Norm & Felicity’s Travel Diary

 Hi all,  We left Corfu yesterday afternoon, in what turned out to be an ode to Homer’s Odyssey - or alternatively a mini Greek shipping tragedy! I don’t know why the new Spirits of Tasmania need the $500m plus budget overrun on their port infrastructure, as if they took a leaf out of the Greek ferry manual, they would just drive up to the closest wharf, drop the loading dock and drive the cars and trucks off.  Oh, did I mention that the mooring might be up to a kilometre away in the dark from the passenger terminal, where there is no information at all, passengers just wander aimlessly towards which ferry they think is theirs, through the truck and vehicle traffic currently loading and unloading simultaneously! Until, if still in one piece,  they are rescued by a passing shuttle bus, and dumped near the truck loading bay, with cases. Then, after some more confusion they are taken by another shuttle right through the exhaust fumes of the loading bay to a lift to rece...

 Hi all,  We are just getting ready to depart from our short 5 Day stay in old Corfu Town. A great chance to relax in the perfect Mediterranean weather to get ready for the next stage of our adventure. We had a good look around this small city, full of nooks and crannies, which had its heyday in the Venetian period in the 15th to 18th century.  There were however many reminders of the earlier settlers going back to 600 BC, these example from the Temple of Artemis in the small but important Corfu Archaeological Museum. Lots of time to sample the local seafood and local Corfu dishes of course. Including Moussaka, Sofrita and a much loved (by Norm) potted lamb stew. A few nights ago we took an evening cruise on a local sailing ship, just before and after sunset - well worth the effort. Some of the food intake may well be showing under Norm’s tee shirt 🥘 🍤🍷😂   Our apartment has been wonderful, right on the waterfront on the edge of the old town. We have spent many pl...

 Hello all, Yesterday we said farewell to Belfast and to Holly, who is currently in transit to Hobart via Heathrow, Singapore and Melbourne. We set off from Belfast direct to Corfu with EasyJet - a little late due to an ill passenger, but we arrived safe and well at around 9pm local time. Just in time to find our magnificent apartment on the water and to sample some late night Greek cuisine at the Veranda Restaurant- just down the esplanade. Sardines for Norm, of course and a refreshing Greek salad for Felicity, washed down with a local crisp white wine. This morning, after a quick pic from one of our apartment balconies, we took a stroll along the waterfront to find some breakfast and a supermarket for supplies. Both objectives achieved before we explored our part of Corfu Town a bit more widely. The streets are narrow and meandering, but that suits us fine, we also visited the 14th century fortress which was established by the Venetians and expanded by the British during their “p...

 Hi all, We have packed a lot in since saying farewell to Enniskillen. We took the long road to Belfast via Bushmills Old Distillery. Then a short drive east to the Giants Causeway, and it was clear enough to see Scotland on the horizon. The start of our best weather for the whole trip so far. After a welcome lunch in Bushmills town, we continued south to Belfast to find our apartment right beside the Cathedral. The streets around us were teeming with young people - out for a good time on Saturday night. We opted for drinks at the Thirsty Goat then, for a change of diet we had dinner at the Vietnamese street food restaurant in our square - very good Pho. Next day, we were lucky to get a personal guided tour of Belfast hosted by cousin Neil Robinson. Even with a warts and all story of the ongoing tensions of this still somewhat divided city, we were all impressed by Belfast City, a small, low rise city that has kept its charm and homage to its history. The city even has its own lean...