Itchy, itchy, scratchy, scratchy

Day 33/90

I´m a third of the way through my travels, and it for sure doesn´t seem like it. The last month has flown by, but it has been great and I have so much to look forward to for my next two months of travel.

I´m in Barcelona now with Manic and we are heading to Paris on the night train on the 29th and then back to London on the 30th. I got a bad case of poison oak in Corsica, but the pharmasits thinks it is a bad spider bite. Basically whatever it is, my right are is swollen and little puss filled blisters are popping up everywhere and it is unbelieveably itchy!

Anyways, I suppose I´ll be fine. Too tired to talk, walked all around Barcelona today and I´m exhusted. I lost my towel again. At this rate I´ll be going through one every other week. I´ll update more later. Hugs and kisses!

Back to the mainland!

Manic and I are on our way to Barcelona tonight! We are in Nice and I have to admit I am not liking being back in an urban area full of tourists and people. A cool thing though...tomorrow morning in Nice is an Ironman!!! Yey for Triathlon!!! Too bad we're leaving at nine tonight. One week and we'll be in London. Can't wait for Rodger Waters!!!

I'll talk more later, as Manic is waiting for me - the twat! Hugs and kisses all around.

J'adore la corse!

Hey all! i'am currently in Corsica and it is absolutely amazing!!! It is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. Manic told me that there is a saying here that God created the world in six day, on the seventh day he rested, and on the eighth he took everything good and created Cosrica. Words don't do this place justice, but it does remind me of home with all the jagged and myjestic mountains. A bonous about the island is that it is surrounded by the Mediterrainian Sea and so the soft sandy beachs are not that far away. It has also been about 33 degrees Celcious, so it is absolutely lovely to sit and soak up the sun.

Manic and I are heading back to the continent tomorrow evening, spending a day in Nice, and then off to Barcelona for a few days before heading to London for Hyde Park Calling. I'm so excited about seeing Rodger Waters play Dark Side of the Moon cover to cover for the first time in thirty years.

Internet is expensive so I will talk to you all soon. Hugs and kisses!!!

Bonjourno!

Day 24/90

I am now is Venice and it is an amazing city!!! It was a crazy idea to build a city in the middle of the water, but the Italians made it work. Venice is a cool place becasue it's so old, nothing is every torn down and built up, what is here is what has been here for ages. It is a bit toristy, but that is part of its charm. You just have to take the initiative to go down a side street and get lost or hit a canal with no bridge.

Manic and I are haveing a great time together! We always seem to be laughing at something, whether it's another drunk englishman or another stupid american or kicking a pidgeon across Piazza San Marcos, he's great company and I'm glad I have someone to travel with.

The warm weather is great as well!!! It's about 30 degrees celcius (Farhenhiet ??). Manic and I went to the beach yesterday and swam around in the Adreatic Sea, before taking the ferry to Lido and having some authentic pizza for dinner. We then went into Venezia to have some beer and watch the football, but we were both so ehusted from the sleepless train ride the night before, in which the Italian guard asked for our passports at three in the morning! WTF...I thought border control didn't exhist in Western Europe anymore...it was quite annoying, especially when he turned on the lights...I was about ready to jump the bastrad, but was detered by the gun he was carrying.

Back tracking...the train from Prague to Munich to catch the night train from Munich to Venice was rather boring, but I spent a good hour or so enjoying the cool breeze and the beautiful senery of Bohemia by sticking my head out the window. There were a couple of german on the train talking shit about me an manic in spanish saying that we were stupid and ignorant. Manic showed him...when we were just about to get off we were moving our stuff to the door and Manic said ''Exuse me please, can I come past'' in Spanish. The German went white as a ghost and was dumbstruck becasue he just realized the error of his ways. The same thing happened in a French resturant we went to, this bitch of a French woman was staring us down our entire meal, like we had no right to be there, even though Manic and I ordered and conversed with the wait staff in French the entire time. I hate the attitute Europeans have against English/Americans. I can see why it exsists, but I hate to be at fault becasue of a stereotype...especially one I don't think I play into.

Anyways, stepping off the soap box...Once we got to Munich we literally had to run across the train station to catch the night train to Venice, which we had trouble finding. First we were told the wrong platform...Manic nearly got on the train to Budapest...now that could have been interesting, especially since we were trying to leave eastern europe. We then saw a train heading to Florence and asked were the Venice train was. Turns out is was the same train, it was just spliting in Verona, so we had to go to the first three cars. Never has a train felt so long, especially when you're sprinting down the platform with a forty pound pack and a bag of groceries. But we made it from platfrom 11 to platform 27 with minutes to spare, one problem...we didn't have a reservation becasue there was no way to make one from Prague. So Manic, with his schleck Deustch and non exsistant Italiano we to talk to the person in charge. Luckliy, the bloke spoke french, Manic's specialty. Ohh...in case I didn't mention it before, Manic majored in French and Spanish, hence the irony of the situation with the Hilterite on the train before and the thrill of the situation on the night train. Turns out we just had to find an empty couchette, which we did. It was quickly claimed by six Yanks, who pissed me off by putting another tally mark on the running count of why europeans hate us. No worries, we found more space in a couchette containing two Mexicans. Got no sleep and arrived in Venice at 8am where we hiked the 40 minutes to Piazza San Marcos to catch the ferry to out island. That was a work out, we were being conservative and didn't want to pay for a Taxi, which we will glady be doing on the way back, when we leave.

Our days in Prague were alright. Way more touristy then I expeceted. It felt like Disneyland Eastern Europe. The castle was pretty and I would have loved to walk around at night, but Manic and I kept forgetting becasue were would start to drink pivo (beer) and Manic got some nasty blisters on his feet.

We are now staying at a camp ground on some island that is a 40 minute ferry ride from Venice. The seculsion and change of pace is extremely nice from all the cities we've been staying in. Not sure if we're leaving tomorrow or the next day, but the next stop is Pisa, and then on to Corsica. That's all for now! I'm still having trouble finding the time to upload my pictures, but I haven't forgotten and most importantly I haven't stoped taking pictures. Got to run, internet is pricy. Ciao!

Venizia, me scusi.

Manic and I are heading to Venice tonight. yes, we are still traveling together and will be until July 1st and 2nd when we will be heading back to London...why you may ask...to see Pink Floyd and The Who at Hyde Park. I am excited!

Internet is expensive...so I will talk more later. Hugs and kisses!

Eastern Europe...

So after Germany, Matt (aka Manic) and I headed to Vienna, where we took a day trip to Bratislava, Slovakia. What a different world! Even though the country is part of the EU, the signs of the previous communist regime are clearly present. Prison like buildings of flat resembling the projects were quite eerie compared to the bustling cities of western europe I've seen. While walking to the old part of town, Manic and I heard a gunshot in the distace and he commented that he was just waiting for a dog to come running arund the cornerr with a human hand in its mouth. He he!

Anyways, Bratislava was a nice reality check. The next day was spent in Vienna walking around. Vienna definately has the best architecture I've seen, it was beautiful. We then hoped on the train to Prague. Getting here was not bad, but were definately not in Kansas anymore, Toto. No one speaks english and if they do, it's quite broken. None the less, Manic and I tried our hardest to figure out how to get Metro tickets, pushing the "english" button only told us the price, so we just printed what we thought was right and were off. The next stop, an inspector stopped us to see our tickets. We showed them to him, and he claim, "No, these are not for you! These are for baby. You are not baby." Manic and I didn't know "discount" on the ticket machine ment "child" we thought it ment "under 26" like everything else in Europe; besides the last time I check with mom, I was "Princess BABY Kate." So we got find 500czk (20 USD) even though we tried to talk our way out of it. Grumpy, we made our way down to the platform, when Manic made me laugh so hard at the situation, that I leaned back a bit too far and fell flat on my ass, pack on and all.

Anyways, there is a queue for the computers, so I must go. Picture will be up soon! I promise! Hugs and Kisses!

Beer!!!!!

Day 16/90

Drinking beer for breakfast is a brilliant idea, especially when you were drinking the night before. It cures that hangover right away.

World Cup starts today and I plan on watching the game in a big plaza with thousands of other crazy soccer fans. They will be beer too I suppose!

Going on the free bike tour again! It was so much fun and it's something to do. Tomorrow my mate Matt from Manchester and I will be heading to the Castle (the one that Disney modeled his after) and then onwards to Vienna!

Off to drink more! Hugs and kisses!

Beer Captial of the World...

MUNICH!!! Just in time to hang out with all those crazy soccer holigans for the start of the world cup on Friday. USA! USA! So...in the free spirited fashion, I didn't decide where I was going to be until yesterday morning when I walked into the train station in Amsterdam. It came down to Berlin: yet another BIG city without a bed plan; or Munich: smaller, better food and beer, and a train on which to sleep. I arrived blurry eyed at 7:16 this morning and stumbled across the street to a hostel where I found a bed. All is well in Duestchland. I am going to cruise around the city today on a free bike tour and then who knows. Still have to figure out where to go on Saturday. I got an offer to stay at the Absolute Ice Bar in Stockholm for free, but that is about a 24 hour train ride in the opposite direction, but then again, the train ride would be for free as well. Who knows?! I will decide Saturday.

Off to find a better train timetable then I have. I need help uploading my pictures!! It's not working...any suggestions??? I'm almost out of memory! Hugs all around! GO USA!

Catch up: Last Days in Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam

Day ??/90 (it's around 10)

Amsterdam will do things to a person...like make you forget what day it is, but lets start where I left off...Paris.

My last days in Paris were amazing, I visited all the major sites (Louvre, Eiffle Tower, etc.) and hung out with my new french friends who showed my two incredible nights in the city. First was an opening for a Vans store (yeah...the shoes) which wasn't of particular interest, but what was good was the open bar! I found free alcohol in Paris! Then my last night I hung out with Fabrice and we met up with his American friend from Berkeley studying in Paris and his girlfriend. We went to Chez George, a trendy little (in every sense of the word) place near Odeon (sp?). This little place was underground and had about 5 or 6 two person tables scattere around it, leaving barely enough room for people to walk. But leave it to the french to string some red lights and serve wine and pile the people in to have a good time. Most people would think there wouldn't been enough room to squeeze into the party, but never fail, they just kept filing through the doorway all night. The Rat Pack like french music made for a lively atmosphere and people somked and sang along. Be sure to check out the pictures as soon as I get them online (I'm working on that...). The next day I went onward to Brussels.

However I got a some what late start and couldn't get on a train until 5pm, so I spend my day reading in Gare du Nord. It was exciting, someone abandoned a black suitcase and the police blocked off this huge area and blew it up, delaying the Eurostar train and everything, all very exciting!

Got to Brussel late, hung out with Melanie, who just graduated from college as well and is in the middle of a three week holiday. We had a beer and chatted with all these other people, fun times. The next day I went on a waffle walk and almost made myself sick, but I must say the waffle with Hagen-Daz ice cream was to die for, but the best quality waffle I had was from this little hole in the wall shop, it didn't even have a sign, just a windom where you walked up and got a waffle....oh so good! Unfortunately after my binge I couldn't even look at anything sweet so the Beligum chocolate was a no go. :(

Then I got on the train to Amsterdam!!! Met this guy on the train from Flordia who was with his brother and a friend. Thier soul purpose for going to Amsterdam: get weed. This was thier thrid journey back to the city. So we got off the train, walked a few block to Barney's Coffeehouse and smoked. And yes, when in Rome you do as the Romans do, so I got high for the first time in 6 years. The weed was quality, I know I don't smoke, but I could tell it was good stuff, but the experience was an excellent reminder as to why I don't smoke, it makes me feel like a blubbering idiot. After that, putting my pack back on and finding my hostel totally ruined my high, I was grumpy about that. But I'm here all is well and Amsterdam it amazing. My one wish: that Kelly was here!

Anyways, I would really like to tell more about Amsterdam (all the bikes here are crazy, by the train station they have a three story parking garage...for bikes!!) But I'm getting sick of typing and I have to figure out where I'm going to sleep tomorrow (possibly on a train going I don't know where). Hugs and kisses!

Waffels and chocolate

I am now in Brussels. My last days in Paris were great and I can't wait to go into more detail, but internet here is ubsurdly expensive, so story time will have to wait.

I'm about to go expolre Brussels looking for some ideal waffles and chocolate. Did you know they serve waffels here more as a snake then a breakfast item, and you can get anything on them...including...ice cream!!!! I'm excited. After I load myself up with surgar, I'll have my butt on a train this afternoon heading to Amsterdam.

Talk to you all soon! Hugs and kisses!