Headed Out- to the Land Down Under

While contemplating all that our European journey meant for our family and preparing for our Australian trip, I looked up quotes about travel for inspiration and to use as our motto ... there were many that I connected with...

"Not all who wander are lost." J.R.R. Tolkien

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness." Mark Twain

"Traveling abroad is a progressive exercise in the discovery of our own ignorance." Wm. Blake

"Two of the greatest gifts we can give our children are roots and wings."

...but in facing 3 flights with one of them 15 hours long, the quote that seemed the truest and made me laugh out loud is this:

"Airplane travel is nature's way of making you look like your passport photo!" (emphasis mine) HA!

Ready to head out

It turned out that the travel was not as hard as expected. When we arrived in Sydney 2 days later we dropped our bags at the hotel, had breakfast and hopped on the ferry to Manly beach straight away.

View of Sydney Harbour from our room

Ferry to Manly Beach

First view of the ocean in Australia

He could not help himself and jumped right in- clothes & all!

"Triple Crown" pizza- crocodile, kangaroo & emu
***Correction 5/13/15:  "Coat of Arms" pizza*** 

The harbour at night- beautiful!

Headed Home

From the Novotel Hotel

to Munich Airport

Last chocolate for a month

 and continuous movies-

Last Day-

But wait~

We had one more special occasion before we ended our time.
Our last day was Sunday, June 15 Father's Day! Matt went for a solo hike to take in the breath-taking vistas once more then we enjoyed our last Austrian buffet. At breakfast, the boys suprised Matt with a couple of new "bandanas" to wear to keep the sweat out of his eyes while biking & each wrote a note thanking him for such a wonderful gift to our family in this trip. It got the attention of other hotel guests not only because it was a sweet moment but also because Father's Day in Austria was the week before. The owner said that he was going to be sure to tell his daughter & wife so that he might be celebrated twice!

After our celebratory breakfast, we waved goodbye to Miklos (our waiter each morning) & the Schmedilechner family (who owns, runs & lives at the Hotel Mohrenwirt in Fuschl) and headed to Munich from where we would fly home.
It was a relatively "quiet" afternoon with the drive through Bavaria, one last stop at a roadside stand for fresh picked strawberries, & getting settled at the airport hotel for the one night's stay.  We ate our last European meal in front of a big screen put up especially for the World Cup & watched Switzerland beat Equador 2-1.

Matt's goal- to reach the cross

Many & diverse paths to take...

Getting closer-

Summit!!!

1303 meters

Higher than the balloons...

 We love and are so thankful for Daddy!

So long, farewell, good-bye...Adieu!

Hitler's Hideout- Berchtesgaden

June 14, 2014

We journeyed into Bavaria Germany today to explore Hitler's famous hideout- The Eagle's Nest.  What an appropriate name-  it is high atop the mountains  (a 2 hour walk) and built right into the rock.  On a clear day you  have a beautiful panorama of Germany and Austria and are supposed to be able to see all the way to Salzburg. As the photos will tell, the weather was not cooperative but nothing a trip on the Alpine Slide won't cure!

Is that an eagle?

And the clouds roll in...

The boys following their Daddy wherever he leads...

It doesn't look too high until you take off the zoom!

My perspective from the ground... Ack!

Clouds covering the panorama

Famous fireplace- gift to the Fuhrer from Mussolini

Sommerrodelbahn- Alpine Slide

That's some speed!

Look at 'em go!

Our farewell dinner in Austria

We celebrate with the largest dessert we've ever seen-
the Salzburger Nokerell!
Really, it was huge- a soufflé cooked using 11 eggs.