A few drinks, a quick meal and a final check of the packing, we make sure that we have passports, money and tickets and vouchers, and after all that stuffing around the sleep doesn’t come that easily. 

It’s a relief when the alarm goes off, breakfast, make the bed, shower, Mark turns up at 5.20 to transport us to the airport, in a pair of shorts that have seen better days, the car is spotless, funny that. At 5.30am, a time of the day I rarely see, the traffic is light, looks mostly like it’s taxis taking people to the airport. 

We’re not the first at the airport, Jane and Andrew are already lined up, just after we wander in the maxi taxi spews out the other 4 out and Sonya gives us our boarding passes and explains why they have to check our bags in, I don’t get it but Genelle does, something about her changing flights so I say nothing, figuring it would be nice to get to Hong Kong today and  still be alive.  Alison is bouncing, her eyes are sparkling and she’s pretty chirpy, looks to me like psuedoephidrine or too many red cordials. Perhaps she’s a bit excited and is just showing it, anyway same as before, I’ll just keep that too myself.

For once Genelle and I don’t see anybody we know at the airport. Perhaps I’m still half asleep, and don’t pay much attention ( doesn’t sound like me) but it is odd.

Sydney on time, gate 15 and the shuttle to the International terminal. All is going well. Andrew and Jane catch up with their son “Little Andrew” – he’s looking a bit more like “Big Andrew” these days , grown up, and he needs a few minutes with his parents so we head through the gates of no return for a free sample of scotch and a coffee. The few moments between parents and son is good news, Jane and Andrew find out they have a new grandchild on the way, another heir to the Williams throne.

Il Commando, or he who cannot be mentioned in social media has a bloody mary that costs more than my plane ticket to Sydney, just to wash his bacon and eggs down, the rest of us have a coffee. Easy to see he’s got a job, the Scot in him is repressed, for just a moment anyway.

Gate 35 for our flight is chock a block with people, Flight CX162 to Hong Kong is delayed about half an hour. All our names are called, and I think immediately this is either really f…..g good ( like an upgrade) or really f….g bad (like getting bumped), anyway it’s only just something about wanting to scan our passports, some officious Cathay Pacific woman gives us the head tilt and drops the glasses to the end of her nose, just like Genelle does when you know you’re in trouble and says something about if you check in on line you have to report to the desk at the gate 30 minutes before departure – I check the boarding pass but can’t see anything that instructs anything like that. Maybe we’re a bit weary but us blokes sit down and roll our eyes and have little whinge, the women cluster in the First Class entry area and talk about babies and I would assume really important stuff. 

As Cathay get themselves sorted the Economy passengers line up for about 50 metres, Il Gruppo ( that’s us ) are where I mentioned a few moments  ago, The passengers who pay the big money casually stroll through, you can see their eyes glancing around to see who looks at them so the bastards can gloat about their big seats, champagne glasses, the New York Times paper on their bench as us peasants struggle past heading to the cheap seats at the back of the plane. Hope they choke on their gourmet roast chicken or spill hot espresso into their lap and ruin their Gucci slacks. 

As we board we think we’re missing one of our group, Andrew is reading a book on his iPad oblivious that we did get a lucky break and short circuit the long line by boarding through the First/ Business Class entry – where the women were standing did have a bonus and we were invited to board through this entry, but some people in the long Economy line give us the hairy eyeball as we circumvent the long Economy  line. I’m a bit sheepish now after my earlier rant.

Planes are planes, the long haul flights are mostly the same, cramped space and crap food, a movie, some Italian lessons, a g & t to wash a bit of nice fettuccini down – sort of ok so First/Business must be pretty good.

The flight is long and boring, much as you’d expect, just a means to get somewhere a long way away, the food isn’t too bad, gin and tonic was strong, and after a long 10 hours we land in Hong Kong after sundown. We lose Andrew for a minute, a loo stop and a smoke I think, then we’re quickly through customs and immigration, no problems and get our bags. Jane thinks she’s got the right bags at least, and no local bloke with a meat cleaver chasing us so it must be ok. The transport doesn’t work out so Sonya organises a train into Kowloon, then a free shuttle to the hotel, that works a treat. The Park Hotel is great.

15 minutes is all the time we’re allowed for ablutions then it’s off to find food and drinks. The women find a great restaurant, near the water, the food is fabulous and we drink a few Tsing Toa beers, excellent choice. Some wander back to to the hotel but a few of us wander down town, then up Nathan Road and back to the hotel. A few drinks at the hotel Happy Hour, 2 for one, and then unpack and bed by 12.30. For us that’s 20 hours on the go. 

Despite nearly losing a few travellers and a few travellers nearly losing bags, that day has gone pretty well.

Tomorrow will be a bit more relaxing, shopping, shopping, site seeing and then another happy hour.

Ciao for Hong Kong

Pauolo

One day to go, there’s a bit to do at work, then there are the really important things to do like get a haircut, repack the bag and try and lighten the weight off a bit, and almost the last thing, a few beers on Friday night.

You might ask me, but I wouldn’t if I was you, why the haircut is important when I’m 62, not much hair and what I’ve got is grey or skin colour. Well, I take pride in my appearance, and even if I don’t tint my eyebrows like some of the other travelers, I do like the collar to match the cuffs. Even the hair that sprouts out my nose and ears in greater propensity than the top of my head is grey. Enough about haircuts, Il Commando and I keep the haircut bit pretty simple.

Speaking about Il Commando ( he who cannot be named or photographed on social media – HWCBNOPOSM for short), while having a coffee this morning he did mention something about lightening off his bag weight and thought he might leave the underpants at home and “freeball” – at least I think that’s what he said, Dave and I did express the view pretty firmly that he should “keep the jocks and throw the socks”  instead. If we notice him walking a little more oddly than normal up the cobblestones of our Tuscan hill town I fear Dave, Andrew and I will have to have a fireside chat with Il Commando over a few grappa’s in a seedy Italian bar and explain that the family jewels jiggling around in your bermuda shorts isn’t kosher in Italy.

Friday night beers is at the Church Street cafe this week, a little al fresco drinking before heading home for the final detailed sorting and the early start on Saturday morning

La sua vicina sanguinosa ora, non può aspettare finché non arriviamo il viaggio in corso.

Ciao for now

Pauolo

Well readers, Tre giorni per andare, or “Three days to Go”, its so close to getting on the plane and heading out on the adventure, I almost wetting myself thinking about it –  I hope the other traveler’s are as excited as I am – then again maybe not! Trickling straw coloured fluid at an aircraft waiting gate probably is a bit of a turn off for a lot of people.

A short comment on my blog style,it’s not really that entertaining in my opinion, its mainly inane sarcasm, untruths, slanderous remarks and drivel all written with no sense of responsibility by the writer. I do expect people to write comments and not to be too complimentary, especially the people I might  comment on – if they can identify who I’m writing about, they do have the right of reply.

I think the excitement comes about due to a number of things;

• The fruition of all the planning, seeing the it on the page and know that the day is nearly here when it all starts to happen
• Sharing part of the travel with friends or family is pretty special. We did that last year and it did feel good
• Going somewhere “old” that you know, and somewhere new that’s an adventure  and creates a little nervousness about the unknown

Genelle has had a trial pack, 10.5 kg, I’ve had a trial pack, 13kg, simply not good enough on my part, so tonight I’m revisiting the bag and removing a few things that are probably not required, I do happen to think her main reason for packing light is so she can fit more shopping in for the trip home. As I’ve commented on in previous blogs, she’s a world class shopper, as a matter of fact if shopping was an Olympic sport she would be  a medal contender every time. To be fair, and sometimes I’m not, she does spend a lot of time looking and not buying, but when she buys, its usually a good deal and she buys in bulk. 1 time in Bangkok she bought 7 pairs of shoes in one sitting, the poor sales girl’s head was spinning, she’d been negotiated down so hard that I think Genelle might have even felt a little guilty.

All social events are done, except for Friday night drinks, which is the last one for a while. Medications are mostly procured, money secured, passports checked, tickets sorted, haircuts booked or had, eyebrows tinted, bills paid and all thats left is to wake up on time Saturday morning to catch the plane.

Next blog will be from somewhere on the road, or in the sky.

Ciao from Dubbo

Pauolo

So, look, in Blog 1 I just had a crack at some nicknames or alias’s for fellow traveler’s and some of them weren’t happy. Fancy that!

I was after some suggestions, and they’ve started pouring in, well at least one has poured in. After a little mediation we’ve agreed the first change is for Dave  who is now the Duke  (of Dubbo) so he will be referred to from now on as “Il Duca“, no bowing, no curtsey’s, I’m sure there will be a few more to come as its only a few days after Blog 1.

Why is it that people are so passionate about having their correct name spoken or their name spelt correctly? What do you think “Two Dogs”?

We had a Friday evening planning session, with food and alcohol to stimulate the thinking. We talked a lot and probably didn’t decide much but the food was excellent and the company was great, well I reckon it needs to be anyway or otherwise the first part of the trip might have been a bit interesting. We are a little closer to leaving, only 4 weeks now, and only a few things left to sort out before we get on the plane – Desidero che eravamo lì.

While I think of the trip every night, and probably most days, there is a lot of other stuff going on at the moment. At my work we’re moving office, and currently I’m homeless (workwise anyway), trying to work from home while we have renovations going on at home, jackhammers chattering away, painters ladders and trestles clogging up hallways and spaces, dust settling on almost everything, the builders singing ( f….g dreadful singers they are) , the point of the comments you ask – it’s very hard to work at home!

The reno’s at home started out small and have ended up big, and it now feels like I’ll need to stay in a job until I’m 80 to pay for it and the travel stuff. I did think that down sizing was a good option but as the bathroom water proofing was stuffed we had to do some expensive work anyway and so staying where we are, at least for a while now seems to be what’s happening. Another distraction has been a major cull of clothes and shoes by Genelle and myself as well as finally digging deep and sorting out Tim’s room ( after 3 1/2 years) has been another job we’ve undertaken in the last few weeks – with a bit of help from some friends a major redistribution of shoes and clothes in the Southern Hemisphere. 

So with our house a mess, clothes in bags everywhere, finding some gear for travelling in a few weeks time is going to be interesting.

I’ll have to work up to travel blog topics and how I write about my fellow travellers, I’d actually like to keep them as friends so I’m thinking I might need to ease them into handling my sarcasm, character assassination, and the personal insults that may be directed their way and the lack of them coming my way. I could come home and end up having Friday night drinks and Saturday coffee’s by myself!

Something to think about, but bugger it, it hasn’t stopped me before.

Ciao for now,

Pauolo

Not that long ago we finally decided, after a year or two of procrastinating, we had finally made a decision. We had an excuse to do it this year. We also had an excuse to do it in a few years time, that is, somebody’s major birthday, but another person’s major birthday in 2017 was the catalyst to shorten the time lag, and to be honest some of us couldn’t wait that long. Life is too short to wait too long and give yourself the chance to find an excuse to pull out and not do the important things in life, the things you dream about, things you think you can’t afford (as opposed to the things you know you actually can’t afford). What you can’t afford to do is wait, if you want to do something, and it’s important then you find the the time, and whatever else it needs, you don’t know what’s around the corner, so bloody well get on and do it!

Oh, you’re probably wondering what it is we’re going to do, at least I’m guessing that might be the case?

Well, it’s another trip, to a place some of us have been to before, at different times, a place we loved staying in, and the group of 8 intrepid travellers have decided 1 week here won’t do us any harm. The destination – a Tuscan hill town south of Florence called Cortona. The travellers are Paul and Genelle (Genelle’s 60th birthday is the excuse), John and Sonya (Sonya has a big one coming up but it’s a few years away), Jane and Andrew, and Dave and Alison – the group is to be known as either Otto Australiani Viaggiatori in Italia (Eight Australian Travellers in Italy), or I thought something shorter and easier like Il Gruppo ( The Group). I like “Il Gruppo” so that’s what it is, for me at least, and that’s at least for Hong Kong, Cortona and Venezia.

Now me being a “detail man”, I’ve done up a spreadsheet and estimated, pretty closely I reckon,  the amount of food, alcohol and coffee we’ve consumed planning this trip. And without giving the detail and boring you stupid, its a f…..g lot, of all categories.

The plan;

30th September 2017 – Dubbo to Sydney then Sydney to Hong Kong. 2 days in Hong Kong

Hong Kong to Milan then train from Milan to Florence and on to Cortona – a Tuscan hill top town for a week

Most of us then go to Venice, Dave and Al go to Croatia. After Venice we all go our own ways, John and Sonya to the Italian lakes, Jane and Andrew to Amsterdam and Rhodes (Greece), and Genelle and I to Berlin, Prague, Vienna and Rome.

7 weeks to go – bloody well hurry up!!!!!

“Il Gruppo” consists of  ( be vewy careful Paolo);

Andrew – alias “Big Andrew” known associate of Jimmy the Greek ( can I say that?) or “Grande Andrew” In Italian. Plan B could “The Number Cruncher” which is “Il Numero Cruncher”

Jane – alias “Sister J”  =  in Italian “Sorella J” ( as in nurse ) have to do better than that but it needs time and other input

John – alias “Commando” = “Commando” in Italian, thats origianl isn’t it! No explanation needed

Sonya – alias “Agent S”  or “Agente S” No explanation needed

Alison – alias “The Queen”  Italian is “La Regine”. As in the bowel queen

Dave – alias “Green Man” = “Uomo Verde”   which sounds like some sort of food

Genelle – alias “The Shopper”, only needs 1 letter, no time for any more. In Italian it translates as “Il Negozio”. That sounds Godfatherish – which is sort of appropriate, but reality is she negotiates with nobody, she wins they lose every time!

Paul – alias “55” as in Five five , not fifty five (a significant year). In Italian this is “Cinque Cinque“, sort of has a rhythmic ring to it don’t you think?

Look, I know it’s not that imaginative, but it’s the best I can do, ok.

For future reference and to make sure that you don’t allow kiddies to read this blog as “Il Gruppo” travel , there will be swear words used, there will be blasphemy, there will be reference to bodily functions that aren’t easy to listen to, there will be condescending remarks about fellow travellers (they have a right of response), and there may well be comments about people that some might see as inappropriate ie if somebody does something that classifies them as a ‘f…wit”, then I’ll say it. And I never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

Ciao for now

Paolo