Hey guys,
with less than 24 hours before I leave Oz, I thought I would give one last update from the road.
-I've been in Melbourne for the past 5 days or so. I've met up with several people from Rhodes here, as there are currently 3 Rhodes friends living in the city.
-I went on a tour of the Great Ocean Road yesterday, which was absolutely fantastic. I think the Loch Ard Gorge was my favorite. There is a great story of a shipwreck there, where one guy survived, got to shore, then went back out to save a girl he heard calling for help. The two of them were rare survivors of shipwrecks along the dangerous coastline there. Obviously there is more detail to the story, but that's the basic part of it. There were also great views at the 12 apostles, london bridge, the temperate rainforest there, and some great surfing areas along the road.
-I've gone to several fascenating museums here and gone to a big local market, the Queen Victoria Market. My favorite exhibition was the Tim Burton exhibition that they have. I tried to also go to the Titanic exhibit here, as it has a lot of artefacts from it, but it was sold out on the day I went.
-I have been to an AFL match here, which was quite interesting. Not as enjoyable of a sport as rugby, but I found it to be pretty cool. I got to see it at the Melbourne Cricket Grounds (MCG) which could hold 100,000 people. The attendance was around 75,000 or so.
Ok, I'm off, but I look forward to getting back in a couple days' time.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Hello all
Hey guys,
here are a few highlights from the past few days:
-Diving on the great barrier reef. I went out on a day dive (2 dives) on the outer reef from Cairns, up in the north. It was crappy weather, but still fantastic diving. Definitely worth the money. My dive buddy was a cool guy from the UK that had been diving for 35 years, mostly as a Navy and then Marines diver. His favorite dive was dry suit diving in Antarctica.
-Going up to Cape Tribulation and seeing what is believed to be the world's oldest continually existing rainforest. Had a lot of fun up there.
-Got to do a tropical fruit tasting. This consisted of 10 fruits that can't be shipped outside of the tropics, as they only last a couple of days or bruise too easily or something else. They were really, really cool and unusual. Some of them we do get in the states, but tasting nothing like what a fresh one tastes like.
-Oh, and I don't think I've written about the rugby match yet. The Wallabies thumped the Springboks 30-13! It was such and exciting match to be at, I had a lot of fun. It is much better going to a rugby match than an American football match, as this doesn't have any of the breaks between every single stupid play. I still love American football, but it's just a sport better enjoyed on TV. The Australia-New Zealand game will be in Melbourne while I'm there...I'm definitely considering going....
One week left! I'll try to put a few last updates on before I'm done.
here are a few highlights from the past few days:
-Diving on the great barrier reef. I went out on a day dive (2 dives) on the outer reef from Cairns, up in the north. It was crappy weather, but still fantastic diving. Definitely worth the money. My dive buddy was a cool guy from the UK that had been diving for 35 years, mostly as a Navy and then Marines diver. His favorite dive was dry suit diving in Antarctica.
-Going up to Cape Tribulation and seeing what is believed to be the world's oldest continually existing rainforest. Had a lot of fun up there.
-Got to do a tropical fruit tasting. This consisted of 10 fruits that can't be shipped outside of the tropics, as they only last a couple of days or bruise too easily or something else. They were really, really cool and unusual. Some of them we do get in the states, but tasting nothing like what a fresh one tastes like.
-Oh, and I don't think I've written about the rugby match yet. The Wallabies thumped the Springboks 30-13! It was such and exciting match to be at, I had a lot of fun. It is much better going to a rugby match than an American football match, as this doesn't have any of the breaks between every single stupid play. I still love American football, but it's just a sport better enjoyed on TV. The Australia-New Zealand game will be in Melbourne while I'm there...I'm definitely considering going....
One week left! I'll try to put a few last updates on before I'm done.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Brisbane and Noosa
Hello all,
Here is a cool picture from Brisbane of me and a koala named Sumo:
http://i.koala.net/2207121485.htm
Also, I have spent the past day up in Noosa, which is a great little beach town north of Brisbane that has an amazing national park. The park is rather small, but has beautiful coastline and a gorgeous forest in the interior. I was seeing all sorts of birds, including lorikeets, fairy-wrens, honeycreepers, and kookaburras. Also went to go see Inception last night, it was a great movie. Definitely worth going to.
The koala picture was from a koala sanctuary that has been open near Brisbane since the 1920s and has over 130 koalas. It also is full of other animals, such as kangaroos, wombats, birds, a platypus, and much more.
I'm headed back to Brisbane today and am going to catch a Tri-Nations rugby match tonight. Wallabies vs. Springbok. Aussies vs. South Africa. Should be great for a first rugby match.
Cheers,
-Andy
Here is a cool picture from Brisbane of me and a koala named Sumo:
http://i.koala.net/2207121485.htm
Also, I have spent the past day up in Noosa, which is a great little beach town north of Brisbane that has an amazing national park. The park is rather small, but has beautiful coastline and a gorgeous forest in the interior. I was seeing all sorts of birds, including lorikeets, fairy-wrens, honeycreepers, and kookaburras. Also went to go see Inception last night, it was a great movie. Definitely worth going to.
The koala picture was from a koala sanctuary that has been open near Brisbane since the 1920s and has over 130 koalas. It also is full of other animals, such as kangaroos, wombats, birds, a platypus, and much more.
I'm headed back to Brisbane today and am going to catch a Tri-Nations rugby match tonight. Wallabies vs. Springbok. Aussies vs. South Africa. Should be great for a first rugby match.
Cheers,
-Andy
Monday, July 19, 2010
In Australia, plus Thailand comments
Ok, so it's been a bit. Sorry that my Thailand comments were pretty pitiful.
So here's what's up:
-I just made it to Australia tonight. Just try to keep track with me being a day ahead of all of you suckers for about all of your waking day. I'm staying at a hostel in Sydney, and I'm thinking 3 nights to try to get in the sights so that I can just get back in to the city to fly home on the 4th. I'm currently trying to figure out where in the country I want to go. It's hard to decide, as travel is rather expensive here.
-My visit to middle-of-nowhere Thailand was awesome. Really, really awesome. Beau was the only person around who spoke english, so I was heavily reliant on him, but that worked out just fine. We were going to go to a school he was working with, but I quickly learned that no plans are reliable in Thailand. Instead, we ended up picking rice in a nearby field, which was actually quite cool. It was a lot of fun, but that's just because we did it for less than an hour. I can't imagine what kind of pain I would be in if I did that for an entire day. Thailand is not a country for tall people. Also, we ended up throwing a frisbee with a bunch of Thai kids, which was a lot of fun. I'm not sure if they had ever used a frisbee before (I don't think they had), but they picked it up quickly. Also, I got to live using bucket showers and a squat toilet for a few days, which felt more like real Thailand. I'm quite glad I got to go up and see Beau. Props to him for learning Thai, and then his dialect of Thai, and then living in the area for a couple of years.
-Toursity Thailand beaches were ok. Not too many great stories from there, but it sure was beautiful. I can give y'all more info on this later. But, it was nice to scuba dive there and to chill out on the beaches. But, you can tell that these areas have a high number of European and Australian tourists there just to party.
-I got a ride from a friendly airport police officer from the airport to the bus station. This was nice, seeing as he was one of the few people in Khon Kaen that spoke English. However, I have picked up about 2 or 3 Thai phrases that came in useful.
So here's what's up:
-I just made it to Australia tonight. Just try to keep track with me being a day ahead of all of you suckers for about all of your waking day. I'm staying at a hostel in Sydney, and I'm thinking 3 nights to try to get in the sights so that I can just get back in to the city to fly home on the 4th. I'm currently trying to figure out where in the country I want to go. It's hard to decide, as travel is rather expensive here.
-My visit to middle-of-nowhere Thailand was awesome. Really, really awesome. Beau was the only person around who spoke english, so I was heavily reliant on him, but that worked out just fine. We were going to go to a school he was working with, but I quickly learned that no plans are reliable in Thailand. Instead, we ended up picking rice in a nearby field, which was actually quite cool. It was a lot of fun, but that's just because we did it for less than an hour. I can't imagine what kind of pain I would be in if I did that for an entire day. Thailand is not a country for tall people. Also, we ended up throwing a frisbee with a bunch of Thai kids, which was a lot of fun. I'm not sure if they had ever used a frisbee before (I don't think they had), but they picked it up quickly. Also, I got to live using bucket showers and a squat toilet for a few days, which felt more like real Thailand. I'm quite glad I got to go up and see Beau. Props to him for learning Thai, and then his dialect of Thai, and then living in the area for a couple of years.
-Toursity Thailand beaches were ok. Not too many great stories from there, but it sure was beautiful. I can give y'all more info on this later. But, it was nice to scuba dive there and to chill out on the beaches. But, you can tell that these areas have a high number of European and Australian tourists there just to party.
-I got a ride from a friendly airport police officer from the airport to the bus station. This was nice, seeing as he was one of the few people in Khon Kaen that spoke English. However, I have picked up about 2 or 3 Thai phrases that came in useful.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Quick Thailand Update
I am currently on Ko Pha-ngon and will be leaving for Ko Phi Phi tomorrow. Here are a few of the things I have been up to:
-Today I went diving out at Sail Rock. Did two dives there and had a great time. Highlights were seeing a scorpionfish and swimming up a "Chimney"
-Went to a bunch of really, really pretty temples while I was in Bangkok
-Rode an elephant (which I'm still feeling guilty about)
-Spent some time chilling on the beach. I'm preparing for even more on Ko Phi Phi.
-I think I'm going to fly up to the Northeast of the country to visit my friend, Beau on about Thursday. Looks like I can fly from down here to up there for a decent price.
-Today I went diving out at Sail Rock. Did two dives there and had a great time. Highlights were seeing a scorpionfish and swimming up a "Chimney"
-Went to a bunch of really, really pretty temples while I was in Bangkok
-Rode an elephant (which I'm still feeling guilty about)
-Spent some time chilling on the beach. I'm preparing for even more on Ko Phi Phi.
-I think I'm going to fly up to the Northeast of the country to visit my friend, Beau on about Thursday. Looks like I can fly from down here to up there for a decent price.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Ballito/Durban and driving across SA
Good morning from Cape Town,
As I write this I'm about to fall asleep on the keyboard, so forgive me if this post doesn't make much sense.
When we got to our hostel (Monkey Bay Backpackers) in Ballito (North of Durban) four days ago, we were very impressed by how nice the guys there were. We got a nice little tour of Ballito, which is a small little surfing/vacation town right on the beach. Our hostel was fantastic with one major highlight: a huge outdoor shower. Possibly the best shower I have ever been in. We spent three nights there, and went to see the Dutch beat Slovakia, hung out around the beach, went to an aquarium, and enjoyed the shorts weather. The beach was fantastic, with little areas of sharp rocks breaking the nice sand beaches every now and then. We got some sweet pictures on the rocks as the waves crashed into them (I'm planning on posting some pics in the next day or two, so y'all should get a look at some of the places I've been). Also, the Durban stadium (Moses Mabhida) has to be the coolest stadium I have ever been in. If you've never seen it, look up some pictures of it...it is absolutely beautiful. Furthermore, the game was a lot of fun and all of the Dutch fans were great to hang out with. If you watched the match you saw Dirk Kuyt further show how classy of a player he is by not being greedy and sealing the win for his team. Seriously, that man is 2000% class. Unfortunately I wasn't able to pick up any cool Dutch gear, as there weren't any street vendors at this game for some reason. Maybe they were trying to make Durban look nicer than all of the other cities.
Oh, by the way: Going to the Germany vs. Argentina game this weekend. No big deal.
Yesterday we drove from Durban to Mossel Bay, which is around halfway between Port Elizabeth and Cape Town. This was a 15 hour drive, besides the fact that you drive about 140 km/hr most of the way (around 87 mph). Though, a lot of it was 2 lanes, so there were plenty of trucks to pass. It was really strange driving through this area, as a lot of it just had tiny little country towns, spaced out about 1 or 2 km apart in every direction that the eye can see. Just little towns of just houses, no stores, no streets. It seemed like most of the lifestyle out there was in livestock, as nothing really grows in that thick red clay. Every once in a while you would come across a larger town with a few stores and markets, and they were PACKED with people everywhere. It was rather odd, especially as we seemed to be the only non-locals around. We very inappropriately called them little Mogadishus, as that is what they looked like and we really felt out of place. But, the countryside was very beautiful and all of the people that we met along the way were extremely nice. Jim and I wanted to stop at one of the tiny bars/stores/post offices that you saw along the way in the middle of nowhere, as we felt that would be a great cultural experience. Tyler and Scott were not so thrilled about the idea. We got into Mossel Bay around 11 or 11:30, and then left at 5:30 this morning, so we never saw it in the daylight. But, the little beach house we stayed at seemed awesome; I would definitely like to go back there sometime. We then got into Cape Town, showered up, Jim went to work, and we've been exploring around. It is time for the Cape of Good Hope this afternoon.
Oh, and I forgot to mention: I was drinking with Rob Green's sister two nights ago. The Rob Green that let in the USA's infamous goal a couple of weeks ago. She totally verified it as well, I have absolutely no doubt that it was his sister. She was traveling around now that her family had headed back to England, so we hung out with her all evening and night. Definitely a random highlight of the trip. We didn't know it was her and were just hanging out with her until somebody made a Rob Green joke (we make at least 5-10 a day). It definitely made me feel bad about all of the previous jokes, as Rob is never going to live that goal down. But, I'm still glad that the US got a point out of that match...
Ok, I'll try to post one more time before I head to Thailand. Let me know if there is anything about my trip y'all want to know about.
-Andy
As I write this I'm about to fall asleep on the keyboard, so forgive me if this post doesn't make much sense.
When we got to our hostel (Monkey Bay Backpackers) in Ballito (North of Durban) four days ago, we were very impressed by how nice the guys there were. We got a nice little tour of Ballito, which is a small little surfing/vacation town right on the beach. Our hostel was fantastic with one major highlight: a huge outdoor shower. Possibly the best shower I have ever been in. We spent three nights there, and went to see the Dutch beat Slovakia, hung out around the beach, went to an aquarium, and enjoyed the shorts weather. The beach was fantastic, with little areas of sharp rocks breaking the nice sand beaches every now and then. We got some sweet pictures on the rocks as the waves crashed into them (I'm planning on posting some pics in the next day or two, so y'all should get a look at some of the places I've been). Also, the Durban stadium (Moses Mabhida) has to be the coolest stadium I have ever been in. If you've never seen it, look up some pictures of it...it is absolutely beautiful. Furthermore, the game was a lot of fun and all of the Dutch fans were great to hang out with. If you watched the match you saw Dirk Kuyt further show how classy of a player he is by not being greedy and sealing the win for his team. Seriously, that man is 2000% class. Unfortunately I wasn't able to pick up any cool Dutch gear, as there weren't any street vendors at this game for some reason. Maybe they were trying to make Durban look nicer than all of the other cities.
Oh, by the way: Going to the Germany vs. Argentina game this weekend. No big deal.
Yesterday we drove from Durban to Mossel Bay, which is around halfway between Port Elizabeth and Cape Town. This was a 15 hour drive, besides the fact that you drive about 140 km/hr most of the way (around 87 mph). Though, a lot of it was 2 lanes, so there were plenty of trucks to pass. It was really strange driving through this area, as a lot of it just had tiny little country towns, spaced out about 1 or 2 km apart in every direction that the eye can see. Just little towns of just houses, no stores, no streets. It seemed like most of the lifestyle out there was in livestock, as nothing really grows in that thick red clay. Every once in a while you would come across a larger town with a few stores and markets, and they were PACKED with people everywhere. It was rather odd, especially as we seemed to be the only non-locals around. We very inappropriately called them little Mogadishus, as that is what they looked like and we really felt out of place. But, the countryside was very beautiful and all of the people that we met along the way were extremely nice. Jim and I wanted to stop at one of the tiny bars/stores/post offices that you saw along the way in the middle of nowhere, as we felt that would be a great cultural experience. Tyler and Scott were not so thrilled about the idea. We got into Mossel Bay around 11 or 11:30, and then left at 5:30 this morning, so we never saw it in the daylight. But, the little beach house we stayed at seemed awesome; I would definitely like to go back there sometime. We then got into Cape Town, showered up, Jim went to work, and we've been exploring around. It is time for the Cape of Good Hope this afternoon.
Oh, and I forgot to mention: I was drinking with Rob Green's sister two nights ago. The Rob Green that let in the USA's infamous goal a couple of weeks ago. She totally verified it as well, I have absolutely no doubt that it was his sister. She was traveling around now that her family had headed back to England, so we hung out with her all evening and night. Definitely a random highlight of the trip. We didn't know it was her and were just hanging out with her until somebody made a Rob Green joke (we make at least 5-10 a day). It definitely made me feel bad about all of the previous jokes, as Rob is never going to live that goal down. But, I'm still glad that the US got a point out of that match...
Ok, I'll try to post one more time before I head to Thailand. Let me know if there is anything about my trip y'all want to know about.
-Andy
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Africa so far
Hello guys and gals,
Sorry it has been a while. Internet has been hard to come by so far, and I haven't had much time when I've gotten on.
We just made it to Durban, which on first sight is obviously much, much more wealthy than J-burg. I am currently at an enormous mall that would make ones in the USA blush.
Only time for a few highlights, so I'll go fast:
-Brazil vs. Ivory Coast game was amazing. Soccer City is a beautiful, huge stadium and we had so much fun. Shame that I.C. didn't play better, but the game was still fantastic. However, the roadways around the stadium were not at all prepared for this. Took us forever to ride in, and then we still had to walk a couple of miles to the stadium. However, we did get a bunch of Brazilians PISSED after the game by chanting "Fabi-mano! Fabi-mano!" I'm impressed that such a slight chant could cause Brazilians to chant "Fuck USA" after their own victory...
-Spain vs. Honduras: Great 1st goal by Villa, but let me say a new rule. You are not allowed to have your team spend all of their time getting you a hat trick if you miss a penalty. That's just weak. Made the end of the game a little worse than it should have been. However, Ellis Park was a lot of fun. We had a great time cheering on the Spaniards.
-USA vs. Algeria: Umm...need I say anything more than this game was AWESOME? I was crying my eyes out after Landovan scored...I just couldn't believe it. We partied with U.S. fans in the stadium for over an hour after the match. I will tell you all more about it in person at some point, it was a match for the ages.
-USA vs. Ghana: I'm not talking about this one. Just like I still refuse to talk about the USA vs. Brazil match from last year.
-WE GOT TO PET BABY LIONS! I HAVE HAD A BABY WHITE LION CHEW ON MY HAND. Such a great experience.
-Went to Kruger Park. Took a safari tour and saw Rhinos, Hippos, Elephants, Impalas, Kudu, Giraffes, and much more. Saw two Hippos almost fight. Also, if you have never wondered how a Hippo poops, you should. It's awesome.
I am having such a great time. Sorry these updates have been so short. I will hopefully have time in Cape Town to upload a few photos (I almost am to 2000) and write for longer periods.
Cheers
Sorry it has been a while. Internet has been hard to come by so far, and I haven't had much time when I've gotten on.
We just made it to Durban, which on first sight is obviously much, much more wealthy than J-burg. I am currently at an enormous mall that would make ones in the USA blush.
Only time for a few highlights, so I'll go fast:
-Brazil vs. Ivory Coast game was amazing. Soccer City is a beautiful, huge stadium and we had so much fun. Shame that I.C. didn't play better, but the game was still fantastic. However, the roadways around the stadium were not at all prepared for this. Took us forever to ride in, and then we still had to walk a couple of miles to the stadium. However, we did get a bunch of Brazilians PISSED after the game by chanting "Fabi-mano! Fabi-mano!" I'm impressed that such a slight chant could cause Brazilians to chant "Fuck USA" after their own victory...
-Spain vs. Honduras: Great 1st goal by Villa, but let me say a new rule. You are not allowed to have your team spend all of their time getting you a hat trick if you miss a penalty. That's just weak. Made the end of the game a little worse than it should have been. However, Ellis Park was a lot of fun. We had a great time cheering on the Spaniards.
-USA vs. Algeria: Umm...need I say anything more than this game was AWESOME? I was crying my eyes out after Landovan scored...I just couldn't believe it. We partied with U.S. fans in the stadium for over an hour after the match. I will tell you all more about it in person at some point, it was a match for the ages.
-USA vs. Ghana: I'm not talking about this one. Just like I still refuse to talk about the USA vs. Brazil match from last year.
-WE GOT TO PET BABY LIONS! I HAVE HAD A BABY WHITE LION CHEW ON MY HAND. Such a great experience.
-Went to Kruger Park. Took a safari tour and saw Rhinos, Hippos, Elephants, Impalas, Kudu, Giraffes, and much more. Saw two Hippos almost fight. Also, if you have never wondered how a Hippo poops, you should. It's awesome.
I am having such a great time. Sorry these updates have been so short. I will hopefully have time in Cape Town to upload a few photos (I almost am to 2000) and write for longer periods.
Cheers
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Made it to SA
Made it to South Africa, met up with Jim, Scott, and Tyler. Will be at Brazil-Ivory Coast game tonight and Spain-Honduras game tomorrow. Having a great time. I'll give a better update after a couple of games and when internet is cheaper.
-Andy
-Andy
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Wow, I am a bit behind
Hello guys and girls,
I haven't updated in a while, so I will make a few interesting comments:
-I went to Ft. William after the Isle of Skye on several suggestions to go there. I stayed at a hostel by the foot of Ben Nevis, the highest peak in Great Britain. I didn't have any intention of climbing it, but once I got there they said that it was a 6-8 hour climb, so I figured I might as well. I ended up going up in 2:25 and down in 1:55, so I was pretty proud of that. The view from the top was magnificent, and apparently I got really lucky with the weather. I was in pain for a day or two afterwards, but it was totally worth it.
-I went down the entire lake of Loch Lomond on the bus a couple of days ago. Dad, you should get a kick out of that. No, I didn't see Captain Haddock.
-I visited Anfield yesterday and the Emirates Stadium today. I preferred Anfield, obviously. It definitely has way more character than the Emirates, but I guarentee you that everything about the Emirates was designed to make money. They even let you buy bricks out front with your name and a slogan on it. The Emirates seems to be a giant cash pinata. I'm glad I got to touch the "This is Anfield" sign. I feel like a real supporter now.
-I have met so many amazing people on my trip so far. At least three dozen great people that I have spent time with. I have had such a fantastic time meeting people from all over Europe, North America, and Australia/NZ. I can't wait to meet some Africans, Asians, and South Americans on my next legs.
-The world cup has been very unusual so far. The first set of games were very low scoring, but now the first games of the second round have been 3-0, 4-1, 2-1, and 2-0. Crazy how much it opens up in the 2nd round. I was hoping South Africa could do better to help out the atmosphere down there, but I guess I'll live. I have been doing pretty well making predictions on game winners, with the major exception of Spain losing and Italy drawing. But, I hope those cheap Italians lose out early. I was also very torn about the Mexico-France game. I didn't know which cheaters I should root against more.
-Finally, some bad news: USA vs. Slovenia is 3:00 London time tomorrow. My flight leaves at 2:55 London Time. AWFUL.
Next post: SA!
I haven't updated in a while, so I will make a few interesting comments:
-I went to Ft. William after the Isle of Skye on several suggestions to go there. I stayed at a hostel by the foot of Ben Nevis, the highest peak in Great Britain. I didn't have any intention of climbing it, but once I got there they said that it was a 6-8 hour climb, so I figured I might as well. I ended up going up in 2:25 and down in 1:55, so I was pretty proud of that. The view from the top was magnificent, and apparently I got really lucky with the weather. I was in pain for a day or two afterwards, but it was totally worth it.
-I went down the entire lake of Loch Lomond on the bus a couple of days ago. Dad, you should get a kick out of that. No, I didn't see Captain Haddock.
-I visited Anfield yesterday and the Emirates Stadium today. I preferred Anfield, obviously. It definitely has way more character than the Emirates, but I guarentee you that everything about the Emirates was designed to make money. They even let you buy bricks out front with your name and a slogan on it. The Emirates seems to be a giant cash pinata. I'm glad I got to touch the "This is Anfield" sign. I feel like a real supporter now.
-I have met so many amazing people on my trip so far. At least three dozen great people that I have spent time with. I have had such a fantastic time meeting people from all over Europe, North America, and Australia/NZ. I can't wait to meet some Africans, Asians, and South Americans on my next legs.
-The world cup has been very unusual so far. The first set of games were very low scoring, but now the first games of the second round have been 3-0, 4-1, 2-1, and 2-0. Crazy how much it opens up in the 2nd round. I was hoping South Africa could do better to help out the atmosphere down there, but I guess I'll live. I have been doing pretty well making predictions on game winners, with the major exception of Spain losing and Italy drawing. But, I hope those cheap Italians lose out early. I was also very torn about the Mexico-France game. I didn't know which cheaters I should root against more.
-Finally, some bad news: USA vs. Slovenia is 3:00 London time tomorrow. My flight leaves at 2:55 London Time. AWFUL.
Next post: SA!
Sunday, June 13, 2010
oops, forgot a couple of things
I forgot to mention that I went to the Glenfarclas whisky distillery and Grantown museum. They were both really cool. Though, the Grant Castle sucked. Turns out it is privately owned now. It said do not trespass, but I had to sneak on to see the castle, so I ignored it.
'Merica! Fuck Yeah!
Hello, sorry for the lack of posts lately. I'm going to have to keep it short, as I am running out of time on this computer and I don't know when it's going to stop.
I'm in Portree, on the Isle of Skye right now. Watched the USA-England match here. There were loads of Scots dressed as Obama, Captain America, and the like at the pub, and I had a great time. Wild game. Can't complain about a draw though, should make the race for 1st place quite interesting.
I have been visiting places such as Castle Urquhart (a Clan Grant castle for about 200 years), the Cairngorms National Park, and other really cool places. I will make sure to take some time to explain about them all once I get some time.
Scotland is absolutely beautiful. Every inch of it. The drive from Inverness to Skye was breathtaking. The green and grey mountains and waterfall-filled valleys were stunning. I hope some of the pictures from the bus came out well.
I think I will take today as a laundry and rather slow day. It's a bit rainy here on Skye, so it might be a good day for that anyways.
Cheers.
I'm in Portree, on the Isle of Skye right now. Watched the USA-England match here. There were loads of Scots dressed as Obama, Captain America, and the like at the pub, and I had a great time. Wild game. Can't complain about a draw though, should make the race for 1st place quite interesting.
I have been visiting places such as Castle Urquhart (a Clan Grant castle for about 200 years), the Cairngorms National Park, and other really cool places. I will make sure to take some time to explain about them all once I get some time.
Scotland is absolutely beautiful. Every inch of it. The drive from Inverness to Skye was breathtaking. The green and grey mountains and waterfall-filled valleys were stunning. I hope some of the pictures from the bus came out well.
I think I will take today as a laundry and rather slow day. It's a bit rainy here on Skye, so it might be a good day for that anyways.
Cheers.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Quick Update
-Went to Hampden Park, the stadium for the Scottish national team. It was badass. Cool pictures eventually
-Met a couple of Scots from Dundee. Drinking ensued. Always good to see Scotland from the local perspective.
-In Edinburgh right now. Hostel I'm at is supposed to be the highest rated in Scotland, but I liked the Glasgow one better. They don't have room tomorrow, so I'll be moving to a different part of town tomorrow.
-Edinburgh is definitely more touristy than Glasgow. I prefer Glasgow so far, but Edinburgh is definitely prettier. I'm going to try to head out to Easter Road to see my Hibs' stadium tomorrow, and then move on to various other attractions. I'm staying away from the standard tourist stuff, as it is much more expensive here (14 pounds just to go into the Castle). I'll keep you updated.
-Great shirts here. I've talked with quite a few Scots about football, and all of them are hoping so badly that USA beats England and that England plays Germany in the round of 16. They say nothing would piss off the English more. Shirts I have seen include "ABE: Anybody But England" and "I support two teams. Scotland, and whoever is playing England."
-Met a couple of Scots from Dundee. Drinking ensued. Always good to see Scotland from the local perspective.
-In Edinburgh right now. Hostel I'm at is supposed to be the highest rated in Scotland, but I liked the Glasgow one better. They don't have room tomorrow, so I'll be moving to a different part of town tomorrow.
-Edinburgh is definitely more touristy than Glasgow. I prefer Glasgow so far, but Edinburgh is definitely prettier. I'm going to try to head out to Easter Road to see my Hibs' stadium tomorrow, and then move on to various other attractions. I'm staying away from the standard tourist stuff, as it is much more expensive here (14 pounds just to go into the Castle). I'll keep you updated.
-Great shirts here. I've talked with quite a few Scots about football, and all of them are hoping so badly that USA beats England and that England plays Germany in the round of 16. They say nothing would piss off the English more. Shirts I have seen include "ABE: Anybody But England" and "I support two teams. Scotland, and whoever is playing England."
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Scotland the Brave (with more details about Antwerp)
Hello,
I just made it up to Glasgow this evening, and have been having a marvelous past few days. Both Antwerp and Glasgow seem to be turning out to be fantastic choices of stops.
Antwerp is a beautiful city with quite a lot to do. The train station has to be the most beautiful station I have ever seen. I will try to post some pictures at some point, but for now you might have to let google images do the work for you. I made sure to try belgian waffles in three different ways while I was there (chocolate covered, rhubarb-filled, and with strawberry ice cream on top), as well as indulging in local favorites such as belgian fries and belgian beer. The fries are twice-fried, so they are a bit more crisp, but the main difference seems to be in the dipping sauces. Sure, you could get ketchup, but instead why not try a weird half mayo/half curry sauce or something of the sort? The beer was....well...fantastic. If you like belgian beers it's worth the trip to the country just for that.
Staying with Trey at his apartment (in international student housing for the university) was fantastic, as not only did I get a free bed, but I got to meet dozens of students that were also studying in Antwerp. I have a list of people from Scotland, England, Ireland, USA, Germany, Belgium, France, Spain, Puerto Rico, Turkey, Italy, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada, and Poland that I met during my 3 days in the city. I really wish I could have stayed longer, as it was so much fun, but I knew I needed to get up to Scotland (especially since I already had booked airfare). Plus, talking with Laura, a law student from Scotland, made me extremely excited to head up north.
A few notes about Antwerp: 1) there are no open container laws. Therefore, parties would form in the middle of squares and last until 5 AM. This was a great way to socialize and share great American traditions such as shotgunning beers and cutting your finger on your can while you do it. 2) The story of how Antwerp got its name is worth looking up. 3) Carnivals are practically the same wherever you go to them. However, there is a difference when you go with attractive German and Turkish girls. 4) I met up with a few friends who I had seen in Reims (the maymester group), and we made Pi Kappa Alpha proud. Beer races have never been won with such style. 5) Rob McMillan better come back with my glass from the Highlander. 6) I only have a few minutes left of internet time, so I better get on to Scotland.
Scotland is an absolutely beautiful country. Pictures definitely do not do it justice. Just taking the train up from the southern airport into the city was awe-inspiring. The flowers are blooming, the grass is green, and the sky is...pretty grey. But, the city is full of amazing, old buildings and the hostel that I am staying at might just be the best I have ever seen. Comfortable rooms, good prices, right by an amazing park, in a cool part of town, sells things you might need, has lots of useful information for the town and the country, has a shower and bathroom in each room, my room has a beautiful view of the west end of Glasgow, and I was able to quickly figure out places to stay all over Scotland thanks to their help. Also, the people in Glasgow have all been really nice. I talked with a waitress at a restaurant for a few minutes tonight, and she seemed extremely interested in my trip (same with the customs agent. And customs agents are usually dicks). I very much look forward to exploring the city tomorrow. I am about to run out of time, so I will leave you with that. I hope all is well for all of you keeping up with this, and I will try to get pictures soonish. Maybe laterish.
Cheers
Andy
I just made it up to Glasgow this evening, and have been having a marvelous past few days. Both Antwerp and Glasgow seem to be turning out to be fantastic choices of stops.
Antwerp is a beautiful city with quite a lot to do. The train station has to be the most beautiful station I have ever seen. I will try to post some pictures at some point, but for now you might have to let google images do the work for you. I made sure to try belgian waffles in three different ways while I was there (chocolate covered, rhubarb-filled, and with strawberry ice cream on top), as well as indulging in local favorites such as belgian fries and belgian beer. The fries are twice-fried, so they are a bit more crisp, but the main difference seems to be in the dipping sauces. Sure, you could get ketchup, but instead why not try a weird half mayo/half curry sauce or something of the sort? The beer was....well...fantastic. If you like belgian beers it's worth the trip to the country just for that.
Staying with Trey at his apartment (in international student housing for the university) was fantastic, as not only did I get a free bed, but I got to meet dozens of students that were also studying in Antwerp. I have a list of people from Scotland, England, Ireland, USA, Germany, Belgium, France, Spain, Puerto Rico, Turkey, Italy, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada, and Poland that I met during my 3 days in the city. I really wish I could have stayed longer, as it was so much fun, but I knew I needed to get up to Scotland (especially since I already had booked airfare). Plus, talking with Laura, a law student from Scotland, made me extremely excited to head up north.
A few notes about Antwerp: 1) there are no open container laws. Therefore, parties would form in the middle of squares and last until 5 AM. This was a great way to socialize and share great American traditions such as shotgunning beers and cutting your finger on your can while you do it. 2) The story of how Antwerp got its name is worth looking up. 3) Carnivals are practically the same wherever you go to them. However, there is a difference when you go with attractive German and Turkish girls. 4) I met up with a few friends who I had seen in Reims (the maymester group), and we made Pi Kappa Alpha proud. Beer races have never been won with such style. 5) Rob McMillan better come back with my glass from the Highlander. 6) I only have a few minutes left of internet time, so I better get on to Scotland.
Scotland is an absolutely beautiful country. Pictures definitely do not do it justice. Just taking the train up from the southern airport into the city was awe-inspiring. The flowers are blooming, the grass is green, and the sky is...pretty grey. But, the city is full of amazing, old buildings and the hostel that I am staying at might just be the best I have ever seen. Comfortable rooms, good prices, right by an amazing park, in a cool part of town, sells things you might need, has lots of useful information for the town and the country, has a shower and bathroom in each room, my room has a beautiful view of the west end of Glasgow, and I was able to quickly figure out places to stay all over Scotland thanks to their help. Also, the people in Glasgow have all been really nice. I talked with a waitress at a restaurant for a few minutes tonight, and she seemed extremely interested in my trip (same with the customs agent. And customs agents are usually dicks). I very much look forward to exploring the city tomorrow. I am about to run out of time, so I will leave you with that. I hope all is well for all of you keeping up with this, and I will try to get pictures soonish. Maybe laterish.
Cheers
Andy
Friday, June 4, 2010
Trains, Mispronounciations, and Waffles
Hello from Antwerp!
I am now in Belgium, as I came here from Reims, France yesterday. Here's how it went:
Stayed in my hostel in London, where we were packed in like sardines. I was the middle bunk in a triple bunk bed, so it was definitely nice and cozy. Especially since I was sleeping with my backpack with me in the bed. The evening before I had explored around London a bit, and I have quite a few funny pictures that I took. I even stumbled across Charles Dickens' house (bleah) and a sign right next door advertising Rhodes & Rhodes law firm or something. There was a pretty raging party going on that night at the hostel, but seeing as I had to wake up at 4:30, I was headed to bed pretty early. I'll save it for later hostel visits. Anyways, the next day I took a train from London to Calais, France, switched to a train to Paris, walked from the north station to the east station, and then took a train to Reims. My experience in Paris this time was pretty typical. I confused a lady selling sandwiches by speaking english, she got frustrated, then proceeded to do the rest of the sale without talking. Then, a beggar got really pissed off at me for not showering her in euros. I now know to start running at the sound of "Do you speak english?"
As for Reims, it was a pretty nice little town. Definitely nicer than Paris (can you tell I'm not a fan?). However, it is nearly impossible to pronounce Reims correctly, so I gave up. A few notes: The Notre Dame of Reims had to be the nicest cathedral that I have ever seen that didn't have any beggars out in front of it. There was a group of religious people singing and dancing for a little while, though. The friend I made there at the cathedral called them a "sect," but it just looked like they were having some fun. I had met a girl named Tiffane or Tiffani or something. Basically sounded like Tiffany without the y. She was from northwestern France, and was traveling around the country for a month using couch surfer. Well, anyways, Rob and Patrick ended up meeting me at the Cathedral (only half an hour late), and we went off for a night around the town taking pictures of people that looked like Rhodes people, crudely ordering food and drinks by pointing, and secretly making fun of french culture while french people secretly made fun of us.
The next morning (yesterday) I took a train to Antwerp to meet up with Trey. After sitting in the Antwerp train station for about 3 hours, I finally found him (email problems). I'll post more about my stay once I have some more time (about to cook dinner), but let me just say this:
BELGIUM IS AWESOME. Smells like waffles, pretty girls (who don't smoke all the time, unlike the French girls/chimneys who give new meaning to the term "smoking hot"), great food, super-awesome cheap beer (Awesome abbey ales and stuff for 2 or 3 euros. Cheaper than Corona or any of that crap), great weather, beautiful buildings, and tons of gold and diamonds. I'll post more about it later.
I am now in Belgium, as I came here from Reims, France yesterday. Here's how it went:
Stayed in my hostel in London, where we were packed in like sardines. I was the middle bunk in a triple bunk bed, so it was definitely nice and cozy. Especially since I was sleeping with my backpack with me in the bed. The evening before I had explored around London a bit, and I have quite a few funny pictures that I took. I even stumbled across Charles Dickens' house (bleah) and a sign right next door advertising Rhodes & Rhodes law firm or something. There was a pretty raging party going on that night at the hostel, but seeing as I had to wake up at 4:30, I was headed to bed pretty early. I'll save it for later hostel visits. Anyways, the next day I took a train from London to Calais, France, switched to a train to Paris, walked from the north station to the east station, and then took a train to Reims. My experience in Paris this time was pretty typical. I confused a lady selling sandwiches by speaking english, she got frustrated, then proceeded to do the rest of the sale without talking. Then, a beggar got really pissed off at me for not showering her in euros. I now know to start running at the sound of "Do you speak english?"
As for Reims, it was a pretty nice little town. Definitely nicer than Paris (can you tell I'm not a fan?). However, it is nearly impossible to pronounce Reims correctly, so I gave up. A few notes: The Notre Dame of Reims had to be the nicest cathedral that I have ever seen that didn't have any beggars out in front of it. There was a group of religious people singing and dancing for a little while, though. The friend I made there at the cathedral called them a "sect," but it just looked like they were having some fun. I had met a girl named Tiffane or Tiffani or something. Basically sounded like Tiffany without the y. She was from northwestern France, and was traveling around the country for a month using couch surfer. Well, anyways, Rob and Patrick ended up meeting me at the Cathedral (only half an hour late), and we went off for a night around the town taking pictures of people that looked like Rhodes people, crudely ordering food and drinks by pointing, and secretly making fun of french culture while french people secretly made fun of us.
The next morning (yesterday) I took a train to Antwerp to meet up with Trey. After sitting in the Antwerp train station for about 3 hours, I finally found him (email problems). I'll post more about my stay once I have some more time (about to cook dinner), but let me just say this:
BELGIUM IS AWESOME. Smells like waffles, pretty girls (who don't smoke all the time, unlike the French girls/chimneys who give new meaning to the term "smoking hot"), great food, super-awesome cheap beer (Awesome abbey ales and stuff for 2 or 3 euros. Cheaper than Corona or any of that crap), great weather, beautiful buildings, and tons of gold and diamonds. I'll post more about it later.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Flight to London
Hello all,
I have made it to London and found my hostel. I was able to get a nice window seat for the flight, and I ended up sitting next to a woman who was basically my mom. She looked like my mom, she had a profession similar to my mom, she loved to read, she had a son named Andrew who just graduated, was a math major, writes his letters from the bottom up, has similar handwriting to me, and apparently is basically me. Weird.
Once I was in London, I met up with my neighbor that I grew up with in the airport. He was on a layover on his way to Germany, so we got to meet up for a couple of hours and get some food. Random how these things work out.
Also, just a note for any of you taking future travels to London: Paddington Station is not as close to King's Cross as it looks. I definitely had a nice little hike once I got into central London so that I could get to my hostel. Though, the nice part of this is that I learned a bit how to walk like a Brit. Apparently you can step out in front of cars and not get killed. Weird...and to think that I was waiting for a break in the traffic... Also, I assumed that you would walk on the left of the sidewalk just like you drive on the left. It seems that might be partially true? Dunno, people tend to walk on the left, but it's been more of a free-for-all.
I think I'm going to head out to explore some more before I hit the hay early. I have to get up for an early train to France to meet Rob in Reims.
I'll try to get more interesting things in the next post, but I just wanted to let y'all know that I made it to the U.K.
Peace
I have made it to London and found my hostel. I was able to get a nice window seat for the flight, and I ended up sitting next to a woman who was basically my mom. She looked like my mom, she had a profession similar to my mom, she loved to read, she had a son named Andrew who just graduated, was a math major, writes his letters from the bottom up, has similar handwriting to me, and apparently is basically me. Weird.
Once I was in London, I met up with my neighbor that I grew up with in the airport. He was on a layover on his way to Germany, so we got to meet up for a couple of hours and get some food. Random how these things work out.
Also, just a note for any of you taking future travels to London: Paddington Station is not as close to King's Cross as it looks. I definitely had a nice little hike once I got into central London so that I could get to my hostel. Though, the nice part of this is that I learned a bit how to walk like a Brit. Apparently you can step out in front of cars and not get killed. Weird...and to think that I was waiting for a break in the traffic... Also, I assumed that you would walk on the left of the sidewalk just like you drive on the left. It seems that might be partially true? Dunno, people tend to walk on the left, but it's been more of a free-for-all.
I think I'm going to head out to explore some more before I hit the hay early. I have to get up for an early train to France to meet Rob in Reims.
I'll try to get more interesting things in the next post, but I just wanted to let y'all know that I made it to the U.K.
Peace
Monday, May 24, 2010
Preparations
Hello all,
As I am putting things together for my trip, I have a few updates:
-First of all, the Thailand portion of the trip is in doubt, as I'm not sure what the political situation will be like in a month and a half. I'm hoping to still go there, but if not I will either be heading to Australia early or trying to figure out another country to go to. We'll see how that turns out.
-I'm trying to figure out how to get things set up to visit friends in France, Belgium, and Germany in my first couple of days. I'm trying to find the cheapest way to get around there, so if you have any suggestions....
-I have no idea about most of my plans. I'm realizing that I am very poorly prepared for this trip...but maybe that's for the best.
Hopefully things work out over the next couple of days. I will update things before I take off, and I will try to update as often as possible during the trip (which might vary, depending on where I am).
Cheers,
-Andy
As I am putting things together for my trip, I have a few updates:
-First of all, the Thailand portion of the trip is in doubt, as I'm not sure what the political situation will be like in a month and a half. I'm hoping to still go there, but if not I will either be heading to Australia early or trying to figure out another country to go to. We'll see how that turns out.
-I'm trying to figure out how to get things set up to visit friends in France, Belgium, and Germany in my first couple of days. I'm trying to find the cheapest way to get around there, so if you have any suggestions....
-I have no idea about most of my plans. I'm realizing that I am very poorly prepared for this trip...but maybe that's for the best.
Hopefully things work out over the next couple of days. I will update things before I take off, and I will try to update as often as possible during the trip (which might vary, depending on where I am).
Cheers,
-Andy
Friday, February 12, 2010
New blog set up
Hello all,
This blog has been set up to serve as a way to follow my activities throughout my summer of traveling. I'm not sure how often I will be able to update it during my journey, but I think that this is my best bet for getting updates back as often as possible. I will try to set it up so that it works as a good record of my trip as well as a one-stop-shop for getting in touch with me or finding out where I am during my travels. Once I play around with this a bit and get everything set up, I will send this link out to everybody and give you some more information.
-Andy
This blog has been set up to serve as a way to follow my activities throughout my summer of traveling. I'm not sure how often I will be able to update it during my journey, but I think that this is my best bet for getting updates back as often as possible. I will try to set it up so that it works as a good record of my trip as well as a one-stop-shop for getting in touch with me or finding out where I am during my travels. Once I play around with this a bit and get everything set up, I will send this link out to everybody and give you some more information.
-Andy
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