More Photos

Exploring Paris on the Velibs(bikes). Once the system was worked out a great way to get around this lovely city and very safe and user friendly. All for only $10 kiwi each per day

The romantic Seine River

Enjoying a lovely French dinner with Aveen, Pascal and Ciaran

Pommyneighbours

Les paid 36NZ$ for this beer

Bastille Day - 14 July

The bike ride from Aime to Bourge and the cold drink at Bourge

After a fantastic time in the French Alps staying with Aveen, Pascal and Ciaran - thanks a million for a great week, fab food and wonderful homemade bread- we headed for Paris on the trains arriving at Paris Lyon station to the hustle and bustle that is Paris. Managed the Metro to get to our hotel right in the middle of the old Latin Quarters of Paris cluttered with restaurants and bars around the narrow street. Found we were only a short walk or bike ride from most of the attractions such as Notra Dame, Eiffel Tower Louve and the Arc Triumpe. The velibs system once mastered was a great way to get around. The cars tended to giveway and we never felt in danger. Spent a few nights doing the romantic walks along the river Seine, picnicked on the walk bridge overlooking the Eiffel Tower and the Seine. We walked for km's. Actually stayed in the hotel used by the three muskiteers in their day. It had real character and certainly has been there for several centuries.

After three days it was time to move on back to the peace and quiet of the countryside. Picked up our rental car from the Paris Lyon train station and headed for the northwest to the Normandy/Brittany area, being the home of beautiful estates and chateaus, lovely homestays and B and Bs. We are staying in a lovely pension just out of Alencol in the countryside. We are treated to all the finer things of life and it feels like stepping back 100 years or more. The breakfasts are out of this world.

Who ever said the French are not nice people. Only cannot speak more highly of them. Yesterday we were fulling the rental car with gas. The system was automated and required my credit card for payment but the machine would not accept it. The guy in the other bay saw our problem and offered to use his card and we reimbursed him in cash. Also yesterday I went walking in a native bush reserve and got lost. I asked this family having dinner in their home for directions in my best French but could not understand their directions so their young daughter and son showed me the way, some kms from where I was. As a non speaking French, the French are great.

Plan to head to Britainy tomorrow to stay with friends before heading to Lyon and me to Slovenia and Kay back to NZ

Europe Adventures update

Mt Blanc
Treking on the slopes around Mt Blanc

Refuge Mt Blanc

Across the valley fron Aime Bourge





Fantastic hosts Aveena and Pascal and Granny Kay

Spaghetti Eis with Tommy and Fritzi

Enjoying mexican in Augsburg Germany




Seu Opening ceremony

Mint accom. No it is not Spanish ruins but upmarket luxury apartments




Seu markets Kay in her element

Well time is flying by. I have now been travelling for almost 5 weeks and have driven from Munchen to northern Italy to the French Alps to La Seu de Urgell in Spain back to Augsburg in Germany for the 3rd world cup and are now back in the French Alps until Saturday when we head for Paris for a couple of days followed by Brittany in the north west of France. Then back to Lyon and I am off to Slovenia via Venice and Kay heads back to NZ for about 6 weeks before returning to Slovenia for the Worlds.

The two world cups have not been good for Mike as he damaged his back extreme paddling in Italy. The human back is not made to drop over ten metre waterfalls. He did not paddle in Augsberg as we spent a few hours at Augsburg hospital getting x rays and mri scans. All looks good but he required two weeks of no paddling. It was tough for him but he spent the time doing a film clip of the Augsburg kayak event.Fantastic result for Luuka getting through to the Semis in both Seu and Augsburg. Especially Augsburg where she was the 14th fastest qualifier.

Yesterday did a trip to Mt Blanc. Went up the cable car and spent 4 hours tramping around and walked back to Chamonix. Fab scenery a bit like NZ only bigger.

We were in Augsburg Germany for the German Argentine soccer match which Germany won 4 zip. Went to the town square to watch on a big screen with a few beers. The German went off with the result throwing and spraying beer everywhere. They will have come back to earth with them losing to Spain last night.

Bourge St Maurice

Spent the last two days staying with Ciarans parents who have looked after us so well. We were all so tired when we arrived and are now feeling so much better. Comfortable beds, fabulous meals and lovely company. Went with a drive with Ciaron yesterday to Val'd'sere about an hours drive away. A ritzy high class ski resort town. For a cool 2.5 million euros you to could own a 3 bedroom apartment only metres from the ski lifts. Drove further up the pass to the snow line to see the large cliffs of snow.

In afternoon went for a drive up the other side of the valley to the start of a 6 hour day tramp. Came across a herd of cows with the cowbells on. About 100 cows making a chorus of noise from the bells. Certainly would not want to be in a house next to the cow paddock. Today went to the slalom site to watch the guys train. They are looking pretty good in their boats and roll on Seu Spain .
Leave for Spain tomorrow. About a 7 hour drive.

More Photos of the time in Northern Italy

Europe tour starts

Camping grounds in the mountains above Ivrea Brent with a frypan fill of Italian pasta

Ivrea slalom course

Well I have now been in Europe and have travelled from Munich to Augsberg, back to Munich and on to Avrea in northern Italy with Mike Brent and Johann. The trip over was long and tiring but managed the train trip to Augsbergwithout mishap and was happy to get to the BLZ and meet up with Brent. I am happy to let the boys drive as driving in left hand drive cars gets a bit of getting used to especially with the narrow streets in Italy the fast drivers and crash barriers.

The car is a little small due to the gear we have to travel with. Avrea is the site for the Extreme Mountain Games and as far as the kayaking is concerned it is certainly extreme. Racing down 12 metre waterfalls deadly rapids with leaps of drops and rocks. Certainly not for the weak hearted. Stayed two nights up the mountain camping. Ate in little Italian restuarants and struggled a little to get the order across. At one time we ordered three pastas only to have three fry pans fill of pasta. Delicious but enough to feed about 12 people when we were only three. Did manage to get a doggy bag and did not have to buy food for the following couple of days.

Moved for the next couple of days into Avrea for the slalom sprint and boatercross. Avrea is a lovely historic city with an amazing river running through the middle of it with part being converted into an slalom rather narly slalom course. The mountain games included kayaking bouldering rock climbing biking and running and created a very festive weekend.

Left Avrea after prizegiving and headed north through the mountains into France to Bourge St Maurice and are staying with friends ( Cierons parents ). It was like an oasis arriving here after four nights camping and all the travelling. Cierons parents are lovely and fantastic hosts. Thanks very much for everything. This morning went for a two hour bike ride across the mountain roads with absolutely amazing scenery with views across the valley to the snow capped ski mountainswith all the small french villages spread across the valley. Looking forward to many more bike rides. I have been give many other rides and day walks for the next couple of days and when Kay gets here. Great to have R & R today and recharge the batteries so I can attempt to keep up with the younger generation. They have so much energy.

2010 Travels to Europe

The last night before Les flies out to Europe for five months Roll on Sunday am

Check this out

Can you believe this 23 years since Tauranga had hail like this

The MANS the MAN-Rainbowrage SI

65 kms uphill in the sunshine and 40 kms downhill into gale force southerlies with heavy rain and COLD!!!!! 8.5 hours riding with 660 other riders from St Arnaud to Hamner Springs 106 km in all. Arriving in Hamner with uncontrolled shivering, sore aching muscles and dripping like a drowned cat. Fantastic fun, great sense of achievement, short memory of pain and cold, great memory of fellow competitors well done Pete and Rob we will be back for the views in the sun 2010.

Mike and Marjolijn NZ

Special times with wonderful friends

Awesome times Xmas Dec 08

We were so fortunate to have the whole family together at Xmas 25 years in a row so very special having all our adult kids home. three weeks of catching up, chilling out and sharing precious times.