Teachabroad

Note: All images that relate directly to this particular blog can be found via this link to the website page Transit Images  Well stepping back through the departure doors at Sydney was a little foreign in this post-covid world. Having the opportunity to fly Business Class was also something that I hadn’t done in nearly 8 years (and then it was an upgrade). I thought I would try and cover the experience, both outward & inward legs and the different elements that went to making it such a memorable one. One thing I did miss was not having Tracy there for the trip. I know that it isn’t really here bag and I am eternally grateful that she is supportive of these adventures. So much to see and do, it is still a bit surreal that the day finally arrived after waiting so long.  All the elements The first thing you notice when comparing the 787 to the 777 was the difference in the style of seating as well as the space. Having said that, both provided levels of comfort which fully justified the price, which was extremely reasonable (and cheap) when compared to other airlines. The 787 was a little narrower in the seating area but provided a better “mattress” which actually made sleeping quite comfortable. Being able to experience a relatively restful sleep was something new for me. Economy does not allow for a person over 190cm’s to feel fully rested at the end of a long-haul flight. Being able to lay down and watch a football match in bed, which I did between Sydney & Tokyo, was a treat and something I could never do in cattle class. If this was the only plane I would take to and from Europe, I would have been a very happy camper. 787 Business Class TV in bed “The Room” Watching “Bullet Train” The 777 was a different configuration and whole different story altogether. This is the part of the trip where I was introduced to “the room”. As you can see by the picture, this was a step up from anything I have seen in a business class seat on any plane I have travelled on. You literally have the width of nearly two seats and the screen size is huge. Along with that, you have storage facilities, doors that isolate you from the rest of the section (if you so wish) and a double blind on the windows. When planning the trip originally, I had read about this and it was partially the reason I chose the route that I ended up taking. Was it worth it? Absolutely is the only answer I can come up with. The only slight criticism that I had is that the mattress could have been a little thicker. Match the relative comfort of the 787 and you would have something that would be hard to top. The View While I can’t fully put this bit down to Business Class, it was nice to have a window seat without someone fawning all over me. Most of the memorable views came on the leg between Tokyo and London, partially because of the route and also because of the time of the flight.  The Route I’m not sure if this is the normal route or it was because of the situation in the Ukraine or Russia , but we flew up along the Russian coast, across the Bering Sea and Greenland to London. A bucket list moment was getting to see the aurora borealis from the comfort of my seat for the first time. It was something I’ve always wanted to see and one that I can tick off the list. Another was a stunning view of Greenland and the subsequent sunshine that illuminated the horizon. On the way home, the biggest issue was snow in Frankfurt. Both legs were night flights and with the seat allocation, it was difficult to achieve the same range of images that I achieved on the earlier flight. Tokyo to London The Northern Lights Sunrise over Greenland Sunrise over Greenland Snow in Frankfurt Mt Fuji The Food The food and service were one of the highlights of flying up the front of the plane. I have always felt well looked after on ANA but this time it was next level. My food selections centred on the Japanese options, and I must say I chose wisely. The only time i veered slightly off the Japanese track was breakfast on the second last leg from Frankfurt to Tokyo (it was still really nice). The portion sizes were more than enough and the food itself was extremely tasty. In my opinion, the last thing a person needs to feel is bloated on a long-haul flight and apart from a snack (it was Ippudo ramen), I didn’t need anything else. The white table cloth, different course, silver service were all elements which made this part pf the trip so much better.  Salmon Duck & Beef International breakfast Cheese platter

Day 17 – 13/1/23 – London to Annoeullin (Travel) The day started off early for the trip on the Eurostar. Moving away from the relative comfort of a language that I knew to once again a country whose language I am unsure of, while it doesn’t bother me, definitely keeps you on your toes. The added bonus of where I am travelling to is the fact that I will be seeing very good friends who I first met through travel. As the train arrived in Lille, one of the first sights I am confronted with was a Westfield’s. It was like I being transport back to a normal Thursday night shopping with Tracy, the only difference is that they don’t serve Poulet in Hurstville or Miranda. Finally reaching the Lille Flanders station, I then spent the best part of 10 minutes trying to work out how to purchase a ticket to Don Sainghin. Eventually succeeding in this seemingly easy task (well easy if you could speak French), it was onto my final destination to meet up with good friends who run a guest house in Annoeullin. Westfield Lille Train to Don-Sainghin Chantal & April When in France … I first met Chantel and Philippe back in 2013 when myself, Tracy and Lauren visited Paris. I caught a train up here as a result of the school research we do on the Diggers of Fromelles. From that meeting, we have all become very good friends as well as all the other members of the family and numerous others I have been lucky to have met along the way. I have said it earlier, you can be very lucky in life and things definitely happen for a reason. Over the years I have seen the family grow and I was met with the newest addition to the family, April. As much as I love my children this child was perfect. After finally getting my bags and everything up the stairs of death (haha very very steep but I have yet to come a cropper), it was a relaxing meal with a few aperitifs. Something happens here with regards to alcohol haha I have avoided drinking all year and it’s straight into the 7% stuff … oh well, when in Rome. Day 18 – 14/1/23 – Annoeullin First all, I got the longest sleep of my trip so far. Maybe it was a mix of the drinks and mattress but also very much a feeling of being so warmly welcomed. After breakfast, I decided to walk the 2.5km out of town to the neighbouring town of Don-Sainghin (from which i arrived by train) as I noticed the distinctive George Cross as we were coming in from the train station yesterday. The one thing you notice in this neck of the woods is the amount of scattered cemeteries all around the countryside due to the ravages of largely WWI & also WWII. The Don Communal Cemetery is the final resting place of 132 casualties, mainly from the Great War. The town where I am staying, Annoeullin was held by the Germans from early in the War until shortly before the end in November, 1918. Two British hospitals were established in Don and those who are interned in the town’s cemetery came from these places. Every time I walk around these places, it just keeps reminding me of the sacrifice that these men & women made and the fact it is so important to never forget. A unique sight which I had never seen before was the tombstones of two members of the Chinese Labour corps (definitely something which has piqued my interest). The weather was again not so nice but it held off basically until I got within 100 metres of the house. Don-Sainghin Cemetery Four British casualties Chinese Labour Force George Cross Inside the Louvre-Lens Champollion Exhibition Champollion himself Ramses II After lunch, Chantel and myself made the trek to Lens to the Louvre-Lens Museum. They had an exhibition on Champollion: The Path of Hieroglyphics which dealt primarily about the path of deciphering the Rosetta Stone and all of the politics, etc that surrounded the discovery. The best part of travelling at this time of year is the lack of numbers when compared to peak season. While the wet weather drove a few people inside, the exhibition space itself was quite comfortable. This part of the visit was quiet interesting as it provided some information regarding the politics that I was not aware of. From the exhibition, it was onto another room which documented over 5,000 of human existence with artefacts dating through to the present day. The temptation was to photograph everything (which would have been easy to do) but to see is to truly experience. I did take quite a few pics but time is never going to be on your side in museums such as this, as they are so extensive. After leaving here, it was back to the house and dinner party with more friends which would eventually finish at 2.30am. The raclette was brought out as was wine after wine. Travel is wonderful and meeting up with friends after the restrictions of covid is what living is all about. Amulets from a mummy Isis The Louvre-Lens The Raclette Chantal & Philippe Day 18 – 15/1/23 – Annoeullin When travelling, a person will naturally look towards the big cities due to their familiarity (if that is their thing). Don’t get me wrong, to visit a Paris or London or New York is an absolute buzz. The first time you set eyes on an iconic structure such as the Eiffel Tower, you really do experience a ‘wow’ moment. If you want a reflection of the people of a country, visiting a smaller township is a good place to start. Annoeullin is one such place where the history of the town provides a fascinating insight to the people of the region. The town apparently was originally divided into a ‘rich’

Note: All images that relate directly to this particular blog can be found via this link to the website page Germany Images Day 5 – 1/1/23 – Cologne So this is where it gets a little tricky but this is where there is a crossover of dates (if you have read my Belgium blog it ends with this date) The good thing is you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to work it out. Today I travelled into Germany and here we are, smack dab in the middle of Cologne. Staying at the Ibis at the Hauptbahnhof (main train station) provides an air of familiarity as I stayed here back in 2018. While the room itself is pretty basic (yet comfortable), it is literally at the train station and the staff are very good. The reality is, all you want is a place to be comfortable and sleep. View from the hotel Köln Hbf & Ibis Front view of the Cathedral Looking to the high altar The first port of call for my first day in Cologne was the Cathedral. I like millions before me have stood awestruck in front of this magnificent building. The sheer size and magnitude is impossible to do justice to in words or in a photograph. Needless to say (at the risk of using a hackneyed phrase), you have to see it to believe it. Trying to wrap your head around the fact that it took over 600 years to complete provides a slight insight into the detail in which this structure provides. The many statues that litter the entrances and artefacts inside provide a sense of the history and power of the church in Cologne. The one thing I have yet to do is to take the 500 step journey to the top, maybe that can wait or maybe that ship has sailed. I think for the time being, terra firma seems to be the most logical and safest choice. From the Cathedral I had a wander down to the Altstadt and into the old section of the city. It was a little like retracing old steps but the beauty of this city is that you never really grow old of the sights on offer. I went to look at the old town hall but they were renovating the museum area that was attached to it. Missed out by a few months but it will be there for next time. I also took in the Xmas markets. The one thing that you miss in Sydney is the sense of a “cold “white” Christmas and while it wasn’t snowing, the ice skating and and various stalls gave the place a sense of tradition. This is one of the benefits of travelling to Europe in the middle of their winter. Yes it is colder and the days are shorter, but this is definitely one of the positives. Xmas Market Xmas Market Edith Stein Memorial Edith Stein Memorial I did fail to mention something that I did early in the day but was quite a powerful moment. I had read about a statue to Edith Stein (if you want to read more) located not to far from the train station. The story relates to a woman who was born into the jewish faith, converted to Catholicism and was murdered in Auschwitz in 1942. If you want to know more, follow the link but the memorial is an incredibly beautiful tribute to a victim of the Nazi regime. While I was there, I got into a brief conversation with a young German who seemed to be very knowledgeable about the sculpture and Edith herself. There was also a man who seated himself behind the memorial and as I walked away, started blowing a horn, similar to something you would see (or hear) in a Viking film. Why he was doing it I’m really not sure but it seemed to be oddly appropriate. Day 1 of Germany all wrapped up and quite happy to be back in the room. Tomorrow possibly a trip to Bonn but will see what the new day brings. Day 6 – 2/1/23 – Cologne Well, the weather and my inability to come to terms with the Deutsch Bahn’s automated ticketing machine put pay to my plans to go to Bonn. However, as the old saying goes, what you miss with one hand you pick up with the other. I basically hung around Cologne wandering around the streets which would normally send Tracy crazy. Not only is she getting the peace and quiet she so richly deserves, she is also not being subjected to my peculiar kind of travel torture. The first mission for the day (after getting a coffee) was to go in search of Stolpersteine‘s. They are a type of holocaust memorial (aka “stumbling stones”) which are brass plates located outside of the residences of people who were taken by the Nazi’s during their reign of terror. I first became aware of them through teaching and on my last trip to Berlin, I went in search of them. I find them to be a very personal and effective means of remembrance and I thought while I am here, why not. I did a bit of research as to the addresses and then it it was off into the drizzling rain in search of the plaques. I couldn’t find a couple, one being Himmler’s deportation order of the Jewish citizens in Cologne which had been placed in front of the old town hall (closed due to renovations) and another outside of a school. The one’s I found all told a very personal story (albeit brief) and I am personally glad I took the time to look. When I get to Berlin, I will take the time to go in search of some more (among other things). Fritz Falkenheim Kochmann Family Kurt Ehrlich & Hermann & Käthe Buscher Siegfried & Rosa Rosenberg Napoleonic War veterans memorial. The oldest in Melaten Sensemann Wahrzeichen Melaten

Note: All images that relate directly to this particular blog can be found via this link to the website page Belgium Images Day 4 – 31/12/22 Well to be truthful, nothing much happened today. Today was more about travelling from England to start the European part of the trip (I know Britain is in Europe … well sort of, but this refers to the continent). First all, Helen and Iain were good enough to give me a lift back to Newbury Park so I could get to St Pancras. If I was to give a host rating, it would have to be 10/10 (even though they drove past me yesterday at the station haha). Couldn’t have asked for nicer day and nicer people to spend it with. Once again, it was back on the Central line then Metropolitan line to St Pancras station and the Eurostar. Having flown from Paris to England once before, the train is definitely the best way to get to the continent from London. The old station is quite beautiful and the trip itself is very comfortable. A few more seats in the waiting area wouldn’t go astray though as they were few and far between. I ending up sitting on a foot railing, so apart from the permanent groove in my backside, I coped rather well ;-). The trip itself was quite comfortable as I had a seat free next to me (put it down to good management) and after 2 hours, the train pulled into Brussels Zuid at 6.30pm. After wandering around the station looking for the Pullman Hotel, I booked in and was upgraded to a superior room (being an Accor member does help at times). After getting myself sorted, I had a quick walk around the neighbourhood looking for something to eat but nothing was open. If I am being brutally honest, the area was a little sketchy so I ended up back in the room with some fruit and a drink. New Year’s Eve really isn’t that big a deal when you are travelling by yourself so it was easier to relax and watch the fireworks from the hotel window. Im still struggling a little with sleep so hopefully that will sort itself out. Anyways, tomorrow I am going for a quick walk around and then it’s off to Cologne. Goodbye 2022. Day 5 – 1/1/23 Well a happy new year to you all. I had a couple of hours of exploring before the train would take me into the German part of my trip. The strangest thing to come to grips with was the lateness of the sunrise. I started out of the hotel at 8.30 and the sun hadn’t come up. Added to this was the fact that the whole of Brussels was still recovering from the night before, made the place seem like a veritable ghost town. With the sunrise and the eerie light that was produced, the city came to life in a very unique way. Places such at the Halle Gate and the Royal Palace offset against an early morning sky created an image that I would find hard to replicate if I ever returned to Brussels. Probably the most impressive sight was the old town hall and guild halls in the “Grand Place”. I can imagine how crowded the square would normally be but seeing it sans the maddening crowds, was a treat. It is what you could imagine old Europe to be, when you try and conjure up that type of generic image in your head. A couple of other things stood out in my quick walk. One, the war memorials dedicated to (in the main) WWI and also the mention of WWII. I have seen this in other Belgium towns before but it still something that makes me stop and look as well as think. The first time I was in Paris, I had the image of German soldiers wandering the streets during the early 1940’s and the same applied here (as well as WWI). The memorials outside of the Hall of Justice (Palais de Justice) and even in the Central Rail Station emphasised the importance of that period of time to. the people of the city. Secondly, I loved the artwork on the walls of the buildings. I had already been made aware of the existence of this watching “Travel Man” on TV. To actually view these in real life said something about the quirky nature of the city, which is something I hope that is never lost about the place. Overall my experience in Brussels, while brief, was interesting. Is it pretty? In parts yes and in other parts no. Would I come back again? To Belgium, absolutely. To Brussels I am not quite sure. I will admit I saw it at a “different” time but maybe it’s best to say it was nice and move on to the next stop.

Note: All images that relate directly to this particular blog can be found via this link to the website page UK Images Day 1 – 28/12/22 Touch down in London and to put it nicely, the weather wasn’t overly inviting. When you travel to the northern hemisphere you accept that so who cares about a little cold. The trusty ol’ Sharks jacket will look after me once again (and possibly for the last time). Arrived at the Premier Inn in Paddington Basin after my journey and little less frazzled than usual and after a quick unpack and shower, it was off to acclimatise myself. Sorted out an Oyster Card and it was off on the District Line (or was that the Circle Line?????) into the centre of town. Knowing that I had only a few hours before the body gave up on me, I headed to the Xmas lights of Oxford St. The one thing you experience in big cities is the buzz that is created by everything going on around you. It was all there, the noise, the red buses, tourists and definitely the lights. I know I will be back later in the trip, but the Xmas lights won’t be so the next two days are my chance to experience the post-Christmas feel of London. I got down to Marble Arch and a skinny Flat White and it was around then I knew it was time to head back to the room. How successful sleep would be was anyone’s guess but a bed was calling and the voice was growing louder. Tomorrow I need to change over some currency so a new part to explore and whatever else comes my way.Missing Trace but I’m sure she will enjoy the peace and quiet. Day 2 – 29/12/22 – London There is something about travel that excites the senses. It may be that it’s about revisiting sites so as to gain a new perspective on what you have already seen. It may be experiencing things for the first time and enjoying the process of learning. It may also be the hustle & bustle, the noise, smells, culture and the people from different walks of life. Whatever it is, I find it absolutely fascinating and have missed it. The day started off with my first English vegetarian breakfast … well baked beans in ham sauce may not be 100% there but I’m sticking to what the menu said haha. From here I decided to retrace my steps from 2013 through Hyde Park sans Tracy & Lauren. There is something oddly attractive about a large inner city park in winter. Regents Park, The Luxembourg Gardens and my previous walk through here, while all different, all had the same eerie sense to them. It maybe the starkness of the leafless trees or the cold but there so much enjoyment to be gained out of the experience. Green space in the midst of all the concrete brings an order and peace to the somewhat chaotic lives we live and it was so evident today. Peter Pan’s statue, the Serpentine, Princess Diana’s fountain (unfortunately no water) and the Albert Memorial were all stops along the way and I was so glad I spent time in this oasis. Next on the list was a quick walk through Knightsbridge and it was off to the Bank of England where some old bank notes needed to be exchanged. What seemed like a simple chore was made all the more difficult when on arrival, I was greeted with a line over 70 metres long. Of that 70 metres, only 40 metres were going to be served such was the efficiency of the process. The actually area itself with the London Exchange among the financial institutions close by, was impressive but unfortunately, it was back to Paddington and my digs for identification (which I forgot). From there I had to travel back to a post office in Regent St to change over the old currency. Once that it was done I wandered around the West End of London aimlessly, surviving the crowds. Places like Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus & Admiralty Arch while being “classic tourist” locations, never really get old. The time of day, weather and people will always present these places in a different light so once is ever enough in these areas. After surviving the Oxford St Xmas lights experience (and the selfie taking crowds) it was back to the hotel to recalibrate. I had a lay down and ended up crashing for a few hours. The one thing I am hoping for is that my sleep patterns start to get back in check as this is a little haywire at the moment. But as I stated earlier, there is something about travel that invigorates the senses. Yes it is crowded at times, noisy, commercial and a whole range of other experiences that is set to try your patience, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I love it and will have plenty of time to rest later on. Day 3 – 30/12/22 – Heybridge Day 3 was a lot more low key than the opening couple of days. Today was all about catching up with Tracy’s family (well I suppose after 35 years, my family as well) for the first time since 2015. The weather today wasn’t great but I would spend a portion of it travelling so it really wasn’t an issue. The first order of the day was find some breakfast. I went in search of something to eat and after finding a cafe who was selling an omelette for 11 quid, I decided that M & S food hall was a better option. After checking out, it was off to Paddington & the District line to Liverpool St station. From there, it was onto Newbury Park on the Central line. As you can see, I am becoming quite comfortable with the London transportation system, so all those hours of watching Great British Railway