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Gold Coast, AUS: The Van Luvens TBC

February 26, 2025

By: Kinnon
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About Us

The Kress'

A typical family of four, born and raised on the prairies of Saskatchewan. Mark, a teacher; Brittany, a nurse; Kadyn, an aspiring dancer; and Kinnon, the next "Bedard," are stepping out into "the great unknown" for a once in a lifetime world trip, as we keep our friends and families along and informed with our adventure :)

250

Days Traveled

16

Countries Visited

50050

KM Logged

36

Stays

kressvacation

L5: Bern, Switzerland Liked — KG: I like the mo

L5: Bern, Switzerland
Liked —
KG: I like the mountain, specifically the rollercoaster (re: toboggan run)!
K: I liked the mountain, specifically the toboggan run!
M: numerous green spaces and parks around the river.
D: the city is one with nature; you have the old world buildings, parallel with the Aare River and bountiful woodlands.
Loathed —
KG: I didn’t like the heights on the mountains, like the unstable bars (re: I’d loosely call them “guard” rails)
K: I didn’t like that it poured rain on our last day.
M: the cost of everything.
D: how expensive this country is; bar none the most expensive we’ve seen yet!
Laughed —
KG: can’t think of one… (re: Kinnon is always laughing and giggling so it’s hard to think of just one)
K: the small kid crying “holy shit” when he saw the bear.
M: Kinnon quickly walking past all of us, saying “you guys are so slow…” as he trips over the curb and lands flat on his face.
D: everywhere we go, Kadyn dances; it’s so funny to see her walking down the street bouncing to a beat, that’s only in her head.
Learned —
KG: if I stay up in a high spot, I get used to it and I’m not scared as much.
K: that Bern is like a dupe of Canada (re: Banff); both are really good!
M: my kids are resilient and can overcome their fears.
D: SUI is one of the lowest income taxed countries in the world, but it is rolling in wealth, as they stayed out of wars and were fiscally responsible throughout the years👏🏼
List — (move aside CPH)
KG: 1) BRN 2) CPH 3) EDN
K: 1) BRN 2) CPH 3) BUD
M: 1) BRN 2) EDN 3) CPH
D: 1) BRN 2) CPH 3) EDN

Backpacking throughout Europe has been hard at tim

Backpacking throughout Europe has been hard at times: homesick, grinding through travel days, finding food we all like, hot humid sleeps, unreliable metro systems and language barriers just to name a few. But it seems applicable in how we got here in the first place: multiple surgeries, rehab, career transition, loss of a life, husband and dad…we all suffered on the path that got us here.

Days like this reminds me of how grateful I am — for a wife that stuck by me when I couldn’t get out of bed, kids that gave me unconditional love and care, and my family and friends that supported me along the way, all so we could experience days like this 🔝🏔️ 😘

L5: Munich, Germany Liked — KG: Our Airbnb beca

L5: Munich, Germany
Liked —
KG: Our Airbnb because it had 3 TVs and we could watch the Olympics.
K: My Birthday. I’m 13!
M: I really liked Old Town and English Garden Park.
D: The city has a cool vibe. Lots to do, see and experience.
Loathed —
KG: I didn’t like that the age limit for the Concentration Camp was 13.
K: How busy it was (re: it was a weekend, so lots of ppl out)
M: The downpour out of nowhere that lasted an hour…
D: We didn’t have more days in Munich! It was shaping up to be a city that had a lot to offer (it is pretty spread out tho, so moving around may have been harder if we experienced more).
Laughed —
KG: Mom playing cards.
K: Mom tripping head first, almost into this suspecting bystander, who looked to be in the process of “catching her.”
M: The guy trying to “catch me” when I tripped on the cobble stone.
D: Playing cards. Britt was having a day and felt like she was getting picked up.
Learned —
KG: Not buying the first thing you see, pays off (re: he wanted a bucket hat really bad and the last store had the best options)
K: The Dachau Concentration Camp was built for 6000 ppl but housed 30000 ppl and 1 in 5 ppl died.
M: I knew that the Holocaust was really devastating but to be at where it begun was really emotional.
D: Berlin and Munich are related…Berlin is your Auntie who is a Debbie Downer and has lived a hard life; while Munich is your Uncle who does keg stands at family reunions. I’ll be back to see my Uncle, not my Aunt.
List —
KG: 1) CPH 2) EDIN 3) BUD
K: 1) CPH 2) EDIN 3) MUC
M: 1) EDIN 2) CPH 3) BUD
D: 1) CPH 2) EDIN 3) BUD

This girl is 13 today! It’s hard to believe sh

This girl is 13 today!

It’s hard to believe she came from Brittany and I: she doesn’t have ADD and she isn’t a stress ball.

She has the most amazing personality — an old soul that chills and drinks tea but also loves to party and giggle the night away; has feet that don’t stop dancing but loves to have lazy days; she is the prettiest girl you’ll ever see, unless she’s waking up (the best bedhead); and lastly, she is not scared to take risks unless it’s on the edge of a cliff, she turns into a baby panda and crawls on all fours.

She is our one constant — steady, kind, caring, gorgeous and just plain cool.
Happy Birthday my teenager 😘

L5: Vienna, Austria Kin Like: Taking the elevator

L5: Vienna, Austria

Kin
Like: Taking the elevator up the tower because when you walk up the tower, I get more scared.
Loathe: Our Airbnb. It was way to tiny.
Laugh: Dad accidentally elbowed Kadyn in the head in the grocery store line, and then she took the other customers salami when we left.
Learn: That they keep hearts, organs and bodies separate when they buried them [Bishops] (re: no longer the standard practice)
List: 1) CPH 2) EDIN 3) BUD

Kad
Like: I really liked the zoo and the swimming pool. My favourite animal was the orangutans.
Loathe: The stinky person on the train (re: we’ve seen loads of homeless/ addiction issues on this trip - for another post)
Laugh: When Mom figured out her hair straightener was left in the last country. She almost started to cry.
Learn: The oldest zoo in the world (Schonbrunn Zoo) is way older than Canada.
List: 1) CPH 2) BUD 3) LND

Mom
Like: I enjoyed the day at the Palace grounds. It was just a good way to spend the day.
Loathe: When Mark forgot my hair straighter…in the previous Airbnb…in the fridge because he wanted to cool it off before he packed it...
Laugh: Mark’s obsessions with fedoras (re: I look to damn good in them, she can’t keep her hands off me when I wear one...)
Learn: They have the oldest zoo in the world.
List: 1) EDIN 2) CPH 3) BUD

Dad
Like: I really enjoyed the Schonbrunn area (the zoo, palace, gardens and pool). A little of everything in one central point.
Loathe: Our Airbnb. It was way to tiny (to steal Kinnon's quote)
Laugh: Kadyn dancing in one of the souvenir stores to “Let the music take control” song. She had no idea she was creating a dance routine while I “shopped”
Learn: The Schonbrunn area has a rich history with the Habsburg monarchs and became a UNESCO site in 1996.
List: ) CPH 2) EDIN 3) BUD

L5: Budapest, Hungary *song recommendation - you k

L5: Budapest, Hungary
*song recommendation - you know who you are 👊🏼
Kin
Liked: Our Airbnb. It had AC!
Loathed: Umm…the hot weather. It was too hot.
Laughed: The people last night who thought the birds above [parliament] were drones.
Learned: That I can’t live without AC.
List: 1) CPH 2) EDIN 3) BUD

Kads
Liked: The Baths. I got a good tan.
Loathed: I don’t like the currency here, as its hard to understand how much everything really costs (re: $400 Ft for a bottle of water?!?!)
Laughed: Mom taking the worst pictures at times.
Learned: I learned that it gets really hot here.
List: 1) CPH 2) BUD 3) LND

Mom
Liked: I loved the day at the thermal baths. It was a great way to enjoy Budapest with this crazy heat.
Loathed: That Budapest is built on a hill…meaning all the monuments are elevated = lots of stairs.
Laughed: How tourists will do anything to get that best picture, even if that means almost getting hit by a train…
Learned: That even in the most beautiful landscapes, I struggle to take a good picture that actually looks like me.
List: 1) EDIN 2) CPH 3) BUD

Dad
Liked: I had zero expectations for Budapest and it was incredible. It is a classy city built around the Danube River and its night atmosphere was spectacular. Almost knocked off EDIN!
Loathed: The heat. I know, I know, we’ve been craving this heat since the beginning but walking 20k steps in 35C is death.
Laughed: I never seen 5 guys so messed up before in my life: one guy is literally rolling his buddy into a taxi, another is using a bike rack as crutches as he vomits unto the sidewalk, and the other two are in Savasana in the middle of the sidewalk reaching for moon as if they could touch it…note, its 7pm and the streets are bumping. I think it was more than booze…
Learned: I am learning I really love Gothic Revival style architecture: Big Ben, Hungarian Parliament and Scott’s Monument have been my favourite monuments on this trip and they are all built in the same fashion.
List: 1) CPH 2) EDIN 3) BUD

Kad Liked: All the desserts. They had loads of g

Kad Liked: All the desserts. They had loads of good candy and treats.
Loathed: All the Homeless people. There were so many homeless people and it did scare me at first.
Laughed: Kinnon was fascinated at all the boob squishy at the stores.
Learned: I learned Prague is like Vegas. So now I’m prepared for Vegas when I’m older (re: I may have referred to Prague being like Vegas a few times…)
List: 1) Copenhagen 2) London

Mom Liked: All the colourful buildings. There was so much colour in the cities architecture.
Loathed: Figuring out CZK Koruna against out CAD: Like, is this $490 CZK expensive for a meal?!?!?
Laughed: All the stores were filled with erotic merchandise which gave rise to numerous questions from Kinnon: “Am I going to learn all this in home school?”
Learned: What did I learn Mark? That Europe is very hot in the summer and I miss central air conditioning #1stworldproblems
List: 1) Edinburgh 2) Copenhagen

Dad
Liked: Despite a 1.3 million population, it is crazy walkable. We took public transport once, and that was only because we were tired.
Loathed: For a family trip, I may not go back, as its kinda party central: young groups of people, clubs, erotic merchants, strip clubs, it’s like Vegas had a baby with Edinburgh and popped out Prague.
Laughed: There are many electric scooters in and around the main hubs of the town and they rip (faster than the ones back home). Walking home one night, I saw 3 dudes on ONE try a tight turn on the large cobble stone and eat it so hard.
Learned: The Prague Astronomical Clock everyone flocked too (very anti-climatic hourly ring…) but it has quite the story: It was installed in 1410 which is wild in itself (so old), but after it was installed Prague City Councillors were worried the inventor would be commissioned to build more in other cities, thus theirs would not be unique. So, they burned the clockmakers eyes out, making him blind! In turn, he threw himself into the gears of the clock, killing himself, disabling the clock which no one could fix for the 100 years that followed, and cursing anyone who tried.
List: 1) Copenhagen 2) Edinburgh

30 days in…Dublin feels like a lifetime ago. The

30 days in…Dublin feels like a lifetime ago. The castles, museums, stories are all starting to blend together. The rest days have been vital. Seems like a waste sitting in our Airbnb in these amazing cities but some days we don’t want to walk to the fridge let alone in a new city. Halfway to NZ with a number of crazy adventures and motionless days ahead 🙌🏼

L5: Berlin, Germany Kin Liked: I liked that we we

L5: Berlin, Germany

Kin
Liked: I liked that we were close to the train station, we could get anywhere quickly and it had McDonals.
Loathed: I don’t like that the train stations makes so much sounds at night (re: we slept with the windows open, as it was bloody hot) AND there was too much boobs at the beach.
Laughed: Those 2 little kid’s watching me play BlockBlast! for the entire train ride.
Learned: That Hitler was really mean and the Berlin Wall damaged a lot of people.
List: 1) Copenhagen 2) Edinburgh

Kads
Liked: I liked the beach, because I could tan.
Loathed: Being sick (re: 3 of us got the stomach flu in Berlin, she took it the worst)
Laughed: See Brittany’s comment below.
Learned: I learned how to figure out transportation in Germany (re: both kids were amazing guides).
List: 1) Copenhagen 2) Berlin

Mom
Liked: The option to get out of the city for a bit, even though we never left the city.
Loathed: The stomach flu.
Laughed: We are at the Berlin Wall Memorial (very quiet) and these young scammers are trying to hustle money from tourists when they ask this young guy who looks to be with his parents and he unleashes with a (broken English), “f*ck u, u mudderf*cker, go f*ck ur mudder.” Then continued to walk silently down the path.
Learned: That Berlin has been through a lot, and it’s pretty resilient, as everything had to be rebuilt.
List: 1) Edinburgh 2) Copenhagen
.
Dad
Learned: Berlin is a fascinating city but for all the wrong reasons. A grey cloud seems to follow you around through their dark history. That being said, it is noble how the Germans address their past atrocities with humility, respect and reflection. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

As a history major, specifically World War I & II,

As a history major, specifically World War I & II, Berlin is at the heart of it all. This is all steps from one another.

L5: Copenhagen, Denmark Kin Liked: I liked the am

L5: Copenhagen, Denmark

Kin
Liked: I liked the amusement park, Tivoli Gardens! All the rides were fun.
Loathed: Nothing.
Laughed: That girl stuck in the corner on the bumper car ride (re: round and round she went).
Learned: Amusement parks are old! (re: Denmark is home to some of the oldest amusements parks on the planet)
List (top2countries): 1) Copenhagen 2) Edinburgh

Kadyn
Liked: Tivoli Gardens. The rides, even though I was scared at first, I liked it.
Loathed: I don’t like the transportation, its confusing (re: its all in danish…)
Laughed: Kinnon falling over on the suitcase (re: full somersault trying to take the carry-on off the baggage belt when we arrived. He did not think it was that heavy)
Learned: That the tallest man was 8’11” - much taller than even Uncle Tyson.
List: 1) Copenhagen 2) London

Mom
Liked: It is a beautiful city, more specifically, the canal cruise.
Loathed: Nothing really.
Laughed: When Mark put his hand in bird poop.
Learned: That the Danish have the best lifestyle.
List: 1) Edinburgh 2) Copenhagen

Dad
Liked: The danish lifestyle. It is slow paced, active and the people are very stoic (they are very quiet even in large groups - all you hear is a murmur). And I must mention Hygge, as it’s so important here: a quality of cosiness, togetherness, a feeling of contentment or well-being = felt it!
Loathed: The taxi system (Uber is banned). An 18 min ride cost 365 krone = $73 CAD. They only operate high end vehicles (mostly electric) so its a premium service which I do not need…1 and never again.
Laughed: Brittany playing cards and just burning the kids with chirps.
Learned: I learned that the Danes are so damn good looking because the Vikings came over and stole all the pretty girls from the UK and time took care of the rest. Well done Vikings!
List: 1) Copenhagen 2) Edinburgh

What a day at Tivoli Gardens (the 2nd oldest amuse

What a day at Tivoli Gardens (the 2nd oldest amusement park in the world), which sits right at the heart of Copenhagen and Walt Disney’s inspiration for Disney Theme Parks 🙌🏼

Feeling the danish hygge already 🧖

Feeling the danish hygge already 🧖

L4: London, England Kin Liked: The Big Ben. Becau

L4: London, England

Kin
Liked: The Big Ben. Because its big!
Loathed: Sooo many people.
Laughed: (paraphrased) These two “VSCO” girls are walking down the street (literally the corner of Parliament and Big Ben), and as we walk by the one says, “I wonder where Big Ben is?!?!” (It was in that moment, we all looked to the right (Big Ben stands) and just looked at each other very confused).
Learned: That London has a bridge that opens up called Tower Bridge and that’s cool!

Kadyn
Liked: The musicals! I liked MJ a lot because the dancing and Hamilton’s soundtrack.
Loathed: I don’t like how it’s never sunny out. I need a good tan. Desperatly!
Laughed: People looking at me through the window, judging me in how I held my chop sticks and ate my ramen noodles (re: Chinatown supper)
Learned: I learned (a number of mouth clicks)…that the hype around Buckingham Palace is not as much as it should be. It wasn’t as exciting and I thought the building was going to be prettier.

Mom
Liked: I like how easy it is to get around, how beautiful the old buildings are and the “Broadway” shows.
Loathe: The amount of people. It was way busier than I thought it would be.
Laughed: How close people are to you in the subway (the Tube) and you can’t make eye contact (re: its basically a 100 person spoon thing going on in each train car)
Learned: How insane the engineering was 100s of years ago as these landmarks are still standing strong after so many centuries.

Dad
Liked: Big Ben! I had no idea it was so big and beautiful at the same time.
Loathe: People…just way to many people in every nook and cranny in this city (over 9 million people live in this city, plus another 9 million tourists…)
Laughed: Finally, I got to laugh at Brittany tripping on the nicely paved streets. It was karma from the last 3 countries.  Learned: These landmarks you fantasize about can be so overwhelming (Big Ben, Theatreland, Westminster Abbey) yet underwhelming (Buckingham Palace, Royal tradition, London in general) in the same breath. It is a mix of, “I can’t believe I am standing at the foot of this iconic structure,” followed by “hmmm…I was expecting something different.”

One of my favourite Beatles tunes 👸

One of my favourite Beatles tunes 👸

Instagram post 18040235575787601

Instagram post 18040235575787601

We are off to a start (good, bad is subjective). F

We are off to a start (good, bad is subjective). Feels like we’ve been gone months: living out of a backpack, always on the go and constantly making decisions…and to think we have 10 countries to go until we end up in our home away from home NZ. Who made this ridiculous itinerary?!?! Couldn’t have asked for better travel mates tho - I got something right 🤗

Liked-Loathed-Laughed-Learned: Edinburgh, Scotland

Liked-Loathed-Laughed-Learned: Edinburgh, Scotland

Kin
Liked: oh, what did we do?!?! I liked the hike (referring to Arthur’s Seat; he was basically a mountain goat)
Loathe: I liked everything!
Laughed: the photo of Mom looking like a big eyed lemur.
Learned: that Edinburgh started the black plague (…it was definitely hit hard by the “Black Death”)

Kadyn
Liked: Umm, what did we do? (Every time…). Walking in Old Town.
Loathe: not being able to watch all my friends dance routines at Nationals.
Laughed: Kinnon about to pee himself on the bus.
Learned: I learned Mary Queen of Scot had her head chopped off (fact).

Mom
Liked: I loved all the old streets and houses. It was like walking in a fairytale.
Loathed: no one stops for pedestrians!
Laughed: Dad tripping on the cobblestone streets (dam medieval streets)
Learned: I learned a lot about Mary Queen of Scots and a lot of the history of Edinburgh.

Dad
Liked: I adored this City. It is stunning top to bottom and every corner is just as mesmerizing as the last.
Loathed: top to bottom walking…a short walk could include climbing 6 stories of elevation: stairs, ramps and inclines everywhere you go.
Laughed: we stayed on the 5th floor of an apartment complex and Kinnon always tried to beat us taking the stairs instead of the elevator. It was after a long day out on the town and Kinnon knew he wasn’t going to beat us. So, through the small elevator window we just saw a hand at the 3rd floor, giving us the finger 🤣
Learned: Edinburgh feels magical partly because it is and partly because it’s the birthplace of Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling wrote the series in numerous cafes around the city. You can’t help but think you’re just a Muggle walking among Wizards on these old cobblestone streets.

Kress GPS Guides (unfortunately, we all like to le

Kress GPS Guides (unfortunately, we all like to lead as we’ve all been to these cities before…🤦🏻‍♂️)

Me: my internal compass is pretty good; plus I have data to make me “look” like I know where I’m going.
Kadyn: she is next in line; a close second in Apple Maps territory for accuracy and shortest route.
Kinnon: he’s like an old school Tom Tom; we may take a few detours but we get there at some point.
Brittany: she is an OG Map; has no clue which way north is and was produced in 1988.

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Belfast, Northern Ireland

Edinburgh, Scotland

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Prague, Czechia

Budapest, Hungary

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