Day Twelve - Sangria and Sun (finally!)

We only had one day in Barcelona, but I actually feel like we ticked all of Spain's boxes - Sangria, Spanish guitar playing buskers, tapas, paella (so much better than the microwaved attempts at home), a flamenco show (complete with scary, intense dancer lady who informed us we weren't clapping or Ole-ing properly), a quick tour of the cathedrals and main architecture of the city and a visit to the Salvidor Dali art exhibiton. P.S. this guy is my new favourite artist (yes I am a Europen student now and therefore have "Favourite artists" :P). His stuff is crazy - like he's sneezed his imagination onto the canvas and then wiped it with a tissue! There should be some photos up soon enough of some of the works that most stood out for me.

While there I really did notice the language barrier - with all of my eight words in Spanish. I did however manage to have a hilarious "conversation" with a taxi driver which consisted of - Me: "Habla englais?" Him: "No. Habla Espanol?" Me: "No" Both: shrug. A little later I managed to tell him the Tom Jones song on his radio was "muy bueno" (which made him chortle) and finally as we passed a cemetery he noted "meurtos" to which I somberly nodded. It was deep.

Observations: There are traffic lights in the middle of enormous roundabouts here. Pre-teens are allowed into clubs - resulting in me dancing next to a 16 and 15 year old german boy and girl getting jiggy with it at one club. There's graffitti everywhere - except on the ancient buildings. The spray can weilders go for the doors and roller shutters but respect the centuries old stone... Finally, in the spirit of the blog name, I was aghast to find there are no peanuts on vanilla cornettos here!

Mistakes: Ordering a San Miguel beer in a bar only to be told by the waiter it was "Crap" and be given a different beer instead. Consider me educated!

Mini victories: managing (with the help of a Spanish speaking fellow Contikier) to get some Spanish drugs to fix my cold. They still allow pseudoephadrine(?) over the counter here, YES! Not getting my tube of vegemite out for breakfast sooner! It was SO good to have my first taste of Australia in a tube in about two weeks. (After giving a taste test to a couple of Canadians the best non-Aussie description I've heard for it is "tastes like condensed soy sauce"!)

Day Ten - Arrrrrriba!

Today we crossed the Spanish border and rocked into Barthelona (as the locals say!). Longest drive of the Contiki trip apparently, about 11 hours in the bus, ugh. Was interesting to see how the countryside changed though, from lush green and vineyards in France to more sand and rocks and even palm trees in Spain. Weather is balmy and superb here but will be stinking hot during the day I suspect... Only downside, I now know none of the local language (which I was actually getting used to having in France). Upside, I can try to learn some Spanish or habla espanol :P

Of course, its about the time that I start to relax that I ... GET SICK! And of course the only drugs I didn't bring with me were cold and flu tablets! so insted I delved into the pill pouch (most of you will know the one!) and took panadeine, a hayfever tablet, a harbal sleeping pill and two antinaeusia tablets - out like a light for most of the bus ride needless to say and am feeling on the mend.

Unfortunately I felt less than human for the second day/night at the chateaux which invovled a beautiful walk/picnic through the countryside (albeit in THICK fog, perpetual rain and a wrong detour or two. but the fresh baguette and ham and cheese picnic made up for that) and a Revenge of the Nerds party where I'm glad to report everyone dressed up (keep an eye out for those photos on FB).

Barcelona city exploring tomorrow and a flamenco show at night...

Observations: food in Europe tastes far more intense than home - take brie and ham for example, same name but so much more flavour here. Beer is also tasty - sweet in France and ICE COLD in Spain. Also, there is nothing wrong with washing undies in a sink and the "Contiki Cold" is not a myth!

Mini victories: managing to enjoy the geek party despite my cold, only drinking water (straight up) and piking before midnight. Enjoyed being the only one not hungover the next morning even more! And finally finding a place with Wifi ... its amazing how addicted you can get to internet where and when you want it :S

Day Eight - Say fromage

So I survived vertigo above paris and eating a garden pest! Conqquering the Eiffel Tower was actually quite breathtaking, scary in the lift, claustrophobic in the lines but worth every cent and hour spent waiting. And you can see the direction in which every country (including Australia) is from the top. Only downside, no one to pash at the top :( But I did see one couple eating each others faces!! and another having a domestic - of all places!

Eating a snail - I consider myself fairly open minded but I struggled to get it down. Was quite mushy and floury in the middle and chewy on the outside ... and a black green colour so not overl enticing visually. The best bit was the butter sauce. But at least I can say I did it (and Mum, it kind of reminded me of Papa eating oysters :P)

Went to a nice French restaurant last night and sweet talked the waiter (in French) and ended up scoring a better dessert for our table than the rest of the Contiki group, and REAL french coffee (the others got american coffee apparently!) as a result! Also had a decent chat en Francais with the taxi driver later in the night. Has been such a novelty being able to use my French but I'm stuffed in Spain, Italy etc.

Drove through the countryside to Lyon today - the bus windows were like postcards showing sunflower fields and cute cottages. Again, it feels like I've seen it before! Staying in a 500-year-old Chateau here (which now has a flat screen playing MTV and a pool ... bet they were add-ons!) but it very picturesque.

Observations: There are "cool kids" in every group... Being hungover on Contiki is in fact inevitable but I plan to fight it as long as possible (for fear of compounding the effects with car sickness on the bus rides)
Mistakes: Trying to ask a French lady in a bar what her drink was so I could order one without really thinking through the necessary words ... in such cases I have found "I'm sorry, I'm Australian" (in French) will generally fix the problem...
Mini victories: getting my backpack shut again on leaving Paris

Day Six - Au Paris

Writing from a Parisienne cafe using their free wifi! Times have certainly changed since Mum and Dad did this! On Contiki Time now, second day in Paris. First glimpse of the Eiffel Tower yesterday ... a little embarrassed to admit it didn't really register at first. I was like "I've seen this before"! But as dusk fell and the sky turned dark the tower lit up like a Christmas tree and it was spectacular - very different from the familiar postcard version. (We're climbing the Tower tonight and having a taste of escargot - if I survive both I'll let you know how it goes!)

My first official French meal was French Fries!!! from a service station. But my second was a savoury crepe, much better. Went to Versailles this morning and toured the palace - velvet carpeting on the walls, moulded ceilings which make our place pale in comparison, fluffy feathers on everything and gardens like in Alice in Wonderland. Am getting used to the crowds too...

Contiki Village where we;re staying is TINY. Four to a cabin the size of half our loungroom at home (no joke!). Nice group (although I feel ancient at 23 sharing a room with two other 19 year olds lol) and fitting a lot in. Toured the city by night last night and also saw the Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dam and a few other things all lit up. Went to the Louvre properly this avo and saw the obligatory Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo. Again a bit hard to actually reconcile that its the REAL one, not a postcard or something. But certainly powering through "the list" :P

Last day in Paris tomorrow - French bistro dinner and cabaret show at night :)

Observations: Am busting out a bit of the Year 12 French while here - ordering, reading signs etc. It really is true, the French are pretty grumpy with English until you give French a go and then they soften.
Mistakes: for every French word I get right there's one I get wrong!

Day Four - Changing Guards on Fleet Street

After all my bragging about the weather thus far ... it poured today. My walk to Buckingham Palace was stinking hot in the sun but, as if Mother Nature has a sense of irony, it began to spit as I sat on the palace steps waiting for the Changing of the Guards ceremony to begin. (It is at this point I realise the umbrella I lugged all the way from Australia is still in my room!) After spitting all through the ceremony, the minute the guards cleared the road in front of the palace and the whole thing was over, it was as if Mother Nature had run out of patience and the heavens opened! I bet she enjoyed watching us all scatter for cover.

Later in the afternoon I visited an old Tiser journo (Andrew Hough, for those who know him) at the Daily Telegraph office - or Telegraph Towers as it is apparently swishly known. Its an impressive office with escalators leading up from the lobby. The newsroom is the biggest or second biggest open-plan newsroom in Europe apparently, in a spoke design with a circle conference desk in the centre and hub desks radiating out. They project their website and videos etc onto massive wall-screens around the room, there's a small TV studio and the editor and dep ed actually sit out on the floor most of the time. This might seem odd but its actually the only other proper newsroom I've been in...! Being there and talking to Houghy made me miss work ... for a moment :P

Observations: I want to work on Fleet Street before I die! Changing of the Guard ceremony actually not that engaging (heaps of people left before it was finished)

Mistakes: forgetting the umbrella - will be by my side always from now on.

Day Three - Toursits ... ugh!

Today it became clear to me that living in Adelaide has sheilded me from the horror that are hordes of tourists! There are people EVERYWHERE here and they all seem to be going where I want to go. Admittedly the longest I had to wait for any attraction/bus today was about half an hour but I discovered there's a special kind of claustrophobia brought on by being squeezed into a tight space with a German family of 5 and an Italian group of touring school children.

Anywho, all round a success today but I was indeed a walking touristy cliche - covered the city in an open-top double decker bus (wearing shorts and a backpack, but no socks and sandals, although believe me it's done by countless others), visited Madame Tussauds wax museum for my cheese factor (keep an eye out for the slideshow of me and the rich and famous!), cruised the Thames with some tour guide who told everyone you could see Australia from the top of the London Eye (note: I then got on the London Eye and could in fact NOT see my house from the top ... money back?!) and then bused home past Harrods. A full working day of sightseeing :)

There was even a flashback or two from my visit to London with the parentals, aged 6. I now have a newfound appreciation for family travel after watching tired, hungry, bored children give their parents hell on a day out which probably cost more than an iPhone.

Observations: the Queen was home at the old Buck Palace (ie. "her" flag was up). Disturbingly, some people smiled in photos with Hitler's wax figure (one guy even gave a thumbs up!)

Mini victories: scoring my attraction tickets for about two pounds cheaper by buying them together - woohoo says the newly stingy student in me!

Mistakes: none today, yay!

Londontown (still Day Two!)

So I promise I won't blog this frequently the whole year, but I figure while I have the time and enthusiasm I'll use it to make you all jealous!! :P

Got into London today about midday so decided to use the afternoon (and the rest of my daily metro travel card) to visit the Tate Modern where I spent a couple of hours contemplating Andy Warhol and other easily-digested and comprehended modern artists and a confronting (but "must be art to be in a gallery of such repute") exhibition about voyeurism and surveillance (think couples making out in the park, photos through brothel windows etc). All that time on my feet led me to a toe-dip in the Trafalgar Square fountain (surprisingly icy water!) before calling it a day.

Planning a massive, all-day, visit as many tourist spots as possible, hop-on-hop-off bus tour tomorrow...

Observations: public transport system - SO much easier to figure out than A-dam. London the only place where the non-EU passport line is shorter than the EU line at the airport. Pigeons everywhere. Warm and very humid here too.

Today's mini victory: discovered London has a chain of Hummus Bars!!! MUST find one before leaving.

Day Two - back on the move

Off to London this morning to Pete and Di's house.
Thought I'd give a little update on my day trip to A-dam yesterday tho.

Headed off to the city by train from the airport - looking the typical tourist with my Lonely Planet out. Wandered around town for a bit and was actually quite taken aback when I saw my first real postcard-perfect canal - it really does look different here. Also visited a veritable condom musem - a shop selling all sorts of hand-painted, crafted, stretched novelty ones. Was patriotically pleased to see the novelty koala condoms sold out before other national emblems! Later, a canal cruise taught me: A-dam's smallest building is a coffeeshop about 1m wide wedged between two other buidings and about 5 stories tall and one car a week drives into a canal.

The cruise tour was given in three languages, Dutch, German, then English. It's odd to be surrounded by languages I don't understand and not hear much English (except inside my head). While many people here speak English, I've actually mostly been approached in Dutch. Then when I look bewildered and blurt out a sentence including "Australia" they switch to English! I've found it helps to start all conversations with G'Day, just to eliminate any confusion.

Some observations: Catching public transport in Adelaide is no preparation for Europe's train system.
There is graffiti everywhere in Amsterdam, and lots of construction underway, construction workers everywhere, and quite a bit of rubbish in the canals. There's even roadworks on the canals! (blocking off and fixing the bridges)
You won't know you've wandered into the Red Light District in the middle of the day until you're walking past a shop with the banner "Nana's - the most vibrating shop in town".
Every major city has a Chinatown!

Mistakes made: wearing my plane clothes (jeans and a black top) out walking - its stinking hot over here atm.
Looking the wrong way when crossing the road - have decided its best to just look both ways several times and take safety in numbers.

Mini victories: managing to stand on the opposite corner of the street to the awning where a pigeon dropped a voluminous, wet poop on another tourist!

Day one - touch down

Right, so after about 20 hours in the air and a few more for good measure in various airports I've arrived in the new adopted homeland. In true first-time backpacker style I've packed too much and look like a pregnant, black-shelled turtle wandering around with my life for the forseeable future crammed into two backpacks and a recylable shopping bag (I'm sure I'll figure out a better system eventually).

After balling at Adelaide airport infront of complete strangers (and one guy I realised I went to high school with - eek) for about two hours I was lucky enough to be seated next to, first, a chatty Welsh grandma and then(after a stop in KL) a sweet Dutch lady who shared some free seats with me on the never-ending journey to the Continent. P.S. it took most of the first flight just to clear OUR wide brown land!

Observations so far: no matter where the toilet (say, miles high in the sky as an example) men still leave the toilet seat up. All countries embrace their own cliches - not 10m from the arrivals door at Amsterdam's airport you can buy as many enormous cheese wheels as you can fit in your turtle-esque luggage.
Mistakes so far: momentarily forgetting my laptop at a security check in and wandering into the mens toilets at my first hotel!
Plan for the day: attempt to see some of Amsterdam while I wait for hotel check-in time. Then a much-needed shower and sleep overnight before its off to London in the morning!