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Europe Trip 2024

Rural Australia to Central Europe June

After finishing seeding on the farm, we had a rare three-week window of opportunity to travel. We decided on a European river cruise, and after searching for last-minute departures, we managed to secure a spot on a French cruise with CroisiEurope, thanks to a cancellation. I can wholeheartedly recommend CroisiEurope for their exceptional service and the overall experience of fine French dining.

We flew from Perth to Amsterdam with Singapore Airlines, a city we’re quite familiar with. It’s a wonderful place to start a European adventure, especially since we have relatives in the Netherlands. Travelling by train is the norm there, and it made exploring so much easier. During our stay, we enjoyed a day trip to Haarlem and spent a night in Groningen, a charming city in the north.

Tasmania Trip 2024

From Perth’s Heat to Tasmania’s Cool

A journey from Perth to Tasmania brought a refreshing change from the scorching West Australian summer heat. After a four-hour flight, we touched down in Hobart on a cold and wet Friday evening, a stark contrast to the weather we left behind. The journey that followed took us on an unforgettable anti-clockwise route from Hobart around this beautiful island, each stop offering its unique charm.

Europe Trip 2023

Antibes, France

My motivation for this trip was driven by my daughter Claire and her fiance Lochy. Both of them had qualified to run in the Chamonix Ultra Trail Mont Blanc (UTMB) event. Claire took on the challenge of a 171 km run around the mountain. She completed 128 km of the loop. Lochy also completed a similar distance before succumbing to hyperthermia.

Over three weeks, the farmer and I travelled to Switzerland (Geneva and Zermatt), Italy (Milan and Genoa), France (Annecy, Chamonix, Nice, Antibes, Cannes, Eze and Lyon) and Monaco (Monte Carlo). Pictures from the snow-covered mountains to quaint little villages, churches to castles, fashion houses to local markets, beaches to boating, royalty to oligarchy are below.

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McCaffreys in Clogher

For the last two years, I have taken an interest in genealogy. Originally, I wasn’t quite sure what had sparked this interest. I now understand some of the reasons why. As a grandmother, I need to see this information recorded somewhere, for the sake of the generations that follow me.

Three generations: me, my daughter, and my grand-daughter.

An Irish Summer Genealogy Trip 2022

On this third trip to Ireland, my primary focus was genealogical. The Irish summer is especially beautiful. Many an hour was spent in churches and graveyards, although most of my time was spent with family in the Monaghan/Tyrone border area where my mother grew up.

Art: Alcohol ink

For the first time in my life, I have discovered an ability to create. The images below represent the fusion of ink and alcohol. The few samples below reveal my colour choices. It’s interesting to note that gold tones feature heavily in my work.

Art: Paint pouring

Art: Mixed media

This is my first attempt as a wannabe artist. The first piece includes resin, beads, shells, gemstones, and doilies. The second one includes barks, leaves, and shells found around the house. Most components of this work, including the canvas, were recycled.

Retirement update

As of 24th December 2020, I am no longer a public servant, an employee of the state. I have never felt more joyful. The luxury of swanning around the house, choosing how to spend my day, finding new hobbies, picking up old ones, and setting new challenges is very much appreciated and valued.

Costa Rica: the tropical experience

This country has to be one of the prettiest, scenic places I have ever been. We hired a car at the border of Nicaragua and Costa Rica so that we could take a road trip across the country.

Costa Rica is a land of volcanoes, rainforests and cloud forests, huge waterfalls, and mighty rivers. It is bordered by beaches and lies between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean.