Europe trip 2023

It was going to be a long day to get from England to where we were staying in Ireland so we left our Airbnb early and glided down to the airport. We checked in and attempted to progress through security…Mum and R failed the person scan but once patted down and swabbed were fine. BK and C’s carry on bags failed. BK had coffee in his bag but got to keep it, C had a pocket knife in his bag, he didn’t get to keep it! Me and my bag, were not a security risk! It was a very short flight, barely time to get to our cruising altitude before we started our descent. We picked up our rental car and headed to Northern Ireland (the bit still owned by the UK) to a cute seaside village called Castlerock (apparently it is named after a rock that looks like a castle which you can’t see anymore because it’s covered with sand.)

The next eight days in Northern Ireland were a mix of rest and sight seeing. We saw Giant’s Causeway, which is a bunch of pentagon and hexagon shaped rocks all linked together. I loved the rugged West Coast of NZ look. BK visited a whiskey distillery called Bushmills. We had a day in Belfast where C and I went to the Titanic museum. It had lots of Belfast history then it moved on to getting the ship built and launched. Not so much on the actual sinking. Then there was a bit about the aftermath of the sinking and a lot about all the technology used to find the wreck. It was very interesting. I got C a kids audio guide and he proudly told me that when they were building the ship the workers were only allowed seven minutes per day to use the toilet. He also told me that there was only two toilets to serve the 700+ third class passengers onboard! Yucky! The museum was built right beside where the ship had been built. Outside they have indicated on the ground how big the ship was and where the funnels and lifeboats were placed. We walked the whole length, it was huge! There was a cruise ship in port and I pondered how big it would have been compared to that one. While we were doing that Mum bought BK a private tour of Belfast’s history for his birthday (which is in October) so they went on that with R. The day worked out well with everyone seeing what they wanted too.

On another one of the days in Northern Ireland, BK, Mum and Connor took the train to Londonderry. They managed to unknowingly choose the busiest day of the year with 147 marching bands (which was about 10,000 people!) marching down the street celebrating the end of the siege 400 years ago. After a day of rest Mum and I took the kids to the next town over from where we were staying, Coleraine. I’m not normally a person who likes browsing shops but I didn’t mind that day. Also we saw a busker who had a sign saying he was traveling the world and had been to 57 countries so when he stopped for a break I went up and chatted. He’d been on the road for four years including being in New Zealand for three months and had busked outside Countdown in Tauranga! What a small world. Other than that we went for lots of walks and saw the Mussenden Temple (which actually was a library, not anything like a temple!)

Then we moved south into Ireland, and back to the Euro currency. We stayed on a working farm about an hour east of Dublin for three nights. C enjoyed going to the milking shed each morning to help with the last few cows. We only had one day in Dublin itself so we headed in early. Mum, C and I went to see the Book of Kells (Google it) and the old library at Trinity College. The book was a bit of a let down. It could have been displayed better. But the old library! It was amazing, so beautiful. It definitely didn’t disappoint. Then it was a trip round on a Hop On Hop Off bus. We didn’t hop off until we got all the way around the circuit. We met up with BK and swapped him my bus ticket for R. He had wanted to see the Kilmainham Gaol (old jail) but all the tours were full. So around the circuit he went. We met up again later and he took both kids to the Natural History Museum, otherwise known to locals as ‘The Dead Zoo’ and Mum and I did our own walking tour. A full and expensive day but a good day.

After a rest day we moved a few hours further south to a cute riverside town for a week. There are lots of things to do in the south so we set to it. The first day we went into Limerick and drove around. It was very quiet because there was a Hurling final on (their national sport) and Limerick was one of the teams playing. The boys watched it in the pub when we got back and I’m pleased to report, Limerick won! Youtube it. It’s an interesting game!

Next up was a drive 1.5 hours south to Blarney Castle. My Nana went there when I was about 9 years old and I’ve wanted to go ever since. So I did. There’s a stone to kiss at the top, this involves you sitting, leaning backwards over the top edge and kissing it, C went first – he did great, germ-a-phobe me went next. I lent back but kissed my hand and patted the stone as there was no way I was putting my lips near that stone thousands of people kiss a day. Gross. We then had a drive through Cork and out to a cute seaside village called Cobh. This was the last port of call the Titanic set off from before sinking.

The following day we drove another 1.5 hours in the other direction out to one of the most famous landmarks in Ireland, the Cliffs of Moher. After doing the trick of parking outside and walking in for free, it was good to see them. Though I can’t say they were a top attraction for me. There were lots and lots of tourists so we didn’t stay long. Then we headed up to Galway. We saw a lady doing Irish dancing which the kids enjoyed watching and we did a walking tour.

We carried on the touristing the next day with a 35 minute drive to Bunratty Castle and folk park. We turned up at opening time so almost had the whole place to ourselves for a while. It was a  great castle to explore with lots of antique furniture. The folk park is similar to a historic park, there were cottages, shops, a church and a school. The forecast had been for fine weather but it was wrong  so we wandered around in the misty light rain. That afternoon was spent relaxing and doing some school work.

After a couple of days of rest it was time to go back to Dublin to drop the car off and head to our next destination. We had a few hours to spare before our flight that evening so Mum bought me tickets to Riverdance as my birthday present (in November) and BK and the kids stayed at the airport with the luggage. It was a fantastic show, we were glad we went and saw it.

Budget – $753 under

Which is good going because the southern bit of the island or Ireland is really expensive!!!!!

 

Till next time,

Claire

After we arrived at our Airbnb flat in London and dumped our gear, we headed off to my Aunty and Uncle’s for dinner. On the way we realised we’d been without the English language for just 5 days short of 7 months. We could understand what everyone was saying! Even the train and bus announcements!! It was wonderful! We had a lovely evening with them, great food, great company, and the kids were totally spoilt! Thank you Aunty & Uncle.

The following day we had a slow start, BK did some work then headed off to see a friend and the kids and I spent the afternoon back with my Aunt and Uncle and explored the beautiful Kew Gardens together. So BK got a good chunk of work in and the kids and I enjoyed an afternoon out and about.

For our last full day in London we got up early and took the underground to the other side of the city. Actually to the city of London. Did you know London is actually two cities squashed together? One is called London (a tiny banking district), the other is called Westminster (the bigger area everyone knows as London). Then we took a local bus to see the sights rather than pay some horrendous amount for a hop on off off. This is how Team Knowles rolls (and how that budget is going so well). I had got the idea from a blog which described each building and what it was used for so it wasn’t boring just looking at buildings and guessing what they were. Instead I could tell the family what they were or what to look out for. Here is the blog I got the information from if you wanted to do the same.

As the day went on I watched Mum’s flight make its way across the world to London, it was running an hour early at one point so it headed to the airport early to ‘pick her up’ (actually guide her onto a train back to our flat). It had been a long 7 months without her! Once she got there it was lots of chats and sorting my stuff (souvenirs etc) into a big mostly empty suitcase she had brought over. Which was going to be stored at a friend’s till we go home in September. After a good sleep it was time to leave London. We’ll be back again later in the trip for some museums and palace fun.

BK picked up a rental car and we drove out to a friend of Mum’s. She feed us all the most lovely lunch! No dinner was required that day. Mum stayed in Essex and we drove out to Norwich. We decided we’d go for a canal boat trip the next day on the Norfolk broads. We putted around for an hour then had a pub lunch at a brewery BK wanted to visit. Then we went out to the beach and saw a family of seals having a lovely time diving in and out of the water.

After all that moving around recently we had a rest day was in order for the following day. However we did manage to get some fish n chips for tea. We were going to sit in a park and eat them but due to the awful heatwave we sat in the air conditioned car and looked at the very brown grass!! A few days later I saw that our area had recorded the hottest temp of the year that day. 34.7 degrees Celsius I think it was. Hot for England! C also managed to get another sting, a wasp this time!

Then it was off to Dorset. We stayed in a cute village of cobb houses (made of mud, thatched roofs) called Milton Abbas. It had a pub and a post shop. There was a beautiful Abbey with attached private school close by too. We walked there every day. We found their cafe/school tuck shop and enjoyed the cheap drinks and food. Schools out for summer at the moment so we didn’t gate crash the students! The weather finally cooled down and we had some rain. Mum came to join us too.

One of the days we went on a trip to a seaside town called Beer. First we went to a place called Pecorama which had mini steam trains which you can ride on. Bigger than the ones at memorial park but not by much, about the size of the one in Palmerston North if you’ve been to that park. Then we had a walk through the gardens, where Mum got a wasp sting!! What is it about Europe and stings! The kids found a soft play area (think mini chipmunks) so they played and us adults sat outside and ate the lunch we’d brought along.

Mum and I then walked into the little town and Bk fed the kids and saw a little train exhibition where apparently you could control your own model train.

Next it was to Honiton. Apparently my Father’s side of the family lived there before they left for NZ, but I’m 4th or 5th generation kiwi on his side so I couldn’t really connect to the place. We did see a nice lace museum which had a fantastic age appropriate scavenger hunts for the kids. We loved our time in Dorset. Everyone was extra friendly and everything was calm and chill. We also enjoyed our first Sunday carvery lunch. Yum but oh so much food!! Thank you Aunty & Uncle for letting us stay in your cute cottage💗

4 days before we were due to move on we had our first Airbnb fail. Our host cancelled on us for our next stay (which I had booked back in February!!) in Derby. It being the peak season and busiest month of the year, it took me an entire day to sort out somewhere else to stay. We ended up doing a night in a youth hostel family room before moving on to another airbnb for the remainder of the time. I had been waiting all year for something to go wrong with Airbnb but couldn’t quite believe it finally happened.

So then it was then off to Derby (and our new found accommodation), where Mum was born and lived until she was 5 (she then got on a ship with her family and immigrated to NZ). The following 4 days were a mix of hanging out with the extended family, exploring Mum’s old neighborhood, another Sunday carvery lunch, and shopping (new jeans for me, yay!). Bk also bought me a beautiful gold bracelet – been nagging, i mean asking, him for 2-3 years, finally he gave in and purchased it from where my Dad bought my Mum her engagement ring. (Do you remember the name of the store, Dad??)

Then it was time to clean the rental car, downsize our gear and head off to airport, for the first time since March.
Stay tuned for dramas we had going through security!! 😄

Till next time,

Claire

 

Budget update
England : $673 under
Disclaimer – Does not include gold bracelet!

Leaving the camp we had been staying in we drove only a few hours to an area Brittany, still in France. We splurged a bit on this Airbnb and enjoyed the extra comforts that got us. After unpacking BK took the kids to explore the property, in bare feet and unfortunately C stood on a bee but he was very brave.

The first day we went to see the local area. We had seen a photo of a pretty canal lock so thought we’d get a French pastry and sit and watch to see if it got used and it did! It was fascinating for all of us to watch. Not much else happened that day due to C’s swollen foot.

The following day we drove out to Mont St Michel, which is an old town and church on a hill on an island. Back in the day you could only access it at low tide. Now there’s a bridge, and a bus, so we took that! BK and C sat in a cafe while R and I explored the church further up.

We were so glad we went early as by the time we left at 11.30 the island was choca, there was loooooooong queues of buses coming onto the island (luckily no queue for us either way on the bus!) and it was really hot!!

The next day we shifted another 2 hours drive away into the Normandy region, known for the D-Day landings. BK and I had been to this region of France before on our 2007 trip but had done a tour which follows paratroopers. So we missed the beaches and American cemetery. The day after we arrived it was perfect weather so we got it done! It was a great day. The beaches were amazing with D-Day well remembered. The American cemetery was beautiful but heart breaking as one realises there are 9000+ graves (we later found out there was another American cemetery in Brittany with 4000+ graves – very sobering).

The rest of that week we really did nothing much apart from clean the car. We knew the pace was about to pick up from now until the end of our trip so we took the opportunity to just lie low, rest and eat some great French pastries (yes I have managed to gain back that weight I lost in Asia but I’m not worried about it at all, it’ll come off before I’m home)

Then the bittersweet day came. Time to drive to Paris and say goodbye to Rouge. We had her for 121 days and drove 14,300km. I had arranged to dump our gear at our Airbnb thinking the less times we have to lug that gear around public transport the better, and when we arrived the apartment was ready so I stayed with the kids and BK dropped the car off (with no issues thank goodness – we are still waiting for our two Italian fines to show up). Bye little Rouge! You helped us make so many wonderful memories.

We drove you in all conditions from slow in the -2 degrees and snow on the Swiss Alps to 38 degrees and fast on the German autobahns.

It was time to explore Paris. We had been twice pre kids, and we didn’t love it as much as so many people do so we were hoping this time it would be ‘third time lucky’. We stayed in a lovely little area out of central Paris, we weren’t pushed to ‘do everything’ as we had already but were keen to show the kids the main sights. We checked out the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower. One day and I took C to the Musée d’Orsay where he saw some Monet paintings he knew from his Montessori preschool days. A great art education for both of us. The following day BK took the kids to the science museum while I had a few hours of peace and quiet. So while no school work was done in Paris everyone certainly got educated! A really great Paris experience. Third time lucky ✔

Then it was time to down size our stuff as much as possible so we didn’t look like too much of a circus as we made our way to London. We Uber’d to the train station in Paris for €11 (it would have cost us €5 on the train so not that much more for the ease of being taken). Lugged our gear onto the Eurostar train then sped our way across France at 260 km per hour, under the English Channel and into England. A fantastic experience for all. We took the underground tube to our flat in London and was very glad when that travel day was over! United Kingdom here we come!

 

France Budget : a ridiculous 2410 under
There were a lot of days this month that were spent resting (and eating pastries). Disney was sponsored by a grandparent so that wasn’t put into the budget.

Till next time,

Claire