The challenge when starting a next blog adventure is where to start – the planning commenced in January
- where to go
- what to do
- what to see
As with all things in life where you start, can be quite different to where you go and where you end up
This blog we hope will be no different I hope it is interesting, entertaining, amusing and provides some helpful hints
As always I will drag out the beginning with a couple of meaningless quotes, I won’t attribute them as even I would be embarrassed
The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page
Our happiest moments as tourists always seem to come when we stumble upon one thing while in pursuit of something else – mmm I could apply that to something else in my life at the moment.
A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles
Here are a few more for your amusement a list of meaningless travel quotes
I have already written an introduction and now we have a preface ~when is it going to start…. SOON very SOON
I am grateful that I have a range of helpful heavy hinters and critics at my fingertips and they have already provided and some pre trip advice “looking forward to the irreverent and slightly absurd” as well as
- suggest you the use the spell checker
- have you got someone to review it?
- can you write something that makes sense
The answer to all these question is – sorry no
I will keep you all in suspense with the detail but it will include cycling, sailing, lots of eating, a couple of new adventures and learning and embracing the cheese making culture of the regions visited as well as a couple of surprises – note the absence of full stops, could never see the purpose of that piece of punctuation – it takes away all the surprise
This trip headlines are in TWO PARTS
Northern Italy in the Lake Garda region… with a quick visit to Switzerland – Lonely Plant I will send you some copy – you forgot about Lake Garda in your Guide to the “Lakes of Northern Italy’’, that is why I am here, to right a wrong – that was a waste of $20 they are in the northern part of Italy and they are lakes– it’s a big piece of water just north of Brescia
Then off to the Pyrenees based in San Sebastian with a visit to Madrid and Portugal
New pastures after that in South America
- Buenos Aries
- Machu Picchu in Peru
- Santaigo
- Southern Chile and the Easter Island
The most interesting feature of the planning for this trip was the exploration of the world of social media with the establishment of new Facebook and Instagram accounts and being introduced to the world of hash tags and social influences
WOW if you are over 35 do you know any of these people – what do they do and what is it that they have achieved that deems them an influencer of our cultural and community growth – make your own conclusion – it is a new world of the trivial self obsessed and WTF
- Chiara Ferragni (1 in Fashion) – The 30-year-old Milan native launched her fashion blog, The Blonde Salad – marketing reach 31 million
- What’s Up Moms (1 in Parenting) – Former Stanford University classmates, Meg Resnikoff and Elle Walker, together launched the most-subscribed parenting channel on YouTube, with 35 million views per month and ad revenue 13 million
- Grumpy Cat (1 in Pets) Total reach 60 million
- Brain Kelly (1 in Travel) travel guru touches 17 million who are all his friends
- Le Lapin Facebook 30 Instagram 34 twitter 10 followers– I’ve got a bit of catching up to do
I think I want to join them !!!
If you haven’t already become my friend on Facebook – and Instagram, please support a worthy cause ME,
I have invested the worthy sum of $30 into Facebook promotion and they have promised me access to 800,000 potential followers/friends [what is the difference between a follower and a friend – where do unwanted stalkers fit in?]
I need a bit of work to build up my followers but if any of those tossers can encourage that many losers to follow them I’m in with a chance – present company excluded of course, but please share share again my drivel with your networks
#1 global influencer here I come
So this is the preface and the painting of the picture so its “up up and away” courtesy of Qantas and Lufthansa
I will be using the Olympus Mark 11 for my magnificent photos and GoPro Hero6 Black as well as the good reliable IPhone 8 to capture the trip
Still seeking feedback in relation to the collective noun for a muse to assist me and the bunny on our adventures
Travelling in big white birds around the globe is always fascinating for a number of reasons the collective masses in the sky and how they interact
My key takeaways from spending the past 26 hours in transit and travelling
- Qantas still do a good job friendly and helpful, the little Irish man has knocked out a bit of class in the Business Lounges – they are more Coles than Thomas Dux – but we know where they ended up, so not such a bad strategy in managing a loss leader
Qantas menu utilises photgraphs from satellites circling the earth
- Singapore airport looks tired compared to Dubai
- Sometimes fancy menus just don’t work – cold roast beef, cold carrots and spring onions and fresh figs mmmm interesting
- The Lufthansa Chef must have watched the Heston show about flavours dying at altitude – the spicy tomatoe sauce on the fish is still tingling
- The Emirates layout on the 380 is superior to the other airlines that I have flown on
- Simon’s commentary of the safety features on the Lufthansa Frankfurt to Milan flight was one of the most engaging and real ones I have heard and delivered in 3 languages
BUT the highlight of the trip was the Gurrumul documentary, this individual was a true influencer of the highest order, his music was poetry and his voice unforgettable
As so it begins….. off to Milano shortly then the real fun begins —– oops postscript
A hire car saga and Nat Sav in Europe has raised its ugly head again all will be told in Chapter 2 XXXXX ~ 2018
29 degrees hot and sunny – photos of me in the pool with my tiger skin Mankini coming later if requested
Arrived safely in my home away from home Hotel Villa Anthea even better than the reviews