Sunday, 9 March 2014

Zadar 13/8

Paris to Zadar 13/8 - Mia's Hostel 

On our last day in Paris went to see the Notre Damme cathedral, which wasn't actually that impressive besides the creepy gargoyles. 



Luxembourg garden was a pretty amazing park we found along the way, and just before we got to the main train station we also stumble across an awesome comic store on our travels. I saw so much just storming through the city on our way to the station.








We caught a train to Beauvais airport then flew with Wizz Air to Zadar, arrived at 11pm where Anné was waiting for us and took us to her apartments.




Checked in and got some food by the small marina. Went back to our non air con room and we had to share a hot double bed.




Zadar 14/8 - Mia's Hostel

Woke up and went for a swim at a nearby rocky beach, then decided to walk it to Zadar. An hour later we got to a supermarket and bought snorkels





Paris 10/8

Amsterdam to Paris - St Chris Inn canal, twin room.

Woke at 8.30, packed and had the free breaky at the hotel. We then walked to station and only to find out we had to reserve a spot on the express fast train as it was peak season, or pay the 139euro. We decided against that ridiculous price and caught a different one for 37euro each to Paris with 3 stops, taking 2 hours longer.




We stopped at Rotterdam, Antwerp and Brussels.
But at Brussels we almost missed the train to Paris because we were unknowingly 15mins late, we had to run to platform 6, with the doors literally closing behind us just making it.






The french train was fast. Arrived in Paris and walked to hostel. Checked in twin share room. We showered and went down to bar, for a few celebratory cocktails, but then Ryan went to bed. I still wanted to go out and see the Paris nightlife, but before doing so I thought it'd be a great idea to cut my own hair, drunk, and with a beard trimmer...
After doing so I went downstairs to the club, and then followed some girls to Moulin Rouge, and a few bars around it. A lot of Aussies, as there was Busabout tour passing through.





We left and decided to walk back to the hostel after a few stops at different bars.
Not far from the hostel I saw some kid do a runner from a supermarket towards me. What seemed like the shop owner was screaming and shouting (in french), so I acted calm until the last second then planted my foot straight into his chest like the scene from the movie 300. 

He stopped instantly, the full force of his sprint ceased momentarily, then bounced off the sole of my foot and then back onto the ground at the same time a wallet flew out of his hand and exploded with cash.
He laid there coughing, in a fetal position, so I grabbed the money and the wallet and returned it to the shop owner, who didn;t seem to want it... when suddenly the remains of a cloud of pepper spray filled my lungs and eyes.
I quickly ran, not fully understanding what just happened and the scene and got a cab back to the hostel. - What a random night!



Paris 11/8 - St Chris Inn Canal


I of course, woke up hungover. Then, after a struggled greasy breakfast, we eventually caught the Metro to just behind the Louvre, where I bought some wine and a baguette and decided against the massive line and possibly boring museum.
I navigated us with the handy hostel map and my compass, across the maze of bridges and streets that went every direction - but to the Eiffel Tower. 





The line was massive, about a 45minute wait, but Ryan didn't want to be there so we unfortunately bailed. However Ryan saw a street gambling game, and decided he had time for that... only to lose €100 on his first game when suddenly the guy dodgy gypo bailed because of the police that were no where to be seen... coincidence, perhaps not. A good laugh for me anyway.


Later that night we chilled out with some cool Canadians on the canal with a few bottles of wine,  baguettes and some cheeses.


 Paris 12/8  - St Chris Inn Canal

We left the hostel and thought a french breakfast at a cafe on the way to the Lourve would be a better option.
The cafe had all the seats out side, facing forward to the open street/river.




I chose an awesome cheesy eggplant and chicken breast toasty. Upon paying I was owed €6 change from my 20, but Ryan had given the right change and when the waiter asked if everything was ok, Ryan thanked him and then typically the waiter quickly ran off with the my change... €20 Breakfast fail.



We got the Lourve and again the line was massive, plus Ryan wasn't interested yet again. So we marched off to a few other sights like the Obelisk and Arch of Triumph, via this big park, where we priced up U-Boats on the shopping strip equivalent of Chapel street.



Ryan wanted to go to Disney Land so I agreed, as much as I didn't care for it, we caught a train 45mins out from Paris and had the choice of 2 parks.
We were told we didn't have time for both so we went the with the Studios park.
Apparently more for adults.




The rides in the Studios park would of been definitely more fun, even though I wanted to go on one ride in the other park, that being the Indiana Jones ride. But it was still an enjoyable day. As commercially farmed as it was.














Thursday, 23 January 2014

Amsterdam 7/8

Budapest to Amsterdam 7/8 - Corner Hotel

I woke up and packed my stuff, Ryan met me at 10am after he checked out of his ghetto-like hot box, we then decided to have a dip in the thermal Baths near the river before flying out. 

The sun was booming, yet another perfect day, so we laid by the pools and soaked up the warm water ranging from 28 to 45 degrees. I followed Ryan to what was probably the hottest sauna on earth and sweated it out in there for 5 minutes at a time, then diving into what felt like an ice bath of 4 degrees.



I lost Ryan and decided to get a massage for the remaining hour, which was awkward when she said to take my shorts off, as they were all I was wearing. So I stripped down and laid on the floor with the small towel they had provided.
I managed to catch up on some sleep and leave a drool patch on the pillow, but the low lighting, peaceful music did the trick. I woke up feeling fresh and 
rejuvenated, something I hadn't felt since leaving home.

I couldn't find Ryan anywhere, our flight was getting closer, so I taxi'd back to the hostel hoping he had done the same.
Thankfully he had, and was waiting for me in the common area, so we grabbed our bags and taxi'd to the Airport. 
Check-in was easy enough but customs was slow and I forgot to take my pocket knife out of my bag. So regrettably I had to forfeit that and some sunscreen.

A dodgy 2 hour Wizz Air flight later we arrived in Eindhosen, which was unfortunately rainy.
We then caught a bus to the main station and paid 32euro for a train to Amsterdam. About 20minutes in Ryan then realised he had lost his iPhone 5 and proceeded to freak out, and checked every pocket of his 300pocket backpack with no success.

When we arrived in Amsterdam, having no accommodation we soon found that every hotel was booked or ridiculously pricey, but luckily we found one called the Corner House hotel, a cute bar, restaurant with rooms upstairs accessible via stairs cases that only mountain climbers could scale.

We freshened up and met Ryan's mates Benny and Jay. Had a few beers and were attacked by 3 drunk UK girls, two were Frankston-likes and one, Gemma, traveling by herself on Contiki. We bailed on girls and then found ourselves in the red light district and saw a live sex show, which was way too choreographed to techno music to take seriously.



Amsterdam 8/8 - Corner Hotel


In the morning we had to change rooms as we had only booked one night, and seemingly got a free upgrade which was a great win. After the icnluded breakfast we hired bikes, rode to the Rijkmuseum, IAMSTERDAM sign, then to Vondelpark, and reserved a night in cheaper hostel.



We bought some food from the supermarket and had lunch by one of the small lakes, where we met an Asian dude who gave us some magic Truffles. Ryan bought a near new iPhone 5 from some dodgy man at a small phone shop, and then I nearly crapped myself probably due to the truffle or two that I foolishly consumed. We rode back to hotel, got ready and went to meet Benny at the square. Had tapas in the red light district, and more beers in Leidseplein square. We randomly found a pub crawl and tacked onto that and met up with UK girls.




Amsterdam 9/8 - Corner hotel

Ryan didn't come home, and I couldn't contact him.  So at 10am I half packed everything, had breakkie without him only for him to show up hungover and with no sleep. We returned the bikes and booked another night in the hotel. 

Ryan slept, I went out and found a coffee shop and bought a brownie. Ate it straight away and bought some chocolates, walked for 25mins to Vondelpark and laid down on the grass next to a lake. 45mins passes and I felt a little heavy, 1hr went past and I could make shapes and things out of the clouds, I devoured all my snacks and a hotdog and felt really heavy.
Eventually got up and walked back, but found a pancake parlour. I went with a big Nutella banana pancake, and pike-lets with strawberry and ice-creams. So much food, so much amazing!




I walked back to the hotel content and sleepy, so I slept it off, but then went back out with Ryan, went to the same Coffee shop were we bought a coffee and an Amnesia haze each. We got pretty high, as I have a weak tolerance to it, then walked around until we found a KFC where I ate and entirely family meal worth of chicken chips and gravy.