http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Mandys/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Mandys en-us Sat, 02 Jan 2010 01:56:07 +0000 Sat, 02 Jan 2010 01:56:07 +0000 FrancePhotos of our final day.....LondonWe were here for only a short time but we seem too have been busy all the time Between sightseeing during the day we met Maura and Tony's daughter Fiona and fiance Matt's friends at night for dinner or drinks so our 3 days there were action packed The wedding on Saturday was absolutely fabulous. St Paul's Chapel at St Paul's Cathedral was magical and t http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/blog-444249.html GermanyOur final day in Berlin was uneventful full of museums we visited 3 museums in one day a record for us the Pergamon the Antiquities museum the Altes and the National Gallery. I was devastated to learn that the collection of Egyptian stuff was being transferred to the New Museum and was closed until the 16th October. The weather was just gorgeous everywhere we have been at least http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/blog-444236.html GermanyJana looking the same except a little older and her dad took us from Hannover airport to Bad FallingBostel via the country roads as the Autobahn was already clagged with some problem and had been for quite some time apparently a common occurrence. As we were travelling down a small country road a large British tank passed us there is a large group from the British Army nearby a rem http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Germany/blog-440174.html UkraineIn Kiev many people spoke mostly Russian and Roman found only a few people who speak pure Ukrainian. Most of the signage is in Ukrainian.When we left Kiev we travelled overnight to Ivan Frankivesk which is a large town in Western Ukraine that has a large industrial centre. We didnrsquot stay but got a taxibus to Kolomyia. We stayed overnight in a guest house run by a nice family. We http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ukraine/blog-438209.html Russia Final Impressions Moscow women are a mixture of Slavic and Mongolian some more Slavic blonder shorter the others are tall and quite dark with high cheekbones long legs very model like. Some of the young girls wear heels that look like theyrsquore on sky scrapers and some dress in very very short short skirts to the point that their pants are about to showhellip. With boobs han http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Russia/blog-436703.html Russia contrsquodThe Hermitage is a very impressive building it just goes on and onhellip and inside is the largest collection of all sorts of art Picasso by the rooms Matisse Gauguin Rembrandt etc. The rooms are gargantuan in height and length and the paintings seem to fill all available corners and more. And then there are Roman Greek Siberian and Egyptian antiquities to name a few http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Russia/Northwest/Moscow/blog-435744.html Finland the restThe days have passed too quicklyWersquove found out the history of Finland visiting various museums itrsquos interesting to note that this might have been one of the Communist bloc if it hadnrsquot been for the ldquoWhitesrdquo beating the ldquoRedsrdquo in 1918.We travelled 160 km north of Tampere to see the various animals that inhabit this land such as elk http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Finland/blog-434925.html A summary We had a good flight arriving on time in Helsinki. Unfortunately our bags didnrsquot. One found almost immediately whilst the other took 2 days to get to Tampere Max his wife Paivi and daughter Taika have looked after us like royalty. Saturday 29th August. Perth to Hong Kong 10 hours and delayed Only 1 hr 20 mins for changeover shortened to about 40 minutes Bounding across HK A http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Finland/Pirkanmaa/Tampere/blog-427325.html In May I went to the Northern Territory with my friend Pam for 2 weeks of nature style activities. We started off by going on a private tour of Arnhem land with VentureNorth. A nice bloke called Simon was our guide cook driver and general dog's body. He was great We went from Darwin to Fogg Dam which was alive with egrets pied storks brolgas and mosquitos I'm sure that the creatures were http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Arnhemland/blog-283428.html Last week we went to Rottnes island where I work as a volunteer and of course we have a wonderful time snorkelling swimming bike riding. Roman fishes and makes sure we have enough food to eat each day.Rottnest is only traversable by bike bus or walking so we tend to get quite a bit of exercise just getting from our cottages to our destinations. http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Western-Australia/Rottnest-Island/blog-239885.html When we arrived back to Joburg international airport from our safari to Kruger and environs we made our way immediately to the Hire Car section and without delay got our car a little Toyota Yaris. With some trepidation were on our way on their freeways to find our Airport Game Lodge. We found the exit fairly easily and the road that the lodge was supposed to be on... but it was gravel and tur http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Gauteng/Johannesburg/blog-221160.html When we left Livingstone in Zambia on Monday the 29th Ocotber we flew to Johannesburg where we picked up a bus and went directly to Nelspruit. When we left many years ago Nelspruit was a little sleepy hollow near Kruger Park. NOw it is a thriving metropolis 40000 people. We were picked up by our hosts Mari and Daan who looked after us for the next 5 days. First they took us to a lovely pub http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Mpumalanga-/Kruger-National-Park/blog-220932.html Hi EveryoneI will try over the next few days to complete this small travel blog detailing where we have been and some photos. Unfortunately we are back home already and have gone back to work so that we haven't had time to think or respons.We left you when Roman had problems with his hard drive but as all things as soon as we got home the hard drive behaved itself http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Zambia/Livingstone/blog-220048.html Hi everyoneWe SURVIVED The elephants on the Okovango didn't eat or trample us the weather has been in the most part good to us and we managed to survive the camping experience although we wondered the other day when the skies opened up and it poured and poured We had to take down the tents in the rain. IKWe are in Livingstone today and flying back to Jo'burg tomorrow. This morning we went o http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Zambia/Livingstone/blog-214967.html Hi allSorry this is minus photos but everythign is veryslow here and I'm not able toupload photos at present.Everything has gone really well and Namibia was greaat Botswana has many similarities to Namibia but it is also very different. We're on our way tomorrow to the Okavango delta and have come into Maun to do our last minute shopping.Will probably get back to the blog when we get to Vic Fal http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Botswana/North-West/Maun/blog-213370.html Travelling through hot desert country and have seen lots of great mountains and lots of deserts of course Hot and dusty but magnificent country. Have seen a number of animals on the way incuding oryx kudu mountain zebra springbok ostrich and flamingoes at Walvis Bay. The campsites are quite good often with a swimming pool to cool off after a long hot day on the road but so COLD http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Namibia/Swakopmund/blog-211701.html One day before leaving on our trip we did the scenic tour of the Cape onlky as far as Hout Bay where we stopped for lunch. Table Mtn was just covered by cloud but it got worse later so we didn't attempt the cable car lucky as the rain came a little laterTulip Inn is one of these places that is slowly going to pot Everything is slightly the worse for wear and it shows From the crack in the http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/Cape-Town/blog-209802.html Have arrived in Cape Town. It has been a cold drive down from Knysna the good weather deserted us momentarily From then on it rained and rained. We stayed at Swellendam and it snowed be it ever so briefly The scenery is magnificent and at Stellenbosch we indulged in some wine tasting and a very nice lunch Tomorrow we are going to go for a drive to see around Cape Town and may go up Table M http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/Cape-Town/blog-209548.html We arrived in Knysna on Thursday to see our friends Glenys and Vernon who have the most fabulous place at a place called Brenton on Sea with terrific views and a place to die for We have climbed up hills and dales walked over the dunes and up and down the cliffs. My thighs have benifited greatly The gardens are filled with birds and Roman has taken upteen photos which you may see another time. http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/Knysna/blog-208876.html This is our last entry from home finalising details. Checking to make sure we know how to do this blog Note that there are multiple maps saving one big map with all the details on it didn't workRoman is presenting the Police Officer of the Year Awards on the 2nd just before we leave.Our plane flight takes us from Perth to Joburg and then on to Cape Town where we will pick up a car and d http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Western-Australia/Perth/blog-207140.html