DAY 1 FROM SOUTH TO NORTH - TOP END (NORTHERN TERRITORY) TRIP

25 April 2010

CANBERRA – THREDBO

The day has finally arrived - we are to take off for the top end of Australia. We intend to explore the top end of Australia between WA and Qld borders, ie Northern Territory part of the top end. With all the rain up north who knows what we will actually see but we will make the most of the opportunity to be up there.

But, are we ready? Not quite.

There are still the last things to pack, then the house needs a thorough clean as a housesitter is coming in. So we rush around till finally tired and exhausted we say this is it.

 I've got a cold and hubby's gums are swollen after a tooth extraction several days ago.  So not a good way to start a trip.

It is a beautiful autumn day, although overcast and also our 35th wedding anniversary. I sure didn’t expect to be spending it in such a rush.

Finally at 5.00pm we head off in separate cars. Hubby in the Oka goes to fuel up, whilst I drop in at the library to drop of a book. At the shopping centre its starts to drizzle and then a beautiful rainbow emerges. A good omen for the trip I think.

We both dropped in to say goodbye to our youngest son’s family. Hubby was met with great enthusiasm by little grandson. I don’t think the 2 year old understands that he will not see us for a long time. He loves collecting the mail so I told him how the postman will bring him postcards from us as we travelled north. He had given me a drawing to put up in the Oka.

Having said goodbye we headed for Jindabyne to our daughter’s place to drop off my car and the dog. When I got there my grand-daughter didn’t give me time to say hello before presenting me with a fan she had made as „it will be hot where we are going“

and a leaf print on fabric in autumn colours to remind me of autumn whilst we are away.

Before I could thank her, she marched me off to her bedroom to show me the map she had put up in her room to show me where I was going. She had it down pat and she is only four years old.

I finally got a chance to say hello to everyone else including her little brother. Before long hubby arrived and we said goodbye as he had booked us in for dinner at Crackenback Resort and we were running late.

Finally we got time to enjoy our wedding anniversary and to reminisce on the great years we’ve had and to ponder the future.

DAYS 1-3 EUROPE TRIP

17-19 May 2009

DAYS 1-3 EUROPE TRIP
CANBERRA - SYDNEY – BANGKOK - LONDON (HEATHROW ) - ROME

We are all packed for our big trip to Europe. We are on our way to explore the ancient worlds of Rome, Athens, Istanbul and Ephesus and Naples. This is to be followed by time in Lithuania catching up with family and friends and attending the big song festival. On our final day there will be at the celebration of 1000 years since the first mention of the nation of Lithuania in chronicles of the time.

It was a beautiful, warm autumn day in Canberra. Lovely autumn colours greeted us we drove through Canberra on our way to Sydney. The time flew past quickly as we drove. Our thoughts were on what we may see and experience on our trip. Before we knew it we were at hubby’s sister’s place. She and her husband were coming on the trip with us. We compared the size of the luggage we were taking and after a lovely dinner of balandėliai (cabbage rolls) relaxed in anticipation of what was ahead in front of the TV to watch the finals of Eurovision.

Monday morning was D – Day. I just wanted the morning to pass quickly as our flight was not till 5.00pm. After lunch the taxi was called and we were on our way to the airport. It did not take long to check in. Finally we were on our way. Eleven hours and 15 minutes later we were in Bangkok. Some of us slept, others watched movies, read or had a short nap. Ninety minutes later we were on our way again for the long leg of the trip – 12 hours and 15 minutes to London. This was a tedious journey. By the time we arrived in London we were tired. We had to change terminals and then stood around waiting to find out which gate we were departing from. Finally it was time to depart for the last leg of our flight – two hours to Rome. By the time we arrived (32 hours since leaving for the airport) we were exhausted. Before we knew it we had gone through immigration and walked straight out of the terminal. There were no forms to fill out, no declarations to sign. We caught a cab to Via Dacia in Tuscolo - our apartment for the next week.

We had to wait a while before the owner of the apartment came to give us the keys and show us through the apartment. It is small but has a lot of character. His son lives in it but is away at the moment but all his possessions are here. The apartment was on the 9th floor. There are several apartment blocks in the complex surrounding by a lovely well kept courtyard.

Before long my brother, who lives in Rome, arrived to greet us. We haven’t seen each other for 10 years. How wonderful to see each other again. After some catching up we all went out to explore the neighbourhood and to get some supplies.

It was early night as we were all exhausted.

BACK IN CANBERRA

April 2009

BACK IN CANBERRA

Finally we are home. After more than a year we are back in our place.

We have had a wonderful year away and have fallen in love with the south coast. Each bit of coast was so different but my favourite was Dophin Cove – our home beach.

It will be greatly missed. Who knows - maybe we will end up here one day!

Now the hard work of unpacking everything is before us.

NEW YEAR and AMBERSAIL ODYSSEY

1 January 2009

NEW YEAR and AMBERSAIL ODYSSEY
Sydney then Canberra

What a wonderful start to 2009 – time spent with friends, then family and the weather was just beautiful.

We had a wonderful evening seeing the new year in with friends at the Lithuanian New Years Ball at Luna Lounge in Sydney. About 400 people danced the night away to the music of a Lithuanian folk group Sutaras and the DJ’s eclectic mix of music. It was a lovely culmination of a week of the Lithuanian Festival in Sydney. In the early hours of the morning our group made our way back to our friend’s place where everyone fully relaxed. Our hostess was the organiser of the ball so it was time to let our hair down. The men immediately shed their ‘formal wear’ for swimmers and cooled down in the pool whilst us females sipped champagne and enjoyed black bread with herring. Finally we retired for what remained of the night. In the morning we gradually joined the world of the living and enjoyed a leisurely late barbequed breakfast. Then it was time to say good by as we headed to hubby’s sisters place. We arrived just in time to head for the train into the city as we were heading for the Maritime Museum for the reception of a yacht from Lithuania.

The Ambersail is sailing to all continents on a millennium odyssey with a letter from the Lithuanian President calling on lithuanian communities scattered around the world to celebrate 1,000 years since the nation of Lithuania is first mentioned in historical chronicles
(http://www.1000odiseja.lt/index.php/pageid/632). Twelve crew man the yacht. Hard to imagine how they fit in the small confined space. It looked tiny moored in front of Circular Quay. It is hard to imagine sailing it around the world.

There was a wonderful celebration at the harbour – lots of live music provided by a great group “Sutaras”from Lithuania

singing and dancing by locals and a folk group from England.

As the day came to an end we drove back to Canberra with a beautiful sunset accompanying us part of the way.

SPRING IN JINDABYNE and CANBERRA

September 2008

SPRING IN JINDABYNE and CANBERRA


You can smell spring in the air. Come early September and you see the trees bud, the smells are different and more birds seem to fill the air with noises. We experienced lots of family time in early spring. Oldest grandson celebrated with 7th birthday. Youngest granddaughter celebrated her 3rd birthday. Then a full family day in the snow organised by our son-in-law. It truly was a very, very special family time.

We went to Canberra to several times and visited one of our favourite events – Floriade. We had the pleasure of the company of our 3 year old granddaughter and friend at Floriade.


The snow started to melt and recede. It was finally time to say goodbye to Jindabyne and start on our new adventure at the coast but more about that next time.