Our travels have resumed after a very enjoyable stay with Iris’s family in Graz. One of the aims of this trip was for the kids to spend time in the other of their homelands (We tell them they are 100% Austrian – also 100% kiwi!) As we are unlikely to live in Austria any time soon, this trip was the ideal opportunity for that, and we are very happy how it all worked out with the kids’ schools, the improvement in their german language, the friends they made, and the time that we all got to spend with Iris’s parents and other family.
Iris also enjoyed her extended stay there and spent much of her time teaching and learning at the local pilates studio. Although my stay was somewhat briefer, I thoroughly enjoyed it too and took the opportunity to improve my German, learn to ice skate with the kids, snowboard, and meeting new people through couchsurfing and the Anglo-Austrian society. While initially reluctant, I even ended up enjoying being one of Iris’s pilates students…
Mum and dad joined us in mid-December and I went with them for a great little whirlwind tour of the Christmas markets in Innsbruck, Salzburg and Vienna, before all returning to enjoy a traditional Austrian Xmas, albeit without the whiteness.
The homeward stretch commenced shortly after New Year with a three day stop in Dubai to visit some friends, and then on to Sri Lanka, which has started with some quality beach time…
Graz was buzzing with Christmas markets and events
I went on a short excursion with the folks for a tour of the Christmas markets of Innsbruck, Salzburg and Vienna. This is up in Northpark near Innsbruck
Then it was back to Graz for Xmas.
The other David Humm joined us in Graz for a few days along with Mike and Nicole. We were delighted to hear that Mike proposed to Nicole shortly after and she accepted!
And then it was off to Lachtal for the last bit of snow for some time… The kids improved remarkably from their first outing and sadly will be leaving me in their tracks in no time.
Enjoying Christmas biscuits with Walter and Monica at their chalet in Lachtal
As is tradition in Austria at New Years, we melted lead and poured it in water and interpreted the shapes to determine what the New Year would bring.
There was some speculation as to what this phallus would mean for dad’s New Year’s prospects
The kids’ Pandas enjoyed the train ride to Vienna where we caught a plane to Dubai
We made it safely, but unfortunately most of our bags never left Vienna. After the overnight flight, we needed some recovery time by the pool in the early morning Dubai sun while our rooms were being prepared.
…such is the real price of very cheap flights on budget airlines, but still well worth it!
We recovered sufficiently for an outing to the Dubai mall, which is the largest in the world. It includes an ice skating ring, a massive aquarium, and this waterfall.
The cityscape in the downtown area next to the mall is impressive
Evening fountain display outside the Dubai mall
And the Burj Kalifa – the tallest building in the world. This was a hole in the ground the last time we visited here seven years ago.
We met up with our friend Harvey and met his lovely wife Eugenia for the first time at one of the more impressive Starbuck settings in the impressively themed Batutta mall
And ventured afterwards to the Marina. The last time we were here, ALL of these buildings were simultaneously being constructed.
Fountain fun at the Marina
A lot of what you see in Dubai is pretty crazy and twisted; This building literally so!
We spent a lot of the next day at Kidzania, a world created for kids where they can earn and spend money like adults. They began by withdrawing cash from the bank.
…then it was off to work in the cookie factory
And as a security officer…
…dentist
…fireman
… and fashion model… among many more.
We caught up afterwards for a beach picnic with Iris’s friend, Connie, and her sons.
That evening, it was another night flight – this time to Colombo in Sri Lanka.
The first few days here have been all about the beach in lovely Bentota on the south west coast. The sunsets are quite spectacular and the kilometers of beaches remarkably deserted considering it is high season.
