

There runs a competition within the Moreton Bay Road Runners [MBRR]for the prize wearing their teeshirt in the most far away places. Here are my entries.......http://www.mbrr.net.au/

Night Market in Kuala Lumpur

 San Gimignano

 Kuala Lumpur

 Cinque Terre

 In the

cellar of Champagne in Reims

 Dublin and Temple Bar

 Noumea

 Canals of Venice Beach CA

Irish supporters of the Scotland V's Republic Of Ireland [ROI]

Carling NationsCup

Giro Italia colours

Looks nice!

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View from the other side of the Pacific Ocean

This is a view of Redcliffe and we were challenged with the temperatures of 8 deg v's the 17 deg in LA.

Photo updates

When back, I will update the blog site with more photos.

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Looking at the Pacific Ocean

This is looking at the Pacific Ocean from the other side.

Enjoy!

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George Washington

George is the first president of the USA.

Again we went for a walkout and entered this posh setting where folk were being served champagne etc and the folk about the statue where very highly dressed like a school formal.

What had happened is that we 'gate crashed' a wedding and soon after talking this photo we were asked to leave.  :-)

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Entertainment

A holiday experience is not complete, especially when visiting USA, without a visit to a jazz club. (see photo)

What goes with this experience is to taste the single distilled USA Jack Daniels whiskey, in a cigar smoked filled room, rocking to music and the  moves of Ray Charles.

While we are on whiskey taste you may want to try this.

I was fortunate enough to visit the triple distilled whiskey that comes from Dublin. This came about when we visited the Jameson whiskey house.

Then compare the taste of the above two whiskey's with the Black label Johnny Walker from Scotland and tell me which is best?

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Where's Wally?

Did a bit of a walk-about today and got lost !!

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Conference number three.

Conference number three comes to an end in the hot temperatures of 33 degrees in Washington DC.

The attached is an early morning view accross the Potomac river which is a nicer aspect of USA.

The next stop is Santa Monica, muscle beach, and sidewalk cafe.

Plus there is a possible visit to TREK Superstore at San Diego for a 29er!

Do not forget to click on the home button at the bottom to be refreshed and updated with this blog site.

You can email me at; scobes7kg@gmail.com

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People watching.

Mr and Mrs have put on 0.5kg each. Their excuse is probably more to do with what is stuffed in the packs due to the hot temperatures in 'times square' being approx 34.

People watching before we catch the next bus is an interesting observation especially during visits to London, Paris, Lucca & NY.

The elegance of the dress sense is very impressive in Paris and thus why it is the fashion capital of the world. Everybody just looks plain sexy!

Enjoy!
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Gourmet breakfast

The gourmet tour if Europe continues just as it started in Paris. Just as we leave the country of 'dorf', 'furts', 'Apfelwein' (apple wine), Autobahn, Strabe, GmbH, etc we stay a night on the Rhein at Oestrich-Winkel. The hotel Ruthmann is right opposite the railway station. While eating our delightful breakfast we look up to see the attached picture.

The theme continued in Dublin with a hearty Irish breakfast that included 'white pudding' .

The other picture shows our Lucca villa balcony from where we had breakfast looking out towards Torrre Guingi Tower.

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Additional pictures from Italy.

Reconfigure to send some images directly to the blog site from my mobile of Italy. This image was taken high up on the walking track. Impressive

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Mr 5.1 & Mrs 5.4 at day one and day 21

Looks like I can now post images. Hooray!!
See the differences ?? As noted when we boarded at Frankfurt for Dublin the Mr is 5.9 & Mrs is 6.1.... how come?
Still well under 7kg!

Germany

We love this place. ( I do more than June, as she is more inclined to stay in Paris) First with Koln and a taste of the local beir (beer) , pork knuckle and a healthy dose of Sauerkrout to know which country you are in. Then a 2 day river cruise UP the Rhein looking at all the castles along the way. We have come off the boat red faced from being in the sun all the days. We should have gone DOWN the Rhein as it is only a one day cruise. Oh.well !
Nevertheless very enjoyable.
Next stop for some Irish Whiskey and ' Temple Bar ' Cheers

Reims - Regional France

Reims is the business centre for Champagne, such as Perrier, G D Mumms, Moët etc. Of course tour and taste is a must along with a spectator light and sound show on the facade of the most impressive Motre-Dame Cathedral in the Centre if Reims. Also fortunate that the Reims festival is on in the town centre at the same time as we are here. Koln next!

(PS - Click on HOME at the bottom of the page to be updated!!!!!!!!!!!!
Email address is scobes7kg@gmail.com)

time.......

Yes to find time to blog is tricky. We have just got back from dinner on the Avenue Des Champs Elysees at midnight which included a close look at the Arc De Triomphe and the sculptures on the walls. Very impressed we were. Meeting my sister Willy who arrives from Lake Como on Saturday morning via the overnight train to see how her legs are from all the walking at Cinque Terra and to see if she any sole on her shoes.

Cinque Terra

We were greeted by Mario, one of the Franciscan Friar's at the Casa Regina Degli Angeli Monastery at Levanto, which is the most northern town of the 5 places that make up Cinque (5) Terra. This where stayed for 3 nights. We and I say mostly I was able to do all walks between the 5 towns that make up the region between Monterosso and Riomaggiore. A great region with a sister area being the NZ Fiordland National park and so you can imagine what this is like but without the rain and cold. And one for the bucket list !

the conference is over and now Cinque Terrre - Levanto

Hi folk,
The conference is over and now the next destination is in site via 10.40 am train.
this is for 3 nights and then to Paris.
love to all

Tuesday is Giro Italia day!

Picnic on the median strip waiting for the Giro to come by!!!!

if you have a bucket list

This is a MUST do go and see place. Google it!.

San Gimignano.

Better still if you can't stay or live in Lucca go and see this place.

Add it to your bucket list!

Paris was even better

No photos as I can not upload from my phone just yet - Ah here they are!!!

london looks good

How is this for a picture

dinner in kl all ok

 Dinner

And ladies, we missed the biggest shoes festival

no rain and clesr skies

1.5 weeks to go!!!

launch off is fast approaching with dinner in KL the following Monday!!

4 weeks to go

PS you do not count the last 2 weeks as they are just a blurr.. Packed to go to mt isa overnight and the scales came in at 2.5kg. 4.5kg to go... joggers and toothbrush.. looking good. especially now that we have the wi fi andoid phone for bloging access throughout europe!!

packing - very important

We have bought the bag.. picture soon!!!