Final Blog - C'est Fini

A long haul home and yet again our kids were amazing.  We were delayed in Singapore for a couple of hours before the last stint of transit.  Mum and Dad picked us up from the airport where we were greeted with big hugs and kisses.  All tired and glad to be home.  Unfortunately Trav starts nightshift the night of arrival so it will be another week before he starts to settle back into our Melbourne life.

The holiday has been an amazing experience and we have been so lucky to of had the opportunity to spend such quality time with our family and experiencing different cultures.  Unfortunately our holiday must come to an end, although I think we are all ready to come home to our comfort, family and friends.  Thanks for being part of the journey with regular comments and communications.

Until our next adventure

Much Love Minns Mob  -Trav, Mel, Madeleine, Hudson & Noah

London

Another long journey to reach my cousin -Natasha's house in London town (nowhere near the riots). It was so great to catch up with Tash and her husband Martyn and their gorgeous girl - Leina.

Tash and Martyn had mapped out a kid friendly, local tourist route through London city for us.  Which made a very pleasant experience.  The day started with Trav have a Bulmers to warm up, a saunter down South Bank through the markets and a bus ride to Tower Bridge. We then walked the bridged viewed Tower of London before catching the Ferry back to the London Eye.

We continued our journey via Big Ben, House of Commons and through Scotland Yard where Hudson befriended a London Policeman.  Lunch in St James Park was relaxing and kids enjoyed feeding the ducks and watching the squirrels.  Along the Princess Diana remembrance walk to Buckingham Palace and the Homes of the Royals including Prince Charles.

We continued a walk through some great streets (recommended by Tash and Martyn) through a beautiful arcade where we purchased some macaroons (apparently the best in London) to the palatial Fortnum and Mason, where we the queen shops for her tea and so did we. Homeward bound through Picadilly and Trafalgar square before we met up with Tash, Martyn and Leina for dinner back at Southbank and merry-go-round for the kids before catching the train home.

Once home ALL the kids enjoyed a bath followed by an interactive GRUFFALO story, narrated by Tash.

Trav and Martyn set out each morning and hit the pavement on Saturday to Richmond Park (unfortunately they didn't see Angelina Joli or Brad Pitt who were apparently staying there), and on Sunday enjoyed a run along the Thames. Tash took us to her friends farewell picnic at Wimbledon Common, the weather was lovely and the kids enjoyed the vastness to run and we enjoyed Pimms on the Lawn in true style. The car wasn't quite big enough for the 8 of us so Trav took off on the back of Martyn's motorbike decked in leather. What a site!

The kids were exhausted after the picnic so we left them sleeping with the men and Tash, Sarah (one of Tash's friends who I know) went shopping to Kingston.  I had a ball with no kids looming around and I loved Kath Kidston and bargains and Bentalls.  Came home happy shoppers :)  

Danica and James came over for a BBQ which was awesome.  I was luck enough to catch up with them one last time before we head home.

On Sunday we walked down the street to the Thames and caught a ferry up to Hampton Park where King Henry the 8th lived.  This is where the 2012 road race is taking place and they had the trial which we were able to watch before walking the grounds of Hampton Park.  Here we caught up with Steph and enjoyed lunch and sauntering through the rose garden before heading back on the Ferry.

We spent the afternoon packing while kids slept, preparing ourselves for the plane journey home.  We enjoyed our stay in London and Hope to see the Benson's in Australia soon (2012).

Coming Up: Last Blog 

Italy -2 (Venice)

Our romantic 2 nights in Venice were just that.  A beautiful sinking town - the canals, bridges and tight walkways provided much enjoyment for us all.

Our apartment was set on a canal and we would sit in the window watching the gondola's make there way up and down the canal.

Noah enjoyed the the new texture of a granite like floor.

We walked aimlessly enjoying the maze and coming across random piazza's and shops.

We caught the ferry to the main piazza (St Marco Polo).  Of which we then found our way back to our apartment, via some great shops (clothes for me, masks for the kids).  We all had a rest before an early evening gondola ride followed by a true Venitian dinner set on the waterways.

Ciao Italia

Coming Up: London, Home

Italy -1

Jonny kindly picked us up at 6.00am and drives us to Chambrey (1.5hrs from Chamonix) here our train has been cancelled, so we catch a bus (the trip was beautiful through the mountains and across the border) which takes longer… we miss our connecting train and this is now the case for our next 2 connecting trains… after 15 hours of travel we arrive in Duino (near Triest) Italia – not really knowing what to expect.

We decide to have a relaxing day in Duino and recover from the long haul from the previous day.  Duino is tiny, a bar, café, mini supermarket, Tabac and castle entrance all in the piazza (only a short stroll from our place).   We are only 200m from our local beach – a tiny pebble section that you need to pay to access (otherwise its jumping off the jetty).   Not much here but a beautiful little Italian oasis. perfect for our last stint of relaxation before we start to make our way back home.  Everyone we meet seems to ask how we found Duino from Australia, and not to tell too many people.

First stop our local café, great coffee for us (Illy – which comes from this region Trieste), baby chino’s for the kids and kicking back on the deck in the shade of trees.  Lunch at home before heading to our local beach for the afternoon.

The next day we are ready to explore again and set out for Sistiana via the Rilke cliff walk.  After a beach play we hike back to enjoy lunch at the cliff top before racing back against the approaching storm.

Trav masters the transport system here, and we work our way to Trieste.  Cruising the streets  (shopping)  and visiting the ruins of an old ampitheatre before enjoying a coffee at the oldest café in Trieste – the coffee capital of Italy.  From here we catch the ferry back to Sistiana and view the towns and castles perched on cliff points from the water.  Having just missed the bus from Sistiana back to Duino the Minns Mob take to the cliff walk again (this time pram in tow, most would think we are mad).

4^th August – Hudson’s 3^rd Birthday in Italia.  Our adventure today commences with croissants and coffee (egg free of course) to fuel for the journey to ‘Gigante Grotto’ – the largest cave in Europe (over 600 thousand square meters and 120 m deep).  The kids loved the Pirate Cave and looking for bats eyes - sorry no photos allowed.  We then journeyed back to Trieste via cable tram and enjoyed a birthday lunch on the canal.  Finally home and Trav, Maddie and Hudson enjoy a play off the jetty before meeting Noah and I at a lovely waterfront restaurant for Hudson’s 3^rd Birthday dinner.  The meal was divine, with calamari, seafood risotto and finished with the traditional Tiramasu (mmmmmmm).

The next 4 days have been pretty standard, slow start to the mornings: Trav often running to Sistiana to the patisserie to get bread for lunch and meeting us at …the café (surprise), before heading back for relaxed lunch on our patio.  Then the afternoon is spent down at the waters edge with the kids as Trav and I take it in turns to have a swim in the bay looking back at the most amazing cliff top houses with private water access.

Our little man Noah is keen to mix it with the big kids, as he is now pulling himself up on coffee tables and standing (sometimes not so successful as he pulls a chair on top of himself).  We are still waiting for his teeth to break through, as his antics at night are relentless. 

One night we decide to return to the waterfront restaurant and again enjoy a seafood indulge with Trav and I sharing a perfect spaghetti marinara before a sensational seafood platter.  The fish is served whole and prepared in front of us along with the other lobster, calamari, scampi and prawns.  Kids enjoy their spaghetti provodore again (safe and works), before having some left over birthday cake while Trav and I continue to indulge in cream caramel and the traditional Tiramisu again.

After much hunting of lizards with dad – Hudson in stealth like manner catches his own Lizard by himself, so proud he comes running with lizard (no tail) to show the family.   We let the lizard go and within 5 minutes he is back on the hunt and catches a lizard tail… of which he holds onto all the way down to the beach and lets it go in the water for the fish – funny.  We celebrate his accomplishment.

We have had new neighbours with kids move into the apartment next door.  This has been great for Maddie and Hudson who have loved the interaction of some older children.   We also visited the Duino castle.  The prince still lives in a section with his family and the remainder of the castle is a tourist attraction and B&B.

Ciao to our little Italian Oasis Duino. We are now relaxed to commence our trip home via Venice and London before the dreaded flight.

Coming up: Venice then London then Home