A history of our travels and adventures.
Cities, Museums, and other places of interest.
Activites, events, and other life stories
2022
February
20 – Leave New Zealand
21 – Arrive in Istanbul, Turkey. Rest days in Hotel
23 – Move to the center of Istanbul
24 – Galata Tower
25 – Topkapi Palace
26 – Boat up the Bosphorus and exploring Sariyer, Istanbul
28 – Hagia Sofia
March
1 – Dolmabahçe Palace
2 – Overnight Bus from Istanbul to Fethiye
3 – Arrive in Fethiye
8 – Explore Ölüdeniz
12 – Horse Trek in the mountains
16 – Fethiye Museum
17 – Cable Car up Babadağ Mountain
20 – Bus from Fethiye to Antalya
21 – Antalya Old Town
22 – Coastal walk to the Düden waterfalls, and the Sand Museum
25 – Beach Day
26 – Antalya Museum
28 – Bus from Antalya to Goreme, a city in Cappadocia
29 – Open Air Museum, Fairy Chimneys, Avanos, Imagination Valley
30 – Hot Air Balloon over Cappadocia
31 – Region Tour: Underground City, Ihlara Valley, Sileme Cathedral; Turkish Night Show
April
1 – Horse Ride through the Red and Rose Valleys
2 – Walk through Pigeon Valley and Uçhisar Castle; Leave Goreme
3 – Arrive in Izmir; explore the waterfront, historic elevator
6 – Explore Izmir Park, and Smyrna Agora Ancient City
7 – Travel to Selçuk; Selçuk Museum, Basilica of Saint John, and Selçuk Castle
8 – Visit the Ancient city of Ephesus; Travel to Pamukkale
9 – Visit the Travertines of Pamukkale and Ancient city of Hierapolis
10 – Return to Izmir
11 – Ataturk Museum; Overnight bus to Pamukkale
12 – Visit the Travertines of Pamukkale and Hierapolis again (this time with company); Return to Izmir then overnight bus back to Antalya
13 – Deal with the post (fail), visit Antalya Aquarium, go to the movies (Morbius), another overnight bus to Çanakkale
14 – Explore Çanakkale; Cimenlik Castle, Military Museum, Sons of Gallipoli Exhibit
15 – Ancient City of Troy and the Museum of Troy
16 – Leave Çanakkale and arrive in Bursa
18 – Bursa Museum
19 – Explore the village of Cumalıkızık and center of Bursa
20 – Giant Plane Tree, Bursa Zoo, Botanic Gardens
21 – Karagoz Museum, Car Museum, Panorama 1326
22 – Ferry to Istanbul
24 – Tour to Gallipoli for ANZAC day; Eceabat, Mehmetçik Monument, Lone Pine Memorial, Quinns Post, Walters Ridge, Chunuk Bair, Canakkale Martyrs Monument, Anzac Cove
25 – ANZAC day service; Dawn Service at Anzac Cove, Morning Service at Chunuk Bair. Return to Istanbul
26 – Exploring the city and night out with friends from the tour
27 – Leave Turkey and cross the border to Bulgaria
28 – Arrive in Sofia, Bulgaria and explore the old town
29 – Walking tour of Sofia
May
1 – Sofia History Museum
2 – Leave Sofia and arrive in Bansko
3 – First day at the Bansko Dog Shelter
5 – Walk to Belizmata Dam
11 – Hike up Pirin Mountain
17 – Train to Plovdiv
18 – Walking Tour of Plovdiv; Exploring the city and the Plovdiv Museum
19 – Climbing the hills of Plovdiv, Bishops Basilica of Philippopolis
20 – Train to Bansko and an unplanned stop in Septemvri
June
13 – Day trip to Razlog; Walk to the top of the hill, Razlog Museum
19 – Last day at the Bansko Dog Shelter
20 – Leave Bansko and arrive in Veliko Turnovo; explore the city with other travelers
21 – Walking tour of Veliko Turnovo and further exploring of the city
22 – Little Bulgaria Museum and Hiking up mountains with other kiwis
23 – Leave Veliko Turnovo and arrive in Varna
29 – Leave Bulgaria and cross border to Romania
30 – Arrive in Păltiniș for English Cool Camp
July
1 – Explore area and meet other trainers
2 – First Camp starts
6 – First Camp ends
8 – Visit Sighisoara and Second Camp starts
12 – Second Camp ends
13 – Visit Hunedoara and Sibiu
14 – Third Camp starts
18 – Third Camp ends
20 – Visit Alba Iulia and Fourth Camp starts
24 – Fourth Camp ends
25 – Explore Sibiu
26 – Fifth Camp starts
30 – Fifth Camp ends
31 – Leave Păltiniș; Visit Bran Castle and explore Brasov
August
1 – Leave Brasov and arrive and explore Bucharest
2 – Village Museum and Herăstrău Park
4 – Day at Therme
6 – Leave Bucharest and Arrive Predeal; Sixth Camp starts
10 – Sixth Camp ends
11 – Seventh Camp begins
15 – Seventh Camp ends
16 – Visit Sinaia and Eighth Camp begins
20 – Eighth Camp ends
21 – Visit Brasov and Ninth Camp begins
24 – ATV ride in Predeal and Ninth Camp ends
25 – Predeal Ski Lift and the Adventure park; Tenth Camp begins
28 – Traditional Dinner night for trainers
30 – Tenth Camp ends
31 – Travel to and explore Bucharest
September
1 – Day at Therme with Camp Trainers
2 – Bucharest to Bacau
3 – Visit to Salina Targu Ocna and Slanic-Moldova
4 – Explore Bacau; Bus to Bucharest
5 – Train from Bucharest to Cluj-Napoca
7 – Tour of Cluj-Napoca
8 – Visit to Salina Turda
9 – Train to Oradea and explore city
10 – Explore Oradea; Tarii Crisurilor Museum
12 – Train to Drobeta-Turnu Severin
15 – Hitchhike across the border to Kladovo, Serbia
16 – Bus from Kladovo to Belgrade
18 – Visit Belgrade Fortress and walk through the city
20 – Nicola Tesla Museum, and Boat ride along Danube and Sava
21 – Train from Belgrade to Novi Sad
22 – Explore Novi Sad; visit Muzej Vojvodine
23 – Visit The Gallery of Matica Srpska
24 – Tour of Petrovaradin Fortress
25 – Bus from Novi Sad to Nis; Explore Nis
October
1 –
29 – Visited the little island in the lake
30 – Bus from Ioannina to Kalamabaka (Meteora), Watched sunset from the top of the pillars and walked back to town. Family dinner at the hostel
31 – Hiked around the bottom of the Meteora rock pillars
November
1 – Visited Roussanou, Valaam, and St Nicholas Monasteries
2 – Visited St Stephens and Holy Trinity Monasteries
3 – Climbed the New Year hill for views of Kalambaka and to watch sunset. Family dinner at hostel.
4 – Watched the sunrise over Kalambaka, Visited Great Meteoron Monastery, Train from Kalambaka to Athens
5 – Started exploring Athens around the hostel
4 –
15 – Depart Athens for Brisbane
16 – Arrive in Brisbane, Australia
17 – First day out and about in Australia
19 – Welcome to Australia family dinner
21 – First walk around Forest lake
26 – Walk around the Lake
27 – Day in Brisbane City. Cruise up the river, Brisbane City Botanic Gardens
December
3 – Forest Lake Christmas in the Park
10 – Drive up Mt Gravatt. Birthday celebratoin for december family birthdays
12 – Started looking after some chickens
17 – Last visit to the chickens
18 – Morning stand up paddle boarding session. Started looking after a couple dogs in crestmead with a daily vist
24 – Family Christmas eve dinner and presents
26 – Last daily visit to the dogs
27 – Started Dog and House sitting in Auchenflower
29 – Afternoon in the city
31 – Brisbane Botanic Gardens, Mt Cootha Hike, New Years eve at Southbank
2023
January
3 – Finished Dog and house sitting
12 – Interview for new job
18 – Induction at new job The Lion Richlands
19 – First shift at new job The Lion Richlands
26 – Australia day family BBQ
30 – Picked up Nana C from Airport. Birthday dinner in Springfield central
Feburary
2 – Kangaroo Point
4 – Cousins 1st Birthday
6 – Day at Springfield Central
10 – Forest Lake Night Market
20 – Brisbane Tourist day. Museum of Brisbane, Brisbane City Hall and Clock Tower, Story Bridge Climb, River Cruise, Wheel of Brisbane
March
03 – Wine tasting at Cloudland
11 – Train and bus from Home to Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast. Night out with other from hostel
12 – Beach day and night out
13 – Australia zoo with new friends from Hostel
14 – Morning swim and lunch at the beach. Bus and Train from Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast to Home
25 – Driving lesson to Brisbane Airport
28 – Hamilton at QPAC
April
11 – Day in the city
17 – The Lions Staff golf day
24 – Day in Springfield Central
28 – Birthday dinner for the April birthday family members
May
13 – Flight from Brisbane to Auckland
14 – Flight from Auckalnd to Wellington. Suprising Mum at Mothers day brunch
15 – Breakfast with Mum. Sorting out the Storage unit
16 – Visit to Te Papa Museum. Movie fundraising event at Light House, ‘Beau is Afraid’
17 – Visit to Taki Rua. Evening catch up and late nights at Wellington’s popular bar’s
18 – Visit to Toi Whakaari and Taki Rua. Afternoon and evening catch up with friends
19 – Breakfast catch up with a friend. Furniture delivery from storage. Sibling’s high school theatre production
20 – Drive from Paraparaumu to Palmerston North. Visit to Jodi Walker’s gallery Exhibition. QEII: Black Betty at Centrepoint Theatre
21 – Breakfast with Dad. Afternoon at the movies for ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’
22 – Bus from Palmerston North to Tauranga
24 – Visit and lunch with Nan. Climbed Mt Maunganui. Dinner with Aunt and family. Cousins became test readers of the book
25 – Relaxing day with Nana C
26 – Lunch with Nana Y. Bus from Tauranga to Auckland. Catch up with an Auckland friend
27 – Flight from Auckland to Brisbane
June
19 – Day in Springfield Central
26 – Day in Birbsbane City
July
06 – Grease The Musical
09 – Evening at Eat Street
26 – Moulin Rouge Matinee at QPAC with NZ friend and dinner in the city
30 – Evening trip to Eat Street with friends
August
23 – Afternoon at the Lake
26 – Forest Lake Community Festival and Fireworks
September
2 – Cousins 1st Birthday party. An evening of Fireworks in the city
13 – Day in Springfield Central
15 – Driving Lesson
24 – Mamma Mia at Qpac
25 – Australian Driving Test. I passed.
26 – Afternoon at the Lake
October
07 – Catch up with a visitor from NZ and an afternoon at a wine festival
14 – Baking cookies
18 – Day trip to Redcliffe
23 – The Lions Staff Party at Luck and Sons Arcade Bar
30 – Brisbane City Botanic Gardens
31 – Halloween. Dressed up as a pirate for work
November
15 – An Afternoon at the lake
24 – Trip to the city for shopping and saturday night markets
December
2 – Day in the city. Searching for magic doors, dinner and drinks by the river
17 – Go-Karting and party for my cousins Birthday
24 – Family Christmas Eve dinner and presents
25 – A quiet Christmas day
26 – Boxing day family breakfast and presents
27 – Afternoon trip to Southbank
29 – Visit to Urgent Care. X-rays for foot injury. Diagnosis probably a sprain
31 – New Years Eve at South Beach on Brisbane’s South Bank
2024
January
9 – Mt Cootha views and walks
15 – Doctors and X-rays
16 – Results. It’s actually a fracture.
February
March
April
May
30 – Travel Day – Brisbane to Wellington.
31 – Tried to pick up a hire car. No luck due to insufficient license
June
01 – Caught up with a friend at Light Cycles Wellington.
02 – Day in Wellington with Mum
04 – Caught up with a friend. Relocated storage unit.
07 – Bus from Wellington to Tauranga. Staying with my Nan
09 – Went to stay with my Nana
11 – Dinner with some family
12 – Bus from Tauranga to Auckland
13 – Day wandering around auckland. Fancy dinner and cocktail bar to end the night.
14 – Travel Day. Auckland to Perth
15 – Exploring Perth, visit to the Bell Tower and the Perth Mint. Caught up with a friend at Scarborough Beach
16 – Trip to Rottnest Island
17 – Day with family in Perth and visit to Kings Park
18 – Travel Day. Flight departed Perth around 1am. Landed in Bucharest around 8pm
19 – Day in Bucharest. Sorted out E-sim. Met an old friend for dinner
20 – Arrived to Predeal for Camp. Caught up with old friends, met new ones.
21 – Day in Predeal. Some shopping met more of the new trainers
22 – Prep for first week of camp. Camp 1 Opening Ceremony including a fire.
23 – Camp 1: Day 1. Staright into the thick of it.
24 – Camp 1: Day 2. A rainy hike to start the day.
25 – Camp 1: Day 3
26 – Camp 1: Day 4 and Closing Ceremony
27 – Day off with afternoon trainers trip to adventure park. Camp 2 Opening Ceremony
28 – Camp 2: Day 1
29 – Camp 2: Day 2. Morning off, caught up on some work.
30 – Camp 2: Day 3
July
01 – Camp 2: Day 4 and Closing Ceremony
02 – Day Trip to Brasov including a trip to the optometrist to get new glasses. Camp 3 Opening Ceremony
03 – Camp 3: Day 1. Rain
04 – Camp 3: Day 2. Rain and extra Lessons
Updates will be added regularly