Ev's Journey

Saturday, 20 August 2005

Location: Ouyen, Australia

The night before the wedding we went back to a little Italian restaurant in Leuven where they serve some of the best Italian food outside of Italy! Dad got talking to the owner (who is also the chef/barman/waiter and dishwasher!) and told him how we were all in town for Renee's wedding. Well! He braught out his treasured home brewed after dinner lemon ouzo that his brother in Italy had made him. He gave us a bottle as his contribution to the wedding!

We could not resist and sampled a couple each that lead to a few more... Anyway we ended up having a great night with a little bit left to bring back to oz for that special occasion!


Renee's wedding went perfectly at a massive church that is part of the university where she works and studies at.

The ceremony was beautiful and it gave the rest of our family the opportunity to meet our new inlaws and both friends of Renee's and my parents who live in Europe now. Many of Renee and Jo's friends from Leuven came as well and we all had the chance to catch up for a few Guinnesses at the Irish pub where the reception was held. It was fantastic to have so much family at the wedding considering where it all happened.

The next day Shawn, Chris, Brian and I travelled down to Spain for a quick look about. We ended up hiring a car in Madrid and cruising down the freeway to the coast at Valencia where we chilled out for 3 days. I thaught the English drove fast! These guys have a 120km/h speed limit on the freeways but rarely do less than 140!

At one stage I thaught I was in trouble with two police with sirens and lights on behind me. But I was just going too slow at 130! Anyway the hire car got back without a scratch and we ended up touring the nightlife of Madrid the last night while the U2 concert was on (sold out for months unfortunately). With me getting no sleep til I got on the plane to Vienna!

That nearly cost me a couple of extra days as I fell asleep at the airline boarding gate in Vienna waking up as I heard "FINAL CALL for flight # to Singapore'! Anyway thank god I made it back in Aus safely after the big trip. Am settling into work and all the rest pretty well.

Thanks to everyone for the great messages, keep them coming as I'll be checking this site for a fair while yet.

All the best and happy travels if you are still on the road

Ev

Friday, 05 August 2005

Location: Leuven, Belgium

Well the cruise on the Greek islands ended in one of the nicest places I have ever been, the volcanic island of Santorini. This place is a volcanic island with almost any hue of volcanic rock (pumice) colour with the rich blue Agean sea lapping its beaches. They grow wine grapes without trellises on the ground to protect the produce and make the most of the humidity that is stored in the soil overnight as they only get 11inches of rain per year.

The pictures will show you what I mean about its beauty although they hardly do it justice. Anyway another spot to return to at a later date!

I flew via Munich Germany to Brussels on Sunday from Athens (where it was 40°!). There was a 3 hour lay over in Munich so I jumped on a bus and saw the little uni town of Freising for a couple of hours making it back to the Munich airport as the flight was boarding!

Renee and her fiance Jo picked me up from the airport so saved abit of train chaos as the language and signs are a little confusing. Anyway we finished the night with a few Belgian (elephant) beers finishing up some time early the next morning!

The last few days we have been to our uncle Richmond's grave at the Ardennes US military cemetary near Liege. Uncle Richmond was shot down with his co-pilot during WW2 over France during a voluntary mission. My Grandmother (Richmond's sister) and 13 other family and friends came along too. It was very moving. There are 5000 US soldiers buried at that particular cemetary from WW2.

After that 4 of us visited Henri a Belgian farmer who has about 300 hectares of crops (a large farm for this area). My parents met Henri last time just diving around and our families are now close friends. His crops are only yielding 7 tonnes/ha wheat dryland! Average yields are 8-9 tonnes and they are just starting harvest this week.

We had the civil wedding ceremony for Renee and Jo this afternoon at the beautiful town hall in Leuven. The church ceremony is tomorrow at midday. Its great to have my grandmother and the John Fenn's (Mum's Brother's) family all here along with Katherine from Australia and all our immediate family for the big day.

Sunday I fly to Madrid before returning to Melbourne on Saturday the 13th in the afternoon. Hope all is well!

Evan

Saturday, 30 July 2005

Location: Patmos Island, Greece

Hi Guys,

Well I am on the cruise ship sailing about the Greek islands and we stopped at Kusadasi in Turkey this morning for a quick look and I bought some fresh prawns. Also went to a Turkish bath where they massage and wash you down (like a cross between seeing a chiropractor and going to a beauty therapy clinic! Anyway it was an experience but felt like a million dollars after. The port at Kusadasi was very quiet after the bombing, hardly anyone there.

Mykonos was great! We saw all the sites and got some great photos of all the little blue and white houses. They really know how to party there and things only start to kick off about 2am til daylight. It was really windy the last couple of days so it was nice to just chill out and catch up on some sleep. Have met some awesome people from around the world to catch up with the next few weeks and next trip when that is.

We go to Crete and Santorini tomorrow then I fly from Athens Monday afternoon to Belgium.

Hope all's well.

Evan

Wednesday, 27 July 2005

Location: Mykonos island, Greece

hey everyone, am finally on Mykonos! we took a 5 hour ferry last night to get here but was well worth it.

In Athens we saw the Parthenon, Zeus´s temple and the olympic stadium plus sampled some ouzo. nice! had baggage dramas but got it sorted between London and Athens.

The time with Reesy in Wales and the London was great too. The poms drive so quick on the fr4eeways here (160 on the highways) like the autobarn i guess. Reesy and i had a great time landing on our feet whatever we did with golf or pubbing in sheffield. In wales we rocked up to a random town to play golf and there was the biggest festival of the year. The royal welsh show! was a great night out! The highlight in England was playing a game of cricket with Mick on English soil. It was fantastic

LOndon was great catching up with Gus Ando and Jenni the South African I met on tour in Ireland.

They showed me London in style including shakespear at the globe theatre. Has been one of the best days on tour! Riverdance in Dublin was fantastic in the middle 3 rows from the front. Got some good sights in around there too and the weather was glorious.

bumped into cuppa, maroulis and Joey de das in London randomly! They are all doing well. Its a bit different riding the tubes after the 'security scares' the last month but everyone there is just dealing with it.

Had better go am off to a cruise to Paradise beach on the other side of the island this arvo with 50 other contiki´s. Am here til Friday when we join the next cruise ship.

Hope everything#s rocking along well for you all. drop me a message if you get the urge! Be great to hear from you all

Ev

Wednesday, 13 July 2005

Location: Tucson, USA

Just loaded a few photos today of whats been happenin in Tucson before I head to Ireland tomorrow morning.

We just got back from Puerto Penasco (or Rocky Point) in Mexico where 6 of us went down over night. Its right on the ocean and we stayed at a flash resort sampling the town's entertainment and delicious food. We all got sunburnt while swimming in the warm ocean. I love Mexico, it was really great this time because all my cousins are bilingual so the language wasn't a worry and we fit right in.

We didnt fit the sky diving in but Mexico was well worth it. Also I've extended my tour to take in Spain for 4 days after the wedding so I won't be back in OZ til August 13th! My cousins are going to travel with me in Spain from the 7th til the 12th.

Monday, 11 July 2005

Location: Tucson, Arizona, USA

Well since arriving in Tucson I've been busy catching up with more cousins and meeting their mates, eating lots of Mexican food and staying up late! I only just got off the plane and I was in the saddle riding Dodger the champion barrel racing stallion around the desert through cactus and boulders with some of my cousin's friends.

My cousin's decided it would be funny to show me how strong they were so they took me to their gym and I couldn't move for two days afterwards I was so sore from the weights. So we decided to play a round of golf at the "Tucson National" to get the sore muscles going again. Its a swish members only golf course where one of the guys works so we got on free! Have also cought a few movies that have just come out here, the fantastic 4, the longest yard and Hitch. All pretty good.

Also met up with my Grandma I havn't seen for nearly 3 years so that was great and have been having meals with all the relatives catching up on old times.

Also bought some snake skin cowboy boots to wear at Renee's wedding next month, they are really nice. This boot shop had all kinds made from elephant, stingray, elk and even Kangaroo hide boots.

Next we went to my cousins friends birthday party where I met some Irish girls who are heading back to Dublin the same time I get there so we are gonna try and catch up. I've booked a 4wheel driving tour round the ring of kerry in Ireland for the 4 days there b4 seeing riverdance in Dublin. Then off to England.

We are going to try and head down to the beach in Mexico the next few days if we can before I fly on Thursday.

I'll load some new photos so keep a look out

Wednesday, 06 July 2005

Location: Tucson, Arizona, USA

Well its been nearly a week since I flew out so probably time to give you all an update. I had a great time in California with my Uncle and his family and my family from Australia too who are over here too.

We met alot of their friends and did some tourig around the Cochella and Imperial Valleys where its all irrigated farming. It was very hot so we spent alot of time inside or swimming when we weren't having a look about.

My Aunt and Uncle threw a big party for us on 4th July so was great fun to have a few beers and catch up. The photos of their house and the rock we climbed up will give you a bit of an idea of the area. It is very affluent with most residents just coming here for a part of the year as a holiday destination. Lots of expensive cars, houses and the rest!

I just flew into Tucson Arizona yesterday where my Grandma (Abwella is Spanish for granmother) as she likes to be called) lives as well as 2 uncles and their families and one Aunt. I just got off the plane and we went horseback riding through the desert with one of my cousin's friends and then back to their place for a bbq with their mates to "welcome the Aussie". I'll put these photos on as soon as I get them developed.

Am having a ball catching up with the cousins who are all grown up now and the hot weather is great.

Wednesday, 22 June 2005

Location: Ouyen, Australia

Hi Everyone,

Just thaught I would throw my rough itinerary on this in case there might be a chace of bumping into anyone on my travels. I head off with the family from Melbourne on Thursday the 30th to California where I'll be til the 5th July when I fly to Tucson Arizona. I arrive in Dublin on July 15th then England on the 19th July, then fly to Athens on July 25th. From Athens I'll join an 8 day contiki round the Greek Islands before flying up to Belgium on August 1st for my sister Renee's wedding on August 7th.

In Summary
June 30-July5th California USA
July 5th-July14th Tucson Arizon USA
July15th-19th Ireland
July 19th-25th Scotland and England
July 25th-Aug1st Athens and Greek Islands
August1st-8th Belgium
Home

Drop me amessage on this site if you're gonna be around the same area and it would be great to catch up. Otherwise I'll keep you up to date with the travels as I go.

Evan