Today in Texas would have been Russ’s 66th Birthday and he will be here in spirit celebrating with his American brother from another Mother!
Throwback to one of the great trips we shared with Chuck and Tona to New England!
He will be happy that I have finally made it back to visit with his Texas family!
Since I arrived on Saturday evening, I have coughed my way through the week…relaxing at the Lake Jackson homestead, in between split working shifts. (A little difficult to juggle the 17 hour time difference)
Sunday, was social, church in the morning, and one of the grand kids birthday parties in the afternoon. Everyone welcoming me with southern hospitality!
Since Monday, we have all got on with our work days, mine much more relaxed than theirs! A few hours work, a walk around the area (short) … deer spotting
Sit by the lake….
And look for alligators! (Yes I saw one yesterday) watching me from a couple of meters away, but he dived down the minute I moved for my phone (camera)
Afternoon swim in the pool….
Reading and recovering from my summer travel cold….which today is feeling decidedly better!
A healthy lunch and a cool beer in the evening before another healthy dinner….followed by my 2nd work shift between 7-10pm!
Rinse and repeat…and NO I am not bored or lonely – just loving the R&R and getting spoiled rotten!
So today as we celebrate Russ’s birthday and the good times we shared with friends and family….a couple of collages!
About nine hours into my 10 and a half hour flight from Frankfurt (Germany) to Houston(Texas), I assimilated my experience to childbirth…long and painful and seeming like it will never end….then it does and you will do it all over again! Maybe learn a few tricks on the way!
So today I have no beautiful pictures, just some not so beautiful words. I boarded the plane in my designated group “5” and took my middle seat next to a women from Azerbaijan (near Russia), a quite large women who looked like Jennifer Coolidge (Tanya in the White Lotus) ensconced in her window seat. I slid into the one next to her and waited for my Aisle seat companion! A hundred and 50 Kg black man, with a lovely smile and very nice, sandwiched himself into the seat next to me.. knees touching seat in front- enormous thighs that sat two stories higher than mine and three times as wide, and shoulders that overflowed over the armrests onto my seat back! Yes I felt like a sardine, the middle one in the can!
So the one on the left needed my armrest and the one on the right needed my armrest and a quarter of my back seat (while sleeping all the way) ! No other option for yours truly except to sit in a straight line and read for most of the journey – elbows tucked inside the, otherwise occupied, armrests! Looking forward to the two snacks offered on the way! Daren’t drink too much as I couldn’t escape to the aisle over the sleeping giant (very nice man though) !
Needless to say I was very pleased when we touched down in Houston (10.5 hours later) and I could unfold and stretch a very sore back and cough with abandon!
Tona and Chuck collected me and we travelled to their home in Lake Jackson, where I have a very very spacious apartment to spread out in.
Work from and relax in for the next week while I try and recover from my recent ailments, without bothering anyone!
Yesterday morning I left Zurich after a week with the Swiss Family, and caught the day train to Frankfurt!
First goodbye to Benjamin as he was heading off to school…
Verena guided me to the station and Florian met me to make sure I got on the right train!
Having pre booked a window seat – I was a little dismayed to find my window seat actually meant the wall between two windows. So I settled in for the four hour ride to read my book…
Arriving at Frankfurt main station around 2pm…despite having googled connecting trains to my airport hotel – I found myself rather lost! I went to the information centre to ask which train and which platform would take me in this direction, only to be given a ticket (number) to wait for assistance in about 35 minutes! And waved away without a smile from the very abrupt women (who’s job it seemed was to only had out tickets)
Uber app to the fore! I walked out a door (there were hundreds of them) and booked a 19€ Uber door to door! Standing on the footpath with a hundred other confused travellers, I was watching out for the rego number, when the phone rang. My Uber driver was there! No he wasn’t – he kept suggesting I go somewhere which I didn’t understand but eventually we made a sensible (to me) communication and he agreed to come to my spot, which was probably safest before I got lost (even more).
Then it was a smooth ride…to my hotel in a business park near the airport! Checked in, joined their club (for free) and got my (free) token for an early morning shuttle to the airport. Beautiful room with a “bath” so was pretty excited (being a bath gal and only showering for the last 2 months!)
After a long day, I went off in search of a beer and something for dinner!
Both of which I found – a salad, grapes and a nice cool Pilsner at an Italian cafe…
Relax! Still with troublesome back and nagging cough, one was enough, so I headed back to hotel, ran a bath and soaked! In my Jammies by 6pm I decided to eat my salad, with a teaspoon! (Didn’t think about a fork when purchasing)! And snacked on my grapes…while trying to find a German TV channel that may be playing the 2nd All Blacks rugby World Cup game! To no avail, so it was back to the book and sleep for my early wake up and this mornings shuttle to the airport!
AirNZ codeshare with Lufthansa meant I couldn’t check in online, and by the time I found the counter, could only be allocated a middle seat of three! Yay this is going to be a fun trip, lucky I have my noise cancelling earphones for the 11 hour flight! I hope the window person does not have a weak bladder!
Or rather the perfect hosts! When you turn up for a visit after four years, nursing a cold and sore back (night time coughing fits and limited exercise) and your hosts are 15-50 years younger…you try to put on a brave face and roll with the fun activities! Which is easy to do when the sun is shining, as it was for the first three days!
But when the cold turns a little gastric, and you dare not venture too far from the bathroom there is no pretending!!! Florian, Verena and Benjamin had taken a half day off yesterday afternoon….to go exploring with this old gal! But my body decided otherwise and an afternoon of naps all round was the great adventure! The day also bringing rain and thunderstorms, mirroring my condition!
Today, my last day, feeling a little better, a full work/school day for the hosts, and I had the energy to repack, and take a lunchtime walk with Verena (who works from home).
Again five minutes from suburbia to the country….
Over the motorway and into the forest, no motors allowed…
And out to the farms….this time apples…
One which I pocketed (off the ground) and enjoyed on my return…the rows of rosy red and orange apples still laden on the trees.
Another Northern European Staple (food) the cabbage – rows upon rows, and as the lane winds through the farmhouses, the seldom seen (in my country now) roadside stall…
Next to the owners barn, and their homes…
High on the hill, in a perfectly manicured (as all things Swiss are) garden….and
I found some Gnomes! Together with chickens, rabbits and other carefully placed treasures!
Doing a full circuit and back to the down of the uphill bit…looking down at my neighbourhood (for the week).
Zurich being a city of around 1.4 million and quite spread out its is a city of green spaces and tall trees, vegetable and fruit gardens, Roses and very well behaved children! (At least young Benjamin is – age 9 – very independent, half an hour homework the minute he walks in the door!)
Verena had some more work to do after our walk so I thought a back rest and book read would be a pleasant way to pass the afternoon! Consequently I fell asleep and treated Verena to my last (hopefully) party trick and snored the hour away, lying flat on my back!
The last family member is Ginger…
20 years old, and deaf, which, in light of my state this week, had probably been a blessing for her!
Monday afternoon, public holiday in Zurich, My hosts and myself worked in the morning and headed off around 1pm for a pumpkin adventure (and lunch) at Jukerfarm, Seegraben, about a 30 minute drive south-east from the house! Swimming things packed also…but first all things pumpkin – and not just the orange type…
Now quite a commercial village and lunch venue selling and sporting everything “pumpkin” But first lunch!
Florian, Benjamin and I opted for the traditional bratwurst sausage (not pumpkin) but Verena played the game and chose a plate of pumpkin delicacies!
Perched on the edge of Lake Pfaffikersee…swimming beach on the other side..
Pumpkins, tractors, hay bales and ART!
Joan of Arc, Frieda Kahlo, and Sue!
Chanel No. 5, Greta Thunberg, Marge Simpson, womens rights activist and a bath person!
Barns with food halls and pumpkin products for sale…
Temperatures climbing, stomachs full and sightseeing done it was off to the beach on the other side. The lake beach – with grassy tree’d areas to sit, jetty’s to jump off, children’s playground, SUP paddle boards to rent and very warm 24 degree lake water to swim in!
We set up camp on the grassy verge and cooled off with the locals!
This guy, not at all concerned about the humans, having an afternoon nap on the waters edge! Florian and Benjamin and several other kids joined in a game of stick throwing – not sure what it is called! While Verena and I cheered from the picnic blanket – dodging the errant sticks that came our way… Still a balmy 30 degrees at 5pm, a little geocaching (theirs new hobby) on the way to the car park and home around 7pm. Florian taking me to the local Pharmacy to get some painkillers for a very troublesome back – usually avoiding any drugs, I was at the point of passing out or vomiting with the pain so had to succumb to the relief – and it was! As we sat in the dusk watching the evening Zurich air travel!
Another three days here, I decided on a home day to try and kick my ailments before the next round of travel, so a morning of work at home, just Verena and I, the boys in their respective workplaces and schools, and after lunch Verena suggested a small (?) walk in search of the Water buffalo (cows in this region) Nowvbeing in a lot less pain this was a good idea! Their suburb is a 5 minute walk to the countryside
And through the local farm….with the very friendly water buffalo kids…
All wanting our attention and number 7225 (who you can’t see) took a real liking to my shorts and would have eaten them if he could get through the fence. These young boys were vying for attention and looking for mums milk….
In all the wrong places!
The mums, chilling on the other side of the barn in the shade…
And of course there is the odd Ginger!
And Blonde, pride of place….sunbathing!
The afternoon is clouding over, still warm after our walk in the country and forest…
Remnants of a tornado that ripped through this area a couple of years ago uprooting a lot of trees and crushing cars!
Rain is forecast for tomorrow, probably a welcome event for the Water Buffalo..,but for us (Adult) humans it will be business as usual in the morning!
Dropped to the Malta airport by the Sammy express taxi on Saturday, I said my last goodbyes (for now) to my Maltese family and winged my way to Zurich to visit my Swiss Family, Florian (who was our homestay student 25 years ago) Verena, his wife and now 9 year old Benjamin.
Saturday evening catching up with a fabulous spread (and refreshments) prepared by Verena…
Being very spoiled, trying to quietly nurse my 2nd summer cold (so as not to share) and back issues! Nothing that can stop the adventures!
Sunday day off for all, we took a late morning bus and transferred to a train….which took us along the length of lake Zurich
To Rapperswil, a medieval town at the northern end of the lake, and the home of Roger Federer who is building a mansion lakeside! Also known as the town of Roses!
A lakeside village, castle, flowers, boats, cafes and blue blue water….
A wander around, up and down, the village partaking in a delicious ice cream from a vending cart and lining up to take the 2 hour boat cruise back to Zurich city….
A perfect 30 degree day, no wind and a cool beer on board…the boat stopping several times at pick up and drop off the length of the lake…
Getting the best vista of all the lakeside homes and towns and Tina Turners abode, where she lived for many years until her recent passing ….
The White House with the black boat sheds either side. Arriving back in Zurich city around 4.00pm for a late lunch early dinner pizza!
And a beer! Still a balmy 30 something degrees…Zurich city bustling with trams and strollers (people) enjoying the afternoon sunshine and colours of the early autumn..,
With full tummies and sore feet (in my case back) we caught train and bus back to my hosts apartment…a quiet time, and for me actually a little Nanna Nap, and as the sun went down…..
We enjoyed the cool(er) evening on the terrace watching the airplane trails in the orange sky! Florian and I grabbed some today the Fiji-Wales World Cup rugby game, which he found much more enjoyable than the All Blacks-France effort of Friday.
This morning it was work for all the adults, a half day for the Swiss contingent and no school for the youngest member of the team as it is a sort of half day public holiday, and they have plans for this afternoon which includes Pumpkins! Watch this space!
My last week in Malta has been a whirlwind, and so has Malta….throwing high winds, rain and cooler temperatures!
After a fantastic weekend in Sicily, I arrived black on Monday evening, to unpack and get prepared for my last sojourn in the Isle of Malta. Tuesday began as usual, a work catch up, coffee in Paola, and search for a suitcase wheel that had not quite made the return flight home! To no avail, unfortunately I am leaving Roland with a three legged dog (case)!
Wednesday, after work was a final trip to the post office to offload some luggage that doesn’t need to share my next adventures and to meet my cousin Evelyn for lunch. A swim was out of the question, as the easterly wind had come up and black clouds were rolling in! Meanwhile, my throat was feeling raspy, which I tried to ignore, and getting caught in the rain as the skies opened up was the final nail in the coffin! Well, that is a little dramatic! By the evening I had a full blown cold or a sudden attack of hay fever from the wind and dust! I dug out a sweater, drank hot lemon drinks and took Panadol!
Still feeling pretty sorry for myself the next day, I worked, and cleaned, in between rests and sleeps, and was feeling a little better by the evening, and a bit hungry!
I took a stroll to dispose of some glass bottles, near the Paola council
My destination a well manicured, park/playground …..
Surrounded by tree (an unusual sight here) lined avenues! Still very windy, I battled with a dress that kept blowing up and showing my panties (the Bridget Jones type) and was thankful most locals were staying inside!
For six weeks I had been spying Burger King on my drives home and being close – a burger really seemed like what the doctor ordered.
Burger in one hand, other one securing my skirt, I scuttled home, hoping my dear old neighbour wasn’t waiting on her doorstep for our evening chat as I wanted to eat a hot burger!
Safely home, stomach worms sated, it was back to bed with Panadol and book – hoping to improve for my last day in Malta to see my Bonnici family!
Friday a little better, and work done, terrace cleaned, bathrooms cleaned, floors done, first pack of bag, I ventured out in Vivienne for one last time to help cook dinner and share my last evening with my side trip buddies! Dinner was successful, I even introduced them to the chocolate self saucing pudding, which even got a tick of approval from the matriarch- Sammy!!! I will miss this kind, fun loving and close family, the whole team coming to say goodbye!
One final cleanup and pack this morning and my taxi, Sammy and Anna came past and dropped me to the airport ready for the next leg of my journey! Zurich here I come!
There is always more in Sicily, Sunday began with a coffee in Taomina….as the cruise ship people began to fill the (already) full streets….
Coffee addiction satisfied, it was off to catch a bus up to the village of Castelmola, which is famous for the Bar Turrisi (more about that later) Down the hill to the bus stop where we could get no sense from the ticket office man, who was determined to sell us an all day pass on a hop on hop off tour, rather than a one way ticket up the hill, telling us the next bus was full and we would need to wait an hour for the next one! That one drove off with 10 empty seats! So we hailed a taxi! And a very nice driver “Christian” took us with no fuss up the zigzagging mountain road to Castelmola!
The higher you go the better the view! A wander through the town , some retail therapy, and (Yes) a climb up to the castle ruins on the top of the peak.
Everywhere, there is cobbled steps, and up or down a test to our aging knees!
The ruins of the castle fort, dating back to the 1800s….And the view from the top…
The long and winding road and Mount Etna(in the distance) which two weeks ago was erupting and threatening to put our side trip to this amazing place in doubt!
A rest on the wall, in the shade before the climb down hill to the famous (or infamous) Bar Turrisi…but first a visit to the church
Sharing the space next to the Bar! Now you will see why this is a clash of morals….the Bar Turrisi is a den of inequity…
Everything inside, is a monument to the male phallic symbol…..the door handles, the tap in the restroom, the bottles, the wall hangings and even the menu…
While the food and drinks also follow the theme…
While I enjoyed a very conservative Pina Colada, the girls chose otherwise (and Claire got to keep her (in)appropriate shot glass! Anna ate her ice cream Hamburger (brioche)!
Sated and entertained, we returned to the piazza (this time to try for the bus down) which was a lot less stressful (to get on) – not so much the ride down, as full speed around the snaking mountain road had us gasping for breath!
By now (nearing 5.00pm) a trip to the beach for a cold swim was easy to forgo, and we headed back to the apartment for some R&R (and packing) before our last evening out for dinner! Three nights in a row I have donned makeup to try and keep up with my gorgeous cousins!
We have eaten pasta, pizza, seafood, ice cream, and I have sampled the local beers! And also had three late nights for me! After midnight!
A last late night stroll (walking off our dinner) in a town bustling with tourists and music (yes third night in a row there was yet another concert in the open air theatre – Italian GIGI)
This morning I actually slept in, life catching up with me, luckily we had packed before dinner, and booked our taxi (Christian) to collect us for our trip to the airport, which turned out to be a little stressful, as there had been a five car crash in Catania this morning and traffic was bumper to bumper! He was more worried than us! If we missed the plane and had to stay another night we would have been happy!
However, we made it and now back in Malta in our respective houses, my washing done, and terrace swept…and for me (at least) a very early night and some fruit for dinner!!!!
Less than a week before the Rugby World Cup starts and I leave Malta, for my next adventures….
Two days seems like a lifetime, leaving Malta on Friday afternoon…
The Golden Girls (well two of them) as Claire’s (the young one) friends called us were dropped at the Airport for the 25minute flight from Malta to Catania,Sicily! Of course two hours before flight, being an international one, the journey began! Anna decided to leave her handbag with security while they distracted her checking her bag! First crisis averted, as they saved it for her when she realised! Very full plane, left on time and touched down around 5pm.
Next step (actually a few hundred) as we ran around in circles looking for the bus to our final destination,Taomina, a town perched high on the cliff tops on the coast (about an hours ride) We just missed the bus and had to wait for the next one that left 45minutes later. Claire being able to speak some Italian was rather an asset!
We travelled through the city of Catania, dropping and picking up and driving around in circles, glad we were not staying there, a city of old crumbly buildings, rubbish lining the streets and tagging on every flat surface! Then we hit traffic jams as we neared our destination, one way streets, with buses and cars and crazy motorbike riders all vying for the one lane!
The final stop, near the town of Taomina, after a steep winding drive, still meant an (uphill) walk to the centre of town to our apartment!
By now it was dusk, and the rolly bags clattered over the cobblestones as we ascended the final leg,
Looking down on the beachside towns….
All rather hungry, we met the apartment owner and had the grand tour of our three bedroom apartment. The location and the views from the wraparound terrace were fantastic. The decor (very tired) and lack of cooling facilities, and broken toilet seat not so great!
But it was dumping bags, opening windows and out for dinner, now being well after 9pm…the nearby street thronging with thousands of tourists, all the shops open until 11pm, and Andrea Bocelli playing in the open theatre drawing even bigger crowds than usual! Dinner, and a beer, eating at 10.30 pm, walking the streets, in search of water for the night (what was left of it and almost in bed by midnite! Day one over and three very tired gals!
Of course, I was awake early gasping for a coffee, none in the apartment, so I sneaked out and went in search! From one end of town to the other, avoiding the delivery vans, getting in early to all the restaurants before the people (apart from me) and finally found an open cafe to purchase two cappuccinos. (Takeout) by the time I returned the other girls were up and Anna and I enjoyed our morning coffee….before setting off on foot.
Over 10000 steps of up and down with the odd gentle gradient thrown in!
Breakfast, drinks, snacks and dinner along the way…with a few tastings (free) in the sweet shops!
While avoiding cars buses, motorbikes in the mostly single lane streets, with no footpaths – Fiat Bambina (the old one) being a symbol of Taomina.
The houses, churches, balcony gardens and colours of Italy..,,
In and out of shops, walking through Cliff side gardens gazing longingly at the beach below – accessible by cable car. Our wandering took us somewhat downhill so the final late afternoon leg was up!
No picture of the ride(cable car) – Down or up as it was an eye closing experience, yours truly having a vertigo issue!
A cool refreshment on a terrace cafe by the beach after which Claire and I attempted a swim in the late afternoon..knee deep and the cold water (compared to Malta sea bath like temperatures) meant we avoided wet bathing suits for the day!
Back up, eyes closed, and back for showers and to rest our legs before another dinner excursion! So many restaurants, all full, it was a matter of checking the menus, price and looking for an available table!
Dinner and drinks, and the two (old) golden girls home to crash at 11.30pm – the young one went for a stroll to listen to to concert!
Last weekend ended with Dinner on Sunday with family and canine….
A very well behaved “Bailey” while we ate!
Monday was back to the grind – finally have my body clock set – up at 5-6am for a couple of NZ afternoon business hours – work till around 11am then off to have my morning cappuccino – Monday was a trip to Sliema to meet Rebecca (youngest cousin) and some Maltese business activity!
Tuesday, I caught up with another couple of cousins – driving to the google maps instructions – unfortunately all in Maltese!
And Wednesday afternoon was car washing day!
Thursday was cooler and my late morning excursion, which included bank, post office and coffee, also included a visit inside the Paola church (as I had sleeves on and you can’t visit a church with your shoulders showing)
Just as I was arriving home the day threw a curveball (and big raindrops) at me and there was heavy rain and thunderstorms all afternoon….
The thunder louder than the ongoing fireworks, which consequently I seem to have become immune to…however the rain collects all the dust from the air and my terrace is covered in muck!
I was due to meet a chap selling his car (for Kevin) on Thursday evening (at a place I am unfamiliar with) and not wanting to take my nice clean car out, I decided to bus it! This meant two buses, and of course I got on the wrong one second, ending up on the waterfront, which then meant a 2km walk Uphill – following my google walking map! An excellent condition car (in Malta) turned out to mean the motor still went – the outside looked like it had been driven down a one way obstacle street taking out everything on its way! Not a panel was unscathed! Actually in NZ it would probably be an insurance write off! Needless to say – I didn’t stay long, as the chap had obviously arranged a multi viewing anyway and told me to give him 10 minutes! I actually only needed 2!
So it was back on foot to catch my two buses home, picking up Chinese for dinner and a cold beer on the terrace….
The super moon here was not so impressive as the one in NZ, especially in a cloudy sky!
Now my Friday work is done, I’m all packed and ready for a long weekend mini break with my cousins! This time flying!
All who wander are not Lost girls 