Got my international DL today (just in case) and working on refining itinerary but also trying to leave some flexible time so that there are some things left to chance!

Sunday 17 August 2014 heading out from Brisbane at 9.05am so it will be an early start from Noosa! First stop briefly at Cairns then Hong Kong for a few hours (hoping to catch some sleep) then back on board at midnight and direct to Paris arriving on Monday 18 August at 6.55am. Lots of time for shopping before checking into Notre Dame Holiday Inn. Looking forward to 2 summer nights in Paris. Hoping to do a day trip to Champagne on Tuesday.

Wednesday 20 August flying on to Stockholme where I will meet my friend Kerstin for 10 days exploring her homeland including the Swedish archipelago.

Friday 29 August flying into Budapest for 3 nights (Mercure Budapest Korna) - totally new experience for me in Eastern Europe.

Monday 1 September hoping to catch the train for Budapest to Prague for 3 nights. My first experience in airbnb.

Thursday 4 September another train continuing on to Berlin (H2 Hotel Alexanderplatz).

Sunday 7 September flying from Berlin into Nice on French Riviera where I will be spending a week in Antibes. I will be joined by my dear friend Susan and looking forward to reliving our youth as we have been friends since we started school at 5 years old in Durban, South Africa. Susan now lives in Manchester UK and I havent seen her since 1999.

Sunday 14 September onwards is flexible and will be spent in the south of France exploring and ending with a week in Barcelona.

Thursday 2 October I meet up with Erika in Palermo, Sicily where we will be doing a 7 day adventure (including lots of foodie discoveries) around the island before travelling to Crete for 2 weeks of exploring.

Wednesday 22 October Erika and I travel from Crete to Milan where we will join the Slow Food Noosa delegation in Turin for 5 days to attend the Terra Madre event.

Sunday 27 October marks the end of Terra Madre for us and we head to the Italian lakes for a few days until our return to Australia.

Saturday 1 November checkin at Milan Malpensa airport travelling on Cathay via Hong Kong back to Brisbane arriving at 23.20 on Sunday 2 November and then making way back to Noosa.