Maria & Brett's HUGE Trip 06-07-08-09-?

ok, so the Socceroos lost in 'that' penalty against Italy; Adriatic summers aren't long enough (bliss!); and we found that you should never use the term "Eastern Bloc" when talking to a Czech (Central Europe, please).

The Obamas come to visit us in Prague

CZECH REPUBLIC | Monday, 6 Apr 2009 | Views [106] | Comments [1]

Waking up early this morning we felt something abuzz: 'there's something happening around the corner and we should go an check it out', we thought. So we walked down the road and bumped into Barack and Michelle Obama... Not exactly how it happened, ... Read more >


Winter ball in Kobyli - deep, deep heart of Czech kul-cha!

CZECH REPUBLIC | Wednesday, 18 Feb 2009 | Views [138]

So we accepted Ales' invite to trundle down the D1 from Prague to Brno and head to his wee town of 2000 people for the once annual winter ball. Held inside because... well work it out for yourself... too bloody cold in the snow and ice outside, the ... Read more >

Tags: kobyli winter ball


There's blood on the streets: must be Xmas in Cz Rep

CZECH REPUBLIC | Wednesday, 24 Dec 2008 | Views [114]

Spent our time dodging flying scales and bloody innards from freshly decapitated and debowelled carp on every other street corner; fathers with their kiddies picking out the best Christmas tree to take home to mum, who's no doubt enslaved by the ... Read more >


C'est la vie à Paris!

FRANCE | Wednesday, 26 Nov 2008 | Views [198]

With the global economy doing what it is, we jumped on a cheapy SkyEurope flight to Paris to see what mischief we could get up to before budget airlines start packing it in. Of course that meant being at the airport for a 05:45am check-in followed ... Read more >


Gettin' down 'n' dirty in Berlin

GERMANY | Wednesday, 19 Nov 2008 | Views [219]

What better way to show off the wonderful city of Prague and its beautiful, nice-smelling people (especially at gyms, squash courts and on any public transport vehicle) than by comparing it all with their brethren up the road in Deutschland who.... Read more >

Tags: berlin, thai


San Marino MotoGP - one year on!

SAN MARINO | Wednesday, 10 Sep 2008 | Views [151]

How quickly does a year go! We returned to Italy at the end of August for the 2nd San Marino MotoGP - which happened to fall on the same day as my b'day (could celebrate it in worse ways!). True to form, Italy again served up delicious meal after ... Read more >


A short return to Zadar, Croatia

CROATIA | Wednesday, 30 Jul 2008 | Views [145]

Wanting to escape a poor Prague summer, Brett and I headed for the pristine waters of Zadar, Croatia for 10 days.   Zadar is my home away from home but this time it was even better as my parents and cousin Klaudia were going to be there ... Read more >


The Absinthe Tour of Cyprus

CYPRUS | Thursday, 24 Jul 2008 | Views [213]

(See our photos here: http://journals.worldnomads.com/maria_brett/gallery/11201.aspx  ) What to do with a week of your life and a visit from your good mate from Oz? You activate your Out of Office reply on your work emails and head off to sunny, dusty ... Read more >


Motorbike trip around Ireland for charity

IRELAND | Monday, 5 May 2008 | Views [715]

Maria: Back in November last year we had the pleasure of meeting Aidan and Noel from Ireland at the Valencia MotoGP.  Not only did the guys (a) get me drunk before having to meet Brett for dinner, (b) raise a lot of money for Down Syndrome Ireland (DSI), ... Read more >


Why does Scandinavia get it right?

DENMARK | Wednesday, 9 Apr 2008 | Views [414]

Is it their high cheekbones or obsession with a funky, modern monarchy? Or is it the dry salted fish that improves their diet and overall wellbeing? Or perhaps their penchant for clean, tidy, modern orderliness, as embodied by little-known lifestyle ... Read more >


Budapest: dental makeover capital of eastern europe

HUNGARY | Saturday, 1 Mar 2008 | Views [728]

If Prague is popular for women (and possibly men?) wanting a cheap boob job, why is it that Budapest is the Prague of dental jobs? Any googler looking to have their crowns tipped or canals rooted might find comfort in such places as the Fortuna Hotel ... Read more >

Tags: planes trains & automobiles


Firing up for freeezetown

CZECH REPUBLIC | Wednesday, 19 Dec 2007 | Views [362] | Comments [3]

"Waaaaa... waaaahhhhh...", not the screaming of a newborn but the perfect harmonic of a fine-tuned rally car as it came straight THROUGH OUR WINDOW - well that's what it felt like as we tried to prise our eyes from a deep Sunday morning sleep.... Read more >

Tags: People


MotoGP riders raise funds for charity

SPAIN | Sunday, 11 Nov 2007 | Views [600] | Comments [1]

Fast bikes, gorgeous women, colour, glitz and glamour. It's no wonder sports celebs can earn a reputation for living in the fast lane, distanced from real life and real people in their luxury european hideaways and multi-million dollar helicopters ... Read more >

Tags: people


Gothic castles and ex-Soviet airbases

CZECH REPUBLIC | Friday, 19 Oct 2007 | Views [888]

“We have prepared a special programme for you” greeted us at 7:30 in the morning as we met our friends, Daša and Přemysl at the spot by the railway crossing. As we slithered into the back seat of their car, as honey finds its way from a spoon, ... Read more >

Tags: The Great Outdoors


San Marino MotoGP

SAN MARINO | Thursday, 13 Sep 2007 | Views [2015] | Comments [4]

Following the storm that was Brno MotoGP, we packed up the mini-office-in-brewery that served us well over the weekend, returned hotel keys and dropped off scooters to their rightful rental owners. We all fell asleep on the 3 hour trip back to Prague.... Read more >

Tags: Adventures


Running away with the MotoGP circus

CZECH REPUBLIC | Monday, 20 Aug 2007 | Views [1185]

I’ve run away with the circus… Although only one month has passed since we returned to the Czech Republic, I feel like I've lived several lifetimes in that very space. Without even unpacking our stuff (all those Tim Tams, sakata bickies, ... Read more >

Tags: Adventures


Disaster finally strikes!

CZECH REPUBLIC | Friday, 25 May 2007 | Views [790] | Comments [4]

Now I know what it feels like to be a phantom writer, as Brett is typing this as I speak. I'm currently incapacitated, as you can plainly see. How did it happen you ask??? This is your guess. Use your imagination and I'll get back to you in a week ... Read more >

Tags: Doctors, hospitals & health


Roadtrip with the Oldies through Central Europe

CROATIA | Tuesday, 22 May 2007 | Views [1137]

We've just returned from a breathless yet wonderful two weeks with Sue, David and Sue. Before they touched down we asked ourselves "how the hell do we show them our life here in the Czech Republic in just fours days?" It was a whistlestop ... Read more >

Tags: On the Road


A Whippin' Good Czech Easter

CZECH REPUBLIC | Sunday, 15 Apr 2007 | Views [1513]

What do horse-hoofed devils, crossbows, medieval feasts and the whipping of women have to do with Easter? Everything - in the Czech Republic anyway. With a predominantly atheist/agnostic population and no overriding influence by any religion, ... Read more >

Tags: On the Road


Cultural confusion in a corner of Europe - Dolomiti/Austrian Alps

ITALY | Monday, 2 Apr 2007 | Views [1021] | Comments [1]

"What is it?" we asked Pavel. "Slivovice, go ahead, take a swig" and with that, Maria had the hipflask to her lips quicker than you could ask what the hell this potent smelling stuff was. Luckily we'd tasted this wonderful Czech ... Read more >

Tags: Mountains


East Meets West & West Eats Meat in Berlin

GERMANY | Wednesday, 31 Jan 2007 | Views [637]

"Brett and Maria, your work visa's ready for collection. Oh, but there's one more thing - you have to travel to Berlin to get it and then have it stamped by the border guards on your return to the Czech Republic. Unfortunately there's no way round ... Read more >

Tags: Culture


Oddities and curiosities of life in the Czech Republic - Part II

CZECH REPUBLIC | Sunday, 28 Jan 2007 | Views [1196] | Comments [1]

Imagine what you know about communism. Then try to think of the opposite. In the past 17 years Czechs have not only adopted free-market concepts but they also go nuts for the stuff. Communism was abolished following the Velvet Revolution of 1989 ... Read more >

Tags: Culture


Winter Wonderland

CZECH REPUBLIC | Saturday, 27 Jan 2007 | Views [797] | Comments [1]

Walking around Prague last week we were blessed with crisp 14 degree days, gorgeous blue skies, clean air and miniskirts. Wait a minute! What?! Miniskirts? Someone tell me what month it is again? January. Oh ok, summertime. That makes sense: Australian ... Read more >

Tags: Snow


Happy New Year - 2007!

CZECH REPUBLIC | Tuesday, 2 Jan 2007 | Views [723] | Comments [1]

We would like to wish everyone a happy new year (or 'stastne novy rok'). May all your dreams come true in 2007 and beyond. We look forward to seeing many or all of you either in this part of the world or back at home in Australia - sometime! x Maria ... Read more >

Tags: Party time


In search of a white Xmas - Pt II

SLOVENIA | Thursday, 28 Dec 2006 | Views [641] | Comments [2]

Slovenia welcomed us back for the second time with open arms. Or rather, Maria’s cousin Gregor and his girlfriend Anja did this on behalf of the city when we arrived in Ljubljana. The town mayor was probably called away unexpectedly to attend to some ... Read more >

Tags: Snow


In search of a white Xmas - Pt I

AUSTRIA | Wednesday, 20 Dec 2006 | Views [1033]

A stop-off in wintry Vienna to liberate cafes of their delicious coffee and gluhwein stores of their fancily decorated mugs, followed by a festive season in Slovenia signposted by local wine, prosciutto, overly-generous local hospitality and nativity ... Read more >

Tags: Snow


Oddities and curiosities of life in the Czech Republic - Part I

CZECH REPUBLIC | Thursday, 14 Dec 2006 | Views [1582] | Comments [1]

“Have you got any Kangaroos in your car?” What do you say to a German border guard who’s holding your passport in one hand, an entry stamp with the other, smiling like a half-cut madman waiting for your response? Sometimes you just have ... Read more >

Tags: Culture


Czech Republic - Return from the Ghetto!

CZECH REPUBLIC | Monday, 25 Sep 2006 | Views [1511] | Comments [9]

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to pack up all your worldly possessions and head off to an unknown little country town in the middle of Central Europe for nine months? We did, but our wondering lasted all of 24 hours. Here’s our story…… ... Read more >

Tags: Misadventures


The road to Prague

GERMANY | Thursday, 31 Aug 2006 | Views [418] | Comments [4]

Hi all! We've just returned to Stuttgart, Germany, after 6 or 7 weeks of travelling around Croatia, Slovenia and Italy - and a weekend in Zurich to wrap it all up... and boy do we have some stories for you! We're off to Prague tomorrow (Friday, 1 ... Read more >

Tags: On the Road


The High Life in Amsterdam

NETHERLANDS | Tuesday, 15 Aug 2006 | Views [698]

“What should we do with miles of boggy wasteland, covered by water?” Someone answered that one in the late 1500s with the brilliant idea of damming the Amstel River, draining the lowlands of most of their water, and then building on this land ... Read more >

Tags: Party time


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