Nikki & Sheldon DMello

melloTravels

Nikki & Sheldon DMello

As we approach our 30's (yikes!) we realize we've had a great life, but have much more to do and much more to see...so here we go! 😊

We're both software engineers, living in beautiful Austin, TX for the past 2 years. So far, we've had the great fortune to have traveled to places like Hawaii, England, Scotland, Wales, Spain, the Caribbean, and Mexico...we've also been to several places in the States including a road trip last year from TX to Florida and the Keys ....getting ready now for our upcoming trip to the land of good air...Buenos Aires, Argentina. Baby steps until we can finally take the plunge and go on a RTW trip some day! As Lao Tzu very simply puts it..."A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step."

So, for now, we're looking forward to our time on the road, whichever it may be, where ever it may lead us...hoping to find inspiration at every turn.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain

This is Venice!

Europe » Italy » Veneto » Venice July 14th 2009

on the road again...

melloTravels

Our train ride to Venice included a change over in Milan. The ride to Milan was mostly by the sea, which gave us some great views of the coast and all the towns that line it. Then the train turned East-ward and the terrain changed into more lush, hilly areas. We arrived in Venice around 5pm in the evening. The station is small, but once you step out, you're immediately hit by the undeniable fact that... "This is Venice!" (inside joke), as the Grand Canal is there to greet you. We took the vaporetto to our Hotel, which is a water bus that cruises along the Grand Canal. This is a great intro to the city as you pass by all the prominent buildings lining the canal and then under the Rialto bridge. One striking thing ... read more

Ahh... Cinque Terre

Europe » Italy » Liguria » Cinque Terre July 14th 2009

Vernazza

melloTravels

The only word I can think of right now to describe Vernazza and the Cinque Terre is... breathtaking! You really must go there to understand, and experience it for yourself. Our 3 night/2 full days there was magical...ok, maybe an exaggeration, but we truly enjoyed every minute of it! The Cinque Terre, is made up of 5 small towns built into the cliffs. They are all unique in their own way, but all offer stunning views of the coast. They're all connected by hiking trails and a train line. The towns have zero car traffic (only the occasional delivery truck enters the towns) and most streets are very narrow. It's a pedestrian friendly area and that's one of the best parts about it! Just a note about accommodations in Cinque Terre... There are very few hotels ... read more

Assisi, Pisa and beyond...

Europe » Italy » Umbria » Assisi July 14th 2009

Assisi

melloTravels

On day 4 of our trip (June 5), we took a day trip to Assisi. What an enchanting little hill town! As our train pulled into the station, we saw the prominent town, nestled into the hill...very green and pretty. Not only is it a major pilgrimage site, but it's such a serene and friendly town, surrounded by scenic countryside. From the station, we took a bus that went up the hill and into town. After visiting several basilicas and walking around town on the quaint cobble stoned streets, we had a lunch break in a pizzeria. The food was noticeably more fresh and tasty than in Rome... or we were just high on our beautiful surroundings...whatever it was, lunch was great. We meandered through town visiting more basilicas and stopping off here and there to ... read more

views of the glorious countryside from Assisi

Our Italian Holiday: Roma and the Vatican

Europe » Italy » Lazio » Rome July 1st 2009

Colosseum

melloTravels

Our 9 day Italian holiday started off in Roma, the eternal city. Our party of 6 landed at the Leonardo da Vinci airport Tuesday June 2, around 1:30pm local time. We made our way to the Leonardo Express to catch a ride into the city. We ended up at Termini station, but it wasn't what I had expected...much smaller. Turned out we were at the Air Termini station which is on the opposite end of the main station. So, after finally figuring that out, we dragged our bags up the dirty and cracked sidewalks to the bus depot of the station. We found our bus and hopped on... within 10 mins, we were packed in tighter than sardines. Luckily I found a seat, but felt so back staying in my seat and not offering it to ... read more

London II: Family time, British Museum and Greenwich

Europe » United Kingdom » England » Greater London » Heathrow Airport May 31st 2009

Hanging out at home

melloTravels

This past week has passed by so quickly that I haven't had a chance to add an entry. On May 26th, El arrived early in the morning. That day the weather was decent, but we decided to stay in and give El a bit of rest. Deanne came over later in the day to hang out with us... we played cards, and Shel amazed her with some magic card tricks. She's a smart one though as she was able to figure out a couple of tricks and then started practicing them on her own! Mai and Mathias mam came over for dinner and spent the evening watching Eastenders and Britian's Got Talent :) They've had the semi-finals all week and we've been hooked on it, sadly. Anyway, last night was the final show so it's over ... read more

London: Kew Gardens and Bedfont Lakes picnic

Europe » United Kingdom » England » Greater London » Heathrow Airport May 25th 2009

jet lag, jet lag

melloTravels

Sheldon and I made it to London a couple of days ago and have been taking it easy since then. When we got here, we were so tired since we got little sleep on the plane, despite it being a night flight. Normally it's not so bad...anyway, the first day was shot, just sleeping and recovering from "jet lag, jet lag". That evening, Mai and Mathias mam came to visit us at Shel's parent's house (where we're staying). We told them our big news by showing them the first ultrasound pics we got....they were speechless for a while, and then ultimately elated :) The next day (Saturday May 23th), we went to the Kew Gardens, which are the Royal botanical gardens, not far from where we're staying. Being a holiday weekend (Bank Holiday in England), and ... read more

Getting ready for EUROTRIP 2009

North America » United States » Texas » Austin May 14th 2009

melloTravels

It's been a loooong time since I've last posted something. We haven't really taken any major trips since Argentina last August/Sept. Our next adventure? London and Italy! Ok, so London is nothing new, we've been there a few times already and our main goal there is to spend time with Sheldon's family. We do hope to get out and see some new sites that we haven't explored before. Then it's off to Italy for a family vacation! We'll be there for 9 nights, and our schedule is packed. Itinerary: Rome: 4 nights Cinque Terre: 3 nights Venice: 2 nights There will be a lot of traveling by train and hopefully all goes well. We're excited, but with only a week left before we leave for London, we've still got so much to do. For instance, we ... read more

Final thoughts on Argentina

North America » United States » Texas » Austin September 3rd 2008

melloTravels

This was our first visit to South America, and we came away with a good introduction to the culture and life in Argentina. Our 10 day trip consisted of 8 days in Buenos Aires and 2 days in Puerto Iguazu. All in all, it was a great trip! Visiting a new continent for the first time, we were a bit nervous, but we realized life there is much like it is here, people are working hard and trying to get by. At a human level, we all have the same goals. However, life there did seem a lot more relaxed and slower paced. They really take their time during meals instead of rushing through them and really slow down on the weekends to enjoy time with family. Buenos Aires is a huge city...they have all the ... read more

Our last couple of days in Argentina

South America » Argentina » Buenos Aires » Buenos Aires August 27th 2008

dog walker

melloTravels

Our only agenda Tuesday (8/26) was to walk around and visit a museum or two. Swapna's friend, who had lived in Argentina for a couple of years, Nathan, had recommended walking thru a neighborhood North of Figeroa Alcorta, between Tagle and St. Martin de Tours just to check out the architecture and said it was a nice stroll. (Nathan had also given us several other recommendations and tips which we took him up earlier in our trip, so that was nice to have) So, that's where we headed first...it was walking distance from our apartment. Since we left late and hadn't had breakfast yet, we decided to get something to eat. But in that area, the only place we found was the Paseo Alcorta shopping mall...we didn't want to walk any further without some food in ... read more

Crossing the bridge over Ave. Figueroa Alcorta

Tigre and more

South America » Argentina » Buenos Aires » Buenos Aires August 25th 2008

At Retiro station

melloTravels

Monday (Aug 25 08) we went to Tigre, which is a small city just outside of Buenos Aires. We took the train from the Retiro station and though we'd heard it takes about 25 minutes, with all the stops it seemed longer than that. The trains were busier that I expected but weren't so bad. We had heard that Tigre is popular with the locals but since it was a Monday we figured it would be a good time for us to go. When we left BA it was cloudy and cold, but the scene was completely different in Tigre...sunny and warm. Tigre is a holiday spot for locals and tourists alike. It is known for it's many rivers and has a very laid back almost island like feel. Across the train station they have a ... read more

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