pavs pride

Split is pumping on a Saturday afternoon. Engulfing the central area, Hajduc supporters make wave after wave of processions up and down its limestone shod streets. Tonight’s opening season football clash is against arch rival Dinamo Zagreb. Cafes are pouring the pivo at a pace to overshadow the pre- match slurp of a Bledisloe Cup game. There is passion on the streets and it’s reflected all over Split, not just over football, but in arts, culture, restoration and preservation. Alongside this passion there is also a dark side. There is a hard edge to Croatia, visibly evident in the appearance of tough graffiti and wanton vandalism. While the islands are tourist havens and island life attracts a relaxed and conforming lifestyle, the cities and inland towns are tough and hard and reflective of economies struggling with ... read more

Dinner 144 and bed number 61 August 27th 2010 Homeros has been the type of Pension that can hold you up for a few days. It is a family run place, of sorts. Over 4 days I am not sure I understand the exact nature of “family” as the cast of characters appears to come from far and wide. However sitting in the centre of it all, dutifully preparing breakfast and dinner for 25 each day is “Mama”. With a typically round face, framed by a purposeful headscarf, a jacket that hangs like a sack and balloon type pantaloons that look like a family heirloom, she epitomises Turkey. Her adult kids wear the clothes of the West, but Mama clings, like all her generation out of the large cities, to the traditional past. It takes only ... read more

Sabah’s #1 attraction, apparently, is Mt Kinabalu. Standing almost alone, to a height of 4095 m (OK just over 13,435 feet for easier reference) this is a mountain higher than our own Mt Cook. However, in this climate, snow and ice are missing and the climb is accomplished with determination, not skill. Aunty Julia takes over the kids for a day and a half, while FJ and BP taste freedom after 100 days! The system is well oiled and. despite our frustration and protestations at the monopoly climbing costs, we turn up, collect our allocated guide, our packed lunches, a clutch of meal vouchers and off we go - fortunately in a taxi for the first 4.5 km’s! It’s 6.5 km’s straight uphill on day 1 and we achieve this easily, arriving at Laban Rata at ... read more

Day 90 Our Government bus hurtles towards the mega City of Bangkok, wrapping us up in a cocoon of luxury and air conditioned comfort. Our “lady boy” hostess does a sterling job carrying complimentary cups of Fanta and Coke up and down the swaying aisle while I prey “she” does not end up in my lap, but she proves adept and the journey is a model of efficiency. I figure this is a good time to test Molly’s worldliness. She stares blankly at my question, has to take a close, hard look, and returns with an answer of “is that what you call a tranny“? We leave it there, assuming it’s of little interest to a 12 year old. Dad on the other hand, is appalled. The trip is efficient, until we are unceremoniously dumped as ... read more

Tuesday 08 June It’s day 64 of 182 today, hard to imagine that we are 1/3 of the way through our trip. We left NZ with little advise on travelling as a “flash packer” family, or with one as young as Lauren. Over Xmas I found a book, written by a NZ couple from Northland, that documented some of their experiences in Europe and a few other continents. But this book, while useful, clearly did not cover it all. What we can add so far is that family travel never leaves you lonely. It’s a great experience, and we are having a ball. I am not sure having the kids have opened many doors, but equally, they soon help to elicit a smile when things might otherwise get tight. For those of you with 12 year ... read more