Down Under Down Time in OZ...

Thankfully the weather has been very similar here to over in Hungary since arriving, so no great heat distress happening!

The family is all good and the younger ones will all soon be taller than me.

Oh well, that's life I guess...Oscar is the last to pass me and he's just turned 7 years old and is already up to my chin...

This way I reckon I'll always be the kid in the family!

My granddaughter is accumulating the 100 hrs driving with a licenced driver so she can get her driver licence P plates, so she chauffeured me up the Sunny Coast on Tuesday to see my sister.

We had lunch at the beach restaurant and all up it was a lovely day with my sister and grand daughter..

Yummy lunch with Judy and Asher.

My nice Greek salad...yummo...

Judy's Kilcoy steak sandwich...Asher just had special chips!

Then we went across the road for a nice walk along the beach...

Lovely Alexandra Headlands in the background...

Sisters and friends forever! My sister is so kind and generous to me, she is a great support. Thanks Sis!

Yup, went for the proverbial paddle at the beach!

Then back out to Pete's Paradise with Oscar and his Dad in the spa!

A very quiet week really as I'm organising things for the next 5 year stint seeing as the past 5 years goals unfolded almost to plan...albeit not quite expecting to end up living overseas in Europe though!

Have achieved the bucket list major things on the list. The only real biggie is to take the 14 day and 38 ports Hurtigruten cruise up the Norweigen Coast to see the beautiful fiords there.

Was waiting for a friend to come but will book and go ahead and go from there for the next best season to see the coastline at it's optimum.

The Northern Lights viewings are guaranteed on certain cruises, so will check all that out before Xmas and set a date to book it by for next year sometime. Really looking forwards to that cruise for sure.

Northern Lights in Norway...Can't wait for this trip!

Still have to organise with a Hungarian friend to go to the Eagles nest and a few other things I pushed to the back of the queue this year...but I get so involved in renovations, I enjoy the work so much, travel has taken a back seat for too long.

So, when I go back on 27th of Sept, I'll have a nicely planned out travel agenda to stick to, intermingled with renos, building programs and Lodge guests, so I should be doubly happy next year!

Xmas in OZ, starts it all off, with the Hofburg Palace Ball end January in Vienna, a trip to the snow in Salzburg for a week or 2 with friends in Feb, Skiing the High Tatras after that, a Hurtigruten cruise mid year or whenever it is best to go, visit the Eagles nest with Maria...and to top it all off, one of my sons and some friends are coming over mid year...ish, so it will be a full on year with all normal other happenings with the Lodge!

Will have to work my butt off to complete things, but it will be worth it for sure. Too much to do and so many things to see over there gets in the way of living a quiet life!

OK, am off now to create a travel plan to Europe for 3 weeks for 4 people, so this will be just a shorty blog this week...

They arrive in Budapest...

Then they visit Prague, then off to northern Czech to a beer spa where you bathe in beer and the taps run real beer!

Then down to Dubrovnik in Croatia to see the Game of Thrones sets...

Then back an hour or so up the road to my fave hang out...Split for the best ice creams in the world! Will also drop over to the island of Brac to see one of my volunteer families who have a house right on the water...sighhh.

Then a short trip across the sea on a ferry cruise from Split to Italy...

Then up to Switzerland to Lauterbrunnen and a trip up the Jungfrau...

Then after all that, a trip back to the Little Lodge for a breather before heading back to Budapest on the way back to OZ.

But on the way from Switzerland to my place we go past Neuschwastein castle in Lower Bavaria....on of the most beautiful areas in Europe. This trip is a must see.

Very exciting times ahead for sure...
See you all next week,
Cheers,
M
xxxx

The Backpacker Has Landed!

Back in OZ after a safe and pretty good 3 day trip from Budapest to Brissie, via London and Hong Kong.

Opera House in Budapest

From bus window, miles out in the Budapest suburbs...

Sun is now shining, after a quick rainy period, as we leave Budapest....

Over land in Europe...somewhere!

London....

HongKong...

The family looks well and little Oscar is not so little anymore!
He is in major growth mode, outgrowing his clothes and shoes in a few months at the moment.

Growing so fast!

I'm out at one of my son's homes and both Oscar and Peter were on the quads this afternoon just before it poured, so they had a ball in the already sloppy muddy grounds.

Oscar and his Dad, 2 rev heads for sure!

Who will go the fastest when he gets his helmet on?

OK...ready to go now!

Leggo time ...

Blessed helmet...so big!

Look out Dad, here I come!

Just what every kid needs...

All good...

Do I have enough petrol here Dad?

Peter's cabana, across to the tiny island....

The dam is gradually filling up after a very dry year...

Hose down the buggy now and time to clean them up...

Time to check out the cubby house...

Ahhhh, this is the life!

It is Sunday here now and am off to visit with Paul, my youngest son and my 2 granddaughters for a few days, then up to see my sister in Alex Headlands on Tuesday.

Peter is providing me with the courtesy car from his business whilst here, which is very nice of him and very handy for me! Very grateful for this.

More pics of Australia in Spring next time...
Cheers,
Mary
xxx

2 Sleeps to Go Until I Leave For Budapest on My Way to OZ...

Headed off to Eger on Wednesday for a few days to check out some medieval wall decorations for the cellar and also to look for parquetry flooring.

Hoping to find the flooring easily as the only places I found online are in England or China!

It is going to be another busy few months when I get back from OZ, trying to get 12 working weeks of work squished into the last 6-8 available weeks before it gets too cold for anything to dry or set in the colder weather.

Plus at the end of October there is a planned showing of the property to some insider biz acquaintances so they can get an idea of what is and will be available here.

Hoping they can become enthused about it all and take some flyers back and promote it to their hostel guests over the coming year for me.

Then it will be time to fire up the heaters and get to sewing curtain hems and cushion covers.

2 more sleeps, then it's off to OZ  on Monday to see my Kids, my Sister and the Grandchildren, some friends and others!

This was a Turkish restaurant in Eger...I forgot to go back next day for a cuppa!I put this first as it shows on the blog first!

The last pick of almost everything in the gardens here...

If you notice on my red painted box, these flowers are the feature!

The last of the massive beetroots the neighbour gave me...

Have been practicing my rowing on the new rowing machine for when I go skiing in Jan/Feb...

Off to Eger...Under $10 AUSD by train, return ticket...about an hour and 2 trains away.

Leaving the flat plains of our area and heading towards a few hills!

I have no idea what these are, but it is not sunflowers...

WOW, hills!

I love thiss place, so vibrant...Everyone speaks some degree of English...so nice!

An ancient land mark, from medieval days...

Stands tall indeedy!

A little creek in the middle of town...

Looking from the bridge towards town...

Looking the other way from the bridge...

Old and new together...

Looking up a shady alley to a nice lush and green courtyard.

My only pic of the Excalibur Restaurant...batteries went flat.

So, back to the Apartment...to a bit over the top all aqua coloured bathroom! Squeaky clean and really shiney!

Part of the huge fortress on the hill here. Didn't go in as I will go next time.

Turkish Restaurant...or coffee huz...

Walls are covered in material!

Like their pavilion...

A highly orange coloured berry!

Nice cafe culture too...

Found the sword and shields shop!

Nice shield and sword sets for about $9.00...hand made of wood

Should buy Peter one of these to shoot the dingoes on his farm! Crossbow...$7.50 Ausd...

My kids will remember this machine from USA. You put in a coin and it squashes it into a necklace pendant!

It's mid day...ish and a very hot and bright sunny day

Loving the window boxes everywhere...

People all huddled under the shade!

Nice and clean...

The wrong time to take pics into the sun...but it came out...

Ladies and men. plus dogs and kids walk through these water sprays!

People out and about in the blazing hot sun!

Gotta get a hair cut by the looks of things!

Ahhh, lovely!

I'm not a fan of Hungarian restaurant food at all...shudder...so I bought some bananas, yogurt and some rice cakes and sat under these trees with others and had lunch in the cool. I like Thai and light Mediterranean foods best, but no pizza, pasta etc. Occasionally I'll have a Hungarian made pizza as it seems their flour is different. Haven't had one since Xmas I think.

The old Palace for the Archbishops of  the Church back about 4-600 years ago I'm told

Looking out the Palace gates...Churches were huge over here and Eger was the seat of the Church for a long time.

This pic reminds me of the 2 sides of politics. I see things from this side...same flowers in the next pic, but seen by someone on the other side!

Hahaha...good analogy though, I think!

Heading off to the train station now...

WOW, a big demolition going on here. The entire block is demolished!

About 6 house blocks square by the looks of it...

Found the railway stn OK...

Gotta luv Hungarians and their commitment to recycling used timetables etc. Ask for info and they give it to you on the  manually recycled paper, no machines or bleaching involved here! These are the times the trains go back Tiszafured way!

Flower pots everywhere...

All aboard! Popped my head out the window to get a good shot! Been busting to do that!

The strange things on the plant in my garden are these plants I'm sure!

I think so anyways!

You have seen more pics from Eger last time I went with friends a few months ago, so I won't repost them here.
.
This was a search for parquetry mission to Eger this time, but. could not find any here as the Bunnings type shop does not stock specialist products.

Got online again with different search terms after a tip off from my Apartment hosts and found some big flooring specialists in Budapest.
Bigfoot Flooring which is up near the thermal baths up near Hero's Square.

Will visit them Monday afternoon whilst in Budapest and arrange a measure and quote for all the floors in the house for when I get back late September.

One very happy chappy now!

Next blog will be from OZ, so cheers and see you then.

Bye,
M
xxx