Day 13 - CORNIGLIA TO FLORENCE

Spent pretty much the whole day getting to Florence on the train - first to Pisa for a couple of hours then eventually to Florence. Went to the markets in Florence in the late afternoon sussing out things to buy when we go back in the next day or 2.

Day 12 - Monterosso and Vernazza

These 2 villages are more ritzy than the other 3 - Monterosso is quite big and the more wealthy tourists stay here! Split into 2 parts really with the older on one side and the newer part on the other side of the hill.
The path from Corniglia to Vernazza has been closed periodically and the path from Corniglia to Manarola has been closed for the last year as there have been rockfalls. we used the train, however, as Sharon's hips and back couldn't take the 2-hour walk, up and down hills, to Vernazza! Kim was willing!

Enjoyed our day at both these places - weather has been awesome for pretty much the whole holiday but the wind of the previous day meant the ferries were not running again. We had wanted to take the ferry from Monterosso to Riamaggiore but couldn't. So ended up taking the train again, along with hundreds of other people. The area is so beautiful but it's a shame there are so many tourists - us included!

We decided that the village we stayed in - Corniglia - picture below - was the quietest and therefore the best!

Day 11 - MANAROLA, RIOMAGGIORE

Our first overcast day, but still warm. Train to Manarola (2 mins) then walked along coast path - called 'Lover's lane' - very famous - to Riomaggiore. stunning views along the path.
Both these places are so gorgeous - little fishing villages but have become very touristy - lovely tho'. Lunch there, walked back to Manarola, then train back to Corniglia. Rained a little.

Had drink at local cafe, then dinner up on our terrace.

Day 10 - ROME TO CINQUE TERRE

Caught the 9.46 train from the station (lugged our bags along the streets again cos we are on a budget and can't afford a taxi!) to La Spezia where we changed for Corniglia in the Cinque Terre. Our eurail tickets entitle us to 1st class travel so having paid the mandatory 6 Euros for the reservation from Rome, the train arrived and we were then told that that particular car's aircon was faulty and so was not in service! So down to the other end of the train and into 2nd class we go. Nowhere to put the luggage so kept it in the next door seat. We had no intention of moving if anyone wanted the seats!

Got the local train to Corniglia then the bus up the hill to the town. Now comes the interesting part about steps. DO NOT go to Cinque Terre if you don't have good hips and knees or if you have heavy suitcases - like us!! #1: slow walk up paved alley, #2: get keys - thought house looked good but -'no, no, not here, up there' #3: up 3 flights of 10 steps, but wait there's more- #4: up 2 flights of 15 foot high steps, all the while lugging our cases. Eventually, arrived at our cute little apartment , hot and sweaty! Great view from terrace (up 3 more flights of stairs). Apartment was great, view awesome.

Bought dinner for the next 2 nights - self-catering - bread, cheese, meat, wine. had dinner on terrace, stunning views, chatting with Aussie couple from Sydney.

Day 9 - ROME

First thing of the day to do was to go get the blessing from the Pope. Sharon had so much trouble understanding him that she wasn't sure if she got his blessing or not! She's sure tho' that he waved to her (and her alone!) 

After the blessings, and waiting for 30 minutes for the non-existent bus, we headed for the metro to the Spanish Steps. OK so they are just steps but they are pretty steps and the 3021 people around them thought so too. Horse and buggy was available to return to hotel but a little out of our price range.

Sharon wanted to go to the toilet again so headed off to Maccas after having been unable (once again) to find any kind of bus that was going our way.
We knew the metro like the back of our hand so boarded once again to hotel for a little rest.
Out to browse the streets then sat at a bar overlooking the Plaza della Repubblica for a wine and a few olives whilst watching the Romans go about their evening stuff.
Back to hotel and bed. We had a really lovely hotel in Rome. beautifully decorated and in a great location.

Day 8 - Rome

Sharon loves this city!
First stop after having been served breakfast in bed was to buy the Roma Pass. This gives 2 free entries into sites, plus free use of transport. However, we took about an hour to find a bus that went to the Colosseum, then only went half way and we walked the rest! Were so fed up with the lack of info about bus routes that we ended up buying the Hop on/off bus tour pass as well and that took us the rest of the way. So... having left the hotel at 10, we finally got to our destination at about midday!1 We did stop and shop a bit on the way, tho!!! Colosseum is awesome. See photos.

Then off on the bus to the Vatican. Got accosted by man selling guide services, said no way, then thought we actually would be better with a guide so said yes to the next guy. Was well worth the money as the guide told us stuff we would never have known about had we done it ourselves. Saw 7 of the 24 museums - highlights tour, St. Peter's Basillica and sat in awe in the Sistine Chapel.

Back on bus to Trevi Fountain, trying to take our photos amongst the 2000 other people trying to take photos, then back to hotel for well-earned rest. Dinner down the street then off to bed.

Day 7 - Barcelona to Rome

Spent most of this day getting to the airport then waiting for our delayed (by 1 hour) flight to Rome. Left the hotel at 9.30, arrived at our Rome hotel at 7pm. Train from airport and walking to hotel (took wrong street up a hill - Sharon wasn't that happy!) arriving at 7pm. Went out for dinner up the road for pasta.

Day 6 - Barcelona sightseeing

Well up at the crack of dawn (kidding it was closer to 9am) Breakfast then to the food market for fresh juice then onto the bus to our first stop Casa Batllo which is a house Gaudi designed for a friend and his family - very interesting as there are no sharp edges.Loved this building. Check out the pictures of it.
Back on bus and the second stop was La Pedrera, another one of Gaudi's masterpieces - check out photos.
Back on bus and the third stop was the La Sagrada Familia, the cathedral that Gaudi worked on for forty years and up to his death. It is still being work on up to this day and they rely on donations from anyone and anywhere to continue his work. It has some very interesting shapes and modern sculptures of people. Kim loved it!
Back on the bus to the third and final stop Park Guell off the bus and it is an up hill walk of about 10mins and low and behold more steps. (you probably worked out by now I hate steps but the Europeans love them!!!!!!) check out photos.

Back on the bus and home, by this time it is around 7.30pm then went out to dinner to the Placa Reial a grand 19th century square to a place that was recomended to Kim from a teacher from Naenae College. Very nice food and reasonable prices too. Home about 11pm and off to bed. (Knackered) :-)

Day 5 - Barcelona

Dragged ourselves out of bed at 9.06 after waking on the hour, every hour (Sharon anyway). Good breakfast - included here.
Changed rooms - yeaaaa.
Took 3 different bus tours around city - awesome city!! Great sights - visited the Museum of Arts on hill above city - spectacular views. Lunch at cafe on Playa Catalyuna - people watching drinking a melted block of chocolate aka a hot chocolate!
On bus #2 joined with bus #3 and back to las ramblas. Had a bit of retail therapy then beautiful pizza for dinner and bottle of bubbly red wine (didn't know it was bubbly when we ordered it!) OK - we are not in Italy yet but the pizza looked good and we could pronounce it!
We are going to bed now - a hard day at the office!

Day 4 - Paris - Barcelona

Up and out the door to the Musee d'Orsay where the line was so long it reached 2 blocks along so we gav that a miss! Went to Place des Vosges for lunch - sat among the cigarette butts facing away from the 87 schoolkids stirring up the dust running around the trees.

Picked up luggage, dragged to train station - more f..en flights of stairs, then oops wrong train line, get off, more stairs, right train line - arrived at airport ready to wait 3 hours for plane - free for all for the seats - no reserved seats on Easyjet!! Kim fell asleep aboard, Sharon kept watch!

Arrived in Barcelona, dragged suitcases again to hotel (how many stars???) great lobby but as we were the last of the night to arrive, we got the crappiest room - sewerage must have been very close to the 3rd floor cos we were nearly overwhelmed with smell! Organised a new sweeter-smelling room for tomorrow - Kim slept the best night's sleep ever - must've been the gas, Sharon kept watch - well nearly all night!

Day 3 - Paris

Went to Sacre Coeur - Kim made me walk up the hill with lots of stairs and only told me later we could have gone up on the cable car!! Great view of all of Paris - but wait - there's more - more steps up to church - all you Catholics will love to know that we listened very carefully to the service going on but unfortunately Sharon didn't understand a thing so she sang her own tune!

The highlight of the morning - artists extraordinaire drew our pictures - fortunately they drew some really young-looking hot chicks that must have been over our shoulders - tell us the truth when you see them!!!

Then to Louvre to see Mona and Venus and a few other rock-hard dead people. Had enough of wandering the many corridors of the Louvre wondering what was going on in their heads when they drew some of those pictures - do not judge us - we had walked 57 flights of stairs by now (Sharon keeps reminding me!)

Took a romantic cruise with 87 schoolkids down the Seine (not a happy camper!!) - straight off the boat into a bus for an illuminating tour of Paris by night. That was amazing. (and you wonder why Sharon falls asleep with her clothes on!)

Day 2 - Loire Valley Chateaux

Got up at 5.50am to get the 7.15 bus to the Loire Valley - crazy we know - but we are home now and have had a great, if not extremely tiring, day. Went first to Chenonceau - the most beautiful we think. Weather was lovely - too hot actually at times so needed to seek some shade to have our picnic lunch. Spent the most time at this one.
Then on to Chiverny - lovely privately owned chateau which is open to the public. Last chateau was Chambord - huge hunting lodge with the double staircase. Google them - awesome.
Back at hotel now with a bottle of wine and baguette for dinner 'cos we can't find the pizza place we were going to go for dinner - easy to forget where things are when you are menopausal! Sharon is fast asleep in her clothes on the bed - one glass and it's over and out!
Talk tomorrow. Budget today - well under! Have to make up for yesterday!

Day 1 - Paris

Well it was a little bit of an effort to get out of bed, but being the good sports that we are, managed to, at about 8.30am afer having sat in bed with a cup of tea, deciding our plan of attack on Paris. By the way today was not a good day money wise, we weren't wise! In saying that it was a fab day and we crammed in the following:
3 different bus routes around Paris which took us to the following places where all our  money went.
1st stop - Notre Dame: I now only want to go to a church where a Hunch Back rings the bell. (Back on the bus)
2nd Stop - Eiffel Tower: Thank God we are patient people! It took 2 1/2hr from start to finish, but so worth it. When we got to the top there was a french man selling champagne by the glass, so say no more we had to toast the tower and Paris. I now only want to live in a house where when you on the roof you can see for 64km all around. (On the bus again)
3rd Stop - took awhile as we got on a different bus route which showed us parts of Paris that we wouldn't have seen, but worth the look. Back on track (you know I mean the right bus) stopped at Madeleine church, I do have 1 suggestion for the people in these churches, please put more lighting in there as us old people have trouble seeing in the dark.  1 plus for poor lighting - I'm sure we look better in that light. :-).
Back on the right bus thinking we would go to Sacre Coeur but by the time the bus got to the stop it was 7pm and our stomachs took over, so headed back to our hotel and food.
Budget today - blown by 100% - feel free to send money!

Now in Hong Kong - waiting for another leg of journey

Stage 1 - Sydney!

Arrived in Sydney - watched movie, had dinner, beautiful sunset upon arrival into Sydney, tired already!

Off tomorrow

Leaving at 4pm tomorrow. Packed and ready to go!!