Stresa and the Alpine express train into Locarno Switzerland

Stresa is beautiful...a little stressful to get there by car in the rain - Chris did an amazing job driving - but after a lot of hairpin bends, wrong turns and going up the mountain and going down the mountain we made it. Hotel Elena was quaint, clean and the people were lovely... We decided to go to Switzerland by train and then return by ferry...met some lovely Brits who we tagged along after...

Streusel in Switzerland with Chantilly cream...

This is a two person car/motorbike thingy.

Locarno Switzerland 

200gms Swiss chocolate .... It was so good!

Our short stay in Milan

We highly recommend to all travellers to Milan to park at the airport and catch the express train into Milan. It's only a 1/2 hour trip and this is what the Milanese do according to Mike at the Sheridan and a lovely lady we met on the train who is a lecturer in economics at the Uni in Parma....." Don't drive in Milan, catch the train in because they change the road signs, you don't know which suburb you're in  and you would never have made it to the centre of Milan because the centre has been blocked off"... Amazing what you pick up when you talk to the locals....the Milanese are charming and so helpful!

We went to the Last Supper....as an artist I highly recommend seeing it as it is not flat, the expressions are palpable and there is so much meaning that you need time to sit with it....I found it breathtaking....

Now some more pics of the duomo....some photos were taken from the 7th floor/roof top of the department store next to the duomo...

Now back to the streets of Milan

Next the Galleria Victor Emmanuel

Milan

Backtracking again. Once we had recovered at the Sheridan at the airport we were off to Milan. By this stage we hadn't eaten for 24 hours...at the train station we had the most wonderful coffee, freshly squeezed orange juice and brioche standing at the counter just like the Milanese....we had to go back for more....

One more thing about the Marina Bay Sands Infinity Pool

Cristina and I observed something quite interesting going on with a particular couple in the pool....I don't have a picture for you but we did both turn to each other and ask, "was that my imagination or was that couple being intimate in the pool"....so Geoff it's happened to me too...

One more pic of the pool

They even have a Teflon skating rink...no ice....in Singapore

And a canal as in Venice...

The food in Singapore Marina Bay Sands

So much of a selection. Cristina and I ate stingray which was delicious. All the food was superb...

The oasis in Asia

I know I'm backtracking a little but I've finally managed to get to my photos....so I'll start with Marina Bay Sands in Singapore - the oasis in Asia....

The Skypark/infinity pool

FRANKiE4

Have been road testing the FRANKiE4 shoes I bought in Brisbane and they've been fabulous. They also look great and yesterday I was asked if I'd bought them in Milano!

The Enchanted Lake

Have given up trying to download photos from my camera and will now use just my iPad for blogging photos....it's Italy what can I say...

This is the view from our bedroom in Torno near Como.....

Our first day

It all began when the immigration officers stopped me to check my passport and engaged me in conversation about how much they would like to go to Australia and start a pizzeria - unfortunately they held up a lot of people who were tired and worn out after an approx 3 hour delay in Abu Dhabi. also on the flight a young man had a seizure in the seat In front of Chris and I. It had been cold on the flight and all the windows on our side of the plane had the covers pulled down to stop the harsh morning sun light coming in. Unfortunately he had opened one up and the crew believed that the bright light may have triggered the seizure. The paramedics came on board at Milan to check that he was okay...so enough excitement for one day...but then...

it took forever for us to get SIM cards. Multiple copies of the contract were made, the contracts had to be downloaded, signed etc and at the end of all that it still hasn't quite worked....I made a few technological errors and so suddenly I found myself on the autostrada bound for Milan centre without a map. Gabriela the lady who's apartment we were meant to be staying at assisted us as best as she could and at times gave us too much info to deal with.....so I came off a ramp way before I should have and ended up lost. Chris helped me as much as she could but she was coming down with the flu and felt really sick. Some really nice Milanese guys helped us out, followed by the two men in a small newsagent where I was forced to buy a map. Even with a map though it was fraught with wrong turns etc. At one point I abandoned Chris to buy the map and was accosted by a gypsy.....all too much...

After countless phone calls and wrong calls we gave up and went to the Sheridan so we could rest!

Abu Dabi sleeping pod

Here is Cristina asleep in the pod here in the lounge.....as promised!

And so it begins...

I am now sitting in the Etihad lounge at Abu Dabi...our flight to Milan has been delayed by approx 4 hours. Cristina is asleep in a pod - photo will be uploaded shortly, fingers crossed....

I shall start at the beginning and I apologise for no photos at this stage of the trip as I'm having difficulty sincing my photos on my new camera which has wi-fi with my iPad. I'm determined to get there but it may take some time....I am learning the benefits of taking phone leads with you on the plane 'cos you can now charge your phone - I packed mine away and so can't do this. You can also send SMS' etc - of course you have to enable roaming to do so and put up with the charges but if you just have a lead you can at least charge your phone! 

Back to the beginning....Ross and I had a nice drive to the Gold Coast and stayed at Twin Towns. Ross meticulously planned our exit by ensuring we had the car ready at reception for a quick getaway for the airport and breakfast was over and done with in minutes. At the airport we met Cristina, had a coffee together and in what seemed like minutes we were boarding Scoot Airlines bound for Singapore. Scoot airlines was quite good. I am forever grateful to George (Cristina's son) for putting us in seats that had more leg-room - the food I can't even think about but overall if you pay that little bit extra you can at least be comfortable.

The drive into Singapore from Changi airport was magnificent. The streets were lined by huge trees with wide canopies - so much greenery the whole way. Marina Bay Sands loomed in the distance, something so spaceage that I felt as though I was entering the set of Star Trek. The foyer was just as impressive, giving you the sense that you had entered a city encased within the structure with skyscrapers and walkways between the buildings.  Everything ran like clockwork and it felt as if we had entered a dream state.

Our room no was 5021 and we were on the 50th floor. On the 57th floor is the Skypark pool. We spent most of our time here or in the food court where we ate some of the most amazing food ...

This is Cristina eating Ice Kachang which consisted of shaved ice with different coloured syrup, corn sauce, pink taro jelly, red beans, etc....surprisingly, it cleansed the pallet and wasn't overly sweet. Still not sure about it...popular with the young and Nico this photo is just for you!!

The Gloves

My brother in law got for me these most beautiful soft leather gloves...."a must have in a world of throngs of tourists and century old decaying buildings"... For me they are the most fashionable items I've ever owned and will wear them as my signature item...