Country 14 - Italy

28th Oct - 3rd November 2018

Well it finally came time to leave our beach oasis and head west to a country very close to my heart. We had a 4am flight out of Cyprus so with our 2am pick up and a 3 hour transit in Athens, we arrived in Milan late morning to rain, cold and fog. A bit of a shock to the system. Having not packed a rain jacket from home, our 35 Euro jackets from Ireland were getting a work out. We took the train from the airport while trying not to fall alseep and found our hotel which was conveniently located across the road from Milan's central station. This station was just gorgeous. One of the best I've seen in Europe so far. With a few photos and marveling like the tourists we are we headed across the road and checked into our hotel.

We had 6 days in Milan and had planned on day trips up to the Lake District and over to Venice. Sadly both got canceled. When we checked the news and saw that Venice was flooded and literally under water we were kinda glad. So we decided to just stay in the city and explore all that Milan has to offer. Unfortunately the weather got worse so a couple of days were spent in doors away from the rain & storms. Venturing around our area seemed to transport us back in time. As we walked down the cobble stone streets, passing the shops with prosciutto hanging in the windows, 100 year old tram carriages would go past us. The doom and gloom of the weather could not take away the feeling of simply being there and seeing this beautiful city.

We took a bus around the city and stopped of at some interesting places. The most intriguing being the Duomo di Milano. The 2nd largest cathedral in Italy, after St Peters Cathedral in the Vatican, stands tall in the centre of Milan and draws your eye from every direction. The sheer size of this structure is breathe taking and it's no wonder it took over 6 centuries to complete. Sadly the entry line was hours long and the ticket line for the express passes was even longer. It didn't matter because we just spent time in the square and soaked up all her beauty.



Our next stop was the Castello di Milano. A 15th century castle built by the Duke of Milan is located on an impressive ground complete with massive fountains and a mote. Having been rebuilt in the 1800 it is now home to 5 museums and about 15,000 pigeons. We passed armed police at the entry, marveled at the architecture and paintings located at the entrance of the grounds. As we walked around we saw statue after statue impeccably looked after before exiting to the back gardens.





We wondered through the grounds and as we neared the end we came across the Porta Sempione. Originally a Roman wall guarding the city, when Napoleon controlled Milan he built the Arco della Pace (the Arch of Peach) on the main road through the Alps between Milan and Paris, which is still used today. During our time in Milan we took advantage of the local restaurants and got our fill of authentic pizza and pasta while we could! Honestly one of the best, if not the best, cuisines in the world.




All too soon it came time to leave. We headed back to the rail station and boarded a train to Genoa, on Italy's west coast. The 1.5hr journey was unsurprisingly breathe taking as we got to see the Italian countryside for the first time. We railed through the mountainside and small towns as we made our way to the Mediterranean where the sun was finally waiting for us. It was here we saw our next adventure lined up at the port - the MSC Opera who was docked and ready for us to board her to take us to Cuba! 

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Travelers tip - Milan is a great base for seeing parts of northern Italy. Try and stay near a central rail station so moving around is easy.

 Travelers tip - Duomo di Milano is very busy so either get there early and be prepared to wait in line for hours or prebook a fast track pass if possible. Keep in mind the fast track line was just as long, if not longer, than the normal line so either way you're up for a couple of hours of waiting time during peak.

Country 13 - Cyprus

21st - 28th October 2018

After two back to back guided tours we were ready for some R&R. It's funny how day in day out scheduled meals, activities and sleep for almost 3 weeks grinds on you. All we wanted was a sleep in and a change of menu. We were off to beautiful Cyprus for nothing but sun, beach and all the alcohol you could want at our all inclusive resort. I'd traveled to Cyprus about 7 years ago with a friend of mine I'd met while living in Vanuatu. Funnily enough my facebook memories of that trip kept popping up while we were there.

Our last morning in Jordan was the best start to the next 7 days. Relaxed & slow paced. After a leisurely breakfast we packed out bags once again, finding it amazing they sill closed after buying more Xmas presents, and met out driver to make the 1 hour journey back to Amman. On arrival we were met with a tour representative who ushered us inside and stayed with us through check in until we reached passport control where he bid us farewell.

We booked a flight with Middle Eastern Airlines via Beirut for the trip to Larnaca. Having never flown with this airline we weren't sure how they would compare to other airlines we'd experienced. Well all I can say it was one of the best experiences we've ever had. This airline has the nicest, most comfortable economy class. For two people with heights 6" & 6"3 the ample, and I mean inches of space we had along with the full service that came along with it was a pleasure. We had a stopover in Beirut and lucky for us we we had a day time flight because the approach in was breathtaking. The city is built right to the edge of the Mediterranean with the contrast of colors a sight to see. Beirut airport on the other hand was an absolute hole in comparison. Lucky for us we only had 3 hours to waste and then we were back on board for our hour long flight to Cyprus.

For the first couple of days we took advantage of the day spa, the private beach access, sun lounges and of course the pool bar. When I left Adelaide I was in need of a fake tan. Happy to say the last couple of weeks I've developed some nice color. Time at the beach only improved this for me. The resort had nightly entertainment and all the baklava Caleb could eat and trust me the dessert bar was visited each night. By day 4 we decided to hire a car and explore the island.




Our first stop was the city of Nicosia. One of the very few 'split' capitals left in the world (Jerusalem being another) it is the capital of both Cyprus and Northern Cyprus, the territory occupied by Turkey since 1974 and only recognised as an independent state by them. When driving on the highway into the capital we were surrounded by mountain ranges. As we approached Nicosia we saw a very large visible Northern Cyprus flag painted on the northern side of No Mans Land. As divided as this city is, one can only imagine how well this statement is received by the Cypriots.

We headed west then and our first stop was the Kourion Archeological Park. A Roman City dating back to 400 AD, the city is very well preserved and offers some incredible views of the Med. Aphrodite's Rock was our next stop as we traveled up the coast. In legend this is the mythical birthplace of the Greek goddess Aphrodite. No less crazy then half the places we visited in Israel, at least everyone agrees on this location. Our travels wouldn't be complete without a brewery stop and Caleb found 1 of only 2 craft breweries on the island so of course we had to visit. The appropriately named Aphrodite's Rock Brewery was run by a British family and from what we could tell most of this customers were British as well. Good food & a paddle for Caleb later we headed made our way back to the resort.

One of the things I miss from being at home with a routine is things like hair dresser appointments. I am counting the days until we get to the US where I will be finding myself a salon. Caleb on the other hand has it so much easier. We bought a clippers pack before we left and due to the heat we've had the past month his over grown hair was getting too hot for him. So as easy as 1, 2, 3 I shaved it off and he's good to go for another 2 - 3 months. With the new cut his resemblance to Nick Offerman is quite scary.




All too soon our week was over and it was time once more to pack our bags and head back to the airport. I highly recommend Cyprus as a holiday destination. It's very popular with the Russian market and of course the Europeans. We got surprised looks when we told people we were from Australia - guessing because of the 24 hours it would take us to get there they don't see many of us often. We've got places like St Maarten & Antiga and Barbuda on the itinerary and assuming we are going to get the same surprised looks.

All in all we got exactly what we needed from Cyprus and as it is the end of the European summer the resort isn't jammed packed with people so finding a beach lounger or lines at the bar where easy and fast. Best time to travel!

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Country 12 - Jordan

16th - 21st Oct 2018

With a 7am start we passed through the Jerusalem check point one last time as we headed back towards to the Dead Sea to cross over to Jordan via the Allenby Bridge. While swimming at the Dead Sea a few days before you can very clearly see the mountain ranges that belong to Jordan. Now we were headed in that direction. Nothing is ever easy especially in a country as divided as Israel. We paid our departure tax and cleared Israeli customs then boarded our Jordanian bus. As we crossed over our passports were collected by our guide who disappeared inside to get us cleared for entry. A little while later, tourist visa sorted, we were officially in.


As we were 2 hours behind schedule at this stage we went straight to our first stop of the day which was possibly the most pristine Roman City in the world. Dating back 1900 years, these ruins in Jarash are still mostly intact and give you a great sense of how the Romans lived all those years ago. The architecture and forward thinking ways of building such things as underground sewage systems never cease to amaze me.







We then traveled to the capital of Amman and visited the Citadel that is perched atop a mountain offering 360 degree views of the city. The citadel is home to the temple of Hercules with part of his statue, a hand, laying at the base of the temple. The remains of the Islamic Palace are also located here. Even from our vantage point we could see ruins scattered throughout the city where time has been forgotten and buildings of modern life have popped up around them.




Our next adventure on our list was Wadi Rum. An absolute incredible place where the Bedouins still live amongst the rocky outcrops. Wadi Rum is about as a spartan a landscape that we've ever seen. After arriving in our air conditioned coach, we were treated with a local feast of lamb, chicken and vegetables cooked in their underground overs as well as a plethora of salads. It is here we prepare ourselves for what's next by doning our Keffiyeh, a traditional Middle Eastern headdress, and get on board our 4WD. We spend the next 2.5 hours being driven through the desert on the back of the ute using our Keffiveh to keep the sand out of our eyes and mouth. We stop along the way to take in the breathe taking views and for some it was an opportunity to ride a camel. Fun fact - apparently The Rock was filming a movie in the area. We didn't see him but we did see what looked like part of a set and the locals were all very excited about it.

The following day was one of the main reasons we came to Jordan. We were going to Petra! Over 2500 years old, Petra is much more than just the Treasury building so often seen in travel guides and which was made famous by Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade movie. As we walked through the canyon in order to reach this hidden city, we saw man-made caves littered throughout some that served as tombs. The old town itself is 7km down the road with Roman, Byzantine and Bedouin ruins all the way along. The locals still live in the caves of their ancestors. The crowds were massive and the whole 14km round trip is crawling with hawkers trying to sell you something. The entrance fee is approx $100 AUD but worth every penny as we crossed off our list the first of the 7 Wonders of the World.

We were back on the road again and off to visit Karak Castle, a crusader castle owned by Reynald de Chattillon. He was an evil man who attacked innocent Arab caravans and tortured the survivors. He was executed by Saladin himself before the crusaders lost Jerusalem to the Saracens. Heading towards the Dead Sea we saw Wadi Mujid, one of the few visible rivers that still feeds into the Dead Sea. The Jordanians have created a dam and underground pipe system for the water to reach the Sea from the valley so it doesn't carry the ridiculous amount of rubbish that is found at the dam in the river to keep the Sea pure. Our final stop of the day was maybe the official site where John the Baptist baptised Jesus. Like many religious sites in Israel it is unclear if this was the actual site.

On our final day in Jordan we took a ride up to Mount Nebo, the possible resting place of Moses. On a clear day you can see Jerusalem from the lookout. Our last stop was the city of Madaba, home of Mosaic art. There is a church here with a mosaic map of the holy land from 1500 years ago. Of course the church is only 135 years old and rebuilt on the same spot housing what's left of the map inside. Again it is amazing to see the knowledge and smarts of the people back then to know what the holy land looked like in order to make the map without the use of modern technology.



After lunch we headed back to our gorgeous cliff side hotel for an afternoon of well deserved rest. We ventured down to the shores of the Dead Sea and had one last float around while Caleb took advantage of the mud bath. On the Israeli side the 'beach' was black sand and mud. On the Jordanian side it was very rocky with pebbles of all sizes colored bright red along the shore possibly from rust caused by the high salt content. Either way experiencing this rapidly declining Sea from both countries was loads of fun. I just hope it is still there in the decades to come as more and more rivers that feed the Sea sadly dry up.

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Travelers Tip - A visa is required for entry into Jordan. As we were traveling as part of a tour group this was automatically done for us but if traveling independently please check your requirements.

Travelers Tip - Highly recommend an overnight stay in Wadi Rum. We only got to experience about 4 hours out here and it's on our return list to at least stay 1 night next time round.