12. Munich and the Wings for Life World Run 2016

Munich became part of our itinerary due to the Wings for Life World Run being scheduled for May 8^th 2016. We were going to be ‘in the area anyway’ so it was a no brainer that we had to be there to support the foundation. How spoilt being in Melbourne one year and Munich the next! The Wings for Life foundation was created with the purpose of raising vital funds for Spinal Cord Injury research. Creating the World Run they designed a unique event that not only donate's 100% of  funds raised to research (Red Bull, Puma and Garmin cover the rest of the costs) it is also held at the same time in 32 cities around the world. While our friends ran at 9pm in Melbourne, we took off at exactly the same time in Munich, being 1pm on a sunny afternoon. The point of difference doesn’t stop there either; you don’t set out to run to a finish line. There is a catcher car that gradually increases pace and catches up to the runners. Once passed you are done! Basically you have no idea how far you will run for! In 2015 we had organised a big group of friends to participate in Melbourne with the aim of raising an additional $500 to donate to a friends son who had recently become a paraplegic.

Running a raffle and selling our specially designed T’shirts we raised $3500 and were able to up our donation’s for both Jason and the Wings for Life Foundation. The best bit is that our friends are still talking about it 18 months later, asking if  & where we will be lining up again in 2017. 

8. Beautiful Budapest (Part 1)

Novotel Centrum - formerly know as the Palace Hotel

Budapest & love at first sight! (April 23rd - 28th)

What a positive surprise Budapest was! Travelling in from the airport to the city we could have been convinced we had landed in a remote country side village. From the airport surrounded by gorgeous green open spaces we gradually started to take in big old apartment blocks that became more and more impressive the closer we got to the city centre. The buildings and architecture were stunning and our senses were on fire, from the beauty but also the hectic driving style of our shuttle driver and his reliance on brakes with short notice!

Arriving at our hotel the Novotel Budapest Centrum we were beside ourselves with happiness. The building was stunning and formerly being the Palace Hotel is still held its glamour. There were floor to ceiling windows, a grand piano on the restaurant landing and chandeliers throughout. And our room...It was just huge, and fully accessible! The low set bed was deliciously comfortable and the bathroom was a spacious set up with a hilariously funny basin set up that was only just above my knees! For me to notice how low it was I could only imagine the challenge those of taller stature would face when trying to use it accurately. It was the first time Dickey or I had seen a basin lowered for accessibility and the irony was that because it was so low he couldn't roll in close and get his knees under it.