It is time to leave Brisbane and make my way to Bagni di Lucca.
I have left Brisbane’s blue skies and am currently in foggy Hong Kong waiting for my flight to Helsinki. I am hoping for some snow, before heading off to London and Oxford for a few days.
Here is what I am leaving behind for a while. I think Brisbane is a beautiful city.
It has been a hot, steamy summer so far, which doesn’t really suit me. I prefer cooler weather. The heat does have some compensations…
It is great for the beach.
There are gorgeous flowers everywhere.
Many of the poincianas have finished flowering and enormous seed pods have formed.
Our balcony is teeming with wildlife. Noisy birds wake us up early in the morning, frogs are croaking after the rain and we have had an occasional visit from a possum who feels quite at home in our living room.
When I return to Brisbane it will be winter, my favourite season at home in Australia.
Until then I look forward to sharing my new travels with you.
Safe travels! If you have time and would like to meet for a drink in Helsinki, just let me know. Melanie ; )
By: Mel_inHelsinki on February 9, 2015
at 1:56 pm
I would love to catch up in Helsinki. I will be there on Monday, just for the day.
Oops, make that Tuesday.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 9, 2015
at 1:58 pm
Lovely post as always Debra. Safe travels. Hope to meet you in Italy in May
By: margieinitaly on February 9, 2015
at 1:57 pm
Thank you Margie. I hope we can get together somewhere.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 9, 2015
at 1:59 pm
Deb, What chance a London dinner? Please let us know…
By: Anonymous on February 9, 2015
at 2:00 pm
oooops, that was from me. Pete B
By: Peter Brosnan on February 9, 2015
at 2:01 pm
That sounds great. I will be in London Wednesday and Thursday night and I am staying near Marlybone High St.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 9, 2015
at 2:04 pm
Nice one. Please bring me back a possum.
By: Francis on February 9, 2015
at 2:03 pm
I doubt they would enjoy the trip.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 9, 2015
at 2:04 pm
Hello Debra. Brisbane looks beautiful! I subscribed to your blog because I will be spending a year in Bagni di Lucca, beginning next month. Your posts have been so beautiful and informative. Thank you very much – I know they take a lot of time and effort.
Perhaps we can meet up sometime. I will be in Casa Fioretta.
p.s. Your possums are MUCH cuter than ours her in the US.
By: Anonymous on February 9, 2015
at 2:20 pm
I would love to meet in Bagni di Lucca. I will be there until mid June. Let me know when you arrive.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 9, 2015
at 3:08 pm
Hi, we too are moving to Bagni but not until August. We plan to spend 6 months there and are staying at Villa Isabella in Ponte e Serraglio.We may see you over there…..
By: Mardi on February 24, 2015
at 4:54 am
Have a safe trip and get ready to enjoy some cold weather. We shall see you in Bagni in a few weeks.
I love that possum! We used to have a friendly one when we lived in Byron Bay, but there were not many around on the Gold Coast… Unless one goes to the Hinterland or Currumbin Sanctuary….
By: Mulino Dominillo on February 9, 2015
at 2:20 pm
Possums are thriving in our area. They are very cute, but if they get in the house they can be a bit of a pest. I look forward to coffee and sfoglia at Il Monaco.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 9, 2015
at 3:09 pm
Oops, don’t want to be “Anonymous”!
By: Sheila Lyons on February 9, 2015
at 2:22 pm
Bring your snow shoes, we are up to our neck in snow at thee moment.
By: Pecora Nera on February 9, 2015
at 2:52 pm
I can’t wait!
By: Debra Kolkka on February 9, 2015
at 3:09 pm
Buon viaggio-I look forward to your adventures in Italy.
By: paninigirl on February 9, 2015
at 3:02 pm
Thank you, see you in Lucca in spring.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 9, 2015
at 3:10 pm
Safe travels Debra. Had a long chat with Kerry on the weekend. Your ears should have been burning.
By: juditroncoso on February 9, 2015
at 3:06 pm
I thought it must have been those fires around Perth.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 9, 2015
at 3:10 pm
I subscribed to your blog. Have a safe flight and enjoy Europe.
By: Gerlinde on February 9, 2015
at 3:21 pm
Thank you. I am looking forward to discovering new (for me) places.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 9, 2015
at 3:55 pm
I remember my grandmother’s beautiful tropical flowers in Brisbane when I was a child. Now in Italy all my hibiscus are looking very poorly inside! Safe trip.
By: Catherine on February 9, 2015
at 4:06 pm
Hibiscus are gorgeous flowers, perhaps they would do well in the south of Italy.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 11, 2015
at 2:24 am
Reblogged this on A Boomer's Travels and commented:
Another great place to visit in Australia.
By: Michael on February 9, 2015
at 5:23 pm
Thanks for the reblog
By: Debra Kolkka on February 11, 2015
at 2:25 am
The song, Leaving on a Jet Plane….has a lot of meaning to me.
By: Michael on February 9, 2015
at 5:26 pm
Me too, I do it often.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 11, 2015
at 2:25 am
Buon viaggio
By: Lyn on February 9, 2015
at 6:55 pm
Grazie!
By: Debra Kolkka on February 11, 2015
at 2:25 am
That possum is a little stunner, he will miss you and your crumbs.. Dying to see your favourite view coming up soon.. c
By: cecilia on February 9, 2015
at 7:27 pm
He was a curious little fellow. It took a bit of chasing to get him out of the house.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 11, 2015
at 2:26 am
Do the aussie possums have the fluffy tail like the NZ ones? Here is American the tail is nude – most disconcerting.
By: cecilia on February 11, 2015
at 2:31 am
Our local possums don’t have fluffy tails. I think they us their tails to hang on to branches. They have fur, but quite short.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 11, 2015
at 4:35 am
or I should say you Other favourite view.. c
By: cecilia on February 9, 2015
at 7:28 pm
Happy travels!
By: twoblackdoggies on February 9, 2015
at 7:40 pm
Thank you. Oxford should be fun.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 11, 2015
at 2:26 am
Have a great trip Deb. Say hello to Helsinki and eat some rye bread and think of me. Kirsi
By: Kirsi Säde on February 9, 2015
at 8:39 pm
Consider the rye bread eaten.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 11, 2015
at 2:27 am
The possum will survive, don’t worry. Love all your photos -you have captured summer in our beautiful city so well. Looking forward to the results of the Blog competition, you deserve to win as everyone loves your postings. Looking forward to the one coming up from Oxford, and then later the regular ones from Italy. Safe travels.
By: Dianne Cant on February 9, 2015
at 8:43 pm
Oxford should be fun. I have been before, but not for a while.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 11, 2015
at 2:27 am
What a contrast. Snow in Northern Italy for balmy tropical weather in Brisbane.
By: Francesca on February 9, 2015
at 9:05 pm
I love cold weather…and some snow.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 11, 2015
at 2:28 am
Bon Voyage. The possum looks cute. As we don’t have any here I don’t know a lot about them so I off to look them up on Wiki.
By: Just Add Attitude on February 9, 2015
at 9:26 pm
Possums are thriving in the city. We have lots in our garden.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 11, 2015
at 2:28 am
Miss you already
By: Liz Litzow on February 9, 2015
at 9:54 pm
Come on over.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 11, 2015
at 2:29 am
Safe and enjoyable travels Deb…..looking forward to your next post…hopefully from a snowy Ponte a Serraglio.
By: Jim & Kerry on February 9, 2015
at 10:38 pm
There is snow in BdL now, but it will probably be gone by the time I arrive.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 11, 2015
at 2:29 am
In 20 days time my grandson and I leave Brisbane heading to Verona for a 12 month stay also… Hope you have a great journey.
By: Brian on February 9, 2015
at 11:04 pm
Verona is gorgeous, you will love it. Let me know if you come to Lucca, I will show you around.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 11, 2015
at 2:30 am
Yes I certainly will if we get down that way. I will keep my website updated.
By: Brian on February 11, 2015
at 2:49 am
Safe travels. Must be quite the weather shock … then again, Helsinki is quickly make you transition. 🙂
By: aFrankAngle on February 10, 2015
at 12:21 am
I love cold weather. Helsinki produced a beautiful blue sky day and around 7degrees. There was a bit of snow about.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 11, 2015
at 4:30 am
I recall your trip to Lapland … so cheers to your joy!
By: aFrankAngle on February 11, 2015
at 11:26 am
I’m looking forward to your views of London – there are so many fascinating places and I haven’t been to Oxford so I’ll look forward to that too! Possums really are so very appealing aren’t they. I accidentally knocked one down from where he was sleeping in the bamboo alongside our house and then from the kitchen window I could see him trying to get comfortable – a bit like an upside down Koala – he must have had a knock to his noggin.
By: Jan on February 10, 2015
at 12:41 am
I am looking forward to London and Oxford. I haven’t been for a while.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 11, 2015
at 4:30 am
Beautiful ‘good-bye’ photos, timelessly true and lovely ‘tomorrow’s . . . enjoy the journey, both the departure and the arrival – and DO keep us posted, Helsinki most of all for me!
By: Eha on February 10, 2015
at 1:25 am
Helsinki is a beautiful city. There will certainly be a post soon. Go to my Beautiful Helsinki blog for lots on Helsinki. There is a link on the right side of the page.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 11, 2015
at 4:32 am
Good to be reminded of Brisbane’s stunning floral, botanical and zoological riches – humidity notwithstanding.
By: technanna on February 10, 2015
at 7:08 am
I love Brisbane, but not those steamy summer days.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 11, 2015
at 4:32 am
Hello gorgeous — won’t see you this year , we’re having a Caribean sabbatical instead !
Ciao Richard and Jill
By: Richard the terrible on February 10, 2015
at 9:55 pm
That sounds wonderful…maybe next year. Have a great time.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 11, 2015
at 4:33 am
Hi Debra, We too have enjoyed your blog. We will arrive in Bagni at the beginning of August for 6 months so will miss you but Frances (Pam’s daughter) will be there for our first week and jordana is planning a visit too- such a small world! Your blog has helped us to plan out our must do list and hopefully we will meet you one day!
By: Mardi on February 24, 2015
at 4:51 am
I will be around in September and October probably. I look forward to meeting you.
By: Debra Kolkka on February 24, 2015
at 5:41 am
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