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1 minute ago, Thatguy said:

Italy from north to south with Mrs Thatguy then finishing in Rome with 10 days in the middle driving in Sicily with the daughter and the son and the son's wife. 

We had a great time of course but totally over fucking churches despite their physical beauty. The Catholic Church is a profoundly strange institution but I should think most of us here knew that.

I listened to music really only on the flights to and from - with waiting around times it was a 36 hour or so process to get to Italy and the same to get back - and on the excellent trains because I wanted to interact with Mrs Thatguy. The daughter made me listen to pop music when I was driving with her, oh dear.

I love medieval and Renaissance art so I'll be pretty much stuck visiting churches if I ever manage to get to Europe. I think the absolute blinding weirdness is part of the appeal. The original Surrealism.

Trip sounds amazing BTW, and glad to see you back around.

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1 hour ago, Thatguy said:

Italy from north to south with Mrs Thatguy then finishing in Rome with 10 days in the middle driving in Sicily with the daughter and the son and the son's wife. 

We had a great time of course but totally over fucking churches despite their physical beauty. The Catholic Church is a profoundly strange institution but I should think most of us here knew that.

I listened to music really only on the flights to and from - with waiting around times it was a 36 hour or so process to get to Italy and the same to get back - and on the excellent trains because I wanted to interact with Mrs Thatguy. The daughter made me listen to pop music when I was driving with her, oh dear.

I have come back to a luxuriant and totally overgrown garden but it's rainy again so I can't do anything about it yet. Flying in everything was so green around Canberra. Not what we expect at all.

Long trip, I was starting to wonder when you'd be back, you were gone like 5 weeks. Must have cost a fortune, I hope it was worth it. Just Italy, no side trips anywhere else? France? Switzerland, Austria? Slovenia? Can you speak Italian now? Andiamo. Molto grazie.

I could never spend that long with my hypothetical non-metal normie family just weeks on end on the road without being able to listen to any music. I'd have to stay up late with headphones after they all went to bed or else I'd start getting antsy. And then when they hit me with the pop music in the car I'd be quietly imagining ways to kill them. Maybe run the car off the road and let it tumble over the cliff. Or maybe they'd all jump out at the last second and just send me plunging over the edge to my certain demise. I'll have to make a note to get some life insurance before I go to Europe.

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4 hours ago, FatherAlabaster said:

think the absolute blinding weirdness is part of the appeal. The original Surrealism.

 

That's the only way to look at it in the end. 

 

2 hours ago, GoatmasterGeneral said:

Long trip, I was starting to wonder when you'd be back, you were gone like 5 weeks. Must have cost a fortune, I hope it was worth it. Just Italy, no side trips anywhere else? France? Switzerland, Austria? Slovenia? Can you speak Italian now? Andiamo. Molto grazie.

Just Italy. And you bet it cost a motza but you can't take it with you. I can read  - and in theory speak - a bit of Spanish and I didn't want to mix my limited Spanish up by attempting Italian.

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On 11/13/2022 at 7:49 AM, Thatguy said:

Italy from north to south with Mrs Thatguy then finishing in Rome with 10 days in the middle driving in Sicily with the daughter and the son and the son's wife. 

We had a great time of course but totally over fucking churches despite their physical beauty. The Catholic Church is a profoundly strange institution but I should think most of us here knew that.

I listened to music really only on the flights to and from - with waiting around times it was a 36 hour or so process to get to Italy and the same to get back - and on the excellent trains because I wanted to interact with Mrs Thatguy. The daughter made me listen to pop music when I was driving with her, oh dear.

I have come back to a luxuriant and totally overgrown garden but it's rainy again so I can't do anything about it yet. Flying in everything was so green around Canberra. Not what we expect at all.

 

 

So jealous.  One could spend years in Italy as a tourist -from Sicily to the Alps!

 

Glad you guys had a food time.

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2 hours ago, JonoBlade said:

Despite living within spitting distance and technically being married to an Italian, I have never been. For shame.

Over the years, I've been to several different countries. The 2 must visit recommendations I would give someone are Italy and Japan. I've still several on my list, but my top priorities are Scotland (home of my people and at least part of my wife's), Czech Republic (the rest of the wife's family), and Finland (because everyone I've met from there fucking rules).

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6 hours ago, navybsn said:

Over the years, I've been to several different countries. The 2 must visit recommendations I would give someone are Italy and Japan. I've still several on my list, but my top priorities are Scotland (home of my people and at least part of my wife's), Czech Republic (the rest of the wife's family), and Finland (because everyone I've met from there fucking rules).

Italy, yep, and I 100% agree about Japan. I have been there I think 5 times for various reasons and will go again. It is in our timezone too, so although it's a long trip we don't get jet lag. And of course I've been to Scotland and the Czech Republic and they are both really worth a visit. I have been fortunate to do a lot of travel (not as much as the daughter though). I used to co-ordinate trips with conferences but I got over that some years before I retired. Going to conferences is largely a waste of time and resources and spoils a good holiday.

 

21 minutes ago, KillaKukumba said:

I've never held a passport and probably never will. I suppose there is places in the world I'd go if I could be bothered but it's just not something we ever think about.

Travel is not compulsory and is indulgent and environmentally damaging - I hope less so as technology develops. But my life has been enriched by my travel and I don't regret it.

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I've travelled extensively around Oz, and always said I wanted to see home before I saw the rest of the world. I'm sure there are hundreds of places in the world that could enrich my life, I just don't have the inclination to chase that enrichment any more. Also I'm a control freak if I can't fly the plane or captain the boat I don't want to be on it :P

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Got back to a gym today for the first time since COVID and if felt good to actually have gym equipment rather than use a few dumbbells and body weight exercises in my basement. Truth is, WW paddling has taken over such an important part of my life, I don't know how much I'll actually pump iron other than the winter. Back to baby level square one. Strength training is a great thing.  When you paddle several times a week there's a lot of overuse muscular issues...tendonitis, tightness, etc. I need to find other kinds of physical activity. Balance baby!

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I never tested for covid, it was in the house twice but I never felt the need to test, however since I got the flu/cough bug that was going around in Sept I've been fucked for physical activity. 6 months ago I was riding 35+ km a day, keeping up with farm maintenance and still able to herd a bunch of cattle at the end of the day. These days I can barely ride 20ks every second day and the cows are left to herd themselves. I know age has a lot to do with it but the flu can GGF as well!

 

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58 minutes ago, RelentlessOblivion said:

I’ve just been dealing with some personal stuff lately. Haven’t wanted to stop by as I’ve been fairly short tempered.

Good to see posting again. I had COVID symptoms for two months. It hyper charged allergy symptoms and asthma like symptoms I hadn't had in years. I went back to an inhaler for a while. I thought I had long Covid and then it went away after 8 weeks or more. It's no joke. 

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