For the lastest check out http://www.thebigbigpicture.blogspot.com/

LONDON.....Jan...visitors!!!

2007 ...... the year for visitors!!!

Two of our very best friends in the whole world made the journey over to visit us in London. After a massive first night!!! How many bottles again??? Dazza showed them the sights while TC had to work! Poor TC! This was the start of the famous 'Dazza Tours of London'. Only way to describe it is - lots of walking, a few famous sites and heaps of beer stops!!


Few weeks later we caught up with them in ROME for an amazing 2 days/nights drinking, eating and site seeing our self around the ancient city.

Miss you guys heaps, cant wait to maul wine with you when we get back home!

LONDON.........up until Xmas

LONDON

After almost 7 months traveling (some say bludging!!) we arrived in London ready to settle down (calm down – we only mean getting jobs and a place to live!!)

First step – a place to live
After 2 weeks sleeping on floors (by the way…. thanks heaps Troy, Jean, Christie, Rache, Steve, John, Jeanne, Nessa and Jodi) we moved into a brand new apartment just off Holloway Rd, right near the new Arsenal Stadium.

Second step – jobs (Clayton turn the music down!!!)
TC - I got a job at the Legal Services Commission working on a project to review their central functions (basically their corporate services). Quite exciting, great boss, awesome workmates, close to home – only 4 tube stops, good ££) What more could I ask for???

Dazza - well after tackling some of the worst classes in the worst school in London Dazza (or Mr F) is back. He has completely ignored the ‘no whistle’ policy and has got these kids learning about Australia, doing rap dancing and eating vegemite!! Started doing short term stints as he wanted to negotiate a ‘better deal’ with the agencies. He finally agreed to small school near Old St Tube called - Thomas Fairchild Primary. Grade 3 class with the crazy Max Walker!!!

Step three – tackling the Tube
I must admit I’m sick of hearing – ‘there are major delays on the Piccadilly Line due to - severe vandalism OR mechanical faults OR overrun engineering works OR (even) person on line (I know how terrible). Must admit that it is still heaps better then the Melb public transport system. I’m getting used to being trapped underground for unknown lengths of time while in over crowded tube carriages – what bliss!!

EVENTS

Vegemite Tales – we were lucky enough to see Blair’s final performance in the west end production of Vegemite Tales. Thanks heaps Kathy, Phil & Blair!!

International Rules – we headed over to Dublin for the second game in the International Rules series. Gretchy and Alva were kind enough to put us up! Love u guys!

Christmas with the Burbidges - Dazza and I cooked the traditional Polish Xmas Eve Dinner. Joe (Dazza's Dad) would have been extremely proud of the effort! Poor Dazza was asleep by 9pm after having the 'traditional' Polich Vodka shots!! Then the Burbidges put on the traditional Christmas feast! with numerous bottles of high quality french Champagne and wine!!!! - is a pattern emerging??

Other events worth a mention, include:
Socceroos Vs Ghana
Ceremony of the Keys at London Tower

Friends Xmas Party - the traditional continues even in London thanks to Country!!

The best thing about London is there is always something to do! We love it!! (and of course earning the pound is amazing!)

Greece - Santorini & Athens

Our last destination of the 'No Rulz Trip' was Greece - the picturesque Santorini and then the ancient city of Athens.

Amazing views.................

Cheap cocktails...............................................

Volcanoes.............................

Tasty greek food.........and bad news for Dazza

RULES NOW APPLY.......

Oktoberfest - Munich

Well, well, well......it is a little late but we thought we better update our site - especially as we have less than a month before we head of travelling again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!














Way back in October 2006 we popped into Munich to try out the world famous Oktoberfest. What an experience!!























Think the photos explain it .......................beer.....................pork knuckle.......................dancing........................



We are definitely going to do it again next year!!!!!



Can't wait to catch up - Clay & Jo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Warsaw, Krakow & Wroclaw

GRISWOLDS TOUR OF POLAND

1st stop - WARSAW
We flew from Split to Vienna and then to Warsaw – this leg of the journey was in a tiny little 20-seater. For those that don’t know, Joey is not a great flier! When we arrived we thought that he was still white and acting a bit vague from the plane trip however I think it was the fact he was in his home country again! He explained later that he felt a mixture of excitement, apprehension and anticipation. We all saw the sign with ‘Findling’ and felt quite ‘special’ but Joey missed it completely.

We headed into the city and found our wonderful apartment. Great location – right in the old town almost overlooking the main square. Then we headed to the closest traditional restaurant and ordered heaps of perogi, borsh and bigos!!!

Warsaw is an incredible city – all completely rebuilt after WW2. Great coloured buildings with different and unique facades. Over the next week we realised that Poland has some of the prettiest cities in Europe - amazing country!

We only spent 2 nights in Warsaw – could have easily spent longer. We roamed around the town, visited the castle and eat heaps of perogi!! It was very emotional, especially when you see a sign in honour of the innocent people who were simply walking down the street when they were lined up and killed in cold blood. So much history, so much tragedy but still so much pride!

The next morning the Griswold Family Vacation Van was delivered. We all hopped in ready for our tour of Poland. After the family photo……….with Joe in this tour guide hat and us with our name tags and matching red shoes, we attempted to start touring….however …….no petrol!! After the guys came back with a gerry can we headed off……..not far though……..as we somehow ended up doing circles around Warsaw for over an hour. Picture this ………..Joey driving…… Val navigating…..Val asking Joe to pull over and resigning from her navigating position…..Jason stepping in………..Joey asking us to read the signs in Polish not English (????)…..…and we had not even left Warsaw!! Eventually we found the way and turned on the radio…amusingly ‘The Land Down Under’ came on the radio…spooky!! However it wasn’t long before we got lost again or held up with road works! Tbone was correct with his tourism advice, the road from Warsaw to Krakow was the worst road in Europe – massive pot holes and apparently no speed limit or brakes!! Poor TC stayed in the very back with her eyes closed the whole way!

2nd stop - KRAKOW

We arrived to our modest hotel (Hotel Daisy) as dusk hit. By this stage Joe was relaxed and enjoying touring around Poland and we were glad to get out of the van. It was incredible to hear the stories about Joe and Val’s visit in the 90’s just after communism fell. Val recalls young people begging her to give them information about the western world and how they can get to Australia. It was good for them to see just how much progress Poland has made since then and with joining the European Union. Apparently, in the early 90’s there was almost nothing on the shop shelves, now there are massive department stores with all the latest brands, even a diesel factory outlet!!

We found a little student type perogi house, thanks to TC taking us out of the tourist zone and down a few dark back allies. It was cheap as chips and mega tasty, just no alcohol! After filling up on perogi we went searching for a pub with the champions league on. The only pub in sight was a little Irish pub. Jas, Dazza and Joe managed to skull 6-8 pints and ended up singing traditional Irish folk songs with about 20 Irish golfers!! Very amusing!



WROCLAW
Off to Joey’s home town….

It started off on a very emotional tour through the Auschwitz concentration camp - words cannot describe it so I won't even try - just see it. Then after a couple of silent hours in the car we arrived in Wroclaw - pronounced Vratswah even though between TC and Jas they managed to never pronounce it right once.

We stayed at the 5 star Raddison to celebrate the big fellas 60th birthday - having the fam (minus Waz the superworker) in his own hometown was pretty special for Joey and a few waterworks were seen in the week. One of those 'Once in a Lifetime moments' that will stay with us forever....... and the same could be said for staying in a 5 star hotel! Flashpacking at its best!! We again ate like kings..... fat kings by this stage as the food was simply sensational! Nana Mary would have been smiling down at us as we demolished pierogi by the truckload - traditional Polish food is hard to beat!

On our travels around town we visited Joeys house and the school he attended as a kid. The boy surprised us all by busting out some pretty darn good conversational Polska and helped us get by as some 'locals'...... sort of! For his birthday dinner we started on a bottle of Moet, got them a horse drawn carriage around the town square and finished it off with a dinner at the St. Petersburg restaurant which was fine dining at its best. About 6 vodka shots each later and we could almost speak perfect Polish as well! Who woulda thought!!! So there you have it - a tour that had it all....... blood, sweat and definetly tears! It definetly rates as one of the best times we have had on the No Rulz Trip and we learnt a lot about our heritage and where they lived. Big thanks must go out to Joe and Val for making it such a great few weeks and for looking after us so well. Also to Waz who made the trek over to Europa and who we got to know a lot better....... but the biggest thanks goes to little Waz who had to keep the family business running back at home - tough ask and did it hard but you were there in spirit and I swore we almost saw you after 1 too many voddies!



TOOL OF THE WEEK
It has to go to the Griswolds again! Just for being the Griswolds - lunatic drivers, passionate arguers, borderline alcoholics......... as Bill Lawry would say "It was all happening!"

Primosten

Primosten 16/9 - 23/9/06

After a 12 nights with just the 2 of us in wonderful, tranquil and peaceful island hideaways, it was off to Split to meet the Findling Family for the start of the Griswold’s Family Vacation……….

It was quite emotional when we got off the ferry and saw Jason and Val after 6 months away (Val was ready with tissues in hand!). Unfortunately Joey missed the whole event as he started to run when he saw a ferry arrive, however little did he know that it was not our ferry. Finally Joey joined the gang and we all had a beer to celebrate. Then just as the rain started to teem down we hailed a cab and off we went to our apartment in Primosten – a little town recommended by Troy and Jean about 1.5 hours south of Split.

After one of the most terrifying journeys of our lives we arrived at our apartment to find our hosts, an 80-year-old Croatian couple. They couldn’t speak English, we couldn’t speak Croatian, so lucky we had Joey who spoke Polish and she managed to understand the occasional word here and there. We spend the next 7 days and nights swimming, snorkelling, sun baking, eating fresh fish, seafood risotto, drinking local wine (literally local wine form the corner house served in plastic bottles – very posh!!) and generally having a great relaxing time with the family.

Moments

• Our first meal together in a little Croatian restaurant in the old town. It was great to catch up, eat great Croatian food and drink excellent wine with the Findlings (alias Griswells).
• Free shots of local grappa following each meal (Val loved them!!)
• Jas, Dazza and TC swimming to an island (about 1km away!). Amazing – heaps of fish!
• Cooking a BBQ dinner with the old Croatian couple looking over our shoulders. It look over 3 hrs to get the fire started !!
• Visiting Sibenik. Great cathedral with faces representing different people and emotions. Humbling to see evidence of recent brutal war.
• Meeting Ivan at the Beach Bar. He told us all the stories about how he and his family managed throughout the war. After we had a few too many Long Island Ice Teas (I am sure we only paid for one) he left us to close the bar! We ended up going for a midnight swim in the Adriatic!!
• Cruise to Krka National Park. Great grilled fish lunch with wine on the boat and a beautiful walk around the waterfalls. Very rough trip home with a few tourists not quite making it – I can still see the grey liquid!
• The little old Croatian lady going sick at Trace for not having any shoes on!! Not once, not twice but 5 times!! Good one Trace!

ZAGREB….ZAGREB……we are going to ZAGREB
We left Primosten early to head back to Split to catch a train to Zagreb. After a long ‘travel day’ we checked into our hotel and headed into the city for a feed. Great city, more traditional Croatian food but the highlight was the massive ice-cream shops – WOW!!

TOOL OF THE WEEK
The tool this week has to go the Griswolds for keeping the neighbours up with our ‘passionate discussions’ over dinner. The poor 80-year-old lady had to ask us to quieten down in her dressing gown at about 11pm at night.

Basina, Jelsa & Bol

BASINA - 4/9 to 7/9

We left our fellow travellers and headed off alone to a tiny village on the other side of Hvar Island, called Basina. After persuading Ivan the apartment owner to pick us up we arrived in what we now call Serenityville - 20/30 houses along 2 magical inlets with a only tiny general store. Ivan even offered us another apartment in a bigger town as he thought this place was a little too remote for people without transport! However this is what we wanted. We spent the next 4 days lazing around the rocky coves swimming, snorkerling, sunbaking and generally relaxing in serenity!

MOMENTS

• Swimming in the Adriatric without a thread of clothing on
• Saying Dobber Dan to all the oldies who swam for hours each morning and evening.
• Trekking 4km across the weird as countryside to get to the closest town Vbroska. There was a tiny rocky track and miles of rock wall mazes and olive groves. We got lost and ended up having to go through a Private property..... complete with tip-toing our way past the front door
• Laying on our Tom and Jerry Lilos

JELSA - 8/9 to 11/9

We left Serenityville and moved onto Tranquilityville....Jelsa, still on Hvar Island. Jelsa is a similar size to Hvar town but with more locals and less yuppie tourists. We spent 4 days doing the 'usual'...sunbaking, swimming, snorkerling...this is the life. We cooked rice, pasta and drank the local vino - which they fill your 1.5 litre bottle up stright from the barrell for only 4 euro! Perfect for the wine mauler!

MOMENTS

• Eating pizza washed down with the local vino while sitting on the old fort wall overlooking the twon.
• Still having quality chats on our balcony even after 6 months
• Speaking to family during difficult times back home. We are thinking of you.

BOL - 12/9 to 15/9

After 12 days on Hvar Island we caught a boat to Bol on the island of Brać. Finally a pebbly beach which moulds to your body and no need for beach shoes. Bol is another magical Croatian town set on a habour full of trendy bars and resturants. Zlanti Rat a 300m stretch of pebbly beach stretching out into the ocean is as beautiful as it appears on all the Croatian brochures.

MOMENTS

• Dining on the habour - first meal out in weeks. Dazza had mouthwatering lamb chargrilled while I had tuna in an amazing wine and garlic sauce. The Domatians definately know how to cook.
• Freaking out totally as we realise we only have one month left of the norulz trip.....!!!! It cant be true!
• Watching the champions league on the massive big screen at a local bar
• Swimming like Kirean Perkins....go TC!!!
• Swimming in water 40m deep and still being able to see the bottom!

MOMENT OF THE WEEK

Swimming across the ocean....a 500m section across one of the inlets. Truely amazing....crystal clear water, heaps of fish and no risk of sharks!

TOOL OF THE WEEK

Dazza for getting his bum burnt!

HVAR TOWN

HVAR TOWN 31/8 - 3/9

OK - the sequel to the first 3 days in Dubrovnik. Once again it was the 7 of us staying here for the next few nights. Me and TC were in our own apartment this time so no snoring from Stix and Stiv - thank God! We had a wicked little view of the sparkling water and the bell tower from our balcony as we sipped espressos each morning......... yes I have changed! No stairs either which made a welcome relief!

Day 4 (continued) - After checking in we hit Hannibals restaurant for a few wines and a seafood kick of calamari and pasta. Quiet night followed and we all caught up on some much needed sleep.

Day 5 - A glorious sunny day of about 30 degrees greeted us so we packed up a lunch and hit the high seas in a local boat that took us out to an island. Now to make it a tad interesting 'No Sesh Friday' was called and anyone who mermured this word received a complimentary chinning. It took a while for the boys to adapt and there were some sore jaws getting around early! The island itself was rocky as with crystal clear water and not many people about. Swimming and sunbaking were the order of the day. It was TC who called for a beer first and in no time 3 or 4 of Croatias finest were put down with the island providing a stunning backdrop. After tanning up just a little more we headed on back with a feeling in the air that a big one was coming on........ and we were right! We knocked back a few bottles of wine sitting on the harbour docks just for starters. Then after another seafood chew we got busy a drinkin! The girls were on cocktails whilst the boys and young TC were hitting a pint and a tequilla shot each round. Things got messy pretty early with TC setting a cracking pace.... the tool of the week had stung her into action...... and about time too!

After a few more, a brainiac decided to stop the chinning game due to a few concussions and change it that you had to use everyones last name or cop a thonging (refer to dubrov blog for definition). As me and TC didnt even know their last names we...... and in particular me, copped a pounding. My a$$ was the colour of the sunset by nights end. MJ and Jo looked after each other but came in off a Dennis Lillee long run to smack one of the boys! An Austrian 45 year old schitzo was trying to tune Stix and Stiv and took great delight in dishing out some powerful thongings to the boys..... Stiv was on fire with the women! TC and myself called it a night around 4 after some free shots from the bar dude and I had to literally carry...... and/or drag her home. TC was back!! The boys kept going with Stiv hitting the local club and Stix and Egg playing cards and skulling everything in site! Good times were had by all! Absolute ripping day!

Day 6 - We all met up hung over like dogs and decided the day was a write off and sleep was the order of the day. The 2 of us ventured out late afternoon and stumbled on a beach party that was going off. Music pumping and Spanish girls in tiny bikinis dancing on podiums. We met up with a bloke we met in Czechy so joined him for a couple of cheeky pints. Met some good Auzzies who live in London and had a couple more. Feeling pretty happy by now we hit town for some pizza and pasta and ended in a quiet night.

Day 7 - Today was beach day and we swam, sunbaked, swam, sunbaked repeat x6. The weather at this place is brilliant. We didnt see a cloud the whole time we were there. Egg, MJ, Stiv and Jo took off on a ferry which was a bit sad so we ventured over to the beach party again, had a few cheekies and a shot or 2 and went back to the pad to cook up some grub - a Stix special. 2 bottles of red later and once again we were hammered. Got told off for being too loud by the guy next door and found some Z´s whilst listening to some classic tunes. Stix caught the early ferry whilst we had the psycho bus journey around 500m cliffs to our next destination Basina. This was one of the best weeks in the trip and had some absolute classic moments!!! Big shout out to the crew who made it such a blast. The Simpletons know good sesh but stink like rotten mocca! Till next time!

TOOLS OF THE WEEK
TC for her new nickname the Wine Mauler due to ........ well go figure??!!
DF for being thonged 15 times in about 2 hours
Stiv for pulling people (me) up for a technical mis- pronouncation of his ethnic name
Jo once again just for knowing these people
Stix for barracking for a loser team
Eggy for working in a bank (and missing it)
MJ for going out with a guy who works in a bank (and misses it)
All of us for being too hungover to enjoy a 30 degree day

DUBROVNIK

Dubrovnik 28 - 30/8

Anticipation was in the air as we bussed down to Dubrovnik to catch up with Sticks and the crew in beautiful Dubrovnik. After a hell walk up about 400 stairs carrying 20kgs worth of luggage in each hand DF was knackered and needed a beer. Eggy and MJ arrived at the pad and a couple of quiet ones were had. Then Jo, Sticks and Stivvy arrived and it was game on! The boys had traveled around Germany together for the World Cup so were in a mood to celebrate the reunion while the girls added more than a touch of class and brains to the group which made for some special times! It took TC and myself a few days to get the lingo down pat but we went through the sesh, had a few moccas and were into the swing of things! pmsl at no-one understanding what I'm talking bout!

Before I go I will clarify a few terms that were in play for the week:
Sesh - absolutely anything e.g"Whats the Sesh Sticks, I'm hanging for a sesh of the sesh..... Yeah lets sesh this sesh and bring on some sesh"................ and that was one that made sense!!!
Mocca - poo that can be described as dirty, steaming, mouldy, festering etc depends on the strength of the meaning.
Chinning - For every dumb comment made 1 person puts a fist no more than 2 inches away from your chin and punches you as hard as they can..... The better the sound the better the chinning!
Thonging - Slapping someone as hard as you can on the rump.... with or without a run-up.

Ok back to the first night...... after putting a few beers away we headed down to the Old Town for a pizza and a few vinos. By 9pm Eggy could not speak, lift his head or actually move without MJś help - very weekend at Bernies like - so the boys decided to help wake him up by throwing him into the harbour and then bomb him for a few minutes. It sorta did the trick and we ended up back home drinking beers and putting young Eggy to bed. I was left drinking bad vodkas and more beers with Sticks and Stiv as we took a time warp back to the early nineties and listened to some of our fav Goo tunes..... 10% Weird, Pennywise, Soundgarden, Spiderbait etc. Woke up the next morning on the floor with Sticks on the couch. Worst hangover I have ever had that lasted 24 hours!!

Day 2 - Took a stroll to the beach and had a dip in the refreshing waters whilst chatting to old Croatian ladies. Hit another beach before heading back to the pad for drinks.... but i put my hand up and was soft as that night and could not touch a drop of alcohol - had a fishermans platter for some chow and then headed to bed whilst the others hit the club for 1 euro tequillas...... piss poor I know........ had to make it up the next day. Special mention to Stiv who picked up Norlane who might have and might not have weighed 150 kilos???? Not sure

Day 3 - For the first time it was overcast so after Eggy had a caraffe of wine for lunch the call was made "Guinness Day!" We headed to the local Irish bar and downed Guiness till we were all a tad messy and arguing over World Justice. Chinnings were the order of the day and many a good blow was landed. It took the girls to rescue us before the boys headed to the club - DF made it this time.... just - and we danced Irish jigs and drank Jager bombs and tequilla till we couldnt drink no more. Stairs home were hard work!

Day 4 -Well we just got up again thanks to the girls who dragged us down to the dock for our ferry trip to Hvar Town - the boys laid down for most of the 7 hour hike while I sat around with the girls and had my first intelligent conversation for many a month...... no offence TC!!!

TOOLS OF THE WEEK
A lot to choose from this week but the winners are:
Eggy for passing out during tea on the first night
Stiv for bare footing it in a dodgy nightclub
Sticks and Egg for falling asleep in the sun and getting wicked sunnies marks
DF for not drinking for an entire day - shame Darren shame
MJ for having to be carried home by Sticks after passing out in town
TC for not going hard enough!
Jo.......... cant find one but special mention just for knowing these people!!!!
All the boys for swimming in polluted as water that had gross girls stuff in it!
Most of the crew on the ferry - Pistols, Dolph and speedos made for an entertaining trip