Oz (Part 2): Oh, the People You Will Meet

As we zig-zagged our way down the Australian east coast, we stayed with many wonderful people along the way – most of them through Servas (an organization we can’t say enough about!). This is a little photo gallery of the people and places we stayed as our way of saying thanks for sharing your homes and showing us your part of Australia.

Trekking in Sapa

There is amazing beauty in rural Vietnam, from the spectacular views over terraced rice fields to the warmth and open hearts of the people.

Look What We Bagged!

Hunting down Rhinos in Chitwan

I had read about Chitwan National Park long before we ever arrived in Nepal and had put it on the ‘must-do’ list. I am very pleased to say that it lived up to all my expectations. Fortunately, I think everyone else in my family enjoyed it too!!

Images of Istanbul

We spent three weeks in Istanbul. Like every other place we have been, we could have spent much more time digging deeper and exploring the innumerable hidden corners of this enchanting city.

We Stay in Pamukkale

An iconic image that appears in all the travel magazines for Turkey is the white terraces of Pamukkale, or the “cotton castle” in Turkish. Over the ages, hot water springs have deposited calcium carbonate down the hillside, thus creating pools in which people have bathed for thousands of years. In fact, at the top of Pamukkale lie the Greco-Roman and Byzantine ruins of the city of Hierapolis; beginning in the 2nd century BC, the Romans used the hot springs as a spa as the waters were believed to cure all sorts of ailments. Clearly the Romans knew a good thing when they had it!

So, Why Are You Here?

Turks sure are friendly. Everywhere we go, they call out to greet us, enquire how we are, and then invite us into their shop or restaurant, the finest in town. But look past the obvious tourist traps, and our first impressions are that Turks are indeed very friendly and that the country is bustling.

Bodrum, our first stop

A Man Walks into a Camera Store…

A man walks into a camera store and asks, “Can I get a quote?”. The clerk replies, “I can’t give you a quote, but I can sing you an aria.”

From the Med to the Peaks

Enough of the history and culture of France, already. The kids need a break on the beach. What better place to go than the Mediterranean coast, a town just outside of Cannes to be exact. Images of opulence and movie stars were dancing in our heads as we rolled into La Napoule. Instead, we found ourselves on a small beach, the seaside equivalent of a Parisian park, tucked in between a marina and a castle. It mattered not, it was the swim that counted.

Testing the waters.

New Times With Old Friends

Time and distance mean nothing to good friends. It just gives you more to catch up on.

Who would have thought that we would have not one, but two old friendships to reconnect with in Toulouse?

So Long and Thanks for all the Burgers

Dinner with Tom, Jeannie, and Jack.

There’s something about leaving that makes you appreciate the place where you are. Every stroll down the street, every trip to the local stores, every meal with friends, and indeed every chance encounter. We love our neighbourhood.