My Tribute

A few months ago I wrote this.......and today being Tony's 60th birthday seems a fitting day to share it!

MY BEAUTIFUL MAN

My beautiful man you've gone
I met you when I was 10 and said goodbye when I was 55
That's a whole lot of time of living, loving, giving, sharing
I stretch my arm out in the bed - it's cold
I'm dull, heavy with sleep
I remember where you are and relax
All is well for you are safe, healed and free.

So many things I miss
45 years of knowing you and 36 married
There's a lot to miss!
Your cheerfulness in the mornings
Your love for the outdoors, the sea, the hills
Your strong arm to protect and comfort
My sounding board, my encourager
My greatest fan who loved me no matter what
Defended me, supported me, believed in me.

The legacy you left us is huge
As time goes by I see it more and more
In our children, in the grandson you never knew
You impacted our lives like no other person
There's a hole in our family that will never be filled
You gave us so much
A reservoir to draw from for the rest of our lives.

Most of all you taught us about loving God
You lived it out in front of us, you led by example
Your faith was real, not fake
You loved God with a vengeance
Your trust in Him complete
This is the greatest legacy of all.
You taught us how to live with God at the centre
You showed us by your life
By doing that you equipped us with everything we need for the future
You couldn't have done anything more!

My beautiful man, you've gone
But in so many ways you are still with me
I see you in our kids - their strength of character
The attitudes and expressions of our daughters
The tilt of the head, the gestures by our son
And when I look into the big brown eyes of our grandson
I am reminded of you.

The physical part of 'us' that was you has gone
Life for me will never ever be the same
Growing old together will never be an option -
Even though we talked and dreamed of it
I can, and do go on, but from a different place
Walking a different road.

My beautiful man, I don't wish you back here
Fighting a cruel disease that robed you of everything you loved
But I miss you, I miss you everyday
Somedays I just don't know what to do with that
So I go back to my God, to our God, and rest
Knowing that you are with Him
And that He is with me here, and again I find my peace.

Sometimes when I am reading the Word
And come across your favourite verses - I hear your voice
Sometimes in a song, I hear you sing
And I think, how wonderful you are now with the Author of your favourite Book
And you will be singing His praises, strong and true.

Memories can be wonderful, humourous, heartbreaking
A favourite walk, an oft visited place,
The cafe with the best latte and slice,
The movie theatre, the beach, the rugby ground
Or the memorabilia - a fishing rod, a waterski
A bike, a tennis racket, a rugby ball
Reminders of a life lived to the full.

Somedays I long for a hug, a tender look
To have your physical presence again
The loneliness is real, sometimes raw and painful
I take myself to my quiet place, my special spot
I gaze out to sea, think about you, write my thoughts
Let the tears come and allow God to comfort me
His Word says He collects all my tears - and I believe it!
Peace comes again.

My beautiful man, you've gone
But in so many ways you're still here
And I love that!

The final leg......

Well it seems getting started on our long journey home is proving more of a challenge than I thought......the best laid plans and all that!  But as we have found so many times on this trip already.....anything can happen when you are travelling and you have to roll with the punches a bit or you'd get very bitter and twisted!

But to back track a little.....

Our last official day of the tour was very pleasant. We spent the morning wandering around Heidleberg, which we had already been to, but were very happy to return to, as it so happens that the very best apple strudel can be found there! So we all indulged in some of that (again) before heading to Frankfurt.

Our group once again diminished in numbers as we said goodbye to four fellow travellers who are staying on in Europe and the UK.

So we are now down to seven of us who are returning to NZ. We had a very long afternoon at Frankfurt airport yesterday before boarding our flight to Singapore - due to leave at 10pm.

However!!! At around that time a freak electrical storm broke over Frankfurt which did not feel very nice! We were all boarded in the plane waiting to take off and the wind was buffeting us around, then the thunder and lightning started! Then the dreaded voice over the intercom......" Hello folks, this is the Captain......"the bad news....we couldn't take off right then, but the good news was we could in a couple of hours! So we stayed on board....and sat....and sat.......

When the storm finally eased and we had clearance to fly, there was a long queue of aircraft waiting to do the same......Frankfurt is an incredibly busy airport!

Sadly by the time it was our turn it was too late!! The airport closes at a certain time after midnight for a few hours and we had missed the window of time.

It was then decided to disembark! They didn't even take us back to the terminal....we were parked off somewhere in the back blocks of runways and lights.....so they brought a whole bunch of buses to the plane....go figure that! Back to the terminal we went then onto different buses and out into the streets of Frankfurt bound for who knows where! Our bus driver certainly didn't because we travelled for over an hour into the deepest darkest countryside.....no hotels in sight.....not even street lights! After some wrong turns and a couple of reversals (yes, reversals) we arrived in a town and pulled up outside a hotel. The other 2 bus loads were in bed by then!  I can't remember the name of the town or the hotel .....but by 3am I crawled into bed.....yay!

I must admit though, Singapore Airlines did their best for us under difficult circumstances and the hotel was very nice:-)

We had to leave our suitcases on the plane so only had our hand luggage, which doesn't really have the stuff you need like toiletries! We were given a toothbrush and toothpaste by the hotel thankfully. I should have asked if they had 'essential kits'........for those Brian Regan fans out there:-)

Midday today we were picked up and bused back to the airport......and here's the funny bit.....it took about 15 minutes!! Ha.....so heaven only knows where we went last night!

It took a lot of palava to get everyone organised on new flights today and the airport was crazy busy.....people....planes....insane!!  Never mind, we are finally winging our way to Singapore. Might try and get some sleep......hmmm.....fat chance huh?

It is now early afternoon on Saturday and I'm sitting in a hotel room in Singapore.....courtesy of Singapore Airlines.  We are due to continue our flight onto Auckland this evening as long as the smoke doesn't overtake us! It's everywhere here, quite thick and strong smell, evidently from fires in Malaysia.

The drama continues....... I just hope and pray we end up on the plane that is also carrying our luggage....now there's a thought!!

So I think it's time to sign off for now. I will probably continue to write my blog in the future which will no doubt include more reflections of my time away. It certainly has been eventful.....what with floods, storms, heat waves, fires.....and that's just weather related! But of course, it has been so much more than that, I have seen so much......so much to think about and ponder on, learnt more about myself and the world around me. Nothing is wasted in this life so I know I will draw on these past few weeks somehow and someway.

I am so thankful to my Heavenly Father for His love and protection over me (and all of us) these past weeks. There have been moments all along the way where I have felt His nearness and well...His thumbprint....and that makes everything OK! Such a faithful God, 100% trustworthy!

Looking forward to standing on home soil tomorrow :-)

Till next time........

Oberammergau, Heidelberg........

As I write this we have only one night left on this adventure....not counting the night we spend on the flights home.  It seems like I've been away from home for a long time...by the time I reach NZ on Saturday it will be nearly 4 weeks so I guess that is quite awhile!

The last few days have been a little more challenging for me as I have not felt very well plus we have been having very hot, humid weather.....today was 37 degrees!

But you learn to take the good with the bad when travelling, keep a sense of humour and be flexible!

Well.....that's the theory!

Last night we spent the night in Oberammergau...the little German village that hosts the Passion Play every ten years.  Unfortunately it is not on this year but I would dearly love to come back when it is.....the next time is 2020. It is run for 6 months of the year it is performed and has a cast of a couple of thousand! Hmm.....might have to go on the bucket list :-)

The little town is just gorgeous, the architecture charming.....just delightful.....with the most beautiful Christmas shop, which I'm afraid I did spent some money in! 

Some glimpses of Oberammergau........

Our hotel.....

View from my hotel window.....

The Christmas shop......

And inside.......

Today was a long bus trip back to Heidelberg through beautiful countryside and I was very grateful we were in air conditioned comfort!

Scenery driving through Germany today.....

Nice to see some animals!

Tonight we joined together for our last dinner together at a restaurant that is over 200 years old.  It is a favourite haunt of students and the tables and walls bear testament to that.......there are names carved  all over the place! It had great atmosphere and the food was some of the best we've had the whole trip.....it was just a pity it was so oppressively hot.....we were fair melting in there!

Our last dinner together at a great restaurant in Heidleberg......

The 200 year old walls!

So as I spend my last night in Europe I have so many emotions. It has been the most wonderful experience and I have seen so many interesting and fascinating places, and met some great people. Right now I can't even begin to remember all be places we've been.....it's going to take lots of time going over photos to do that.

So I am sorry it is coming to an end.....travelling certainly can get into the blood!  But I am also so looking forward to being on home soil again, sleeping in my own bed and seeing my family.

I think it's going to take some time for me to put into words how this trip has affected and changed me and I'd like to keep writing and expressing my thoughts.....so some discipline will be required!

Anyway.....it's not over yet......we have one more day in Germany......later tomorrow we head to Frankfurt to start the long trek home via Singapore.

Till next time.........

Austria

Yesterday was a very long day in the bus travelling from Prague, south through much of the Czech countryside before crossing the border into Austria, finally arriving in Salzburg around 6pm.

Of course we stopped along the way and one particular stop was my all time favourite - but more about that later!

The weather has also warmed up considerably and we are now having temperatures in the early to mid 30's.....so the can be a challenge with all the walking tours we do.....but never mind!

The Czech countryside is very lush and green just like everywhere we've been really, an indication of all the rain they have had recently, but I suppose with the arrival of hot temperatures things will start to dry out somewhat.

As we got closer to the border we took a detour and headed into a town called Ceske Budejovice  (try saying that!) where we visited a brewery.  You may remember the ad where it talked about......'sitting on the couch, having a bud'.....maybe not......as its probably an American ad.....but anyway, we went to the Budweiser brewery for a look see. 

This company produces several different brands of beer and export to 60 countries from just this one factory....it is the biggest brewery in the Czech Republic.

Some of the scenes inside.....

Ad of course the tasting!

Then it was south again towards our destination.....crossing the boarder into Austria....

Beautiful Austria!!

We started to see hills and animals.......and lots of hay making.....

And lots of road works, new roads and tunnels being built.....

Beautiful scenery......mountains......picturesque architecture......

Then a detour into the town of Mondsee......the location of the Abbey that was used in the wedding scene in The Sound of Music.  What a gorgeous little town nestled close to the mountains.  

The streets of Mondsee.....

But.....visiting the abbey was definitely the highlight of my day :-)

The aisle where Maria walked to meet Captain von Trapp

The pipe organ.....

I felt quite emotional as I stood by the altar...I know the film is just a story....but is based on truth and I really felt the abbey was well loved and well used......as though it is very much a part of the community.......the pews are worn.....but it is well cared for.  No cost to come in here.....all welcome to come and visit.....I just loved it!!

Then it was a short drive into Salzburg......the birthplace of Mozart.

Our hotel is called Achat Plaza Zumba Hirschen.....try that one!

Some scenes around Salzburg late in the day.....

The Salzburg castle sits high over the city

Last evening we went to The Sound of Salzburg Dinner and Show.....which was great fun.  All professionally trained singers and a fabulous pianist, singing all sorts! A mixture of songs from the Sound of Music, as well as other operatic style pieces.  Of course we all sang along to the ones we knew.......Doe a deer a female deer, Ray a drop of golden sun..........

Some scenes from the show...

It was extremely hot yesterday and when we came out of the show it was still about 25 degrees....at 10:30!  A beautiful balmy night in Salzburg.....there were people having late night dinners and drinks at   the outdoor restaurants that are everywhere....and I must admit the loneliness was threatening to overtake me....so I had to take a few deep breaths!

This morning I have opted out of the tour for a few hours......think I'm fighting some sort of virus so have dosed up on all sorts and having a little rest and catch up.....you really do learn a lot about yourself on trips like this. I recognise my limit as to what I can do and take in, then I have to recharge for a bit and allow the body to catch up....and that was today! I am missing a walking tour of the inner city of Salzburg but I'm sure I'll hear about it from the others!

This afternoon we head off back into Germany.

Till next time.....

Reflections

As I come to the end of this day I feel prompted to just write a few thoughts.......no photos.....just words.

Today has been a totally free day to do whatever we liked, the first I think since starting on this adventure. It's amazing how you slot into a group and get used to being told where to be, what time and what's going to be happening!

After having to cope with life on my own the last little while and make all sorts of decisions that I would normally have had a husband to share with - its been nice to just relax and let someone else organise and supervise!

Today was our final day in Prague to do with as we please.  It actually felt like a real treat, not having to get up early to get on a bus, enjoying a leisurely breakfast and then meandering through the day.

I chose to go wandering on my own in the morning before it got too hot.  As I have already mentioned, there are simply thousands of tourists here, so it was much more enjoyable to wander around before it got too crowded. 

I found it very enjoyable looking for little gifts to take home to family without having to rush.

Mid afternoon I came back to the hotel, had a nap, wrote some blog and........decided to sort out my life!  Funny how when you're travelling your 'life' mainly consists of your suitcase.....how full or empty it is....how heavy it might be and so forth. When it comes down to it, we can survive with very little really.

With the ease of technology now, communication, banking etc can all be done on a phone or iPad.....so one could actually survive for a long time with just a suitcase and a phone!

But that really isn't enough......because family and friends don't fit in your suitcase!

I have often found myself looking at photos and little videos I have on my phone of my grandson Owen.....he is so precious and I am so looking forward to having a cuddle when I get home:-)

This afternoon I felt very blessed as I thought about my family, friends and business partners who have supported me and encouraged me to do this trip.  It has been wonderful but I don't want it just to be a holiday.....I want it to change me for the better, to broaden my outlook and to open my eyes to whatever the Lord has for me in the future.

John Cooney, our tour leader, asked me the other day if and/or how this time away was affecting me or changing me.  It's a good question and I am still pondering it.......it may take awhile for me to put it into words.....but when I do I might just let you know!

This evening we met to have dinner together.....another authentic Czech dinner......beef goulash for me....so delicious!   Then we wandered down to the square where there was a free concert - the Proms in Prague, Hollywood Night. A fantastic big orchestra playing a mixture of classical and themes from movies....it was wonderful...a balmy night in Prague.....the end to a wonderful few days.

Tomorrow we head to Salzburg, Austria.

Till next time.......

Prague Part Three

Saturday morning saw us heading off to the Castle District. I was totally unprepared for what we were about to see......it is massive.......like a whole 'nother town!  Once again there is the main square with places built around it....mainly built in the 16th - 18th century -  and then there is the Prague Castle.

Unfortunately the gardens around the castle were closed that day.....but we gazed through the gates....beautiful gates I must add!

There are several entrances to the castle and all with guards.....

 Very serious young men.....although I did see just a hint of a smile.....they must get soooo sick of their photos being taken!

This is the outer court.....

And this is the main entrance.....the hourly changing of the guard was about to take place so we stood and watched that before moving into the inner courtyard....

Outside the gates here is another huge square with palaces all round...but I was drawn as always to the music that was being played....very cool!

With the changing of the guard all done and dusted we moved into the inner courtyard.....

Then we came face to face with the cathedral of St Vitus, built in Gothic style, it is massive!

Little ol' me slightly dwarfed by huge doors!

Along with it seemed thousands of others.....we ventured inside....

Our lovely guide Martina, explaining all about it this cathedral.

Scenes from inside....beautiful stained glass windows....

The pipe organ...

The most sacred place inside the cathedral.....precious stones inlaid with gold on the walls....

You do wonder about the cost of building these places of course.....interesting with this particular cathedral.....the early parts such as seen here were built with the wealth generated from silver mines in the area.

We then entered another building which is the old royal palace, built in the 1400's. A lot more plain but still very beautiful....you weren't supposed to take photos evidently but I didn't know that till afterwards!    What are they gonna do??  This is the banqueting hall.....the largest medieval banqueting hall in Europe.....and is still used for state occasions.  Imagine having a party in here??

Then it was onto the quaintest little street ever called the Golden Lane. These used to be houses but now house the cutest ever little shops I'd ever seen, which although touristy, did have some really lovely stuff in and we all agreed we didn't have nearly enough time here to wander around :-(

Scenes from the Golden Lane.....

At the end of the Golden Lane we came out into the open and were high above the city with gorgeous views....

On the hillside here were planted grape vines....beautifully kept and very healthy looking.

Then with the thousands of others.....we made our way down the hill to the famous Charles Bridge....taking photos all the time of interesting views and scenes......

Check out these padlocks.....evidently couples who are in love write their names on the padlock,  lock it to the bridge then throw the key in the river......we've seen several of these across Europe....hmm!

Another view of Prague

Walking across Charles Bridge

We had lunch in one of most gorgeous little cafes by the bridge.....outdoors....the food was good too!

Their creative decor was so charming....

Check out the pretzels alongside the sewing machine!

And another corner ......

Then it was back into the main part of Prague where we were free to wander, shop, get lost......

Some things that took my eye....

You can sit in a shop window and let little fish nibble your feet......yeah nah!!

A rock band was playing....very loudly.....on an outdoor stage

A familiar name......gotta love free wifi!

In the evening we went to dinner in a brewery that was established in 1499! It was a lot of fun.....and I didn't have any beer! The food was typical of here......huge amount of meat....pork, duck AND sausage.....along with cabbage cooked two ways.....bread and dumplings! Phew! I'm afraid I didn't do justice to mine.

There was a 4 piece band playing in the corner, including a piano accordion. They were so good, and played songs we all knew. Interesting how music is a universal language. There was a big group of Polish people....about 30.....a bunch of lads I think having a stag do, probably about 15 of them, 11 of us kiwis, and many more in the place, and we all sang along heartily to the songs in our own language, everyone having a great time. Age and nationality no barrier......love it!

So ended my second day in Prague!

Till next time.....