Europe Trip

Seems a bit useless emailing with 12 days to go, but oh well.

So am in Salzburg at the moment, for 2 days before heading to Munich for 3 days of Oktoberfest. Then heading to Bruges for more beers (belgian then) before seeing people in London/UK and flying home!

Flew from Cork to Berlin early September, but missed my first flight. It was with Ryanair (shudder) and from Dublin, where I was in Cork with Gemma O and Hollie, and thought there was a bus/train to Dublin that evening - but missed it by an hour, so bought a ticket on Aer Lingus (another cheap airline) from Cork this time, so had a few more days hanging out with Gemma - spent at a wildlife park and in Cobh (pronounced Cove) where there was a movie being made...

Berlin was awesome, heaps to see and do, managed to see most sights. Had a free tour that took a group of us Aussies to all these underground and local hangouts, and then spent €10 the next day for a sightseeing version which was awesome. Got into a Holocaust memorial, and got a little lost at times in the streets. The hostel was pretty guut, ja! Some Aussies and Germans and Czechs, so had some drinking buddies. Didn´t get out on the town though for some strange/weak/lame reason, must be getting old? Or maybe drinks bought at the shop are cheaper, ja?

Then a nighttrain to Budapest - only had 2 days there due to the missed flight from Ireland, but then had 5 irish girls in the hostel to extend the amount of time I heard their accent, to be sure to be sure, potatoes! Ask an Irish to say thirty-three, its pretty funny! But Budapest = rain and cold, so was a bit shaizan like that.

Then Bad Gastein, which is a ski holiday spot in the Austrian Alps, where managed to go paragliding (awesome) and climbed a mountain over a 5 hour period. Got too drunk the first night, completely by accident as well! Woke up with worst headache, but oh wells... oh yeah was using the train to get to Bad Gastein but in the end was on a bus because some rocks fell on the tracks, but no one was hurt...

So Salzburg is cool, but like Northern Ireland, no bank will give me money - I need a bankcard with a microchip, so had to ask the Information Bureau for some euros, which was nice of them. The hostel is a mega youth hostel, which seems to play The Sound of Music every night (yikes, but it is the place it was made) ... and my room is in a basement hehehe but have window, all good.

So might go have some Chinese food - not a fan of the ole bratwurst - or maybe a schnitzel?

Auf weidersehen!

Mick

Its wet in Ireland, surprise surprise.

Spent 8 days in Portugal, should've spent more time there than Spain perhaps? So cheap (4 euro for a big bottle of vodka), you get offered drugs everywhere (which I thought was highly amusing), met heeaappps of awesome people (yay, instant friends). Went for a swim in the Atlantic, coldest water I've ever experienced, ever! Madly cold, couldn't breathe or feel my feet.

And then La Tomatina! 1 hour of throwing tomatoes, had to ditch my shirt, shorts, shoes and socks afterwards and got hosed down (three times) by Spanish before I could grab my fresh clothes. The streets were maybe ankle deep in tomato, and it goes everywhere - ears, eyes, nose, mouth, hair, hair, everywhere! We got photos with lots of locals, was awesome. And met many people from previous tours and travels.

In Ireland, have been hanging out with Mark Hanvey (Belfast), Gemma O'Loughlin and Hollie Ponton in the green land of Ireland. Gemma and I hired a budget car, a little Nissan Micra, which looks a bit ghaiye (remove each 2nd letter) but actually goes alright. Don't want anything bigger, the roads here are a little toight (you can go 80km/h on a road thinner than most australian driveways).

I flew into Ireland to Belfast in the north, which is part of the UK still, so need some pounds. However, my bank card wouldn't let me take pounds out (had 5pounds in my wallet, needed 7 to get into town), so had to swap the last of my euro to get around the country for two days. Hanvey actually drove Gemma and I around quite a lot, which was awesome, so we got to see the rope bridge at Carrick-a-Rede and the Giants Causeway, as well as the catholic and protestant parts of Belfast (lock the car doors kids) and the Europa hotel, which kept on inconveniently getting bombed.

Then a bus and hire car through the country side outside Dublin, near Slane (castle and hill where St Patrick lit the first easter bonfire), and Trim castle, which was the set for Braveheart. We met Hollie down at Cork (south coast), and all stayed at the house with Gemma, and have gone out a bit and had good beers, and good food!

So previously, went to France (Paris) for four days, and ran into Aleisha and Matt, who I met in Sevilla, so had some friends. Got a bit of a cold when travelling to Paris on a trainhotel, but yeah I hope it will go soon.

Tonight I travel to Dublin to catch a cheap Ryanair flight to Berlin, so hopefully that goes well. After Berlin, hoping to hit Budapest, Salzburg, Bad Gastein (hang-gliding), Munich (Oktoberfest), Stuttgart, Brugge and London for Bath and Birmingham - tight last few weeks.

So sweet, hope everyone is happy back home!

Ciao


Mick

At the moment I am in the Oasis hostel in Sevilla - its a little colder today, only 40 degrees celsius. Thank god theres a pool to float in...

There are three Oasis hostels (Granada, Sevilla and Lisbon) and I am in all three while here in Europe - JOY. Have missed out on visiting Toledo and Salamancar this time, there might have to be another euro trip in the future. But I don´t think it is any better to rush through these holidays, am very happy not to see my bag packed each day, and its always good to have some days between buses/trains.

Speaking of buses, I go to Tarifa in a couple of days, which I think is close to Gibraltor (possible day trip), and you can see Morocco from Spain (potential boat trip across)... apparently they also have Orca/Dolphin watching (possible trip). And then Lisbon, Porto and Valenthia for La Tomatine (which a lot of people seem to be heading towards).

Only 3 more weeks in Spain/Portugal, and then not quite sure where I´m going, thinking Paris then through England to Ireland, before Bruge (Belgium), Copenhagen (Denmark), Berlin, Budapest, Croatia, Salzburg, Munich, Stuttgart, and by then will be time to fly home - yikes!

Having said all that, two months in Spain/Portugal will probably be enough for now. I don´t really think I´ve really improved my Spanish (today completely failed in ordering food in Spanish), but that´s ok, at least I can speak it better than other european languages. Makes you think that a second language should really be learnt in school, it is very useful... especially when the Spanish people won´t talk to you in anything but their own language. They also stare at me a lot, I must be very handsome (or strange).

So since Granada, have been to Cordoba and Malaga. Unlike Gemma, I did manage to get to the Alhambra in Granada (we had a few party days, and last day I was hungover but managed to see the castle complex)... it was 42 degrees on the mountain, which took 4 hours to see in the middle of afternoon, but thank God for water stops.

Cordoba - a little hotter and smaller than Granada, but huge mosque (one of three in Spain that remain) which is now a Cathedral since the Catholics killed all the arabs and jews about 1000 years ago... meanwhile when the arabs arrived they bought churches off the christians to turn into mosques... which religion is the peaceful one again? but aside that, I really like that town

And then there was Malaga - Little Britain more like it. Lots of white bodies on the brown/grey beaches and people asking "you alright?", but pretty enjoyable and cheap ... about 15 euro for 3 days of food, and 7 euro on booze! hurrah.

Sevilla is a lot more traditional and what you expect for this area of Spain - a monster church, some palaces, a royal residence, some parks, some convention centres and civic things like that, pretty comfortable.

Also, some of you on Facebook may have noticed a "relationship status update" a while ago - thats what happens when a practical joke may get taken a little too literally. So don´t get too excited, all a hoax! But surprising to get over 20 responses.

So hopefully the winter of Australia is treating you all well. And best of luck to our Olympic team, I saw a little of the opening ceremony, but not much else (no TV where I am).

Oh yeah, I was feeling a little homesick about 3 days ago, but while walking around I found some eucalypt trees in a park - alllll better! Amazing what some trees can do for your spirits.

Ok enough,

Ciao for now


Mick

Hola! como estas?

Gemma and I have left Barcelona/Arselona and Tarragona/Shouldn'tagona well behind. Gemma and I decided on the second nicknames when things didn't quite go right (i.e. walking to a museum on a mountain 3 HOT days in a row in Barcelona before getting the right opening hours, and paying exorbitant amounts of euro for laundry in a Tarragona hotel).

And Spain is funny, we caught a train through a town called Peniscola and they have a road called Gran Colon. hahaha, munt

Second day in Granada, slept a little last night after a house party (yes, house party in spain!), where Gemma and I made lots of friends with people from the hostel. I also have met a Perth chick, Liz, who seems pretty cool - good way to meet locals from back home it seems.

Oh yeah, Granada = free tapas. In San Sebastian Aaron and I would spend 20 euros on 6 little tapas, in Granada a huge plate comes free with a 2 euro beer. Go figure. In Valencia we found a bar that has 100 little rolls for 1.20 euro each, or 6 for 6. So cheap, and yummy (prawns in garlic mayonaise, or ham and cheese, or salmon and philadelphia, so many to choose from).

Hmmm having a big night in Valencia, 5 hrs sleep, no sleep the next day and then an all-night bus to Granada = well deserved siesta. Spain is warming up! In a few days I'm heading to Cordoba, which is reputed to have 50 degrees heat. I have 6 days in Cordoba (what am I thinking), so instead cancelling a few days and hitting the coast at the Homeswest settlement of Malaga (ok, not really a Homeswest boganville, but that image still springs to mind).

I managed to get Gemma O and myself to the beach in Valencia, after about 4 attempts. We made it to the beach in Barcelona (only at night), when we got into the water it was brown, about as warm as a normal bath, and no swell to speak of. Since we were already hot and sweaty (38 degrees and humid), it wasn't as refreshing as we hoped, but hey, it is still ocean water! I want the San Sebastian beach again...

So our last night in Valencia was starting off quiet, Gemma and I were on our rooftop terrace having vodka con limon gas (vodka and lemonade for those playing at home), when the reception crew who befriended us (Sue from England, Mike from New Zealand, and Britta from Germany) invited us to mojito bar (shots are 2 euro, strong cocktails 2.50 euro), and then a bar and when that closed at 3.30, another bar until 5. We got home around 5.30, until waking up at 10am to pack bags and check out, but our 8hr-long bus ride to Granada (all trains full) didn't leave until 11pm that night. I was pretty hungover and the day was tough to get through, saw a few DVDs and chatted in the common room.

But now in Granada, which is awesome, its pretty hot still but dry heat so you can stay cooler for longer. We are also situated on a street thats like covered in Islamic stuff (shisha and that special tea they have), and it smells really exotic and just cool. Granada is agreeable. But haven't made it to Alhambra yet (the massive castle complex about 5 minutes walk away) - apparently its pretty busy, and seems to be the main thing to see and do here, so lots of tourists there but apparently awesome.

One guy (Chris from Melbourne) from last nights party is still drunk (its about 1pm here at the moment), and Gemma walked him back from the house to the hostel this morning - he hasn't slept yet. Although I was up on the terrace where he was sleeping and he just randomly got up and stumbled around, and collapsed on me looking pretty messed up... I think he will be pretty rotten later in the day. Pretty funny stuff.

So in the following days Gemma and I head separate ways, Gemma is off to Paris and I will be heading to Cordoba, Malaga, Seville, Tarifa and Lisbon! Lots of trains and buses to catch. After Lisbon I'm thinking of heading up to Porto and then flying to Valencia for La Tomatina. Apparently Valencia will be packed (Formula 1 is just before La Tomatina), but reception people have offered their floor if I can't find accommodation or get stuck - yay!

Oh yeah have been trying to see a bullfight, and Granada has a stadium. They tend to have them on Sundays, so tomorrow Liz and I will be trying to get tickets. Not that I'm really for the gory killing of the bulls, but hey it is part of their culture. In Madrid, Aaron and I (with Adnan from Michigan) went to the Prado Museum, and missed bullfights; in Barcelona Gemma and I were late so couldn't buy tickets; in Valencia the stadium was closed for renovations - so hopefully Granada will be kind.

Oh yeah after La Tomatina I think I might fly to Ireland, where Hollie Ponton and Mark Hanvey and Gemma O will be living. So that would be around end of August/start of September. Joanne McCallion, is Cork near your old stomping grounds (thats where Gemma lives), and Mark, don't you live in Belfast? Might try to catch up with my favourite irish peeps!

Oh yeah Katie, how's the travelling over in Croatia? When do you head for the Turkey contiki? Message or email me around La Tomatine (I might fly in a few days before), as I know of some pretty good hostels (if they don't get booked out).

I also have a very full bag - have little/no space for anything! I bought a wallet in Perth before flying out, it was effectively destroyed in the mosh pit at Pamplona (doesn't really hold coins well). And my sunglasses are held together by the polarised layer on the lens, minutes from breaking I think. But otherwise no dramas.

I am aware these emails are big, so apologies. Oh yeah, anyone from Council (or Ocka) have Matt Riordan's new email in Dubai or his hotmail? I have some "mug" travelling shots to send him.

Hopefully everyone is well, and its only 2 months til I come home - exciting but sad.

Keep in touch, and hug yourself for me!

Oh yeah!, no wait, I got nothing...

Mick

In Tarragona at the moment and its pretty hot, like Australian heat. Pretty Good, off to Valencia tomorrow with Gemz for 5 days, and will probably run into Elsa my Spanish teacher. In hotels while in Tarragona and Valencia, which are equal to or cheaper than Barcelona hostels (Valencia is a 4 star hotel and about 10 euro cheaper per person per night). Every hostel and hotel Gemma and I have been to so far keep ovffering use double beds, which we keep refusing hahah pretty funny