W

ith the click of a mouse and a whole lot of hard work in the shortest space of time our
        adventure had begun, we where off to Switzerland. The last place
        on earth I would ever have imagined landing up in.

         

       16th of May and we're off to Spain.  Sí, España, sol, cerveza y playas hermosas.

         We've lucky enough to be invited for a long weekend to Villa Florencia, Mark and Nigels Villa, nestled in the mountainous
         paradise on the outskirts of Gandia surrounded by orange plantations, a short train trip from the amazing city of Valencia.
      
         We managed to book our flights with Iberia airlines, not the best if you're going on a long haul, however we were
         pleasantly surprised this time around.
        
         I left the booking a little late and had to settle with a 'stop-over' flight, this meant we had to land in Madrid and change
         planes. Not a problem, this gave us a little time to do some 'duty-free' shopping before getting to our final destination.

         After a 4 and a bit hours journey, with transit and all, ordinarily should take around 2 hours flying direct, we land in the
         town of Alicante, nothing to write home about but then again we did land in the early hours of the morning and again
         depart 4 days later under the cloak of darkness. Next time I'll really have to book better flights.

         Mark and Nigel then met us at the airport and we made our way to Villa Florencia, all 120kms of it....Note to myself,
         choose airport that is closer to accommodation next time.

         Villa Florencia, well what can I say, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. Do yourself a favor, book yourself a visit and
         you'll be guaranteed a sun soaked, (In my case sunburned) well needed break from the hustle and bustle of city life that
         we are all so accustomed too. Lazy days soaking up the sun’s rays alongside a refreshingly cool pool with an ice cold
         'locally brewed' cerveza at your side. What more could you ask for....

         Our 4 day trip consisted mostly of the above, hence my newly acquired tan. We did however venture out on Saturday the
         19th to experience the sights and sounds of Valencia.

         Boarding a train in Gandia, we head towards the city that plays host to the famous 32nd America's Cup Yacht race, a
         surprisingly comfortable trip although the scenery wasn’t exactly our 'cup of tea'. Building sites and flat dull country side
         was the order of the day with the occasional Rice field in-between. Now that was a surprise to me, Rice fields in Spain?
         Apparently, Valencia is also famous for the rice, the main ingredient in the world famous dish, Paella.

         Arriving at the main station in Valencia, we begin our tour of the amazing city, a city filled with vast amounts of history
         and amazing tradition. Take a peek into the world that is Valencia through our eyes, click here and visit Spain...     

         After a sightseeing tour in an open top bus we jump off at the site of some of the most amazing modern architecture I
         have ever seen in my life (check out the gallery) and we make our way towards the harbor to experience the world
         famous 32nd America's Cup Yacht race, an event that I personally have never really taken much time to understand.

         The harbor was a hive of activity, supporters from all around the world sporting their colors and waving their flags.
         The race itself can not exactly be watched from dry land, you have to purchase a ticket (not easy let me tell you) for one
         of the boats that ferry supports out to sea and anchor themselves in the centre of the race itself, pity, would have been
         something to experience, oh well maybe next time.

         We did however manage to snap a handful of shots of the boats returning to the harbor, as well as our South African
         hopeful 'Shosholoza', who was quietly parked soaking in the sun in one of the many fenced off team areas that dotted the
         harbor.  

         All in all an awesome day filled with new experiences and plenty to see and do, Valencia is definitely a city that I'll be
         going back to soon.

         Our stay was short but nevertheless we leave relaxed, tanned and eager to book our next visit.

         Adiós Spain.......


                                   

       


            2nd June - 3rd June 2007
    
         White water rafting in Interlaken is some of Europes best. River rafting opens the challenges of whitewater to everybody.
         Teamwork and professional guides allow novices and veterans alike to enjoy the beauty and excitement of whitewater in
         the Swiss Alps.

         The mighty Lütschine offers some of the best whitewater rafting in the Swiss Alps. Straight from the start below the Eiger
         North Face, continuous class III-IV rapids surge down from the mountains and out into the Interlaken valley and the
         Lake of Brienz.

         Just under 2 hours on the train and we're in one of the most scenic parts of the world, Interlaken.
     
         The weather certainly is'nt on our side this weekend, grey skies and a light drizzle may have dampened our spirits at
         the very begining of the trip but that was all about to change, we were in for a weekend never to forget.
   
         Check out some of the photos we took on our weekend away to Interlaken. click here.....