the wild backyard @ 44 and beyond

January reading

2012-02-10T22:12:00.000+11:00

Not another book about Italy [Ann Rickard] - Kindle edition
Rome the Second Time: 15 Itineraries that Don't Go to the Coliseum [Dianne Bennett, William Graebner, Walter Veltroni]
I, Row-boat [Cory Doctorow]
After the Seige [Cory Doctorow]
Ruso and the Demented Doctor [RS Downie]
Ruso and the Root of All Evils [RS Downie]
Ruso and the River of Darkness [RS Downie]

Happy Feet 2 [at Miranda, Sydney]
Star Wars Episode IV [on DVD]
Star Wars Episode V
Star Wars Episode VI
The King's Speech [on DVD]
Sleeping Beauty [on DVD]
How to train your dragon [on DVD]

Plenty of reading and watching during January, and I'm not even going to attempt to write about it all. And I subscribed to Pixel of Ink, so now I have a virtual stack of books on my Kindle waiting to be read, as well as a physical stack beside the bed (and in the cupboard, and beside the desk ...)

December reading

2012-01-01T17:54:00.001+11:00

I, Robot [Cory Doctorow] - free e-book from feedbooks, downloaded to Android phone. A very interesting sci-fi short story - an homage to Asimov - by an author who is also one of the editors of the website Boing Boing. This is one story in a collection called Overclocked: Stories of the Future Present (free download), and if this one example is anything to go by, I'm going to have to look up more of his work.

The Best of McSweeney's [Dave Eggers, editor] - bought in 2006 (the receipt was inside the front cover!), and sitting in the unread pile of books beside the bed until now. McSweeney's is a US literary magazine, and this collection of short stories covers a range of styles and subjects. Some I liked more than others; one I didn't finish. Definitely worth reading though - not sure why I waited so long!

Fables of Aesop [Penguin Classic, 1973 reprint of a 1954 translation by S A Handford]. Containing 207 fables - some only a few lines long; most of them only a paragraph or two - this is a great book for when you're constantly interrupted while trying to read! The fables are attributed to Aesop, who was possibly a Greek slave in the 6th century BC, but who knows if he really existed, and whether he wrote down all these stories with morals? Some of the morals don't quite accord with modern thinking, but this just makes them all the more interesting for someone with am historical bent!

Dead Set-Up [Kit Moodie]. According to the Australian Crime Fiction Database, this is Kit Moodie's only published crime novel: "A musician and a writer, Kit Moodie has published music books as Kathleen Moodie, and short stories and a novel as Kit Moodie. Kit has sold short stories to magazines and newspapers. She has written a sequel to her only published crime novel but it remains unpublished." I picked it up in a box of books from Freecycle some years ago, and have a vague recollection of being told that the author was from Canberra, but I may be wrong, and I couldn't find anything online to confirm this. Set mostly in Sydney, it's an interesting tale of a complicated plot that an innocent man finds himself the victim of (and he's not the only victim). One clue, crucial to solving the crime, is painfully obvious, but if you can reconcile with the main character missing it, then the rest of the story is a good read.

Guenevere: The Queen of the Summer Country [Rosalind Miles]. The first book in a series of novels about Guenevere, beginning with Arthur having just been proclaimed king after pulling the sword from the stone (a setup by Merlin), and then quickly skipping back to Guenevere's childhood as the daughter of the Queen of the Summer Country, soon to become a queen in her own right. The story of Arthur and Guenevere is well-known, but this book brings out many of the conflicts of the time, and the changes that Britain is experiencing, particularly changing from a female-oriented society and the nature-centred old religion and ways to a male-dominated, Christian society. Worth reading for that alone. Rosalind Miles is an historian as well as a novelist, and I'd be interested in reading some of her non-fiction works as well as her other novels.

The Kite Runner [Khaled Hosseini]. For some reason I never imagined reading a book about Afghanistan and its people - two boys in particular who grow up together but under vastly different conditions. It's an amazing book - devastating and hopeful and everything in between. Read it.

Additional Fables [Rolf Grunseit]. No, not more Aesop's fables - these short stories are about mathematics and mathematicians, and they're fascinating! Ranging from an Australian Dreamtime story about solving tricky problems to the German mathematical genius Carl Gauss in the 18th and 19th centuries, the book contains tales of some of the major mathematical discoveries over human history. My ten year old daughter enjoyed it as much as I did, and my 8yo wants me to read it with him too :)

Printcrime, When Sysadmins Ruled the Earth, Anda’s Game [Cory Doctorow] - three more of the stories from Overclocked, available for free from http://craphound.com/overclocked/download/ . Loved them all, despite a few distracting typos and proofing errors, and will be reading the two remaining stories as I have the opportunity.

The Venice Experiment: A year of trial and error living abroad [Barry Frangipane with Ben Robbins]. The first book I've read on my new Kindle :) I wasn't sure about ebooks - short stories are all very well, but a full novel in a digital format? Turns out I love it! So compact and easy to carry around (at least it will be once the cover I've ordered arrives - I'm a bit paranoid about damaging it at the moment), and the page-turning button is in exactly the right place for me. Searching for books on the Amazon site is a little painful with the on-screen keyboard, but easy on my main computer, and the books transfer automatically via wi-fi to the Kindle. And I loved this book too! I'm going to Venice in October, and while I won't be staying for a year, I'm looking forward to a couple of weeks exploring this unique city with all its quirks even more now.

We even managed to watch a few movies in December - some ok but once is enough children's films (Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2 [much better than the first one], and Gotta Catch Santa Claus [the best bit was the ice-monster and his evil snowman henchmen]), and Star Wars Episodes I, II and III. I don't know if I ever watched all the Star Wars movies when they first came out - if I did, I obviously didn't take much notice. The kids received a lot of Star Wars Lego for Christmas, so we figured they needed to see the movies (they've been watching the Clone Wars TV series for a while). We all really enjoyed these films, although the end of Episode III is quite emotional, and we had an 8yo in tears at the demise of some of his favourite characters. But he's ok now - he's decided that if Anakin turns to the Dark Side and becomes Darth Vader, then so will he! So apparently I am now the mother of a future evil overlord ... We'll watch Episodes IV, V and VI during January.

Souvenirs

2011-12-26T17:30:00.000+11:00

We didn't do any serious shopping in our 2010 trip, but one thing we did buy, and which I aim to make a tradition, was a small Christmas decoration from each place we stayed in.

From England, a royal crown from Hampton Court Palace:

From Paris, the Eiffel Tower in a gift basket:

From Rome, a tiny nativity scene in a jewellery box, bought from a stall near the Vatican:

November reading

2011-12-01T22:23:00.000+11:00

Fleeting Rome: In search of la Dolce Vita [Carlo Levi] - borrowed from the public library. A series of essays by an Italian writer, painter and politician, about the Eternal City. He lived from 1902 to 1972, so witnessed many changes in Italy, and he writes about Rome from the end of World War II to the 1960s. Evocative scenes - you can feel the heat and quiet of the city in August, and sit quietly in the corner of the bar listening to the old men argue.

Lustrum [Robert Harris] - borrowed from the public library. The second novel about Cicero (after Imperium), following his career from when he became consul of Rome, and again seen through the eyes of his slave and secretary Tiro. There is a lot of political intrigue, and very little is black and white at this time when Cicero is at the peak of his power and then sliding into an inevitable decline, and Gaius Julius Caesar is setting up his power base.

The third book in this series should be out soon - I'm looking forward to it immensely!

The Ancient Guide to Modern Life [Natalie Haynes] - one I couldn't resist and had to buy (and may even re-read, which is quite unusual for me). We may have developed plenty of new technologies over the millennia, but people are still essentially the same and interact in remarkably similar ways to the way the ancients Athenians and Romans (and others) did. Plato and Socrates and Aristophanes are still very relevant, and this book has inspired me to delve into some of the classics, which are sadly neglected these days.

Jude the Obscure [Thomas Hardy] - free ebook on my Android phone.I finally finished it! It only took 8 months of a few pages at a time while waiting, usually for children to come out of school or finish activities. Ordinary people living ordinary lives, and failing to find happiness except briefly (and even then it was with a sense of guilt). Duty and honour outweigh love and happiness, and everyone's pretty miserable in the end.

La Taverna degli Amici

2011-11-10T23:33:00.000+11:00

As I start planning our 2012 European adventure, I've been looking back through the photos from last year, thinking about what was most memorable, and which things I want to repeat with the X-man. And dinner at La Taverna degli Amici in Piazza Margana is most definitely on the list. The food was great, but the real highlight was the wonderful Simona!

self-portrait #9

2011-11-10T22:29:00.001+11:00

Haven't done a new self-portrait since March - thought it was about time ...

October reading

2011-11-09T12:58:00.000+11:00

Fire Lover: A True Story [Joseph Wambaugh]. Bought from a school fete. The story of John Orr, firefighter and arson investigator, who was convicted of numerous counts of arson and four counts of murder by arson. Much of the book is devoted to the trials, which involved many expert witnesses - thankfully the weeks of evidence (and years of research and investigation that came before them) are distilled into their essential elements.

Un amico italiano - Eat, Pray, Love in Rome [Luca Spaghetti]. It might be a little less than fashionable to admit that I enjoyed Eat Pray Love, but I did. It fed my desire to visit (and now revisit) Italy - not so much India and Bali, although if a trip was offered I wouldn't refuse! So when I saw this book for sale, I had to buy it. Luca is the Italian man Elizabeth Gilbert befriended in Rome. A slightly odd book - kind of sweet, but one which wouldn't have happened if the author hadn't been included in the Eat Pray Love. He's just an ordinary Roman - in fact, he's an accountant - with a James Taylor obsession. Not an outstanding or must-read book by any means, but an easy read, and ... nice.

La Bella Figura: An insider's guide to the Italian mind [Beppe Severgnini]. Borrowed from the public library. A fabulously entertaining read, as the author takes us on a 'tour' around Italy, and explains how its people think, using local examples. Red lights are optional, religion and the church are still significant - even if attendance at mass is dropping off, cars and parking - and why you might walk rather than lose your parking space in Naples,and much more. Very entertaining and informative :)

I have a couple more books in progress, but I might save them for November.

Ostia Antica

2011-11-07T14:41:00.000+11:00

I've been reading and watching more about Ostia Antica lately, with a view to revisiting the scavi, possibly next October/November. It was suggested to me in the planning stages of last year's trip as an alternative to Pompeii, and I'm very glad we chose to go there. Of course, I still plan on seeing Pompeii at some stage, but Ostia Antica has some big advantages. It's very close to Rome (I think I'll make Pompeii a part of a trip where we stay in Naples for a week or more, rather than a rushed long day trip from Rome), it's not as well known and therefore not as crowded, there's plenty of shade, it's a place to wander and discover things for yourself.

More on Ostia Antica:
Darius Arya's YouTube videos
Darius Arya Digs (blog)
Ostia website

The Arch of Septimius Severus

2011-10-19T22:48:00.000+11:00

There has clearly been some significant excavation work done in the Roman Forum since Piranesi made his drawings in the 18th century. This is the triumphal arch of Septimius Severus, born in 145AD and Roman Emperor from 193-211AD. On the left is the Column of Phocas, erected in 608AD (Byzantine Emperor Phocas gained the throne by murdering his predecessor in 602, and came to Rome some time later to hand over the Pantheon to the pope - the column may have commemorated that event, and it was the last great monument in the Forum. Phocas was himself murdered in 610AD). Somewhere between 5 to 8 metres of soil depth has been excavated from this area.

The church on the right is Santi Luca e Martina - compare the height of the door relative to ground level in the two images! Originally commissioned in 625AD as S. Martina, the church was named for Martina, who was tortured and beheaded for refusing to give up her Christian faith under Emperor Alexander Severus (a great nephew of Septimius Severus) in about 228AD. The church was rededicated as S. Luca in S. Martina in 1588, and rebuilt in the 17th century.

Basilica of Maxentius

2011-10-17T23:58:00.000+11:00

The Basilica of Maxentius - at the top, Piranesi's etching (1760), and my photograph (October 2010). These great vaults are just one side of the structure - there were similar vaults on the left, with a wide nave between them (as in the plan below). A basilica is more of a place for business and administration, rather than the religious function the word is generally associated with now.

A late 19th century plan of the Basilica (Wikimedia Commons)

The building is sometimes referred to as the Basilica of Constantine: Maxentius started construction, then was defeated by Constantine who completed the work, in the early 4th century AD. The side vaults are 20.5 metres wide and 24 metres high. The central nave was even higher - the roof above where I stood would have soared up to 35 metres high!

You've possibly seen the colossal statue of Constantine, the remains of which are now in the Capitoline Museums:

Apparently the statue sat in the semicircular apse on the left of the plan above, and started off looking like Maxentius. But Constantine had the features changed to look like himself once he'd taken over. No ego issues there!

Column of Marcus Aurelius

2011-10-14T22:55:00.001+11:00

From Piranesi's Vedute, 1760

Piazza Colonna, October 2010

I love seeing how things change over time, and artworks of Rome produced over the centuries are amazing to compare with what is visible today. Giovanni Battista Piranesi's (1720-1778) etchings are of particular note. The two images above are clearly of the same column - the Column of Marcus Aurelius, in the Piazza Colonna. My photo is taken about 90 degrees clockwise from where Piranesi drew, but there's no mistaking it.

The column was completed by 193 AD, but the statue of St Paul was added as part of its restoration in 1589. There was probably a statue of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius originally, but that was lost well before the restoration.

Things I missed the first time: St Peters

2011-10-13T23:40:00.002+11:00

See all those people around the railing? They've climbed to the top of the dome of St Peter's, and have a fabulous view over Rome. We didn't do that. In fact, we got as far as St Peter's Square, and that was it. We didn't even go into the basilica, although before we left everyone said we should. In fact, there were quite a lot of things on other people's must-do lists that didn't get a look-in on this trip.

Oh, and we didn't go into the Vatican Museum either. One day I'll do that, but probably without a child in tow.

Things I missed the first time: Venus and Roma

2011-10-10T22:53:00.002+11:00

It's massive, it's part of the Roman Forum, and it's right across from the Colosseum (from where I took this photo). It's the Temple of Venus and Roma, and we missed going in because it only opened to the public a week or so after we left Rome, following 26 years of restoration work. It was a double temple, dedicated the to the goddesses Venus Felix and Roma (the personification of the city of Rome). The statues of the two goddesses sat back to back in two cella - the space you can see here is the cella of Venus, who faced towards the Colosseum, while Roma faced the Forum.

From what I can gather, the top grassed level is how big the temple was, with a double row of columns all round. The columns further to the right (and there are more out of frame on the left, were a side portico, and part of the complex, but separate to the temple. You can see a man and truck on the right where the grass slopes down to the next level, which gives you some idea of the scale of the structure. Like I said - massive.

The statues of the goddesses, each seated in her cella, were apparently so large that they wouldn't have been able to stand up straight in the building if they chose to do so! In fact, a celebrated architect of the time, invited by the Emperor Hadrian (who designed the temple) to comment, said as much, and was banished and later executed for his honesty (apparently he and Hadrian had some history, and he wasn't impressed with other of Hadrian's designs - perhaps not a wise position when the person you are criticising has the power of life and death over you).

If it was all Hadrian's idea, he was a pretty clever bloke. Roma's relevance to the city is obvious - she is the city. But what is the significance of Venus? Well - Venus (known as Aphrodite by the Greeks), according to Greco-Roman mythology, was the mother of Aeneas (his father was the Trojan king Priam). After the fall of Troy, Aeneas and a small group of men made their way to Italy, where his descendants included Rhea Silvia, the mother of Romulus and Remus, the twins who were exposed to die, but who were rescued by a she-wolf and lived to found Rome. So Venus could be considered the mother of Rome.

Another clever aspect of housing these two goddesses together lies in their names: Venus is the Goddess of Love: amor in Latin. AMOR:ROMA, and they sit back to back :)

I'm hoping this area will still be open next time I'm in Rome - it would be amazing to stand in this grand space. And to think that until the 1980s the space was used as a carpark!

Things I missed the first time: The Basilica of San Nicola in Carcere

2011-10-08T22:59:00.001+11:00

As I read more about Rome, and look through the photos I took last year, I realise just how much I missed. To be expected, I guess, on what was my first big trip overseas on my own (yes, Miss Tizz was with me, but I was totally responsible for everything - the bookings, where we went, what we saw, the works). We did a lot of wandering, going from one incredible sight to the next, often without a particular plan, and obviously not taking in all the Eternal City has to offer. Actually, I think it would take many years to see it all, and even then I suspect Rome would continue to surprise me.

So ... I was reading a blog about Rome - Revealed Rome - and saw a photo of a familiar building. I remember clearly standing beside it and wondering what it was, and then shifting my gaze further to the right and being overwhelmed to realise that the Capitoline Hill was just across the road. And somehow I never did find out what this odd building with the columns built into the wall was. But now I know!

The columns in the photo above are from the Temple of the Goddess Hope - from 250 BC! But that's not all. On this site there are the remains of three ancient temples, with the much newer basilica built right into them!

This is the basilica from the front. You can just see the columns from the previous photo on the far left. The columns that are part of the lighter coloured facade are from the Temple of Juno, and on the right, next to the medievel belltower, are the remaining columns of the Temple of Janus. The three temples were constructed at various times in the second and third centuries BC. The site itself was a vegetable market before any of the temples were built (the Tiber River is just across the busy road behind the basilica), and there was a prison here (the in Carcere part of the basilica's name) in Byzantine times. The main building dates from about the 6th century AD (perhaps), although the first mention of the church in written history is apparently in the 11th century, and there have been numerous alterations since them.

All very fascinating, and you can also go down to the crypt to the old ground level, and see the podiums of the temples.

And that's not all I missed the first time: that odd-looking building to the right of the church in the second photo is part of the Theatre of Marcellus. Not that we missed it, but we normally approached it from a different angle, and at the time I took the photo I didn't realise what it was. I was used to seeing the arches and colonnades (you can just see them on the far right), and had no idea that apartments had been built into the ancient structure.

So much to see next time, armed with more information so I know what I'm looking at.

September reading

2011-10-02T23:07:00.000+11:00

Plenty of reading this month, but not a lot completed.

Scarlet Feather [Maeve Binchy]. Not sure how I ended up with this, but as it was marked 50c it probably came from a fete. Apparently it was a bestseller, although I don't know why - it could have done with a thorough edit and at least 100 less pages.

Medicus and the disappearing dancing girls [R.S. (Ruth) Downie]. Bought for $1 at the local community fair. I read this book over 24 hours and really enjoyed it. A murder mystery set in Britain at the time of Trajan's death and Hadrian becoming Emperor (117AD), it is the story of a Roman medic attached to the Twentieth Legion in Deva (which became Chester). Ruso, the medic, rescues a slave girl with a broken arm, and becomes entangled, rather unwillingly, in the search for the killer of two more slave girls.There are another three books, so far, in this series - I'll be tracking them down too.

Through Time: Pompeii [Richard Platt]. Birthday present :) This is really a children's book, but I found it interesting to trace the origins of Pompeii through one house. Starting as a small hut, expanding into a larger farmhouse, becoming a wealthy city house for locals and then the Romans who invade, before being destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius. But the story keeps going, through early treasure hunters who weren't much interested in the buildings or people, to archaeologists for whom the lives of the people of the time are revealed in the buried ruins.

Venice: Pure City [Peter Ackroyd]. Spotted this one in a bookshop and was powerless to resist :) A history of La Serenissima from its beginnings shrouded in legends. Reading this one in small doses, and suspect I will need to re-read it before our planned trip to Venice in 2012.

And I'm still reading Jude the Obscure ...

Still grey

2011-09-15T15:50:00.000+10:00

Change of plans: my hairdresser is sick, so by default I'm embracing the grey. And I'm actually quite happy with that :)

The old grey mare

2011-09-15T13:28:00.000+10:00

Time for a hair change. I've been avoiding the hairdresser because I couldn't decide whether to grow it or cut it, colour it or embrace the grey. To hell with it! Had it cut short on Tuesday, and am going in for colour today. But for a few days, this is what it looked like. All the blonde (the most recent colour) is gone - which gives you an idea of how long I've been dithering - the regrowth was (ahem) quite significant.

So now I know what my natural colour is. It's been something close to 20 years - mostly blonde (it was blonde to start with, but I kept lightening it as my natural blonde darkened), but with about three years of pink/purple/blue variations, and a few years a while back (perhaps 10 years ago) of bright orange followed by shades of darker brown. I attempted white blonde, but my hair has a lot of red in it, and it didn't stay pale for long without violet shampoo.

Thought about leaving the grey, but will delay that a little longer. In half an hour, it will change again ... Stay tuned!

August reading

2011-09-06T12:06:00.000+10:00

Four Seasons in Rome [Anthony Doerr] - saw this in a bookshop and had to have it. A writer and his family (wife and 6 month old twin boys) head to Rome on a study grant, and this book follows their 12 month stay and discovery of the city. Loved it! Want to live it!

Fleshmarket Close [Ian Rankin] - borrowed from my mother. An Inspector Rebus murder mystery/crime novel. A lot of threads happening simultaneously - some fairly predictable, others with interesting twists.

The Final Judgement [Richard North Patterson] - bought from a fete, as part of a Readers Digest Select Editions book containing four edited novels. And therein lies the problem, I think. While they were easy enough to read, I was left with a vague sense of dissatisfaction, and I suspect it was because some detail of the original novels was edited out. None of them were the sort of books that I feel compelled to now read the original to compare, so I guess I'll never know for sure, but I probably won't bother with another of these compilations, even if it did only cost me 50c. This one was about a US judge caught up in a murder investigation/trial of a family member.

Icebound [Dean Koontz] - as above. A group of scientists isolated on an iceberg, split from the main mass by an earthquake/tsunami. And a hell of a lot of explosives set to go off in a very short time, right under them.

That Camden Summer [LaVyrle Spencer] - as above. 1916, and a divorced woman (the scandal!) comes back to her hometown with her three daughters and upsets the status quo. Things get nasty, but they all live happily ever after in the end (except the bad people, which is how it should be).

Wildfire [Susan Geason] - as above. This one was interesting as it was set (mostly) in Sydney, against a background of the 1994 bushfires. I was there, heard the news reports, saw the fires, breathed the smoke, and this novel brought that back very clearly.

July reading

2011-08-18T17:16:00.000+10:00

The Eyre Affair [Jasper Fforde] - borrowed from the public library. More fabulousness from the twisty passages of Jasper Fforde's mind.

First Among Sequels [Jasper Fforde] - borrowed from the public library. As above :)

When in Rome [Ngaio Marsh] - passed on by a friend. A murder mystery set in Rome in the 1960s.

The World's Greatest Trials [Tim Healey] - from a fete bookstall.

The Terrace Times Minimum Effort Maximum Effect Cookbook: The Rocks Edition [Helen Arbib, Pauline Clements] - passed on by aunts-in-law. Anything with 'Minimum effort Maximum effect' in the title will get my attention! This is the second of the Terrace Times cookbooks, published in 1976, and it's full of old-fashioned recipes, delightful pen and ink sketches of the Rocks area of Sydney, and snippets of local history. I think my favourite line is in the introduction: "... we feel there are enough problems in the world without having to suffer in the kitchen as well ..."

Getting a feel for Venice

2011-07-27T21:37:00.000+10:00

Lately, when I have a free moment, I've been reading about Venice. At this stage, I'm trying to get a feel for the city - without having been there! - and an idea of which area I might like to stay in. It's not a huge place - I've read that you could walk from one end to the other in 40 minutes - so location probably isn't crucial as far as being able to get around is concerned. As we'll be there for a week or two, it's not as if we have to cram everything into a couple of days, and long meandering walks sound like a great way to get to know it.

I think I would prefer to have a little distance from the Piazza San Marco and the Rialto Bridge - the immediate area that all the day trippers from the cruise ships flock to. Of course, we'll go to both those places, but I'd like to stay somewhere a little further out - perhaps Cannaregio?

La Bella Lingua

2011-07-10T22:56:00.000+10:00

I read Dianne Hales' book, La Bella Lingua, some time after coming back from Europe, possibly around December last year, because I can't find it on my monthly reading lists that I've been keeping here since January. It's a fabulous book about the history of the Italian language - how it evolved into the expressive, evocative language it is today, alongside what eventually became the Italian nation.

My attention was drawn to it again today through a mention on a travel forum I frequent, and there was mention made of a connected website, so naturally I had to take a look. It's only been a brief visit so far, but I skipped over to her blog, and I love the way she's set it out, focussing on phrases relevant to a single subject in each post. Such a natural way to learn a language!

It's interesting, and makes a lot more sense than labouring over the technicalities of a language, when all you really want to do is communicate. No matter how many Italian lessons I might take, and how word perfect I might become (hah!), I would never pass for a native Italian, and nor do I necessarily want to. But I do want to be able to visit and be able to talk to people, whether it's in a shop or with someone at the next table at dinner.

So I have bookmarked Dianne's blog, and will be a frequent visitor, as I count down the days to my next trip.

Early planning stages

2011-07-05T23:28:00.000+10:00

In approximately 15 months I'm planning to head to Europe again, this time with the boy child (who will be 9 by then).

The Olympic Games (just in case you live on another planet) will be in London next year, and while the Games themselves will be over by the time we're heading to Europe, I'm not convinced there won't still be some knock-on effects (quite possibly in the form of higher prices!), so we're going to skip England this time.

Instead we'll head back to Paris, then to Venice, and back down to Rome again. At least, that's the broad plan at this stage. I was really pleased with how things worked out last year, so we'll be looking at the same sort of thing again - spending a week or two in each city, doing a lot of exploring on foot, and taking it at a kid's pace (although apparently there'll be less time spent on the carousels of Paris - the boy is less keen on them). We'll base ourselves in an apartment in each city, and maybe do a day trip or two, although I probably won't pre-book too much - we'll just wing it when we're there.

Definites:

Up to the top of the Eiffel Tower again (the X-man has asked for this).
Rides on the canals of Venice - perhaps on a gondola, or maybe just on the vaporetto.
The Colosseum and the Forum in Rome.

June reading

2011-07-02T15:16:00.001+10:00

Chart Throb [Ben Elton] - from the public library

One of our Thursdays is missing [Jasper Fforde] - from the public library. Love it! This is part of a series about Thursday Next and Bookworld, and is very clever in the use of language. Did I mention I love it? Have borrowed a couple more books from the series from the library.

Quite a few more chapters of Jude the Obscure read on my Android phone (there's been a bit of sitting around waiting in the car)

Some book about unsolved crimes, the name of which escapes me at the moment.
[Added 5 July] It's The World's Greatest Unsolved Crimes [Roger Boar & Nigel Blundell] - no idea where it came from - perhaps a fete?

And I started a couple of Ian Rankin's Inspector Rebus books that I'd borrowed from my mother, only to realise a few pages in that I'd read them and what's the point of a mystery when you know the answer? However, I'm in the middle of The Naming of the Dead, as I've only seen this as an episode in the Rebus television series, and a lot of the detail is lost in an hour and a half tv episode (although I can't picture Rebus looking or sounding like anyone but Ken Stott).

May reading

2011-06-03T00:06:00.001+10:00

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason [Helen Fielding] - bought for 10 cents at a fete, and I can say it was worth every cent. However, if it had been 20 cents, I would have to consider carefully. I should have known better - I didn't like the character in the first book, and she wasn't any better in this one. Self-centred, overthinks everything, thinks the world revolves around her. Throughout the whole book, all I could think was "Why doesn't she just say things straight out to clear up the confusion?". But then I think that a lot in real life too. Not sure why I bothered finishing it.

The Tenth Circle [Jodi Picoult] - passed on by a friend. Easy to read, enjoyed the references to Dante's Inferno, but not something I'd keep or re-read or recommend. I just didn't care about these characters at all.

Vincenzo's Garden [John Clanchy] - borrowed from the public library. I'm a fan of short stories, and this collection by Australian author John Clanchy is quite lovely. Some beautiful studies of people in the middle of changing relationships.

Shades of Grey [Jasper Fforde] - borrowed from the public library. I've noticed Jasper Fforde books on the bookshelf of a friend, and when I saw this one at the library I had to see what he was like for myself. Oh my! Wonderful story, and just perfect for a graphic designer. Will definitely be looking up more by the same author.

The Cat in the Hat [Dr Seuss] - from the X-man's bookshelf. It doesn't matter how much Ben 10 and Zac Power he reads, we still have fun with this book. He loves me reading it out loud to him, with silly voices and over the top expression, and I love reading it! We've been over and over this for nearly his whole life, and we're not tired of it yet :)

The Chinese Takeout [Judith Cutler] - borrowed from my mother. I could see this one made into a Midsomer Murder. A good read, but might put you off chicken.

Wacky Wednesday [Dr Seuss] - another favourite from the X-man's shelf. We like looking for the silly things on each page :)

Sun on the Stubble [Colin Thiele] - secondhand from a fete. A delightful Australian story of a German family farming in South Australia, centred on one of the boys in the family - Bruno. By the author of Storm Boy.

Politically correct holiday stories: for an enlightened Yuletide season [James Finn Garner] - borrowed from the public library. Politically corrected versions of the story of Rudolph and A Christmas Carol, with lots of references to 'pre-adults' and similar terms. Poor Santa can't get anything right. Funny, and takes the mickey out of the whole issue of political correctness, illustrating just how ridiculous the idea can become, taken to extremes.

Oh, and I read a little more of Jude the Obscure. He's now been tricked in marriage, but has separated from his nasty wife, who's emigrated to Australia with her parents.

Poetry for the masses

2011-05-31T10:34:00.000+10:00

I have been blogging daily photos of Canberra for a few months now, as part of a worldwide project of City Daily Photo blogs which has been running for over five years. Every day I wander through some of my favourite places through the eyes of photographers living in them, and one in particular caught my attention this morning.

London Daily Photo featured a shot of one of the Poems on the Underground, a series which has been running for 25 years. The poems are placed inside the trains, in the spaces that normally contain advertising, and are a wonderful opportunity to read something you might not otherwise be exposed to. I saw a number of these on our trip last year, but had no idea the series had been running so long.

The poem on London Daily Photo today is Ourstory, by Carole Satyamurti.

Ourstory
Let us now praise women
with feet glass slippers wouldn’t fit;

not the patient, nor even the embittered
ones who kept their place,

but awkward women, tenacious with truth,
whose elbows disposed of the impossible;

who split seams, who wouldn’t wait,
take no, take sedatives;

who sang their own numbers, went uninsured,
Knew best what they were missing.

Our misfit foremothers are joining forces
underground, their dusts mingling

breast-bone with scapula, forehead
with forehead. Their steady mass

bursts locks; lends a springing foot
to our vaulting into enormous rooms.

April reading

2011-05-05T23:41:00.000+10:00

Still gradually getting through Jude the Obscure in little bits when I'm sitting in the car waiting for children. This may take a while!

See Naples and Die [Penelope Green] - bought at QBD bookshop in Westfield Belconnen. This is Penelope Green's second book about Italy. At the beginning of the book we travel with her as she relocates from Rome to Naples for work and, with her, we discover a city only a few hours from the capital, but very different in a multitude of ways. I spent the entire time I was reading this book vacillating between wanting to add Naples to my next trip to Italy and fearing it might be my last trip anywhere! But I do want to go - perhaps not next year, but Naples is firmly on the list.

Girl by Sea [Penelope Green] - bought at the Angus & Robertson liquidation sale. After Naples, Penelope Green and her Italian partner Alfonso moved offshore - a one hour ferry ride away - to the small island of Procida. Like other trilogies in this style I've read recently, book 3 really demonstrates how the author has settled into her new culture - not necessarily easily and not necessarily being completely accepted by the locals (at least initially). And book 3 in each series has local recipes - an interesting pattern.

The World's Most Fantastic Freaks [Mike Parker] - secondhand from a fete. Interesting book, but some of the language made me cringe a bit. Perhaps I'm a little more politically correct than I thought I was. Or perhaps the way many of these people were (and are) treated as exhibits rather than people makes me very sad for them.

A Thousand Days in Venice: An unexpected romance [Marlena de Blasi] - bought at the A&R sale. Marlena is a divorced American travelling in Italy. She meets Fernando, who's been watching her from a distance, and who finally plucks up the courage to approach her (by telephone!). He pursues her, even to the US, wins her, and takes her back to his native Venice to live with her in his apartment on the Lido and marry her - when they can eventually get through the Italian bureaucracy. And meanwhile Marlena falls even more in love with Venice.

Dolce e Salata: A bittersweet adventure in Tuscany [Marlena de Blasi] - borrowed from the public library. Three years later, and Fernando has quit his nice safe job in the bank, they've sold the apartment, and they move to a little town of 200 people in Tuscany. Getting to know the people is as much of an adventure as the move and settling into the new region ...

An Umbrian Love Story [Marlena de Blasi] - borrowed from the public library. The next instalment of the life of Marlena and Fernando. After much searching in Tuscany and Umbria, the couple relocate to Orvieto - the city built on a rock. It's quite a closed community - flooded with tourists by day, and separated from the people who live in the communities below. While waiting for more than two years for their palazzo ballroom apartment to be completely renovated (when they first find it, it doesn't even have a floor) they gradually find their way into the community, and bring together people who have lived in quite separate social circles.

Remember

2011-04-27T13:53:00.000+10:00

My seven year old son
wrote a note in the kitchen:
'Rember to be good for the rest of my life'
and signed his name.
My nine year old daughter
corrected his spelling
but sometimes the spelling doesn't matter.

March reading

2011-03-31T11:04:00.000+11:00

I finished Sylvia - nothing too demanding there (as expected), but it was interesting to follow it up with a bit of online reading about the so-called Children's Crusade. In the book, it did involve children, but many historians now think that the word interpreted as 'children' might actually refer to in a somewhat derogatory way to bands of men who wandered the countryside around that time. But I do love historical fiction, and the way it prompts me to find out the facts about the times.

When in Rome [Penelope Green] - bought from Angus & Robertson in the city (a few days before they went into liquidation), while wandering in the hour and a half that Miss Tizz is doing her drama class. I must stop heading for the shops ... This is the first of three books by this author, detailing her life from when she left Sydney at the age of 29 to live in Italy - and maybe I'm just a wee bit envious. Penelope is a journalist and writer, and now lives back in Australia with her Italian partner.

Italian Joy [Carla Coulson] - another Australian woman who headed to Italy (can you see a theme here?). Carla is a photographer - a career she developed in Italy, while learning the language.

Hannibal [Thomas Harris] - bought secondhand from our school fete. Sequel to The Silence of the Lambs.

Frommer's 24 Great Walks in Rome

Frommer's 24 Great Walks in London

Frommer's 24 Great Walks in Venice
We found a copy of 24 Great Walks in Rome in the apartment we rented in Rome last year, and found it a fabulous way to see parts of the city. I'm planning to go back to Rome, and to also Venice, so when Book Depository had a 10% off sale at the beginning of March I bought these three books to keep as a reference.

Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome [Lesley Adkins] - bought from The Book Depository. I reading soon after Christmas, and have read most of it now. Not the sort of thing you need to read cover to cover, it's divided into sections so you can look up what you're interested in. Will definitely keep as a reference.

Merde Actually [Stephen Clarke] - the continuing adventures of an Englishman in France. While I didn't think it was as good as A Year in the Merde, it's still a fun read.

Imperium [Robert Harris] - bought secondhand from our school fete last year. A novel of the political career of the Roman Senator and philosopher Cicero, as told by his slave secretary Tiro. The novel covers the period from Cicero's early career as a lawyer through to his election as consul at the age of 46, and all the political manouveurings along the way. I found it fascinating to see how he balanced his sense of morality and his amibition to beat the corruption and bribery that was an endemic part of the late Republic, and how he wavered towards compromise at times but generally seemed to avoid being 'bought' by any faction.

Currently reading:

Jude the Obscure [Thomas Hardy] - free ebook on my Android phone.

self-portrait #8

2011-03-28T15:01:00.000+11:00

One image: Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella

2011-03-24T23:21:00.003+11:00

This building is the tomb of Cecilia Metella, on the Via Appia Antica, outside the walls of Rome.

Not much is known about the woman for whom the tomb was constructed, except that her father was Quintus Caecilius Metellus Cretico, and that she was the wife of Crassus son of Marcus Licinius Crassus, who suppressed the slave revolt led by Spartacus and who was in the first triumvirate with Caesar and Pompey.

It's unusual to see a tomb of this size for a woman of the time (the 1st century BC), so it is thought that the tomb was more a display of the wealth and importance of her family than that of the individual.

The top section was added in the 14th century, and the structure was apparently used as a fortification. According to Lonely Planet, it was occupied "by the Caetani family, who used to threaten passing traffic into paying a toll".

Today I ...

2011-03-22T21:06:00.000+11:00

+ read with a group of wriggly 7 year olds
+ learned a little more of the complicated things librarians do
+ had a theory lesson on how to clean a trumpet
+ actually pulled apart, cleaned, oiled and put the trumpet back together (and there were no parts left over, and it still works!)
+ remembered to update the new blog
+ found gifts for a friend with a new baby
+ spotted some reproductions of old maps of London, Paris and Rome that I couldn't pass up
+ drove into blinding sunlight on the way home from Miss Tizz's drama class.

Tomorrow I might need to do some work!

New project

2011-03-21T17:44:00.000+11:00

I have a new project: Daily Photo Canberra. Just for fun, and because I need a challenge :)

February reading

2011-02-28T10:55:00.001+11:00

I've included the blurb about each book, but not too much of my own opinion. I prefer to think that I'm letting you make up your own mind, rather than being too lazy to write a proper review.

A Year in Provence [Peter Mayle]. Secondhand from the school fete. "Enjoy an irresistible feast of humour and discover the joys of French rural living with Peter Mayle's bestselling, much-loved account of "A Year In Provence". Peter Mayle and his wife did what most of us only imagine doing when they made their long-cherished dream of a life abroad a reality: throwing caution to the wind, they bought a glorious two hundred year-old farmhouse in the Luberon Valley and began a new life. In a year that begins with a marathon lunch and continues with a host of gastronomic delights, they also survive the unexpected and often hilarious curiosities of rural life. From mastering the local accent and enduring invasion by bumbling builders, to discovering the finer points of boules and goat-racing, all the earthy pleasures of Provencal life are conjured up in this enchanting portrait."

DEAD(ish) [Naomi Kramer] - free ebook. "Linda's had a bad day. First her boyfriend killed her. Then she woke up, still on this boring plane of existence, and with an odd obsession about her missing body. Mike won't tell her what he did with her body, and she can't find the stupid thing herself. There's only one thing she can do - torment the bastard until he coughs up the information." A funny novella with some surprising twists.

How to disappear completely [David Bowick] - free ebook. "Sitting at the top of a Ferris wheel overlooking the Boston skyline, Josh’s life takes an unexpected turn, and things will never be the same. Along with the many surprises on his life’s new path, he’ll come to take life advice from a family of ducks, get in a bloody war with a dog, lose his job over a spilled drink, wake up in the hospital, apply to work at an adult-themed novelty bakery, and find out that people often aren’t what they seem. When you're at the top of the world, there's nowhere to go but down."

The Mamur Zapt and the Girl in the Nile [Michael Pearce]. Book found abandoned by my mother. This is number 5 in (from what I can gather) 16 Mamur Zapt novels, set in Egypt in the early 1900s. The Mamur Zapt of the title is the British head of Cairo's secret police, and in this novel he becomes involved in solving the mystery of a drowned girl, made more difficult than usual because her body has disappeared. As much political as police procedural, it's an interesting read in light of current events in Egypt.

Still reading:

Sylvia [Bryce Courtenay]. From the school fete. "Sylvia is a story of the Children’s Crusade, which occurred in the year 1212. It is perhaps the strangest true event to have taken place in European history ... It is also a story of how, throughout some of the darkest medieval times, the redeeming power and strength of a young woman’s love and intelligence prevail over poverty, brutality and bigotry."

The Divine Comedy: The Inferno {Dante Alighieri] - Bought from The Book Depository. Part 1 of the Italian classic.

back to the drawing board

2011-02-26T00:53:00.001+11:00

One image: Salisbury Cathedral

2011-02-13T18:05:00.000+11:00

We visited Salisbury Cathedral on a very cold October day last year. When we entered, the sky was cloudy and grey, and we were greeted inside by the soaring voices of the choir practising. By the time we left, the sun had come out, and the stone walls of the cathedral glowed in the late afternoon light.

Gratitude

2011-02-12T16:30:00.000+11:00

Last February, I focussed on finding something for which to be grateful every day.

Lately, I've been finding it very easy to sink into the mire of 'it's all too hard', 'I didn't sign up for this', 'why should I when no-one else makes an effort?' and 'stuff it. I don't care any more'. I really don't like heading in this direction, so it's time to lace up my boots and go looking for the good stuff.

I mean really - what do I seriously have to complain about? We haven't been flooded, hit by a cyclone, or had to deal with the possibility of bushfire this summer. Everyone we know is safe, even if the family in the Clarence River area did get their feet wet recently.

Both kids are healthy, back at school, and loving it.

It's not so hot at the moment, and the hot week we did have reminded me to be grateful when the cool change rolled in.

We have food in the fridge and pantry, and more is just an internet order away. And I don't even have to carry it in.

I have plenty to read, whether just for entertainment or to learn something new.

We have plenty to wear. In fact, too much, so I've been culling and donating bags of clothing.

The dishwasher died this week (it's nearly 10 years old, and I don't think you can expect much more out of appliances these days), but this has turned out to have its positive side: the kids are enjoying washing up, especially if it means time talking and singing and being a bit silly with Mum. And I'm enjoying having a clean bench and sink, rather than a pile of unwashed dishes waiting for the dishwasher to emptied.

There are lots of opportunities for free learning online, including many university open learning courses. I'm learning more about Roman history and culture at the moment.

I have enough work, and I'm lucky enough to be able to operate my own business from home.

We have a house full of too much stuff, and while that frustrates me often, I'm grateful that we live in an affluent society, and that I have so much choice. And I LOVE being able to cut down the clutter, a little at a time, and create more space and calm and opportunity. I LOVE giving things away that we have no more use for, and someone else might benefit from. How lucky are we to be so well off that we can give things away!

There's loads more, but I'm smiling now, so that will do for the time being.

What are you grateful for?

One image: Drinking fountain

2011-02-11T22:50:00.001+11:00

One of the many drinking fountains in Rome. The water is cool and clear and perfectly drinkable (and on the odd occasion it's not, it's clearly marked). These little fountains run all the time - something Australians aren't used to coming from a land where drought is a common state. The trick to drinking from them is to place your finger over the end of the spout, to force the water up through the small hole pointing upwards halfway along the spout. But watch out! The water can jet out with far more force and much further than you're expecting! Miss Tizz got a little damp trying it out, but had lots of fun in the process (and accidentally washed someone's Vespa):

January reading

2011-02-05T19:38:00.000+11:00

I don't always read as much as I'd like to - the internet seems to have taken over my life - but these are the books I read during January:

Under the Tuscan Sun [Frances Mayes]

Actually, I read this one in December, but the other two in January, so I'm including the whole series.

Bella Tuscany [Frances Mayes]

Every Day in Tuscany [Frances Mayes]

These three are part of my Italian obsession :)

Sentence of Marriage [Shayne Parkinson]
Book 1 of Promises to Keep

This was a free ebook through Smashwords, and the first book I've read on my Android phone. I've been a bit resistant to reading on electronic devices, but I soon got used to it, and it's convenient to have it with me and not have to carry a bulky paper book.

Set in 19th century rural New Zealand, this is the story of Amy, a girl whose dedication to duty and dreams of a different life come into conflict.

I also started reading the second book in the series, but only part of it is available for free. I may just have to cough up the USD1.99 each for the next three books ...

Lair of the White Worm [Bram Stoker]

From the author of Dracula. Read on the Android phone.

Torn [Chris Jordan]

Coffee with Michelangelo [James Hall]

(from the back cover) "Note to the reader: The interviews in this book are purely fictional, while having a solid basis in biographical fact. They take place between a fictionalised Michelangelo and an imaginary interviewer. They are preceded by an author's introduction to the subject and a short, factual profile of Michelangelo's life."

I wouldn't have paid the $16.95 it was originally priced at, or probably even the $4.99 sale price, but for $1.00 ...

And because it was school holidays, we watched a couple of movies: Tangled and Megamind. A bit sugary for my liking, but ok with kids, and Megamind has a soundtrack with the parents in mind.

Domitian's stadium

2011-01-25T22:01:00.000+11:00

Just along and round to the right of this photo is Rome's Piazza Navona. The piazza is an elongated shape, and what you can see here is part of the reason for that shape. The piazza is built on top of the Circus Domitianus - Domitian's stadium.

Domitian succeeded his brother Titus as Emperor in 81AD (a little over a month before his 30th birthday), and ruled until his murder in 96AD.

The stadium was completed in 86AD, and was part of the large rebuilding project that happened after the fire of 79AD. It was constructed of brick and concrete - fire retardant and cheap materials - and faced with marble.

There are at least two floors, supported by arches, under the present day ground floors of the buildings surrounding the piazza. Under the viewing stands for the games in the circus, various businesses were housed, including taverns and brothels.

There's so much to see at ground level in Rome, it's easy to overlook what's below - so much evidence of times past is in the city's basements and under the streets, with just glimpses such as this available to the visitor.

One image: Venus

2010-12-20T00:17:00.001+11:00

I spied this statue in the courtyard of a palazzo in the Jewish Ghetto area of Rome one afternoon as we were walking back from Isola Tiberina. The gate to the courtyard was open, so we just walked in - no idea what the etiquette is, but there was no one around, and the building, like many other palazzi, seems to have been converted into flats, so I guess it's like wandering into the common area of any similar area of housing. Not really encouraged, but as long as you don't cause any trouble it's probably not of much concern to anyone.

She looks like a Venus to me - reminiscent of Boticelli's Venus, especially with the shell motif above her head and her long, flowing hair. I've no idea whose work she is, and a Google search hasn't shed any light. There are many courtyards like this in Rome, mostly hidden behind massive wooden doors, and next time I visit I'm going to take more time to peek in through the shadows wherever I can.

One image: Forum Romanum

2010-12-13T17:12:00.001+11:00

There are quite a few fora in Rome, but this is one part of the Forum. The big structure in the centre at the back is the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina. Within it is the Baroque Church of San Lorenzo in Miranda - it's quite remarkable how the outside of the temple was retained, and the usual church design modified to fit.

The structure is quite a long way up from the present (excavated) ground level - you can't see them in this photograph, but there is a tall, broad sweep of stairs up to the base of the columns, and within the portico there is a gap of several metres up to the bronze doors of the church, giving an indication of how much higher ground level was in the 17th century.

The smaller structure in the foreground is the ruin of the Temple of Divus Julius, built by Augustus in 42BC and dedicated to his deified uncle and adoptive father, Julius Caesar. This temple is built over the place where Caesar was cremated, following his murder in 44BC. The roofed area contains the remains of the temple altar - you can go in on the left hand side, and see it behind the stone wall - people still lay flowers here today.

The Forum proper - the open space between all the buildings, extends from the front of the Temple of Divus Julius up to the base of the Capitoline Hill (towards the left in this photo), between the Basilica Aemilia and Basilica Julia. The columns on the left belong to the Basilica Aemilia.

It's hard to get a feeling for this important place in Roman history. There are so many layers, not least due to its location between the Capitoline and Palatine Hills, subject to flooding and sedimentation. The ruins give little indication of what a crowded, closed in, busy place this would have been 2000 years ago - not just a centre of government, but a marketplace and social area - not too much different to our city centres today.

I could spend a long time studying this place, and it's just one small area of this amazing city.

One image: Colosseum hypogeum

2010-12-11T23:58:00.000+11:00

This is the other view of the Colosseum that evoked a strong response in me: looking down in to the hypogeum, the area below the ground level of the arena.

I can only imagine how these spaces would have assaulted the senses of those unlucky enough to be there. It would have been dark and smoky, stinking of the fear and desperation of humans and animals, full of the noise of those below and the crowds above.

There were two levels down here, full of corridors and cages. Eighty shafts opened up into the arena, and elevators operated by pulleys moved people, animals and scenery up through the arena floor.

A number of tunnels connected the hypogeum to areas outside the Colosseum - private entries for the Emperor and the Vestal Virgins, tunnels linking to gladiators' barracks, and tunnels to animal stables. You might have been down there in the dark for some time before it was your turn in the arena, and to emerge disoriented into the sunlight and noise, in a place you'd probably never seen before, and knowing that you were unlikely to survive, must have been a horrifying experience.

One image: Colosseum

2010-12-11T08:35:00.000+11:00

Day 1 in Italy, and it's hard not to be drawn towards this massive structure which represents to much about ancient Rome. It took a few more days of wandering towards it from various directions before we went inside and, for me, the interior and exterior inspired very different reactions.

The exterior is all about the beauty and engineering marvel that is the Colosseum. The three different layers of columns and arches; the very modern (and ancient!) design which allowed the 50,000 seats to fill and empty in short time; the organisation of tickets and numbered gates; the fat that so much of it is still standing despite time, earthquakes, and theft (sanctioned and otherwise) of the stone and metal pins that held the facings in place. Even the drains are impressive! They had to be - it's built on what was a swamp.

It's impressive at any time, but to see it with the setting sun glowing on the warm stone is breath-taking.

One image: Pantheon

2010-12-09T16:40:00.000+11:00

The Pantheon in Roma is impressive: its size, its construction, its awe-inspiring interior with the coffered dome and the huge oculus. The fact that it's essentially the same building seen and used by the ancient Romans almost 2000 years ago (the older original building - constructed in 27BC - was burnt down [twice], and this replacement was built in 126AD, and there have been various stages of renovation) is incredible - just substitute Catholic statues for the original gods.

We wandered around Rome on the day we arrived, without any particular plan, and found ourselves in the Piazza della Minerva, home to Bernini's beautiful elephant sculpture. Between two buildings at one corner of the Piazza we could see the back of the Pantheon, so we headed in that direction. Miss Tizz was distracted by the horses and carriages between the building and the fountain in the centre of the piazza, however, so we didn't end up going in that day - instead we took a carriage ride around the city centre.

The second time we went to the Pantheon it was a religious holiday, there was a mass being conducted, and the building was closed off to people not attending mass.

Our third visit was on our last full day in Rome, and this time we managed to get inside this magnificent building. There are signs near the entrance reminding visitors that this is a church, and asking you to be quiet and not speak, but there is a constant dampened buzz inside. It's essentially a large round open space, with paintings, sculptures, tombs and the high altar around the circumference. The oculus is the only source of natural light, apart from the doorway.

However you approach it - architecturally, historically, religiously, or from an engineering or design viewpoint - it's one of the amazing buildings of the world.

One image: Fontana delle Tartarughe

2010-12-08T22:57:00.002+11:00

The Fountain of the Turtles wasn't far from where we stayed in Rome - out the front door, turn right, turn right again, and a little way down the street to the Piazza Mattei - no more than a few minutes' stroll.

We walked through this little piazza several times during our stay, and twice came across groups of art students engaged in drawing the fountain. Apparently the original fountain (built in the 1580s) was to have another four dolphins, supported by the boys' hands, but they were either never finished, or were moved to another fountain, depending on which story you believe. The turtles, possibly by Bernini, were added about 70 years later.

Fountains like this one were designed to provide drinking water for the local people, and apparently the water is clean enough to drink today. I love that they're not just for decoration, but were an important part of daily life for the people who lived here over 400 years ago.

One image: Last night in Rome

2010-11-25T21:58:00.002+11:00

This photo was taken on Thursday, 4 November 2010 - our last night in Rome.

We'd had a long day, walking from the apartment to the Pantheon (via Piazza Mattei and Largo di Torre Argentina), then up to Piazza del Popolo (via Monte Citorio and the Piazza Colonna), back to Piazza di Spagna, then Fontana di Trevi and home again.

This was about 7pm, and taken leaning out our 2nd floor kitchen window. We're on Via Dei Delfini - the street of the Dolphins. The first street on the left is Via Dei Polacchi, and Piazza Margana is on the right, just around the ivy-covered corner past the street light. And just around the corner is 'our' restaurant - La Taverna degli Amici. We headed over there for dinner (for the third time in two weeks) about half an hour later.

The car driving away is on Via Margana, heading towards Via d'Aracoeli. If it turns right at the end of the street, the Campidoglio, on the Capitoline Hill, will be straight ahead.

Wanderlust

2010-11-24T00:49:00.000+11:00

Far from satisfying my dream of travelling, the trip to Europe has fuelled my wanderlust. Not entirely unexpected, but a much stronger reaction than I anticipated. I certainly wasn't ready to return home when my time was up.

Our trip blog is here, so I won't go through it all again, but I do want to mention some of the things that stand out about the trip for me.

Renting apartments and staying for a week or two was absolutely the right choice for us.

I wanted to have a 'home' in a few places, rather than spending a lot of time in transit, trying to cover a lot of ground and not really experiencing the places we stayed. It meant we only unpacked/packed three times in five weeks, we could revisit places we really liked, and we could get to know some of the local people (as much as you can get to know people in a limited time).

Looking out the window in Paris

Everyone we dealt with in regards to apartment rentals was helpful and professional. Michael, Philippe (both owners) and Vinod (from an agency) were all on time to meet us at the apartments, gave us plenty of useful information, and were contactable if we needed them for any reason.

Each apartment had its particular highlights. The one in London had two bedrooms - much as I love my daughter, we slept better in separate rooms. It also had the most comfortable beds and lounge furniture of the whole trip.

The Paris apartment was in a Hausmann building, on the 6th floor. We had a lovely view of the street below, without being assaulted by the traffic noise at street level, and three tiny balconies - just enough to step out the window. Best shower of the trip.

In Rome, we were in an old building with a massive wooden door, marble steps, and large shuttered windows that you could hang out of to talk to your neighbour across the street and admire their beautiful window boxes. This was the largest apartment, although only one bedroom, and the most centrally located - we walked almost everywhere.

Long day trips weren't such a great idea.

Brandishing a Roman gladius at our
impromptu swordfighting lesson in the
Micklegate Bar Museum in York

I thought a few day trips out of the city might break it up a bit for Miss Tizz but, while she enjoyed the places we went, she wasn't particularly enthralled at watching the scenery from the windows of a train for an hour or two each way. I'm very glad we did the longest trip first (London to York), and that they got shorter as we went along (London-Salisbury, and then London-Oxford), but by the time we moved on to Paris she'd had enough, so my idea of perhaps going to Giverny was scrapped. The furthest we went was Montmartre! I'd also thought about Rome-Tivoli, Rome-Orvieto, and Rome-Pompeii, but we did none of them. The longest distance we travelled from the city centre of Rome was Ostia Antica, about 30 minutes towards the coast. And that was far enough.

The main road through Ostia Antica

Taking a netbook and using Skype to keep in touch worked really well.

We had no problems keeping in touch with the boys at home, using Skype on the netbook and the free Wi-Fi connections in each apartment. It didn't really feel like we were such a long way from them when we could see them and talk every day. The little netbook was also fabulous for storing photos (I downloaded them from the cameras every evening) and blogging daily (we used Travel pod). I had a few games loaded just in case Miss Tizz wanted them, but she preferred to log into Club Penguin online. The netbook was also useful for email, and making a couple of bookings online (we booked our London Eye tickets the night before, after checking the weather forecast, and booked a car to take us to the airport in Rome). We checked the weather, directions, opening hours, etc. in the apartment before we left for the day.

I chose the right time of year, and the right order of countries.

Yes, sometimes it was cold in England and France, but I was assured this was unusual weather for October, and with all the walking we did it didn't matter too much to us. I expected more rain, but we only had a few wet days. And as the weather became cooler, we moved further south - England, France, Italy.
Often the best things are those you don't plan.

Filming the next instalment of
Pirates of the Caribbean in Greenwich

Turning up in Greenwich and seeing Johnny Depp filming the next Pirates movie. Feeding the pigeons at Notre Dame - and going back five times to do it again. Miss Tizz being the audience member selected by buskers to join in their act. Accidentally getting into the wrong language area on our second visit to the Time Elevator in Rome, and listening to the presentation in Italian (although Miss Tizz wasn't so thrilled). Being talked into an expensive but fabulous horse and carriage ride around Rome, and then being recognised and acknowledged by the driver near the Pyramid, as he waited in his car to collect a friend. Being befriended by the waitress at the restaurant in 'our' piazza, and exchanging email addresses so we can keep in touch. All wonderful experiences, and each of them an unplanned surprise.

A year of planning and research really paid off.

I read a lot before we left. I joined the Slow Travel forums and read everything in the UK, France and Italy sections. I borrowed numerous guidebooks before deciding on the ones to buy. I studied printed maps and Google maps. I walked around parts of the cities with Google street view. I found out how the transport systems worked. I bought tickets and passes in advance. I read up on street scams and potential problems and how to avoid them (and we did see them, but had no problems ourselves). I took a basic Italian language class. I borrowed DVDs and novels from the library. And everything went very smoothly once we were there.

I love slow travel.

Miss Tizz loved the carousels in Paris

The idea of slow travel is to get more of an experience of a place, rather than ticking off a list of 'sights'. We had days when we spent several hours in cafes and restaurants, over coffee, lunch and dinner. We had one particularly rainy day when we lounged around the apartment and read and watched tv until 4pm. We walked miles most days, sometimes following a specific route, sometimes just seeing where we ended up. We rarely had to be anywhere at a particular time, so we could change our plans if something caught our attention. And frequently, it did.

I want to go to other parts of the world, and back to the places I've been.

I'll definitely be returning to the Roman Forum

So much to see and do, and not nearly enough time, even with two weeks in one city. I would love to be able to travel for a month every year if I could - perhaps going somewhere new every second year, and revisiting places I've been in the alternate years. London is huge and wonderful, Paris is breathtakingly beautiful, but it's Rome that's captured me, and I foresee plenty more trips in that direction.

Other places I'd like to visit - New York, Scotland, Ireland, Egypt, other parts of France and Italy, Greece, Russia, in fact, pretty much anywhere!

Planning the next trip already ...

2 days

2010-10-03T00:06:00.000+10:00

Tomorrow we drive to my parents' house in Sydney.

The packing is done, apart from the few last-minute items to be added in the morning.

The folders of information are all compiled - apartment details, insurance information, pre-booked tickets, and maps.

I've checked in online and chosen seats for the Sydney-Hong Kong leg of the outward journey, and I've just tried checking in for the Hong Kong-London flight, but I think the daylight saving time change tonight might have confused the website. I might keep trying though - I'd really like to get one of the two-seat formations, rather than a 3-seat. And heck - who needs sleep anyway?

3 days

2010-10-01T18:30:00.001+10:00

I've ticked off everything on the Friday list.

Work is finished for the next five weeks. I just need to put up the 'CLOSED' sign - or rather set up an automatic email response to say I'm gone and when I'll be back.

The birthday present is bought (and we remembered the batteries), and the X-man has a working watch (it's a funky Optimus Prime one he found in a secondhand store for $12 - a surprisingly nice solid one, and with a new battery it works beautifully. The young man who replaced the battery for me said he liked it so much he was tempted to swap it for his $400 watch, which impressed the X-man no end ;) ).

The washing is done. Of course, there's always more to do tomorrow, but such is life. The husband is organised (well, he has the list - the rest is up to him).

And the travel blog is set up. If you're interested, it's at www.travelpod.com/members/silsby . Don't bother going right now - there's nothing to see yet - but the plan is for Miss Tizz and I to blog daily, even if it's just a few words and a photo.

And how many people did I talk to about The Trip today? Apart from friends and family - three clients, a printer, and several people behind the counters in the shops I went to this afternoon. And the woman who emails me every month to try to sell me toner for the laser printer. And the bloke who answered the phone at the insurance company when I rang to make an adjustment to the policy renewal that arrived today. Just can't help myself at the moment :)

And just in time, the DVD I'd reserved at the library and waited for about 7 weeks arrived: French Kiss, with Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline. Well it does have French in the title! And that's what I'll be watching tonight to unwind from a mad week of tying up loose ends.

4 days

2010-09-30T18:07:00.000+10:00

Friday

finish up (paid) work
buy birthday present
buy watch battery for boy-child
washing
transfer a few more things to the netbook
write basic household operation list for husband
mark up calendar for next 5-6 weeks so husband and boy-child know where they should be and when
set up travel blog

Saturday

finish most of the packing
copy important documents (pack originals + copy, and copy for home)
check folders of essential info - accommodation bookings, tickets, etc
more washing

Sunday

last of the packing
ensure there's nothing left to rot in the fruit bowl or fridge before the boys get back
lock up and head for Sydney

Monday

FLY!

This is it: after 12 months of planning and dreaming we're just about on our way. I've had my panic about work (but everything has come together beautifully today, and work stops at 5pm tomorrow no matter what). I've had my stress about money (but it's all worked out, and the bills for the next few weeks are paid up ahead of time, and there's plenty left to enjoy ourselves without going overboard). I've worried about what to take and what to leave behind, and whether I'm doing the right thing with the kids, and whether I'm biting off way more than I can chew. And none of that matters any more, because in four days we'll be in the air, on the way to London.

I can't wipe the smile off my face :)

planning for paris

2010-09-24T20:06:00.000+10:00

Today I received a stroll offer from Paris Greeter-Parisien d'un jour. Actually, it was a second offer - I had to refuse the first because it was only 1.5 hours before our Eiffel Tower booking, and on the opposite side of the city - we just wouldn't have made it in time. Fortunately the volunteer was able to make it earlier in the day, so we are all set for a stroll around the 12th arrondissement one morning in Paris :) It's a district I probably wouldn't have visited on my first trip to Paris, apart from the train station as we left on our way to Rome, so this is a great opportunity to explore a little further.

Femme au jardin (Claude Monet, 1866)

I also found out, thanks to the wonderful people in the Slow Travel forums, about a Monet exhibition at the Grand Palais which opened this week. Huge crowds are expected, and it was strongly recommended that I pre-purchase tickets, which I've done. Well, one ticket - Miss Tizz is under 13 and therefore is entitled to free entry. It's supposed to be one of the biggest exhibitions of Claude Monet's work ever put together, and we're very much looking forward to it.

keeping it :)

2010-09-22T20:24:00.000+10:00

Today I turned 45 :) It's been a lovely day, with lots of time with and messages from family and friends, gifts, and - possibly best of all - I didn't have to do any cooking! Bliss!

I've decided to keep this blog going, with just a small name tweak. I'll keep The Wild Backyard as my general chat about the garden, family and other 'stuff' space, and there'll be another be another added to the stable soon - a travel blog - where Miss Tizz will also contribute (12 days to go!), but this one can stay as my 'meme' blog.

Along with the name change here, a new self-portrait is due. No photoshopping or any sort of alterations; this is me at 45:

(... well you didn't think I was going to go without the war paint, did you?)

And this is my silk scarf, ready for Paris :)

this blog is nearly done

2010-09-19T17:31:00.001+10:00

I started this blog on my birthday last year. We're nearly there again, and 44 will be finished. Not quite sure whether to start something new, or to change the name of this site and continue on ...

In the meantime, the countdown to departure continues - we're down to a smidgeon over two weeks! The latest developments include definite plans to visit 1st Lambeth North Guide Unit in London (and possibly a Brownie group too, depending on what time we get back from our trip up to York). This week I'll organise to buy some Australian Guide badges to take with us, and apparently they'll have some for Miss Tizz, although I'll leave that as a surprise for her :)

Jetlag might decide otherwise, but as we arrive in London very early, we're hoping to make our way to the apartment, unpack, wander around the local area and do a little grocery shopping to set us up for the two weeks, and then have a short rest and lunch. In the afternoon we hope to head out and join a hop-on hop-off bus tour (the prepaid ticket is good for 24 hours, so we can start one afternoon and do more the next morning), get a feel for the layout of the city, and then have an earlyish dinner and an early night.

Globe Theatre, London
AndreasPraefcke

I've also mapped out some of our London days to take advantage of the 6-day London Pass we prepurchased. Of course everything might change, but the basic plan is to visit one or two of the bigger attractions each day, and add in other places if we happen to be in the area and feel so inclined. We're planning to go to the London Bridge Experience and Southwark Cathedral one day, St Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London on another, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre tour and Winston Churchill's Britain at War Experience on the third day of the pass, Hampton Court Palace on the fourth, and a canal boat tour along the edge of Regents Park and London Zoo on the last day. Even taking a day out of the pass to go up to York, and even if we don't visit any other attractions, we'll save more than the cost of the pass. I'm pretty sure we can fit a few more visits in, and we can go guilt-free to places that we might otherwise hesitate about, because even if we don't stay for 10 minutes, we won't have wasted our money on entrance fees.

Canal Boat at Camden Lock

We still have a few unplanned days in London, and lots of things we'd like to do and see, so we'll just play it by ear when we get there. We have a good guide book, and internet access, so we have plenty of information at our fingertips. We definitely want to go on the London Eye, and can prebook online, but we'll leave that until we get there and see what the weather is like - with a bit of luck we can pick a nice day!

update on oxford

2010-09-14T23:00:00.000+10:00

I went back to the Oxford Tourism website in another attempt to buy the Harry Potter walking tour tickets, with no success, but I did notice there were four less tickets available - only 11 left. Right, no messing about waiting for emails. So I rang them (which is kind of a big deal, because I really don't like phone calls much). No problem, except that the computer of the person who answered the phone decided to freeze, so I was passed on to a second person, and had to go through the story with them (I'm ringing from Australia ... e-shop not working ... can I buy tickets over the phone?).

In the end, it was no problem, just a lengthy international phone call, and we're booked in.

Miss Tizz will be pleased in the morning when I tell her :)

today I bought ...

2010-09-14T21:11:00.000+10:00

a wallet big enough to hold unfolded British pounds (British pounds are bigger than our banknotes, and they get bigger as the denomination increases, and so I don't have to take all my everyday-at-home stuff out of my everyday-at-home wallet)
some zip-up document wallets (to hold the paperwork - accommodations details, print-at-home tickets, etc - for each city we're going to visit), and
a purple, fringed silk scarf (because we're going to Paris, and one needs a fabulous scarf for Paris. I'm ready to go now!).

Yesterday I collected some British pounds that I'd ordered through my bank last week, and they're stashed safely in my new wallet.

Last night I found a world time website, and we've worked out suitable contact times between London/Paris/Rome and Australia.

I've made a list of people whose addresses I want to take with me, so we can send them a postcard, and a list of things I need/want to do in the next three weeks.

I received, in today's mail, my shiny new Visa debit card. And someone from Slow Travel told me about the Harry Potter walking tour in Oxford, which appears to only run once in October - serendipitously on the very day we are planning to visit! And there are places available on the tour, despite the November tour being fully booked already. I checked with Miss Tizz that this was a tour she'd like to do (Yes yes YES!), and tried booking it online, only to have the e-store checkout process fail several times ('Your session has timed out', even though I went straight to the checkout after adding the tours to my shopping cart). Hmmm. So I've emailed the people, and hopefully someone will get back to me soon.

loose ends

2010-09-12T15:19:00.000+10:00

It's funny how I feel obliged to 'tie up loose ends', even though we'll only be gone for five weeks. But now we're practically down to three weeks to go, I'm madly trying to do everything so I can head off with a clear conscience (and probably severe sleep deprivation).

Consequently, I've made the decision not to take on any new work in the next few weeks. I'm concentrating on getting through the jobs that are already in progress, and practising saying 'no'. We'll see how long that lasts ...

I've also found that the closer The Big Trip gets, the more I think 'Oh - I should take that. It might come in handy.' I really want to travel light, so every time the brain goes into just-in-case mode, I need to stop and think logically: Do I really need it? If by some chance I do, is there any reason I can't just buy it there? Do I really want to lug it halfway across the world? So far, the answer has been a resounding NO! every single time. So now I'm avoiding the travel tips web sites, anything that mentions the phrase travel essentials, in fact, anything that involves travel-related stuff. Which gives me more time to research all the potential experiences. Win for my time, and win for my bank account :)

Stairs in Rome

On another note, yesterday I helped some friends move house. I love that they asked us for help, I love that my kids are old enough to be useful (and enjoyed it too, and I don't think they got in the way too much), and I love that they haven't gone too far away. But it hammered home the fact that I spend far too much time sitting on my backside in front of the computer - for work, for social interaction with busy friends, for mindless entertainment, for personal research. I certainly used some muscles yesterday that haven't been required on active service for some time! I am very glad I've booked apartments with stairs - the unavoidable exercise involved will do me a world of good, and hopefully I can keep it up when we return home. Funny - my first reaction was 'This trip is going to hurt!', but it's something I'm looking forward to in an odd way - it will wake me up physically as well as mentally.

23 days until take-off!

change of plans

2010-09-11T23:45:00.000+10:00

Posting from the netbook, just to see how it goes. The keyboard's a little smaller than usual, but it's not bad at all. And as I type, Duran Duran's 'View to a kill' is on Rage, with some fabulous shots of Paris and the Eiffel Tower. Not long to go now!

My plan to use a Travel Money card while overseas didn't last too long. I found a better alternative with the ING Orange Everyday account, which comes with a VISA debit card. I can link it to a high interest savings account, and transfer money online, instantly, whenever I need to access it. I can use the VISA debit card at ATMs internationally to withdraw cash in the local currency, or use it for EFTPOS transactions, to pay bills via BPay, and transfer money with their 'Pay anyone' facility. Much simpler, the international ATM withdrawal fees are the same or lower than the other options I was considering, and it looks like a good everyday account for when I'm home too. And Billy Connolly does their ads ;)

sorting out the money

2010-09-09T00:47:00.001+10:00

I've been trying to get my head around just how much money we're going to need while we're away. We've paid for the major travel expenses, most of our sightseeing in London and some for Paris and Rome, deposits on the three apartments (and the London one needs to be paid in full before we leave). So basically it's down to the balance of the accommodation, some entry fees and local transport, and food and basic supplies for the apartments.

We'll have a kitchen and a washing machine in each place, so we can live fairly cheaply (we like good food, but we're not really 'foodies'; we're not into serious shopping - no plans for French frocks or Italian boots; and we're not even going to attempt to see everything in one trip - we'd prefer to spend some time soaking in the local culture rather than paying to go into every museum and gallery and tourist attraction and historical site). We'd like some nice meals out over the five weeks, but we're not hunting Michelin-starred restaurants or the latest trendy and expensive bistro.

So what's it going to cost? How long is a piece of string?!

I joined the Slow Travel online community some time back, and there is a wealth of information, both on the main site and in the forums. At the risk of sounding daft, I asked this very question. I can look up exchange rates, but that doesn't tell me a lot about the cost of living in another place. One reply I received said that 20 euros per day should be fine in Rome if we're doing our own cooking, and that wouldn't be skimping on groceries - Italians would live on less that that most days, but we obviously won't be buying in bulk or from discount supermarkets out in the suburbs.

So what I've come up with is allowing 100 GBP per day in England, and 100 euro per day in France and Italy, pre-loaded onto a Travel Money card along with the apartment rent balances for Paris and Rome, accessible via ATMs and which can also be used like a credit card at point of sale (and which is NOT linked to a bank account). I'll take 100 GBP in cash to get us started. And I'll also have my normal ATM card and credit card as backup, although I'm hoping not to use them.

And I just have to hope I've got it roughly right!

sunset views

2010-09-07T17:09:00.001+10:00

Another booking made, this time for a sunset visit to the Eiffel Tower.

Eiffel Tower, Paris
Photo: Free On Line Photos

The Australian dollar is doing quite well against the pound and the euro at the moment - might be time to organise some cash and a travel money card.

27 days until departure!

getting an overview of rome

2010-09-06T22:52:00.001+10:00

I bought hop-on hop-off (HOHO!) tickets for London and Paris as a way of getting our bearings, and this evening I purchased similar tickets for Rome.

110 Open bus at the Colosseum

Archeobus on the Via Appia

While I'm sure there might be cheaper ways to get around (if you know where you're going!), with 48 hour tickets for these buses, audioguides and the option to get on and off at stops of interest, I think they'll be a good introduction to the city.

countdown, and another decision made

2010-09-04T23:59:00.000+10:00

In one calendar month we will be in Hong Kong airport, waiting to leave on the second leg of our journey to London :)

The Shambles in York
Photo: Daveahern

York Minster
Photo: Lofty

Salisbury Cathedral
Photo: Andrew Dunn

We've finally made a decision about the three day trips we're going to take from London, using the BritRail Pass: York, Salisbury/Stonehenge, and Oxford. We've chosen three quite different places, from among many possibilities, and now I can stop debating with myself about destinations and instead concentrate on the logistics of getting there and what to do once we're there.

Stonehenge
Photo: Frédéric Vincent


Part of the Oxford skyline Photo: Wallace Wong

Blenheim Palace, near Oxford

Photo: Magnus Manske

it's in the details

2010-09-04T00:40:00.001+10:00

I watched An American in Paris tonight - the 1951 movie with Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron, lots of dance sequences and some fabulous Gershwin show tunes.

And the thing I noticed, apart from the occasional shot of the Eiffel Tower in the background, or the hilly streets of Montmartre? In Jerry's (Gene Kelly) tiny tiny studio apartment, with the little folding table and chairs in the cupboard which opens into a kitchenette, there is a bed that elevates to the ceiling when not in use (fortunately, because it blocks the door when it's down).

And that's just what we'll be sleeping in when we go to Paris - a bed that can be raised to the ceiling :) I'd never seen one before finding the apartment, and now I've seen it in a nearly 60 year old movie. 'S wonderful!

5 weeks to go!

2010-08-30T23:05:00.001+10:00

I'm not sure why, but something changed between 'six and a half weeks to go' and 'five and a half weeks to go'. Over six weeks still felt like months away; under six weeks feels like it's nearly time.

I have the tickets. I have the rough itinerary. I have the luggage and the clothes and the packing list. And the electricity adaptor plug and the guidebooks and the smattering of French and Italian (with phrasebooks as back up).

I have the clients who have realised that if they don't get jobs in soon, I'm going to be gone for five weeks. Today I had to send a very blunt email to a client who wants a big job done in the last two weeks before I leave, but is hedging about the dates she will have the material ready. I was straight with her - I have no flexibility in this, and I'm not going to run myself completely ragged before I go.

I have the feeling that I'm jumping off a cliff that's the beginning of something new and big and exciting and terrifying too. And I am so ready for whatever comes next.

international guiding

2010-08-26T23:02:00.000+10:00

Miss Tizz, my travel companion, is a Junior Guide, and thought it would be fun to visit Guide Units overseas during our trip. I contacted Guide HQ in Sydney, and today she received a letter containing a WAGGGS Introduction Card. WAGGGS is the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts - an association of member organisations from all over the world.

Tonight I have sent emails to the national organisations in the UK, France and Italy to see if we can organise a visit in each country. I received an email back from the PA to the International Commissioner, Girlguiding UK, within minutes of hitting 'send', and we've been put in touch with the region office for where we'll be staying in London.

I've also received a response from the Italian organisation, but an automated one - the office is closed until August 27 - apparently everyone in Italy goes on holidays in August!

So now we'll have to leave room in the bags for a Guide shirt and sash, make sure all Miss Tizz's badges are sewn on, and think about some small things we can take as gifts to the units we visit. The husband has suggested buying a roll of the commemorative Centenary of Guiding $1 coins from the Australian Mint. Any other ideas?

no baggage!

2010-08-23T10:08:00.000+10:00

I love the idea of travelling with no baggage, like Rolf Potts is doing on his No Baggage Challenge. Not sure whether I could do it, although if I had one of these ScotteVest jackets ...

No no no! I will not cave in. I don't NEED this jacket. Maybe next time ...

on packing and luggage

2010-08-18T00:04:00.000+10:00

I've been working on our packing list, and I think I've just about got it down pat. I assembled a few lists from various websites, copied them into an Excel file, eliminated the items that doubled up, and then eliminated the things we won't be needing. I've read packing advice from many, many experienced travellers. I've taken into consideration that there are washing machines in each of the three apartments we've booked, and that we're going to big cities where we can buy essentials if we choose not to take them with us (like shampoo - we're just going to buy it in London rather than lug it halfway round the world).

And I took my Excel file and divided it up into bags - two cross-body security bags (Pacsafe Citysafe 100 for Miss Tizz, and the 200 for me), a cabin bag, and a smallish wheeled bag each.

Today I did a rough test pack, and went shopping for the second wheeled bag. I looked at lots of bags - some way out of our price range (did you know you can pay $1200 for a suitcase?!), some too big (I'd just be tempted to take extra stuff because I had room), some too small (while it would be nice to get by with carry-on luggage only, I think having a little breathing space in the bag for things we pick up along the way is a wiser choice for us), backpacks and rolling duffels and some just plain ugly and flimsy.

Then I found it: a 53cm (21") wheeled bag, with an expanding section (which I don't plan on using, but it's handy to know it's there), an exterior pocket, internal straps to secure your stuff, sturdy padded handles on short and long sides, an extendible handle for wheeling, and slightly padded to protect the contents a little. I would have liked the purple one, but the shop only had it in black or grey, so I settled for black and a lime green luggage strap for easy identification.

And the best bit? It was on sale! Marked down from $130 to $55 :)

it sounds so much better in french

2010-08-16T23:08:00.000+10:00

I came across this while checking public holiday dates in France (so we know whether things will be open):

When a public holiday falls on a Thursday or Tuesday, it is common practice to "make the bridge" (faire le pont) by taking off the Friday or Monday so creating a very long weekend.

Sounds so much nicer than 'chucking a sickie'.

From what I can see, we only have one public holiday to work around - Tutti i Santi Ognissnati (All Saints Day) on November 1, when we'll be in Italy. From the little bit of reading I've done about this holiday, it sounds like we might see another side of Italy, especially as Il Giorno dei Morti (All Souls Day) is the following day, and the two occasions (along with All Saints Eve - Halloween - on October 31) are celebrated with special food and celebrations.

soho square

2010-08-11T21:42:00.000+10:00

Your name froze on the winter air
An empty bench in Soho Square
Forgotten now I turn away
Just save me for a rainy day
But don't be sorry, I don't want to hear it baby

My feet froze in the winter chill
I knew I'd probably get ill
But I was praying we could fill an empty bench and still
You're so sorry but I don't want your pity baby

It's all yours now please don't tease
The pigeons shiver in the naked trees
And I'll do anything but please don't hurt me
Just kiss me quick 'cos it's my birthday
And I feel so small I don't know why but no I'm not too old to cry
An empty bench in Soho Square.

If you'd have come you'd have found me there
But you never did 'cos you don't care and I'm so sorry baby
I don't mind loneliness too much but when I met you I was touched
And that was good enough for me but do we always have to be sorry
Why can't we just be happy baby?

One day you'll be waiting there, no empty bench in Soho Square
And we'll dance around like we don't care
And I'll be much too old to cry
And you'll kiss me quick in case I die before my birthday

One day you'll be waiting there, no empty bench in Soho Square
No I don't know the reason why I'll love you till the day I die
But one day you'll be waiting there
Come summertime in Soho Square
And I'll be painting stars up in the sky
Before I get too old to cry before my birthday
I hope I see those pigeons fly before my birthday
In Soho Square on my birthday

----------------------

Soho Square, written by Kirsty MacColl & Mark Nevin, recorded by Kirsty MacColl in 1994.

Kirsty's bench in Soho Square, at its unveiling in 2010

I'm a bit of a Kirsty MacColl fan, and have had vague thoughts of visiting Soho Square in London, just because of this song. Kirsty was hit and killed by a power boat while scuba diving with her sons off the coast of Mexico in December 2000. 2010 is ten years since her death, and on Kirsty's birthday - 10 October - there'll be a party in Soho Square. It just happens that we will arrive in London the week before, so I think I'll need to mark this date into our schedule.

paris with a parisian

2010-08-11T14:24:00.000+10:00

I just came across the Global Greeter Network. What is the Global Greeter Network? According to their website, they're:

... an informal virtual association of Greeter programs around the world.
Greeters are volunteers who share their love for their city in an enthusiastic and hospitable manner. A Greeter will take you for a walk through the city for a couple of hours and you will experience his/her city in a unique way, from the perspective of a person who lives there.

It sounds like a great way to get a real feel for a city, so I've sent in a registration form and will wait to hear.

same but different

2010-08-11T10:49:00.000+10:00

Part two of my book order arrived in yesterday's mail - France: Instructions for Use. Again, it's a little book full of lots of practical information, like getting around by public transport, using phones (fixed and mobile) in France, and how to order coffee (apparently cafe au lait is a tourist-only thing; noisette - espresso with a dash of milk - sounds like the French version of the Italian macchiato).

Each of the books has an accompanying online book in PDF format (and there's one for Greece too). They include information and tips on things you might like to consider in planning your adventure - where to say, what to pack, how to travel within the country you're visiting (rail passes? point-to-point tickets? car rental?) and much more. They don't tell you what to do, but they're a great guide in making decisions. And they're free :)

8 weeks (and counting!)

2010-08-09T18:06:00.001+10:00

I don't think I mentioned my latest book purchase from The Book Depository. Half the order arrived today - Italy: instructions for use, by Nan McElroy.

It's a little pocket-sized book with lots of practical info like how to use the ticket machines at the railway station, how to negotiate various types of shops, the Italian post office and ATMs, and recognising road signs if you're driving. And it has the relevant vocabulary and a basic pronunciation guide to get you through. It doesn't tell you about history and where to stay or where to eat, so it's nice and compact to carry with you as a reference on your travels.

i love my postie

2010-08-04T21:49:00.000+10:00

I love hearing the postie bike arriving each day, because there's a good chance he's bringing me a travel-related surprise!

The Tower of London with Tower Bridge behind.
[photo: The Anglophile]

Yesterday we received our tickets for the Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London :) We're booked in for the Friday evening at the end of our first week in London, and very much looking forward to it.

Wonder what's next ...

guess where I'll be in 9 weeks?

2010-08-02T17:18:00.000+10:00

And the Artesia train tickets (Paris-Rome) arrived today - all in French, so I'll need to do some translating to make sure everything is right.

status update for france

2010-07-28T13:04:00.001+10:00

Last night I finally decided, after much dithering, to purchase 3-day Paris a la Carte passes for the two of us. This pass is a combination of the L'OpenTour hop-on hop-off buses and the Batobus river boat shuttle.

One of the L'Open Tour buses at Notre Dame

For 20 euro (child pass) and 44 euro (adult) we have the run of four bus routes (including one that goes practically past our door, although we will have to walk all of about 5 minutes to the nearest stop) and the 8-stop boat route, all of which interconnect. We could have opted for a 2-day pass, but it was the same child price, and only 3 euro difference for the adult pass.

We'll still use the metro at some stage - it's more direct and faster, but it's also underground, so there's not a lot to see as you travel.

Batobus on the Seine

The buses depart every 10-15 minutes during peak season (which includes October), and the boats run every 25 minutes (oddly enough, October is listed as low season on the Batobus brochure).

At this stage I'm not going to order museum and attraction passes - they're quite expensive, and we'd need to pack a lot into each day to justify the cost. One of the main advantages with the passes is the 'skip-the-queue' feature, but as children get into most museums for free in Paris, it would be silly to buy a pass for Miss Tizz. Especially when I've heard that if you go to the alternative Louvre entrance, you can usually buy a ticket and walk straight in.

google maps is my friend

2010-07-26T20:50:00.000+10:00

I've spent a lot of time over the past few months poking around on Google maps, getting a feel for the cities we'll be visiting. I can find out what the apartment buildings look like from the street, how far they are from various landmarks, and how long it would take to walk between locations and the most direct route to take.

I've virtually 'walked' around the neighbouring streets, having a look at the shops and parks and other buildings. I've sussed out the terrain, and the trains.

And tonight I discovered that there's a metro station right across the road from our Paris flat. Within one stop on either side, we can get to about seven different train lines, and from there we can get to almost the whole of the city.

Black Cab in London
[photo: David Iliff]

I also found out about the World Taximeter site - a fabulous site that lets you calculate the approximate fare between two locations in many cities of the world, including the ones we're travelling to. It's made me feel a lot better about catching a taxi when we're carrying luggage, rather than hauling it up and down stairs in train stations. Door-to-door service with someone who knows the city when we first arrive? Yes, please!

artesia train: booked!

2010-07-25T00:36:00.002+10:00

I've just booked a double sleeper on the Artesia overnight train Paris-Rome! Feeling very pleased with myself, because I managed to negotiate the first part of the booking in French, thereby avoiding being transferred to the Rail Europe Australian site (which I couldn't convince to give me compartment options - just first or second class, and first class was only available as a four person compartment - we definitely wanted a double sleeper, just for us). My other Australian option was through Railplus, but it would have cost about $A150 more!

In case it helps anyone else, I went to the Artesia site, switched to French, selected the www.voyages-sncf.com option (on the left, under Réservez) and put in the rest of the trip details (fairly easy to figure out the form, even for a French novice like me). That transferred me to www.voyages-sncf.com (still in French at this point), where I needed to add more details, and I selected 'Australie' in the country list at the bottom. I was then redirected to www.tgv-europe.com - in English! From there I just followed the prompts, and even had an option for free postage of the tickets to Australia, so I don't have to muck around with retrieving the tickets from a machine in Paris.

You may be able to shortcut this by going straight to the TGV Europe site, but this way worked for me, and I saved nearly $150!

Artesia Palatino - day
[photo: www.seat61.com]


Artesia Palatino - night [photo: www.seat61.com]

status update for england

2010-07-22T15:23:00.001+10:00

Last night I ordered 1-day Yorkshire passes - same deal as the London Pass, but for Yorkshire in the north of England. We'll only be able to take advantage of the York city attractions, but again the big benefit is the convenience of having pre-paid and not having to worry about cash or the budget when we're there. We definitely want to visit the JORVIK Viking Centre, DIG, the York Castle Museum and York Minster. It's going to be a long day!

So ... where are things up to for the English leg of our journey?

Airfares into London Heathrow - PAID
Train from Heathrow to the city - PAID (Oyster card)
Accommodation - deposit PAID, balance to be paid via Paypal before we leave Australia
Public transport around London - PAID (Oyster card, can be topped up in London if required)
The Original London Tour (hop-on hop-off bus) - PAID
London Pass (2 x 6-day passes for city attractions) - PAID
Britrail Pass (3 non-consecutive days train travel anywhere in England) - PAID
Yorkshire Pass (2 x 1-day passes for York attractions, plus discounted hop-on hop-off bus tour) - PAID

We still need to pay for the London Eye ride (tickets can be pre-ordered, but I need to research this a bit more, and would prefer not to be locked into a particular date). We'll also pay for The Stonehenge Tour (Stonehenge/Old Sarum/Salisbury bus + entry fees) when we're there, plus whatever we decide to do on Day 3 of our day trips. Other than that we'll need to buy food and consumables for the flat, plus we'll need a little spending money as we go (but we're not planning on any massive shopping sprees, so we won't need a fortune).

seeing the london sights

2010-07-20T18:03:00.002+10:00

Just a quick one ...

Last night I ordered a couple of London Passes in anticipation of our visit. They give you entry to over 55 London attractions (and skip-the-queue privileges at some of the more popular places), and other special offers and discounts.

We opted for the 6-day passes, so we can spread the sightseeing over almost week. With that plus three day trips out of town, and a few 'down' days, that's our 12 day stay pretty much covered.

counting down

2010-07-19T19:59:00.000+10:00

11 weeks to go :)

We've been considering where to go for our third day trip out of London. We're pretty definite about York and Salisbury/Stonehenge, but there are so many options for day 3 of our Britrail Pass.

We have had strong recommendations for Cambridge and Bath. Any other ideas? Bear in mind they must be 9yo-friendly, accessible by train, within England (i.e. not Wales or Scotland), and do-able in a day.

locking up the tower

2010-07-15T18:19:00.000+10:00

Photo: Kjetil Bjørnsrud

I read about the Ceremony of the Keys, mentioned in passing on a travel forum. It sounded interesting, and Miss Tizz was keen (although whether for the ceremony or for being allowed to stay out later than usual I'm not sure), so I did some research.

The ceremony is the official locking up of the Tower of London for the night, and it is thought to have been performed (apparently without fail) every night for about 700 years - although one night during WWII it was a little late, as the Germans bombed the Tower.

One of the big drawcards for me, apart from witnessing the centuries-old ceremony, is the opportunity to get inside the Tower at night, without the crowds. We'll do a daytime visit as well, but I think a visit at night will be very special.

Entrance to the ceremony is by dated ticket only, and you need to apply in writing (no emails, faxes or telephone calls) at least two to three months in advance. Places are limited, so I sent our letter off today, addressed to the Tower of London - that in itself is a bit exciting to us! Hopefully we'll be lucky!

kids europe

2010-07-14T19:37:00.002+10:00

On my travels through the internet in search of relevant and interesting information for The Trip, I came across a children's journal. In fact, two children's journals, one for the UK and one for Italy.

Published under the general name of Kids Europe, both journals are full of information and activities to make travel more interesting for the younger members of the party.

The books are available from the US in hard copy, or as ebooks via email ($US6.99 each - the option I took), payable through Paypal.

The ebooks are set up as PDF files, so you need Adobe Reader (available free from the Adobe site) to open them, and there are clear instructions on how to print and assemble them. The ebooks give us the option of leaving out pages that aren't relevant (for example, on this trip we aren't going to Scotland or Wales, so we'll leave out those sections from the Great Britain book).

I'm going to print them and take them to Officeworks to cut and bind - not terribly expensive, and they should stay together better than putting them in a folder.

Miss Tizz and I have had a quick flick through the books on screen, and there were a number of times she asked me to stop and go back, so I think we're on to a winner! There are a few word searches and crosswords, and Italian card game instructions that should be good for train trips, and lots of ideas to make visits to churches and museums more interesting for her, so I get a chance to see the artwork and architecture!

travel haiku

2010-07-08T12:06:00.000+10:00

Inspired by this article ...

October we leave -
Less than three months to Europe.
Need to win lotto!

question of the week

2010-07-07T23:08:00.000+10:00

From Miss Tizz: "So is it too early to pack?"

A fraction under three months to go - perhaps just a little early ;)

done!

2010-07-06T17:48:00.004+10:00

I finally have a shiny new passport in my eager grasp :)

That is all. (happy happy happy)

passport news, sharks and fairies

2010-07-06T00:24:00.000+10:00

I received an email on the weekend to say my passport has been approved and is on its way. With a bit of luck I might even have it in my hands tomorrow. Happy :)

In other news: we are expecting a visit from the tooth fairy momentarily. The boychild has what we fondly refer to as 'shark teeth'. The new ones come through well in advance of the baby teeth loosening, so for a few weeks he has double teeth. In fact, his baby teeth don't seem to want to let go at all. Fortunately he is a brave boy, and will quite happily ask the husband to pull the old tooth out, even though it's still quite attached. I am NOT brave about such things, and hide well away from such bloody action. Makes me queasy even now, several hours after the event.

So the tooth fairy has been notified on the parent hotline, and the tooth is awaiting collection so it can become part of the great white palace. And my baby is just that little bit older.

passport (nearly)

2010-07-02T17:15:00.000+10:00

I picked up the official name change certificate from the mail distribution centre today (I am who I am - yay!), then headed over to the post office where I lodged the passport application, and they faxed it off to the passport office. Hopefully it's all in order now and I will have a passport very soon.

While in the shopping centre, I had a quick look at cameras. With a bit of luck I will get a new one before we leave, and Miss Tizz can use my current one all by herself (we've been letting her take photos with it for a while, to make sure she knows how to use it, but we haven't said it will be hers. Shhhhh!).

one passport down ...

2010-06-29T23:28:00.000+10:00

Miss Tizz's passport arrived today. She was a wee bit excited, and pleased that I'd left the envelope for her to open. Of course, the X-man wanted to know where his was, but I think he understood my explanation that a child's passport only lasts for five years, so it would be a waste to get it a couple of years before it's needed.

We picked up some more books from the library today, including another four Roman Mysteries for Miss Tizz, and The Seven Ages of Paris, by Alistair Horne, for me - I'll add them to the reading list. I also borrowed the library's copy of Amelie, which I'm looking forward to watching, before heading off to Paris and perhaps visiting some of the locations used in the film.

who am i? (part ii)

2010-06-28T18:46:00.000+10:00

I'll be me again soon. I hope. Paperwork submitted, credit card handed over, documented to within an inch of my life. With a bit of luck I'll have a certificate of authenticity within five days or so, and the family can stop debating about whether to trade me in on a newer model while I'm not me. Hmmm.

And once I have that certificate, I can go back to the post office, who can send it to the passport office, and maybe, just maybe, they'll let me out of the country occasionally.

Meanwhile, notification has come through that Miss Tizz's passport has been issued and is on its way. I've already informed her there is NO WAY she is going to Europe without me!

who am i?

2010-06-28T11:02:00.001+10:00

It appears I have two names. The one I use, which consists of the first, middle & surname I was born with (but with that surname used as a second middle name) plus my married surname. It's what I've been using for the past decade for official forms.

Apparently, though, I am not that person. That second middle name (my birth surname) is not official. And it's caused a wee glitch with my passport application.

I need to get an official change of name certificate. That will be $129, thank you, for the records to be changed plus a certificate issued, if I get it done by Thursday, after which the fee goes up to $140. And I need several forms of identification, and three bills, between 3 and 6 months old, in my name (or at least joint names) and sent to this address to prove I am a resident of the ACT. Of course, for some unknown reason, most of our bills seem to be in the husband's name.

The change of name form is available online, but I need to go in to the Office of Regulatory Services to submit all the paperwork, or track down a JP to witness and sign copies of everything so I can post it in. I think going in person with the original documents is the easier option this time around.

I rang and spoke to a lovely person in the ORS about all this, and mentioned that while Miss Tizz's birth certificate has my full name (with all four parts), the X-man's certificate only has the shorter three-part name (first name, middle name, married surname), but she said their records have it with my full name, and she can issue a corrected birth certificate for him so everything is consistent.

I'm hoping this doesn't cause any glitches with a friend's passport, for which I am guarantor (using the four-part name). We filled in the electoral roll part of the form in the guarantor section, and my electoral enrolment card has my full four-part name (I checked!), so hopefully it won't be an issue, but I'm dealing with it as fast as I can just in case!

children's reading list

2010-06-26T13:53:00.000+10:00

Miss Tizz has also been reading in preparation for our trip. As per my previous post, I'll list the books I can recall at the moment, and add to the list as I remember.

The gladiator's secret
John Malam

The rotten Romans
Terry Deary

Rome: in spectacular cross section
Stephen Biesty, Andrew Solway, James Morwood

It's true! The Romans were the real gangsters
John and Joshua Wright

If I were a kid in Ancient Rome

Exploring Ancient Rome
John Malam

I wonder why Romans wore togas
Fiona MacDonald

Roman Mysteries series
Caroline Lawrence

Tiger, tiger
Lynne Reid Banks

Linnea in Monet's Garden
Christina Bjork

reading list

2010-06-26T12:11:00.002+10:00

I've been doing quite a bit of reading in preparation for The Trip. Thought it might be worthwhile including the books I've read, in case anyone else is looking for ideas. I can't remember them all off the top of my head, so I'll come back and add to the list from time to time. I may even try to organise the list into some sort of order ...

The Romans for dummies
Guy da la Bédoyère

The Roman Forum
David Watkin

Roma: the epic novel of Ancient Rome
Steven Saylor

Colosseum: Rome's arena of death
Peter Connolly

The Colosseum
Keith Hopkins and Mary Beard

The Da Vinci Code
Dan Brown

Angels and Demons
Dan Brown

The first man in Rome
Colleen McCullough

Antony and Cleopatra
Colleen McCullough

Ancient Rome on five denarii a day
Philip Matyszak

Eyewitness Travel Guides: London, Paris, Rome

eat pray love
Elizabeth Gilbert

Travel with Children (Lonely Planet)
Brigitte Barta

Sarum
Edward Rutherfurd

A year in the merde
Stephen Clarke

The Seven Ages of Paris

Alistair Horne

Amelie [film set in Paris]

mid-life crisis

2010-06-25T20:41:00.000+10:00

A friend recently mentioned that she thought she might be heading for an early mid-life crisis; that she's not sure what she wants from life, but it's not what she's doing now.

I'm of the opinion that the 'mid-life crisis' is really a 'ticked most of the boxes - marriage, family, career, house, etc, middle class, overwhelmed but still time to analyse in a way previous generations with a more physically-demanding lifestyle, middle-class crisis'. And a lot of people are doing all that earlier, so it's hitting earlier.

My mid-life crisis has been going on for years, and I finally figured out that (for me) I need to look outwards, hence the travel plans. A whistle-stop tour of a checklist of sites/sights wouldn't do it - I have to spend some time absorbing different cultures and seeing how other people live. Volunteer work would achieve something similar.

Possessions aren't important in themselves, nor is money, and children will move into their own, separate lives eventually. So while all of those things are fine in their place, you can have them all and still have a big gaping hole that you only notice when you no longer have to focus on accumulating the 'stuff'. That's when people find religion (in the broadest sense) - a sense of your own tiny place in the universe (as opposed to the younger version where you're the centre of the universe), or become bitter and resentful if they don't get through this stage. And it's tough, because it's such a paradox - you're significant, but you're also tiny in the scheme of things; you're important in some contexts, but not indispensable.

I think I'm probably at a stage in life when things are finally falling into place and making sense. Not always the way I'd envisaged them happening, not always how I want them to happen, but it's all ok. All those platitudes about 'nothing is forever', 'nobody is indispensable', blah blah blah ... are right. I still like to be in control of things, but I started a new phase after Miss Tizz was born, and all the drama that went along with that, and then through the pregnancy/birth with the X-man. I remember very clearly thinking, when I made the decision to refuse a planned caesarean section second time around, that if the worst happened and my uterus ruptured (as the doctors threatened) and I died, then that was part of life and death, and I was ok with it. Not an ideal outcome of course, but I was at peace with the risk assessment I'd made, I thought my odds were good, and I could just go with whatever happened. I believe it's a huge part (together with other factors, some of which I engineered - like having a wonderfful independent midwife as support - and some of which were just luck - like amarvellous,considerate, respectful obstetrician being on duty at the right time) of why the X-man's's birth was so very different to Miss Tizz's's, despite them both being emergency caesareans.

I think that was the start of it for me, and the realisation that it's all about the journey, not the destination.

such efficiency!

2010-06-23T14:29:00.000+10:00

Remember how on Friday afternoon I ordered the Britrail Pass and Oyster Card? Well, it's now Wednesday, and they're here already!

we passed the passport interview!

2010-06-21T21:25:00.000+10:00

It appears that we will be allowed to leave the country (and presumably we'll be allowed back in again too). Both passport applications have been checked and lodged, and we should be receiving our shiny new biometric passports with two weeks. Which is just as well, considering how much time and effort and money I've put into this trip to date!

I've been wandering around the internet checking out other people's itineraries, and wondering if ours is a perhaps a little lacking in detail. We have the dates in each city locked in, but apart from that, everything is quite fluid. We know we want to do some day trips, and although I've ordered the Britrail pass, we're not planning on making reservations until we get to London. There doesn't seem to be any real advantage in booking too far ahead, and there are so many daily trains to places like York that we would be extremely unlucky not to get seats.

We can't possibly see everything in any of the places we're going, so we're taking a good guidebook for each city, and we'll make decisions based on the weather and what takes our fancy at the time. The guidebooks have opening hours, maps, suggested walks and itineraries, some history and context - enough to work out a rough plan of what we want to do each day without having to be locked into anything. Which is, I think, the way I want to travel.

this time in four months

2010-06-19T18:47:00.001+10:00

... we'll be in Paris! I've just booked our Eurostar tickets, printed them out, and they're now added to the file of important documents. Our seats are reserved (side by side, not too close to the toilets, not too far from the luggage racks, and with a big picture window right beside us).

So the running tally is:

Airfares - PAID
Britrail Pass - PAID
London Oyster Card - PAID
London accommodation - deposit PAID
Eurostar - PAID
Paris accommodation - deposit PAID
Rome accommodation - deposit PAID

we're going on a train ride!

2010-06-18T16:40:00.001+10:00

Actually, more than one :)

This afternoon I ordered my Britrail England 3 day flexi pass (3 days of train travel anywhere in England within two months) and an Oyster card (for public transport within London). Miss Tizz travels free with me.

And within two minutes my phone rang - the bank calling to confirm that I had authorised a credit card payment to ACP Rail International. Well, yes I did, but it's good to know they're on the ball and looking after me :)

Tomorrow the Eurostar tickets for the day we want to travel should be available for purchase. I can save a LOT by booking directly and opting for an e-ticket (which can be printed at home). Going through an agent would cost more for the tickets, but also an extra $50 in booking and delivery fees. No thanks! I'd much rather keep that additional $95 to use on something fun!

all present and accounted for

2010-06-18T12:25:00.000+10:00

My officially-issued marriage certificate arrived in the mail this morning. I'm really impressed with the speed of our Office of Regulatory Services in the ACT - I ordered the certificate online late on Wednesday night, and it arrived to my door on Friday morning. Hard to believe a government department could be quite so efficient!

So ...

passport application forms x 2 - CHECK (I just have a few final details to fill in now the certificate has arrived)
original birth certificates x 2 - CHECK
passport photos (2) x 2 - CHECK (need guarantor's endorsement on back of one photo each)
additional documents that support identity - my birth certificate for Miss Tizz, plus my driving licence and Medicare or credit card (there are other options, but I carry these all the time, and they're the easiest) - CHECK
explanation of name change from birth certificate (i.e. marriage certificate) - CHECK

I think we're just about set :)

passport application process (ongoing)

2010-06-16T22:31:00.000+10:00

I found my birth certificate! Deep in a box of paperwork that was moved when I disposed of the second desk. Pretty much right where I thought it would be, but it needed a long weekend to get round to emptying the box out and sorting through it.

Great! Right, now I can finish my passport application.

I need acceptable passport photos. You can do them yourself, following very strict guidelines, but the easiest option is to pay the good folks at Australia Post a tad under $15 to do them for you, no appointment necessary. They'll keep taking photos until they get it right, print them out on the spot for you, and the lovely woman who did mine was even able to get the branch manager to check them before I left to make sure they'd be accepted at the passport interview (which, conveniently, is at the same Australia Post branch).

All set. Now for the form. You can fill in a paper form (available from Australia Post), or fill in the electronic version found at www.passports.gov.au . Easy! Almost. I need a marriage certificate to explain the name change from my birth certificate to now. Yep - I have one of those. It has to be an official one issued by the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages. Oh. I have the one from the wedding, but not the officially issued one, which apparently isn't supplied at the time (unlike birth certificates). Right then - BDM. I can save time by ordering and collecting the certificate in person - they'll issue it on the spot, and I can save $5 postage into the bargain. Great! I just need to supply 3 original documents to prove my identity - a little painful, but to be expected, and I think I need to supply similar docs with the passport application anyway. But wait! I can apply online, answer a few simple questions, and they'll post it out within a few days - no documents required (but an extra $5). Certificate ordered within minutes. Marvellous!

What's next? Guarantor details - someone who can vouch that you are who you say you are, and your photo is you. Fortunately my chosen guarantor has an amazing memory, and is able to supply the necessary detail of how many years and months we have known each other, because I have no freaking idea of those sorts of details! And now I know her middle name - you never know when that sort of detail might come in handy ;)

So now ... I wait for the official marriage certificate to arrive in the mail, and if it's here by Friday I can finish filling in the application form, have the photos signed by my gorgeous guarantor, gather my identification documents (originals only, please!) and make the interview appointment on Monday morning. And if it doesn't turn up in Friday's mail, I reschedule the interview for the end of the week instead.

Nearly there (and I think I can book the Eurostar trip this weekend too!).

it's about time

2010-06-13T23:10:00.002+10:00

I've been a little (a lot) lax about updating this blog lately. I could blame it on being busy, or a rough mental health patch, or any number of things, but the truth is I just haven't had anything much to say (and a bit of everything else too).

Airfares are booked and paid for, accommodation in each of the three cities is booked and the deposits paid, I haven't tracked down my birth certificate yet so I haven't done my new passport application (we have a public holiday tomorrow - no more excuses on that one!), and I can't start booking the trains just yet. So I'm just in a bit of a holding pattern on the travel front.

There have been a few travel-related purchases however. I bought a Pacsafe bag (the CitySafe 200):

Actually, I bought the CitySafe 100 first, and decided it wasn't big enough, but kept it for Miss Tizz to use.

They're both in basic black, and have wire mesh through the fabric and cables through the strap to prevent slashing, plenty of zips and Velcro and clips to make it difficult for sneaky hands to get in, and are worn cross-body to make snatching them difficult.

And now I'm going to stop reading horror stories about pickpockets.

I also bought a travel wallet from the same place, to keep passports and tickets together.

And a universal adaptor (in cobalt blue), so we can plug things in in both the UK and Europe. And two sets of packing cubes (in pink and blue).

And books: Eyewitness Travel Guides to Paris, London and Rome. And pocket phrasebooks in French and Italian.

And a netbook. I've been thinking about this for a while, and last week was a 'spend up big' week, and I now have an ASUS netbook with an Atom N450 processor (I think that's the terminology), a six-cell battery (so it should do about 10-11 hours on one charge), and a 250GB hard drive. So far the kids have used it more than me. The plan is to use it to Skype home while we're away, load information and bookmark relevant websites, and store photos as we go.

And it's very shiny :)

no park bench in paris

2010-06-03T23:10:00.000+10:00

We've found a fabulous little apartment in Paris, on the Boulevard Magenta, not too far from the Place de la Republique. It's tiny by our standards, but just fine for the two of us for six nights, and the owners (we've been corresponding by email) seem lovely. It has everything we need, including a washing machine and an internet connection, and while it's right on a busy street, it's 6 floors up (with a lift!), so I don't think noise will be a problem.

View Paris in a larger map

Next - passports (they would help!), and the train pass (Britrail England) and main train tickets (Eurostar London-Paris and the Artesia Paris-Rome).