Keian goes “walkabout“ in Europe
Home from our DownUnder trip only but a week and it was bags packed and back on the plane......This time Keian was off to the Queen’s modest abode in London!
We were afforded the Western wing with private facilities fit for our little Prince with the Royal Waitrose but a mere stroll away from the residence! Yes we were invited for a week at Queen Darren’s palace – Keian’s favourite fairy God Mother with ever present partner King Mark in residence also.
What a great time we had there, waited on hand and foot, cards, dinners, drinks and a lot of fun and laughter. By day the boys all went off to work and Keian and I had the run of the “palace” and went out for luxurious walks through the golf ranges surrounding the “palace”. This was quite funny because Keian had to have the top of his pram up just in case I missed one of the incoming balls as we strolled through the paths. Weather was not particularly kind to us but with Voxi and pram Keian was snug as a bug. We love getting out and about and it was nice to have new grounds to explore on our daily walks. We also had the fun of reviewing the photos of all Whoaphuck events for the past 10yrs which Darren and Mark have uploaded on to their PC and then connected to the TV which is a massive flat screen. I felt like I was in a private cinema having a viewing of photoshoots!
While we were there we dropped in on Uncle Ray and Aunty Ann so they could meet our little man Keian! Keian was well behaved and naturally won hearts over on arrival before we went to try out a great new Chinese restaurant with Ann and Ray at the Docklands. Food and company were good and too soon it was time to do battle with the traffic back to Sunningdale.
All too soon our stay in the London came to a close and Keian and I ventured off on our own to Balfron – for those of you who do not know where this may be……(all of you I suspect) it is in Scotland about a 40minute drive from Glasgow! Flying solo was an experience to say the least – bags, pram and cot, backpack etc etc and Keian. We muddled our way on to the flight with the aid of Darren offloading us to the baggage counter at Heathrow and then we made it onto the flight. I must say all the people around me were fantastic and helped me carry bags, put them up in the luggage compartment of the plane etc etc.
So why were we off to Balfron????? To be reunited with my bestfriend from High School who I had not seen for 10years – Sam. She had arranged for her husband Graeme to pick me up at the airport, neither of us had ever met and had no clue what the other looked like except Graeme had the advantage of knowing I was “not tall” and carrying a 5mth old baby….I wandered off the plane eyeballing anyone that was tall, slim and in a suit and tie when they did not show recognition or questioning look back I eyeballed the next. This went on for the entire walk to the baggage area almost when at the end of one corridor one of my eyeballing was responded to with a look of questioning Hey presto it was Graeme! Mystery solved now off to the baggage claim – I did warn Graeme that we had downsized our luggage and left some with Paul but that was relative really as when he saw all that we had I think it was at that point he was ready to blend back into the crowd. But no he was fantastic, loaded it on to the trolley and then fought tooth and nail to load the luggage, Keian and me into the car and set off into the raining and windy weather to Balfron!
I was a little nervous about the 45minute trip having to make conversation with someone who I had never met and being so quiet and shy myself……..
I need not have worried Graeme is a great guy who has travelled widely, works in the corporate world and is married to one of my friend so conversation flowed easily! Keian was an angel and went off to sleep within 10minutes waking as we arrived into the quaint village of Balfron!
Sam and her wee man Lachlan (pronounced in the proper Scottish tongue – Lucklan phonetically) were waiting at the door waving when we pulled in the drive. Whilst I was welcomed by Sam (who had not changed a drop since I saw her last) Graeme yet again did battle with my luggage which ended up a 2-1 score when the pram was able to ruin Graeme’s favourite tie with grease!
We settled the bubs down (Keian was awed by this new playmate as he just loves watching other children!) we then sat down to dinner. Graeme then retired graciously to the Football on TV and Sam and I started the game of catch up on history and happenings! Eventually we fell into bed! Next day it was of course off to the shops where there was a fantastic baby store. Sam and I spent far too long and too much money in this shop – Paul was bound to be pleased when he saw my additions to our luggage including the Bumbo (see photos) which is an orthopaedic chair which allowed Keian to sit upright in supporting his torso. Keian loved the Bumbo and thought he was king pin sitting upright to see the world! In the afternoon between rain showers Keian and I went off for our daily walk to explore Balfron and the Moors……fabulous scenery and we felt every bit like we were in Scotland!
Dinner and much more catching up again before it was time for bed and then Sam and I off to Edinburgh to meet the boys….Mark, Darren and Paul!
This proved a milestone car trip for Sam and I, as I had no clue how to get to Edinburgh and neither did Sam! With only a few wrong turns, 4 phone calls home to Graeme, 2 calls to Paul, and 2 stops to ask traffic wardens who gave out parking tickets all for directions we made it to the Grand Hotel. Waiting patiently for us was Paul out the front ready to cuddle and carry Keian, a concierge man to take luggage and Paul to show us to the bar where we met up with Darren and Mark. We had lunch and drinks then it was time for Sam to make the journey home again which she did much quicker than our drive in!
EDINBURGH
What a fabulous city this is….we were in a fantastic location right in the centre, walking distance to everything important shops, restaurants, pubs and the royal mile!
The hotel was fabulous and the first night with only Darren and Paul there, we had only booked one room. Mark arrived 8am the next morning and me at lunch time. The boys all went down for breakfast once Mark arrived and needless to say there were some eyebrows raised when all three advised the maitre’d that they were ALL staying in room 334…..
When I joined them again Paul was quick to reclaim his Husband and father status with wife and Son being shown like a trophie to the Maitre’d the next morning at breakfast Hee hee hee!
The group planned out our days to include all of the resources and places on hand. Keian spent oodles of time in his chariot (pram) seeing the sights, helping to shop and sleeping during our dinners out! We walked the Royal Mile several times and toured the castle despite some cold winds accompanying us! Darren was our photographer as he was too cool to wear those funny head phones nor was he patient enough to listen to the commentary at each check point.
Near the hotel was some fantastic parks so Keian and I made a note to go and explore these. The first opportunity we got was in the evening 7.30-8pm whilst I walked Keian for him to fall asleep in the pram ready to come to dinner with us! So I walked down the steep ramp which went about 25metres to get down into this park and was happily wandering around looking at the flowers and fountains admiring the views when a man came up to me and said “Park is Closing” – I looked at him with a dumb-founded expression I think (not expecting public park to close) and he advised me I had two options; I could quickly get upto the gate where a colleague of his was currently locking the gate, I looked up to where he was pointing and it was about 75m away including 25m of the steep ramp OR I could go to the other end of the park with this man and lift the pram up 50 odd steps! Lose lose really, so I chose the sprint and hill scale option which was a smart training choice but more about that soon. Keian peacefully sleeping was unaware of the sprint up to the ramp and then the scale to the gate where the guard let a red faced, huffing and puffing, perspiring mother out with her son! I am sure he thought I was going to have an asthma attack then and there! I then wandered back to the hotel at a very slow pace, barely recouperating normal breathing patterns as I joined the boys in the bar! I then retold the park story to them which they thought was funny…..
We then dined on a lovely dinner in the hotel and played cards in the piano bar until Keian awoke and advised it was time for last drinks (including his) and bed!
Next day I decided to get out again for a walk in the park for Keian’s midday nap! Off we went down the ramp into the huge grounds, strolled down past the play park and saw an ice cream stand with 99p ice-creams advertised. Great I thought, I should have one of those for Keian as he can only consume ice-cream through my milk so I HAD to eat it for him! When I ordered a 99p and put my 1pound on the counter the lady quickly told me that it was 1.99 pound, I pointed at the big 99p sign and she smiled at me sarcastically and said “that is the name of the icecream not the price!” WHAT a CON, I was livered but ate the ice-cream begrudgingly anyway……
Whilst all this was going on, being Easter Sunday there was a lot happening in the park including a bagpipe band performing in the middle of the huge park. So I walked down with Keian awake now to watch it all. Just as I parked the pram 20feet from the stage and got him out the band started to come down the stage marching right past us and out of the arena area, what a shame it had just finished.
Then there was an announcement welcoming “X” back to the stage which I hoped was another traditional Scottish band but NOOOOOOOOO!
Instead all of a sudden an electric guitar and drums, then vocals came blaring and I mean BLARING through the amplifiers and speakers, sooooo loudly I jumped, Keian cried and I genuinely feared for his eardrums. Now picture this, mother then throws 5mth old baby in pram and RUNS as fast as she can up hill, across grass areas, over pathway gutters to base of 25m steep ramp, sprints up the ramp across road at top of ramp and into Boots shop where glass doors closed behind me…..there I stood panting, sweating, heaving for breath looking down at this gorgeous little boy who wondered what on earth was going on…..I could not comprehend just how UNBELIEVEABLE the loudness of this shockingly bad rock music was. Here is me with visions of having to explain to Paul and the grandparents, Aunts and Uncles how Keian lost his hearing through burst eardrums from a band in the park in centre of Edinburgh…..I never went to the park again!
Whilst we were in Edinburgh Darren decided that we should find a Whoaphuck tartan and all buy kilts as a token of our trip to Scotland. But by the time we left Edinburgh we not only found the tartan which is the Pride of Edinburgh tartan but Darren, Mark, Paul and Keian had the full kit from kilt, formal jackets, sporens and casual shirts to ensure maximum opportunity to wear these things any chance possible to try and justify the outrageous cost of it all. It does of course look fabulous and I even got a woolen skirt and sash to match (see photos).
So after the long weekend there McDelaGarde, McMerry, and the McMurphys all headed home, us to Königstein, the boys to London. Fabulous weekend and Keian ticked off another of his desired European destinations on his “Walkabout”!
We were then home a little over 2 weeks when the Murphy’s were off again….but the night before it was a farewell dinner hosted by us for one of the mum’s from our prenatal group who was moving back to the US. We had 9 adults and 5 babies under the age of 5mths. I assumed it would be a quiet and early night with this combination of parents and young babies but not sooo……
We instead had a fabulous night around the Dutch Fondue, many bottles of wine, chocolate and strawberries, laughter and conversations until 1am. (Photos)
Needless to say Paul and I were not so happy at 7am when we had to get up and leave at 8am for our 9am train…..lucky it was a great night though to compensate our tired bodies.
MUNICH
Keian visits Munich the home of Ocktoberfest – only it is for him an Aprilfest!
We started the trip off with his first train ride…..Paul, Keian and I jumped on the train at Frankfurt and settled ourselves into our first class carriage where Keian laid on the table, Paul read and Corrine slept any minutes she could grab!
We took the train to see the Countryside, sit back and relax but I really saw the inside of my eyelids on the way there having to rely on the trip back to see it all!
The train ride was easy and a fun way to travel, it was a fast train so thoroughly recommend it. We then taxied to our hotel which was about a 20minute walk to the centre of the city just on the edge of the EnglishGardens – fabulous.
We arrived late in the afternoon and by the time we settled into the hotel, Keian had a nap, so did Mum and Dad it was nearly dinner time. The concierge recommended a fantastic traditional German (Bavarian) restaurant which we walked to through the EnglishGardens where Paul then feasted on Goulash soup and pork knuckles…..it was great!
We then wandered around the city looking at the fantastic shops and planning which ones we would come back to go into as they were now closed. The unfortunate part was that we then realized that we were only there until Monday which was a public holiday and shops don’t open on Sundays or Public holidays here ARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHH this must be a nightmare that I would wake up from but NO it was real…..
We had to then satisfy ourselves with window shopping for next trip to Munich – this was as close to torture that I had got since having my appendix out 5weeks after Keian was born…….
So instead we decided Sunday morning to head off and find a “red bus” tour of the city. We were told they leave from the station and that we should get on Tram 65 to get there to join the tour. So on we jump on the tram easy enough but there is no way to buy tickets except by a machine which did not take notes or cards only coins which we naturally did not have as it was €12 worth. So we sat on this tram waiting for the next stop checking that a ticket conductor did not join us as there were signs with the fines stated all over the place. We were very relieved to spring off the tram at the station counting our lucky stars for the free ride.!
Next challenge getting the red bus tickets (huge group waiting), feeding Keian and getting on to the bus! The buses left every half hour or so, we just missed the first so we bought our tickets then I propped myself on a lone chair to hold and feed Keian (everything around shut) I sent Paul over to line up ready for next tour to get up the top and get good seats. I see the bus doors open and a swarm of people surging at the bus and lose sight of Paul, assuming he made it to the top of the bus and had prime seats……hang on what’s that, everyone surging managed to get on the bus all seats are full and there is Paul standing in the same spot shaking his head, I had his wallet with the tickets in it so he did not even board the bus……..ha that is two we have missed so we wait for the third. This time we are front and centre, leap onto the bus and claim a seat up the top one in front of the other, Keian and I in one, Paul in the other, Keian changing between the two of us….
Here is the tip, 5mth old child who is tired, pulls the cords of the headphones off your head and wants to be asleep or on the floor and you have no pram on board is not a good combination. I missed the commentary and wrestled with Keian until he finally fell asleep on my lap for the last 15 minutes of the hour long tour. Ha too funny! I am also not good at listening to the commentary on the headphones as I am use to tuning out to background music, TV, Radio whilst driving so I have to keep reminding myself to listen as I just tune out to the noise in my ears…..Munich is however a beautiful city and we got to go around and sees many of the sights on the bus even if I don’t know what most of them were……
We then jumped off the tour at the end and headed into town for lunch. We had two hot chocolates which had a skin formed on the milk which usually is on top all through the milk and tasted yuk!., Paul a traditional sausage, me a horrible cheese sandwich which cost us a bomb. This was also our own fault as German’s write a 1 like a 7 and we thought it said €27.80 so Paul handed over €30, the waitress gave him a huge smile and thanked him….strange! That was because the meal was only €21 and Paul had just given her almost a 50% tip! SO we had a disgusting lunch which we paid 50% too much for…..oops!
That night we then went to Kiean’s first Michelan Star restaurant. For those of you that may not know (as I did not due to McDonalds and our local restaurants frequented in Australia and Germany not fitting in this category) is an award given out for fine dining, service and food, décor etc to 16 restaurants in Europe each year. It was an Italien restaurant and after a 50minute walk to get there we were famished. Keian asleep in Pram we were shown to our table in this quiet and posh restaurant….First sip of our wine and Keian decided to wake, he then stayed up with us for most of the meal. He especially loved displaying his latest tricks for all the other diners trying to have a romantic and quiet meal – raspberry blowing, squealing with delight, belly laughing, pulling things off table and dropping them on floor. All which he enjoyed immensely.
Next day it was off to the EnglishGardens to the huge BeerGarden capable of seating 5000 people. The band was playing and we had beer and lunch (see photos) and soaked up the atmosphere!
Then it was time to get our luggage, head to the station and hop back on our train bound for home. It was a great trip back which allowed me to catch up on the scenery I had missed on the way there. We all enjoyed Munich and made plans to return there the last week of June with Darren, Mark, Kylie, Kari, Lucy, Mum and Dad and us….can’t wait and this time won’t miss the shops!
Inbetween trips Keian loves to play with the kids in the street and is continuing to develop before our very eyes, rolling over and smiling at everyone is common place for him. He is fascinated with our neighbour Josefine who is 2yrs old. Guess he likes the older women already. He loves playing with Dad and laughs as soon as he sees him, he particularly likes watching his dad dancing and belly laughs at the sight! He is a mum’s boy for affection and just loves to be kissed and cuddled any time of the day. His favourite time is the first half hour with Mum in bed of a morning where he quietly lays with her touching her cheeks and getting kisses…..like his mum he likes to wake slowly and quietly from his naps…….
Well there goes April – stay tuned for May when Keian visits Geneva, has his first Mothers day, Fathers day and then farewells the Guichelaars back to Oz…….