First and foremost - holy moley, Jeff! I'm surprised I didn't hear that shirt all the way here in Europe. It's so... eccentric. Awesome, man.
After that shirt, my day doesn't look as fun. This morning I went on Salzburg's world famous "Sound of Music Tour". Haha. Believe me, if you come to Salzburg, you probably won't be able to avoid the ads for it. Originally, I wasn't planning on going. I hadn't seen The Sound of Music in ages, and now that I think about it, I don't know if I've seen the entire thing. But I was talking to my mom and she said I should try to go to various tours and what not, to really be able to see a city and know what you're looking at rather than seeing it on my own. She said I should go on this one for the hell of it.
So I did and it was actually pretty interesting. Salzburg and the surrounding towns have such picturesque scenery with lakes and beautiful green hills, I was actually glad I went because if I were on my own, I wouldn't have seen it. And now if I ever watch that movie again, I'll have been to some of the spots in it.
After the tour I explored the Salzburg fortress thing (I forget the name). It was pretty cool, but again, another beautiful 360-degree view of surrounding areas, all the way to the Alps.
Tomorrow I leave for Zurich to meet up with Blake, an Australian that my family and I met on our tour. From there we'll be heading off to the last weekend of Oktoberfest. I'm pretty excited about the beer festival. I've heard so many fun stories about it and I'm looking forward to it. Anyhow, I'll get going now. So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, good bye.
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Monday, September 27, 2004
Vienna II
It's almost like one of those damn jokes...
So a Spaniard, an Australian, and an American walk into a bar... and whatever. I'm too drunk too complete the joke.
So a Spaniard, an Australian, and an American walk into a bar... and whatever. I'm too drunk too complete the joke.
Sunday, September 26, 2004
Vienna
I don't really have much to blog since I just blogged last night. I just thought I'd let everyone know I'm in Vienna now. I'll be spending tonight and tomorrow night here, and then I'm off to Salzburg.
One thing that is a little interesting, though: You notice pretty quickly from the various buildings and how everything looks when you come from an Eastern block country in Europe like the Czech Republic and Hungary to another country like Austria. Although their's graffiti everywhere, there's isn't as much. Budapest had a bunch of broken glass on various buildings. Maybe I was just in the wrong part of town, but things look newer and what not in Austria. And changing from the Firent (Hungarian currency) back to the Euro was welcome. Doing conversions when Firent notes are in multiples of 100 and 1000 are tough. I really wish I had found that calculator watch.
One thing that is a little interesting, though: You notice pretty quickly from the various buildings and how everything looks when you come from an Eastern block country in Europe like the Czech Republic and Hungary to another country like Austria. Although their's graffiti everywhere, there's isn't as much. Budapest had a bunch of broken glass on various buildings. Maybe I was just in the wrong part of town, but things look newer and what not in Austria. And changing from the Firent (Hungarian currency) back to the Euro was welcome. Doing conversions when Firent notes are in multiples of 100 and 1000 are tough. I really wish I had found that calculator watch.
Saturday, September 25, 2004
Budapest
Crazy adventure in the last 24 hours or so.
So last night, a travelling buddy and I had planned to take the night train from Prague to Budapest. We figured it would be cool since it was like a nine hour train ride and we could sleep on the sleeper trains and not have to pay for a hostel.
At around 10:30PM we leave the Prague hostel and head to the train station. We get there at around 11:00 and board the train at around 11:10 for an 11:35 departure. I thought this would be great since all the trains I had gotten on thus far usually started boarding like 10 minutes before departure. We'd be able to hop into our compartment and just take it easy. Goodness was I wrong.
It turns out they had overbooked the sleeper carriage we were on. After giving our ticket to the young, little conductor guy, we got onto the train and entered one of those super small hallways you see trains with rooms might have. Two people walking in opposite directions have to go sideways to pass. Imagine me with my huge ass backpack. Going sideways doesn't help. And to make matters worse, there's a crowd in the hallway because of the mixup. Two foreigners end up leaving before the train departs. There are two people in the room that me and my travelling buddy are booked to be in. This isn't good.
While trying to figure out what the hell is going on (everyone is speaking in Czech and we have no f***ing clue what anyone is saying), this fat guy is trying to walk down past us. He's able to pass by my friend who is asking the guys in our room what's happening. But I'm thinking to myself, "There's no way in hell this fat guy is gonna pass me." We try to figure it out. I back up a little and luckily, it seems, there's this open room with a lady in there wondering what the commotion is about.
I back up and try to get the guy to go into the room so that I can pass. There's a little bit of pushing going on when I think to myself, "Do I have my wallet?" So I check for it. It's not there.
"Hey! Where's my wallet!?" And then I shove the guy into the room. I set down my backpack and ask again "Where's my wallet!?" It's a bit easier to move now that I have my backpack off. Then suddenly he pulls out this little pocket knife. I ask him where my wallet is again and then in an instant he sort of comes toward me. I grabbed the arm holding the knife to keep it away and then elbow him in the nose. And then I pull down his head into my knee and he drops the knife and I quickly pick it up. He stays hunched over and gives me my wallet back. Then we waited for the police to get there.
That's the exciting story.
Haha. The real story goes like this: The fat guy got my wallet and I yelled "Hey! Where's my wallet!?" and pushed him. Then he gave it back to me and he just kept going. I warned the others behind me but I didn't want any trouble so didn't call the police or anything. Haha. Way more boring, huh.
But that was just the beginning of our interesting night. Because of the overbooking, my friend and I and the chinese couple are the only ones left without a room for like an hour. Eventually, the conductor guy figures out a way for us to get a room and we get one. We're able to settle in and go to sleep.
But then there's a bunch of knocks on the door. It's passport checking time. They bang on your doors loudly. Then my friend went to go use the toilet and the conductor tells him that he's going to have to add another person to our room (it sleeps 3). So we're waiting for a new roommate when someone knocks on the door again. It's the conductor and he says "Problem," and then closes the door. Another banging on the door comes. This time, it's a guy maybe 4 inches taller than me. He doesn't see me because I'm on the top bunk but he asks my friend for help. "Do you have a weapon? Help me fight."
The fat guy tried to strike again.
After that, we just closed our door and locked it up. My friend slept with his knife by him. I just slept. Haha. Crazy night. I was pooped.
So last night, a travelling buddy and I had planned to take the night train from Prague to Budapest. We figured it would be cool since it was like a nine hour train ride and we could sleep on the sleeper trains and not have to pay for a hostel.
At around 10:30PM we leave the Prague hostel and head to the train station. We get there at around 11:00 and board the train at around 11:10 for an 11:35 departure. I thought this would be great since all the trains I had gotten on thus far usually started boarding like 10 minutes before departure. We'd be able to hop into our compartment and just take it easy. Goodness was I wrong.
It turns out they had overbooked the sleeper carriage we were on. After giving our ticket to the young, little conductor guy, we got onto the train and entered one of those super small hallways you see trains with rooms might have. Two people walking in opposite directions have to go sideways to pass. Imagine me with my huge ass backpack. Going sideways doesn't help. And to make matters worse, there's a crowd in the hallway because of the mixup. Two foreigners end up leaving before the train departs. There are two people in the room that me and my travelling buddy are booked to be in. This isn't good.
While trying to figure out what the hell is going on (everyone is speaking in Czech and we have no f***ing clue what anyone is saying), this fat guy is trying to walk down past us. He's able to pass by my friend who is asking the guys in our room what's happening. But I'm thinking to myself, "There's no way in hell this fat guy is gonna pass me." We try to figure it out. I back up a little and luckily, it seems, there's this open room with a lady in there wondering what the commotion is about.
I back up and try to get the guy to go into the room so that I can pass. There's a little bit of pushing going on when I think to myself, "Do I have my wallet?" So I check for it. It's not there.
"Hey! Where's my wallet!?" And then I shove the guy into the room. I set down my backpack and ask again "Where's my wallet!?" It's a bit easier to move now that I have my backpack off. Then suddenly he pulls out this little pocket knife. I ask him where my wallet is again and then in an instant he sort of comes toward me. I grabbed the arm holding the knife to keep it away and then elbow him in the nose. And then I pull down his head into my knee and he drops the knife and I quickly pick it up. He stays hunched over and gives me my wallet back. Then we waited for the police to get there.
That's the exciting story.
Haha. The real story goes like this: The fat guy got my wallet and I yelled "Hey! Where's my wallet!?" and pushed him. Then he gave it back to me and he just kept going. I warned the others behind me but I didn't want any trouble so didn't call the police or anything. Haha. Way more boring, huh.
But that was just the beginning of our interesting night. Because of the overbooking, my friend and I and the chinese couple are the only ones left without a room for like an hour. Eventually, the conductor guy figures out a way for us to get a room and we get one. We're able to settle in and go to sleep.
But then there's a bunch of knocks on the door. It's passport checking time. They bang on your doors loudly. Then my friend went to go use the toilet and the conductor tells him that he's going to have to add another person to our room (it sleeps 3). So we're waiting for a new roommate when someone knocks on the door again. It's the conductor and he says "Problem," and then closes the door. Another banging on the door comes. This time, it's a guy maybe 4 inches taller than me. He doesn't see me because I'm on the top bunk but he asks my friend for help. "Do you have a weapon? Help me fight."
The fat guy tried to strike again.
After that, we just closed our door and locked it up. My friend slept with his knife by him. I just slept. Haha. Crazy night. I was pooped.
Wednesday, September 22, 2004
Prague
Hey folks. So meeting people has been pretty cool. What I've learned so far is you have to stay at the right hostels. Staying at the wrong ones is trouble. My first night in Berlin was rather bad because the hostel I ended up staying at was pretty small and seemingly catered to only Germans. Everyone I met there spoke German so talking to them was tough. I ended up sleeping early that first night.
But then I moved on to a better hostel in a better location and actually met people there. There's some interesting characters at these hostels. I've met a ton of Australians, a good amount of Americans, and various other Europeans.
It's been fun for sure. But yeah, seriously, I have until October 28. Someone really should come out here. I just keep thinking it would be fun with friends around. All these people love to travel and it's just amazing some of the stories they've told me. This one guy woke up hungover and decided to quit his job. He put his resignation in that day and has now been travelling throughout Europe for 4 months. Money is replaceable, the experience isn't. Haha. Be young. Email me for my revised itinerary. Hahaha.
But then I moved on to a better hostel in a better location and actually met people there. There's some interesting characters at these hostels. I've met a ton of Australians, a good amount of Americans, and various other Europeans.
It's been fun for sure. But yeah, seriously, I have until October 28. Someone really should come out here. I just keep thinking it would be fun with friends around. All these people love to travel and it's just amazing some of the stories they've told me. This one guy woke up hungover and decided to quit his job. He put his resignation in that day and has now been travelling throughout Europe for 4 months. Money is replaceable, the experience isn't. Haha. Be young. Email me for my revised itinerary. Hahaha.
Monday, September 20, 2004
Berlin
I´m in Berlin right now after having spent two nights in Amsterdam. I know it´s only been three nights that I´ve been on my own but occasionally, like right now, I get homesick. I´m hoping this feeling will pass (really soon) but right now, I think I´m just too use to having familiar faces around, especially family and friends. It sort of sucks having to make friends only to leave the next day and then try to make new friends again in a new place.
Right now, I know I´m just being cynical but I want to get out of Berlin, rush through Prague, and get to Oktoberfest in Munich already. I think I´ll still swing through Vienna and Salzburg, but I just want to get through to Munich. And then Italy, France and Spain, where I think I´ll enjoy the scenery more. Yeah, the weather makes it gloomy with the clouds and stuff. Someone meet me up! Haha.
Right now, I know I´m just being cynical but I want to get out of Berlin, rush through Prague, and get to Oktoberfest in Munich already. I think I´ll still swing through Vienna and Salzburg, but I just want to get through to Munich. And then Italy, France and Spain, where I think I´ll enjoy the scenery more. Yeah, the weather makes it gloomy with the clouds and stuff. Someone meet me up! Haha.
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