Check out was 11am so we left our bags in storage at our apartment and then began the walk across town to Sixt to pick up our car which was booked for collection at 12:30. On the way Michele was able to take advantage of the sales and purchased a new pair of winter boots.

The car that we were assigned is a red Hyundai Tucson Hybrid, nice and spacious with enough room for our luggage in the boot.

Scott had booked us in to do a tour of the Royal Yacht Britannia, so after picking up our luggage we drove a short way to Leith to view it. The whole experience is very well organised. After looking at a brief exhibition we were given personal speakers that would allow us to go on a self-led tour by pressing numbers and playing audio that corresponds with the different areas of the boat. We were able to see all areas of the yacht, including the sleeping quarters, grand dining hall and front deck. It was easy to imagine the royal family enjoying many a holiday aboard.

It was well after 2:30pm and due to the events of the morning we realised that we had not eaten, so we were rather hungry! Teresa had been recommended a restaurant called The Ship on the Shore, so we drove about 500 metres and found it. We were not disappointed. Teresa and Scott had an amazing hot shellfish platter and Michele had a delicious steak sandwich. We washed this down with some Pinot Grigio (Scott just with sparkling water). On our way out Teresa and Michele noticed that they were advertising “mulled wine to go”…..well if you insist! We ordered and received a takeaway cup with lid. Perfect for our journey to Glasgow.

The journey was rainy but pretty fuss-free. Before it got too dark we were able to see some of the outer skirts of Edinburgh. Our apartment in Glasgow was fairly easy to find. Teresa had chosen one in the city with parking underneath, so we wouldn’t have to stress about finding a spot. It is a two bedroom apartment with two bathrooms. This will be our home for the next two days.

A quick (and drizzly) walk to the nearest Sainsburys to get supplies and then we bunkered down for the night. Tomorrow we explore. Good nicht!

We awoke on New Years Day after a decent night’s sleep. Only Scott was awoken at midnight by fireworks (thank goodness for ear plugs!).

After a lazy start we made our way back into town to find somewhere to eat. We approached the Royal mile from Bread street and the Old town. There were quite a few people about, and still a fair amount of shops open.

We had read that the traditional Scottish food to eat on NY Day was steak pie. Michele wanted fish and chips as she had serious food envy of Scott and Teresa’s meals the day before. A traditional little tavern on a street corner on the Royal Mile called Deacon Brodies advertised both of these meals so we headed inside! It was very busy and got even busier after we were seated, but the staff were lovely and in good spirits (as had been our experience so far), even accommodating to our request to move to a window table after a couple left.

After lunch we walked around and looked in some shops. Scott found a lovely cashmere scarf (happy birthday from Irene!). Walking back along Princes street, it is still so amazing to be in the main shopping district and then just look up across the road and there is Edinburgh Castle sitting majestically on the hill (volcano actually).

A stroll through the Christmas markets, some hot gin (of course), and then a bit of culture walking through the Art Gallery of Scotland. Lots of paintings in here by famous artists such as Rubens and Rembrandt. You could easily spend a few hours admiring the amazing works.

On our way back to our apartment we stopped at Tescos to get some supplies for a light snack for dinner. Tomorrow we pick up our car and drive to Glasgow. Good Nicht!

The trip to Brandenburg Airport was in a comfortable Sharenow car, taking about 20 minutes from Scott’s place. Our flight To Edinburgh was with Easyjet and the checking and bag drop process was fuss free.

It was a 2 hour flight but we gained an hour flying back in time. Michele and Teresa were lucky again in a full plane with a spare seat between them.

The tram system from the airport is easy to navigate but was busy with lots of people going to a stadium on the way to Haymarket, our stop.

It was a short walk to our accommodation, Premier Suites on Grove Street where we settled into our 2 bedroom apartment.

We were keen for some food so we walked along and tried to find a pub that had local offerings. We were informed that Edinburgh was hosting 3 sporting events and that most pubs have their kitchens closed and were only catering to the drinking crowd. Such a contrast to Australian licensing laws. Eventually we found a nice warm place with food and enjoyed the warmth, hot meals and a wee dram.

Time to explore so we made our way to Princes street. It was dark, cold, windy & wet with lots of people out and about for the festivities. There was also much activity surrounding the preparations for Hogmanay – portable toilets, barriers and cordoned off streets. A short walk back to our apartment helped with familiarising ourselves with the area. Haymarket seems to be the university sector of Edinburgh and a handy Tescos ( food mart) is just down the road.

We welcomed sleep in the comfortable beds.

Good nicht!

We decided to head over to do a bit of sightseeing, shopping and have lunch in a Bavarian restaurant. A short ride on the U-Bahn and we were in heart of the tourist area of Berlin.

Scott and Teresa took Michele to Checkpoint Charlie, which was the American occupied Berlin Wall crossing point between the East and West. These days it is just a place for lots of tourists to gather and other dodgy characters.

Lunch was at a Bavarian restaurant – Augustiner am Gendarmenmarkt. Michele chose the goulash, Scott had schnitzel and Teresa attempted pork knuckle. We chose beers to enjoy with our lunch and then finished with a schnapps.

We did a little shopping at the Mall of Berlin and then walked further around towards the Brandenburg gate. We stumbled upon an area that was filled with tour groups standing around. It just looked like a car park so we wondered what was so interesting about it. Then Teresa realised that this was the area where Hitler spent the final days of his life in his bunker. Now it is just a car park surrounded by apartment buildings that were built in the 1980s by the East German government as luxury apartment houses for important members of East German society.

A little further on we discovered the expansive memorial dedicated to the many Jewish people who were murdered during the war.

The area around the Brandenburg gate was covered in construction while a stage was being set up for the New Year celebrations. We ambled down the Unter den Linden wide boulevard and found some beautiful Christmas markets. The first one we decided to visit charged €2 for entry and was filled with stalls, food carts and restaurants. We purchased a hot fruit punch spiked with rum each and walked around enjoying the sights. Upon returning our fruit punch glasses, we received our deposit back and then left the markets.

On our way back to the Hauptbahnhof we walked through a couple more beautiful Christmas markets. Purchasing some hot gluhwein to walk around with, we remarked how differently we would be looked upon if we were doing the same back home.

Scott had booked Teresa and Michele in for a blowdry at 5pm so when we got back to Scott’s apartment Teresa and Michele walked a few blocks but found that the salon had closed for the night! Our hair would have to wait, there must have been a mix up. Instead we bought dry shampoo and went back to the apartment.

Dinner was going to be at the Ukrainian restaurant around the corner, but that was closed as well, so we opted for a little Turkish restaurant. This was a great choice! Hummus and bread was entree and then delicious lamb dishes for main.!

We were extremely satisfied and rolled back home ready for a cocktail and then bed. We fly to Scotland tomorrow. Guten Nacht!

It was an early morning start, as we had an Uber pre-booked to pick us up to take us to the airport at 9:30am. We got ready and then dropped Basil at Babcia’s for the next 3 weeks. Michele was very brave and did not cry as we left.

The checkin was done through the United App before we left home. It was straight forward and saved us a lot of time at the bag drop.

There was very little traffic on the road and our driver was very friendly. At the airport when we checked our luggage we were pleasantly surprised to learn that Teresa’s Virgin Gold status gave us entry into the Singapore Lounge!

Now we know how the other half live!

We’ve set up a very comfortable camp until our plane boards at 1pm.This will be the longest Christmas that we have ever had, as we land in San Francisco at 9:30am Christmas Day.

Merry Christmas to all. Goodbye!

Early start today for my 9:55 flight to New York. I managed to cram everything into my suitcase so I only have my tote bag to carry around.

Last time, for a while, for my coat being hung in Scott’s apartment.

The Shareway car was parked about 20 metres from Scott’s front door. It was another Fiat but a larger model than yesterday’s.

We got to the airport in good time and checkout opened only 5 minutes after Scott left me🥰🥺😳 This is when I was informed about the flight delay and I was assured at the desk that the one hour at Newark Airport is enough for me to get my bag, put it into baggage and catch my next flight! We’ll see 😳

So I checked the shops and decided I didn’t need anything and proceeded through security and customs was too easy because of my Euro passport.

I found a cafe nearer the original gate for my flight and ordered a coffee and Currywurst with potato salad for my last German meal. I settled at a table that overlooked the lower level of the airport and completed the blog for yesterday.

Once posted, there was nothing else to do but get a wine and watch Michele’s puppy, Basil spam.

We decided that the excursion for today was to walk to the defunct airport that is now the central exercise hub for Berliners with their bicycles and their dogs.

I had a hairdressing appointment for a blow dry at 10am so I walked the 3 blocks to see the lovely hairdresser to get ready for the trip home. She charged me 20€ which is around $32AUD.

We then made a late start and walked down the road to a Cafe called Na am Wasser (next to water). I chose the Speck quiche with salad and Scott ate the carrot and goats cheese quiche with salad. This place only accepts cash, which is a practice that is unusual after COVID and drives many people mad because card is king these days.

We then walked the 2.5 kilometres to the Templehof Airport. I managed to avoid slipping or falling in rain, snow or ice over the past few weeks but a concrete footpath in Berlin finally tripped me up. It was a light fall, mainly because all extremities are padded with leggings or gloves. 🙄

What an interesting place this is! Tempelhof Airport, covers 355 hectares of the site of the former airport, including its buildings and surrounding land. This makes it the largest inner city open space in the world and Berlin’s largest city park. We clocked up our steps and read the informative signs. During the warmer months this area is swarming with people.

At the other end of the airport, Scott booked a Sharenow car which was a small Fiat and he circumnavigated the outer buildings of the airport before heading back to the apartment.

We left the car in the supermarket car park which had other share cars there too. Scott promised me a home cooked meal so he stocked up on the ingredients to make a dill pickle soup. We first went to Netto where some dogs were tethered to purpose made hooks outside the shop. What a great idea! The supermarkets in Germany do not have separate shops for their liquor. They are just in the aisles and no one is silly about it but they do check your age if you choose some. You can even stock up at the last minute at the cashier with 40ml bottles of spirits, the vodka costing 1:19€ or $1:85AUD.

Scott is an amazing cook! He wanted to add body to the soup without thickeners so he boiled and mashed the rest of the potatoes and mixed it through the soup.

What a great way to finish the holiday with a home cooked meal! My personal cocktail waiter is also an amazing cook 👨‍🍳. It was delicious 😋 and washed down with French Martinis.

We reflected on what has been a wonderful couple of weeks of experiences while building memories.

Guten Nacht

Michele used to work with German native, Betti in Port Douglas many years ago. Betti was staying in Berlin with her partner Daniel so we arranged to meet for lunch. They have been working in Canada, where they met, and are now making plans to work in Ireland. Daniel is originally from Equador.

Scott and I walked to Neukölln Rathaus station and caught the Ubahn to Hermannplatz and then changed trains for Alexanderplatz. Sometimes you encounter some interesting people on these trains like a musician busking for money or people who want to preach to the crowd. There was one very vocal and cute passenger on the train today who had a lot to ‘say’.

We met Betti and Daniel under the Clock structure and made our way to the Bavarian restaurant. Conversations were easy and we made the best of this window of time to catch up over food and beers.

Betti and Daniel were due to catch a train back to Mannheim at 3pm. So we all made our way back to the Alexanderplatz Ubahn and went our separate ways after vowing to catch up somewhere like Ireland or Spain next year. Daniel is keen to see Spain and then Scott commented on how we always seem to want to go to the land of our colonisers!

Back in the apartment we decided to take it easy. Wolt is the online food ordering app like Menulog and we decided to have Asian chicken wings and bites for dinner.

I only have one day left after today so I wanted to start packing for the trip home. Coming over, I had my large case and a smaller carry on bag (for our Iceland trip) which I packed with the anticipation of not getting my large suitcase at my final destination. Luckily there were no luggage woes but it was a pain to drag 2 suitcases around. I wanted to see if I could fit the little one inside the larger one and pack items inside and around it. It worked! Now I’ll just stress about getting my luggage at home. 🙄

I love Scott’s apartment …. My home for the last 3 weeks ❤️

Guten Nacht

We were up very early for our 7:40am flight. The trip to the airport takes about 50 minutes, we needed to refuel the car and then claim our tax back from our purchases, so we left our cosy apartment at 5am.

After the car was returned to Europcar without any fuss, it was a very cold 5 minute walk to the Leif Erikson terminal.

It was very busy with flights going to Berlin, Frankfurt, USA, Paris this early in the morning. It was still very dark.

We didn’t see any Northern Lights on this trip. We nearly booked a sea cruise for last night but the late finish was not conducive to our early departure… and they cannot guarantee that you will actually see them but apparently they were active this week because Narelle finally saw them.

Taking off from the airport, the runways were bordered by lots and lots of snow. They must start early to clear away the snow.

We flew with Icelandair and had paid for the extra legroom in row 5 again plus we were aware of the metal divider that gets in the way – watch your head!

Once in the air, the cart comes around for you to make purchases of food or drink. I ordered the chicken soup and it was just ok – a bit chewy but tasty.

I had time to reflect on the things that I didn’t need to pack for this short trip –

1. Thick socks – I only wore thick stockings and fleecy leggings.

2. Slippers – all floors are warm and you are usually walking around in your stockinged feet.

3. Carry bags – when wearing coats there are lots of pockets, enough for a lipstick and iPhone.

4. Cash – I don’t even know what an Icelandic Krona looks like

5. Too many clothes – always halve what you pack.

Items that I definitely needed:

1. Warm gloves

2. Fleecy Leggings

3. 140(or more) denier stockings

4. Very warm long jacket

5. Beanie or ear muffs

6. Rubber soled shoes/ non slip soles

7. Personal Debit/credit Card

8. Power pack or back up charger

9. International Ac adapter

The return flight took 3 1/2 hours and we lost an hour of time by crossing a time zone. We entered Berlin’s Brandenburg airport and picked up some food as we progressed through the massive terminal!

Scott booked a Sharenow Mini and we walked to the share car( there are a number of different companies doing this) carpark and finished our journey for the day.

Back at Scott’s Berlin apartment we chilled and watched the series ‘Wednesday’ on Netflix. Scott made some cocktails and picked up some food from a cafe up the road for our dinner.

Guten Nacht.

I awoke to a strange noise and after investigation I realised that it was the wind. It did not sound inviting!

There is a high temperature of -1C expected today … warm by Icelandic standards.

We started the day with a walk to the shops so Scott could purchase the rug he had decided was his. Breakfast was hotdogs from the famous stand.

The plan for today was to explore the western part of Reykjavik and to see the Fly over Iceland exhibit recommended by Narelle.

No gloves or beanie were needed for today, the wind had settled and it was just cold. We walked past the harbour where the water was frozen. There was plenty of snow all around and walking was conducted in a careful manner.

Flyover Iceland was housed in a purpose built complex and cost 5490 ISK or around $55AUD or 36€ each.

There was a lovely little cafe in the foyer where we bought a drink while waiting for the experience.

Once your session starts, you are led upstairs and taken through two rooms of multi media outlining some of the history of Iceland and the role of trolls. There are lots of steps and standing at the beginning.

Then you are strapped into a set of seats which are suspended in the air while you are being whisked across fields, lakes, rivers, glaciers and basalt mountains. The experience is also enhanced by a fine spray of water when appropriate and the smell of sulphur in thermal areas. It is quite exhilarating and highly recommended.

Lunch was decided easily when we saw a sign for Lobster soup at small cosy cafe.

We could see clouds coming across the harbour when we returned to the apartment. My personal cocktail waiter made us Bloody Mary’s to help keep us warm. It snowed the teensiest bit in the afternoon leaving a light dusting on cars.

We agreed that we had to have the Icelandic taster menu and Tapas Barinn had great reviews on the web. I realised that it was a Saturday night so I booked online – 5:30 or after 9 pm were the only choices available. I was lucky to get the 5:30 booking because the place was very busy.

The tapas menu here was varied with many choices. The option for the Icelandic gourmet feast was exquisite, offering 9 courses. The cost was 10,900 ISK which is about $110AUD or 72€ each but it was worth it!

The lamb was so tender, the lobster was amazing, the Minke Whale was chewy and not to my liking.

The Puffin was a little fishy but delicious. To taste the local delicacies is a must if you want the whole cultural experience.

Tapas Barinn was only 3 minutes walk from the apartment so we retired for the day to prepare for the early morning flight.

Fireworks could be seen and heard being let off in various places .

G óða Nótt