10 days to catch up on! Prague!

Hi everyone!

Sorry that i haven't been able to keep up with my trip. It is currently raining outside so i just may have an hour to wirte what's been going on for the last 10 or so days!

Well, i'll try to start from back in Turkey, but it seems that long ago, that i have to rely on my notes and memories to get my stories happening!

On day 26, we got up early and left our Istanbul hotel and got on the Coach headed for Sofia, Bulgaria. This was another hotel stay, which is always greatly appreciated. On the way there, we stopped of at the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, which was awesome- the paintings and architecture is brilliant and then went to some market,s which are still selling nazi memorabilia from pre WW2. a little strange and eerie to see. (I left it all there.)

After this we headed back to our hotel and had some bulgarian food and got all dressed up for a night out in Sofia. Now, you would think Sofia would be a happening place... and aparently it is after 3am in the morning, but that is when all good girls like me are fast asleep in their hotel rooms. (I'm talking about nights when i'm not in a tent.) anyway, we had a bit of a dance and a couple of drinks, but taxi drivers are maniacs over here! It's like a showride with a destination!


Anway after a good nights sleep (i didn't even hear my room mate talking on the phone) it was off to Macedonia after a delightful breakfast of Stale Bread, cold hard boiled eggs and cucumber! awesome!

Today we crossed the border into Macedonia and had lunch in a town called Skopje. Hillarious for the town folk who can't speak english to have top deal with 46 non macedonian speaking tourists, who all need food! Ended up ordering spaghetti (which was the only thing that sounded remotely familiar) and a coke for like 2 euros
($4) not bad either. Strange place to be, but i have been there are enjoyed myself!

Anyway, After lunch, we travelled onto Lake Orhid, which had the most beautiful scenary of all of our campsites, but i must say theyu are all really on par, because thay are all stunning places and i can not pick a favourite! Not so much praise for the bathrooms though.... tour mates were prefering to squat in the bushes than in the toilets block, which only had squat toilets and mozzies the size of concordes! when you flushed them, you needed to be prepared to run, cos otherwise the toilet water flooded your shoes and i mean flood! but not all bad, after an amazing thunderstorm with enough lightening to freak most in the sampsite out, we went for a walk along the side of the lake to a little alter in the lake side caves. Eerie, but quite enjoyable. Usually i'm the scaredy-cat, but as one of the fella's held on tight to my hand due to his fear, i found it very funny to push through the swinging door and scream "Oh My God!" only to have him let go and require a clean set of underwear! You probably had to be there, but most of our tour group is very close and it was very funny!

So on to Albania the next day, as we have a few 1 might stops to get us across to some more interesting places. We stayed on the coast of Albania next in a great hotel in Durres. beautiful swimming pool overlooking the beach and a great hotel too. As i had the penthouse suite with my girl friends we had several drinks on the balcony, before politely kicking everyone out for bed! once again, it was a o\one night stay so off early in the morning after a nice feed of Cucumber, Olives and tomatos for breaky! (It is at this time, when we beg our Mobile cook, never to serve us cucumber for breaky!)

On the 19th of May, day 29, we travelled through the thriving country of Montenegro, whilst munching away on Negro bikkies.(i have the photo to prove this is not racist) Beautiful lunch at some town, where we all stocked up on some food and drinks as the prices are amazingly cheap, then we continued on for Dubrovnik.

What an awesome place Dubrovnik is! It is so very pretty and old and special. It's a real shame that it has been tainted as it has, because it is certainly on of the most memorable places i've been. ANYWAY... We set up our campsite and broke out the collection af drinks we now owned and played some hard core UNO. I have to say, Uno is the new Texas Hold 'em.... it's making a come back!

So next day we headed into the old town and went for a tour of the city. Now i need to explain to you just how fantastically organised the tour is. Our little tour guide, know affectiaonately at Tin Tin, is just amazing. He has information about everything. If he doesn't explain it to you during the tour and you ask him what something means, he's got thew answer and if he doesn't, it bugs him, and he goes and finds out.
If we walk into a bar, we don't uy a drink before he's got us some sort of deal about staying an hour and getting free drinks for all of us, or maybe it's a deal for 3 courses and a drink for 11 euro orsomething, they are just magic and so make it easy to have a great time. So anyway...

After the tour of the city and a bit of free time shopping, it was off onto our boat to cruise the Dalmatian coast (?) and it is just beautiful. Altough the water is cold it is just brilliant to dive in off the boat and swim with the sea urchins. I loved it. We spent 5 hours on board and stopping at little silands on the way for ice cream and souvenirs. What an awesome day.

Then it was back to the cxamp site to spruce ourselves up for a night on the town! My friends and I went to a lovely little restuarant with a lovely little waiter, with the longest name in history... and he loved me! ha ha, didn't ever show up to buy me that drink though... and after several hours at a bar, we headed off to the dreaded Club Fuego (yes... the club) It was Awesome. Not sure why, cos there were not many people there but i was there with so many of my friends and we were all aware of the history, but we stuck together and had one of the best nights of the tour.

Now, i have funny story - but you may have needed to be there....

Holly and I were the last ones out, with Simon (Coach driver extrodinare) and Mel (Super Chef Mobile Cook) and we all caught a taxi back to the camp together. As simon was the only Male, he was getting a hard time... Then all of a sudden the taxi stops and he was telling us to get out! Holly and I retorted a couple of times before realising that we were actually being dropped off as close to the tents as possible, but Mel and Simon were to continue to their units. So with apologies, we climbed out and stumbled our way back to camp.
Onl the way Holly really needed to use the bathroom, so we found a nice friendly looking tree. I obviously chose to friendly side, cos only a couple of seconds later, Holly was being attacked by monster Ants and scratched to pieces by some thorning prickle bush... She still has the scars to prove it! Very funny!

Anyway, when we got back to camp, we could hear a couple of the others saying someone had destroyed the cook tent and when we had a look, there was not a dish on the table. there was stuff everywhere... yes, it was worse than my bedroom! So everyone else went to bed and an eager Holly and I boiled the water and washed all the dishes at 4am... We really do love our Cook!

righto then. Lazy day the next day. Did some washing and got onto the computer... yes that was last blog day, so now i am up to there. Nothing exciting for the day, just a nig\ce chance to rest ansd relax and it was really hot too, so just what was needed!

Next day, was pack up day and travel towards Zadar. We crossed into Bosnia and then out again, as it's not that exciting.... Nice drive out of it really!
We stopped in Split for lunch, which is where the powerful dude decided to break up the empire, hence the name split. Will have to go through my notesd though to figue out who and what that was... So much information to try and remember!

Got to Zadar in time to sight see, which is rare for our "One night only" stops. Alonf rhw edge of the sea in an organ with plays a tune when the waves push against the shore and push air up the tubes to create the sound. A little funky really, quite engenious!

As it was only for one night, not many people bothered with tents and we all slept under the stars, which was great! Very enjoyable!

Up and off early again, this time we headed for Hungary to stop in Budapest. I think it seems that the less i know about a place, the more i end up enjoying it. I loved budapest it was fantastic. So much to see and do!

We skanked ourselves up again and headed into town for a night at a hungarian nightclub and at first i was very disappointed, but then it just seemed to take off and it was brillient. Best night! The music was like 1920's ragtime and we all just really enjoyed it, so it was awesome!

Coach tour of Budapest in the morning, then during free time, i went to the Terror museum about what the hungarians went through under the nazi and soviet occupations, so that was very interesting. Afterwards it was off to the Thermal baths and wow! They are awesome! we need some of them at home!

Next morning, it was pack up again and head to Vienna. Now Vienna is such a beautiful place and definalty somewhere i can come back to. After setting up, we did a tour of the city and ended up having tea and free time at the oldest amusement park in Europe. Awesome, Mildura show, eat your heart out! So many rides and things to do, it was really enjoyable!

The following day was free day in Vienna and after a tour on foot with Tour guide extrodinare, ALex we had free time so my and my girl frineds hitched a ride in a horse and cart that took us around the old town. Very exciting! and well worth it. definately something you have to do!
Taday i also saw the Sisi museum who was the first lady to make herslef beautiful by using make up and stuff. I son't think she was very well though...

Also went to the Schnaps museum and had several shots of their prized creations including burning my throat on actually Absinth. Nasty stuff that! Next was a wander in the gardens of schonburnn palace, which were the most enjoyable gardens i've seen. I loved them! Google these things and you should see them too!

After dinner back at the camp, we headed off to the Mozart and Strauss Concert which was breath taking!

Then yesterday, we packed up Vienna and headed in to Prague, Czech Rep. We stopped off at Cesky Krunlov along the way and then after tea and setting up the camp site, most of us headed into town to wastch the European Soccer final. A good night had by all.

Today we came into town by public transport and after yet another fantastic town tour on foot, we had a boat cruise for lunch up the river and then free time to enjoy the rain. Looking forward now to seeing if my luggage is still dry in my tent.

AND I AM NOW UP TO DATE!

Love you all, and will tell you what else i do, next time i get the chance!

xoxoxoxox


View Larger Map