Dear reader,It is January 2013. Summer here in Australia, winter back home in The Netherlands. In my home country it has been snowing and that means everything gets deranged immediately. Here in Aussie I go from the shade to air-conditioned places to avoid the sun when it’s getting close to a 40 degrees Celsius. My French bulldog Obi needs to wear a coat because she has no fur on her cute little belly, I wear my summer dresses and put on sun crí¨me on a daily base. I love touring :-)I have never been to Australia nor New Zealand before. I have never made such a long journey before either even though I have done my faire share of traveling. I left the Netherlands on an extremely grey day on the 1st of January. Quite a start of the year! Many, many hours and days later I was in Brisbane. Funny how I miss a day because of the time difference! And wow what a jetlag I had…Today it’s the 20th of January and tonight we will play the last show here in Fremantle near Perth with Nightwish. I am sitting in my hotel room with the doors open, I wanted to write this to you while enjoying the sun but the heat is too much haha, my Dutch skin gets roasted in no time! I write this to you now because tomorrow is the start of a holiday and I will tune out for some days. I wanted to share this great tour now though so I cannot describe tonight’s show. But the other ones we did were so amazing I am sure tonight will become a perfect final to a perfect tour!!!Every show was great! Enthusiastic and smiling people every time. In both Australia as New Zealand the audience was so appreciative we came over and rocked with us intensely while showing how much fun they had every time with happy faces! Every day people were friendly to us. In both the venues as on the streets, in shops en restaurants, etc. They’re genuinely nice! I even had a moment my credit card didn’t work and I had no cash left. I ordered some food and found out I couldn’t pay with my cards. A man offered to pay my food. Just like that, it was fine. He wanted nothing in return and left me speechless. Such kindness!Here people care about other people, about the environment, about themselves. There are many rules, too many for my taste, but the people just want to do right. They look great, their country is clean and healthy. Big respect!We did 7 shows in 20 days. Not an intense program, it gave us the time to see things. I’ve seen Brisbane, Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Fremantle. I went to an island outside Auckland, a pristine beauty in New Zealand. I went to the zoo in Melbourne, a beautiful place with great spaces for the animals. I loved the tiger (who is now Richard Parker, for those who’ve seen ‘Life of Pi’ know what I mean). The animal was very active and impressed me to the core; I had goose bumps all over my body. And those eyes…. I also loved the butterfly house. Innocent and colorful creatures all around us, sitting on the heads and arms of children who had the patience to wait for one to sit down. It’s summer holiday here so the amount of children in the zoo was amazing. Nice change of company, I travel with 16 men :-)I also went to the harbor in Sydney and saw the opera house and the massive bridge at night. We had only one day there so I am sure there is much more to do and see! Next to sightseeing I had time enough to study Finnish and to work out in the hotel gyms. Nice!I would love to come back to these wonderful countries one day and go out of the cities and now got to know a little to see the nature, the beaches and all the splendid sights here! Cities are great but this country has more to offer. Of course we were not here as tourists but to rock and so we did! :-)Tonight will be last ride of tour, it went by so fast! But there is a nice holiday ahead and I look forward to this as well. Some time to breath after the last month. They have been very intense for me!!!And while I tour and take some air ReVamp is recording the new album. It is the first time I am not around to be there and it feels sad even though I know I can’t split myself in two. I trust the guys for more than a 100% so I am sure they will do an excellent job without me!!! And when I get home I will record my vocals and finish the album with them. Exiting times!!!On the 2nd of January I was on Dutch television in a show about classical music. I was asked last minute and sang an aria I did before already because I had no time to prepare another one. I loved doing it again though, it’s a beauty from Puccini called ‘ Oh, mio babino caro’. I’ve added the video to the media page on this website!For now I say goodbye! Thank you for supporting Nightwish, ReVamp and me and for reading this blog. I hope you enjoyed! I will add pictures in the timeline, so go check them out for a visual add to this story! :-)With love and respect,Floor
Tickets go on sale on Thursday 31st for the showing of the movie in Berlin, Germany on the 11th February with Tuomas and Marco being present. The movie will be shown in English.
"Saludos desde la guarida de las aventuras de Mr Scroogy!! ya tengo preparadas aproximadamente 8 canciones. Solo dos meses hasta la demo del estudio, lo que significa que mega prisa y posible pánico para volver a la hibernación!
