Suddenly down South in the Sun

I love how Lacey and I will be chatting away on Skype and then randomly decide that we should go somewhere for the weekend. I also love how the Swiss rail site (SBB) has these deals called "click and rail" which enable Lacey, Manda, Sara and I to jump on a train at sunrise on Saturday and go down to Lugano which is in the Italian region of Switzerland in Ticino.

I had already been to Lugano before but was happy to go there again as it is really pretty. There is no german speaking to be heard and everything is "Italianisch".
Lacey found a deal for a hotel/hostel where we pay 25 francs a night in a 16 dorm room.








We got to the hotel and straight away went to the pool which we had to ourselves. We spent hours in the sun and swimming in this gorgeous pool. Later on in the day we walked down to the city centre which is by the lake and had a small lunch and gelato.

We then wandered a bit furthur on and found a spot in the shade to do some furthur sitting and relaxing. Laceys pulled out a bottle of presecco for me from her boss so we enjoyed that. We took lots of funny photos and enjoyed each others company. Manda and Sara go home now in less than two months and we know it will fly. We are going to try and find some more weekends away but it will be so hard when they leave. Lacey and I will miss them terribly. All day Manda kept writig down things that we say (or quotes) so that she can remeber what we used to be like.



We went back to the hostel to check all our things in and then walked back down to the city to find a restaurant for dinner. We ended up having Italian (!!!) and a really nice dessert. More talking and laughing we finally headed home to open yet another bottle of wine. We were enjoying this outside until security booted us back to our rooms which probably wasnt so bad as we all had early trains in the morning.

Sara and Manda were headed back to Zurich but Lacey and I were going down to Milan to meet her mum and aunt. Milan isnt pretty, safe or clean but I wanted to go back down to go down to see the "Last Supper" Unfortunately we still werent able to get in as bookings for this place are impossible to get but I was happy to go up the top of one of my favourite Duomos and see Milan from high up.



We had a really nice and got to do some furthur exploring of Milan as last time we were there it was freezing! On Sunday it was 27 degrees.

We got home really late on Sunday night and I had to walk home in the rain but I had a really nice weekend with my friends. Its always nice to come home though and sleep in your own bed.

I am also in the process of trying to organise my sisters trip as they will be here soon. I think we will go to Barcelona together and I might send them off on a few trips by themselves. Switzerland in itself is so beautiful so I think they will be happy to explore around here also. I cant wait to see you girls xoxoxo

23 has to be my lucky number!

After a hard few days since my parents left I was set on keeping myself busy for the weekend. On the Friday night I met my friends after they finished German class. Lacey was in Munich with her Mum and aunt so it was Manda, Sara and I. Manda's friend David was in town from Vienna so we went into Zurich to a suburb called Enge and went to a bar called Robin Hood. Apparently one of Davids favourites as the name is English or something... All I know is that I ordered a gin and tonic and I was 15 francs down. After that drink it was white wine all the way. We had a good night and I then slept over at Manda's house. We had guests from Frankfurt down for the weekend and seeing as I am in the guest room currently as my 'au pair' little wing thing isnt done I was the good samaritan who gave them my room. While I was happy to sleep in the tv room I was happier to go to Manda's.
It was on Saturday thenthat we went to Zug for a little sightseeing. It is such a pretty town and is where all the super rich people live as it has the lowest tax rate in all of Switzerland.
We walked along the lake and had a look in the old town. After a really nice lunch at an Italian restaurant, we wandered a bit more. The others wanted to stay and go swimming in the lake but I left at 3.30 to go back into Zurich.
Once in Zurich I went to the Swatch shop so I could go and buy a watch as my mum had said she would pay for it! I always wanted a swatch since I got here becuase it is the affordable swiss watch so I was really happy.
After I got home I had to quickly get ready to go to Jennys new place. She lives in a town called Binz Maur which seems like hella far away but its just cause you have to drive through forest!
Her new apartment is mad, so jealous I would love a place like that when I go back home. So anyway we took forever to get ready and then trammed into the city and went to the Niederdorf. Had a great night in one of the bars and met lots of cool people. The whole time I have been here I never heard so many English speakers as on Saturday night, it was so cool to not have to try and translate or just zone out cause I had no idea. No other Aussies but there were a few Canadians and Pommies and of course Americans!!
So after a late night on Saturday and a bludgy day Sunday I then met Manda and some of her friends down at the lake for a picnic in the arvo. It was sooo hot and I felt like I was going to melt away but so nice to meet some new people. Then crazy Manda and John decided to jump in the lake right before a lighning storm hit hahaha I have photos that Sara need to send me. You should see us - we all look like we jumped in the lake fully dressed.
The follwing week passed pretty uneventfully. Our main part of our house is nearly finsihed. Final touches like toilet roll holders and wall cabinets are being installed still but on Friday it should be all done. Dont even ask when the other section will be done. They say August I am thinking more along the lines of ummmmm August 2008.
Anyways so I had started to get a cold already during the week but it probably wasnt helped when on Thursday (my birthday) when it was like 30 degrees that I went in the lake. TWICE. Infront of all these construction men including Mr Nut Tree, hahaha pretty scary stuff. But it wa so hot and I had never been in the lake before. I must say it is really nice.

So on my birthday I got spolit. Most of my friends phoned, I got to speak to my grandma, my uncle and most important my parents. I wasnt allowed downstairs for half the morning while Catherine and the twins decorated the kitchen and cooked lunch. We had pizza which was so cute cause Nicolas made it! (He's 3)





Whilst on the phone to my sisters though, they told me Mum had another gift for me. She said it was a verbal gift and I had no idea what it was but it turns out that for my birthday they are sending Kim and Kate over for 2 weeks. Yay!!!!!!!! So they arrive in 3 weeks and I am going to show them the best time! I am so excited. They get to stay with my family. But I will go away with them on the weekends and plan a few cool trips for them wherever they want to go!!! Prague, Venice... anywhere I am so happy to see them. I was balling my eyes out the whole mornign with pure delight. My mum and Catherine had planned the whole thing!! Sneaky!! What was also sneaky was that on Thursday night when I was home for dinner and after the kids had gone to bed Manda and Lacey walked in the door. Catherine had secretly called them and organised for them to come over and surprise me for my bday dinner!! So cute, it was such a nice day and I was so happy. Yea as Chris says "instead of being disappointed that it wont be the same as normal, think of it as yet another new experience so make sure you embrace it". My birthday was different for one thing it was in Summer but most different was the fact that I wasnt with my family who I love the most. I wasnt down at The Bavarian Bier Cafe with my closest friends in the world like last year, instead I was here taking every day as it comes and slowly becoming more happy in my new house, coming to terms with the fact that I am here for another 16 months and actually loving the kids instead of just caring for them. I am so glad my parents knew I needed to see Kim and Kate. I cant wait for them to be here and I promise I will be at Zurich Flughafen at 6.15am on Monday 9th July to pick you two beautiful girls up.
On another note though just to inform everyone, my flight back home is booked and all set so I will see everyone else in 6 months for Christmas...haha such a happy day! So 23 and not quite sure whats next but I guess I'll just keep sailing cause for now thats just fine.

Thank you to my friends back home for remembereing my bday, thank you to my gorgeous swiss besties Manda and Lacey for coming out to freakin' Meilen on a school night and to my sisters and my parents for giving me the best gift in the world... my family.


Nicolas happy to be in the sun...

JT, A Nut Tree and a walk out!

Saturday morning began at 5.45am as we (being Sara, Lacey, Manda and I) for a soap car race in Laceys town of Winkel. We were officials who judged kids driving in little go karts. It was a really fast track and supposedly hese races occur every weekend all over Switzerland. The day would have been a lot more enjoyable had the weather been favourable but it was still a good experience and you could see that at least 100 kids had a great day competing.




JT, would be who else but Justin Timberlake. My friends kept teasing me about going to his concert at the Messe Hallenstation in Oerlikon on Saturday night after the Soap Car Race. The concert was held in the biggest concert hall in Zurich and it was full on Saturday night.



The concert itself was amazing. Natasha Bedingfield was the opening act and she was really good. Timbaland also made an appearance and did a few songs. The dancing throughtout the night was great, Timberlake could reproduce his sound really well and it was especially cool because we had dance floor tickets and they had put the stage as a circle in the middle so it was really close to everyone.



I went home straight after the concert as I was dog tired and also my parents were back home from their day out to Luzern. On Sunday morning my parents also took my friends and I out to the Movie Bar in Zurich City for a huge brunch.




It was a real treat and we then walked around the city for the rest of the day, my favourite part of the day was climbing up to the top of the GrossMunster a famous church in Zurich. We had a great view of the whole city. My parents loved my friends and it was a really good day. After we went home and Beat took my parents and I out on the boat. It was only my second time on the lake and we went north in the sense that we headed back down to Zurich. It was a really clear day so it was beautiful on the lake.



Monday was my parents last day in Europe so Catherine, Nicolas, Maxine, me and Mum and Dad caught the steam boat from Mannedorf to Rapperswil. Nicolas loves that boat and we went to our favourite restaurant on the lake called Dieci!. It was a lovely last day for my parents. We then came home and sorted out the rest of their stuff.



It was time for me to drive them to the airport at 7.30pm. I didnt want to cry when I said goodbye to my parents once again. I can do it here by myself. I have done so for the last 8 months but nothing is like having your parents beside you. Nothing like being able to turn to them for anything and knowing there undying love for you will be enough.

I did cry once my mum started to but my parents promised to try and keep more contact with me and I was so happy for them that they had a great time over here. They are in Bankgkok now and boiling but hopefully they will be back here again next May and after that there will only be 4 months and I will be home forever.

I love you Mum and Dad I hope you had fun and I always think of you.

As for the whole walk out scenario - I left German class. As in I am not going back. Aghhh I had enough and I cant do it anymore. My teacher is bordering on crazy and I cant handle it. I never hear German at home or anywhere and when I do try and speak German I get answered in English. So maybe I will go back to an easier class or something to at least try and learn but wont be going back to my other class - I had enough.

One final trip with the two people I love most...

I got to go to Venice and Salzburg and St Tropez with my Mum and Dad, but on Wednesday after my parents arrived in Zurich Tuesday (haha - just hours after I got my new tooth) we caught the train down to Interlaken. Extreme sport capital of Switzerland and perhaps even Europe.

My dad had heard from his P.A that Lauterbrunnen was beautiful so I organised a hotel in this quaint town and we set off. We arrived in Interlaken Ost about midday and it was a gorgeous day. Clear and sunny we knew this may not last so we decided to head up to the Junfraujoch. This is the tallest railway station in Europe and also known as the "Top of Europe" at 3454m.

We climbed this mountain with a few different trains and plenty of tourists and finally made it at about 4pm. As you can see the view was amazing and luckily my parents were blessed with a fresh drop of snow so everything was especially pretty and white. We got to take heaps of photos, go out on top of the mountain, see a glaicer, go into an ice cavern and look at ice sculptures and all round have a great day. My parents were so cute andf n awe of the snow and if it wasnt for the few weeks I had spent in St Moritz I would have been too. Nothing compares to the alps in Switzerland. The magnitude of them blows you away especially as an Australian who lives on the beach!













We checked into our hotel 9pm that ngiht and had a lovely dinner in the hotel. Our room was so nice and typically swiss. We had to climg to the top of the whole hotel but besides that it was so perfect.
On the Thursday we were there we wanted to go to the Trummelbachfalls which are famous in the region. We got to go a scenic route with a cable car, a train on the edge of the mountain to Murren a pedestrian town after Lauterbrunnen which was so cute and then the scary and swingy gondolas that are crammed full of people and dip. Hahahaha me and Mum were the only two people squealing!After some swiss cheese and biscutis for lunch we caught a bus to the falls which were insane. It was huge and we actually go to go inside the falls and climb to the top. Sadly we couldnt get that many good photos becuase of all the water but here a few to give you and idea.






















It was a fairly leisurely day but I need to catch the train back to Zurich that night so we got me some dinner and got me on the train at 7pm so it was a free ride beause of my "Gleis Seiben" Pass that allows me to travel all over Switzerland for free after 7pm, it is so good!

I got home feeling fairly sad knowing that my parents are going home soon but they will be back on Friday night so we can hang out more then and I have also booked a tour for them to go up Mt Pilatus which is in the pretty town of Luzern one hour from Zurich.

I kind of feel like a baby needing my Mum and Dad to feel safe. I have been clinging to them the past few weeks because it feels like forever since I have had them. Talking on the phone and Skype isnt the same as being able to hold them and say goodnight to there face. I miss them, I miss my sisters. But it is still right to be here and I am so much stronger. Even though they arent here I know they love me still the same and I will see them soon enough.

Ta Da! I have a new tooth!!

So we all know the story about Megan's tooth exploding in her head up in the Swiss alps and her having to get it yanked out of her head right?

Well we also know that once you loose an adult tooth you have 'buckleys' of a new tooth coming back. This is where the whole 4000 franc story starts and the saga of Megan's dentist adventures begins.

I seriously may have crossed Zurich lake a baziliion times to go to the dentist and get collagen injections in my gums, titantium devices shoved into my damaged head, neeedles upon needles, teeth shaving, etc, etc the list goes on but on the 29th of May I got the final implant after nearly 8 months of having a gap in my head and covering my mouth every time I needed to laugh which let me tell you was plenty after half the disasters I have gotten myself into.

I nearly hugged my dentist after I got my tooth. It is so real and you cant even tell I ever was missing a tooth. I know no one really cares about my teeth but my friends here will know the pain it has caused me and the amount of drugs I had to take to keep from slitting my wrists, so I am happy and I am vain but I dont care.... I HAVE A FULL SET OF TEETH!!!

Thankfully I didnt fry like an egg...

Not many people in there life time get to say they vacationed in St Tropez so even though I wasnt techinically on a holiday because I was still working it was nice to be on the French Riviera and enjoy the sunshine.

After leaving a stupid o'clock on Wednesday morning we sped down to the South of France in about 9 hours. We were staying at Pierre & Vacance at Port Grimaud. My boss Beats brothers family also came with us so in total 5 kids, me and the parents! Our accomodation was villas that housed about 9 people each. I got my own room and bathroom which was nice. In the hotel there was a couple of pools (one of which was a wave pool), playground, shops, restaurants and sporting courts like tennis and basketball.

My parents also arrived on Thursday so I took Friday off and also spent the weekend with them. Friday we headed back up the coast to Monaco. Home of one of the more famous Grand Prix tracks I got to see the stands being set up as the race was the following weekend. We also went to see the palace where the controversial royal family reside and look out at the Meditteranean which was beautiful and clear.


Day 2 Saturday we went to Cannes where the film festival was being held at the time. It was a great atmosphere. It was really hot and there were a lot of people searching for stars but it was cool to see all the countries pavillions, the red carpets, loads of souvenirs and plenty of black tinted window cars circling the streets.

On Sunday my final day with my parents we drove inland to Grasse home of perfume. We went on a tour of an original perfume factory and bought some goodies. We the went into the main city centre and went on a train tour of the city. We also explored the rose expo that was taking place.

It was so nice to spend some more quality time with my parents in there hotel also. They had a great view from there room and we ate in, drank panache (the french version of Radler) and relaxed. My parents were only staying till Thursday so they continued there sightseeing whilst I went back to work on Monday.

Our vacation was quite structured in the sense that each morning we woke up had a huge breakfast and then went to a different beach every day. The first day we went to a beach that had loads of seaweed but then after that one all the beaches we amazing and had deep clear blue water. There also wasnt many tourists while we were there so that was good. After a couple of hours in the sand we then would go to a different fancy restaurant every day. These place were all set on the beach and some had there own beach which you paid for but got to use there deck chairs and shower stc - it was all very fancy!! After a ginormous 3 course lunch we would go and have a rest and then out to the wave pool for the afternoon. The kids loved this pool and by the end of our vacation they were jumping the waves by themselves! Then to the park and then to the restaurant in our hotel.


I ate heaps on this trip as you probably guessed but it was such a nice time away and it was great to see my parents down here too. We also all went to St Tropez which is supposed to very exclusive and fancy but it wasnt that beautiful and it smelt like sewerage while I was there. It is really popular beacause of all the big ships that go there, but majority of them were in Cannes while I was there anyway so it wasnt that great. I also got a few new thing while I was there. I also enjoyed Port Grimaud which was like a mini venice with canals - we got to take a boat ride and go to the beach there too.

Luckily we enjoyed great weather the whole time away and I dint get sunburnt at all. One day I got a migraine from being in the sun too long but I have a huge sleep and I was fine again for the afternoon wave pool adventure!

We went home on the Friday which was good so I got to be home for the weekend with my friends. On the way home we drove through the Geneva route and Catherine and Beat offered me the afternoon off to spend exploring Geneva. I decided to take them up on the offer and had a great time looking around. Geneva is so cool because it is in the French speaking part of Switzerland. I got to go to the infamous fountain (the tallest in the world) wander around the old town and go on a touristic train ride along lake Geneva. I did more shopping here (hehe) and then caught the train home at 7pm, making it back to Meilen at about 10ish.


While I was also away my closing time regarding my decision to stay an extra 12 months was drawing to an end. To be honest even though it is so hard to be away from everyone and be making next to no money in the bottom of my heart I kind of knew that I wasnt going home in September. My life seems so right here right now and I am happy doing what I am doing. I have made beautiful friends and even though some girls will go home in August, I think I will be right making new friends in the future.

I feel like maybe my life is on hold at the moment and real life is till waiting for me. I think thought that this is an experience I will never have again (at least not in Switzerland, which could be my 2nd most favourite place in the world) and maybe God offered me this pathway because he knew it was best for me. I know my parents will support me in my deicsion and I will keep the contact with my beautiful sisters and friends back home so they dont forget how much I love them.

I hope that my friends will visit but if they dont, dont worry we will be back many times after this and there is so much more to see and I want to see it all. So while I miss you whoever you are reading this, know that I have a special place for you at the bottom of my heart and I always think of you.

P.S my Visa hasnt even been approved yet so you never know I could be home 27th September as planned anyway... we'll just have to wait and see!

Call me a Swiss Mountain climber!

Manda invited me to go hiking with her, David and Sara on the weekend. At first I was sad that Lacey wasnt able to come because I knew that she would be my partner in crime who would roll back down the mountain with me if it got to hard but then I figured I can only get better so I may as well give it a go..... BIG MISTAKE!!

I have never heard Manda apologise so many time in one day as she did on Saturday. The plan was that we would do a leisurely hike that day... hahaha the hike turned out to be a full fledged mudslide slash rock climb slash death mission all rolled into one!

We drove to Zug which is one of the smaller cantons of Switzerland and near Luzern so about 1 hour from where I live. After then driving up the Zugerberg we left the safety of our car at 2pm and then started the climb. Initially we wanted to hike up the Wildspitz which is near one of the more famous mountains in Switzerland - the Rigi. The others climbed that one while I was in Belgium and let me tell you after the reports of that one I was not sad to have missed it.
So it began as a leisurely stroll. We stopped for lunch, we took our time and we enjoyed the scenery. It was a beautiful clear day as you can see from the photos and quite honestly my only concern at the beginning of this climb was getting a tick.

That all changed once the heat started to intensify, the water ran out and we had to start walking and hovering on the mountain edge that was extremly muddy and slippery. I swear I nearly fell to my death 8 times over! So we coped whilst moaning that we were never going to make it back down and all was fine until we got to what I like to call "the rock climb"

Sara and David scampered up this 90 degree rock with not too much trouble. There was a cable and it seemed like it might be ok. I went last after Amanda took some time contemplating the rock face. I started off ok but it was when i was half way up and looked down and saw the bottom that I froze. PANIC set in and I stopped. Hahahaha I really didnt think that I was going anywhere up or down but after some amazingness I went up the rest of the rock to continue our hike of our life.

After a little while it became obviuos that our the fork in the road (which we had come across a bit furthur back) had led us the wrong way Across the skyline we could see where we were meant to be and it made me sad. I have to say though that it gave me great joy knowing that I climbed that mountain when I seriously thought I wasnt going to make it.

Once at the top it was 6pm. Its daylight saving in Switzerland but we knew that we werent going to be getting down this 1500 medtre mountain face before it got dark so we walked across the top of the ridge to Wilspitz and had a drink at the restaurant.

Then the real fun began. As we were so concerned about it getting dark while we were at such high altitude and the temperature dropping to unbearable coldness we basically ran down the Wildspitz. MEGAN RAN! We stumbled over creeks, rocks, ridges ans steps. We sprinted across flat plains and only stopped briefly at watering holes for refreshment!

Finally making it back into the forest it was stating to get dark. We scampered through the trees trying to make our way back the way we came in. Luckily I was with some people that know directions cause I reckon if it was me by myself I would have been sleeping under a tree until morning.

10pm we made it back to the car and as you can see from this photo I have never been more happier in my life. I was sweaty, cold and exhausted but I was so proud of myself for making it. I wish Lacey was with us cause I know she could have done it too but we will go again and next time I will get a photo of me rock climbing.


Sunday was then spent down at the lake with my friends. It was so hot and there was lots of people but I will never get sick of the lake and its beauty. Relaxing and staring at the water it makes me appreciate being here.

Lacey and I then went to the airport and I bought doona covers for my new room as I am trying to make it pretty!! Svetlana also met us there and we had icecream.

Such a good weekend and very productive. Not only did I do my hike but I also swam 2km on Sunday. I think the mountain air agreed with me and I needed to do something to loosen my muscles. You should have seen me on Monday at work - I looked about 85 as I couldnt bend my knees and I was sooooo tired!

I am going to St Tropez tomorrow with my Swiss family and then meeting my parents there also so you probably wont hear from me for about 2 weeks so hopefully when I get back i will have lots of things to tell and hopefully that story wont include me being scrapped off the pavement because I have fried like an egg.....

East, South, West and a new House!

I don’t even remember the last time I blogged, it sure feels like a long time ago. Let me tell you though of what I have been up to and I hope that I don’t miss anything out.

April 21st, Catherine, the kids and I drove to Belgium. Catherine’s parents live in a town called Tournai on the French border so we planned to stay there for a week. We arrived on the Friday after 8 hours in the car and some border crossing through Luxembourg and France.

While everyone stayed in Tournai for the weekend though I decided to do some exploring of my own and early Saturday morning I caught a train to Brugge. Not the capital city, it reminded me a lot of Prague. Beautiful canals, ornate buildings and really friendly people. I was only there for a day so in my short time I went on a canal ride, climbed to the top of the bell tower (in thongs – not recommended), went to the church that held Michelangelo’s ‘Madonna and Child’ and got to sample the famous Belgian fries and some delicious waffles!

That night I stayed in an awesome hostel and hung out with two American girls that were in my room. We drank beer and enjoyed a good night getting to know each other. One of the girls Lizzie is living in nearby Karlsruhe so hopefully some time during my stay here I will get to meet her again because she was really nice and keen to travel like myself.

Another early start Sunday I caught the train to Brussels! This city is huge and is home to the European Union. So much to see and do I decided to do a bus tour for the day as the city was quite spread out. The tour was great and after a few hours on the bus I got off and went to find the most famous little boy in Belgium…. ‘Manekin Pis’ this little boy is a statue on one of the man streets and has his pants down and is pissing!!! Every day he gets dressed in new clothes and he attracts huge crowds! When I saw him he was dressed as an army boy. I then wandered over to the Grand Markt. The main square is really pretty and also very popular! A busy weekend I headed back to Tournai at about 6pm. Catherine picked me up from the station at 7 and then I had a big sleep ready for the week ahead.

During my stay in Tournai though I had the chance to go 1 hour west to the coast and stick my toes in the North Sea! Across the ocean is England and I could see the boats crossing over to Europe. Nicolas and I had a ball collecting shells.

We also went for a wander through the main city centre of Tournai and turns out it is a really nice city.

Kimmys birthday was on the Tuesday so it was also really great to talk to her on Skype. She had a great party and Katey and I got her a Tiffany bracelet and I think she liked that. It was a shame I missed her party, which sounds like it was great fun.

Thennnnn Thursday morning before the sun was up we drove back to Zurich. By 2pm we were back in town and began our move down to Meilen. Luckily the kids stayed at their other grandparents house for the next three days while Catherine and I cleaned, vacuumed and transported our belongings to our new house.

It was a pretty scary site when we first got to the house. We thought that it would be ready for us to move into after our stint in Belgium but we were sadly mistaken.


No bathrooms, no doors, no floors, no kitchen sink, no showers with curtains and basically just our bedrooms with beds in them we are currently living in a hole! I had black feet for days, had to get up at 6am to have showers so the workmen weren’t seeing my white butt and we have to attach the front door nightly so we don’t wake up to strangers in oour house….. but it is all worth it and once completed I can see that it is going to be a beautiful home.


Seeing though that the house was such a nightmare I decided to escape and spend the weekend at Laceys. On Saturday night we met up with my friend Jenny for drinks and dinner and she bought along Jodie who worked for my family before me. It was great to see her and get to catch up. She had got a new job in Milan so she stopped over in Zurich before she began.

Two other special people to me also arrived in Europe that weekend and that was my parents!!!!! I was so happy to know they were near me the whole weekend and couldn’t stop ringing them and seeing how they were going!

On the Sunday Lacey, Manda and I randomly decided to go to Appenzell (cheese town) we got to go on an important weekend also as the ‘lansgemeide’ was taking place. This is a traditional day where voting takes place and the whole town comes out and participates. Interesting to watch but Manda and I quickly got bored as we slowly friend in the sun!! We were much more interested in getting ice cream and sitting in the park to drink wine!

The last day of April then arrived on Monday and we were all invited to Svetlanas house for a BBQ.. May 1st in Zurich is a public holiday so we had a good night and then Lacey came back to mine to witness the gutted house I am living in!

Hahahaha seeing as it was a holiday Tuesday I wasn’t required to work but Beat was taking out his boat and he invited Lacey and I to join the family for lunch up the lake. We got to go with Jodie and ride up the lake at full speed. It was heaps of fun and great to be on the water as it was really hot. We then all had a really nice lunch and then had a walk around Rapperswil after my family went home.

Once again it was great to see Jodie and hang out with Lacey. It was a really nice day off. We farewelled Jodie and then I took Lacey home.

5.15am Friday morning I then woke up to go and catch the train to Venice! After 7 hours on the train, I finally got to see my parents after nearly 8 months. Venice was gloomy but I could see my mum up the other end on the station and I was running towards her like I was in a movie. I couldn’t breathe properly when I saw her and was balling my eyes out. I was so happy to see her and then once we had let go of each other we went to find Dad. He was taking photos of us and it was also so good to see him and be wrapped up in his hug.

I can’t explain the happiness I felt to see my parents after so long. It felt like it was only yesterday since I had seen them and I just had so much to tell them. No matter what happens in my life now I will never ever take my parents for granted as it was so hard to be away from them and to face the world alone as I had been under their care for the past 22 years. I only wish that could have seen my sisters too but as long as I know they are happy then I am happy for them too.


Back to Venice….

It was raining and pouring as we came into Venice but thankfully our hotel was really nice and we were right next to St Marco’s Square, so we were also in a great location. We spent a lot of time wandering Venice but the definite highlights of our trip was jumping on the boats and going to the islands. On our first day we went to Murano, which is renowned for its glass. It is absolutely beautiful and we spent ages wandering into all the shops and buying some really nice jewellery, plates, bon bons and photo frames. After our arrival into Venice it was fantastic weather. Even though it seemed like half the world was in Venice though it wasn’t too hot. On our second full day we then went to Burano. A bit further north and about 40 minutes on the boat Burano is much different from Murano. Every single house is painted a different colour and Mum tells me it is because when the fishermen used to come home in the fog the wives painted their house in a different colour so their husbands would know which house is theirs. Nowadays it is illegal to repaint your house a different colour and you have to follow your original colour.
Both islands were special in their own way but I think I like Burano better as it was really different and pretty.

On Monday (our last day) we quickly went down to the square to go into the church but the crowds were insane so we had one last wander and then went off to get our hire car. After finally shoving all our luggage into the car we set of for Salzburg. The original plan was to take the quickest way to Austria but thanks to my poor direction skills we did a few loops around Venice before actually getting on to the right highway!! At least we got to see some Italian villages. It was also great to drive through the mountains and catch up on the way. Mum and I had a charming experience in the toilets that I wont go into but made us feel sick for half the trip and there were times when I thought Dad was going to have a heart attack while driving, but we finally made it into Salzburg and got into a cute hotel. Sadly they obviously didn’t believe in air con and we pretty much roasted the first night but during our stay in Salzburg we ate great food, drank fantastic Radler and got to go on the Sound of Music Tour, which was really good. The tour took us through some of the countryside and also gave us a history of the true story.

Wednesday morning (today!!!) we got up early so we could go to the surf shop Roxy and buy me some board shorts for my stay on the French Riviera next week… Ummmm no they were $130 aussie dollars so I ran across the road to the C&A which I reckon is like maybe K- Mart but better and got 3 pairs and a cossie for like 70 bucks (thanks Dad!!!) So after that was sorted we drove to Munich through torrential rain. I am so glad we made it and got Mum and Dad into a nice hotel in the city centre.

After a nice lunch it was nearly 4pm and time for me to leave so we headed to the train station to say goodbye. Mum and Dad booked into do the same tours I did while in Munich (the Dachau Concentration Camp Tour and the Neachanswestein Castle tour) and we then said our goodbyes. I got all teary having to say goodbye to them but thankfully they meet me in France next Thursday so we can spend more time together while sunbaking in St Tropez!

Now I am just on the 5 hour train ride home and hoping to God that my house is a bit more completed and that the cute construction guy that was there last week is still there (hehehe)!!!!!


Well I will be in in Zurich soon so better log off! Hope everyone is happy and well back home and remember to tell your parents how much you love them. Xoxo

Ciao!