Hi all, Well the last two months have just flown by and I cannot believe I am in countdown to return home, am looking forward to it though, cold weather and all. I am currently on Folegandros, a small island in the Cyclades group about 105 miles from Athens. Got here by fast catamaran during a storm and there were people being sea sick all over the place. Mel and I remained steadfast in our resolve not to join them and succeeded. Now how do I describe Folegandros, well, and this may help young Max with a little project I have [View Full Entry]

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Hi all, Well has been an adventure getting to Athens. Since my last note, we have travelled from Korcula to Dubrovnik by ferry. We had pre-booked accommodation with Rooms Ivo, a private house where they turn rooms into guest accommodation and have backpackers stay. Very basic type accommodation with shared bathroom, but the place was clean and had aircon in the room, always a plus during this heatwave they are having over this way. Rooms Ivo is just (about two hundres metres) outside the old town of Dubrovnik and right under the mountain which the Serbs etc bombed the town from [View Full Entry]

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Hi all, Just a brief note to say that we have been doing the Islands off Croatia. Hvar and now in Korcula before heading to Dubrovnik today by ferry. Both islands and their towns are very special places. Of the two, I think I would have stayed longer in Korcula as it is a little, just a little mind you, less touristy than Hvar. Stunning scenery, history and food which is a little more ethnic Croatian than the Italian-German fare that Hvar seemed to thrive on. They had a rock concert in Hvar and then Korcula with local Croat band which [View Full Entry]

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Hey all. Well have arrived on the lovely Island of Hvar, it is off the coast from Split and what a magical place it is. Seems pretty up market but we got rooms with a lovely old lady through Lonely Planet guide and they are great, could however do with aircon. We at least have a kitchen we can use in this place so I am off to buy a chicken and other bits to make us some dinner - getting sick of pizza etc all the time, but the Octopus and Greek salads are to die for. This is the [View Full Entry]

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Hi all, Just an update. Have now moved into Spain after three days tripping around Provence. Visited the Roman theatre, the aquaduct and did a wine and olive tour which was a highlight. Also visited within the walled part of Avignon and the Palace of Papes, this is certainly turning into a Roman and Christian historic sites trip - but then they both had such amazing influcence over the whole place. Palace of the Papes was used by three main Popes who moved the seat of the catholic church to Avignon around the 13th century due to all the civil unrest [View Full Entry]

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Hi all, Just a quick update to let you know we are alive and well. Have now been to Cinque Terre for two days and did the walk yesterday. Place is absolutely crawling with Aussies and Kiwis - I hope someone turned the light out when the last one left home. The walk normally takes 5 plus hours, but with Lachie, we had it out of the way in 3.5 hours, including the stops. Great walk and more on it next blog. Pisa was a leaning tower and that was it. Take care Paul [View Full Entry]

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Hi all, Well bit of a break between blogs, but have found the Island of Elba which some of you have been to and will know what a special little place it is. Arrived and it was overcast but have found accommodation for 32 euro each per night including breakfast at Hotel Thomas. Elba was reknown for its iron ore deposits and mined by the greeks and romans the fires from the smelting of the iron ore use to light the night sky for many miles. It is also famous for Napoleon Boneparte I being exiled here for 285 days and [View Full Entry]

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Hi all, Well arrived in Rome yesterday and having a lovely time. Luck for us we found the energy after a late night in Turkey to go out and view the Colusseum and Palentine Hill yesterday afternoon. Those who have been there will know that you just look everwhere and there is history just lying in the grass and what do and what do you not bother to photograph. I took the photograph everthing option and delete later. We had a great guide - ten euro each including the ticket and entry past the hourdes into both sites. Thinking of doing [View Full Entry]

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Hi all. Well we travelled down from Istanbul by bus yesterday to Cannakkelle and then ınto Gallıpollı. Had a very ınterestıng tour and was very movıng to see ıt all fırst hand. Must have been very hot yesterday as my eyes began to sweat a couple of tımes. Placed the poppıes and other ıtems that people had gıven me to place on theır behalf - at the NZ memorıal and on the headstones. Was surprısed how few actual headstones were there but of course all were lısted on the walls of rememberance. Havıng t [View Full Entry]

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Hi all. Yesterday we took a tour of Istanbul for 100 Turkish Lira which proved to be worth every penny Once again excuse the lack of punctuation = these keyboards are killing me For other travellers reading this = then take the tour they are well worth the money and the explanations and guided tours are everything Our guide was a little Istanbul local who sounded English educated and said he self educated and got his accent from listening to the BBC world service as a young man and now BBCTV He is of course multilingual as he walked past us [View Full Entry]

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