Wednesday 6th December 2023 never happened. At least, not for me. But first, welcome to the last blog from my Great OE. Having had the adventure of a lifetime, my homeward journey began. Saying goodbye to people and places I’m unlikely to ever meet again was tempered by the everlasting memories of warm hugs, laughterContinue reading “The day that never happened.”
Category Archives: The Great OE blog
Are Farm shops about healthy food, or just niche destinations?
On my last day in the UK, I went for a stroll down the lane to check out the local farm shop. I had purposely saved this visit for the end of my great OE, as farm shops are such a treasure chest of unexpected culinary delights, homegrown crafts, and herbs in terracotta pots whichContinue reading “Are Farm shops about healthy food, or just niche destinations?”
Dancing water, and tree magic!
What is it about light shows? We grow out of candy floss and Teletubbies, but oh, the magic of colored lights dancing in gardens, or sweeping the sky, grabs the attention of young and old. It’s a universal language, needing no translation, and available to almost all. Christmas, or any equivalent, gives birth to theContinue reading “Dancing water, and tree magic!”
From tourism traps to the real deal: a day out in London
The question of what to do in London that couldn’t be done in New Zealand, whilst also taking in a touch of luxury, and celebrating Christmas without the crowds required a little thought. perhaps the answer was to see the Changing of the Guard, and then a canal boat dinner? I’ve always wanted to cruiseContinue reading “From tourism traps to the real deal: a day out in London”
Windsor, where Lego meets Royal.
Windsor, home to royalty and Legoland UK; enough to demand a visit. On the day in question Legoland was fully booked, but the castle wasn’t. What should I take from that? Could it be that fun parks hold more interest than history and royalty? That we prefer bright colours to greys and golds? Or thatContinue reading “Windsor, where Lego meets Royal.”
Natural death?
What drives a person to form a collection of dead animal and insect specimens from all over the world? Walter Rothschild, son of a wealthy Jewish family, was expected to be a banker, but the natural world caught his attention with more passion than most of us can afford. By the time he went toContinue reading “Natural death?”
I now have three hands!
Getting around London to see tourist hot spots via a Hop-on, hop-off service; what a way to see the town! Ear-phoned stories along the way, and cheery music, all served up on a double-decker bus from which the views are amazing. They also save a lot of time and money. But don’t bother asking aContinue reading “I now have three hands!”
France…. oh dear me no.
‘Waiting on the platform for a train’….. the start of a lament, or love poem? For some perhaps, but in my case the ignition of a connect more fun than the much-anticipated train journey. On a morning when breath floats visibly in the air, folk clap their gloves together as though to startle the coldContinue reading “France…. oh dear me no.”
From a foot to eggs and everything between, in Bavaria.
This blog is a little differant; extras from Bavaria which need sharing. First there is the foot, noticed in the bathroom of a friends flat, to hang a towel and store your toothbrush… but would you, really? The best way to explore a new place is to kidnap a willing local. They add a depthContinue reading “From a foot to eggs and everything between, in Bavaria.”
When tears become a miracle.
Driving through snow-covered forest and farmland, where the only living being you see is a surprisingly wary-free fox out in the middle of what is probably a large paddock, it’s difficult to imagine that a UNESCO site lurks close by. The day is receding into the extraordinary blues that only the Bavarian alps can deliver;Continue reading “When tears become a miracle.”
Stories for you - Enjoy! 