Stop 5 : Paris

The overnight train from Rome ended up being good fun. I was playing cards with an italian family who didn’t speak any english, but was a lot of fun. Got into Paris well rested, and had a nice easy trip to the hotel. Well what can I say about Paris that most people haven’t already said. I did like the place, but not as much as other places I had already been. The city itself is beautiful, but beyond the hype I couldn’t say I found it any more romantic than say Sydney.

I had been to other parts of France before, and always found the French people to be inviting and very welcoming. Paris it’s the opposite story. I find them much the same as New Yorkers, and the reputation for rudeness is well earned. It’s like having to chip through a tough outer shell, to get to the person inside. Don’t get me wrong I did enjoy myself a lot. And once you get through that outer shell, you find some amazing people. It can get a bit tiring though after a while. Especially with how inviting the italians were the week before.

Stop 6 : London

I love london. It feels alive, and I just love exploring the place. It was however ruined on me this time. I won’t go into details, but I didn’t get anywhere near the amount of things done that I wanted to, which pissed me off  a lot. But who said life was fair.

Stop 3 : Sweeden

Next stop on my trip was Sweden. I’ve known Marko online for several years, and thought it was about time to go and visit him. I said my good byes to Ireland, and headed off to Copenhagen, as it was the easiest way to go to Southern Sweden. He met me at the airport, and we got a train to Helsinor for the ferry across to Helsingborg. It’s a very pretty part of the world, and it was doing my head in that I was in the third country on the same day. I have to say the customs booth at Copenhagen was funny. I handed over my passport. He smiles goes oh your a bloody long way from home, stamped it and handed it back. No other questions at all.

We hung around for a few days, he took me up to Sweeden’s second largest city Gotenburg, and I really had a lovely relaxing time. Met some of his friends, and man I just needed to chill. There was a music festival all around the town, and it was full of life.

A couple of things about the sweedes:

• Cold to start with, but once they open up they are incredibly friendly and welcoming. I found the Australian accent helped a lot, as many of us don’t travel this far north so every wanted to have a chat.
• I don’t think I hardly saw a fat person, so I noticed people staring a lot.

Stop 4 : Rome

Next stop was Rome. Landed at the airport early evening, and man it was hot. The Italian’s have no customs to speak off, it was walk straight out to the airport. Had a crazy transfer already organised, and it was an adventure in itself. 140 km/h weaving in and out of traffic, while the two japanese girls that were also on the bus holding on for dear life, and muttering things that would be impolite to repeat here.

I was already in love with Rome, and i’d only been here 10 minutes. I felt at home. The Italian’s were warm and welcoming, and went out of their way to help you. Even if you didn’t speak a word of Italian. Made for some very amusing pointing, and waving at things.

The next 5 days here were incredible, and were the highlight of my trip. Hightlights

• Vatican
• All the old ruins, churches, temples, coliseum, the forum the list goes on and on and on
• The people I met. So friendly and open. Have kept in touch with all of them
• The Vibe, the Grim, the piazza’s.
• Could live here for a couple of years just exploring everything!
• Oh and the food! It was fantastic.

In the middle of last year my brother just younger than me got married. It’s not like I need much of an excuse to travel, but this was a little bit special. I hadn’t been on an oversea big trip in a few years which made me both nervous and excited at the same time. I thought I would share part of that holiday with you.

Stop 1: UK and Global Gathering

I had wanted to do ‘Global Gathering’ for years. I downloaded the essential mixes of dj’s live at GG, and heard the punters going off partying like there was no tomorrow at an air field smack bang in the middle of Shakespears countryside. It’s held each year outside of Staftford Upon Avon, and this year it was my turn to go! I can’t explain how excited I was. It was mad fun, and saw everything that I wanted to see. I didn’t take many photo’s because I was too busy dancing, and talking to randoms.

Stop 2: The Wedding, and the Irish Countryside.

Everything you have heard about Ireland is true. They are as friendly as people say, they are as drunk all the time as people say, and they are as hard to understand when they are excited as say a drunk Irishman can. My Brother only set one rule. If ‘ANYONE’ buys you a beer, you must return the favour, as it’s considered rude not to. Fair enough I thought to myself, that’s a rule i can live with. What I didn’t realise was, how hard it was going to be actually enforce it.

Had an amazing time. The hightlights included:

• Galway Races
• Banquet at Banratty Castle
• Beautiful Irish Countryside
• Little Irish men that talk to you so fast you can’t understand a word.
• Irish Bands
• Lots of Guinness (i mean LOTS)
• The Reception – one of the best weddings i’ve ever been to