20 days Holiday in Europe

It’s been a while since Frode and I took a proper holiday just for ourselves.

We’ve had holidays, but since COVID, whenever we had time off, we always visited family to make up for the time we couldn’t see them during lockdown.

So this time, we decided to do something just for us — and randomly picked Sardinia, Italy.

The criteria were quite simple: good food, good weather, a good beach, and somewhere we’d never been before.

We’ve done quite a bit of Italy during our Round the World trip in 2014 (Rome, Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, Venice, and Milan...).

I also visited Firenze, Naples, and Capri with my mom back in 2012 — but Sardinia was a first for both of us!

And since it’s in Europe, we also decided to visit Frode’s family at the beginning of the holiday: five days in Norway, then the rest in Italy.

Our Itinerary:

1. Stavanger, Norway – 5 days

2. Pisa & Livorno – 2 days

3. Palau – 2 days

4. Castelsardo – 3 days

5. Bosa – 1 day

6. Cagliari – 2 days

7. London – 1 day

Travel Map

Pasta Diary

One of the main reasons we decided to come to Italy for our holiday this time was… the food!
All the yummy Italian food we love. Frode was on a mission to have a genuine gelato every day while we were in Italy. I was determined to try the Sardinian local specialties like Su Filindeu.

Pasta

1. Pici

We tried so many yummy pastas. This alone was worth going to Italy for. Mmm...

Pici

Pici is thick, hand-rolled pasta, almost like fat spaghetti (or maybe like very thick, chewy udon). It originates in the Tuscany region. I had pici last time I was in Firenze and loved it, so when we were in Pisa (also in the Tuscany region), I couldn’t wait to try it again. Naturally, this was my first pasta in Italy this time around—and it did not disappoint. It was SO good. I'm still dreaming about it.

2. Cannelloni

Cannelloni with ricotta and spinach

This cannelloni was the best! Super soft and melted in my mouth. Our first meal was simply amazing. The owner didn’t speak English, and she kept speaking to us in Italian—but with lots of hand gestures and guesswork, we think we understood maybe 30% of what she was saying. 😄

The restaurant is called Osteria 46, and it’s located about a 10-minute walk from the Tower of Pisa. There’s no coperto (cover charge) at this restaurant, which is great because 99% of restaurants in Italy do have it—meaning just by sitting down, you’re charged about 3 euros per person. Also, you’re usually expected to order bottled water, which adds another 2.5–5 euros, depending on the place.

Osteria 46 didn’t charge for either, which we didn’t think much of at the time (since where we're from, restaurants don’t charge for water or seating), but later we really came to appreciate it. And the meal was one of the best we had in Italy... setting the bar high!

Happy times

Clean plates!

3. Gnocchetti 

Gnocchetti is similar to gnocchi, except they’re smaller and often made with semolina and water. They’re typical of Sardinia, so we ate a lot of them!

Gnocchetti del golfo

4. Arrabbiata 

Tomato and pepper sauce pasta. A little spicy and very flavorful.

Arrabbiata

Another beautiful restaurant with great wine!

5. Gnocchi

Gnocchi di Patate ai Formaggi

This was a simple cheese gnocchi dish—but it was so delicious. Mmmm...

"Chjusoni" gnocchi with smoked ricotta cheese, bacon and dry tomato

Chicche di Patate con Gorgonzola e Radicchio

6. Culurgiones 

Type of Sardinian ravioli-like stuffed pasta. Depending on the region within Sardinia, the ingredients, preparation, and shapes differ. Let’s just say—they were all yummy.

Culurgiones Pomodoro e Pecorino

Cheers!

Colurgiones with semolina flour, potatoes, cheese and mint

Culurgiones Al Pomodoro (pasta filled with potatoes in tomato sauce)

7. Ravioli 

We had so many different types of delicious ravioli while we were in Italy.

Home made Gallurese ravioli with tomato sauce

Ravioli with pesto sauce

Ravioli with mushroom cream sauce

8. Bavette 

Bavette is a type of pasta narrower than tagliatelle, with a cross-section like flattened spaghetti—similar to trenette and wider than linguine. Yes, they are different from spaghetti!

Bavette allo scoglio

9. Tagliolini 

This is a long, thin, flat pasta, similar to tagliatelle but even thinner. It’s made from durum wheat semolina and eggs, often with a higher egg yolk content. The one I had was made with squid ink. Yum.

Tagliolini Neri Alla Carlofortina (Fresh squid-ink pasta with red tuna, cherry tomatoes and pesto sauce

10. Pippirioli 

This is a very fat, tubular-shaped pasta—very chewy and very yummy. One of my favorite pastas from Sardinia. I couldn’t find it in any supermarkets, so I’m guessing it’s mostly homemade.

Pippirioli di Montresta al ragu

11. Fregula 

Fregula is another Sardinian local specialty. It’s a type of semolina pasta—very small and easy to eat! I wanted to try it with seafood, but the restaurant we went to only had it with Sardinian pecorino cheese and sausage in tomato sauce. Not bad at all, but very rich! I was stuffed afterward—thus, no dessert... really wanted to try that panna cotta. :-(

Fregula Alla Campidanese

Holiday is great! 

Clean plates!!

12. Su Filindeu

On our last night in Italy, we managed to try Su Filindeu. We learned about this pasta while doing pre-holiday research. It’s a rare type of pasta from the Barbagia region of Sardinia and is traditionally eaten during the feast of San Francesco in Lula—specifically on May 1st and October 4th. These dates mark the pilgrimage and religious celebrations dedicated to Saint Francis of Assisi, when the pasta is served to pilgrims.

The pasta is made by pulling and folding semolina dough into very thin threads, which are laid in three layers on a tray called a fundu and dried to form textile-like sheets. The dried sheets are then broken into pieces and served in a mutton broth with pecorino sardo cheese.

Su Filindeu pasta (before cooking)

Apparently, Su Filindeu is listed on the Ark of Taste, so our expectations were high. We had seen some YouTubers rave about it, so we had to try…

The Verdict: In short—underwhelming. It almost tasted like rice vermicelli in a lukewarm chicken noodle soup. I guess if it was that amazing, it would have spread across the world like some of the other famous pastas?

Su Filindeu

13. Su Pane Frattau

Technically, this is not a pasta dish—more of a bread dish. It’s carasau bread soaked in broth and topped with tomato sauce and a poached egg. It was nice, but it tasted more like a breakfast dish.

Su Pane Frattau

So that's it for the pasta edition. Not bad for 11 days.

Back to India—Again!

Well… I didn’t expect to return to India quite so soon, but here I am—just four weeks after my last visit. This time, I split my time between Mumbai and Delhi, spending two days in each city. It was noticeably hotter than it was in March, which definitely added an extra layer of challenge to an already packed work schedule.

A New Route (Because the Last One Was… Less Than Ideal)

After my previous not-so-great transit experience, I decided to try a different route this time. Here’s how it went:

✈ Sydney to Bangkok (via Finnair, operated for Qantas)

Boarding area under renovation?

This was a Qantas-issued ticket (codeshare with Emirates), but it was part of a wet lease with Finnair—meaning the aircraft and service were provided entirely by Finnair. The flight was completely full and delayed at departure, but fortunately, it made up time in the air and arrived slightly ahead of schedule.

Once in Bangkok Airport… let’s just say it involved a lot of walking.

 

610m is only to connecting security gate

✈ Bangkok to Mumbai (Thai Airways)

Bangkok Airport

This leg was with Thai Airways—part of Star Alliance, so unfortunately, no lounge access for me 😔. It would’ve been nice to squeeze in some shopping, but alas. Another packed flight, and 4 hours and 30 minutes later, I was back in Mumbai.

Welcome back to Mumbai!

✈ Mumbai to Delhi (Air India… oh dear)

After two full days of business meetings in Mumbai, I was off to Delhi. This domestic leg, operated by Air India, was by far the worst experience of the trip.

The flight, scheduled to depart around 7:55 PM, was delayed by over two hours. I didn’t arrive in Delhi until after midnight, and by the time I checked into my hotel and got to bed, it was past 2 AM. Exhausted doesn’t even begin to cover it.

arghh......

nice view of Mumbai

Everyone's keen to get out

Plane to Bus to Terminal

✈ Delhi to Sydney (via Melbourne)

After wrapping up another two days in Delhi, it was finally time to head home. Thankfully, Qantas operates a direct flight from Delhi to Melbourne, so my only connection was within Australia.

The lounge in Delhi was a shared space for all airlines—nothing like the Qantas First Lounge, but I was still grateful for the chance to shower after spending the day in 40°C heat. (Although—no hot water? In a lounge? Really?) Still, after walking around in the blazing sun, even a cold shower felt like a luxury.

Shower with no hot water

Once again, the flight was delayed—by over an hour. Delhi Airport is currently over capacity, and there simply aren’t enough runways to accommodate all the traffic. Hopefully, the new airport in Noida opens soon and eases some of the strain.

A lot of people needing support to board

✈ The Final Stretch: Melbourne to Sydney

With only 1 hour and 25 minutes between landing in Melbourne and my domestic connection to Sydney, I was nervous I’d miss the flight. Fortunately, we landed close to schedule—thank you, Qantas!

The only real stress point was at Melbourne Airport customs. Despite the crowd, only two gates were open, and the line was long. After finally making it through, I dashed to the domestic terminal—though, as it turns out, I didn’t need to rush. I had just enough time to catch my breath and even chat with Frode on the phone.

Almost home!

Queue at the custom

One more flight to Sydney!!

Almost forgot that it's an Easter Friday

This made me so happy!

A Return to India—Eleven Years Later

It’s hard to believe it’s been eleven years since Frode and I last found ourselves in Mumbai, back when we were globe-trotting with backpacks and open itineraries. That trip was full of spontaneity, rickshaws, and vibrant street scenes—the kind of travel that stays with you forever.

This time, however, the circumstances were a little different.

Mumbai

I returned to Mumbai on a short, four-day work trip—less adventure, more agenda. Though my schedule was tightly packed with meetings and commitments, I still managed to soak in a few moments of the city’s energy. A quick stroll past local vendors and a couple of delicious Indian meals were enough to spark memories of our previous visit. It felt good to be back, even if only for a short visit.

Street vendor selling earrings!!

Getting There: Not Exactly Seamless

What I didn’t anticipate was just how complex getting to Mumbai from Sydney would be—particularly when flying with Qantas (which, I admit, I remain loyal to for the sake of those frequent flyer points 😅).

My outbound journey took me from Sydney to Bangalore, and then on to Mumbai: 

✈ Sydney – Bangalore – Mumbai

Airport bus

Flight QF67 from Sydney to Bangalore clocked in at just under 12 hours, departing mid-morning and arriving mid-afternoon local time. Upon landing in Bengaluru’s Terminal 2 (the international terminal), I had to transfer to Terminal 1 for my domestic connection. What should have been a straightforward layover turned into a bit of a marathon: sluggish immigration lines, a wait for the inter-terminal shuttle, and another round of security.

Thankfully, I had a 3-hour-and-20-minute buffer, which I ended up needing. I even managed to squeeze in a brief call with Frode before his bedtime—no small feat given the 5.5-hour time difference.

The final leg to Mumbai was operated by IndiGo, a budget Indian carrier. It was a short two-hour flight, though the experience was distinctly utilitarian—no frills, minimal legroom, and a definite budget-airline feel.

Still, I arrived in Mumbai around 9:20pm, where a driver from the hotel met me for a seamless and civilized transfer—quite the contrast from our transportation choices back in our backpacking days (refer to the “transport” chapter of that trip for a good laugh 😂).

Land of Chai!

The Return: Not Quite an Upgrade

While I had assumed the journey to Mumbai would be the more chaotic of the two, the return trip proved even more eventful.

I flew from Mumbai to Singapore (again on IndiGo), and unfortunately, the experience left much to be desired. The aircraft felt cramped and tired, with no hot meals and very limited space—six hours felt considerably longer in that setting.

Welcome to IndiGo!

That said, the crew was exceptionally courteous, addressing passengers by name as they served what can only be described as a curious mix of snacks: a half corn-and-cheese sandwich, pomegranate juice, date cookies, and rice crackers. Unusual, but oddly charming.

Once I landed in Singapore, I made a beeline for the Qantas Lounge, where a quick shower and a proper meal worked wonders. Refreshed and recharged, I boarded the final 8-hour leg home to Sydney.

 

Champagne and barramundi at Qantas Lounge

Despite the less-than-glamorous flights and a packed schedule, being back in Mumbai after more than a decade was a joy. Even a brief visit was enough to stir memories and remind me why India holds such a unique place in my heart.

Until next time, Mumbai.

Taketomi Island, Okinawa

 

Cat Island 2 - Yushima

 湯島 Cat Island 🐱 🐱 🐱

Food in Malaysia

We love going to a country with great food. Malaysia is definitely one of them. Even though we were only in Kuala Lumpur for four days, we've managed to eat quite a bit!

Some of our favourites are....(and there are still a lot more we wanted to eat, I guess we would just have to go back! :-)