Thursday, July 30, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
WOW!
hello faithful readers. my sincerest apologies for not updating sooner but we have been having too much time to get to any computers.
After leaving Paris we headed to Mont St Michel on the west coqst of france qnd it was breathtaking. A grey overcast day suited the old monastry perfectly. It is probqbly the highlight of our trip so far. I will try and get some pics up soon........ when I can find a computer to upload them to.
We then spent the night in Honfleur which is ne of the most bequtiful port towns in France, right at the mouth of the Seine River, we LOVED this place.
From there we headed to villers-bretonneux in the Somme bqttlefield region in the North. This is the home of the Australian WW1 war memorial. It is a stunningly beautiful place that has an amazing sense of peace. We had the whole place to ourselves with the exception, strangely, of 3 elderly german tourists. You may not know this but the memorial is the original resting place of the unknown soldier who is now in Canberra.
If you do not know about villers-bretonneux qnd its incredible significqnce in WW1 you should google it qnd become a proud Australian. It was one of the key parts of our trip and it was incredibly memorable.
We then headed to the ballooning event in the Lorraine region of France. I q, flying a french homebuilt balloon with the Frenchman who built it. I hqve a whole extra post for the event dqys to come, but let me leave you zith this thought, 329 balloon world record........
http://hotairballoon.ning.com/photo/chambley-0043?context=latest
until then readers..................
After leaving Paris we headed to Mont St Michel on the west coqst of france qnd it was breathtaking. A grey overcast day suited the old monastry perfectly. It is probqbly the highlight of our trip so far. I will try and get some pics up soon........ when I can find a computer to upload them to.
We then spent the night in Honfleur which is ne of the most bequtiful port towns in France, right at the mouth of the Seine River, we LOVED this place.
From there we headed to villers-bretonneux in the Somme bqttlefield region in the North. This is the home of the Australian WW1 war memorial. It is a stunningly beautiful place that has an amazing sense of peace. We had the whole place to ourselves with the exception, strangely, of 3 elderly german tourists. You may not know this but the memorial is the original resting place of the unknown soldier who is now in Canberra.
If you do not know about villers-bretonneux qnd its incredible significqnce in WW1 you should google it qnd become a proud Australian. It was one of the key parts of our trip and it was incredibly memorable.
We then headed to the ballooning event in the Lorraine region of France. I q, flying a french homebuilt balloon with the Frenchman who built it. I hqve a whole extra post for the event dqys to come, but let me leave you zith this thought, 329 balloon world record........
http://hotairballoon.ning.com/photo/chambley-0043?context=latest
until then readers..................
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
It's amore!
I am in love, I have broken the news to Robyn and she is happy to share me which is nice of her. I am in awe of her beauty and sophistication, and pleasured by her surprising alleys. Paris really is an incredible city.
We got the good oil on a walking tour of Paris from two different people and we headed out this afternoon to learn about the French Revolution. It was brilliant. So much history in 5 blocks.
We learnt so much about the history of the country and got a great insight into what makes the French tick when it comes to getting what they want from the government.
We found an original guillotine, concerninglyt now residing in a pub, expect no-one questions the bill there! Also got to have a squizz at some very cool things like the original measure for the metre.
Seriously, if you get to Paris look up the guys at Paris Walks, brilliant!
We head out from paris tomorrow as we get the car and head for Mount St Michel and the Normandy coast before setting course for the battlefields of the Somme.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Totally amazing
WOW! what a day. today was everything you imaginge paris to be in the Summer. it was a beautiful blue sky, 28 degrees, and just stunning.
Rob and I headed back to the Louvre today to give it a bit of a going over. Knowing ful well we wouldn't be able to do it all in the time we had given ourselves we targeted those things that we were most keen to see. Obviously, the Mona lisa was one of those things.
So we rocked up at spot on 9am to get in before the crowds, we were pleasantly suprised to see that only a few others had also decided the same thing, so we got in and it was all pretty cruisy really, not too many people, we could even get relatively close to it. It was not anywhere near as disappointing as others have mentioned to me.
We spent quite a bit of time in the French artists area of the museum and it was really really awe inspiring. Not being a bit fan of art myself, it was quite an experience and I was absolutley dumbstruck and in awe at some of the pieces there. I LOVED it!
We also headed to the egyptian antiquities part of the museum as well which was also mindblowing. I was standing face to face with a stone statue that was 4500 years old, no crowd, no guards, no barriers, just amazing. To think you are getting the same look at it as the craftsman who made it all that time ago is fantastic.
From the Louve we headed to the museum that houses Monet's work. Apparently he was too out there for the mainstream and the louvre wouldn't take his art, so they built him his own museum. Must admit, not a great fan of the stuff he was doing, but if it lifts your skirt then good on you.
from there it was a boat trip on the Seine and down to the eiffel tower. no climb today, justa look as we have that in for tomorrow. A few beers under the tower and a great walk back to the hotel made for a great outing.
Lots of daylight here at the moment. sunrise is 3:30am, you heard me right, and sunset is around 9:30pm. So plenty of time for things that must be done.
Hoping to get some pics up soon. Hope you are all enjoying work :)
Rob and I headed back to the Louvre today to give it a bit of a going over. Knowing ful well we wouldn't be able to do it all in the time we had given ourselves we targeted those things that we were most keen to see. Obviously, the Mona lisa was one of those things.
So we rocked up at spot on 9am to get in before the crowds, we were pleasantly suprised to see that only a few others had also decided the same thing, so we got in and it was all pretty cruisy really, not too many people, we could even get relatively close to it. It was not anywhere near as disappointing as others have mentioned to me.
We spent quite a bit of time in the French artists area of the museum and it was really really awe inspiring. Not being a bit fan of art myself, it was quite an experience and I was absolutley dumbstruck and in awe at some of the pieces there. I LOVED it!
We also headed to the egyptian antiquities part of the museum as well which was also mindblowing. I was standing face to face with a stone statue that was 4500 years old, no crowd, no guards, no barriers, just amazing. To think you are getting the same look at it as the craftsman who made it all that time ago is fantastic.
From the Louve we headed to the museum that houses Monet's work. Apparently he was too out there for the mainstream and the louvre wouldn't take his art, so they built him his own museum. Must admit, not a great fan of the stuff he was doing, but if it lifts your skirt then good on you.
from there it was a boat trip on the Seine and down to the eiffel tower. no climb today, justa look as we have that in for tomorrow. A few beers under the tower and a great walk back to the hotel made for a great outing.
Lots of daylight here at the moment. sunrise is 3:30am, you heard me right, and sunset is around 9:30pm. So plenty of time for things that must be done.
Hoping to get some pics up soon. Hope you are all enjoying work :)
Monday, July 20, 2009
Paris baby...YEAH!
After a very easy flight I got to paris about 7am to a lovely 15 deg day. Got the bus into paris and walked to the hotel. Rob was very happy to see me although I had to wake her up to get into the room.
We headed out for breakfast on the champs elysees......as you do. Our hotel is 100m from the Arc de Triomph and we climbed to the top after breakfast for the most superb view of the city.
We walked the length of the champs elysees where they are in full swing setup for the finish of Le Tour in 5 days.
We walked down to the Louvre. Oh my god, I had no idea how big it is. Tomorrow is a full day there and we are both looking forward to it!
Time to pull in for a snooze after a long day over many timezones.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
KL 10 years later
I am sure the last time I came through KL was in 1999 before the ballooning worlds.
I remember it distinctly as I arrived on a slightly earlier flight than the rest of the team and was charged with converting cash and making sure beers were ready on their arrival. Tightarses :)
That was back in the day when you could get into the cockpit for landings. And so it was that danny galbraith and I in seperate 777's followed each other into Vienna with our prime view from the cockpit. Alas, no longer possible.
So I sit in the same bar, now a noodle bar, sipping on a tiger and reminiscing about an airport that seemed much more exciting back then. I may have been as well!
Kind regards
Adam Barrow
Operations Manager
Beonic - every visitor counts
D +61 (0)3 9637 7812
F +61 (0)3 9637 7899
M +61 (0)433 110 697
E adam.barrow@beonic.com
www.Beonic.com
Saturday, July 18, 2009
At the airport -1
I am now at the airport with my regular traveling companionan, MiniNICK or MINUTE for short.
Its been a while since he has joined me on an adventure so it will take us a while to adjust to each othere again.
I am missing my other travelling companion as I put her on a plane last night. Seems she got to HK alright and is now on the way to GP(Gay Paris).
Update again from KL on the stopover. Woohoo, finally going.
Kind regards
Adam Barrow
Operations Manager
Beonic - every visitor counts
D +61 (0)3 9637 7812
F +61 (0)3 9637 7899
M +61 (0)433 110 697
E adam.barrow@beonic.com
www.Beonic.com
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Only a couple of days to go
So the week before we leave has arrived. Seemed like it would never arrive sometimes and now it is here and passing wayyyyy too quickly.
I knew what to expect of this week, when on Saturday morning at 3am Robyn woke up and started panicing about what she had to get done and started making lists in her head of vital things like, washing up, mail redirection, and tidy of the house. None of these of course are critical to the process of holidaying in my opinion.
I was however, blissfully unaware of these processes as I was in a deep, beer induced slumber after what could only be described as a "quiet" evening of drinks and Karaoke to mark the passing of another financial year. I was snoozing away remembering glories of the night, such as our stunning rendition of "To be with you" formerly done by Extreme, now about to be re-recorded by Adam and Jo.
So it was with slightly heavy head that I awoke to find Robyn at the computer working, asking how she was, she said "you better have some breakfast before I tell you"........ Not good.
So after a slow, hungover day of washing up, tidying the house, mowing, washing, Rob was placated and could start to adjust to the week before the holiday.
Roll on Friday!
I knew what to expect of this week, when on Saturday morning at 3am Robyn woke up and started panicing about what she had to get done and started making lists in her head of vital things like, washing up, mail redirection, and tidy of the house. None of these of course are critical to the process of holidaying in my opinion.
I was however, blissfully unaware of these processes as I was in a deep, beer induced slumber after what could only be described as a "quiet" evening of drinks and Karaoke to mark the passing of another financial year. I was snoozing away remembering glories of the night, such as our stunning rendition of "To be with you" formerly done by Extreme, now about to be re-recorded by Adam and Jo.
So it was with slightly heavy head that I awoke to find Robyn at the computer working, asking how she was, she said "you better have some breakfast before I tell you"........ Not good.
So after a slow, hungover day of washing up, tidying the house, mowing, washing, Rob was placated and could start to adjust to the week before the holiday.
Roll on Friday!
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