Chad Is Everywhere

This should be white with snow in winter After Salzburg the plan for my holiday this year was to make a trip to a place called Grünau Im Amtel. Part of the Kasberg Ski Resort area of Austria. I in part chose this as a different location from the standard resorts I had previously visited in France. Their cheap french wine which I never drink for fear of headaches, and because it's crap was just not appealing. And because it would be cool to have a small ski resort experience in Austria. So plans had been set for months. This was to be the centrepiece of my trip. 4 days in the middle of Austria. Except it didn't end up this way. Before I had left Australia I had already heard that it had been a poor start to the winter. Europe had been having it's warmest winter in ages. The ski reports from the internet were reading optimism and hope whereas the snow reports were reading tragedy on the cards. But I persisted in the belief it would work out. After all this plan was to s...

High on a hill with a lonely goat. That was my only goal for Salzburg. I had no interest in actually completing the Sound of Music Tour. In fact I had decided that is was pretty much the Sound of me saying "hell no" if offered. If you want know who was in Salzburg for this movie you need only see the movie room for the hostel from 8pm. There is no doubt that if asked probably 75% would say it's a completely true story. The movie has though provided great entertainment, and a means for learning English for many. It was interesting to see that a movie unknown by Germans and Austrians so well revered by Chinese and other Asian travellers. Although I did not find a goat I did complete a walking trek up the hill towards the castle via stairwells and other paths.   And most importantly i n the afternoon I completed the most important goal. Augustiner Brauhaus. I actually arrived at 2:30pm to find it not open until 3pm. When I returned at 3:15pmI found ha...

Time had come for me to take a 2hr train ride out of Budapest and onto Vienna, Austria. Importantly the move also signalled another significant change. From here I was down to Hostels not Hotels. The Austrian prices and recent move down of the Aussie dollar certainly made this a more understandable decision. Within 3 hrs of arriving in Vienna I had met up with some of my former couchsurfers. Although not based in Vienna they had made a trip for a concert that night in Vienna. Interestingly it was the band that had been victim to the Parisian attacks in 2015. They were continuing their tour in Europe and this was the makeup concert for the event schedule that had abruptly stopped. My friends had expected to see these guys months ago. Instead they were off to the concert that night, and it coincided with my arrival into Vienna. Day 2 of Vienna saw me take to the streets in the morning. I followed the map as best I could to follow the circled list of icons. The standard Church, Ra...

By the time I hit Budapest my health had me into management mode. With only a week of the trip expended I though that if I managed the oncoming cold I'd be able to enjoy the remainder of my trip. Alas what I missed out in Budapest was some of the regional delicacies I had been suggested to partake in. Sometimes it was just easier to skip than others. A giant size Nescafe was never on my agenda but the cool weather made it tempting. But I had already tried a local coffee shop that morning to only find it didn't know what a mocha was. I took an easy option in Budapest. With 3 nights I took a 48hr hop-on hop-off bus. Again. What was I thinking.... previous travels only confirm I've hardly seen a good one of these. And well after 2 days I would say the value was questionable somewhat. But thanks to the included boat cruise option I would say it was ok. I was though disappointed the buses only operated about 6hrs a day on one of the 2 loops. However it was winter and I guess...

At the time I was leaving Frankfurt there were 2 things I knew. One was I was going to be getting a cold. And the 2nd was if I left early enough there would b plenty of time for a Lindt Chocolate Museum stop in Cologne on the way to the airport. Alas it was only after leaving the hotel that it all began to turn... The Fly-Train combination ticket I  had bought needed a secondary ticket. Only  I just realised this when I was at the main station boarding train to Cologne. It was only a  mention in sentence of an attachment to an email document to my f light ticket. To click here to download ticket.  So knowing this and not w anting to be fined by Deutsche Bahn I got off at Frankfurt Airport to sort it out, as I had time. I thought I would merely need to print a ticket. 2 hours later...  I was totally flustered and no better protected from questioning. Deutsche Bahn couldn't print the ticket, Frankfurt Airport Internet was worse than carrier pigeon, and the...

A while back I had a couchsurfing guest. When she left she had so much stuff that she wanted to leave behind a gift she had received from a person in NZ. For someone not travelling the gift would have been fine. However to a 20 year old backpacker, with a full backpack, with months of on the road travel through Asia it was just awkward. I guess it was the thought that counts. Carrying around a glassware table display I incorrectly referred to as "the tooth" was not going to happen. She instead attempted to gift the piece onto me. Instead of accepting the gift I promised instead to deliver it to her in Germany on my next visit. After all she is Blonde, and German. And yes as you all know this means I would do anything for her. It is why I'm not a 007 international spy. Finally I have completed the mission. She asked I not tag her on facebook. She wasn't as excited to have a photo with the sculpture as I was to take the photo. Featuring on my travel blog is totally di...

There's not been much time to plan much in London. After all things just slowed down when there's a new born in the picture. And baby Darcy has all the focus of her dad Darren, and mother Anna. And well she managed to make a good photo. I'm still scared of holding someone's baby. But did accept the challenge if just for a bit.

I came to the conclusion that Abu Dhabi is a resort for expats. They are there until the money tap runs out, or they need to get out. For some it just takes longer. But in the time people are there, to us outsiders the place seems surreal, is unreal. It's one huge holiday in a place of hotels and big meals. I know because my friend Natalie introduced me to her world. And of note February has been a great time to visit through a stopover. It is actually quite cool and comfortable. As a non Muslim I would avoid visiting in Ramadan anyway. But that period around June is horrendous for weather anyway I'm told. In Abu Dhabi you find it all. Even South American BBQ The view from the pool area This giant size Sharwama lunch led to a food coma combined with jetlag. I loved every minute of it.

Abu Dhabi is another of the surreal cities developed thanks to oil money and extravagant wealth of royalty. Visiting here was always going to be about seeing my friend Natalie, and adapting to the lifestyle that is here. It is surreal. And it is also amazing. The city with it's buildings and hotels are to be experienced if but once. No running on the square First off on the tour of Abu Dhabi was the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Everything about this place is grand. It was the number one thing you have to do in Abu Dhabi. It's religious traditions mean that one must be dressed head to toe and women must have their hair hidden. Failing this you are directed to the car park changeroom for gowns. After initially being prevented from joining the 2pm walking tour we managed to join on. Lots of marble to keep polished This was my cultural experience, And learning experience. A bit of Muslim knowledge, and plenty about the Mosque, it's construction, and the praying procedu...