Morning all! Another day, another Temple! Pagoda Mad Chinese motorist sight-seeing opportunity! 😁. Here we are in Xian (or more correctly, Xi’an) cultural capital of China. Xi’an has a population of 9 million (and most of those seem to be on the road (or IN the road, trying to cross) at any one moment in …
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Category:Holiday
Holiday – China (Day 8): Tour of Ancient Pingyao City
Evening all! We have just a single day here in Pingyao, so we’re making the most of it with a walking tour of the ancient city tour hosted by our Guide, Mona. Later this afternoon, we’re on the ‘bullet-train’ taking the 302 mile journey to Xi’an. Today, we welcome guest-blogger, Mrs P as I’m all …
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Holiday – China (Day 7): In Search of Temples
Morning all! It’s Sunday and I feel the need for some Temples! We have a plan!! 😁 After breakfast (at the far more reasonable hour of 7.30) we checked-out and met Mona and Mr G in Reception. It’s cold today (although I didn’t really notice – but that’s normal!). The locals are all dressed-up in …
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Holiday – China (Day 6): A Date with Datong (Eventually!)
It’s Saturday! No chance of a lie-in though as we were all up at the ridiculous hour of 3am! 😮Why? We needed to get the first flight to Datong – the CA1119 courtesy of Air China at 6.20am – what could be simpler! We met Michael and Dung in the hotel lobby and took the …
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Holiday – China (Day 5): Summer and a Nest!
Out and about in Beijing again! It’s our final day here as tomorrow, we take the short internal flight at ‘silly-o’clock’ to Datong – the next leg of our Chinese adventure! On today’s travel plans… We’re getting into a bit of a routine now! Just like yesterday, we met Michael and Dong Dung (Ooops! I …
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Holiday – China (Day 4): Wonder Wall
Morning Reader! 👍 It’s Thursday and whilst we’re here in China, we just had to visit The Great Wall! (or at least, part of it!) We met our guide, Michael, and our driver, Dong, in the Lobby for 8.30am and headed north from the Hotel. It would have been a two-hour drive to this iconic …
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Holiday – China (Day 3): Imperial China
We’re in full tourist mode today! So it was up at 6.15, breakfast at 7 and meet our tour-guide Michael, at 8, in the hotel-lobby! 👍 On today’s itinerary… Tiananmen Square Monument to the People’s Heroes Tiananmen Gate Mao’s Mausoleum Great Hall of the People The Forbidden City Tea tasting session! Beer tasting session …although …
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Holiday – China (Day 2): Arrival in Beijing
We’ve landed! It’s Tuesday morning here in Beijing! ..and the weather is just perfect for a gentle stroll… And when I say ‘gentle stroll’, I mean an accompanied two-hour walking tour of Beijing’s local neighbourhood – the ‘old town’. It was delightful! We checked in to the Hotel around 2pm and were soon unpacking! As …
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Holiday – China (Day 2): Extra
An extra Post showing-off some of the architecture in our first hotel – The Grand Millennium Hotel, Beijing. Boy, they certainly know how to impress! Click on any of the miniatures for a larger view! Wow! Steve PalmerI got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into …
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Holiday – China (Day 1): Travel Day
We’re off! From home, we took the train (1 hour) into St Pancras International and then the tube to Heathrow T5 (65 minutes and 25 stops!). It was all a bit of a challenge with four suitcases, two carry-on bags, two handbags, a back-pack and a laptop case – but at least they saw us …
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The Great (Fire)Wall of China!
It’s our big holiday-of-the year soon – to China – with our long-time travel companions, Ralph and Karen. But this trip is going to be a little different from our previous adventures together in terms of how we keep you up to date. Why? In China, most western-based social media activity is completely blocked or …
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Holiday: Return from Oz – Day 18 (of 18): By the Numbers
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Holiday: Return to Oz – Day 17 (of 18): Jakarta – In Search of the Man in Yellow!
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Holiday: Return to Oz – Day 16 (of 18): Moist from Mornington!
WEDNESDAY the 6th March. Morning loyal Readers! Something strange in the air overnight! 🌧️🌧️ Rain! And severe bucket-loads of it too! When it falls here, it does it big-style, and it’s the first we’ve seen (and felt) since we arrived! Mind you, the area needs it… Droughtier than Danny Drier from Droughtsville! ☔ 8.15am: Our …
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Holiday: Return to Oz – Day 15 (of 18): More of Mornington!
TUESDAY the 5th. Greetings Galahs! 😀 “What’s that Skip? The last full day of sight-seeing in Oz?” Yes, our last full day here today before we fly home Thursday afternoon. Melbourne ✈ Jakarta ✈ Schipol ✈ London then finally, Kettering. So, after our delightful, but brief, visit to Dromana last night, we’re making the most …
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Holiday: Return to Oz – Day 14 (of 18): Meandering in Mornington
MONDAY the 4th March Morning Bushwhackers! 7.30am: Another good night’s sleep – that’s two in a row! 👍 A fair part of today is taken up with travel. We’re flying to Melbourne and then hiring a car, driving south-east to a settlement called Red Hill (population c924 + 2!). It’s in an area called The …
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Holiday: Return to Oz – Day 13 (of 18): Sightseeing in Canberra
SUNDAY the 3rd March. Evening Emus! (sorry, I’m running out of animal-names – it is Day 13!). A day of sight-seeing is planned! 😉 7.00am: At last, a proper night’s sleep. I think by the time we leave Australia, I will have got my sleep pattern sorted! 9.35am: Breakfast isn’t included with our Hotel package, …
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Holiday: Return to Oz – Day 12 (of 18): Coaching for Beginners
SATURDAY the 2nd March. 6.15am: Welcome Wombats! A better night’s sleep (thankfully) so I’m almost ready to take on the world. So far this holiday, we’ve used planes, trains and automobiles PLUS boats, taxis, hire-cars, the Metro – and our own two (four?) feet. It’s now time for something completely different, and only two options …
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Holiday: Return to Oz – Day 11 (of 18): A Busy Day in Sydney!
FRIDAY the 1st March Morning Skippy! “What’s that Skip, another day in Paradise!?” 06.30am: Uh-oh, another bad night’s sleep! But who needs sleep anyway! Onwards and upwards (hopefully!) But Sydney waits for no-one – especially an ‘inPOMniac’ – and as it’s our final full-day here, we have people and places to see! …and stuff to …
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Holiday: Return to Oz – Day 10 (of 18): Life’s a Beach!
THURSDAY the 28th. 6.45am: Morning Beach-Bunnies! 😀😀 Ahh! a proper night’s sleep, that’s a good start to the day! Life’s a beach and then you fry… (With apologies to NAZ for butchering his lyrics) Today, we’re walking! We’re starting at Coogee Beach and walking via the purpose-built coastal walkway to Bondi Beach – more details …
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Holiday: Return to Oz – Day 9 (of 18): Sydney with Manly Pursuits
WEDNESDAY the 27th. 6.30am: Morning All! ?? In spite of the very comfy bed, it wasn’t the best night’s sleep we’ve had since we arrived. In my case, I blame the late night cheese pie! ? and that crowing cock that began its operatic aria at 3.30am! Definitely a case of Nessun Dorma… The mathematicians…
Holiday: Return to Oz – Day 8 (of 18): Lazy Morning and a Liquid Lunch
Tuesday the 26th. 08.00am: Greetings Wombats! Wow! That’s what I call a sleep – it must have been all the stress yesterday! After Monday’s tyre tantrum, today we’re keeping it local, and we’re not going anywhere unless there’s a tyre shop within view! 😁😁 Oh, and if there’s also a Restaurant nearby with some wine, …
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Holiday: Return to Oz – Day 7 (of 18): Launceston for the Retyred
MONDAY the 24th. Morning Kanga, Morning Roo! (Sorry it’s a bit late – see later!) 06.30am: An extra thirty-minutes in bed this morning! This must mean our bodies are finally switching into ‘holiday-mode’. 07.45am: Ahh, the legendary Meredith House Breakfast experience is well documented on various feedback sites, so we just couldn’t wait for 8am!! …
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Holiday: Return to Oz – Day 6 (of 18): Heading for Swansea via the Gaol
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Holiday: Return to Oz – Day 5 (of 18): Hobart – Day 2 (Salamanca Market and Port Arthur)
SATURDAY the 22nd. Morning Bruce, morning Sheila 😉 6.00am: Up before the Lark today! It’s our last full day here in Hobart and we’ve two attractions planned. After yesterday’s adventure at sea, we’re firmly on terra-firma today! We’re taking the short walk to Salamanca – the famous Saturday Market – and afterwards, we’re motoring to …
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Holiday: Return to Oz – Day 4 (of 18): Hobart – Day 1 (Bruny Island)
FRIDAY the 21st. Morning Cobbers!! 7.45am: Up and about at ‘silly o’clock’ (must be the jet-lag) that ensured we were ready to leave in good time. We’re off to Bruny Island, located off the south-east coast of Tasmania – an island off an island! It’s an organised tour, courtesy of Pennicott Wilderness Journeys that we …
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Holiday: Return to Oz – Day 3 (of 18): Arrival in Melbourne, then onward to Hobart
THURSDAY the 21st, 6.30am local time. Morning loyal Reader… At last, we’ve arrived! But although we’ve reached Australia, we’re not quite done yet! But before any more travelling, a quick fuel-stop was required! That’s better! Now back to the globe-trotting. It’s now just one more hop (I think I AM turning into a kangaroo!) and …
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Holiday: Blog Extra! – Three Hours in Jakarta
Oh, the irony of it! Probably one of the most palatial rooms we’ve ever stayed in (it’s certainly one of the largest – I think the whole of Corby would fit in here!) ..and we’re only here for a few hours. 😁 We’ve just landed in Jakarta and it’s around 11am local time – it’s …
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Holiday: Return to Oz – Day 2 (of 18): Singapore to Melbourne via Jakarta
WEDNESDAY the 20th, 8am local time (that’s Midnight, back home!) Morning All! We’ve just landed at Changi Airport, Singapore. And after a challenging journey trying to find the Garuda Business Lounge (it’s past all the other Lounges, behind the lifts, near the toilets!). Classy huh! Not being labelled ‘Garuda’ didn’t help at all, but after …
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Holiday: Return to Oz – Day 1 (of 18): Singapore (briefly!)
TUESDAY the 19th… Morning Reader, Today is another day of travel – almost 13 hours on a Plane! Then, guess what?, once we’re back on terra-firma in Singapore, we’re waiting for another Plane! But at least our first hop is Business Class with Singapore Airlines! Satisfaction guaranteed! 😁👍 But before all that flying, it would …
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