Team California - 72 Hours Ago

I realize that I have not written in the blog much the past few days. Lack of internet and extreme adventure can do that to you. As I said in my last post, I was in Cinque Terra hiking, and swimming in one of the most beautiful beaches I had ever been to. I mean this place is truly unreal it’s so beautiful. I met two other Californians at the hostel. Such a rarity on this trip!  We called ourselves team California as we hiked a 12K that lead you through 5 villages. Each village has a spectacular view of ocean, village and sunshine.  On the last leg of the hike, from village 4, to the last and final 5^th village, we could see in the distance stormy clouds. Faint sounds of thunder rumbled now and then. The three of us, Ant (short for Antony) Michael and I all looked at each other. Can we manage the last leg before the storm? Just then we ran into an American couple. They were from Atlanta. We told them we were moving forward on the last leg of the hike. Ms. Atlanta looks at us and says, “Isn’t that the hardest and longest part?” We look at her and shrug, then Ant says “Is that a challenge? Well challenge accepted!” The three of us then began to run as much of the hike as possible. She was right though; it definitely was the hardest leg of the hike. Not only were we trying to beat the storm, but we were also racing the sunset, as it was almost dark.  But we were team California, there was no way we were going to stop now! The three of us were an awesome team and cheered each other on  when we got tired. This hike makes you go up into hills, mountains, then down through vineyards, and through crops lining the sides of the beautiful mountain. About the last quarter mile the trail got really steep and it was hard to see the trail. “No problem!” says Michael. He reached into his bag and pulled out a headlamp.

I told you we made the perfect team! We finished the trail just in the nick of time to watch the last drop of sunset. It was amazing. We were tired and ready to grab food in the last village. After scoping the village out to find the best priced restaurant we finally pick one. Just as we sit down it begins to rain! We all laughed, we were having an amazing time.  After dinner we took the train back to our village, which was the first one. Ant bought a train pass to Milan; he was flying home at 4pm the next evening. Ant left early the following day and it was was just Michael and I. We are both outdoor junkies and decided that we wanted to rent Kayaks, swim, and do more hiking. Neither of us realized at the moment that we would be spending the next 48 hours on the biggest mission of our lives. I will tell you about it in my next post. Lets just say right now I am on a train heading to San Sebastian and haven’t slept more than 3-4 hours in the past 72 hours.

All is well, I am safe and sound!

Lots of love xx

Cinque Terre

Hello!

Today I am in Cinque Terre where I will be doing a 12k hike along 5 villages on the Italian coast. Look up some pictures if you have a chance. This place is absolutely amazing. I don't think my camera will do it justice but I will try and post more pictures later. The internet here is hard to come by. So please don't worry if I do not post for a couple of days. It is very safe here. This town is made up of the old wealthy retired Italians. There are young kids running around and grandparents yelling out the window telling them to come in and eat - to help paint you a picture. The water here looks amazing. I was in a train and came out of the tunnel to see the coastline and it is just absolutely breathtaking. Clear deep blue water and a coast lined with coves to have your own private swim in this haven. Just lovely. Life is very slow here, I would like to stay a week but its a bit expensive to stay. So I have two days to soak up the sun and then find a new destination. I was thinking spain. There is a city on the west coast called Sans Sebastian, look that up too. I think that will be my last stop on this crazy European tour and then I will head into Scotland and then London to take it easy and sort my life before I head back into the USA. I am so enjoying this trip. It is amazing, full of adventure, and my favorite is meeting new people of different cultures. I recommend everyone try it one day.

Lots of love! xx

Surviver - Traveler's Edition for saving $$

Above is the Hungarian Forint

Many of you may be wondering how am I surveying as a traveler through Europe. Well let me tell you there are times when it isn't easy! Ha!!! Traveling around I have had my share of "uh-o's" and "oopsies" that cost me quite a bit of money. Like the time I decided to travel spontaneously to Prague. I went online, found a ticket for 20 Euros and was like "Oh yea! What a deal!" Booked the ticket and was on the train to leave in an hour. Once I got into Prague I realized that I needed money. No worries theres an ATM at the station.... I put in my card, instead of finding Euros (to which I am used to) I had a bunch of weird symbols and the money came out in the thousands. "What the heck is this?!?" Turns out the Czech currency is crowns. So how many crowns to the dollar I ask myself -who knows. So I pulled out the 2nd highest amount which was 2000 crowns. 

Now I have money, time to look up the directions (i always do this the night before) on my lab top... "Oh Oops! I copy and pasted an ad next to the directions on google... now how do I get there?"

It was getting dark so I decided, you know what, Prague is really sketchy outside the main city. I'm going to grab a cab and be safe. I show the cab driver the address and he says 800 crowns. "What!! 800 crowns! How much is that!?!?!!" The cabby then says ok ok 700 crowns."Crap! I don't know how much that is or how far my hotel is... ok..." I get in the cab.

Me: Wow... it feels like we are making a big circle..
Czech Cabby: No no its other side of city
Me: hmmmm ... ok

Finally I get to my hostel, give the cabby 700 crowns.. (no tip!) and think... How much was that?

I get into the hostel and ask the front counter.. how far are we from the main train station?

Weird german front counter guy: Like 200 meters
Me: Oh Shiza... do you know how many crowns to the dollar?
Weird german front counter guy: Like 20 crowns to the dollar
Me: S#*&!!!!! I just gave him about $35 to drive me 200 meters down the street!!! Uggghhh... That could be 2 nights stay, or 3.5 days worth of food, or 1/2 of a new leather purse. or, or or etc...

Surviving on Bread (.45 Euro) and salami (2.5 Euro) can feed me for 2 meals

Cha-Ching $$$! Winning!

Ha ha ha ha... This is just one of a few "Woopsies" that I have encountered throughout this trip. It's a good story to tell now though thats for sure. I also warn other travelers I meet about this mistake too! So passing it forward is best I can do. 

So you may be wondering.. how do I make up for these financial blunders? Well let me tell you it takes major creativity! For example this morning the hostel I am at offers 6 Euro breakfast - all you can eat." 6 Euros!!!" I say. S#^*!!! I am on a 10 Euro a day diet what a rip off! So I first check out their all you can eat and see if they meet my standards. Please see my guidelines of "investing in All You Can Eat" below: 

Do they have apples - Check!
Do they have bread slices or big buns - Check!
Do they have meat and cheese - Check
Do they have coffee - Double check (most important)
Do they have anything sweet - Check check!
Do they have a 3rd option of food like cereal or something - Check!

Alright I am in on this investment of food. I go in slightly early.. minimum an hour and a half before the  "all you can eat" ends. I go straight for the cereal and coffee, yogurt and fruit. I graze on food for about 30 minutes drinking minimum of 2.5 cups of coffee so I also get my fix for the day. (These are European size cups mind you, not American size) Then I read my book and wait for my neighbor eating next to me to leave. Then I go in for the kill... I load a plate up with Bread, Cheese, meat, sneak a couple of apples into my purse and sit back down. I then very calmly put together 2 large sandwiches of meat & cheese. I quietly rap them up in loads napkins and into my purse they go. I then get another cup of coffee and load a plate up with cookies. I sit down next to my new eating neighbor and start chatting it up, dipping a few cookies into my coffee as I chat. Yum! I then say nice to meet you, wrap up a hand full of cookies and shove them into my bag.

Now I have lunch and dinner, a hand full of cookies & a few apples to snack on. Today it will be a 6 Euro diet. Even better is when I get too full and save the apples for the next day! Yes!!! I now have to spend less money to food tomorrow. Just for doing so financially well, I will treat myself to a 1.50 Euro Gelato for lunch tomorrow! Woopieeee!!!!

Above is the Swiss Crown 

 $1 american dollar = .95 Swiss Crowns

I  pulled 300 Swiss crowns cos I again forgot to check the currency exchange before I got there.

(Sometimes it takes multiple "Oopsies" before you learn a lesson)

Then sometimes you just need a nice hot meal ($10 Euro)

I got this meal in Vienna some yummy chicken and hummus thing. It was just a bunch of yummieness!

And thats how its done!

Lots of love to you all! xxxx

Train Ride through Tuscany

During this trip I have gone over the places I have been, the people I have met, and the things I have learned. One thing I have yet to mention is how much I have enjoyed traveling to each place by train. Right now I am on a train to Florence, which is in the Tuscany region of Italy. This is by far the most beautiful train ride I have been on.  I am sitting by the window and have passed beautiful vineyards, hills and trees with plum colored leaves. The land has the colors of fall, deep reds, oranges, yellows and deep burgundies splashed with green trees and grapevines. In between vineyards are old Tuscany styled homes, some made of stone, while others hold Spanish influence of yellow homes and clay tiled rooftops. What a site!

I enjoy these train rides so much because it allows me the time to sit and think about the adventure I was just on, and also plan the new one about to come. Sometimes I get a little homesick on these rides, but only in the way that I wish I could reflect with you how much I had enjoyed the city I have just left. I also use the time to go over what steps I want to take next in my life. It’s a very peaceful way to reflect, often I look forward to my long train rides (insert big smile here).

The coolest thing about these train rides is that you always know where you are going but really you have no idea how to get there.  Once arrived it is like you have been transported into a new world. You don’t know the culture, don’t speak the language, and no one even knows you name. There is something to be said about the feeling of anonymity when you arrive into a foreign country. I have come to point where I actually prefer trains over planes. It’s my "me" time!

Lots of love! xx

Munchen Continued...

Above is a church tower in Munich

As I mentioned in my previous post I went to Munich to meet my Berlin friend. I had an amazing time. Last time I was in Munich I did as the locals did and skipped all the touristy history stuff. Which was great, I spent 4 days with 2 Austrians, Panu my Finish friend, and Phillip Strong (the German who is very strong when he drinks). This time around I did more touristy stuff and started the adventure off with a history walking tour. It was great. The tour guide was this sassy (possibly gay) black man born and raised in Bavaria. He gave us all the nitty gritty on what it meant to be Bavarian and how they considered themselves as part of Germany. You see Bavarians consider themselves Bavarians first and then they are Germans. Therefore if a product is made in Bavaria (the state in which Munich exists) then the product is labeled a Bavarian, German product and never the other way around. Bavaria is the upper class, conservative Catholic side of Germany and has many internal battles with the young, liberal Protestant, northern region in which Berlin resides. In fact of all 16 states that make up Germany, Bavaria (Munich) is the only one that has not signed the German constitution because the do not agree with all that it says. The tour guide really knew his history, and it was great to learn about how so many laws in Bavaria and Munich revolved around it BEER. Just to fill some of you in, Munich is know for its beer gardens. In the past Bavaria’s entire economy thrived on the making of beer. Munich is the birthplace of Octoberfest, and is actually the only state that wears the laden hoyden as most of the state is farmland. (Laden hoyden are the classic outfits you think of when you think of German’s dressed up drinking beer) In fact, Bavaria prides itself so much on their quality of beer that there are laws to protect how it is made. Only wheat, barley, water and yeast are allowed into the beer that is brewed there.

English Beer Garden under the Chinese tower :)

There are two main types of beer, Halles is a sweeter lager (yum!)  and Weissbier is the wheat beer that tends to be a bit more sour (this was my favorite). On average it takes a German about 25 minutes to drink a beer. This is because after about 25 minutes the beer can no longer hold its fizz and will go stale. As you can imagine the Germans will not drink a stale beer, so 25 minutes is the rule of thumb to down a drink. So the Mass (or to us known as a stein) is a 1 liter cup that has to be drunk in 25 minutes otherwise you risk the beer going stale. So for the slower drinkers (me) you can get ½ liter cups and take 25 minutes to drink. They price them at ½ price, so you wont loose money on drinking beer slow – as long as you drink it before it’s stale is the motto here! Finally there is another law to protect their beer and it says that beer must always be priced as the second cheapest drink on the menu. Therefore most restaurants price water as the cheapest drink on the menu, and beer would be the second cheapest item to drink. Isn’t that great! After spending time with the locals, and then going back and spending time to learn their history (there was much more than the beer) I found that I truly love the Munich and the German culture. The people were wonderful and so helpful. One old man saw me pacing for 30 minutes cause I couldn’t find my train. He couldn’t speak a lick of English, but he finally came up to me to and played hand gestures to try to get me to my destination. He was so cute and sweet! I had a great time and cant wait to return to explore this amazing culture more one day.

My new German friend Jakob

Above is Philip Strong & I at a bar

(remember when he drinks he gets really strong and thats why I always call him that)

xx

Back to Munchen!

Church in Munich

Alright, so after Switzerland I was supposed to go into Italy to begin my grand tour of the country with an amazing kitchen… but then on my way from Budapest to Zurich Switzerland, I ran into my friend from Berlin and Prague in the subway. We only had a couple of minutes to exchange words and then I had to run and catch my train. What a small world to run into a fellow traveler in a subway trying to catch a train!!! We were traveling to different country and of all places in a subway- come on! I was a bit sad saying goodbye to the Scotts, and running into my Berlin friend made me incredibly sad. I had to say two goodbyes and then do 10 hours alone on a train. For the first time I found myself a bit homesick and sad that I may never see these wonderful people again -I actually cried a bit. (ha ha …oh well) During a train swap, I managed to skype Michelle, and God I felt sooooo much better.  (Thanks Mich!) When I reached Switzerland I was welcomed by an email from my Berlin mate. We decided that we should meet in Munich for a last hurrah before parting ways Wednesday. So here I am on a train in route to Munich. I have also decided to extend my trip until Marco’s wedding, and as promised will be home to attend his wedding in October. I fly into Boston on October 2 and into LAX on October 10 for Mom’s birthday. Sarah flies to Cali the same day so it will be the perfect gift for Mom too! I figured what the heck is the difference if I take 2 more weeks to enjoy life through travel right?!!

As always much love, and someone please send Mom an extra hug and kiss from me!

Xx

Ps. So the guy on the left is Greggy and the two girls are girls he also met in Panama!!! We just so happen to run into them at this night club hangout place! Crazy small world isnt it?!?!?!!!

Switzerland - Bern

Swiss Alps

Hello again! After Budapest I had arranged to meet a friend in Bern Switzerland. Bern is the city capital, and is not really a city but rather a very large village. About the size of covina. When I was on the train over, a lot of people were telling me I was going to get board but man they were SOOO wrong. Bern has a river that goes all around the city and makes like a U-tern. It's blazing hot out here so guess what I did for 3 days... you guessed it! White water rafter (the rapids weren't that big) and hiking. I had a BLAST. Whats even cooler is that everyone walks around with these waterproof bags. After a long hike down a hill we were too tired to walk back so we put our stuff in the bag, jumped in the river and floated to his street! How cool is that!

Hard labor of blowing up the raft

Relaxing before the mini rapids :)

Thats Greggy! Greggy and I met in 2009 in Panama. We had such a good time that we said if we were ever traveling near each other then we had to stop and visit.... so I did! He plans to come to USA in a couple of years! Cant wait!

Me goofing around at the top of the hike, The view was AMAZING!

Cool Highland Cow we saw hiking on our way down the hill. 

Love you and will update more soon! I am Venice right now and the reception for internet is not so good! My next destination is either going to be Rome or Lake Garda.. I will let you know! xx