Oh the joys of long-haul flying! I am soooo not doing that again for a lonnnnng time! However, after a couple of smallish delays, I arrived back in New Zealand on Saturday 31 May at 1.20pm. Home in Whangarei at 7pm, after an afternoon tea with James and his g/f Kylie and Laura. Managed to stay awake on the journey home ....just! (a coffee stop at Wellsford helped!!). Now it's back to unpacking, washing, supermarket shopping, seeing family and psyching up for work Tuesday! Just a few photos added to this which I could not upload for my last entry in [View Full Entry]

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My last day in Switzerland :( I am in Zurich and it is some unholy temperature (high 20s I think, if not more). Checked out of my hotel at 9.30am and put my case into a locker at Zurich train station for a case-free day! Breakfast was first on the list ...found a MIGROS restaurant which has a CHF6 breakfast (McTineke style!). Then a spot of shopping which I have not done yet at all on this trip ...are all you shoppers amazed?! Lunch break and then ....more shopping! A whizz around on the trams, up a hill on a cable [View Full Entry]

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Busy, busy, busy...no time to make another entry on my blog! Far too much sinshine to get out there and enjoy :)) Today is Monday 26 May and time is running out fast. Late on Friday (23 May) Maia flew in from Scotland. Arrived back at hotel after 11pm and then talked, talked and talked. Only had a few hours sleep that night! Up and off to Lucerne the next day (Sat 24 May), Maia pretty impressed with the trains and first class travel! Accommodation in Lucerne very, how shall I say, interesting. Explored Lucerne for the rest of the day. [View Full Entry]

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Hello one and all, moved over to Innsbruck on Tuesday. Great train ride, very comfortable :) Today is Thursday 22 May, just using a little spare time I have before I catch a bus to another attraction! Arrived at my hotel and I told Amy that I am competing with her tiny room at the backpackers in Hamilton she uses when on her Vet Nursing block courses! The tiny room happened to be at the front of the hotel which in Aldstadt and the buildings are about 20m apart. I was on the 5th floor and didn't have a good sleep [View Full Entry]

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Well, I am sitting in this internet cafe as it is raining today (Sunday)...how dare it! I still have my little sunshine travelling with me in my case, so what's up?!! Left Vienna and found my intercity train easy peasy! My eurorail vouchers are for 1st class travel ...such style (grin). Just over a 2hr journey ..very smooth. Arrived Salzburg and my bus was waiting for me (just kidding, but there was one going just my way). Quite a way out of the centre of Salzburg, but it is stunning scenery where I am staying. Not sure about the photos as [View Full Entry]

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Well her I am in sunny Vienna! It is Thursday 15th May now so I am on my last evening here. Unable to add any photos from this computer but hey it's free!! Arrived from Luton on my second Easyjet experience and I must say both flights were great. No customs frisking at Luton (they like me!). All seated on the plane when the Captain announces, "don't worry if you see some mechanics working on the plane, a tyre popped on landing and they are just replacing it!" Did we really need to hear that?! Apart from that, an awesome flight. [View Full Entry]

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Bargains all round today ...my Daddy would be very proud of us! First, we got cheap tickets for our train rides to London ...we think we looked so young that we must have got student rates!! Getting good at this ticket in the machine to open gates business now! Luton to Blackfriars on the overhead train. Hopped off (yes, we are youthful students you know) and walked along the Embankment to Westminster Bridge right next to Big Ben. Many photo stops along the way. Our second bargain was a saving on tickets for the London Eye as Sue prepaid on the [View Full Entry]

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Oh how I love computers and new keyboards!! Friday 9th May I was allowed out on my very own as Maia and David were both at work! First I went to work with Maia to see what goes on at the Bobath Centre and meet the staff there. A very interesting place and a lovely group of people. Spent some time with Rosie who does a similar job to the one I had when I started at Child Health Centre. Ran (yes, I ran, can you believe it!) to the station to catch the train to Edinburgh. A great service with [View Full Entry]

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I've arrived safely! What a long journey....interspersed with little interesting moments like having my carry-on bag searched at AUckland, being frisked for explosive substances in Melbourne and long, long hours of sitting still ...aaaaargh! Not much sleep...seats very uncomfortable, sleeping tablet didn't work ..awake after 2 hours!! A means to an end...it is so nice to be here with Maia and David :) Arrived at 1pm (UKtime) and went out walking in the afternoon to see a little bit of the immediate area around where Maia lives. Crashed at 9.30pm and woke at 8.10am today! Trained [View Full Entry]

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The long-awaited trip to Europe is fast approaching ...Glasgow first to see Maia, a lovely young lady who once worked at Child Health Centre and is now working at Bobath in bonny Scotland, followed by a few days with my dear friend Sue who I met at school when we were 11 years old (just a few years ago really!), then off to Austria on my own for about 10 days (look out Austria!), rounding off my trip with just under a week in Switzerland, with Maia joining me for most of this time. Blogging novice thinks she should try it [View Full Entry]

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