TheAxe

Geelong, the second largest city in Victoria, was my place of birth and were I spent my childhood, teens, and early adult life. It was once home to me but it is no longer the place I call home. I haven’t called Geelong home for almost sixteen years. In fact, I haven’t been back there for over eleven years. I don’t really miss the place. I have heard that it has changed a lot since I was last there. I will try to get back there one day but it’s not a massive priority.

Gibraltar is an eccentric little British ruled community surrounding one of the so-called Pillars of Hercules, namely, the Rock of Gibraltar. I have climbed the rock and stood on top. I wouldn’t mind spending more time in Gibraltar.

Singapore is the cleanest and safest city in the world. It is something of an attempt at a Utopian city state and it goes a long way to achieving a social and economic miracle. Great for shopaholics and people who appreciate order and decorum.

I passed through Macedonia on a train from Milan to Athens. Beautiful scenery.

While travelling from Milan to Athens by train, I stopped off in Beograd, the capital of Serbia. I don’t know where I went wrong, but somehow I boarded the wrong train when I returned to the rail station. It wasn’t until the train I was on started moving that I clicked that I was on the wrong one. I ended up having to jump from the moving train which left me tumbling across the platform in a Wild West style barrel roll. Then the train I should have been on started to leave the platform. I had to chase that train down the platform and jump onto it while it was moving. I made it by the skin of my teeth and it took me several minutes to stop laughing as I tried to explain what happened to other travellers on the train. What a crack up.

I passed through Bosnia & Herzegovina by train from Milan to Athens. The scenery is stunning!

I passed through Croatia back when it was ruled by the former Yugoslavia. I was on a train from Milan to Athens. Like Slovenia, I didn’t get to see much of Croatia.

I passed through Slovenia on a train from Milan to Athens. Back then it was governed by the former Yugoslavia. I didn’t really get to see much of Slovenia even from the train because it was night time and there was nothing to see from the train’s window but darkness.

I was only in Morocco for a short time and I only saw Tangiers and Asilah. I admit there must be nicer places in that country but on the strength of what I saw and can’t say I fell in love with Morocco. My Moroccan visit was the low point of my world travels and if I never see that country again it will be too soon.

The Vatican is the smallest independent sovereign entity in the world. It is also on my “must see” list. Savour the Museum and the Gardens. If I was a Swiss citizen, I’d have certainly tried to join the Swiss Guard… looks like a great job.