Day 21

00:25 am on the 21st September – we get into Malpensa International Airport , Milano, Italy. Everybody bunks down and we sleep until it is time for “wakey, wakey” at 6 am. We junp onto the second shuttle bus of the day at 6:20 am, which takes us to Centrale Stazione in the city, the central railway station.
A quick coffee and a croissant and we board the EuroStarTrain to Florence – 200 km /hour, reserved seating and some of the boys watch a movie on their laptop amongst all the business people, who are travelling to Bologna, our first stop this morning.

In Florence we get bus No 13 and thirty minutes later it drops us off at Piazzale Michelangiolo with a 240 degrees view over the city. We walk 150 m to the camp ground and check into our tent-cabins.

The city lies beneath us. We have a shower and some lunch before we start our walk through Florence exploring the place on foot. We cross Ponte Vecchio and at the Baptistery of San Giovanni next to the Cathedral we split up and explore the area including the Markets of San Lorenzo along the Medici Chapels.

Stefan





Bunking down at Malpensa, Milan Airport, 1:00 am







Having Breakie at Centrale Stazione in Milano








Euro Star - 2 hour train ride from Milan to Florence

Piazzale Michelangiolo

the shops on Ponte Vecchio

it is all about Gold on the Ponte Vecchio

Scusi, senora - picture please! Gracie!

Gelato! $ 12. It must be good!!!!

Cathadral of S. Maria del Fiore

front fassade

Florence's San Lorenzo markets are great

and the kids went for it:

Karla having balls, Matt a new suit case,

Alex went for scarfs and our mystery man

bought himself an Italian mask

Day 20

Today on our last day in Santorini we took a boat cruise. There was 3 main stops which were: the Volocano Nea Kameni, the Hot Springs, and the little island of Thirasia. The first stop the was the Volcano, which was really just warm rocks that smelt bad, although once we reached the crater at the top, the view was pretty amazing. After this we took another short boat ride to the inviting hot springs. Athough once we got there our tour guide warned us, that if we were to go into the hot springs our swimmers would be runined due to the amout of sulphur and ironoxide in the water, so I decided against it, like most of the girls. Instead we just chilled in the clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea around the boat. After every one was back on board, we headed to the island of Thirasia. The owner of our youth hostel told us before hand that the best, freshest (and cheepest) food on the island was at the Panorama resterant, which was conveaneantely placed at the top of the island. So, with that and the heat in mind, we took the easy option and hired some donkeys. We got all saddled up, and with one shout from the owner we were off. It started out good, single file up the side of the mountian, untill the donkeys got a little restless and started racing, puching and shoving, but that was the best bit! Once we got to the top excausted from laughter, we had lunch at the restaurant.
In the shuttle bus back to the hostel we had 22 people in a 14 seater and everybody was sweaty and dripping -disgusting but the day was great.

Alex Howells… I know my dad will be reading this aloud to my family so.. HI EVERYONE! J









our boat in the harbour of Oia...






the girls are ready to board

the village seen from below

From the distance of our landing point at the

volcano, Nea Kameni the village looks like snow

capped mountains.

resting in the shade on the way to the crater

the crater - sulphur smells and hot steam

coming out of the ground

It is fricken hot!!!!!

just lava stones and great views everywhere

finally the well deserved swim at the hot springs ??? (27 degrees celsius)

the girls stay close to the boat

Thirasia harbour

the donkey mission

"I don't think this is a good idea, this donkey business!"

the kids enoying their 5 Euro investment

Alex leading the trek

They serve great Moussaka and Tsatsiki at the

Panorama Restaurant at Thirasia

Day 19

Most of us visited the main town on the island catching
the local bus from Oia to Fira.


the main church of Fira, the capital of Santorini



cruise boats anchoring near Fira...




a maze of ally ways....


impressions from our 3 hour trip to Fira..





outside the Greek Orthodox church in Oia..



the boys swimming in a Hotel pool near
Katharos Beach,where most of us went to swim in
the Mediterranean sea the afternoon



Jason and Lachlan enjoying their dinner at sun set



Santorini - 2nd day

Santorini… A place where you don’t have to be a photographer to take a photo, every photo you take looks surreal. Today was spent mainly at the beach, well for me anyway. It is so easy to spend hours swimming and relaxing on the rocky beaches of Oia. For some people shopping was a preference, while others went to the town of Thira (Fira). Tonight we all had dinner at the ‘Blue Sky Café’ for the second night in a row. A big thank you to my auntie for recommending the place.

I would have liked to have stayed here longer but I think everyone has enjoyed some time off from traveling, and are ready for Italy. Santorini is definitely a place to come back to.

Noelle.

Day 18

Santorini






just around the corner from the hostel you look
down to the sea


endless chances for post card shots












Robin enjoying the vista and a meal




the boys having a siesta....
at the hostel roof top


views over views...



colours over colours...







the little boat harbour...






greek dinner.....


happy hour at the hostel...


happy doggie, Alex found a new friend

Santorini

We arrive at Santorini just after midnight and jump into our tranfer bus to the hostel. Matt is down with some back problem and Aerliah with some tummy cramps. We all sleep in the next morning and look forward to unwind over the next three days after moving around a lot.

The village is very scenic and at every corner there are post card motives. Most kids went to the beach and then the 250 steps back up the steep hill.

We meet for dinner this night and enjoy the Greek food in the restaurant that Noel’s “Auntie” recommended. Matt and Aerliah are improving and most of us are having an early night.

Stefan