We looked on Couchsurfing recently for options for a two-day midterm break stay somewhere in Ireland, and Bert from the Netherlands got back to us. He lives just outside Abbeyfeale, in the county of Kerry, or 'The Kingdom' as they like to call it down there, so we thought: why not? That was far enough away to make it worthwhile going… Continue reading To Kingdom Come
Tag: rtw
Athens to Zakynthos, via the Peloponnese
We arrived in Zakynthos by the front door, at the beginning of April, the end of orange season. To fly in, as we sometimes do, is to skulk in through the servants' entrance. We sailed into Zakynthos harbour this time like pirates, boots up on the gunwale, telescopes out. We’d flown into Greece the night… Continue reading Athens to Zakynthos, via the Peloponnese
The Krems selfie takers
I took this picture one afternoon recently in a café in Krems an der Donau (Krems on the Danube), which is an hour west of Vienna in the scenic Wachau area. It was a chilly day. We’d done all our sightseeing. All we wanted was to sit down somewhere in the Altstadt (old town), and… Continue reading The Krems selfie takers
Salzburg on a shoestring with two kids, in two days: part 1
There's a lot to see in Salzburg; experts have calculated you'd need a good 5 and a half days to see it all. We had two. So we had to skip stuff, obviously. Like men, women, and children at an 'all-you-can-eat-buffet' with only 10 minutes to go before the restaurant closes, we had to be strategic about our gluttony. But… Continue reading Salzburg on a shoestring with two kids, in two days: part 1
Wieners
I’ve been watching Viennese people. They probably think that, as a tourist, I’m looking at the Hofburg Imperial Palace or Schloss Schönbrunn, but I’m looking at them. What’s more, I take photographs of them surreptitiously. In my defense, if I didn’t use subterfuge it wouldn’t really be possible at all. Es ist meine Lieblingsbeschäftigung, my… Continue reading Wieners
The Wachau, Danube Valley
You’re allowed do 130 km/h on the Autobahn here in Austria. Which means of course that you do 140, like everyone else. And occasionally, when no-one’s looking, you might chance 150. Which puts the Danube Valley less than an hour from Vienna. The Danube looms large for tourists visiting Austria, in the sense that you’re… Continue reading The Wachau, Danube Valley
The Four Danubes of Vienna
Before landing in Koukla House, Greece, to start writing our book (that’s ‘The Zakynthos Project’) we’re spending a chilly month in Austria as Help Exchange guests with a family from Donaustadt, just outside Wien (Vienna). We’re settling in nicely in our Viennese hosts' house, hitting our stride by doing household jobs, helping Silvia and Pauls’ kids… Continue reading The Four Danubes of Vienna
Oh Vienna
If it wasn't for the birdsong, it'd be perfectly quiet here in Donaustadt. Preparing my cup of English Breakfast tea, I look out the kitchen window at the neighbours in their kitchen doing pretty much the same thing, probably thinking the same thing too: please let there be some milk in the fridge. There is:… Continue reading Oh Vienna
Our Friends the World Travellers
My wife follows all these travel writers on facebook and WordPress. That’s nice. One day exactly a month ago I came home from work all grumpy and middle-aged. “Do you mind if these people stay with us for a night?” she asked me. That obviously depends on who these people are, I said. Actually it… Continue reading Our Friends the World Travellers
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