Sunday 30 September 2007

our itinerary

Just a quick one. We have had our wedding...we had a ball and now we are husband and wife (more about that later). We are back in Melbourne and getting ready for the flight to Italy for the honeymoon. Just quickly I wanted to post our itinerary is attached so you can follow our progress and imagine you are there with us. Have a good three weeks and I will do some updates when you get back. xox


Nights - Location - Accommodation
3 nights - Rome – B&B Gracchi http://www.bbitalia.it/en/bb-rome/gracchi.html
3 nights - Gambassi Terme – Villa Bianca Hotel http://www.villabiancahotel.it/en/default.asp
2 nights - Bologna – Tower, A Boscolo First Class Hotel http://www.boscolohotels.com/eng/hotels/tower/4star_hotel_bologna.htm
2 nights - Venice – Hotel Leonardo http://www.venere.com/hotel/index.php?htid=8655
2 nights - Verona – Hotel Al Castello http://www.venere.com/hotel/index.php?htid=144072
2 nights - Milan – Windsor Hotel http://www.hotelwindsormilan.com/
2 nights - Rapallo – Hotel Miro http://www.venere.com/hotel/index.php?htid=162939
1 night - Montecatini Terme – Grand Hotel Tettuccio http://www.venere.com/hotel/index.php?htid=4337
1 night - Rome – Bed and Breakfast Best (Vatican) http://www.venere.com/hotel/index.php?htid=225401

Driving Distances:
Rome to Gambassi Terme – 200 Miles
Gambassi Terme to Bologna – 100 Miles
Bologna to Venice – 100 Miles
Venice to Verona – 100 Miles
Verona to Milan – 100 Miles
Milan to Rapallo – 100 Miles
Rapallo to Montecatini Terme – 100 Miles
Montecatini Terme to Rome – 200 Miles

Days
Tuesday – 02/10/2007 - Rome
Wednesday – 03/10/2007 - Rome
Thursday – 04/10/2007 - Rome
Friday – 05/10/2007 – Gambassi Terme
Saturday – 06/10/2007 – Gambassi Terme
Sunday – 07/10/2007 – Gambassi Terme
Monday – 08/10/2007 - Bologna
Tuesday – 09/10/2007 - Bologna
Wednesday – 10/10/2007 - Venice
Thursday – 11/10/2007 - Venice
Friday – 12/10/2007 - Verona
Saturday – 13/10/2007 - Verona
Sunday – 14/10/2007 - Milan
Monday – 15/10/2007 - Milan
Tuesday – 16/10/2007 - Rapallo
Wednesday – 17/10/2007 - Rapallo
Thursday – 18/10/2007 – Montecatini Terme
Friday – 19/10/2007 - Rome
Saturday – 20/10/2007

Monday 10 September 2007

in anticipation

Are you sick of all my wedding talk yet? Well I don't think it is about to stop for a little while yet :) With the long hours at work, my life revolves round school, chores, wedding planning and finding time to relax. Hence the topic 'du jour' is the wedding.

With all the wedding talk and excitment over our holiday I have been reminiscing about our engagement weekend and thought I would share the story. Adam surprised me last June (or was it July?Is it bad that I don't know?) I thought we were going camping in a communal cabin instead we "camped" in the most beautiful place I have ever stayed. Crystal Creek Rainforest Retreat was private, luxurious and perfect.See that banner up there (man, that was hard to figure out and it is still need to work on it!) that was the view from our room.

On our first day we undertook the most difficult walk of our lives. We walked up a hill that was so steep we were on our hands and knees in some parts. See how sweaty I am? See how ecstatic I am to be three quarters of the way up! We were saying "we must be almost there" just before we reached the 'half-way there branch.' But boy was the view worth it. But that is not where the question was popped.


On our second day we went to the Natural Arch. It was beautiful but very crowded. Adam kept stalling and saying 'let's do the walk again after lunch.' I wasn't keen. This is where the question was going to be popped but due to the crowds was not.


Later the same day, we went on one of our retreats private walks and by a little creek, in the middle of the rainforest, alone, the question was popped. The answer was obvious. We both knew it was coming, Adam was the only one who knew it was coming on this holiday. It is hard when you have been with someone for so long, who you feel like you have grown up with and share everything with, to suddenly have a movie perfect moment. Adam was down on his knee, he said lovely and special things to me, but the long speech didn't happen. In a nature more true to us and our relationship I began laughing at the situation. I was happy, he was happy, we laughed, I swung on vines on the way back. It was just perfect.



Adam and I still look back at that long weekend holiday as our best ever. There are so many special memories there and it was by far the most stunning and peaceful place I have ever had the privilege to stay at. The proof? Here is another picture of view we woke up to every morning.

Ahh...bliss.

Saturday 8 September 2007

::making me happy saturday::

I missed a Friday making me happy because we got home late. Adam came out to meet me at my school and we watched the school's production of Fame. So making me happy Friday
:: Students in their element, having fun, performing
:: Seeing talent that you never knew could hide inside some of those students.

now for my last "making me happy" post

Saturday.

:: Lazing down at the beach, barefoot and short sleeved.


::a secret part of the beach, just for you (well almost). To sit and plan and read and dream.


::A breakfast/lunch to celebrate the new job (since last night's stuffing fast food down our throat in the car so we wouldn't be late for the performance hardly counted)


::the fun I am having with my new camera :)

Thursday 6 September 2007

::making me happy thursday::

::our resident blackbird, he sits outside our kitchen window, he sings us songs and he even polishes off our scraps.


::and in very special, "breaking news," Adam getting the job that he applied for within the company. A very good position and a real achievement for someone who is just coming off his graduate program. I am very proud, he is extremely happy! It means another definite two years in Victoria but when we get to explore beaches like this every weekend I guess we can't complain.

Wednesday 5 September 2007

::making me happy wednesday::

I am enjoying this 'making me happy' series. It helps me forget about the pile of marking and loose ends that need sorting out before I leave for Queensland. It seems slowly but surely, with the warmer weather and sunnier skies, Adam and I are slipping into holiday mode. Conveniently forgetting about those two and a half weeks working days still left.

anyway enough about that and onto what is making me happy today.
::artwork and photos around the home


::this particular artwork was created by a year 11 art class from my last teaching job. It was a goodbye present that they collaboratively worked on. It hangs in the kitchen so that at the end of a particularly bad day, when I am unwinding with a glass of wine and preparing dinner, I can look up to the painting and remember the parts of teaching I love. Being a teacher is such a rollercoaster ride. Some days it seems like the hardest job in the world, a real struggle and so demanding. Having thirty kids yelling "Miss...Miss...MISS...Help me, I need you" all day long, detentions at lunch times, paperwork, discipline and difficult parents to deal with, can all be thoroughly draining. But this is a "making me happy" post and it is true that it can be utterly rewarding at other times. Thirty beautifully executed paintings hanging on a wall, kids smiling as you walk across the yard offering help, telling you a story and the thank-you's (like this painting hanging on my wall reminding me of those parts of teaching daily)


:: A corner on my bookshelf displaying loved ones and wedding inspiration.

Tuesday 4 September 2007

::making me happy tuesday::

To continue with a week of making me happy and camera experimenting...

::flowers from the tree outside our kitchen window brought inside
::our international drivers licences and passports organised
::our honeymoon completley finalised (thanks Adam)

::Adam reading all these wonderful travel books. He will be my husband and tour guide by the time he is done :)

Monday 3 September 2007

::making me happy::

:: my new camera
::posting some practice shots this week with the new camera

:: opening the calender to the month that has 'Our Wedding' written in a square.


back tomorrow with another 'making me happy' and camera practice post.

Sunday 2 September 2007

Dad's Day

Dad,
is always there to help
is always strong and able
has a solution and an answer for everything
can find a cable or extension lead for anything
can solve all technical computer problems
can build a wall or a frame my art
is creative and can do everyone's taxes
can pack a car with a seemingly impossible amount of stuff
is more generous than anyone I know

Yes it would seem I have the best dad in the world :)


Happy Fathers Day Dad!

And in other news...I have recieved my wedding present from my loving husband-to-be. A brand spanking new digital SLR camera. A Nikon D40. I also have to thank Dad for my love of photography. It was his old film camera that I used when I first started. I loved that camera and the shots I took with it of my cousins, flowers, the garden and my art. Dad is a great photographer...with a bit of practice (and my new camera)I hope to get as good as him. What great men I have in my life...a super dad and a very thoughful and kind husband (okay, okay fiance..there is still about 28 days until I am allowed to call him husband;)