Stone statues, cobblestone corners, Firenze-style fashion. Add being hounded by street merchants trying in vain to sell their latest Armani fake, a tower with a bit of a lean to it, and bottle after bottle after bottle of Tuscan wine… and you have pretty much summed up our time in Tuscany... Highs 1. Staying with the Swedish girls we latched onto in Naples who resided in an inner city villa overlooking a hip part of Florence. Embracing their local knowledge and ‘warm’ welcome provided the perfect escape from the hum of hostel living. 2. Ogling at 16th Century statues [View Full Entry]

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Walking the streets of Rome, amidst some of the most ancient landmarks on earth, dating back to when the big man, JC, walked the earth is almost implausible. Rome is without a doubt one of the coolest cities I have ever visited... Highs 1. After drinking a few bottles of wine in the late night shadows of the Colosseum, our short cut back to our hostel through an evidently locked garden, saw us cornered by a group of aggressive Italiano Polizia. When we made a hasty decision to run for it, they called for back up and covered the only other [View Full Entry]

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After a relaxing 12 hour ferry ride, our early morning arrival on the mainland ensured we could set about discovering the spent up energy that Naples promises. However, we would quickly learn that without the Pompei draw card Naples would boast little more than being a seaside harbor that serves really good pizza... Highs 1. Walking through the remains of a city that was cast in Volcanic rock in 79 AD, and then rediscovered in the 16th Century. Millions of tourists every year visit this phenomenon, today I was one of them. 2. devouring a famously good pizza (or Calzone - [View Full Entry]

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Visiting this southern isle was in many ways a huge culture shock. Having very little time to brush up on my Italian meant I had to adapt to a diverse way of life, one I had certainly never experienced before. When describing Palermo words like: Run down, disorganized and removed immediately come to mind. And without even mentioning that the head of the Mafia was found and captured when we were there, Sicily served up a unique experience... Highs 1. Leaving the UK and having a welcomed dose of Vitamin D projected onto the body. After spending just a few hours [View Full Entry]

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The Otley Run is a time-honored event, designed to test ones stamina; measure ones balance; and ultimately evaluate ones performance; or to put it simply - get you absolutely poleaxed. Rules are predetermined and will differ depending on which local you speak to, but the basic idea of the day is to have a pint of beer in every pub as you travel between the two universities - Headingley and Leeds. Whilst there is no specified time you have to complete this task, a pint equates to 560mls, and there are 17 drinking holes requiring attention. Do the math. As a [View Full Entry]

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Prior to leaving the comfort of Dingley-style living, considerable concern surrounded my ability to move away from hand-cut lunches and home-cooked meals. And whilst I was somewhat confident in my ability to boil an egg, heat a pizza or toast a muffin, I was a little insecure at just how well equipped I would be to feed five fellas needing nourishment. Each night, one of us hesitantly takes to the kitchen with pride on the line and dining dignity at stake…hopefully to deliver a product that will then be critiqued by the harshest of judges: each other. So, two months in, [View Full Entry]

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Mid term break provides teachers in the UK with a much needed break from the rigors of dealing with this chaotic profession. But for a lifestyle-teacher like myself it provides an opportunity to frolic in a foreign land… in this case Scotland would be the land to which I turn. Azz did his very best to miss the bus, but apart from that, after a ‘wee’ 6 hour journey we arrived in Glasgow well acquainted with the humdrum of green pasture, snow capped mountain tops and British sheep. For the first time this trip, I was lured into doing tourist [View Full Entry]

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Sounds like a potential Herald Sun headline usually associated to the sporting rivalry these two nations contest. This however hit a little closer to home. The other night, a rather large and certainly very daring intruder broke into our house and tried to make away with Pete’s laptop. Only trouble is he forgot to negotiate the four boys. Pete startled him; Azz restrained him; Jonesy stood on him; and Grovesy smashed the absolute shite out of him. Before long this git was bleeding from several orifices and hopelessly pinned to the ground underneath all of them. When the polic [View Full Entry]

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Saturday welcomed our much anticipated and much talked about house party. A night that would end weeks of crafty promotion to random individuals, mainly girls, that five random Australians, all teachers, had moved into their student encrusted town. Boy was the night one to remember… if only I could… These photos have helped to reminisce on the night that saw 60 or so warm our house… [View Full Entry]

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What a night! As I sit at the computer, desperately trying to keep my eyelids workably ajar, I realise that regardless of my current state, Australia Day was given the celebration it deserved. Getting to the "Walkabout" was an effort and a half as none of us really knew exactly where we were going, and I think it fair to assume that we may also have been a little intoxicated at the time. A mechanical surf board tested our already flailing balance, and gave the crowd an opportunity to taunt anyone who took it for a ride. Azz appeared to do [View Full Entry]

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