.     

Diary 

19 May 2007      2007 Multiple District Convention March at Darling Harbour  

               For those who like to plan ahead   2010 International Lions Convention in Sydney.  Ref John White .

Latest Lions Clubs District 201N5 mail  -->  www.lionsclubssydney.org.au/cabsecmailing.htm

Click --> Archive   Here be lions.

The Travels of John and Lainie....

They have arrived in Switzerland.   2.6.07 and to send them an email click on -->     john.r.white@optusnet.com.au

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Hi All,

A couple of weeks have now passed  since we left Singapore this is the first chance we have had to connect the lap top up and send e-mails. Sorry we know some people did not receive our last e-mail due to a glitch in the system. Hope the same does not happen this time.

After a 12hour flight from Singapore we booked into our hotel at Istanbul and tried to settle in before exhaustion claimed us. We went to dinner and met the other 30 persons whom would be traveling with us for the next 7 days, they turned out to be a bunch of great Aussies who were very easy to travel with and of course we all had one big agenda in common, being there for the Anzac service at Anzac Cove and Lone Pine to commemorate our fallen Aussie soldiers who are remembered on the 25^th April each year at Gallipoli. We were informed by one of the leading Turkish War Historian just how the war progressed and we were so overcome with emotion to hear what our soldiers endured, were subjected to and died for, what a waste of beautiful lives, we believe the youngest soldier to die at Gallipoli was only 14years of age like a lot of the boys they lied about their age to get into the forces.

Our week in Turkey was just fantastic from the time of our arrival until the time we departed we were on the go. We were so lucky to have a guide who was an archeologist and was working on excavations in Troy. His knowledge of Turkish history was just amazing and he told both the factual history as well as the mythical & he kept us in awe at all times. Some of the places we visited in Istanbul were St. Sophia Museum, had been a Christian church first, then a Mosque now is a Museum emphasizing Christianity. We visited the Blue Mosque, the underground Cisterns which shows the amazing technology that was apparent in those early times. We visited the Hippodrome where the Roman chariot races were held and if you listened carefully enough you could hear the horses racing pulling their chariots behind them and the crowds cheering them on., we also visited the Topkapi Palace. We did manage to visit the Bazaar but as we are unable to shop at this time we just cruised around and looked, must admit lots of bargains if you do want to buy.

We knew that it was going to be cold at Gallipoli but believe me it was not what I would call cold, it was FREEZING. We drove across the Dardanelles at 2300hrs the night before and settled in for the night we had singlets, jumpers, jackets, coats, gloves, scarves and beanies and basically anything we could put on our bodies to create some kind of warmth. To be fair it was only between 0400hrs and to the start of the service that we noticed the wind blow up from the sea and maybe that was to let us know how cold it must have been for our boys and I doubt if they had the luxury of all the warm clothes we were blessed to have. Heart -breaking really. We were glad when the sun came up and we then had to start peeling our layers of clothing off. It was a long emotional night and day but something we would not have missed for anything and feel so very honored to have had the experience.

After Gallipoli we went to visit Troy a place that I have always wanted to visit and our guide was in his element because he was actually working on the site and was so passionate about all the history and believe me there was so .I must admit I was disappointed with the Trogan horse when I saw it, it was not at all what I expected, but I did manage to involve myself in the mythical events that make Troy and the Trogan horse famous.

It was sad to leave Turkey with all its colorful history and the new friends we had made, but it was time to move on to the next leg of our journey.

Off to Cyprus where the wheels fell of our wagon, so to speak, we flew to Cyprus via Athens on Olympic Air and had to change aircraft in Athens to Cyprus Air and our suitcases were tagged to be transferred onto that aircraft,  we arrive in Larnaka Cyprus and yes no suitcases, they had been lost and of course we were very distressed as those suitcases contained the only belongings we possess, so our arrival was kind of marred and we had to sit at the hotel waiting for the airport personnel to contact us re our suitcases, of course we didn’t hear from them and we were unable to contact them as their office closes at 1600hrs. It would not have been so bad if the hotel had been half decent, when we showered the bathroom flooded, it was as hot as Hell and the air-conditioning did not work, the phone was out of order so we had to use the phone at the noisy front desk therefore all of the other guests etc knew of our lost suitcases ahhhhhhhhhh! One consulation was we did have clean bodies, but no clean clothes or toothbrushes etc. Finally the airport rang the next day to inform us they had our suitcases, so that was cause for great celebrations.

We had collected our car from the airport and started on our way around Cyprus, we found the natives not to be overly friendly, but we didn’t let that deter us, our memory of Larnaka, our first port of call was therefore just an unfortunate memory.

From Larnaka we drove to Troodos a lovely spot up in the mountains, we enjoyed the change, it was cool but not a lot to do other than go hiking, and that was not in our vocabulary so we walked and drove around to see what we could see and basically fill in the time.

From Troodos we drove to Nicosia, the capitol of Cyprus, really just another large city, lots of shops and restaurants etc it has the border to the Turkish side of Cyprus, guards with guns and all. Our hotel there was great, very modern and comfortable.

From Nicosia we drove to Paphos a beautiful place on the west coast we had two nights there and really enjoyed it. There are a lot of English people living and holidaying there we were told that they sell up in England buy a place in Paphos for a small sum and live happily in the sun.

We took a cruise out to a place called Coral Bay and told we could go swimming as I had donned my swimsuit for just this occasion I dived in, my first physical contact with the Mediterranean oh my God I hit the water and did not know what had happened I could not catch my breath, it was the coldest water I have ever experienced, thus I got out as quickly as I had got in. The cruise was great fun and we both enjoyed it. We of course did lots of walking as our hotel was a short distance to the waterfront and we walked there twice a day to partake in the art of eating, they have lots of restaurants therefore lots of competition and offer set menus for a very good price so we had quite a few set menus, after Turkey, everything seems so expensive but of course that is all part of travel.

We left Paphos and drove to our last port of call Lemossos our hotel was on the waterfront so we did a lot of walking along the beach and ate at the seaside restaurants, so tranquil. From there we drove back to Larnaka and caught the plane to Athens. I really feel that Cyprus would not be a place that I would return or recommend, but am happy to have been able to experience it. Caught the plane from Larnaka and arrived in Athens Greece that same night about 1900hrs.

Arrived at our hotel in Athens about 1930hrs, unfortunately it was nowhere near the Plaka area where we had requested, and where lots of my memories of 33 years ago belonged, but the hotel was reasonable and wow had a fridge, trust me that is a bargain after being without one the entire time we were in Cyprus. We decided to go out to find a place to eat and after half an hour and feeling both tired and peckish had found no eating places other than a Chinese restaurant and we did have a giggle saying, at the time, well we won’t be eating Chinese our first night in Athens, well the laugh was on us as that was exactly what we ingested, however is was delicious and we enjoyed it. As we were only staying three nights in Athens we had booked a half day tour to visit several historical sites the most famous being the Acropolis I had of course visited it before, John hadn’t and he was extremely impressed. We decided to leave our tour after the Acropolis and walk down to the Plaka and of course so many memories flooded back to me, as 33 years ago as a young girl I was lucky to have lived and worked in Athens for six months and being back here reminded me of the place I worked, which no longer exists and all the friends long lost touch with. Of course over 33 years things have changed greatly, cars everywhere and all people driving like crazy people. Because of the Olympic Games in 2004 the city received a huge clean up, progress I guess it’s called. I can remember working in the pension and didn’t earn much money so I would go down to the bead shop to buy my supplies to make necklaces, bracelets and anklets then go sell them on the beach, gee I had such initiative then, I usually sold all of my creations and managed to make enough money to keep me in the style I am accustomed to. We had also booked on a day cruise to visit three islands, it sounded great as we thought it would be a small cruise boat with about maybe 30 people, you can imagine our shock when we arrived to a huge ship and another 500 odd passengers boarded, it really turned out to be a shopping cruise, the passengers were mostly Japanese so I guess shopping is their thing, anyway we walked all over the islands and did enjoy it we have now seen them and will probably not visit them again so feel lucky to have been there.

Left Athens and arrived on our first island Mykonos. They say it is an island for the young but I say who cares we are young at heart it is PARADISE and we love it. Our hotel is great it is a short way from the seafront but we enjoy the walk to and from the hotel, believe me if we weren’t fit before we started our island hopping we are now, there are times we feel like mountain goats, as their stairs and so called steps are very different to what we are used to, John however relates us to the Billy goat clan HA! HA! he thinks that is funny. We were sad to leave Mykonos but now looking forward to Paros.

Arrived in Paros and transferred to the Aegean hotel not as comfortable as our Mykonos hotel but like we say it is only a place to lay our head as we are out most of the day and usually get to bed around 2200hrs exhausted may I say. I feel that most of the islands will be the same and we guess you can only see so many churches etc. but the history can be interesting and we will focus on that. We leave Paros this afternoon and arrive on the island of Ios about 1800hrs.

We are truly having a great, relaxing time and everyday realize how blessed we are to be experiencing this holiday. We have tans now so soon will be looking like the locals. We miss you all muchly but remember you are all traveling with us in our hearts. Gotta go now as its time for lunch then off to the port to catch our Ferry to Ios. Will send this next time we can connect up to broadband. Keep safe, health and happy we will be in touch again soon.       

Thinking of you,

Love,

Lainie & John

12.05.07

Well sorry it has taken us so long to send this e-mail we are back in Athens and have finally found an internet café where we can connect the computer. So here goes.  

AS WE SAID AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS E-MAIL SOME OF THE E-MAILS BOUNCED BACK SO WE ARE NOT SURE WHO GOT IT AND WHO DIDN’T SO COULD YOU PLEASE REPLY TO US ON OUR E-MAIL ADDRESS WHEN YOU RECEIVE THIS E-MAIL, BESIDES WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM EVERYONE ANYWAY TO HEAR HOW LIFE ETC IS WITH YOU ALL.

Can you believe it is now 4.06.07 and we have arrived in Switzerland and think we can now get e-mails through thanks to our friends, so here goes and remember you can send us e-mails you have our address.

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