From chilly Normandy to the sun and sand of Corsica, I’ve had a great time exploring France. But after a relaxing break it’s time to return to Ukraine. With the Ukrainian counter-offensive underway, and the unconscionable destruction of the Nova Khakhovka Dam by Russia, there is plenty of humanitarian work to be done. Ajaccio on Corsica’s west coast is a top place for a bit of off-the-beach cat sailing I’ll let you know how I get on, but ’til then,…
Having been in France for a couple of months, I think it’s fair to say I’m now an expert in French culture. Considering this, I feel it’s my duty to address a couple of stereotypes of French people, both of which were popular when I was growing up. I have discovered that one of these is indeed true, whilst the other is demonstrably false. When I was a kid, the stereotypical French bloke was depicted as wearing a black beret…
B-17G Flying Fortress ‘Her Did ’, Calvi Corsica is a spectacular place. Inland from the rugged coastline’s turquoise waters, mountains rise steeply, their towering granite summits patched white with snow even in the late spring. I stared out the window as the bus wound it’s way from Bastia to Calvi, through valleys cut by fast flowing rivers and over steep mountain passes. We descended into the town in the early evening, where the 400 year old walls of the citadel…
P-47 Thunderbolt, Miomo It had been 18 months since my last dive, and I fumbled clumsily whilst preparing my gear. I was sitting with two other divers in the spring sunshine, beside the picturesque little harbour at Erbalunga, Corsica. Our dive operator Rym, who took the task of conducting our refresher dive seriously, asked us questions about equipment and protocols as we fitted our kit together. Soon we were leaving the harbour in his fibreglass hull inflatable for a nearby…
G’day all and welcome to the Midlife Crisis Odyssey Podcast, where not all who wander are lost, but some of us definitely are. I really enjoyed my first day exploring the Nürburgring, which had included a visit to the RingWerk Museum and touring the Formula 1 track facilities. My guide had mentioned that the Nordschleife, the Nürburgring’s spectacular and fearsome 21km circuit, was open for public driving that afternoon… If you would like to see the post for this podcast,…
We were in the neighbourhood, so my sister suggested we drop into the Normandy town of Bayeux and check out the Bayeux Tapestry. Now I’m always the first to admit my ignorance of something, and although I had heard of the work, I have to say I knew nothing about it. I imagined an old tapestry, hanging vertically in a cold, dark, ancient chapel somewhere in France. But mate was I in for a history lesson. As I contorted our…
It was one o’clock in the afternoon when we pulled up beside V.C. Corner Cemetery, near the small village of Fromelles in northern France. It was cold and drizzling rain, and the gloomy light made it feel much later in the day. We were the only visitors. We made our way though the gates and onto the lush, wet grass. Six large trees border the edge of the cemetery, and were sporting fresh, early spring growth. Beyond lie neatly cut…
Keen to avoid the ticket queues outside Paris’ Louvre Museum, Vicki and I thought we’d be smart about it and pre-book online. The Louvre website informed us, however, that due to a technical issue online booking was unavailable, so we resigned ourselves to just turn up the next day and take our place in line. Jumping off the train at the Palais Royal – Musée du Louvre metro station, we joined the throng surging towards the exit. I’d heard many…
My second stint in Ukraine, after returning from a few months in Germany, has been a rollercoaster to say the least. I have been welcomed by Ukrainians that are now close friends, been fed a huge array of delicious foods, toasted with home made wine and spirits, and tour-guided through historic sites. I have seen a great deal more of the country, from cities to small villages, and the rolling cropping country that feeds millions here and around the world….
It had been 3 months since I had been to the city, and I was wondering if I would see much change. Security was still tight; the soldiers manning the checkpoint on the edge of town were strict and cautious, inspecting our documents and vehicles carefully before waving us through. They were fully kitted out and armed, and their heavily dug-in positions lined the road. The first thing I noticed as we reached the city was the increased amount of…