Ich Bin Ein Berliner

Not really but I did visit there and saw a cardboard cut out of JFK with a speech bubble saying that.

I was really looking forward to heading to Berlin as last time I visited it was 7 years ago when it was winter and I dont really remember much about the trip other then the pretty christmas markets and cold weather. After a pretty cruisy drive day from Amsterdam we got to our hostel in the late afternoon. After checking into the best hostel so far (we even had our own balcony - fancy) me and Caroline had a bit of a wander around the local shopping galleria called the Alexanderplatz. We found a nice little bar that had beach chairs out on a deck so we just sat there and lazed around and people watched for a little while before finding something to eat and having a nice early night.

The next day we opted to do a walking tour recommended by Busabout. It was a four hour tour of all the main sights in Berlin. We got to see the Brandenbourg Gate, what was left of the Berlin Wall, Hitlers bunker (where he committed suicide), the museum and university where they burnt 25,000 books, the jewish memorial and lots of other bits and peices around the city. The tour guide was really passionate which was really good as it kept you interested and excited about what you were seeing but after 3 hours I was a bit like - ok man calm down. The only downside was that we were walking around in the sun and 30 degree heat. It was the first proper summer day Ive had whilst away. So sunburt and partched we headed straight somewhere to eat and drink.



On our way to the place with the deckchairs (we figured this would be a good place to relax again) we stopped into a Currywurst shop. We had been told that currywurst was a local specialty and had to be tried. Its basically just a bratwurst smothered in tomato sauce with curry powder on top. It was pretty good I must say but definately increased our thirst so we powered on to the little place and found a beer garden tucked behind the deck chairs that had a big screen.

We had pretty good timing as we sat down,ordered a drink and got to see the first game of the Football World Cup. Im not usually into soccer as a sport but I have to say sitting under the shade of a tree in a beer garden with a stein of the local brew in hand I had heaps of fun. The California girls play soccer at home so at least they were really into it. Caroline ate the most delicious schnitzel ever and I just drank and people watched and actually got into the game.

That night it was a another friend of ours from the bus birthday so we decided to head out with her and check out Berlins famous nightlife. We headed first to this place called the 'Playground' which was basically a man made beach in the middle of no where. They had imported tonnes of sand and set up sun lounges and beach chairs along with food and drink stalls. There were volleyball nets and people kicking around soccerballs as well as a huge big screen to watch the match. We just chilled out there with a couple of drinks and watched the second game while talking to a few more people from our bus.

After that place we were going to head to a wine bar we had heard about from our tour guide that you pay one euro for the cup, they fill it up and then you pay them what you think it is worth. As cheap backpackers wereautomatically thought bingo! Turns out we could not find it. After catching two trains and walking up a quiet street we decided that we would give up and try this nightlife thing tomorrow. Turns out we headed home around 11ish and apparently the nightlife in Berlin doesnt start til at least 1am. No wonder the street was deserted!

The next day we decided to check out the History of Germany Museum. It displayed the history of Germany from around 300 to 1995. It was interesting to see how it was founded and read about all the invasions and family history that I had been hearing about throughout my whole time in Europe. It was also interesting yet sad to see memorabillia from Hitlers reigh and the war. The upside was they had a little section on fashion and pop culture which is always cool to look at. We also had a wander through some markets thats were close by and I grabbed another traditional food - a pretzel (yummy!).

After the museum we spent the afternoon looking around the Jewish quarter that was a series of beautiful old buildings connected by little courtyards that held really funky little shops. Not the massive chain stores but gift shops, clothing boutiques, book shops and jewellery stores etc. It was a cute little area and we could have gone crazy shopping up a storm if we had the money. By this time we had worked up an appetite and it was starting to get chilly so we headed to a little cafe in the area. Its so funny how having the World Cup on has changes everything. Every single cafe had a flatscreen showing the world cup along the street. In fact our cafe had three alone! Everybody was out watching it and we were lucky enough to catch the second game for the arvo. When your backpacking and eating out you usually opt for the cheapest thing on the menu or the thing you can understand in the language. For this reason I seem to eat pizza pretty much every second day and I have to admit im kinda getting sick of it. So I thought id be fancy and order a flambee tart with bacon,egg and onion. I figured that sounds sort of like a quiche and I havent had one of those since France. Turns out flambee tart is just a german word for pizza so much to my suprise I had a bacon, egg and onion pizza. It was extremely delicious but now Im still craving a quiche! We also had an appel strudel to share and It was different then I expected but still delicious.

That night we tried our second attempt at having a nightlife but tried to head out a bit later. We started the night by watching yet another football match. It was the USA vs England game so at least I felt like I had a team to go for. Its hard though cuz we had become good friends with the Cali girls so I wanted to go for them... but I would be ending up in England so maybe I should go for them. In the end I figured Australia has always had a sporting rivalry with England and that wouldnt change even if I was living there. So offically (since Aussies arent the best soccer team) Im going for anyone else but England. Thats a suprise at all considering this time last year if you had tried to make me sit through a soccer match I would have chucked a tantrum and left the room.

After the match we tried to find somewhere to go and followed some directions from the bartender at the hostel. Once again the directions didnt help and even at one in the morning we could not find any of the bars/clubs he was talking about. We eventually found one club and had a bit of a dance before the DJ changed and we ended up dancing to songs that just did not mix together. According to my map (yep, when backpacking you even have to take a map clubbing) there was a club nearby so we tried to find it. After taking directions from an English girl who was apparently a local we headed off to the place. We ended up standing in a deserted square in the freezing cold at 2.30 am. Needless to say we gave up on the idea of finding this famous Berlin nightlife and headed home. One day I will be out clubbing and drinking in Berlin! Just not this trip.

Luckily we had headed home as it was a drive day the next day and we had to head to Prague. Overall I enjoyed Berlin and think that maybe if I go back I would love to see something beyond the crazy history and war memorials. Im sure that Berlin is more exciting then that but when you only have two days its not something to miss. On our way out of the city on our way to Prague we drove along the East Side Gallery which is part of the Berlin Wall that is left standing and has been painted by artists from across the world. While Im sorry I did not get a chance to walk it, it was still an amazing sight to see.

Next stop was Prague so im getting close to catching up. Once ive caught up I hope to start blogging about other things other then what I do in the cities and other stuff about backpacking as well.

Amsterdam

Well after leaving Paris we headed for Amsterdam. Caroline and I decided instead of doing the whole Eurail thing we would do Busabout which means we selected a two loops around Europe and we can hop on and hop off whenever we want (as long as we book the next leg). The buses drop you off at hostels that they recommend (and they are usually pretty cheap) and give you advice on what to do. I didnt know what to expect after Topdeck but I was happily suprised at how easy and well organised the first leg was.

Once we got on board they gave us swipey cards so we just swipe on for the rest of our trips. They also gave us a lonely planet guidebook and a little booklet that gives us info on the places and what we can do there. There is also a guide on each coach that can recommend things to do and sell us tickets to tours cheaper. The buses are pretty much the same except they have a little spot you can put your headphones in and listen to the movie, music or radio. So it was a pretty comfy journey from France to the Netherlands.

Once we arrived in Amsterdam we checked into our hostel called the Flying Pig. It was right opposite the Vondel Park which is like Amsterdams version of Central Park in NY. It was in a residential area just slightly away from the clubbing district so it was a bit quieter then the last one I stayed at. The place had a really cool chill out area where you could watch TV, drink or a seperate smoking room. Having the smoking room seperate was a godsend for those of us who dont smoke because that way you dont walk out of the place smelling like weed.The plan was this time to do a little bit more cultural stuff and a little bit less partying - as last time it was the final stage of our tour so it was all about the drinking.

The first day we decided to do a bike tour that took us out of the city and we rode around the countryside for about four hours. We were lucky that we had a nice sunny but cool day and we could ride along without too much effort. We stopped at the cheese and clog farm that I visited last time so i got another taste test of the delicious cheese they have there. We went through their soccer feilds/golf course (whilst dodging golf balls) and saw a few old windmills and canals.

That night we decided to have a bit of a walk around the red light district as Caroline hadnt seen it.When i say we had a bit of a walk around it i mean that totally literally. We got lost trying to find it and spend 45 minutes wandering the streets only realising when we pasted a chinese resturant for the second time that we had actually walked straight through it twice. In our defense the ladies werent out and the lights werent on and the last time I was there i was completely wasted. Caroline couldnt convince me to go to another sex show so we just had a good wander round and checked out the ladies in the window and all the funny things in the sex shops. Its amazing the type of people you see walking around. We saw all the boys on bucks nights or wild weekends, old men on business trips, a pregnant lady with her husband (walking right past a coffee shop we were like seriously lady!) and people like us just checking it out as well as many of the men going in and coming out of the doors.

The next day it was pouring down with rain so we decided to have a nice lazy day inside. I know I said a bit more culture this time but im telling you sometimes a lazy day is just what you need. We spent the morning reading and chilling online before heading into town to see Sex and The City 2. Since we were having a girly day we followed the movies by traditional dutch pancakes and coffee in a cute little cafe in a side alley. It was really relaxing to do something with a bit of normality like you would at home. I know that im in Europe and probably should be seeing a museum or something but seriously being on the road for a few months makes you miss little things like movies and coffee with friends. Im loving my life right now but when you are away you sacrifice those normal social things without realising how much a part of your life they are.

That night we were just bumming at the hostel when we met some girls from our tour and headed down to the bar for a drink. The girls were from California and we got to know each other over a round of Kings - the drinking game. Its good to know that this game is international and can be played anywhere there is booze and cards. So far I have played it with the yanks, kiwis and poms. Its great to see what different rules they have and i have definately picked up some good ones along the way. I also picked up a few normal card games and some more drinking games which means I will be set for the future backpacking trips to come. It was also really nice to make friends with the Cali girls because they were going to be on the next few stops with us - and making friends from around the globe is part of what backpacking is all about really!

The next stop was Berlin and I will fill you in very soon. Im slowly catching up on what ive been up to!

Paris

I know Im a little behind but would you believe I spent two hours doing a massive post on a free internet computer before it chucked a hissy and decided to shut itself down before I saved my work? Well here is a quick up date on Paris even though its over a week ago. Ill try and do better to keep updated!

So once we landed in Paris we made our way to the hotel. This was the first test of being a proper Europe backpacker - trying to find your way from the airport to your accommodation when you cant speak the language or have any idea where you are. I must say that I was pretty proud of myself because we got to where we were without any major dramas. With a quick "parlez vous anglais?" to a train station attendant we got the directions to the right metro station and we were on our way. Once we arrived at the metro station closest to our hotel it was a different story all together. We had no map so we decided to use the GPS feature on Carolines blackberry. Funny thing was that we were actually standing right on the street where the hotel was. What is even funnier is that we were actually about four doors down from the hotel itself and we are standing there trying to GPS the address. Once we did the old fashioned thing and opened our eyes and looked around we found the hotel and checked in.

Well, if you think that was a blonde moment and a half you should hear what happened next. After checking in to our hotel and having a bit of a rest we decided to check out the area. We wandered outside and started to head up the street when we saw a little street with lots of shops and stuff so we wandered up there. I was thinking to myself "this looks a little familiar" and as we continued up the street we realised that we were right around the corner from the Sacre Cour (the Sacred Heart Basillica - the highest point in Paris) which I had visited when I was in Paris with my Topdeck tour. So not only did I not realise we were actually on the right street when I was looking for my hotel, turns out I had been there before and my bus had actually parked opposite the hotel I was staying in. Oh dear. It doesnt bode well for our future adventures across europe... oh well!

So after a quick look walk around the area and having a squiz at the Sacre Cour and the Moulin Rough we headed up to a cute little italian cafe for dinner then headed back to our hotel for the night. Our hotel was a little crazy! We found it really cheap on easyjet.com and figured since we would be hostelling it for the next seven weeks it would be nice to flash out and stay in a hotel. Well this hotel was something else altogether. We still had to share bathrooms which were a bit... different. The shower on our level door didnt lock and it had a shower curtain hanging up blocking a massive hole in the wall. It also had a bath mat from the Holiday Inn (you know the place is dodgy when even they have to steal the towels). We were up on the third floor and so we had to climb these wonky stairs that were on the biggest lean. It was like something out of a movie from a haunted house or something. Our room wasnt too bad - the linen was clean and the bed was comfy enough. The view however was a little weird as we looked into the most beautiful apartment across the way but outside of it on the roof of another place was a rusty soccer goal (which i have no idea how they got up there) and a black wig. The funniest part was the floor - the lino had been layed a little bit too big for the area of the floor so when Caroline rolled her suitcase over it, it bubbled as she went. But you couldnt fault the location and it came with free wifi which was the most technical thing in the whole place.

The first two days we were in Paris we spent at Eurodisney. It was a pretty good way to break up the historical and sightseeing stuff that I had spent ages doing and that we were both about to embark on. When we got there I was like a kid all over again. I got so excited there was so much do - ¨Do I go on a ride? Do I go find Mickey for a photo? Do I buy Minnie Ears? Do I get some fairy floss?" Ahhh I was so excited. Luckily for me Caroline is a pro at Disney theme parks and she divised a plan to get us through the two parks. We had so much fun doing all the old school rides like the tea cups and story rides and then moving onto more excited adventure rides like the Indiana Jones rollercoaster and the twilight zone haunted hotel. We had a suger high after eating candy apples and pigged out on junk food for lunch. We saw the parade and got to see all the little kids dressed up as the princesses and had heaps of fun.




The last day in Paris we managed to have the best luck. We headed off to see the Lourve which was free because it was the first sunday of the month but once we arrived at the metro station it was pouring down rain and we didnt bring our brollie. So we were a bit caught - should we go back and get it? buy one? do this the next time we are here? But we decided to make a run for it and ended up running right into the side entry, straight down the stairs and right into the foyer without delay. We quickly got the book as a guide and made our way to the italian portraits. We had a bit of a look around before decided to get the Mona Lisa out of the way. I was happily suprised with her because she was bigger than I had thought and we were lucky enough that it wasnt too crowded yet so we got to have a good look without being pushed and shoved. After that we visted the Napolean Apartments which made me drool over the beautiful furnishings and elaborate decorations. After two hours we were a little bit over the crowds so we made our way to the Eiffel Tower.

It was nice to be up the Tower in the day time as last time I was there at night. It was a little bit rainy and foggy so the view wasnt the best but it is still one of my favourite things about Paris. After a hot chocolate up the top and a bit of a wander in the park nearby we headed back to the hotel to rest our feet. That night we decided to head up to the top of the Sacre Cour and see it both in the daylight and at night time. Luckily for us our metro tickets worked on the fernicular railway so we didnt have to charge up the steps twice. The second time we were up there at night we timed it so we could see the Eiffel Tower light up. Ive been to 15 countries in two months and seen some amazing things but the sight of the Eiffel Tower sparkling at night still takes my breath away and will always be one of the highlights of my trip.

Since Paris I have been to Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague and Vienna but I intend to fill you in and post some pictures soon. It is so frustrating that I lost all my hard work last time because I feel this post is rushed. I hope that you guys enjoy it anyways and I would love to know what you would like to hear more of. More about the places? the people? the hostels? let me know and I will try and make it more interesting!

The Sun Is In The Sky - Why Would I Want To Be Anywhere Else?

Back in England again and first stop was London (or as Lily says LDN). Caroline and I spent her first couple of days in London seeing the sights. We did one of those hop on and hop off bus tours around the city. We did Harrods and drooled over all the divine stuff inside there before seeing all the big sights like Trafalgar Square, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey before hopping off at the London Eye and catching a boat down the Thames river to the Tower of London. Once we got all that touristy stuff out of the way we had a day of shopping along Oxford St. This is always dangerous with shops like H&M and Primark but I was pretty well behaved mainly because I'm running out of space in my backpack!



While we were in London we got to celebrate Carolines birthday and I don't think we could have had a better day if we tried. The sun was shining and we manged to fluke some really good spots for the changing of the guards. I've been to London five times but this was the first time I had seen the changing of the guards and it's pretty fun to watch. We also got to see some horse drawn carriges with men in tails and top hats. I have no idea why they were there but it was so totally English it didn't matter. During the changing of the guards the band played 'Sweet Caroline' which of course was pretty cool for Caroline for her birthday. The rest of the afternoon was spent wandering along Portobello Road and browsing at all the vintage market stalls and cute little shops. We ate the most delicious Thai meal before walking through to Notting Hill and dreaming about living in that area *sigh*.

As a special treat for her birthday we went and saw a musical - Legally Blonde. I wasn't sure what to expect because I didn't know about the tv show recruiting for the lead singer so as far as I knew it was just a musical version of the movie. It was soooooo much different than what I expected. It was fairly true to the movie but it was really clever how they added music into it (seriously youtube - 'Ohmygod you guys'). The songs were so funny and catchy and really well suited to the story. I would totally recommended it to anyone who is a fan of the movies and those who are up for a bit of fun. They even had real dogs in it! They were so cute! The best part was that we were originally sitting in the grand circle (which was all the way at the back) and we got upgraded to the third row! So all in all Caroline had a very lucky and very fun birthday. In fact I almost felt like it was my birthday again having here there and doing all this fun stuff.



The next day we were catching the bus to Bristol before spending time back in Hawkesbury so we thought we would have a quick walk around Camden town. We had a pretty late start to the day but we figured it would only take about an hour to get from our hostel to the coach station. So we casually strolled round then headed to the pub for a quick meal. Once we were there we realized we actually only had an hour and a half to finish our meals, get the tube back to our hostel which is a ten minute walk from Kings Cross, pick up our luggage, walk back to Kings Cross then get the tube from there to Victoria, then do a ten minute walk from there to the coach station. Sounds hectic right? Add in the fact that they were doing service works on the northern line so we had to change trains and the fact that it was pissing down with rain. We were rushing like crazy. We were still on the tube two stations away from Victoria at the time we were supposed to be there. Caroline is sitting there laughing at the state of us as we both drenched, out of breath and pretty much looking like wild gypsies with all our luggage. I'm standing there thinking of alternate plans to Bristol that would not make us really late or were really expensive (it was a bank holiday weekend so most things were booked). We get off at the tube station and I was off - pretty much running (well as close to running you can do with a 25 kilo back pack, day pack stuffed full of breakable pressies and a handbag) determined that we could get there. By this stage it was 2.30pm the time it was due to leave and we were only just leaving the tube station. We get to the coach station after jay walking through London traffic and pretty much shoving people out of the way and the bus was still there! Only problem was we were at gate 10 and it was at gate 20 so another frantic dash through the terminal and we get to the bus. Phew! I've never been so relieved in my life!

It was a short trip down to Bristol for me because as soon as we were on the road I completely zonked out exhausted from our crazy little dash across London. I was so excited to get there though because I love staying in Hawkesbury Upton with my friends. it's like my new home away from home. I couldn't wait to see them again and give them all their pressies and tell them all my topdeck stories. Thing was that I planned on rocking up looking happy and tanned and pretty and relaxed and it turns out I rocked up looking like the crazy cat lady. I was also excited cuz they had organized a night out clubbing in Bristol which was something I had never done with them so it was bound to be a fun experience. Once we got there we had to have a quick rush to get ready before heading out for a yummy dinner of Chinese before heading home to get ready. I must say it was soooooooo nice to have a nice long warm shower before getting ready in front of a full length mirror with other girls while having a few drinks. It was almost like being at home getting ready with my girls before a big night out.

After getting dropped into town us girls had to wait for a bit before the boys got in so we headed to a bar for some drinks and a bit of a dance. We got to the bar and ordered a vodka lime soda for me and the bar tender just gave Sara a weird look. She just pointed to me and said "she's Australian!" and he bartender was like " That explains it then!". It was so weird it's not like I ordered something wild and crazy but the funniest thing was when he made it for me he just poured it out of the tap. They have lime cordial on tap in England. Now it was my turn to give them a weird look cuz to me that's just plain strange! Anyways after that we met up with the boys at another bar before realizing that we had 25 minutes to get into the club we had pre booked for so we skulled ( or to use the English terminology we "downed") our drinks before starting a speed walk thru Bristol city. I had no idea where we were going so me and Caroline are just following them all. Poor Caroline was in heels on uneven pavement in the dark and I'm just clumsy at the best of times so I'm suprised there were no major stacks or sprained ankles. Somehow me managed to make it there before twelve but I have to tell you after me and Carolines epic rush across London we were sick and tired of racing to get places.

We solved that problem with a glass of champagne followed by lots more drinks and lots more dancing. I had a great night. The club was pretty quiet but it was so huge that maybe that is just how it always is and we aren't used to having that much space. Sara had organized drinks vouchers so the drinks were cheap and the music was good so as many of you know that's all I need to have a good night. We headed home in the early a.m and kicked on in the conservatory until around 4.



The next day we had the nicest sleep in ever. I hadn't been asleep past 7 everyday for a month so it was nice to wake up to a knock on the door around 10ish telling me a cooked breakfast was on the table ready. I told you I got spoilt when I went to visit Hawkesbury. We had a really nice lazy day chilling in the conservatory when everyone came round to watch the football and cricket. It was even sunny enough to sit outside in the backyard and listen to Caro's iPod and gossip about the events of the night before. We got even more spolit that night with a roast dinner before spending the rest of the night drinking and hanging out. It was a bank holiday weekend so on the Monday everyone had the day off so we headed to the Costswolds. It was a cute little area with a stream running through it and cute little old houses, little gift stores and lots of traditional old English pubs. We had a yummy pub meal before a quick look at shops. We didn't stay too long because nearly every man and his dog - literally, I saw about 5 sausage dogs - were out and about. It was nice to see a differet part of the countryside and spend a day outside the village.

The next day we had another nice sleep in followed by a lunch out with the kids. It seems that all I do in the village is eat, drink, sleep and relax but I have to say I quite like it that way. Topdeck was heaps of fun but it sure was hectic. You were either on the move sightsseeing, shopping, chatting to people, drinking, trying to sort out your backpack or on the bus where you either coma-ed out or somehow tried to write in your travel journal or read a book. There was never just time to sit down and watch a bit of telly or have a bit of a sleep in. I wouldn't change that at all though because that is what tour is all about but it was so nice to do all these relaxing things for a few days. That night we went for a wander around the village to show Caroline around and then headed down to the local pub the Beaufort Arms - I think that's what it's real name is, everyone just calls it "the Beau". We had a few drinks and watched the lads play skittles.

Skittles is pretty similar to ten pin bowling except there are nine pins and you get three bowls. It also takes ages to play which means you get through quite a few drinks. After we watches the boys comeback from losing to win we played a game of killer. This is where you all put in £2 and try to be the last one standing. When it's your turn you have to try and hit at least one pin and you get three misses. I am pretty much the most uncoordinated person alive so its not surprising I didn't win but I am proud to say I actually knocked down at least one pin! Woot! In the end it was a battle between a little old lady and a one of the hawkesbury boys. It was intense for awhile as both were good contenders but in the end the little old lady lost and I was suprised to find myself cheering as usually ten pin bowls bores the hell out of me (it might have had something to do with the few drinks I consumed while spectating)

Waking up to a phone call from my mummy was a pretty good start to the day. After another lazy morning spent chatting to home and planning the rest of our trip accommodation and flights we had another pub lunch before a lazy arvo watching a movie. On our last night we just had a nice dinner at an italian resturant followed by a few drinks in the conservatory. Perfect way to end a lazy few days in the village.

The next morning we were off to Paris which means leaving the village which now felt like home. It was a bit of a scramble to pack as I had somehow managed to let my stuff spread all over the guest room (which was kinda fun after having to leave my bag more or less packed for a month). After a final lunch out in the sunshine we were off to the airport to get on our flight to Paris!

Now Paris is a different story altogether and I am very behind on my blogging but its so hard to do a summary because it just misses out so much stuff. I am super clever though and worked out that I can do a post via email which means when we get free wifi I plan on stealing Carolines Ipod and updating you all. So hopefully sometime soon I can catch you all up on what I've been doing in Paris and Amsterdam.

Aufweidersein Topdeck! Bonjour next stage of discovering Europe!

I have had many many adventure since I wrote last so Im warning you early its going to be a very very long post and probs no photos once again. When I can find a safe computer I will do a upload of photos so you guys have some idea of what im talking about when i talk about beautiful scenery and yummy food and great friends.

At the moment Im back in London after the end of the most amazing 26 days of my life. Everything about the tour was great - the city, the sights, the people, the food, the photos, the drinking, the dancing and the million other once in a lifetime experiences i've had.

First of all let me tell you about Tyrol in Austria. Our adventure afternoon was cancelled due to the snow. Yes thats right I went from lying in the sun by a pool to the next day eating a picnic lunch while snow fell around me. I must say it would have been an amazing experience if i was wearing a bit more then shorts, cardigan and thongs. Once we hit Austria we had a bit of a wander around the town and saw all the cute little thatched roofed houses and running streams. After that we hit the local brewery which was the tallest building in the town of Tyrol (It had a whopping 5 storys). We had a few lazy beverages while trying sourkraut (yuck) and pork knuckle (yum) and watched our fellow crewmates fall from the sky while they paraglided off the snow capped mountains. That night was spent in a cosy little guest house with a poky little bar downstairs where we played cards, Jenga and Connect Four.

The next day we drove to Munich which I was really looking forward to as it meant I was actually in Germany after learning it at school for eight years. On the way we visited the Dachau Concentration Camp which was really interesting though incredibly sad. It really helped me put my life into perspective because here I was complaining about having no clean clothes in my backpack and here was this place where people were dealing with hard physical labour and malnutrition. Its good though because whenever I have a shitty day or a depressive moment I can think about what i've seen there and realise its not so bad. After the concentration camp we headed to Munich where we did a quick walking tour of the main city sights. I also had the chance to have dinner with my German teacher who is now living in Munich. It was so lovely to see her again as it felt like yesturday I was in her classroom gossiping with my friend rather then learning German. It was pretty evident I wasn't the best student when I couldnt' understand a question asked in German and she had to translate for me. Whoops! Together we headed to the Hofbrau House which is the most famous beer hall in Germany (they have the largest tent at Oktoberfest). It was pretty rowdy in there and had heaps of atmosphere perfect for drinking a litre stein of house beer. Hopefully I get the chance to go to Oktoberfest because if is anything like that it will be a wicked time.

Next stop was Prague which quickly became one of my favourite cities on tour. As usual with the tour we did a quick walking tour in the afternoon so we became orientated with where we were. After seeing the spired bulidings, gothic churches, the charles bridges and all its statues we went to roof top bar where we had a Pilsner Beer (which originated in Prague - i think) and looked out over the old town square. That night after a few drinks at the backpacker bar we walked around the corner to a metal bar - and by that i mean both metal music and metal furniture. The whole place was decorated with old parts of motorcycles and cars which were connected up so they all turned and twisted above you. You sat on car seats while headlights flashed in time to the heavy metal music. We didn't last there long because it was way to intense for someone who isn't intersted in that sort of stuff but it was definately worth the sight.

The second day in Prague we had a pretty cruisy day, spending most of it shopping around and checking out all the Babooshka dolls and Swarvoski Crystal. There were a few markets on so we were lucky enough to get some traditional food including bratwurst and cool sprial donut things (which i cant remember the name of). That afternoon we headed to the Prague Beer Fest where we spent the arvo drinking from a choice of 70 beers and eating more bratwurst and another local specialty garlic soup. It was heaps of fun as we ran into more tour crew and ordered a metre of beer. It is 11 beers lined up in a special wooden holder and when you order it two beer wenches have to bring it out and they ring this giant gong. We also had a celloist and acordian player play us waltzing matilda while we drank it.

After a few bevvies at the beer fest we headed back to the hostel and got ready for a bit crew night out in Prague. We met up with 3 other Topdeck tours and went to a 5 story nightclub which definately ensued for a wild night. The nightclub was so so so so so much fun. They had different music on different levels like " dance music", "oldies music" and even the incredibly politically incorrect "black music" for the R&B level. We spent most of the night dancing up a storm and drinking before having a wander to maccas. Yes even in the middle of Europe a late night maccas feed is needed to ward of the potential hangover.

And it wasn't a potential hangover but a full blown one. Spending a day driving between Prague and the Rhine Valley wasn't a fun one as my head, feet and legs all hurt from a night of drinking and dancing (still wouldn't change a thing though). Once we got there we checked into a cute little hotel that actually had a massive double bed and a shower that worked. It was a dream after staying in cabins, sail boats and hostels for the past few countries. After a nice healthy dinner of veggies and beef stroganoff we headed up the road for a wander around the town. Its so good when the sun doesn't go down til 9.30 because it means that even on days where you spend most of the time on the bus you get to see the city you are in. The Rhine Valley was a bit like a few stops on the tour where you know you are only there because the driver can't drive through the night. Even though in saying that it was a nice place to recover from Prague and psych myself up for Amsterdam and the last couple of days of tour.

Every time I visit a new city it almost immediately becomes my new favourite and that didn't change when I hit Amsterdam. Before hitting the main city we visited a clog and cheese farm to see how both were made. The clogs were pretty boring but it was interesting to see (and taste) the cheese. I spent up big in the gift shop and tasted nearly every type they made. We arrived in the city in the middle of the arvo which meant we had a couple of hours to check out the place before heading to a sex show. Most of the time on tour we stay in accommodation that is further outside the city but in Amsterdam we stayed close by the local night club and cafe area. It was also close to a few of the must see's so it was good to be able to walk around and not panic about getting public transport. We spent the arvo having a early dinner at an Irish Pub that was in one of the main squares. It was good because it was a sunday there was a local band playing covers in the square which gave us a bit of entertainment as i hacked into my steak (yum yum yum).

That night we headed to the red light district to check out a sex show. Now im no prude but a sex show usually isn't my thing but i succumbed to peer pressure and went along to check it out. I have one word for it - eeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. The four of the acts were girls stripping, pole dancing then either pulling things out of or putting things in their 'special places' (Now there is something I didn't expect to be writing about on a blog). These things included never ending string, a texta (which got used to draw on someone from my tours chest), a dildo and a banana. The last act was a couple having sex which is just so akward to watch and halfway through one of the girls said to me ' why the hell are we here' and it was a pretty good question. Afterward we checked out the rest of the red light district and walked up and down skinny alley and saw the girls in their windows. Now im no perve but that was pretty interesting as I was amazed at how attractive these girls were and how much they got paid to do what they do - 45 euro for 15 minutes.

On the last full day of tour we did a bike ride through the streets of Amsterdam which is famous for cycling with millions of bikes all over the city. They even have a two story bicycle parking station! We saw the main canals, the rembrant park, the west church and the outside of Anne Franks house. After the tour we went and checked out the Anne Frank house and I am saying it now that if you are ever in Amsterdam you MUST DO THIS. Forget the hash brownies and the red light district this is seriously one sight that you have to do. It was more overwhelming than Dachau and it was amazing to see something that I had read about. It was much bigger than I had imagined but no way would I want to live in those rooms with eight people for two years. Her actual diary was displayed in cabinets and the wallpaper and rooms were the same as they were when she was there (except for the furniture). I bought a copy of her diary so i could re read it and see how I view it differently now i have seen where it was set. That afternoon we did a tour of the Heineken factory which is brewed locally in Amsterdam. It was really fun with interactive stuff like a 4D ride and demonstrations on how the beer was made. The best part of course was the three beers included in the tour which were poured from ice cold taps which is a bit of a change from the hot beers i've been drinking in hostel rooms across europe.

The last night of tour we did some AmsterDAMAGE with a massive massive night out. We started with a dinner on a floating chinese resturant where we absolutely demolished the food. It was so good to have something completely different then what we had been having and it actually included veggies which we were in low supply of. Following the farewell dinner we went on a canal cruise which was all you can drink. We had a great time boozing and cruising and even a bit of dancing. The cruise ended all too soon and we headed to a local bar called Pirates which was heaps of fun. Once there we stayed and spent it like we did in most nights out on tour dancing and drinking for aaaages.

The last day of tour was definately the most average day of all because it meant sitting on a bus for 12 hours hungover and saying goodbye to some new but very good friends. The positive side was that we went through 4 countries in one day! We had breakfast in Amsterdam, lunch in Belgium (where I loaded up on chocolates), dinner in France and a few goodbye drinks in England. It was sad to say goodbye to lots of the new people I had met as I had got used to their company. Luckily for me there were a few of us staying at the hostel I am now at so its not goodbye forever just yet. Even better still my new travelling partner Caroline has met me at the hostel so I will always have some company!

Even worse still was saying goodbye to our tour leader and driver. It was pretty nice having everything organised for me and being told where to go, when to get on and off, what to visit, the history of what im even looking at and overall just having a good crew around you. But from now on its just me and Caroline working our way around cities by ourselves and trying to organise what to see and what to do while we are there! Its all part of the adventure and definately will be a learning curve and a test of will but thats what it is all about!

For now I will chill in london with my bestie and spend a few days back in the village recouperating and recovering from an epic time and preparing for the next adventure!

Im On A Boat...

Yep that song pretty much was stuck in my head the whole three days I was sailing in the Greek Islands. I must say although I didnt get to see much of Greece itself sailing around the islands was a good way to travel it.

We set off from a place called Plateria on board the ERMOINI (which i tended to call Hermione) with a crew of 5 in a tiny little sailing boat. I had never sailed before and our captain hadnt sailed since primary school so I must say it was a bit of an adventure! Although we didnt do all that much sailing we mostly just motored along which was good because it meant even i got to steer the boat! The first day was really rough seas and after about 10 minutes we were all soaking wet and sick of sailing. We thought - " hey isnt this supposed to be relaxing? arent we sposed to just cruise around with a beer in hand?" ummmm noooooo it was not like that at all. It took us 5 and a half hour to do a 4 hour trip due to the rough seas. We sailed to Petriti and once we were on dry land set off straight to the nearest bar to have a drink and calm our nerves. It wasnt until we got there that the owner of the resturant told us that all the fishermen in the village didnt even go into the sea that day because it was too rough. So it wasnt just us rookie sailors struggling with the waves which was a great releif!





That night we ate a delicious greek meal with tsatsiki, greek salad and herbed meat followed by tradtional greek dancing! It was so much fun! At one stage they even poured alcohol on the floor and lit it on fire while they dancing in the middle of it. One man then grabbed a table and picked it up with his teeth and twirled around dancing. We were all pretty impressed and they showed us how to do it so me and one of the other girls had a bit of a go but only lasted about 1 minute. It was a great introduction to Greece and I must say that im completely addicted to their food.

The next day we set of from Petriti to Corfu Town. This day was much better, the water was a lot calmer which meant that we actually got to put up the front sail for a little bit. The highlight of the day was definately stopping the boat in the middle of the ocean and diving off into the clear blue water. It was definately chilly but we had all stocked up on floaties so we just bobbed around and caught up on all the news from the other boats before heading back to our boats and setting sail again. This was the day that we started beer o clock at 11 am so after a swim we had a bit of a snooze on the bow of the boat followed by a few more bevvies before we docked in at Corfu Town.





We wandered in and had dinner in the cute little town before we had a pirate punch party on the quay. It is amazing how quickly people can come up with costumes on short notice! There were stripey shirts, bandanas and lots of eye liner tattoos and everyone scrubbed up well. The punch was deadly - it was one of those ones where you cant taste the alcohol so you think its harmless but about an hour later your legless and thinking its a good idea to go clubbing in Corfu dressed as a Pirate who hasnt showered in two days. But we did it anyways! It was a good night out except for when we got the munchies and spent about and hour hopping from boat to boat stealing chips, more drinks, eating nutella out of the jar with a spoon and basically just all round shennanigans.

The next day we all set off with our hangovers and sunburn back to Plateria. In my time ive tried many a hangover cure but I would have to say the best one yet is diving into cool blue water and floating around on flat water. We stopped off at a little place along the way that had watersports. A few people tried wakeboarding and water skiing but i went for the tame version and did banana boating. It was heaps of fun and we managed to make it without falling off until the very last minute so I got another nice refreshing wake up.

Once we arrived in Plateria it was a bit of a releif as it meant we could have a shower which we hadnt been able to have in three days. It also meant one last nite of sleeping on a smelly boat with 4 other people. I loved sailing but hated sleeping in a tiny cabin with dirty feet. Next time I sail hopefully its on a yacht!

The next stop was Albania which was a 10 hour drive day and all round pretty average. We stayed in the capital Tirana which was interesting to see how it has changed and learnt the history of the past few decades but it was definately only a pit stop between Greece and Croatia.

I absolutley adore Croatia! When we arrived in Dubrovnik we arrived in the arvo so there was not much to see so we decided to hit the town. We caught the bus down to Old Town and walked along the streets which were all lit up then down a side alley into a tiny little bar where they sold buckets of alcohol for 10€. They went down a treat! After one of those it was onto the dancefloor where we spent most of the night except for a side stop to a pizzeria where i had a quater of a pizza for 1€! And i would have to say that the pizza in Croatia by far beats the pizza in Italy.

The next day we did a walking tour of the Old Town and then decided to walk the city walls. The walk was by far the best thing ive done so far because the views were just incredible. To one side there is this crystal blue water the stretches on as far as you can see. Tiny cute little boats sailing the ocean and a view to the islands off shore. Then to the other side you see these little houses and apartments where people live. Their washing would just be hanging out to dry next to a little cafe and their balconys would just be right next to the wall with a view of the ocean. We stopped around halfway and had a beer and just sat and soaked it all in.

After our walk of the city walls we found a little cafe in a tiny side alley and sat down and ate even more pizza (still delicious). We actually ended up eating lunch with the owners daughter who was about 10. She was really cute and spoke really good english so she taught us some Croatian words to use. That afternoon we headed down the beach for a swim. The beach was a full pebble beach and wildly uncomfortable to lie on and stand on so we stocked up on beers and sea food and sat and watched the sun go down.

Sadly it was only a short stop in Dubrovnik and we set off the next day. We had a one night stop over in Zadar we headed to Venice where I have fallen in love with Italy all over again. The night we arrived we feasted on more pasto and antipasto platters. I am very proud to say that i tried everything on it including all the weird cheeses and olives. I even washed it down with a red wine which has never been my drink of choice but is fast becoming a favourite. Following our feast we had a toga party! The place we were staying were kind enough to lend us some sheets and our whole topdeck crew and two other busloads all dressed up in togas and leaves and hit the bar for a toga party. It was my first toga party and I will have to say probably the most epic night of our tour. It was a fun fun night. Spent most of it on the dancefloor (whilst trying not to have my toga fall down) and drinking some random mixed cocktail which was 6 shots of alcohol with a barcardi breezer. There were body shots (which i was not involved in) and table dancing and just all round drunken shennanigans. By the end of the night our white togas were actually brown and covered in alcohol. We managed to have 3 seperate injuries to people on our tour and the stragglers were escorted back to their rooms by security after trying to break into the pool for a midnight dip.

The next day was spent exporing Venice which is a city that is just filled to the brim of amazing sights. We wandered through the alley ways and discovered cute little shops, bakeries and cafes. The highlight was the Gondola ride that took us through the smaller canals as well as the grand canal with a great view of the Rialto Bridge. Afterwards we walked up to the bridge and visited a couple of the shops before heading home to sit by the pool and recover from a hectic night and a busy day.

It is hard to believe that I have only been on this tour for 14 days. I feel like i have known some of these people for years and that paris was about 4 months ago rather then just 12 days. I still have so much to go! We head off to Austria for an afternoon of adventure - some are sky diving i chose mountain biking. Then onto Prague, Munich, Rhine Valley, Amsterdam then back to London. Its going so quickly and while im looking forward to seeing my new travel partner and branching out on my own im going to be a little bit sad to see this tour end. But for now Im off to drink wine and eat cheese and crackers with the crew!

Its been a long road....

Well, things certainly have changed since I last wrote. I left that blog on a bit of a sad note and Im happy to say I have perked up a great deal since then. A really kind, beautiful and sweet person wrote to me and sent me this quote which pretty much made me wake up and realise that I really was embarking on an adventure.

“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” – Jawaharial Nehru

The topdeck tour I am on so far has been incredible. Im lucky enough to have met some really really cool people who will also be living in London so im slightly less freaked out about that. Im also lucky that everyone on the tour has been really friendly and fun and interested in the countries (not just getting pissed - although we do that too). The accomodation hasnt been like the hostel I stayed at in London where i shared with 8 people. Ive had rooms of 2 or 3 mostly with private bathrooms and comfy enough beds.

Since London I have been to 3 countries in 7 days and experienced things I have been dreaming about for years. I promised a shorter post this time so Im going to try and do a summary of all the things I have done however I must say its going to be hard.

PARIS

• Did a bus tour by night of all the key spots in the city. Saw the Eiffel Tower light up, drove on the Arc Di Triomph (which is a 12 entry roundabout with no lanes which has a crash on it every seven minites). Saw where Chanel lived at No. 5, the old opera house, and lots and lots of beautiful city sights.
• Tried to see the Mona Lisa but the Louvre was closed so just had a wander around the streets of paris followed by a 3 hour bike tour where I road on Californian Cruiser bikes with no helmet around the crazy streets of Paris.
• Had a big picnic with cheese, bread, seafood, salads under the Eiffel Tower. Cracked open a bottle of champagne that cost 1.80 Euro (even though its 2 Euro to go to a public bathroom) then walked up to the second level, then caught the lift up to the top to see the city lights. A M A Z I N G!!!
  
  
  
  
  
  

LAUTERBRUNNEN

• Spent the first night in Switzerland at the bar near our cabins where almost everyone from our tour ended up drunk and dancing on the tables.
• Stayed in a cabin/campsite thingy that when i woke up i looked outside and could see snow capped mountains, 4 waterfalls, tiny cottages with thatched roofs and shuttered windows and cows with their pretty cowbells on.
• Wandered the tiny town and bought myself a real swiss army knife. Had a 4k trek down to a feild under a waterfall to have a picnic lunch then spent the afternoon snuggled in a coffee shop eating a swiss chocolate brownie and writing postcards.
• Hung up a coaster with my name on it in the bar that night and will be back to visit it in about 2 months!
  
  
  
  
  

FLORENCE

• Had a big drive day from Switzerland but stopped off at the leaning tower of pisa. I took the traditional photo of me holding it up. We then spent the first night in Italy eating bread dipped in olive oil, pizza, pasta, gelato and red red wiiiiiiiiine. We also managed to score a shot of lemoncello yum yum.
• The next day we did a walking tour of Florence in the rain. Saw the statue of david (the fake one) and the town halls and cathederals. Also saw a demonstration on how to tell real leather from the fake and had a bit of a browse but couldnt afford anything.
• Had a massive piece of pizza for lunch and then went to get a sneaky Gelato. Somehow managed to order the super large jumbo size through the language barrier - it ended up costing me 15 Euro. Yes thats right I paid around $28 aussie dollars for ice cream. I was sooooooooo pissed off i barely enjoyed it and it was so massive I barley finished it. After awhile i saw the upside of it but I tell you what i know how to say "Quanto Costa?" (how much?) for sure now.
• Went out to a karaoke bar and drank a fishbowl full of cocktails, followed by some wine and a 4 hour dance in the campground nightclub.

ROME

• Spent a slightly seedy bus trip to Orvieto where we went up a little train ride to a village on top of the tuscan hills. Had a wander through the streets and sat in a real italian cafe and ordered the best coffee ive ever had.
• Got to rome where we jumped off and did a walking tour of the Spanish Steps, Pantheon, Colusseum via a gelti shop that has over 180 flavours (this one only cost me 4 Euro).
• Had a personalised walking tour of Vatican City where i got to see the Sistine Chapel ( it really is as amazing as you hear it is) and St Peters Basillica. Visited the Popes Catacombs and saw many many sculptures from Michaelangelo.
• Visited the colusseum again to see inside then spent the arvo drinking italian wine that cost me 1 Euro outside our cabins in the sunshine.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

So that pretty much sums up the past week. Tomorrow we head off for Greece where we are actually crewing several Flotilla sailing ships around the islands. Mainly Corfu which is apparently beautiful. I have never sailed before and there are only 6 of us on each boat so it will definately be an experience. Im very excited about seeings some sun as i have been in jeans and jumpers for nearly 5 weeks now. After that is Croatia and Albania which I am really looking forward to.

* I apologise for my lack of punctuation and captials. The keyboard Im using has a whole range of funky punctuation marks and a sticky shift button.