random observations from the trip

While I have tried to keep a diary of things we've done, there are always a few random thoughts or observations that really deserve their own space and time.....So here goes....

• All rental car agencies employ foreigners - this makes communication a challenge when you are jet lagged!
• down in Cornwall, there is a gate with 'Koombana' on it - they have got to be Australian. If it wasn't so early in the morning, I would have knocked on their door. Having lived in 'Koombana' suburb in Hedland and having 'Koombana' beach here in Bunbury, I want to know why they are claiming the name for their gate. 
• don't prebook accommodation in Cornwall - you will get it much cheaper asking at the door.
• In England - it is very cool to carry a brolly. I have never seen so many young men trot about with a brolly under their arm. 
• Mr Guinness, of the world famous Guinness Beer - deserves to be given more recognition for his business deal of the Millennium.  Fascinating fact - this sensational wheeler and dealer - made a rental agreement - wait for it - the land he agreed to rent for 9000 years, yep you read that right, he paid -sit down for this....an initial 100 pounds and then 45 pounds a year!!!!! Wicked.... this is for four acres in the middle of the city. You know, and I bet there were a heap of people who tut tutted at the deal... reckoned he paid too much. Brilliant. This was in 1795 - he really does deserve to have us all drinking his beer for that. 
• Scottish people do not like the Polish - in fact - in every country we went to the Polish came up. And I am sorry to say, that not one comment was positive. Not even kind of. 
• Always, always, always take your brolly with you. (with a jacket and scarf not far away)
• Every other under five year old in Ireland has red hair. This was a shock to us. But they really do. 
• English and Irish rental cars have the indicators and wind screen wipers on the opposite side to us. What a pain. I have very clean windows. 
• In Amsterdam, it is trendy for the teenage guys to double their girlfriends on the carrier on their bicycle. This made us smile a lot.... felt like we'd gone back in time. 
• Jayllee observed that Amsterdam had mega small groups of guys visiting. Most of them American. 
• Commonwealth bank cards don't work in Sweden. Take cash!!!!They also don't and won't accept overseas credit cards - worried about fraud. I was worried about trying to leave there. 
• In winter, in Sweden, the train is often late to town, because people commit suicide jumping in front of it. You know, they could always have a holiday down south. But the sun is only up from 11 am until 3 pm in winter.... guess I can see why they visit Aussie and NZ. 
• Cheap airline food is disgusting and overpriced. 
• Mary's castle in Copenhagen is very cool.
• tourists shops are full of junk, but if you look long enough and hard enough, you can find some classic treasures. 
• take half the luggage you initially plan to pack. 
• "when beef meets bacon' burger at Maccas Amsterdam is not very nice. (I kid you not, that was the name!)
• You have to pay to use the Maccas toilets in Europe. Only, 50 euros but sometimes that coin is very hard to find. 
• European men dress very well. 
• They are all fit and slim over there. Copenhagen was the first place we saw weight challenged tourists.
• Sweden has a country fitness fad - get fit before you go there. 
• There are nice public toilet at the top floor of Hamley's toy shop in England. Don't look for public loos there, you can never find them.
• The public bikes you can hire in England are great fun. You just have to go through a tedious system to rent it. You put your card in, you put your card out, you put you card in and you shake it all about, you ask the guy standing close, just what it's all about, and then you put in again and you shake it all about. Honestly, I think it took four separate in and outs... don't give up. 
• Cabbie drivers are a great source of info in every country. 
• do the hop on hop off buses. They are fabulous.
• All shops open late and stay open late, so enjoy a late evening out. 
• pack sneakers, joggers, runners or whatever you want to call them, as they will become your best friend.
• Get your money out at cashflow machines, carefully, they gave us the best exchange by far!!!!!
• Dublin is very multicultural
• Copenhagen has families as their main tourist groups.
• If you are trying to head south, when you leave Stonehenge, don't worry, they will make you drive north for a number of kms before they let you go in the direction you want to with a round about.
• every major city has road works going on - get used to it and adapt your path.
• the one time you don't have a map, you will face a detour, and all your technology is guaranteed to fail as well. Just enjoy the extra scenery you pass. Timelines are made to be adjusted. Unless it's at an airport - trust me, tide and time wait for no man, and neither do planes. Always, be early!

Chilvalry is not dead!!!!

This blog, I am sorry to say, is just a little late. I am back in Australia, but I am sure you want to know how we  finished up....So here's the last big wrap up.....

So, one more flight down and we made it back to England. Nice easy flight from Copenhagen to London. And knowing it was nearly over, we shouted ourselves the luxury of a cab to the airport! Such a good idea. Actually, it was more like, we packed the bags and thought...'Nah!' no way in hades are we lugging these cases around, up and down steps and in and out of trains. Cab ride was worth every cent, and in actual fact, it wasn't very much at all. So make sure you do it. I would love to stay in Copenhagen longer, I cannot wait to take the family back there and hang out. I am definitely going to book a cruise from there one day. Still gorgeous weather, everyone was at the beach, mind you, while there were lots of people there, we didn't see anyone actually in the water.... so go figure. But back to London.

It was great to fly back in there. They spoke English, the signs were in English, not that we have had any trouble at all - great thing speaking the international language...but, best thing was, we knew exactly where we were going. We didn't have to look at any maps, check out any train schedules or um and ah about which was way the best, most monetary effective way of getting to our bed for the night. Gee it was a good feeling. The biggest challenge was psyching myself up for the steps with my suitcase. However, after  desciding that we would be able to cope with elevators, stairs and luggage London men proved themselves to be worthy of a rave review.

I am thrilled to say that CHIVALRY IS NOT DEAD.

At the very first flight of mega steps, with me standing at the bottom looking woefully up, a charming young man sized up my dilemma immediately and before I could take more than one step had left his girlfriend and offered to carry my bag. Sensational bloke!!!!! Then at flight no two...the same thing, another guy immediately offered to carry my bag. This was not a small thing. This was a bag, jammed packed to the luggage limit - I was stoked. Jayllee, relieved. It was so, so nice. Then the day we left, a young man offered me his seat on the train as soon as entered the carriage. So England, such a nice way to finish. I am so very impressed.

To our surprise we had another apartment for the night. We had booked a room through Wimdu, and thought we where back to were we stayed at the beginning, but we weren't. Anyway, it was a lovely little spot, and there was a nice young couple from Germany there too. So that was nice.

We went up to Hertfordshire to check out the uni. This gave Jayllee her Harry Potter moment. She latched onto my arm and was like, "Mum, we are at King's Cross station...." I'm like..."yep." She began leaping around on her seat...."We're on platform 9..." I figured this was meant to mean something...and then I clicked. Looked vainly about for platform 93/4 ...didn't see it...  but enjoyed the thought. Had to smile, when we came back and went back for photos, there was an older couple walking around talking about Harry Potter. But great little train ride up to Hertfordshire. The uni looks nice, nothing too exotic, and yes, it has the obligatory mega flights of steps to climb. Incredibly, it was nearly thirty degrees, so I was a tad hot and flustered. Huge shopping centre just down the road, so Jayllee, the broke uni student, will enjoy that. It will be nice when she is settled in there, and I will be able picture exactly where she is.

For the last wander round London, we went into Trafalgar square, where the count down clock was. It was pretty cool to get  a photo with the clock on zero for the days.  When they first started that clock, I never dreamed that I'd be standing there when it hit zero. There were quite a few athletes walking around. Russians, Canadians, Slovakians and their carers were easy to spot. We were going to look through the national museum but there was a huge line, so not liking lines we left that. But we ended up in the right place and time to choose to watch the torch relay going down Regent street. We were outside Hamley's toystore, which was a great spot. A nice lot of pre torch entertainment, so that took an hour or two. We got to yell and cheer, have no idea who the lucky torch carrier was, but am glad for him. I'm sure he enjoyed his moment in the sun. The buzz in London was awesome. It is seriously making me think about saving up for Brazil. Everyone's happy. There weren't bad crowds on the underground. It was even nice walking around up the top. We sat in on the big outdoor concert at Hyde park and enjoyed the music, and the free seats under the trees, as we ate maccas and peopled watched to our hearts content and feet's relief... Our feet are officially tired!

Summer has finally arrived in England and Jayllee is walking around the place like a local. We have covered  a mega amount of territory.... Singapore, India, England, Ireland, Holland, Denmark, Scotland and Sweden - not a bad effort for three weeks.

My wallet is a united nations lucky dip of coins!
My feet are officially on strike.
I managed to ride the underground elevators and look up and down - and not shed a tear...
I am looking forward to going home.
It has been a treasure of a trip with Jays..... it's nice to know that even at the ripe old age of 43 I can surprise my daughter now and then....

Europe, been there done that...again...quickly...next time, hopefully, I'll have longer.