A Father / Son Fairytale

Once upon a time (about 30 years ago), there was a little boy who had a dream. He played soccer and what he really wanted to do, was to see Australia play in the world cup. When he met a beautiful maiden, who he made his wife (she had no choice - this is a fairytale after all), he mentioned continually his childhood dream to see Australia play in the world cup. They had a beautiful daughter, then a gorgeous son, followed up by a fiesty (but alas another gorgeous) daughter. Much to his dismay (and his wife), his daughter refused to play football when she came to the rightful soccer playing age.

Then, wouldn't you know it, December 2005 - Australia got into the world cup. A promise is a promise, so we applied for 5 tickets to the world cup. Because FIFA is by and far one of the most colourful of institutions, and because the Australian organisers enjoy what you would call a "monopoly", only 4 tickets could be put into any bid - big problem - there are 5 people in our family. So we made 2 seperate bids. In his great rush - the father, having dreamed his whole life of joining this, didn't tick the "ticket only" box for his and his son's petition. Instead he ticked the "stay with the Australian group in the nice hotels and have everything catered" box. Oops. For the girls he ticked the "ticket only" box.

Now I don't say this out of bitterness because I am a bit of a cheap skate and would have had a miserable time if I'd paid that price x 5. I really would have loved to have gone as a family (but not as a "the works" option). We knew a lot of people that put in bids for "ticket only" and a few people who had put in bids for "the works". Funnily enough all of the people who put in for the "works" got their tickets (this option was 1000% more expensive funnily enough) while we know no-one who got "ticket only" tickets. After he got the tickets, we asked if we could change the name on some of the games (the girls go and we get to see a game each) - but No, Australian administration was adament that this was impossible (in actual fact is was very possible but for some reason the Australian leg were adament to not allow it).

Luckily, this was all over by Jan 1st and the two boys had 5 1/2 months to anticipate and I had 5 1/2 months to come to terms with just how much it was costing. Trust me, I was at peace with it by Jan 06 (I was planning my trip to Paris with C girl for the following year).

They met some "very minor celebraties".

Bear was the mascot for the Aussie celebrations

They were part of the crowd. J's procedure was to put Bear on his shoulders and carry him when in a crowd - explains why he lost 4kg in 2 1/2 weeks away.....he's a heavy kid.

Not sure where the rest of this girl's uniform is....I'd either lose a national dress competition with this or romp it in...........inspiration to stay on that treadmill..... (note I am not going to comment that my husband took this photo (if your husband wouldn't - you need to work on your relationship...just saying).

This one I got off Ninemsn as he was Channel 9's poster child.

This is before the first game, they had arrived only 12 hours before and it's a 22 hour flight from Sydney. They saw every Australian game.....Bear still watches the games on You Tube trying to work out where he sat.

They were also the roving reporters for a local radio (NXFM - newcastle). Unfortunately, after leaving on Sat afternoon the first I heard from them was on the radio on Tuesday morning - after they had won the first game........someone was sooooooo drunk (with happiness?). But it was really nice to hear his voice.

Is it just me - or does he look tiny - he was 4 1/2 at the time. They went to Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Cologne, Munich and Berlin during the stay. They visited legoland, the mercedes museum and some historical sights. They also got to see the Australian team training up close.

For two and half weeks, they joined the Australian Touring contingent. Considering Bear still talks about it, I think they had a fantastic time together.

Especially when surrounded by football, trains and lego (his three favorite things in the world even now).

Although there were crowds, I know that his Dad would keep him safe no matter what.

Because when there is this Dad involved, he will stop at nothing to protect his child.

And that look on Bear's face when he looks up at his Dad, it makes it all worthwhile. I don't know many Dad's who would actually want to go on such a huge trip alone with his son, but he loved it - and in his own words he couldn't think of anyone he would have prefered to take (gee thanks - joke joyce).

By the way - NO, they are not going to South Africa. We know what we know, and I will not be taking my children there any time soon).

Fingers crossed I can talk J into going with the entire family to Rio in 2014. His concern is we will have two blonde girls (11 and 15 yo at that time) that totally lack street smarts as they have been living inside a warm cushy bubble....we will see what the next 4 years bring (no doubting Australia will qualify).

Pompeii

We went to Pompeii on our last day in Rome. Took 2 hours on a train to Napoli and then 1/2 hour on a local narrow guage railway that goes around the circumference of Mt Vesuvius (circumvesuviana - no signs of whereabouts until almost out of central station - but only a 5 minute walk). Really cheap little railway, running on time every 20 minutes (but beware on way back, it's the 2nd last station, not the last - we almost stayed on).

When you get to the Pompeii station - you have no idea that this massive area is 2 minutes walk from the station.

We passed on the tour guide (big mistake) - but we were still smarting over having to pay adult prices for the kids. We didn't get a map either, so it was a bit of a mystery for a while (until I realised everyone else seemed to know where they were going, and a lovely chinese guy told us they handed out maps where we bought the tickets - anyway -went back and got one and that got us in the right direction). My god I am a whinger aren't I?

This is inside the communal baths - the volcano erupted in 79 AD, 17 years after they had an earthquake that had done considerable damage.

The handset tour guides were pretty good - they had a seperate one for the kids and you literally could have spent 4 hours listening to all of the seperate talks they had (in fact C girl did listen to it from start to finish - more on that later).

That's a big bath at the end - amazing preservation.

Inside one of the houses. This is where C girl was taking a video. She was listening to the whole tour guide, not following the number that we were at. We didn't realise - so when we said "no 29" we thought she would have turned to it. We were all wearing our personal headphones (in the case of J and I - noise reducing earphones). The audio started outside, and said, turn left, take the first turn to the right, walk in the door.........giving a path of where to go. C girl, busy making her video and not listening to what we were listening to, turned around after a few minutes and realised her whole family had disappeared - thousands of kilometers from anyone that knew her, in a country that does not speak english.

The first we heard about it was when the people inside the building looked up and turned in alarm - I noticed the other people's reaction, noticed there were only two kids and took off the earphones and heard a god almighty scream, followed by "MUMMY"........then another scream. The poor kid thought we had abandoned her.

We were not forgiven in a hurry.

This is a quaint little fountain at the back of someone's house.

It is quiet an eerie feeling walking around a massive town that is devoid of people. You can almost imagine people going about their business - and the preservation of some of the buildings is amazing (I don't think our house will be standing in 1950 years).

The kids found it very interesting - especially Bear, who only just finished studying archeology in IPC (international primary curriculum).

Our only wish is that there were more plaster molds of where people were found when they excavated. Not enough bodies for our liking (no it's not sick, it would help identify just how big a disaster it was).

Light rain - no problem

This is a temple that was damaged in the earthquake in 62 AD but the renovation was paid for by a 5 year old boy. His father was a former slave (who had become wealthy) but could not become part of the "high society". His son, never having been a slave, could. So with a sizeable donation to the community, his 5 year old became an upstanding member of the community and on the council. Good way to get around the system.


Can you believe J walked around with a backpack containing a video camera and our good nikon but then failed to take a single photo (these are from my point and shoot camera).

When we got back to Napoli, the train had been delayed by 2 hours (not initially, but eventually). J was feeling really sick. So I took the kids on small excursions of Napoli (well, a couple of blocks from central station). Not too exciting, but the best patisieri I have ever seen (think the spelling is wrong Manny), and a great little supermarket. Even found a ROAST chicken (yes, didn't see too many of them). Back in Rome at 8:30 - too late for crepes......boo hoo.

Was it worth the 5-6 hours of train trips and a 2 hours delay. It definitely was - the documentaries have showed lots, so it's really familiar, but there is something to walking the streets personally and watching the kids discover stuff that is pretty awesome. I think trains was the best way to go for our family (probably wouldn't be for a couple), as it was 20% the price of the tours (and didn't include a "shell factory" tour). Overall time was about the same. Definitely worth the trip though. Won't go back for another visit though - seen enough.

Showing my Age (or trying hard not to)

How old am I? Like seriously - 15?

If you don't have this album you should get it. There are about 8 great songs on it and I have listened to at least one of them every day since I got the album in November.

I would even consider taking C girl to a concert - as that concert is definitely not likely to be in Indonesia or Singapore (read - totally homophobic countries - and he is just way too out there for them), then it would have to be Perth or Hong Kong. That doesn't sound too bad now does it?

Favorite TV show - Dexter. This is dark, funny and very weird. He's a serial killer and the main character - who you actually like. I can't watch this alone (or should I say, J does not like to miss out). Still on Season 2 - but catching up really fast. Love it.

Note - just saw that the actor won the golden globe award for best actor - how cliche am I to even mention it now (and talk about late onto the bandwagon (it's at season 4)).

Favorite Book to Movie - The lovely Bones. It is a scary, sad movie and I have read the book. It is slightly different (as in I can't remember having the same feelings about the ending). I had to stop it twice because I couldn't watch it alone (and had to go get J, but was shaking so much it took a while for him to work out what I wanted). All he could say is - you've read the book, you already know what is going to happen.

Looking at the list above. I seem to be a very strange, dark person don't I?

Don't care I'm afraid. I am what I am.

Venice - Jakartarocks style

I have over a thousand photos to go through. I will write about the trip in a series of sections. Venice is first because it was the most recent great experience.

We went to visit Venice on the Wednesday before leaving Italy. We stayed in Bologna on the night before and after the visit - we didn't want to kill the atmosphere with 5 suitcases (not to mention 2 coffees, 3 hot chocolates and 2 croissants cost 40 euro (but we were served by a man in a dinner suit).

We travelled by train there and back. Had an issue with the train on the way back, but the trip was not too long or short. Got a water taxi down the grand canal to San Marco square. Walked around, got a gondola ride, took the lift up the bell tower, walked around all the shops buying this and that, and walked back to the train station (which was breathtaking, easy and a lovely way to look around). Kids didn't moan too much about the walk - too impressed by the buildings.

Our first view of Venice. Water bus from Train station to San Marco.

The official family photo - in front of the church we didn't take our children through and didn't get them to climb (we have mercy).

Jenny Pose - don't we look glamorous

The girls got along brilliantly on the trip. Poor Munch was unfortunately dropped like a sack of potatoes when we got home, but they were very close on the trip.

Do you think these kids have any idea how lucky they are? Poor kids were looking for a gondola like the ones at the snow (which explains why they kept saying - where, I don't see a gondola, where - there is absolutely no gondola where I am looking)....

I know we don't look like we are on a honeymoon, but don't we look "in love"?

It's a pretty unique situation to be on one - the kids discussed honeymoons on this ride........but I intend to be back on my "no kids" moon (you know, when all the kids leave home and you get a really cool holiday).

The water was amazingly clean. The buildings amazingly beautiful and old.

The view from the bell tower. Very beautiful view - you can imagine how beautiful it must be in summer (and how crowded).

On the walk back to the station.

Another bridge - another breathtaking view

Beautiful buildings around every corner


The last view of Venice (on bridge on the way back to the station)

C girl room

Sugar and spice and all things nice, that's what little girls are made of.

C girl has been in her room for less than a year now and only now am I showing what we finally did to make it her own. As you can see from the blobs on the wall, we had to paint over the blue tak stains on the wall (they don't come off over here), paint is useless.

Her medals are finally somewhere that can be expanded easily (see curtain rods). She isn't really a pink girl, but I didn't realise that when I made the quilt and valance for her 3rd birthday (yes all of the outside edging is hand embroided and there is a very positive life message on it (or it just wouldn't be from me). The small white picture on the wall is something I made her when she was born (so again, she probably doesn't want it but is putting up with so she doesn't offend me).

I also love the planes, come on - it was the lego room.

I especially love the bookshelf. The books have all been categorised and numbered. But she doesn't have a list of all of the books in her collection, so she could be worse.

Farewells to friends

We've had very emotional week. While we were away our very best friends (who we could drop in on at any time and who organised 100% of our non school socialising) moved into our house after their furniture was packed.

We got home from holiday on Saturday morning totally jet lagged and unable to sleep at night, but with our friends staying with us.

We really made the most of the week. I spent Tuesday, Thursday and Friday with Jen. The kids missed school on Monday and Friday (for extra play time). Everyone had tears in their eyes these photos.

One last Jenny pose (for a few months anyway). You've got to admit - the Jenny pose does work well. Unfortunately this is part of living as an expat. It hurts like a pain in the chest, but friends in these places are so precious and so a part of surviving (and thriving), it would be horrible to not have such great friends to start off with.

10 things I love about Italy

We just got home on Saturday morning. I will give a much more detailed account (with photos). But I will give my love/dislikes now to get the dislikes off my chest so I can write objectively. Overall we loved Italy, wondered why it took us so long to get there. Very glad I was born in Australia though.

10 Things I loved about Italy

1. The weather – snow, light rain, refreshingly cold, when you breath, you could see it (and not just because you were standing in front of the freezer counter at Sogo).

2. The old buildings – for the areas we saw (and yes – it was only 3 weeks), mostly old buildings, picturesque (but I’m not sure I’d want to live in them).

3. The food – lunch and dinner were a pleasure – for the first time in my holiday lifetime, we bought both lunch and dinner every day and it was a pure pleasure. Who cared how much it cost, it tasted fantastic (to the point the C girl is eating real food now).

4. The diet. 3 weeks of at least 1 bottle of wine a day and everything I wanted to eat – no difference in weight.

5. Did I mention the food – well the pasta was magnificent (I only had risotto or pasta for dinner), favorite – pumpkin ravioli with balsamic sauce. It was magic 3 weeks, 2 dud meals.

6. Ability to walk everywhere. The maps were good, the locations were close and we managed to walk a minimum of 5km a day. Yes we did the bus/train thing where necessary, but we mostly walked (big improvement on last year – mostly because Munch is now 6 ¾ and could cope (until the last few days when she kuplunked). Plus in Rome you could get on a website and it would give you the public transport/walking that you needed to catch/do to go from A to B. Easy peasy.

7. Rome – this is a city I could happily live in (in the old section), there is something amazing around every corner. Old ruins, café, every street, everywhere. I loved it. Loved Venice and Florence as well for same reason.

8. The shopping centres – we saw a total of ZERO big supermarkets (only saw small ma and pa ones), ZERO department stores/shopping centres. All boutiques and small shops.

9. The coffee – I am now a convert (we even bought home a percolator for the stove to have one very morning on way to work).

10. The Australian tourists – there I said it. We were the ones in the restaurants at 6pm (in Rome), usually every group in there at that time was an Australian and we always had lovely chats. Also ran into some groups in Florence, Pompeii (same group), Venice and Milan – all of whom we loved talking to (maybe just for the accents). Granted I wouldn’t have loved this if I hadn’t been out of Aus for 3 years, but for us it was really lovely. One group from Ballarat – now there is a freaky coincidence considering we both lived there for 4 years.