Our final Hoorah!

I can't believe it but our trip has now come to an end. We are back in Manchester where we started and have 5 hours before we board our plane for the trip home to Melbourne, then Mornington. What an absolutely fantastic trip we have had!

This really has been a trip of a lifetime for our whole family. We have shared so many wonderful experiences and places together and will have so many memories which we can share as a family - I think makes it particularly special. We all have embarassing moments which I am sure will be brought up many times over the years.

Our particular special places I think will be London, Greve in Chianti and Buis-les-baronnies.

We have learnt alot about each other too - both the good and the bad. We've got a little fitter, hopefully not a little fatter! We've learnt a little of both French and Italian, learnt alot about history, some about culture, become very good map readers, discovered the children all have a very good sense of direction, and know, without doubt, that when we get tired we ALL get very iritable!

The children have missed a term of school, and yes, they have missed out of some of the cirriculum, but they have learnt so much more about the world, about people, and about our own family. This experience will be with them forever and I am so grateful that we have had this experience together.

So now we sign off on our blog. My own family of my father, sister, 3 brothers and Gerard continue on to Prague and then London and we look forward to hearing of their stories as they journey together and then return to Australia in early July. They too, I am sure, will continue to have many wonderful times.

Our first days in Helsby, England

Dinner together in Rome just after seeing the Pope

Our last night In Meta, Italy

Gabrielle

Chasing our heritage - Scattery Island

It was a totally pumped tour group jumping out of bed early for a tour like no other. Today we embark on a fact finding mission to Scattery Island set in the Shannon Estuary a short boat ride from Kilrush.

With the tour group now extending to twelve we embark from Kenmare at 7.30am to make the trip to Tarbat from where we would catch a ferry to Killimere

. As per usual we took the long way (tomtom not always right!!).

Waiting at the ferry terminal

From Killimere we took a short drive to Kilrush where we were greeted by Geraldine down at the Marina with 5 minutes to spare. The 12 of us plus 3 other couples then boarded the San Senan II captained by Gerry Griffin.

Onboard the San Senan II headed for Scattery IslandKevin and Jack wait for the lock doors to open

The voyage commenced with us leaving the harbour via a lock system whereby once in the lock barge the water was lowered approximately 2 metres, from which we then exited out the other end. About 1km out to sea we could see Skattery Island with the round tower impressivley prominant in the distance. The other obvious feature was the lack of trees on the island, but the green paddocks mirrored the mainland views.

Dad and Peter take the stairs onto Scattery IslandThe open landscape of Scattery Island

During the trip over to the island Gerry on discovering that we were Melican's, informed us that in fact he was the son of Dhelia Melican and had grown up on the Island. He was also able to point out some of the houses Melican's had inhabited until recent times. One such house was inhabited by a Michael Melican, bachelor who left the island in about 1970, and died not long after.

Twenty minutes later we were disembarking on the island with to be met by the tour guide John Mulqueen. For the next hour or so John guided us around the many fascinating sites including the ruins of seven churches build over a period of 1000 years (the earliest one being 600AD). St Senan arrived on the Island at about that time to drive out the Pagens and to establish a monastic settlement. John was also able to explain that all seven churches were built so that the altar faced East to catch the morning sun. Some of the buildings including a church that dated back to 694 was remarkably intact. Narrow windows were still visible together with sculptured heads above the lintels. John explained that these building obviously predated glass so that the windows would have been covered in stretched pigskin to keep out some of the wild winds and cold, yet at the same time let in light to the buildings. It seems that the monastic settlements were on the Island until the 1600's.

The Melican connection to the Island started in the 1820's when a couple of them worked as river pilots for ships coming through the Shannon. John indicated that the work was actually quite lucarative as the Shannon was renowned as quite treacherous and difficult to navigate. An intricate knowledge of the ebbs and flows of the waterways was required (a skill which the current Melican clan seems to have lost).

The island has an ancient well called St Senan's Well which provided the Islanders with fresh water but was also purported to have healing powers. It was also a place of prayer for the Islanders if they were unable to cross the estuary to Kilrush for Mass. In 1913 a young girl of 13 was drowned in the well, called Christine Melican (but known as May). Interestingly the last person to be buried on Skattery Island was her sister Therese in 2007.

The island has a street known as the main street. Even though the buildings are in very poor condition there is more than enough still standing to get a feel of how the streetscape was during populous settlement.

My thoughts Kevin Melican (home Brisbane,Australia)

I had read a fair bit about scattery on the internet and seen pictures before the trip but getting out on to the island was a real buzz and exceeded any expectations. John Mulqueens knowledge of the island and its peoples history was terrific. The condition of the building and they are cared for is a credit to all those involved in this little piece of tranquility. On the day of our visit the weather was perfect which went hand in hand with the pristine Natural environment hardly affected by modern ways. My only disappointment was the short time spent on the island (about 1.5 hours) and hearing that just the before our visit an annual mass took place on the island attended by 120 people some of who may well have been our distant cousins.

Peter Melican (home Wangoom, Victoria, Australia)
I was very impressed with John's guided tour of Scattery Island. His knowledge and respect of the Island and its past inhabitants was very much appreciated.

Travels with our family through Ireland

Our new and bigger group left Dublin Airport on Thursday 12th June at approx 11.30am. We picked up our 3 cars, debated who would travel in which car, and ventured out onto the roads of Dublin. Scott was in the lead with Tom Tom (our GPS navigations system) and with Gerard at the healm of one car and me the other, off we went.

We quickly discovered that keeping a convoy of 3 cars together through busy traffic would be a difficult task and thus decided that light on would help - and it did - to be sure, to be sure!

Our first destination was Tullow in County Carlow. Our mothers great friend Pat Guinan had a sister a nun who was currently in Tullow so we had organised to make that our first stop and she had organised accommodation for us.

The traffic was busy, the roadworks numerous, but once out of Dublin, the scenary and the green of the paddocks, beautiful.

Generally, the roads are slow in Ireland and it seems to take a long time to travel anywhere. What looked on a map like a quick trip from Dublin to Tullow took us about 2 hours, and for Dad and Kevin especiallly, who had just arrived from Australia after at least 26 hours travelling, it was a long drive. Felicity and Gerard had come from Manchester that morning, having travelled there from St Petersbourgh.

A few bottles of Coke and some pastries were in order at the local shops before we found our accommodation and had an enjoyable coffee and biscuit with Sister Clare (from Caufield South) at the convent in Tullow.

We were luckily all able to squeeze into a B&B on the outskirst of the town and the children very much enjoyed the large backyard, trampoline and other children of the house to play outside before we ventured out for our first Irish Pub and enjoyed dinner together, and a birthday cake for William.

Ireland - here we come!

William the Birthday Boy with his birthday Toblerone!

The final chapter in our journey takes us to Ireland where we will meet up with my father, sister, 3 brothers and a friend, Gerard. At the beginning of our journey we had planned to just meet up with my sister Felicity and Gerard. We now find, much to our excitement, that Dad, Peter, Jack and Kevin will all meet up with us for a week in Ireland too. An opportunity to travel together and also trace back some of our Irish family history.

We left Bayeux, France on Wednesday 11th June and experienced the first, and hopefully only, series of train stikes and accommodation problems. The result was that we got to our destination, but it took 13 hours rather than 3. Our accommodation was eventually found too, but not after a number of problems. We had a room over our heads and did find an enjoyable meal so all ended up OK.

Our flight from Paris to Dublin was scheduled for 8.30am on William's birthday - 12th June 2008. We arrived at the Airport (Bouvius) which is marked as a Paris airport but is over an hour out of Paris at 6.15am, checked in our luggage and enjoyed a beautiful birthday breakfast with William of fresh croissants, coffee (for Scott and I) and fresh orange juice.

Our plane eventually took off at 10.00 after delays and after a quick and uneventful flight we excitedly arrived in Dublin.

Customs and baggage pick-up in Dublin was very quick and we anxiously ventured out into the main part of Dublin Airport to be met by Pa, my sister Felicity, my brother Kevin and Gerard. It was fantastic to see family after nearly 3 months! At first we couldn't see them, but a big yell from Fliss saying "happy birthday William' alerted us to where they were! It was fantastic!

Moving from travelling with just ourselves to travelling in a bigger group has both advantages and disadvantages, which we found straight away. With only 2 adults Scott and I were always able to quickly do an audit of bags and children. When we suddenly had another 4 adults with us we found that it was harder to keep track of the children - and the bags. It is great though to be able to share our experiences with others. And so our trip continues!

Our first refreshment together with Sister Clare in Tullow, County Carlow, Ireland.

James on the trampoline at a B&B we stayed at in Kilmulloch

St Keirens School Kilkenny

Kevin, Gerard, Scott and Xavier walk the streets of Ireland

Mont Saint Michel

We are still in Normandy, in Northern France and the suns sets about 11pm and rises about 6pm. Our body clocks are completely hay-wire.

Last night, with the children still wide awake and active at 8.30pm we decided to make a trip to Mont Saint Michel, an abbey built on a small estuary off the eastern coast of France. The drive was approximately 1 1/2 hours, but to see Mont Saint Michel at dusk is a real treat we will never forget. We strolled through the streets, bought gelati and enjoyed the fantastic views.

We were blown away! Here are some of the photos we took last night!

The drive up to Mont Saint Michel (top)

Buying a gelati (bottom)We got back to our hotel in Bayeux at about 1am but it was well worth the drive!

Views of walking around Mont Saint Michel

Normandy and the D-day Landings

An inscription outside the German War Cemetary in Normandy, France where 22,000 Germans are buried (WW2)

We have spent the past 4 days exploring the southern coastine of Normandy, France and what an education we have had. Having spent time earlier this month in the Somme area of France (WW1) we are now gaining an education on WW2. It really blows you away to go through some of the museums and cemetaries that are in this region. It is certainly one thing reading about our history in a book - another, visiting the sites and seeing the cemetaries and speaking to the diggers who landed here, in Normandy, on the 6th June, 1944. It is beautiful, sad and emotional all at the same time.

We arrived in Bayeux on Saturday after a very long day of car and train travel from basically the south of France to the North of France.

Bayeux is a beautiful and quaint city in Normandy about 15km from the northern coast of France where the D-Day landings occured in 1944. It is rich in history and a great place to have set up our base for exploration of the area.

We visited the Cemetary in Bayuex as our first port of call. This is a cemetary established by the British and a beautiful one with about 5,000 graves. It is very moving to pass through the cemetary and read the inscriptions on the gravestones: so many men of 19, 22, 25. So young and yet so brave!

An ex-serviceman from Norfolk, UK holds the flag for one minutes silence in honour of those who gave their lives - Bayeux British Cemetary, France

We were fortunate enough to be visiting this area around the Anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy by the Allies, and thus there were many ex-servicemen also visiting the area. Men now in their 80's who stopped to speak to us and especially the children. We came across a group from Norfolk in England who had been amongst the lucky ones to survive the D-Day landings - and they were here to honour their dead friends. We stood with them as they took a minutes silence and could only feel the emotion and strength that these men must have felt. They told us stories of their friend whose grave that they had come to lay a special wreath upon. He, at 19, had rushed at a German tank with a Bren gun and fired continuously, allowing his group to move forward. He had given his life in this mission, but saved many others - these men amongst the many. He was awarded a Victoria Cross for his bravery and courage - unfortunately only his family ever saw it as he died 3 days later - WOW!

There are so many stories like this.

Standing in a german bunker at Gold Beach - one of the 5 beaches of the D-day landings on June 7, 1944

Searching the maps for information - Gabrielle and Xavier at the Bayeux MuseumA German observation post at Juno Beach, Normandy, France

We visited also the Canadian War Cemetary and Museum which was just wonderful at Juno Beach and the American Cemetary at Omaha Beach - the beach with the greatest bloodshed during this time.Scott, Xavier and James outside the Bayeux War Museum (above)

Offshore - the false harbour transported by the British all the way to the French shoreline - some still are there today!

Omaha Beach (above)James beside an American Army Jeep - Juno Beach, Normandy

We also visited the German cemetary. This was something unexpected and really beautiful. All I could think as I walked through the area was that of the 22,000 men buried here, each had a mother and a father that loved them and would have never forgotten their bravery - for right of wrong, they were serving their country and they gave their life. The German War Cemetary (both pictures above)

We have had an experience here that we will never forget.

Haute-Provence, France

If pictures could speak they would tell you so much about how much we enjoyed our stay in Buis-Les-Baronnies, in Haute-Provence, France.

This little township is in the South of France, 3 hours north of the Mediterranean. It is really almost in the middle of nowhere, yet, when you are there, you can't imagine wanting to be anywhere else.

We stayed in a beautiful little place owned by a couple from Melbourne. It was on 5 floors, as are many of the houses, with one room on each level, and set up in such a way that you felt like you had all the comforts of home, english speaking DVD's and books included. I really enjoyed reading a book called 'A short history of the tractor in the Ukraine' and Scott and I enjoyed watching a recent movie - The Queen.

The children watch the world go by in Buis Les Baronnies

We travelled to Buis-les-baronnies firstly by train from Paris to Montelimar via the TGV which travelled almost 1000km in about 3 hours - yes, over 300km per hour. We then hired a car in Montelimar and drove the 1 1/2 hours in very windy road, worse than the Great Ocean Road, to our destination.

One of the many beautiful hilltop towns in Haute-Provence

We knew we would love the town as soon as we arrived: small, old, beautiful and full of character.

Mount St Julien - which sits above Buis Les Baronnies

What marvellous memories we will have of Buis-les-baronnies: the people, the landscape, the architecture, the river. Undoubtedly our stay here has been our most social. We have built relationships with many people and shared meals with some. We have enjoyed beautiful food and wine with our friends.

Scott with William, Elizabeth, Xavier and James at the top of Mount Ventoux.

Buis-les-Baronnies is in the foothills of Mount Ventoux, a mountain almost 2km above sea level. The town sits right under Mount Saint Julien - a stunning rockface looking down on the township of approximately 2000 people. The town is small, old, bathed in history of romams and wars, and here the Resistance Movement during WW2 was very strong.

The people have a strong sense of family and friends. They will not hesitate to stop and talk, to share a coffee or give you help. Once again our experience in Europe shows us how 'thinking' the people are - they speak a number of languages, and stong views on history, culture and politics.

We have enjoyed meals with two groups of people - the first, a Belguim couple and their 18month old son whose family have a holiday house in the town. They are a lovely couple - David is Belgium, born of a French father and an Italian mother. He speaks French, Flemish, Italian, English and is now learning Japanese. His wife Fiona speaks French, Flemish and English, having been born in England and moved to Belgium when 5.

Scott and David enjoy a beer whilst the BBQ roars away

The second group was Pierre and his friends and extended family. Scott first met Pierre when seeking a coffee in the Arcade area. They talked and enjoyed each other company. When Scott suggested we would like a coffee Pierre's immediate response was ' my coffee is not that good - I shut my shop and take coffee with you a few shops down where the coffee is better'. Such is the attitude of these people. They take the time to stop and talk and exchange ideas and coversation.

Pierre, his fiance and our family in his restaurant in Buis Les Baronnies where we always felt to very welcome to share pizza, wine and syrup with them and their friends.

We ended up have many coffees, and the children many 'syrups' - a drink a little like cordial but the base is a reduction of fruit rather than a mix of juice and sugar. It is beautiful and they enjoyed strawberry, almond, mint and peach flavours. They, and we too, also enjoyed the wonderful pizza Pierre made in his little restaurant. We all watched as he made the pizza, starting with making the dough by hand with flour (type 45), live yeast, salt and olive oil (the oil of life as he calls it!). He mixed, kneaded and rested the dough much to the childrens delight. He prepared his toppings, mixing pure tomato puree with dehydrated garlic (to give it back life), herbs of Provence, fresh basil leaves and salt. He roasted, cooled, peeled and marinated fresh capsicums out of his garden. He taught us to make his beautiful 'aubergine mix'. He used mostly fresh and local ingredients, many out of his or his mothers garden. And all this was done whilst maintaining a lively conversation with us or with any of his friends that stopped to say hello.

Scott and Pierre

Produce at the local markets

Arriving back in Paris after leaving Buis Les Baronnies