Welcome to the further adventures of Howard and Irene (handistravels)


Welcome to Handistravels (Howard And Irene's travels).

We're a senior Australian couple who love travel and, after we married in 2007, decided to do as much as possible (affordable). Howard has been around, Irene not so much. So to start, in 2010 Howard decided to introduce Irene to people he has met and places he has been to, with a few mutual friends and people Irene knew added in, we had a plan for nearly 20 weeks of travel.

We hit on the idea of writing a blog before we left on our first overseas journey on 12 February 2010. While Howard never managed to write a post, I had so much fun writing and keeping a history of that trip and our readers said that they enjoyed it just as much, that I decided each subsequent trip would be a continuation. While it would have been fun for me to simply continue blogging once we returned home, time and life defeated me - positively, I must add.

However, once we get back out on the road, the travel blog will come into its own again. Join us in 2017.

Exploring Zion

Exploring Zion
That's us in Zion National Park. We're overlooking the Angel's Landing (peak), possibly the best walk in the park

Tuesday, 27 April 2010

I love Paris in the spring time

Guess what? We are taking the fast train to Paris on Tuesday after having been encouraged by Richard and Kelly. It cost much less from Brussels than Luxembourg (don't really know what the story is there). We even have 1st class seats on the way down and the trip takes about 1 hour 20 minutes. Today we trained to Brugge and Gent. Walked our legs aoff again and are really tired. Brugge was fun to walk around and is very pretty. It is a great place for tourists. In fact I think the tourist rates very well there. The buildings are scrubbed clean and there are so many picturesque nooks and corners.

Gent is old and looks it. The buildings there haven't been cleaned yet but I'm sure that will be part of the program as the city is in the midst of a huge public works program and half the city appears to be a dust storm of machinery, steel mesh fencing and noise. Maybe the city fathers have realised that tourists will go there no matter what and need more facilities. We walked through a medievil district which included a music school the buildings of which looked as though they would crumble. Also stumbled upon the "Castle of the Counts" which is really interesting and full of towers and walls just like a fairytale castle.

We were both surprised that in this area of Belgium, the middle of Europe for the EU, there are so few English language signs and announcements etc. Luckily many folk speak at least a little English and will help out. We're both dog tired now and waiting for Kelly to bath the girls and settle them down to their pre-bedtime activities so that we can have a little adult time before hitting the sack. Richard is at work and his usual day ends late.

Um, I think I have some Amsterdam notes. Amsterdam, like Luxembourg is also in the midst of huge public works. Both cities are having metro train upgrades and the diggings are extensive. All that dust and noise instantly puts me off and my desire to explore evaporates like morning mist. Howard is made of more hardy material and if not for him I would have abandoned three city walks.

That's it. Sorry for the brevity but dinner is ready.

Till next time - love from us. xx
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