2025 on The Modrich Blog

Homeward Bound

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 17:00:00 +0800

It’s that time… time to head for home.
Every journey has an end, and for us, that starts today.

We arranged a very late checkout with the hotel (3pm), which was amazing and allowed us to do much more today than we otherwise could have.

We started the morning pretty late—a good sleep for all—then headed down for breakfast before a swim. The kids have loved the pool, and this was their chance for one more swim before we go.

Singapore - Universal Studios

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0800

Today was a BIG day.

We visited Universal Studios in Singapore—just one stop on the Monorail from our hotel on Sentosa.

Initially, we were not sure if we would do it or not, given both H and I are not fans of big, fast rides (roller coasters, etc.).

But after a bit of research and discussion with the kids, we decided to go for it—and we are glad we did.

Arrivederci Italia

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 10:00:00 +0200

Today we leave Milan, and Italy.

We’ve packed up and headed to the train station to catch the MXP Express train out to the airport.

Unfortunately, the experience at the airport this time around was not as smooth as when we arrived.

The check-in process was great, but then security was chaotic. We must have hit peak hour.

We waited patiently in the barely moving line for what seemed like an hour, but eventually made it through.

Milan - San Siro and Duomo

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 20:00:00 +0200

Today we headed out to explore a bit more of Milan. First up was the San Siro soccer stadium.

We walked up to the M5 metro line and caught the underground train all the way to the stadium.

The automatic trains drive themselves, so it was fun for the kids (and us) to sit at the front and watch out the front window—it was almost like being on a ride. The kids loved it.

Florence to Milan

Sun, 08 Jun 2025 20:40:00 +0200

Today is a travel day.

We had an early breakfast to finish off the leftover pizza from last night, then headed out for a morning walk before the crowds and the heat arrived.

A quick walk over the Ponte Vecchio one last time—spectacular without the crowds. You can actually move and see the details of the bridge.

We then headed back toward the Duomo for one last look without the sea of people. It’s a truly amazing building.

Florence - Boboli Gardens and Ponte Vecchio Paint-and-Sip

Sat, 07 Jun 2025 20:40:00 +0200

Today we continued to explore Florence.

We headed out in the morning to avoid the heat (it’s been really hot and humid 🥵) and the crowds.

We walked across the Ponte Vecchio—lovely without the mass crowds—and up toward the Pitti Palace, purchased our tickets, and went inside to explore the Boboli Gardens.

The gardens were amazing and massive—a beautiful space to walk and wander, which is exactly what we did.

Florence

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 20:40:00 +0200

Today we had a slow morning—coffee on the balcony, watching the world pass by below.

We headed out around 9:30am toward the Duomo, hunting for more wine windows along the way.

The Duomo is truly amazing—intricate detail in every centimetre.

The Duomo doesn’t open until after 10am, yet the line to get in was already wrapping halfway around the building. Crazy.

Laura and I have been inside before and have climbed the dome. While it would be good for the kids to see the inside, we sensed they were a bit over it and certainly wouldn’t have the patience to wait in the line.

Rome to Florence

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 20:40:00 +0200

Today we moved on from Rome and headed to Florence.

Once again, we packed our bags and headed for the train station. This time, we caught the bus from just up the road from our apartment.

While it felt like we could have walked in the same time, at least we were off our feet—which was a good thing after the past few days.

We arrived at Roma Termini well ahead of when we needed to catch our train. Roma Termini has a fantastic food hall—Mercato Centrale. The place was clean and had heaps of very nice-looking food and drink options. It was actually surprisingly good and unlike what we remembered Roma Termini to be from our last visit.

Rome - Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Villa Borghese, Roman Forums - and 3-scoop Gelato

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 20:40:00 +0200

Wow… we thought the last few days were big, but today the kids broke their all-time step count PBs—28k+ steps each!

We didn’t plan for a big day—it just happened. We had a slowish morning as we looked into hop-on-hop-off buses, since the kids were keen to try one. After some research, we figured we would probably be best served just catching local buses as needed. Most of the stops on the hop-on-hop-off bus would take us to places we had already visited.

Rome - Colosseum, Vatican and St. Paul’s

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 20:40:00 +0200

Today was a big (and hot 🥵) day in Rome. We had a busy schedule with tickets to the Colosseum at 11:45am and then the Vatican at 4pm.

We had tried to get tickets as early as possible and had been looking for months. It seems they are both popular 🤷

So we took what we could get and had to roll with it—hoping the kids could battle on in the heat and the crowds. They did amazingly.

Monopoli to Rome

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 20:40:00 +0200

Today we packed our bags and left Monopoli – it’s been a great week.

While we had intended our week in Monopoli to be spent chilling out and not doing much, we actually did a lot and were quite busy.

We had an early start, leaving the apartment at about 7am so we could haul our ever-heavier packs to the station to catch the 7:45am express to Bari, where we would then connect with a fast train to Rome.

Monopoli - Walk, Swim, Gelato

Sun, 01 Jun 2025 16:40:00 +0200

Today is our last day in Monopoli. We leave tomorrow very early to catch a train to Bari, and then another from Bari up to Rome.

The weather is fantastic today—the sun is out, the wind has dropped, and the sea looks lovely.

The kids and I took a walk down the coast to check out Cala Diavolo (Devil Cove), named because of the two coves next to each other that resemble the shape of devil horns on the coastline.

More Monopoli

Sat, 31 May 2025 20:40:00 +0200

Today was about more exploring and trying new things.

We had a lovely, slow morning—I think we all needed it—and we headed out just before 10 a.m.

Walking past the big cathedral, we were just in time to see more of the local festa, with the procession of three more statues through the street, followed by a marching band and many locals.

Once the procession had passed, we ventured into the cathedral for a look. It was massive—lots of white and brown marble, frescoes, paintings, and relics.

Matera Day Trip

Fri, 30 May 2025 20:40:00 +0200

Today we drive!

We hired a car from a local rental company (GoRent) and drove to Matera for a day trip.

Driving in Italy is exciting! The cities and towns are the hard part. Once you’re on the Autostrada, it’s plain sailing.

The traffic signs are confusing. When it seems to say 50 km/h and you do this, others feel like they are passing you at warp speed.

🤌

Not keen on getting a speeding fine, I follow what the speed signs and the car GPS tell me—until it feels dangerous, and then I speed up to “local traffic speed” for a bit to avoid accidents.

Alberobello

Thu, 29 May 2025 16:45:00 +0200

Today we took a bus from Monopoli to Alberobello—home of the beautiful UNESCO Trulli stone houses.

After about an hour on the bus, driving through the Puglian countryside, we arrived in Alberobello. Now to find the Trulli.

Up this street, down that—we wound our way from the bus stop, which is on the outskirts of town, toward the centre. It’s here we found the amazing Trulli.

Memories came flooding back from our previous visit in 2015, when we stayed in town in Trulli for a few days.

Monopoli Day 2

Wed, 28 May 2025 20:45:00 +0200

Today was all about chilling out, unwinding, and recharging.

It was a wonderfully warm day in Monopoli—perfect for exploring a little and then hitting the beach.

We grabbed lunch at the other café at the end of our street—this one focused mainly on fried calamari and octopus paninis (what could be better?).

We ordered some calamari, fries, a few octopus paninis, and some drinks. An amazing lunch.

By the afternoon, a breeze had come up. Rain is expected tomorrow. We still wanted some beach time, however, and didn’t let the breeze stop us—although it did change the previously mirror-like sea into a bit more of a choppy affair.

Bari to Monopoli

Tue, 27 May 2025 20:45:00 +0200

After a quick overnight stay in Bari, we packed up our bags and walked to the train station.

Bari Centrale was about a 2 km walk, giving us a brief look at other areas of the city as we made our way through the streets.

It was a quick 45-minute train ride to Monopoli. The train left Bari and followed the coastline, providing some lovely views of both the water and the almost endless fields of vines and olive trees—something the region is known for.

Dubrovnik to Bari

Mon, 26 May 2025 10:45:00 +0200

Today we pack our bags and head back to Italy 🇮🇹.

Croatia 🇭🇷 has been absolutely amazing—we’ve loved it and wish we had more time here. But all good things come to an end, and we must move on.

We have a day sailing out of Dubrovnik, which will get us in at around 7 p.m. this evening to Bari, where we will check into our next Airbnb apartment.

The day sailing will be an interesting change—more like a cruise. The ship seems to be very well appointed, with lots of options for the kids to keep themselves entertained and amused.

Dubrovnik - Cable Car and Swimming

Sun, 25 May 2025 20:25:00 +0200

Today we had a slower morning with no real rush to be anywhere.

We headed out mid-morning for a coffee and then to the cable car on the back side of Dubrovnik’s old town.

The cable car was going to be a challenge—some of us are not fond of heights.

We elected to get one adult and one child return ticket, but for the other adult and child we opted for one-way tickets, allowing a walk-back option if the cable car was too much.

Dubrovnik - Walls and All

Sat, 24 May 2025 20:25:00 +0200

Today was a big day out in Dubrovnik old town.

We headed out early to get ahead of the crowds—and this paid off. Compared to last night in the old town, this morning it was quiet and peaceful.

We grabbed a coffee and then walked the walls. We climbed the steep and seemingly endless stairs to get up onto the walls. Once up there, the view was amazing, providing vistas of the old town, the rugged coastline, and the surrounding areas.

Korčula to Dubrovnik by Ferry

Fri, 23 May 2025 20:25:00 +0200

Today we said farewell to Korčula. It’s been an amazing few days, and we have really loved our time on the island. Our apartment and hosts were wonderful, but all good things must come to an end.

Our ferry didn’t arrive until 12:20 pm, so we had more time to explore. However, we had to check out by 10 am, so we carried our full packs with us.

We set out to find one last coffee and soak in the old town. Most places in the old town were closed, so we just wandered the streets and took in the sights.

Korčula - Walking and Wine

Thu, 22 May 2025 20:25:00 +0200

Today we planned to visit some of the local wineries; however, as most are not open until the early afternoon, we needed something to do this morning.

We decided to take a walk to see the Church of St. Antun (Anthony of Padova), which is about a 6 km round trip (we didn’t tell the kids how far it was).

We packed our trusty daypack and set off. The walking route took us through a lot of unexplored territory, which meant we got to see much more of the island than just the old town and surrounding village.

Korčula

Wed, 21 May 2025 21:25:00 +0200

Today was about exploring Korčula further. We ventured out into the old town again, this time first walking around the outside of the walls before entering.

It was an overcast and windy day, with rain looming. Many locals had suggested it would be a wet day, and the low clouds hanging over the nearby islands suggested the same.

We headed into the centre of town and climbed up the St. Mark’s Cathedral bell tower—which had its challenges, given I’m not a fan of heights and the winds were only getting stronger as we climbed.

A Ferry (or two 🫣) to Korčula

Tue, 20 May 2025 21:25:00 +0200

Today we moved on from Split and sailed by fast ferry to Korčula (about 3 hours).

But not before we wished Laura a happy birthday! We all sat around the kitchen table to sing Happy Birthday and share some little treats and coffee.

We packed up and checked out of our apartment (which was amazing and only a minute or two walk from the old town).

Packs on backs again, we walked through the old town down to the ferry terminal and boarded our ferry to Korčula.

Our Last Day in Split

Mon, 19 May 2025 21:25:00 +0200

Today is our last day in Split—we leave bright and early tomorrow on a ferry for the island of Korčula.

Today we slowed the pace. We needed a bit of a recharge after the past few days. Sleep-ins (7:30 am) and just chilling at the apartment before heading out to “get lost” in the old city.

First stop—coffee.
We found a nice place about a 2-minute walk from our apartment that roasts their own coffee. It was great. Laura and I had coffees and the kids had a second breakfast—sharing Nutella toast (inch-thick bread, thick Nutella, banana, and berries).

Krka National Park

Sun, 18 May 2025 21:25:00 +0200

Today we headed out early, as we had booked a tour through Booker Tours to see Krka National Park, which is roughly a one-hour bus ride from Split.

We met the tour group in the old city and then walked to our bus. Our tour guide was great and provided plenty of information about Split and the history of the region as we drove to the small village of Skradin to catch a ferry up the Krka River to the national park.

Varenna to Ancona by Train and a Ferry to Split

Fri, 16 May 2025 21:25:00 +0200

Today is a travel day. We say farewell to Varenna and Lake Como. It’s been a fantastic and busy few days—we’ve loved it.

This morning, we caught a regional train from Varenna back to Milan, and from Milan we took a fast train (Frecciarossa) to Ancona, where we would board an overnight ferry to Split.

We checked out of the apartment in Varenna, backpacks on, and headed for the station.

Varenna, Castello Di Vezio and Managgio

Thu, 15 May 2025 21:25:00 +0200

Today was a big day – it’s H’s birthday! As we woke up, we drew back the blinds to reveal a picture-perfect sunny day on Lake Como. Today looked like it would be the best weather yet. The low cloud that had hung over the nearby mountains had cleared, and we could now see their snow-capped peaks. The view was truly stunning.

We had a light breakfast and set out early to avoid the crowds.

Varenna and Bellagio

Wed, 14 May 2025 21:25:00 +0200

After a very long day yesterday, we all went to bed pretty early—but this also meant we were all awake early.

The kids did well and slept from 7 pm through to just after 4 am, and stayed in bed until about 5 am when restlessness got the better of them (as it does).

So it was time to get up and have a chilled, slow morning—leftover pizza from last night’s dinner and a coffee or two while taking in the views. What’s not to love!

Milan to Varenna (Lake Como)

Tue, 13 May 2025 10:00:00 +0200

After a reasonably long (12-hour) onward flight from Singapore—which included a lot of bumps thanks to thunderstorms—we landed safely at Milano Airport this morning at about 6:30 am local time (GMT +2).

A grey and drizzly day welcomed us in Milan, but at least it wasn’t cold (and lugging 15 kg backpacks certainly helps to keep you warm).

We cleared baggage collection and immigration impossibly quickly—it really was fast. Having two kids in tow appears to have helped, as we were directed through the special “tired parents with tired kids express line.” They clearly took pity on the handful of parents traveling with their kids.

Italy, Croatia & Singapore

Mon, 12 May 2025 07:00:00 +1000

Today is the day!

Today we fly!

After roughly six months of planning, it’s time to head off on our family’s next big adventure—travelling through Italy, Croatia, and Singapore.

We have a long day ahead of us. First up is a four-hour drive to the airport. Then we fly to Milan with a brief stopover in Singapore to stretch our legs and change planes before continuing the flight.

Milan is not our ultimate destination, though. Once we arrive and collect our bags (yes—they will make it 🤞🤞), we will catch a train up to Varenna on Lake Como, which will be our base for the first few days.