http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/GiantSteve/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from GiantSteve en-us Mon, 28 Dec 2009 07:31:43 +0000 Mon, 28 Dec 2009 07:31:43 +0000 Quick everyone high5.If you asked me 6 months ago if I thought I could successfully circumnavigate Europe even with SatNav I probably would have said Yeah sounds like fun before scurrying back to my room never to be heard from again my family is used to this. But thats exactly what I have done. As of right now I'm in Kent England.To catch upAvignon is a big walled city. And I mean wal http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Kent/Chatham/blog-261175.html Yes it's me again. I wanted to add more to the previous entry but the shop was closing up.So Monaco is just a huge piece of ongoing construction sitting on the side of a big hill. I think the train station is built into a cliff And the cars...mm mm tasty Ferraris Lambos Maseratis even a couple of American muscles. And the scooters. For every car you see 5 scooters it was the same in I http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d-Azur/Avignon/blog-259736.html Have you ever sat in your car in your driveway and thought Hmm I hope there aren't any sharp objects that could puncture my tyres around here No Me neither. No my brain likes to throw me that question just as I'm hurtling around a bend on the Italian highway at 130kph with mountains on one side and a sheer drop into nothingness on the other. And then your mind's eye plays a little movie jus http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Monaco/Monte-Carlo/blog-259627.html As you know I left off last time right in the middle of what we in the trade call a good bit.Having seen a few Ferraris's in a museum I was happy but there was something missing. There was a large supercarshaped hole within me and Ferrari unfortunately failed to fill it. I wouldn't say I was disappointed but I needed more. Please welcome Number 12 Via Modena Sant'AgataLamborghini.We tur http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Marche/Ancona/blog-257402.html ltMoran Freeman narratinggtYes the pilgrimage. Today being March 13th 2008 was the day that we would arrive at the place where it all began...Disclaimer Sorry ladies there's lots of cars and driving in this one.Hoo boy I do love driving Salzburg Austria to Venice Italy was the next leg of our trip. 500odd k's of long highways and longer tunnels. There is still lots of snow on the http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Emilia-Romagna/Ferrara/blog-255844.html Sorry for the slight delay we've been having too much funYes this edition of GiantSteve's Excellent Adventure features castles.I have to admit that I knew that the next stop on this trip would be a special one.Ever since German classes in eighth grade when I first saw pictures of Neuschwanstein I realised that you didn't get much closer to the castles of fantasy than this one.We drove into http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Austria/Salzburg-State/Salzburg/blog-255381.html Just a very quick update to tide you all over I know you all wait with baited breath....The drive to Swizerland from the French Alps was magic Just mountains and snow eveywhere.I met a couple of English guys heading for the Motorshow so I tagged along with them.Next morning I dropped in at the Airport to pick up my one and only father who'd decided I was having too much fun by myself. We went http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Switzerland/South-West/Interlaken/blog-253799.html I tell you what this trip is throwing me from one amazing event to the nextI'll set the scene I arrive safely in Lyon whereupon I start looking around for hotels.Now Lyon has 2 stations Part Deiu and Perrache. I got off at Part Dieu as that was where the trainbus to the airport was I picked up the Peugeot at the airport. So I wander for an hour only finding full hotels. It's 10pm so I t http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Rh-ne-Alpes/Lyon/blog-252714.html OK that ends our little Intermission so grab your popcorn and take a seat its time for Lorsch Part II.I'm going to outline the little morning routine we've sorted out in Haus Schleissman. I'll wake up somewhere between 8 and 9am. I'll head downstairs to find Marianna brewing the first pot of coffee for the day. We'll chat a bit in simple EnglishGerman and then I head back upstairs to figure ou http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Germany/Baden-W-rttemberg/Stuttgart/blog-252019.html ''In the last episode our intrepid adventurers had conquered Western Italy and were keen to tackle the East coast. Let's join them as their train pulls into Venice.''Thank you Mister Voiceover Man.For starters we weren't actually staying in Venice. We got off one station earlier at Venice Menstre which is like Venice's driveway. Everything going to Venice passes through here. It makes the hote http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Germany/Hessen/Lorsch/blog-251292.html Rome. We seriously wanted more time here but we're running a tight schedule. Still we managed to fit in a lot of sightseeing. We toured the Colosseum after dodging the 'unofficial' tour guides. Amazing stuff As our guide said watching Gladiator really gives you a feel for the place. We also looked through the Museo del Risorgmento half art half museum and stood in awe of the giant monume http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Rome/blog-249698.html The French Alps were just spectacular More photos when I can get a PC with working USB...Each day the sun was caught behind the mountains until around 10am so until that time the temperature hovered around 5. Defenite glovejacketbeanie weather. After the sun comes out you need a serious pair of sunglasses because the snow just blinds you. I just hope the photos come out all right.I also found http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/Provence-Alpes-C-te-d-Azur/Nice/blog-247971.html When I left off we were walking down the Avenue Des Champ Elysees. This place has 3 or 4 lanes each way for traffic. Then it has about the same room either side for the pavement and its always packed. People everywhere. And thats because of the shops. Think of any boutique shop you know triple the size and quadruple the prices these places are Exclusive We had a brief look through them just http://www.travelblog.org//blog-246186.html Yay internet againThe past few days have been utter madness. 6th February Today we toured London. Dave Ozy was busy but extremely apologetic led us to as many sights as we could see. We started near the Millenium Eye and headed over the bridge to Big Ben and Parliament. From there we walked up to the Palace not as pretty as I thought it would be. We watched squirrels stealing food from pi http://www.travelblog.org//blog-245837.html Sorry I haven't uploaded any photos yet I'll do it as soon as I can.We're staying in Rochester with Stephen. Everything is so English Little narrow cobblestone streets shops and building built in the 1600's. They even have their own castle ruinI'm sure Stephen is getting sick of the whinging Aussies. We just can't believe how cold it is here a brisk 510degC during the day Winters in Brisban http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/blog-243007.html To be honest I was dreading the flight. Previous to this the longest I'd been on a plane was 2 hours. We had no problems at Brisbane airport and managed to get four seats between the three of us thanks Les. We watched the takeoff through a camera on the front of the plane and then we were off to Singapore.I found out something important at this point I can't sleep on planes. There's too muc http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Dubai/blog-243001.html Alrighty thenI'm typing this on the night before I fly out of Australia.I still can't believe I'm doing this.I am about to embark on an 8 week adventure around Europe and the UKSure it doesn't look like much in a sentence but last night I had a look through my plans so far and I just can't fathom what I've gotten myself into.Anyone who knows me knows that my comfort zone extends about 2 feet http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Queensland/blog-241339.html