So where did I leave off…

Oh yeah, sorry it’s been so long since I’ve posted an update but it’s been hard to get decent (and cheap) Internet access for a while. So here’s what I’ve been up to while I was away from the computer.

I left Italy and met up with some Ozzies, Vic and Liz (they’re twins), that I had been traveling with earlier. We met up in Nice on the 29^th and stayed until the 31^st. Nice was nice (ha ha) but definitely not my scene. We also went to Monaco and, following Nancie’s advice, Cap d’Ail – both of which we’re pretty cool (and right near each other). The money in Monte Carlo is CRAZY – we saw Bentleys lined up on the streets (poor people must drive the Mercedes). Overall a good experience but I definitely wouldn’t go back – not unless I learn how to sit still on a beach (and how to tan).

So from Nice I was originally going to go into Spain, but the twins were headed up to Switzerland so I decided to tag along. Our first stop was a small town called Lauterbrunnen high up in the Alps (it’s near a place called Interlaken). It was amazingly beautiful (pics should be up soon) and we did some hiking and such in the mountains and I also did a tandem skydive while I was there.

The skydive was definitely one of the craziest things I’ve ever done. Totally scary when the door to the plane opens and you realize that you are about to fall out – and on purpose to boot. But it was also one of the best experiences I’ve had over here. To be at 13,000 feet and see the snow capped Alps actually below you and then falling toward them – it was something else. Don’t think that I’m actually going to be doing it again and again, but I’m very glad that I bit the bullet and gave it a try.

After the craziness of Lauterbrunnen we headed to Lucerne (also in Switzerland). Lucerne was, well, pretty boring actually. The hostel we stayed in had the bitchiest woman I have met so far working behind the desk. I actually said to her at one point, “If you hate your job this much you should probably find something else.” This, strangely enough, did not serve to enamor me in her eyes.

But while Lucerne was very pretty, it’s more a place where people actually live, so there’s not that much to “see” there. So overall, we were glad to get out of there after the second night. On a side note, Switzerland was easily the most expensive country we’ve spent time in so far. Everything was insanely expensive. For example, a medium sized Big Mac meal at McDonald’s costs (get ready for it) 13 Swiss Francs (which are currently about equal with the ever falling, incredibly shitty US dollar – thus the meal costs 13 dollars). $13 dollars for a Big Mac and fries! These people are crazy. But maybe when you’re secretly stashing and laundering money for the rest of the world, you can afford to pay 13 bucks for a Big Mac.

So we left the ever pricey Switzerland on 6 August and headed back to Munich (which is a really great city and I’m enjoying it even more the second time around). I said goodbye to the twins today as they are heading off to Zambia (in Africa) to spend 5 weeks working with kids affected by (or infected with) HIV (pretty impressive for two 22 year old Sydney girls I think). But we’re going to keep in touch and I’ll see them when I head Down Under at some point (or when they get to the States).

From here, I head to Paris for a night (or more depending on my mood) and then I’m going to take a train down to Avignon where I can pick up the Bus again. From Avignon, I’m headed to Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid, and if time allows, I want to catch a train from Madrid to Lisbon just to check things out. Then on to Bordeaux and back to Paris before heading back to the UK to meet the rents and Bob and Wendi for the cruise back home.

God, it’s so weird to think about things coming to an end and heading back home. It seems like the whole trip has been flying by and, at the same time, I’m really looking forward to the familiarity of home. I think the hardest thing to get used to isn’t the language problems – we’ve done a good job getting around those by picking up a few words and just pointing at stuff. The weirdest thing is not knowing the right way to do things – like in restaurants and train stations.

At home you just take it for granted that you know what the customs are in a restaurant (for example). Here, you’re always wondering if you’re doing the wrong thing. Do they seat me? Do I just sit anywhere? Why haven’t they brought the check? Do I pay at the desk? Do they think I’m just some dumb American because I don’t know what I’m doing?

It’ll be nice just to be home and just know what to do without having to think about it (and where everyone knows that I AM just a dumb American).

Ciao Italia!

We said goodbye to Italy yesterday travelling north from La Spezia along the Med coast through Monaco and up to Nice. It was a really nice ride with some really spectacular views of the coast and the little coastal villages. Overall thoughts on Italy are positive - great food, lovely people (for the most part), awesome scenery and some amazing history. But they do seem to move at their own pace and that, especially, takes some getting used to.

So now we're in Nice for until the 31st and so far, I'm not that impressed. It's quite lovely here but there's not a lot to do if you're not a beach person. And with my pastey white skin, I am most definitely not a beach person. The beach is lovely though - much nicer than the ghetto Nice that Bobby, Wendi and I trudged through last November. The hotel is in a great location but it a little "basic" - but right near everything so I really can't complain. I've met up with some of the Ozzies that I was travelling with earlier so it's nice to catch up and see how there trip has been.

With all the Ozzies I'm now almost required to head down under at some point and do a tour. I've met people from all over so I'm all set with accomodations pretty much wherever I go. So maybe that's my next trip...

Next stop is Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland. I'll let you know how that goes.

My Dog's Are Barkin'

I've been in a place called La Spezia for two days now (actually a day and a half). Spent the first half day just walking around checking things out. There's really nothing special about La Spezia except that it's a gateway city for Cinque Terre - which are these five small towns build into the hills along the Med coast of Italy.

The thing with Cinque Terre is that it's a 14 km walk (that's like 7 miles) along the hills of the coast to get from town to town. At first I was like, "Screw that! I'm not walking seven miles up hills and over rigged terain just to see some sea side villages." But I've made new Busabout friends and they were all doing it so I sort of went along. Let me tell you, it was absolutely the right decision. The hike was a pain in the arse in some places but the scenery was absolutely worth it. These five villages are just so beautiful and they each have little beaches that you can swim in to cool down between stretches. It was one of the highlights of the trip so far - I took a ton of pics which I will try to upload today (no promises).

I'm going back today just to go to the beach and have a bit of a chill day - as my legs are hurting a bit from all the hiking. Then tomorrow I'm going to grab a train to Milan just to check it out. It's fairly cheap from here, so I figure what the hell. I've heard mixed reviews but it's worth it just to say that I've been there. Then it's off to Nice for three days.

The Scene of the Crime

So I left Rome three days ago and I miss it already. It really is one of my favorite places to visit - so much history and beauty. I have to admit that Italians aren't necessarily my favorite people. They're a little rough around the edges for my taste - always yelling at each other with the hands a flappin'. It can be a little disconcerting. But overall Rome is still on my top 10 list.

Left Rome and have been in Florence for two days now. For those not in the know, Florence is where my Dad had his accident last Novemeber - hence the scene of the crime. I've spent some time walking around today and I actually stumbled upon the intersection where it all went down (or at least I'm reasonably sure it's the intersection). I took pictures which I'll upload here as soon as I get decent internet (Italy and Internet do not go well together apparently).

I saw the original sculpture of David and the original "Birth of Venus" as well as some other famous art. Other than that I have just been walking around taking it all in - it's a pretty city but not my favorite. I probably wouldn't come back again.

On a side note - I've lost my crazy Ozzies. Florence was the last stop we had together before going separate ways. I'll see some of them again in a week or two when I head to Switzerland but for others is was the last time. I'll miss my little friends from down under. They are great people and it was nice to spend time with them. So now I have to find new friends - which really isn't that hard since you end up talking to all the poeple on the bus anyway. It's just a matter of finding people that I genuinely like versus people I can stand for a period of time. We'll see how it goes (either way I'll have people to hang out with and that's what matters).

I leave Florence tomorrow and head to La Spezia which is the gateway to Cinque Terre. I don't even really know what Cinque Terre is apart from a park of some sort - but it's supposed to be very pretty and on the water. So we'll see how that goes. I'm either there for 2 or 4 nights, I haven't decided just yet. I might try to get a train to Milan just to say that I've been there. But I'm sort of lazy when it comes to the planning of side trips so I probably will just stay in La Spezia.

After La Spezia it's off to Nice for a couple of nights and then on to Switzerland (Lauterbrunnen and Lucerne). From there, I might head back to Munich then to Paris and back to Nice to continue on into Spain. Or I might just go straight back to Nice and into Spain and save Paris for the end. Decisons, decisions....

Hope all is well with my peeps back home. I'll post again soon.

Florence

Hi All. I'm in Florence now and Internet access is worse than Rome so don't know if there will be lots of posts or not. We'll see if I can find free Wifi in the city.

All is well and I am going to be spending the day walking around and looking at all the art. I'll let you know how it goes.

Happy Birthday Bob

This post is a day early but I'm going to be on the bus all day tomorrow and might not have a chance to post. So everyone who's still reading this boring blog, wish my brother Bob a very happy birthday tomorrow.

Roma

Hey all. Sorry this one is so short but internet access at the hostel in Rome SUCKS. But I am in Rome and going crazy seeing everything again (but going into stuff this time).

I'll right more when I have more time and better internet.