New Zealand

So made it to New Zealand.  Left on my birthday and emirates spoilt me with Moet and cake. the group organised a cake at night so I felt very special.
We stayed in Auckland and the first morning we did a concert in a beautiful church.  It was really amazing and they enjoyed it also.  We took a trip down to the spa and sang there after being supplied with a barby.  It was a different concert singing to people swimming and playing in the pool. We had a spa and that was so nice.
Third day was a driving day, always fun.  So here we are in gisborne and we have just sung at the local hall.  Lots of fun.
We are still waiting for the cold.  The sun has been out most of the time and I am hoping I will be able to use my really warm clothes at least once. 
Anyway I am having fun and hope to get some more internet so I can continue.

Arrived in dubai and noticed the haze over the city.  A very spread out place but easy to find our way around.  Got through passport control and customs easily and bought a ticket on the metro to City Diera Mall.  Wonderful metro system and cheap.  Walked through the closed mall and found our hotel.  Very swish but hot outside, especially after Germany and Switzerland.  Had a quick look around the city and just managed to get through the day from coffee to coffee as we had not slept.
The following day, after sleeping really well, headed out with an all day metro ticket, to Dubai Mall, to see the Aquarium and Ice rink and Emirates Mall to look at the ice rink.  What a strange city.  I am glad we have come here and have loved all the time but I don't need to come again.
Met up with a friend of a friend who very kindly took us out to a resort in the desert, to take us for an early snack and drinks, so we could watch the sun go down over the desert.  Unfortunately, the haze was too much and we couldn't see anything but to stay there would be something.  Just driving in the desert was enjoyable and memorable. On our way home, we stopped off at the Dubai Mall to watch the dancing fountains.  enjoyed a nightcap of Jagermeister and slept well.
Woke late and knew we had heaps of time until our flight until I discovered I had missed the flight.
Oh dear, not good but all sorted now and we are coming in a day late.
Great holiday and hope to do it again soon.  I love touring the world and building memories.
Until next time.

I cannot believe we are almost at the end of our month's trip away.  Time does indeed fly and I am trying to be like my dad and live life to the fullest, and of course spend my children's inheritance.  I feel it is my way of stopping any fights between them.
We arrived into zurich with no problem and then headed off to the train, although we discovered we were not at a tram stop, just a rest stop.  The lovely tram driver told us to get on his empty tram and he drove us around to the correct place.  How lucky were we.  Once on the correct tram we found the place straight away and were given the tour by our host's friend.  What a delightful little place and so welcoming.  Our host will be back on the day we leave.
Off to explore Zurich.  We have been surprised as I always thought of Zurich as being just a big city but it is lovely and easy to get around.  spent the rest of the day wandering and then bought dinner and took it back so we could sit on our balcony and drink wine as we ate.  Life is hard I tell you.
Woke to a dreadful day, cold, wet, miserable.  Waited until the rain stopped and braved the cold and ended up heading to the zoo.  Not the best zoo in the world as we are used to some amazing ones but still good.  Not many tourist I think, so not much English. Saw penguins being fed whilst an informative talk, in german was going on.  We just oohing and aahing at the cuties.  Felt at home when we saw the frily neck lizard and John got to "play" with a small boa constrictor, this made him happy.
Afte rthe zoo we thought we might as well go and see Lake Zurich and ended up doing a 1 1/2 hour round trip on their ferry.  Very nice and the price was right.
Home again and we have one more day as we fly out tomorrow night. 

Didn't arrive into cologne until late so got a taxi.  The hotel is in the middle of the city but the only thihg wrong with it, is there is a lot of smoking throughout and it seems to go through the airconditioning.  We couldn't wait to open the windows.  I can't believe I used to smoke. 
Cologne is an amazing place.  The best of the old and new.  Their cathedral reminded us of Ulm where we climbed to the top of the tower.  OMG we almost died but the view was worth it.  We also had a good look through the treasury and reminded ourselves how the churches have an amazing amount of money.  All of th eexercise gave us permission to have a yummy dinner and of course wine and beer.  People should go to Cologne more, a real must see place. 
We are now in Switzerland and it is so pretty.  I know why people always talk about it.  We saw the dairy cows on the way in and when we arrived, we walked to our host's house.  We are doing B and B's in Switzerland.  to see the snow covered alps is like looking through a [picture book.  The weather is forecast to be bad so we walked around the city as much as we could and saw most of what is here.  We found prices to be very high but managed to find a lebanese restaurant with the best food I think I have ever eaten and better hummos than Israel. 
We had a sleep in, which was lovely, and then went on a boat cruise.  followed by a train thing through the city.  Eventhough we had seen most of what they showed us, we now know what we were looking at.  Lots more walking and then the rain started.  Bought dinner at a co op and then came home to have a quiet night in.  We hope to get to the transport museum tomorrow. 
woke late again.  I am beginning to think we are tired.  We walked alo9ng the lake and enjoyed it so much.  We saw swans nesting and even saw some with babies.  Oh, so cute.  Anyway arrived at the transport museum at 12 ish and didn't leave until 5.30 and could have stayed another 5 hours.  This place is amazing and so entertaining for all ages.  We walked to an english pub on the way home and got caught with the guy there who is very personable.  Two wines and one jagermeister alter, we staggered out and came home.  Yes, Lucerne is a place I would happily come back to. Zurich tomorrow.

So much for spring in Munich.  Yikes it is like Melbourne's weather here and I am glad I have a couple of warm pieces of clothing.  We headed off to Schloss Neuschwanstein, the fairytale castle in Bavaria. Johannes came with us.  A beautiful drive but unfortunately for my stomach a windy road.  we arrived in the rain but headed off with our coats and raincoats etc.  What a stunning place and I loved seeing it.  You should google it, just gorgeous.  Went down to a little township called Fussen for lunch and it was also lovely.  A beautiful day finished off with taking them out to Indian.
Next day left with Wolfgang this time and drove to Nuremburg.  Had another wonderful day, although I froze once more.  We had a walk around the castle and the gardens.  Funnily enough we arrived at the gardens complete with tulips and other colourful flowers, just when a huge gust of wind and rain came.  We joked it would be a wonderful place for a picnic, but next time.  We ended off the day with us trying the jagermeister and decided it is quite nice and wonderfully warming.
Monika, Werner and Wolfgang wheeled our cases to the train station with us following, it looked very funny.  We said our sad goodbyes and left for Wurzburg.
the hotel we stayed in in wurzburg was literally across the square from the station, so no need to look too hard.  A nice little place with enough noise that we slept the best we have slept so far.
Had a tour around the main site in Wurzburg called "The Residence".  this is a huge building that has the largest fresco in the world depicting the 4 continents they knew about. A very ornately decorated place.  Part of it survived the fires of the second world war.  the gardens were also stunning.  Spent the rest of the day just walking around.  Now in Cologne after 2 trains and a 3 hour journey.
Hopefully I can continue my blog as I seem to have a virus on my laptop.  Here's hoping. 

We drove through the tuscan countryside to visit the medieval town of Siena.  It is famous for the Palio horse race that is held in the ancient arena.  10 horsesrace around and all of the people stand in the middle of the arena.  No one sees anything but the atmosphere is electric.  The buildings surrounding the arena are curved and have balconies and I can imagine staying in one of those and observing the place. A truly beautiful place that I would love to go back to.  We wanted to climb the tower but there were so many school kids and a huge line and I was having my shopping time cut into.
I bought my first ever pair of boots and I just love them.  I kept seeing signs for the synagogue and found that.  Unlike the churches it was tucked away and very plain from the outside, of course it was closed.
The tour leader bought us all a gelati and we then set off up to Rome.
We saw the first road accident of the trip, which is amazing as they drive like maniacs but obviously have wonderful reflexes.
We were taken out for dinner to a wonderful place for our farewell meal, and had a fabulous time.
Got up very early to leave for the airport but when John and I came down to get on the bus we saw the bus driving a way.  The tour director took one look at us and started sprinting after the bus.  It seems she had counted the pieces of luggage and seen the correct amount but only one person noticed we were missing.  She turned around to see where we were and saw the lady running.  How funny.  We waited for a couple of hours before leaving for Hamburg and then off to Munich.
How lucky are we to have such beautiful friends in Munich.  Monika picked us up from the airport and we got "home" to two cakes, because of course we haven't eaten enough.  A special welcome drink made in our honour before dinner and then my favourite spaetzle and freshly made strawberry icecream.  Tomorrow is off to the great castle near here and hopefully no rain.  I love Munich.

Leaving Lake Maggiore I decided it is a place I could easily come back to.  the hotel is situated right over the lake and the scenery is just amazing.  We drove past snow covered mountains that was hard to take.  I enjoyed the viewing of all that Italy grows and I would say it is the most productive country.  Grapes grow everywhere and market gardens wherever you look.  We stopped off at Pisa.  No matter how much you think you are ready to see something like that, it is a shock to actually see it.  A very touristy place but fun to see and I would have been upset to not see it.  We have the shot of me pushing it I think, but the angle is one that I am almost half the size of the tower.
Drove onto Florence and had a panoramic view from  the top.  What a good looking city.  The driving in Florence is almost the worst I have ever seen.  It was our turn to sit in the front seat.  I wish I wasn't there when we got to Florence.  Oh boy, no lanes and you just go.  Our bus driver is so little but he has attitude in his driving and eventhough the bus is huge, he moves it in andout of small spaces.  All the city drive the same as you hardly see any dints or scrapes and we are yet to see an accident.
Today we went to view Michaelangelo's David.  Wow, how magnificent to view this work.  We then had a tour of the city and very interesting.  I would like to have more time in florence to see some of the culture.  I bought myself a coat and bag so I am happy.  Good leather is not cheap but so, so nice to feel and wear.  We just wandered around the rest of the day, no hard thing to do.  I can't believe that tomorrow is our last full day with the group.