Europe part 6 UK ( The Finale) Odyssey 2014

After another easy journey travelling from the North of England back to London, i arrived on the doorstep of my good mate from Aussie, Jonno. What proceeded was an evening, night and morning of nothing less than Shenanigans...yes Shenanigans...his house in Clapham was filled to the brim with Aussies all on their own Odyssys, and we shared our stories, drank and were merry.

I then had the good fortune to have to pick up my daughter from London Victoria train station who had finished her own UK boarding school adventure and had been holidaying with a school friend in Brighton. After meeting up we travelled back to Essex for a rest and to collect ourselves for our final week in London.

Monday was spent in Central London and we went to Maddam Tussauds wax museam. Wow, the place had changed quite a bit since Zoes mum and I were there 20 years earlier, many new exhibits and setups..and the "Spirit of London" ride that we both really enjoyed. There was a massive lineup for the One Direction exhibit, of which we lined up and Zoe got her picture taken with them. Another notable exhibit was the Dungeon, which included Live actors, well done indeed, i did get scared, which is quite rare, i usually just giggle a lot :).

Tuesday was a rest day spent organising ourselves for the rest of the week.

Wednesday we saw "The Book of Mormon"... Wow x 1000. What a hoot from start to finish. We had awesome seats and Zoe got to meet the stars at the stage door after the show. We then went out for dinner in Soho with Jonno and enjoyed the ambience of Leiscter square, one of my favourite parts of London.

Thursday we travelled to North Tawnton in Devonshire to visit some old friends who knew me and Zoes mum when we lived in the UK nearly 20 years ago. I really loved the countryside, the hills and dales..and was told that is where the play and subsequent movie "Warhorse" was set...we really enjoyed the company of Abby and Barry and their dog Jordie.

After a lightning trip back to London, we organised our bags and on Monday 24 Feb both traveled to Heathrow airport, with Zoe getting on her Big bird back to Oz and me on my own to Miami in the states en route to Peru for the final leg of this amazingly comprehensive awesome trip of a lifetime :) #grateful.

Europe part 5 UK (Yorkshire) - Odyssey 2014

After a brief rest day at Dave and Claire's house in Essex, I took a train to the North of England to Kingston Upon Hull. I traveled there to meet with a old lost friend whom I lost contact with almost 20 years ago. When I lived in the UK in the mid 1990's I met with Boris, who was visiting his friend Max in the apartment above where I was living with my daughter's mother at the time. We instantly hit it off and went out and had many shenanigans in London way back before the Internet was common. Boris invited me to visit him in Israel which I did for a couple of weeks, and had an awesome time visiting all the historical places that one does visit in Israel. I ultimately ventured home and ended up loosing contact with Boris, and felt very strongly that something had happened to him in conflict in Israel. It was not until I randomly searched for him on Facebook in October last year and to my surprise, there he was with a profile. I sent him a friend request, which was accepted immediately and a link to his skype account. Within 30 minutes here I after almost 20 years having a video call with someone whom I thought was not with us any more. So elated with this revelation that we immediately made plans to catch up when I was in the UK. Boris, is now part of a busy household of five...yes five children in Hull. And a successful businessman and property developer. It was very interesting to hear about the path he traveled over the past 20 years that led him to being in Yorkshire for now the past 15 or so years. His English and comprehension of life is better than most, and like most of my good mates, we quickly slipped into that comradeship that we had 20 years ago....it's like the years hadn't passed. Hat's off to Boris's lovely wife Anna, who has the helm and manages the frenetic nature of her kids lives with aplomb and always with a smile. It was just beautiful to be around, little Eva, Mia, Emily..the boxer Dylan and the future Basketball star Oliver. I had a bit of trouble with the Yorkshire accent, and I'm sure they had trouble with my Aussie accent and slang words that are thrown in as a natural part of our Antipodean lingo. To be honest I really noticed my Aussie accent in Yorkshire, funny how you don't notice it in your own country. haaa. I had the privilege of traveling with Boris and Family to York to visit that lovely city again and the National Rail Museum, the old town of Beverly and experience the country village of Cottingdom, which I was always mis pronouncing with my Aussie accent..haaa. I thoroughly enjoyed travelling through Hull with Boris has he worked and managed his properties and the many discussions we had on business, his ventures and my ventures. It was cold, wet and windy, and probably a very true Yorkshire experience, the Summers are not long here, so I do feel that what I experienced was a traditional local and family experience in this part of the world. Looking forward to seeing this family again when I return in August for a wedding :)

Europe part 4 Germany (The finale) - Odyssey 2014

The final week of my Odyssey into Germany can only be described as exceptional. I finally began to understand the transport network and understand the signs in German language enough to get myself around and not lost.

I also learnt that playing a strategy game with my German friend resulted in a lengthy discussion in global affairs, Blitzkreiging and why Ontario is the place where peace will finally come for my German Friend. haa haa haa.

I witnessed an emergency in Cologne where an old World War 2 allied bomb was found at a construction site and had what seemed every emergency personal person at the site that evening as we walked out of a movie theatre.

Its great to just have time to settle into a foreign place, go to their supermarkets, travel their transport systems and immerse one's self into the lifestyle of a normal Cologne person, as best one can in the short time. I gave it my best shot. The weather was very mild in this final week in Cologne and many trips up to the Main city were had and some great shots and visits to nooks and crannys made for some interesting insights into this gothic city.

I met with a Facebook friend from a group that discusses information that I am interested in, and it was great to meet you Oliver and I look forward to our ongoing friendship. I made a lightning trip down to Nuremberg in my final day hereto visit my former colleagues from Trade and Investment Queensland, Hiram and Verena who had moved to that city (Verena's Home).

It was so very nice to be able to see friends from home and to sit and discuss the ins and outs of the Queensland Government and mention all the changes that have gone on there since they had departed. It was a bit of a time and location warp to be in their apartment and discuss Brisbane issues. haaa We all went out to a traditional Bavarian food hall and I had a great meal, however didn't realise until the next day that Sauerkraut is best left for those experienced in eating it, I shall not mention the details. haa. A great night out walking in the freezing conditions amongst a gothic old city with a castle.

The next day my tour guide Hiram, was excellent in squeezing in a tour of the Kaiserberg Castle, the Main square of Nuremberg and the Documentation centre where the Nuremberg. This museum documents the rise and fall of the Nazi third Reich in such a way that all sides are informed and one just leaves with a huge sense of saddness for all who were effected by the greed and power hungry of a few. A message for modern times, not to repeat itself as it may be doing.

Germany is an intense place, I have been across to Berlin and back and down through Frankfurt into Bavaria and back and seen quite a lot of the countryside from the comfort of my coach seat (with Wifi access). Every turn and over a hillcrest saw another quaint village or castle that was amazing to my eyes. There was more snow in Nuremberg which was again such a novelty for this Brisbanite from the hot and humid part of this wonderful planet.

So today is again one of those bittersweet days that being a global traveller with global friends brings to ones life. All good things must come to an end and moving on is a constant in life. I will very much miss Manuel and his girlfriend Nora who have played exceptional hosts to this Aussie muppet on an Odyssey of a lifetime, and for taking me to Berlin. And thank you to Hiram and Verena for allowing me to stay in their home in Nuremberg and catch up with them in their new setting as they settle into their new life in Germany.

I have just taken a ride along the Rhine river and soaked in this beautiful mild day here in Cologne. Germany, until we meet again - Ciao :)