Trekking at the Passy Plateau,France - Day 2- 25.2.2013

This morning the weather was misty until about 8.30 a.m. when the sun shine on the mountains Alps. Beautiful mountains view can be see clearly at the front of the hotel.

After took some photos of the surroundings around the hotel. We went to the cafe for a cup of coffee and tea. We drove to the top of the Passy Plateau where lot of tourists were getting ready for their skiing. The scenic views up to the mountains ranges is amazing beautiful.

The highest  Peak is known as Alguile d' Ayeres at 2,610 m. The temperature at this place was minus 9. These alps also catered for  small children skiing with instructors looking after the children. We spent 2 hours walking and trekking around the Piste and went to the Natural Reserve Centre. The staff is so kind and show us how to use the telescope to view the mountains peaks. It is free to trek around at this mountains ranges and during Summer there is hiking, trekking, rock climbing and diving to be arranged with guides around at this centre.

After two and half hours on this Plateau, we drove to the Passy National Reserve Park where there are two lakes and a river. These  lakes are for special species inhabitant. Happily enjoying my walk around the lakes and then we proceed to Chamonix.

On the way to Chamonix and saw Carefour. We stopped for  a while to do some shopping and walk into the centre of Chamonix. Looking for the tourists information centre and been told that it was too late to go for Aiguille de Midi as the last trip up to the mountains is 3.30 p.m. We have to come again tomorrow.

We walk and shop around the town centre of Chamonix, have our dinner at one of the Chinese restaurant and it cost 35.00 euro for the meal of two person. Back to the hotel at 9.00 p.m.

Place: Passy Plateau, Passy National Reserve Park and Chamonix.
Photos by: Robert Suen and Catherine Suen
Scored: 9 stars
Dated: 25th February 2013

A Misty day at Longdon, Staffordshire

We drove through Lichfield to go to Longdon.  Longdon is a small town with only 1 post office in the town. Driving through the one lane road with rolling fields on both sides. The temperature for the day is minus 5  with heavy fog covered  around the areas.

We stopped at the one lane road to take some photos and then drove through the Longdon village.  We missed the little town and came upon a  pub where a canal is directly behind it.

We parked our car at the pub parking area and walk along the canal. It was amazing beautiful around the canal with some long tug boats parked at  the side of the canal. The mist covered the surrounding but the water was still with perfect reflections on it.

I enjoyed a few peaceful and magical hours enjoying myself around this canal. Opposited the canal is a heathland but unfortunately I was unable to trek the heath due to it was late around  5.00 p.m. and soon the place was dark with heavy fog.

The canal look magical with the fog and the calm water was a bonus. This is not a famous or a local attraction place but the canal or where this water way leads to I have no ideas. Sitting and enjoying the serenity of this place and the only passerby were the locals taking their dogs for a walk.

Place: Longdon, Lichfield
Photos by: Catherine Suen
Dated: 10th January 2013
Scored for the Place: 5 stars

Travelling to Geneva - Day 1 on 24/2

My first trip to Geneva. Drove our car to the Trent Valley and leave our car at the garage for a change of cam belt and back on Thursday to pick the car from there.

I didn't booked the train tickets in advance and it was more expensive to buy the tickets at the station. Tickets to and fro to Birmingham International cost 25.40 gbp for 2 persons at the internet. We bought the tickets for 2 persons one way cost 16.00 gbp.

Reached the New Street station and went to the Chinatown for a meal and then took the train to Birmingham International. Arrived at the departure area and it was easy we can just check in without any problem as Easyjet don't have any problem with overseas passport.

Reached Geneva Airport at 6.30 p.m. and took an hour to pick the rental car. Wow! amazingly we were given a new Audi A3 model car as we paid for a cheaper model which cost us 170.00 gbp for 5 days and that included extra insurance coverage.

We booked the hotel room at Passy, France. It took us one and half hours drive to reach the hotel. The hotel is almost near to the mountains where the Passy plateau just a few miles away from the hotel. The scenic view to the hotel is amazing beautiful and the mountains right in front of the hotel. Checked into our room and there is a balcony  where we can view the valley and the mountains.

The 2 stars Hotel le Tourisme is clean and need a door code to access the entrance of the hotel. The snakelike roads leading to the hotel are so cool. The charges for the room 3 night at 102.50 gbp. The extras charges  such as wifi, city tax and breakfast are not included. The room is big and clean as we  arrived here after 19.00  so we need to contact the owner for them to wait for us. We were given an entrance code to key in if we are back later than 9.00 p.m.

The beauty of the French Alps are amazing and can't wait to explore it the next day. Our dinner tonight will be char Sui Paw (roast pork bun) and Chinese donut which bought from the Chinatown. It is snowing at the moment and can't stop myself peeking through the window to look at the grand view of Passy. Tonight will rest early and start my trekking into the Passy plateau in the early morning.  Hotel le Tourisme is a bit out of the way even with the local bus it is best to drive if not, this  hotel is not recommended.

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Place: Passy, France

Date: 24/2.2013

Scored: 9 Stars

Photo By: Catherine Suen and Robert Suen.

This is Stephen's Story

Today my blogging is not all about my travel but on this charity fundraising which I am helping with Stephen's cause. Stephen is my daughter, Trixiebella  high school classmate and during these 3 years every teenagers enjoying life and easy free life styles living but not for this young man, he is fighting his life with cancer.

I have been busy trying to get some company to do cheaper printing of photos for me  so that I can donate for his cause and will be donating 10 photos for him so that he can auction in his one of the wanted to do list that is ballroom dinner. Also there is another British photographer, Ashley Vincent whom donated one of his photo for this cause. Ashley is a professional wildlife photograher whom is now living in Thailand and he is the winner of the prestigious Grand Prize Winner of the 2013 National Geographic Photo Contest. His portfolio are at the following link:
http://www.NatureImpression.smugmug.com  http://www.500px.com
and http://www.facebook.com/natureimpressions
to view his stunning and amazing beautiful works.

Here is the Stephen's Story.

Stephen is a 18 years old and in the last 3 years he have been fighting cancer in his bowel, leg and pelvis. He have had to undergo surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Medical opinion has ranged from him requiring an amputation to now instead being incurable.  He is facing a very uncertain, and probably very limited future.

Originally Stephen all he ever wanted to do was study hard and make a difference to the world by becoming a doctor, however in light of his circumstances he decided to be more pragmatic with his time.

This involve utilizing as many short term opportunities as possible to enrich his own life experience and most importantly to try and improve lives of others by fundraising and raising awareness of cancer in teenagers and young adults.

He had 46 items of wanted to do list before  this cancer took over his life. He had completed half of the wanted to do list now. He also have hit his target of 10,000 gbp for his cause of raising awareness of cancer in teenagers and young adults.  Now he is going for another higher target of 50,000 gbp for his cause of fundraising and if anyone want interested or wanted to do a little to help his cause  then here is the link to his Justgiving fundraising page. It also included  on the page a write up why he have decided to raise funds for Teenage Cancer Trust:
https://www.justgiving.com/Stephen-Sutton-TCT

Photo: Supplied by Catherine Suen and Robert Suen
Dated: 14.3.2013