Yes, sweet treats are back on the menu for morning tea in Austria. This makes a pleasant change, given the Balkan states bakers skill at removing the joy from eating a biscuit by removing it’s taste. And yes you have heard it here first. Austria is the most beautiful country ‘in the world’. In fact it is almost Disneyland like, in the scenery stakes. There is always a downside, and I guess being buried under snow for a good part of the year ...

Albania to Austria Spent a week organising a new vacuum pump to replace the temporary fix. Finally chased one down, although it probably would have been quicker to get it from OZ in the long run. Anyway it needed replacing which meant we had a chance to unwind at ‘Lake Shkodra Resort’ near Shkoder, some 40klm from the Med coast. Niko, the owner, was a great host and couldn’t have been more helpful. Although not a ‘Resort’ by Austr...

Entry into the Balkans With Italy now just a memory, we move by ferry to the East and the Balkan States of Europe (Greece, up through Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia Hetzagovina, and Croatia) I think. And, previously known as Yugoslavia, I think. Viewing the burnt out hulk of a recent near disaster on the same Italy/Greek route, moored next to us whist we wait to board, shows us that travel can indeed be a risky business. This overnight voyage, reminiscent of the...

News Flash: Downpour floods Venice streets We entered Italy through the Italian/Swiss alps and found ourselves in the Italian Lakes area. The most well known of these would have to be Como (well known to everybody but me that is). A very pleasant spot with a large lake surrounded by snow caped (at this time of year anyway) mountains. This lake is very popular for a cruise judging by the number of tourists doing just that. Not to be left out we did the same! Trave...