So it’s been a few months since I’ve posted and a lot has happened since then. Really exciting events have unfolded and I’m proud to say I’m definitely looking forward to the next adventure!

In June, I travelled through parts of Europe with my husband Daniel. We did a driving holiday through Germany, Italy and Switzerland which was picturesque and exhilarating; particularly driving on the autobahns through Germany at 210KM/hr! We then visited Berlin and flew to London where we celebrated my father-in-law’s 60th with the UK side of the family. We also visited Singapore on the way back to Australia.

Before we left our home in Sydney, Australia I was nervous about driving through Europe. The thought of driving a manual and on the other side of the road was the least of my worries though, as we found out the day before we left that I was pregnant!

We knew it would be a challenging holiday but a rewarding one! Apart from feeling sick almost everywhere we went, we did manage to see most things and eat delicious food.

I still remember the fantastic restaurants we visited in Rome and the incredible sites in Vatican City and Rome. All the places I had wanted to visit in High School, finally came true! And it was pretty amazing and I’d highly recommend visiting Italy for it’s food, culture and art. The cities have stayed true to their past and it feels like you’re walking through a place stuck in time; all the buildings are classically Roman or Greek. Visiting Pompeii was another highlight which we both enjoyed very much. We studied ancient history together in high school and it was nice to experience the wonder of such an ancient civilisation again.

After Italy we ventured through the Swiss Alps via the Splügen Pass which was beautiful and cold! We were on our way to see our good friend Barbara from our school days, who has been living in Zurich, Switzerland. It was lovely staying with her and meeting her lovely son Will. Thank you for having us stay! We really loved catching up and seeing the city with you!

In Germany, we did a hot lap on the Nürburgring and also visited many car and aviation museums. The Mercedes Museum in Stuttgart was a highlight and well worth the visit. There were cars through history as well as memorable (some unforgettable) events of history displayed on the walls. In Berlin we visited the Berlin Wall, Brandenburg Gate and Checkpoint Charlie Museum.

From Germany we traveled to London and stayed at the Belmont Hotel in Paddington. Unfortunately this was the worst accommodation we had on our entire stay. No lifts, no air-con, very small bathroom and small room. 😢 The only thing that saved this place was the breakfast which was included in our stay.

The highlight of our trip to London was seeing the family again and meeting some new faces that I hadn’t seen in my previous visit to the UK back in 2008. It felt good to be in such company again and I really missed speaking to the family. No doubt we will visit again soon, when we’ll be a family of three!

We also caught up with our UK friends Colette and Julia who I traveled through Peru with back in 2006 with my father. I met Colette’s young family for the first time and also met Julia’s fiancé Peter. It was lovely catching up with them after many years. We loved the historical house, The Vine which they took us to on a lovely Summer day. We will endeavour to return sooner than 9 years!

Our time in the UK felt brief but we saw many sights, including the majestic Buckingham Palace which we missed last time we visited. I’m not really into the Royal Family but something inside me made me feel quite happy to be in the presence of the Queen. She was at the palace on one of the days we visited, so it felt rather special.

The last place we visited was Singapore on our trip home and I really can’t remember very much from when I visited there as a young girl on a family holiday. Singapore was hot and humid but it didn’t stop us as everywhere we went there was sufficient air conditioning, including the trains we went on. It made for a pleasant stay. We went to Gardens by the Bay and went to the observation deck of Marina Bay Sands to watch the sunset.

I did a little bit more than usual when it came to shopping. Shoes, jacket and bag were items that I couldn’t go past. It felt like I was channelling my mum who is really into fashion.

I really enjoyed the holiday and I know it might be a while before we travel like this again. Hopefully with the baby on the way we find time to explore the world a bit. Though it might be a lot closer to home for the time being. 😊