10h
Today:
go to:
Bled, Slovenia? -- don't know how to get there
Bologna, Italy?
Toulouse, France? -- expensive? dull? probably not ..
Vevey, Switz.? -- too close
I don't have any info on any of these places. It's Friday and I don't want to end up in a city where I can't find a place to sleep.
I thin I might go to Bologna.
12h15
Spiez, Switz. looks really pretty - on the western lake of Interlaken's lakes. The towns between Interlaken and Spiez look nice too. Mostly the blue water, the hills, and the mountains look good.
Heading to Milano, then Bologna I think? I was tempted to stay in Spiez but I don't know anything about it... plus I only had 2 minutes to switch trains.
Now headed to Brig, where I'll transfer to Milan. ok. Will arrive there at 15h35 I think. No one checked my rail pass on the Regio train from Interlaken to Spiez.
Should look at that Walks in Croatia book I spent 20 euro on in Paris. Maybe I'll stop back there on my way east. I want to see Prague and some other more obscure cities. Also, Bratislava, and that town - Cesky Krumlov - that Leandro told me about. I like Leandro a lot, it was fun hanging out with him yesterday on our hike (and the break between climbing up & down). He's crazy and fun and uninhibited. I should have gotten his email address -- there were some photos I took of him that he might like; and he took some of me that I might like. oh well. Maybe I'll see him somewhere sometime.
12h40
I scored a David Foster Wallace book - Oblivion - from the hostel in Gimmelwald. I left Of Love and other demons there in exchange. Hopefully no one will have me for taking Oblivion.
Also, left warm patagonia socks and black dickies and purple long-sleeve old navy shirt there. Hopefully nothing else, because that wouldn't have been intentional. I think I left my camera cable in Interlaken, which sucks. A guy in Gimmelwald with a similar camera lent me his cord today, though, so I emptied out my camera into my computer. It was great, though not as great as knowing where my own damn cord is.
13h20
Train from Brig to Milano. I head German, French, Spanish, Italian.. no english right now, actually. wow it's been a long time. Amsterdam, Interlaken, and Gimmelwald were full of English speakers. Americans. etc.
I bought something mysterious from the vending machine in at the station in Brig. The french on the back says biscuits fourrés (stuffed biscuits/cookies, I think). Ingredients include apricots and almonds.
13h40
I don't know where I am, but it's beautiful! steep and green, greener than where I was last, not as high, but steeper, and so green!
just passed a ruined old village! of houses made completely from stone, even the roofs were covered in slate shingles. It was all overgrown and some of the little houses were falling down. It was amazing. There were maybe 10 or 12 little rectangular buildings, clustered together... wow.
I think that was Italy. We're definitely in Italy now. These mountain/hills are amazing! so green, so many contours!
I see what I think are granite quarries, too. wow.
I wonder how much time I'll have in Milano before going to Bologna? (how do Italians pronounce that?) Maybe I'll look.
If I could, maybe I should stay a few minutes to find some info (online) about Bologna. or maybe I should just go straight there. It's always neat to look at a new city though, even if just for a few minutes.
14h25
I wonder what Bologna will be like. If it seems like it's any good, maybe I'll stay several nights. Though I guess my rail pass expires, what, the 18th I think? yeah, I can travel more by then, even staying for almost a week or a while week, even, I suppose. that NY Times guy rented a room from some students. I will look for ads about that.
I will arrive in Milano at 15h35 I think; then trains to Bologna are every hour on the hour, taking 1h45 to arrive.
(IN VERBANIA: 14h25) - next to some beautiful water, with sandy shores...
14h30 - yeah, wow, really beautiful. beaches, green mountains... wow. looks like a lot of resorts/big hotels too, though
14h34
in Stresa
14h40
Belgirate: looks kind of forgotten. but interesting, pretty. Also on the water. what is this? it's on the left.
traveling through: Lesa, Meina, Arona, Dormolletto (?), Sesto Calende, Vergiate, Gallarate (15h05), Busto Arsizo (Arsizio?), Parabiaco, Vanzago-P, Rho
15h20
it is flat out here, and dull. Nothing like how Italy started today.
Buildings are dark green, dark salmon, dark orangey yellow, beigey yellow... I saw one apartment building clad in deep blue ceramic tiles
(INDIGENOUS TO NOW. -aesop rock)
17h50
there's some really great graffiti alongside the tracks, pulling into Bologna (or, starting to pull in..)
23h30
Living it up at the Hotel Paradise in Bologna...... I don't know, maybe it will end up being worth the 55 euro..... will stay in the hotel tomorrow night: it's outside of town, apparently wih an 11:30pm curfew.. must go out tonight and enjoy my time in this expensive city...
02h30 (10 june)
this city is beautiful..... it smells like flowers
8 JUNE 2006
21h35
So Moussa emailed me saying to fly to London and meet him there. And I'll maybe do it, if I don't have to pay - because I'd rather go to Slovenia and Italy (also for free - rail pass). really, I'm not that interested in going to London. It just seems too far from all the other places I want to see.
I am thinking of going back to Slovenia.I'd like to I think I might go to Bled, because there's a pretty cheap hostel that would feed me. That's enough for now. I'd like to be on the ocean - and maybe I can be - but I'm not sure if trains go to Piran, a town on the Mediterranean with a few hostels.
I went on a pretty intense but amazing hike today, to the "Shark's Fin" with Jesse and .. oh man I forget - oh yeah, Josh, and Collin and Leandro. I am exhausted and my body hurts, but I had a huge dinner and some wine and now I feel pretty good. though, yes, exhausted.
oh yeah, I should take a shower. These are the showers I've taken since the beginning of this
month:
-one in amsterdam
-one super quick, freezing cold one in Interlaken where I sort-of washed my hair and the rest of me
that is all. I am filthy! Also, sunburned. oh. Lay in the sun at the end of our hike (after the ascent) for maybe 2 hours. I forgot in the morning that I might need sunblock. Now my body is emanating head; particularly from my forehead, shoulders, and the back left side of my neck. Also, though more mildly, my forearms.
some expenses from Gimmelwald:
(in francs)
69 - 3 nights, Gimmelwald
10 - groceries, Murren
13 - groceries, Murren
3 - bread
1 - shower
7 - 2 Heidi's Hot Chocolates (w. peppermint schnapps)
So Moussa emailed me saying to fly to London and meet him there. And I'll maybe do it, if I don't have to pay - because I'd rather go to Slovenia and Italy (also for free - rail pass). really, I'm not that interested in going to London. It just seems too far from all the other places I want to see.
I am thinking of going back to Slovenia.
I went on a pretty intense but amazing hike today, to the "Shark's Fin" with Jesse and .. oh man I forget - oh yeah, Josh, and Collin and Leandro. I am exhausted and my body hurts, but I had a huge dinner and some wine and now I feel pretty good. though, yes, exhausted.
oh yeah, I should take a shower. These are the showers I've taken since the beginning of this
month:
-one in amsterdam
-one super quick, freezing cold one in Interlaken where I sort-of washed my hair and the rest of me
that is all. I am filthy! Also, sunburned. oh. Lay in the sun at the end of our hike (after the ascent) for maybe 2 hours. I forgot in the morning that I might need sunblock. Now my body is emanating head; particularly from my forehead, shoulders, and the back left side of my neck. Also, though more mildly, my forearms.
some expenses from Gimmelwald:
(in francs)
69 - 3 nights, Gimmelwald
10 - groceries, Murren
13 - groceries, Murren
3 - bread
1 - shower
7 - 2 Heidi's Hot Chocolates (w. peppermint schnapps)
7 JUNE 2006
8h40
had a dream I ws in a train station, and my watch had come apart. I was looking at it, holding it, when a girl ran up to me. I put it away. She started talking really excitedly about how she's a friend of a friend, and asking to use my camera to take a photo of me. I didn't trust her and I left, hurriedly, and she followed, talking and talking and talking. Other people wondered what my deal was, but I knew she shouldn't be trusted.
10h45
I have never been alone anywhere like this before. Well - I've definitely never been anywhere like this with anyone, but the sort-of similar places I've gone, I've always been with someone - Nick, Angela, etc. (In fact - I think they're the people I've done the most hiking with.) Anyway, I'm at a big waterfall labeled Sprutz. I walked down a narrow path with stairs in some places to the bottom of this part, and walked under the falls, and now I have walked up some more little steps to the other side, where I am sitting in the sun. ah, it is so nice.
I forget how the story went. A man and a woman built a house next waterfall. At first, when they moved it, the noise from the waterfall was too loud; they couldn't even think. But then in time they got used to it, and never even noticed the sound. However, whenever they left the house, no one could stand to talk to them because when they did, they shouted.
From Everything is Illuminated, I think?
(do not travel to escape life: travel so that life does not escape you)
recommendations from Leandro (from Brazil):
Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic
Prague
Salzburg
Bratislava - Juraj's hostel. Restaurant: Slovak Pub - order "Bryndzové halušky"
other travel ideas:
Genova (used to be industrial) - HI Ostello per la Gioventu - 15 euro
San Remo, Italy
Rome - San Lorenzo / E of Termini. Hostel des Artistes
Lombardy / Lake Country - Riva del Garda (on lake) - HI Ostello Benacus - 14 euro (book ahead)
Parma: Ostello/Camping Cittadella - 10.50 euro
Piran, Slovenia
- Alibi B14 - Bonifacijeva, 14 - $25/nite - kitchen
- Hostel Val - kitchenette
Bled, Slov. - Jakelj Backpacker's house - on edge of city - food provided - near lake - Lesce-Bled / desenice train , then call for pickup
had a dream I ws in a train station, and my watch had come apart. I was looking at it, holding it, when a girl ran up to me. I put it away. She started talking really excitedly about how she's a friend of a friend, and asking to use my camera to take a photo of me. I didn't trust her and I left, hurriedly, and she followed, talking and talking and talking. Other people wondered what my deal was, but I knew she shouldn't be trusted.
10h45
I have never been alone anywhere like this before. Well - I've definitely never been anywhere like this with anyone, but the sort-of similar places I've gone, I've always been with someone - Nick, Angela, etc. (In fact - I think they're the people I've done the most hiking with.) Anyway, I'm at a big waterfall labeled Sprutz. I walked down a narrow path with stairs in some places to the bottom of this part, and walked under the falls, and now I have walked up some more little steps to the other side, where I am sitting in the sun. ah, it is so nice.
I forget how the story went. A man and a woman built a house next waterfall. At first, when they moved it, the noise from the waterfall was too loud; they couldn't even think. But then in time they got used to it, and never even noticed the sound. However, whenever they left the house, no one could stand to talk to them because when they did, they shouted.
From Everything is Illuminated, I think?
(do not travel to escape life: travel so that life does not escape you)
recommendations from Leandro (from Brazil):
Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic
Prague
Salzburg
Bratislava - Juraj's hostel. Restaurant: Slovak Pub - order "Bryndzové halušky"
other travel ideas:
Genova (used to be industrial) - HI Ostello per la Gioventu - 15 euro
San Remo, Italy
Lombardy / Lake Country - Riva del Garda (on lake) - HI Ostello Benacus - 14 euro (book ahead)
Parma: Ostello/Camping Cittadella - 10.50 euro
Piran, Slovenia
- Alibi B14 - Bonifacijeva, 14 - $25/nite - kitchen
- Hostel Val - kitchenette
Bled, Slov. - Jakelj Backpacker's house - on edge of city - food provided - near lake - Lesce-Bled / desenice train , then call for pickup
6 JUNE 2006
(TUES)
train at 13h20.
-bank
-grocery store
-pick up crap at hostel
-walk to train
* buy heavy things at the co op there
? or go to the co op at station? would have to go in with all the gear ..
grocery list: (again)
3 nights:
dinner: today, tom., next day
lunch: x3
b'fast: x3
hot dogs - 1 dinner, 1 lunch
sandwiches - 2 lunches
-buy meat for 2?
-have bread
cereal/granola for b'fast
juice
meat: for 2 dinners. one for tonite, one for next/last nite
rice
cheese
9h30
breakfast. collecting bread smeared with jam to make into pb&js for later.
Again thinking about how weird this place is. People come, do something Extreme, then they call their moms, then they leave. I guess I've never really thought about this type of vacation. I am excited & curious & a little nervous about gimmelwald.
23-/night
kitchen
sells beer, wind, groceries, pizza
train
I'l Ost - Lauterbrunnen (make sure to get into car to Lau., not Grindelwald)
bus - walk 50-100 meters to the right, after getting off train
bus stop: only one bus. it goes to Stechelberg. 12 minutes. (or walk. flat, 1 1/2 hours)
gondola - to first stop - 5 min.
(total 55 minutes)
co op: Murren - open til 6, closed 12-1:45
17h05
What and incredibly beautiful place. Gimmelwald is a tiny town. I feel like I'm intruding when I walk down the narrow streets and paths. There are cows up here, and chickens, goats, other goats, and probably other things too. Some places have signs up saying they sell cheese, or eggs, or salami, or milk or butter. I should buy some eggs and maybe cheese (I have some already) and make an awesome breakfast tomorrow. Then I should go for a walk/hike. just start going and see where I end up. Then the next day, do something maybe harder or more ambitious.
The hostel seems cute - I haven't checked in yet, that's at 6. There's free internet (for one person at a time) and a sweet kitchen with a big fridge. It seems like there are a bunch of people staying here. There's food and drinks for sale that aren't obscenely expensive like what they had in Interlaken. I already like it here much better than there. why'd I stay there, anyway?
20h20
"You just step outside... and it's th'Alps, y'all!!"
-girl at Mountain Hostel
made pork chops, potatoes, bread for dinner, drank a can of cheap beer with it. (went to the co op in Murren for groceries) I feel amazing. I love it here.
going outside to stare awe-struck at mountains.
some deserve tall tales... some of them wrote 'em....-aesop rock
??h??
some many of us traveling kids keep journals and records of what we do, see, and feel. what happens to all of them? why do we do it?
there are kids here who came in from Cinque Terre. must find out who they are & what they thought.
there is a hot tub outside with people in it but I don't think I will join. don't want to squish in and be hit on.
21h20
don't know how I feel about les gens qui vont a switzerland. beaucoup d'Américans affluents. en croatie et slovenie je crois qu'ils étaient plus intéressants. Je pense qu'en italie, je verrais des gens comme ceux que je vois ici. je ne sais pas si je veux aller aux grandes villes comme Rome ou.... je ne sais pas où.
22h
night 1: Gimmelwald.
Just talked to Megan, who is staying in the hostel for free in exchange for cleaning the kitchen or something. she says she will be here until the 12th, and then she leaves and then someone else will have to take the job...........................
she also gets free dinner
if ..... oh. I wish I could do that. she also just got a job babysitting and cleaning in a guest house up in Murren for the summer. gets to stay with the rest of the staff at the guesthouse. however......... I want to travel some more first. maybe I will talk to the owner here, maybe I could come back later in the month...? This is an amazing place.
the shelter hostel in Amsterdam was also hiring. Maybe I will get lucky and end up in a hostel in Cracow or something that is hiring.... that would be interesting.
Next stop:
on the beach. quiet, green, hilly. the Italian dream hostel version of the house in old saybrook.
yes..... on the beach...
TOMORROW:
WAKE @ 8
COOK EGGS W/CHEESE, HAM, ROSTI
PACK LUNCH: 2 PBJs, APPLE, GRANOLA BAR
BRING NOTEBOOK, CAMERA, PEN. BOOK?
START WALKING
just realized that my next open night is Friday. should figure out where to go, and get a bed soon, since everyone loves to go away for weekends.
stupid weekends.
hostels I've stayed in:
San Diego - back in the day
Venice - Santa FOsca - 4 bed - 18 euro
Ljubljana - Fluxus - 8 bed - 21 euro
Split - Al's place - 6 bed - about 10 euro
Amsterdam - Shelter Jordan - 24 bed? - 16 euro?
Amsterdam - Meeting Point - booth in bar - 15 euro
Interlaken - Funny Farm - 10 bed - 20 chf
Gimmelwald - Mountain Hostel - 16 bed - 23 chf
overnite things I've slept on:
Paris -> Rome (train) - april
Venice -> Zurich (train) - april
Split -> Zagreb (train) -april
Paris -> Basel (train) - 4 june
Rijeka -> Dubrovnik (ferry) - april
Ljubljana -> Zagreb (train) - april
I wonder what it's like outside with the sun gone...
I will go look.
comia: 06/06/06
b:
2 cups of mate
3 smaller cups of coffee
2 pieces of bread with jam & butter
l:
1 pb&j sandwich
d:
1 can of beer
2 pork chops (bone-in), marinated
1 1/2 slices bread
100 g rosti (potatoes)
1/2 chocolate bar
2 glasses red wine
train at 13h20.
-bank
-grocery store
-pick up crap at hostel
-walk to train
* buy heavy things at the co op there
? or go to the co op at station? would have to go in with all the gear ..
grocery list: (again)
3 nights:
dinner: today, tom., next day
lunch: x3
b'fast: x3
hot dogs - 1 dinner, 1 lunch
sandwiches - 2 lunches
-buy meat for 2?
-have bread
cereal/granola for b'fast
juice
meat: for 2 dinners. one for tonite, one for next/last nite
rice
cheese
9h30
breakfast. collecting bread smeared with jam to make into pb&js for later.
Again thinking about how weird this place is. People come, do something Extreme, then they call their moms, then they leave. I guess I've never really thought about this type of vacation. I am excited & curious & a little nervous about gimmelwald.
23-/night
kitchen
sells beer, wind, groceries, pizza
train
I'l Ost - Lauterbrunnen (make sure to get into car to Lau., not Grindelwald)
bus - walk 50-100 meters to the right, after getting off train
bus stop: only one bus. it goes to Stechelberg. 12 minutes. (or walk. flat, 1 1/2 hours)
gondola - to first stop - 5 min.
(total 55 minutes)
co op: Murren - open til 6, closed 12-1:45
17h05
What and incredibly beautiful place. Gimmelwald is a tiny town. I feel like I'm intruding when I walk down the narrow streets and paths. There are cows up here, and chickens, goats, other goats, and probably other things too. Some places have signs up saying they sell cheese, or eggs, or salami, or milk or butter. I should buy some eggs and maybe cheese (I have some already) and make an awesome breakfast tomorrow. Then I should go for a walk/hike. just start going and see where I end up. Then the next day, do something maybe harder or more ambitious.
The hostel seems cute - I haven't checked in yet, that's at 6. There's free internet (for one person at a time) and a sweet kitchen with a big fridge. It seems like there are a bunch of people staying here. There's food and drinks for sale that aren't obscenely expensive like what they had in Interlaken. I already like it here much better than there. why'd I stay there, anyway?
20h20
"You just step outside... and it's th'Alps, y'all!!"
-girl at Mountain Hostel
made pork chops, potatoes, bread for dinner, drank a can of cheap beer with it. (went to the co op in Murren for groceries) I feel amazing. I love it here.
going outside to stare awe-struck at mountains.
some deserve tall tales... some of them wrote 'em....-aesop rock
??h??
some many of us traveling kids keep journals and records of what we do, see, and feel. what happens to all of them? why do we do it?
there are kids here who came in from Cinque Terre. must find out who they are & what they thought.
there is a hot tub outside with people in it but I don't think I will join. don't want to squish in and be hit on.
21h20
don't know how I feel about les gens qui vont a switzerland. beaucoup d'Américans affluents. en croatie et slovenie je crois qu'ils étaient plus intéressants. Je pense qu'en italie, je verrais des gens comme ceux que je vois ici. je ne sais pas si je veux aller aux grandes villes comme Rome ou.... je ne sais pas où.
22h
night 1: Gimmelwald.
Just talked to Megan, who is staying in the hostel for free in exchange for cleaning the kitchen or something. she says she will be here until the 12th, and then she leaves and then someone else will have to take the job...........................
she also gets free dinner
if ..... oh. I wish I could do that. she also just got a job babysitting and cleaning in a guest house up in Murren for the summer. gets to stay with the rest of the staff at the guesthouse. however......... I want to travel some more first. maybe I will talk to the owner here, maybe I could come back later in the month...? This is an amazing place.
the shelter hostel in Amsterdam was also hiring. Maybe I will get lucky and end up in a hostel in Cracow or something that is hiring.... that would be interesting.
Next stop:
on the beach. quiet, green, hilly. the Italian dream hostel version of the house in old saybrook.
yes..... on the beach...
TOMORROW:
WAKE @ 8
COOK EGGS W/CHEESE, HAM, ROSTI
PACK LUNCH: 2 PBJs, APPLE, GRANOLA BAR
BRING NOTEBOOK, CAMERA, PEN. BOOK?
START WALKING
just realized that my next open night is Friday. should figure out where to go, and get a bed soon, since everyone loves to go away for weekends.
stupid weekends.
hostels I've stayed in:
San Diego - back in the day
Venice - Santa FOsca - 4 bed - 18 euro
Ljubljana - Fluxus - 8 bed - 21 euro
Split - Al's place - 6 bed - about 10 euro
Amsterdam - Shelter Jordan - 24 bed? - 16 euro?
Amsterdam - Meeting Point - booth in bar - 15 euro
Interlaken - Funny Farm - 10 bed - 20 chf
Gimmelwald - Mountain Hostel - 16 bed - 23 chf
overnite things I've slept on:
Paris -> Rome (train) - april
Venice -> Zurich (train) - april
Split -> Zagreb (train) -april
Paris -> Basel (train) - 4 june
Rijeka -> Dubrovnik (ferry) - april
Ljubljana -> Zagreb (train) - april
I wonder what it's like outside with the sun gone...
I will go look.
comia: 06/06/06
b:
2 cups of mate
3 smaller cups of coffee
2 pieces of bread with jam & butter
l:
1 pb&j sandwich
d:
1 can of beer
2 pork chops (bone-in), marinated
1 1/2 slices bread
100 g rosti (potatoes)
1/2 chocolate bar
2 glasses red wine
5 JUNE 2006
MONDAG:
somewhere around 19h
kids are like "yeah we came here for a really extreme vacation!!"
which I guess is what most people are up to here. jumping off of things, etc.
Tomorrow I go to Gimmelwald. I imagine it will be really quiet, with maybe almost no one else? I wonder how many others will be there. I wonder how much it will cost .. !! I should have asked when I made the reservation. I should check out their website and see what the options are. I think I asked for a bed .... oh well. I'll stay the first night, almost regardless.. I think I should leave pretty early in the day. trains to the first place run about every 30 mins - then I need a bus, and a cable car, to get to G'wald. Then the hostel is "right there." I think it's a super-tiny town. no food store or anything.
train to Lauterbrunnen
bus to Stechelberg
cable car to Gimmelwald.
Gimmelwald - Mountain Hostel.
CH-3826 Gimmelwald
23 CHF
kitchen
reserved 3 nights
ENIVREZ-VOUS: Baudelaire.
Il faut être toujours ivre, tout est là ; c'est l'unique question. Pour ne pas sentir l'horrible fardeau du temps qui brise vos épaules et vous penche vers la terre, il faut vous enivrer sans trêve.
Dolomites
Siena, It.? Perugia
Naples? (super dense, intense, crowded)
Amalfi coast:
-Amalfi (15km west) - ostello Beato Solitudo (9.50 euro)
-Brindisi - cheap - hotel Venezia
Eolias Islands
-camping in Salina and Culcano
Avignon
Sarlat-la-caneda
Perigueux
Medoc region
Basque region
21h35
ate salad with tuna for dinner again. so delicious somehow. also, bread. what I have left: 1/2 package salami, 1/3 jar p.b., 3 packets mustard, 4 hot dogs, 1/2 bag mixed greens, 6 slices bread, butter. need: cheese, cans of stuff, meat, granola/oatmeal.
I wonder if there are any restaurants in Gimmelwald? I wonder if the hostel serves dinner or even breakfast?
$1 = 1.10 fr (CHF)
$0.91= 1 fr
1 euro = 1.50 fr
0.67 euro = 1 fr
is this right? the difference between euros and dollars doesn't make sense.
just stick to the euro conversion
somewhere around 19h
kids are like "yeah we came here for a really extreme vacation!!"
which I guess is what most people are up to here. jumping off of things, etc.
Tomorrow I go to Gimmelwald. I imagine it will be really quiet, with maybe almost no one else? I wonder how many others will be there. I wonder how much it will cost .. !! I should have asked when I made the reservation. I should check out their website and see what the options are. I think I asked for a bed .... oh well. I'll stay the first night, almost regardless.. I think I should leave pretty early in the day. trains to the first place run about every 30 mins - then I need a bus, and a cable car, to get to G'wald. Then the hostel is "right there." I think it's a super-tiny town. no food store or anything.
train to Lauterbrunnen
bus to Stechelberg
cable car to Gimmelwald.
Gimmelwald - Mountain Hostel.
CH-3826 Gimmelwald
23 CHF
kitchen
reserved 3 nights
ENIVREZ-VOUS: Baudelaire.
Il faut être toujours ivre, tout est là ; c'est l'unique question. Pour ne pas sentir l'horrible fardeau du temps qui brise vos épaules et vous penche vers la terre, il faut vous enivrer sans trêve.
Mais de quoi? De vin, de poésie, ou de vertu à votre guise, mais enivrez-vous!
Et si quelquefois, sur les marches d'un palais, sur l'herbe verte d'un fossé, vous vous réveillez, l'ivresse déjà diminuée ou disparue, demandez au vent, à la vague, à l'étoile, à l'oiseau, à l'horloge; à tout ce qui fuit, à tout ce qui gémit, à tout ce qui roule, à tout ce qui chante, à tout ce qui parle, demandez quelle heure il est. Et le vent, la vague, l'étoile, l'oiseau, l'horloge, vous répondront, "il est l'heure de s'enivrer ; pour ne pas être les esclaves martyrisés du temps, enivrez-vous, enivrez-vous sans cesse de vin, de poésie, de vertu, à votre guise."
where to go next?Dolomites
Siena, It.? Perugia
Naples? (super dense, intense, crowded)
Amalfi coast:
-Amalfi (15km west) - ostello Beato Solitudo (9.50 euro)
-Brindisi - cheap - hotel Venezia
Eolias Islands
-camping in Salina and Culcano
Avignon
Sarlat-la-caneda
Perigueux
Medoc region
Basque region
21h35
ate salad with tuna for dinner again. so delicious somehow. also, bread. what I have left: 1/2 package salami, 1/3 jar p.b., 3 packets mustard, 4 hot dogs, 1/2 bag mixed greens, 6 slices bread, butter. need: cheese, cans of stuff, meat, granola/oatmeal.
I wonder if there are any restaurants in Gimmelwald? I wonder if the hostel serves dinner or even breakfast?
$1 = 1.10 fr (CHF)
$0.91= 1 fr
1 euro = 1.50 fr
0.67 euro = 1 fr
is this right? the difference between euros and dollars doesn't make sense.
just stick to the euro conversion
4 JUNE 2006
14h45
sunday
Interlaken, Switzerland
sitting at the foot of some big snowy mountains. it's beautiful here. the hostel I'm at is also a hotel, it's big and has a nice side yard, and a pool and an outdoor bar where I'm told I can get free drinks from 2 to 11pm.
need to call the Hostel in gimmelwald and see what the deal is there. This hostel is really crowded, I had no idea so many people would be around. hopefully Gimmelwald is more low key. Here it is a bunch of kids spending hundreds on skydiving and bungee jumping and hanggliding or whatever, and then they go home. weird. If I can get up to G tomorrow and stay in the hostel there and all, I might just leave.. I can always come back here before leaving the country/area
have 20CHF left from the 100 I took out when I arrived:
20 sun night
20 mon night
5 bread, cheez, soda
20 food- bread, salami, potatoes, wine
5 popcorn and chocolate
oh yeah, plus 10 in change in my pocket. yeah, that evens out.
inventory:
6 slices bread
1 package salami
1/3 jar peanut butter
2 packets mustard
today achievements:
stealing towels from the hotel
booking another night in Interlaken
reserving 3 night in Gimmelwald
stealing bread from breakfast and making pb&j sandwiches
stealing butter from breakfast
to do:
what to do in Interlaken
how to get to Gimmelwald
call the hostel in Gimmelwald
what to bring to Gimmelwald
how to get back from x
check weather
eat lunch
snoop around hostel
look at that spanish book on western europe
sunday
Interlaken, Switzerland
sitting at the foot of some big snowy mountains. it's beautiful here. the hostel I'm at is also a hotel, it's big and has a nice side yard, and a pool and an outdoor bar where I'm told I can get free drinks from 2 to 11pm.
need to call the Hostel in gimmelwald and see what the deal is there. This hostel is really crowded, I had no idea so many people would be around. hopefully Gimmelwald is more low key. Here it is a bunch of kids spending hundreds on skydiving and bungee jumping and hanggliding or whatever, and then they go home. weird. If I can get up to G tomorrow and stay in the hostel there and all, I might just leave.. I can always come back here before leaving the country/area
have 20CHF left from the 100 I took out when I arrived:
20 sun night
20 mon night
5 bread, cheez, soda
20 food- bread, salami, potatoes, wine
5 popcorn and chocolate
oh yeah, plus 10 in change in my pocket. yeah, that evens out.
inventory:
6 slices bread
1 package salami
1/3 jar peanut butter
2 packets mustard
today achievements:
stealing towels from the hotel
booking another night in Interlaken
reserving 3 night in Gimmelwald
stealing bread from breakfast and making pb&j sandwiches
stealing butter from breakfast
to do:
what to do in Interlaken
how to get to Gimmelwald
call the hostel in Gimmelwald
what to bring to Gimmelwald
how to get back from x
check weather
eat lunch
snoop around hostel
look at that spanish book on western europe
3 JUNE 2006
2h20
I think it must be June 3rd by now. ....? I paid 15 euro to sleep in a booth next to the bar at the Meeting Point hostel. oh, why not. it would have been 10 euro to rent a locker that they have here; this way I get to store my crap and sleep somewhere warm, too (or somewhere at all, for that matter)
I rented a bike and took a (free!) ferry north from Centraal and looked around a little. it was great. cows and sheep and stuff. but there were highways everywhere. and high-tension wires. it was a little weird. I also saw a huge new windmill thing, whatever they call them now
10h30
Antwerp
driving along. thinking about Amsterdam, Paris, and Switzerland. Antwerp is Belgium, 45 minutes from Brussels, I think. (where I'm sure we'll spend an hour getting from one station to the other, and having a rest stop too)
I think it must be June 3rd by now. ....? I paid 15 euro to sleep in a booth next to the bar at the Meeting Point hostel. oh, why not. it would have been 10 euro to rent a locker that they have here; this way I get to store my crap and sleep somewhere warm, too (or somewhere at all, for that matter)
I rented a bike and took a (free!) ferry north from Centraal and looked around a little. it was great. cows and sheep and stuff. but there were highways everywhere. and high-tension wires. it was a little weird. I also saw a huge new windmill thing, whatever they call them now
10h30
Antwerp
driving along. thinking about Amsterdam, Paris, and Switzerland. Antwerp is Belgium, 45 minutes from Brussels, I think. (where I'm sure we'll spend an hour getting from one station to the other, and having a rest stop too)
1 JUNE 2006
Paris-Amsterdam: 9h-17h (I think)
11h00
Wancourt (?) autoroute A1: rest stop
20 min.
where is my return ticket?
missed yesterday night's bus. took metro back to Paris, called Paul and Lucas, no answer. I didn't know what else to do, so I called Gavin, who lives in the same building as Faisal did. he saved my life by letting me sleep on the floor. it was awesome, I appreciate it so much. I was so upset. I reserved a bed for tonight in one of the christian hostels in amsterdam. why not? If I want to party tonight I will go find one; meet people there. I guess I am wary of the ridiculous party hostel scene.
NOTE: locate storage locker @ bus or centraal station so I don't have to drag my crap around all day demain after I leave the hostel.
13h
suddenly all the text I see outside is completely unintelligible. must be in Belgium.
13h30
Brussels is a very cute city.
there is a very shiny, glass/steel, modern downtown financial/government district. strange architecture, ample greenspace, still very formal; with weird modern sculptures scattered around. off.
Then there's the quaint and picturesque downtown
THEN there's the industrial areas. best are the junkyards (along river/canal?) and the empty, abandoned old brick buildings we passed before getting to the Bruxelles Midi stop.
14h
leaving Brussels, finally. It's raining, still.
now there's the brooklyn part: rundown but still (to me) appealing buildings (apartments) with some shady/discount stores and restaurants. this is just in front of the Laeken Church, for future reference if I ever want to come live here.
seems like things are pretty cheap - - food in the old downtown area at least.
ooh, also, a park. apartments here are probably cheap.
signs in the city are in dutch, english, french.. I like it. maybe I should learn dutch.
now - the park - I think it's Laeken Park? some small cute fancy churchy looking thing in it .. tall and pointy.. (my year in architecture school has taught me nothing)
ok. on the road again, I believe.
3 hrs til Amsterdam......
15h30: Netherlands:
my first windmill! also, my first weird, compact, modern, minimalistic housing development, right across the street.
oh my god all of these buildings are so weird! also, a crazy sculpture, of a huge red person laying on his back on a hill with an orange funnel in his mouth... WEIRD
rockin tunes on the radio -- "you sexy thing" followed by "summer of '69"
and furthermore, the sky is blue up ahead! and there are forests on either side!
16h
a beautiful country. flat and green, for some reason very charming and appealing.
I will only have the rest of today, and all of tomorrow here. should I stay longer? maybe I will hang around the city today & tonight, and rent a bike and leave the city demain, and return to drink coffee and hang out.
also: my first non-stationary windmill!
20h
I am nervous about tomorrow night! I want to call Nick but I don't want to tell him that I don't have a place to stay because he will freak out. etc. um. I have to go up to the Centraal station and see: 1) if there are lockers, and 1a) how much they cost, and 2) what the hours are that I could access it. I am in a coffee shop. There are 2 other people up here also, on the 2nd floor, and they are making out like crazy, and there is a guy downstairs SHOUTING in some other language. dutch? I think he might be on the phone, but he's loud and sounds crazy. but not in a scary way.
Anyway I'm leaving, going to figure out where I am so I can head to the station. will probably eat along the way. okay.
Also, look for a post office.
01h10 (friday)
what an exhausting day (though much of it was spent sitting down, on a bus)
walked all over the place. learned that there are lockers at the station (Centraal) but they're only accessible from 7h to 22h or something. and 7 is cutting it a little close, as my bus leaves at 7h30.....
I wanted to stay up later but I think I might fall asleep.. I can take a nap in the sun tomorrow............
11h00
Wancourt (?) autoroute A1: rest stop
20 min.
where is my return ticket?
missed yesterday night's bus. took metro back to Paris, called Paul and Lucas, no answer. I didn't know what else to do, so I called Gavin, who lives in the same building as Faisal did. he saved my life by letting me sleep on the floor. it was awesome, I appreciate it so much. I was so upset. I reserved a bed for tonight in one of the christian hostels in amsterdam. why not? If I want to party tonight I will go find one; meet people there. I guess I am wary of the ridiculous party hostel scene.
NOTE: locate storage locker @ bus or centraal station so I don't have to drag my crap around all day demain after I leave the hostel.
13h
suddenly all the text I see outside is completely unintelligible. must be in Belgium.
13h30
Brussels is a very cute city.
there is a very shiny, glass/steel, modern downtown financial/government district. strange architecture, ample greenspace, still very formal; with weird modern sculptures scattered around. off.
Then there's the quaint and picturesque downtown
THEN there's the industrial areas. best are the junkyards (along river/canal?) and the empty, abandoned old brick buildings we passed before getting to the Bruxelles Midi stop.
14h
leaving Brussels, finally. It's raining, still.
now there's the brooklyn part: rundown but still (to me) appealing buildings (apartments) with some shady/discount stores and restaurants. this is just in front of the Laeken Church, for future reference if I ever want to come live here.
seems like things are pretty cheap - - food in the old downtown area at least.
ooh, also, a park. apartments here are probably cheap.
signs in the city are in dutch, english, french.. I like it. maybe I should learn dutch.
now - the park - I think it's Laeken Park? some small cute fancy churchy looking thing in it .. tall and pointy.. (my year in architecture school has taught me nothing)
ok. on the road again, I believe.
3 hrs til Amsterdam......
15h30: Netherlands:
my first windmill! also, my first weird, compact, modern, minimalistic housing development, right across the street.
oh my god all of these buildings are so weird! also, a crazy sculpture, of a huge red person laying on his back on a hill with an orange funnel in his mouth... WEIRD
rockin tunes on the radio -- "you sexy thing" followed by "summer of '69"
and furthermore, the sky is blue up ahead! and there are forests on either side!
16h
a beautiful country. flat and green, for some reason very charming and appealing.
I will only have the rest of today, and all of tomorrow here. should I stay longer? maybe I will hang around the city today & tonight, and rent a bike and leave the city demain, and return to drink coffee and hang out.
also: my first non-stationary windmill!
20h
I am nervous about tomorrow night! I want to call Nick but I don't want to tell him that I don't have a place to stay because he will freak out. etc. um. I have to go up to the Centraal station and see: 1) if there are lockers, and 1a) how much they cost, and 2) what the hours are that I could access it. I am in a coffee shop. There are 2 other people up here also, on the 2nd floor, and they are making out like crazy, and there is a guy downstairs SHOUTING in some other language. dutch? I think he might be on the phone, but he's loud and sounds crazy. but not in a scary way.
Anyway I'm leaving, going to figure out where I am so I can head to the station. will probably eat along the way. okay.
Also, look for a post office.
01h10 (friday)
what an exhausting day (though much of it was spent sitting down, on a bus)
walked all over the place. learned that there are lockers at the station (Centraal) but they're only accessible from 7h to 22h or something. and 7 is cutting it a little close, as my bus leaves at 7h30.....
I wanted to stay up later but I think I might fall asleep.. I can take a nap in the sun tomorrow............
PART II: SUMMER
buses:
Paris-Amsterdam
31/05 23h00: Paris Gallendi to Amsterdam
Amsterdam-Paris
01/06 06h30 (Thurs)
02/06 22h00 (arrive Paris 6h00) FULL
03/06 7h30
03/06 15h15
next:
SATURDAY 3 JUNE
PARIS-INTERLAKEN
sat. 22h43 Paris Est -> sun. 4h50 Basel SBB
sun. 7h00 Basel SBB -> 8h58 Interlaken West (or 9h03, Interlaken Ost)
arrive probably around noon at the hostel in gimmelwald. Relax. Sleep. wake up. do what? stay another night?
yes!
stay many.
eurolines office - 9h-18h
55 rue st-Jacques 75005
(up St-Michel, R on St-Germain, R on St-J)
PARIS GALLIENI to A'DAM: 23h 31/05
AMSTERDAM to P-G: 7h30 3/06
66 euro
to hostel:
from centraal:
tram 13/17 to 4th stop, Marnixstraat
before bridge, turn R into Lijnbaansgracht
R into Bloemstraat. #179.
Paris-Amsterdam
31/05 23h00: Paris Gallendi to Amsterdam
Amsterdam-Paris
01/06 06h30 (Thurs)
03/06 7h30
03/06 15h15
next:
SATURDAY 3 JUNE
PARIS-INTERLAKEN
sat. 22h43 Paris Est -> sun. 4h50 Basel SBB
sun. 7h00 Basel SBB -> 8h58 Interlaken West (or 9h03, Interlaken Ost)
arrive probably around noon at the hostel in gimmelwald. Relax. Sleep. wake up. do what? stay another night?
yes!
stay many.
eurolines office - 9h-18h
55 rue st-Jacques 75005
(up St-Michel, R on St-Germain, R on St-J)
PARIS GALLIENI to A'DAM: 23h 31/05
AMSTERDAM to P-G: 7h30 3/06
66 euro
to hostel:
from centraal:
tram 13/17 to 4th stop, Marnixstraat
before bridge, turn R into Lijnbaansgracht
R into Bloemstraat. #179.
MONDAY 1 may 2006 (MAYDAY)
08h00 SWITZERLAND IS GORGEOUS
I wish this was a regular train so I could sit up and look out the window and all around.
breakfast - 2 croissants and OJ
some mountains are green and covered with trees, some are unbelievably huge and rocky and snowy up top.
Zurich - free bike rentals @ platform 18 @ the train station! (w/deposit) (later) - only in summer....
looking around - cross river, turn right. or stay on this side, walk south to St Peterskirche, then cross and explore
09h35 Zurich
so far I love it. I don't want to leave. maybe I won't.
The are getting ready for some sort of parade or demonstration here alond the river. maybe it's the Euromayday celebration I saw advertised in Venice?
I bet this is a fun day in Berlin.
Anyway, here, loud music, flags, and banners,
AND FINALLY THE SUN IS OUT
I wish there were more mountains around!!
ZURICH -> PARIS
11h34-15h16
12h02-18h46
13h32-20h21
14h04-20h57
14h32-21h31
15h02-21h41
15h06-21h41
and many more I'm sure.
some oi playing, some rap playing, this is very strange.
plus, my book says trains at
16h18-22h11
17h02-23h42
(23h06-06h47 - overnight - bad idée)
11h55
Lake Zurich
looking southish towards some small mountains - behind them bigger mountains -- behind those, enormous, snowy mountains.
I should probably definitely be back in Paris by now. I don't want to go back / but I do, as previously discussed.
I want to stay ere, or anywhere, or keep moving around.
(yeah, and everything is in German, and swiss francs, so I can't really talk to anyone, or buy anything - the latter of which is for sure probably for the better)
I don't have any idea of the conversion of SFR -> Euros or USD, so I have no cncept of how much things cost here, which I am always curious about. pretty expensive, I imagine.
Zurich 13h34 -> Basel SBB 14h38 (Inter-regio)
Basel SBB 14h45 -> Mulhouse-Ville 15h22 (Regio-express)
Mulhouse-Ville 16h03 -> Paris Est (TGV)
total: 7h6m
13h24
On the train: Zurich - Basel
I wonder how far I'll get before I realize that I can't make it back to paris tonight for some reason?
it will be a relief to not have to carry this dumb backpack with me everywhere
I don't know which side of the train will be prettier - right or left (northish or southish)
I'm on the right, for now.
13h55
Lenzburg
switched to the other side. The sun shines in this way, anyway.
14h47
on the train from Basel to Mulhouse. so far, so good
note to self: learn about Basel
it's hot on this train
looks like Basel has a zoo
some cool graffiti
some interesting urban decay?
I am the only on in this train car.
...what's happening? supposed to get off? end of the line? ...hm. not what I had anticipated based on ------
??h??
BACK IN FRANCE!
only 7 1/2 more hours until Paris....
It's flat here, mostly kind of ugly, but in a charming kind of way. (Sierentz)
turned on my phone and I had a message from F -- he was in class, wondering where I was ....
I thought that class was canceled! Damn. Damn.
Well I couldn't have made it anyway, that train from Benice was my last chance to make it to Paris on time.
16h20
this is amazing in a whole new way. farms on the left, gently hilly terrain; small villages to the right, with not-too-high mountains
Tiny old chapel, stout and solid.
Old post-and-beam buildings falling apart.
Cows, tractors, a million shades of green
ugly houses, beautiful ones, small ponds, a canal
This -- the train!
I wonder what kind of vitesse we're traveling at, and if it's grand or not. it's a Corail train. Probably not. In fact, I'm almost sure. Almost. added later: Yeah, now I'm sure
Dirt roads, people on bikes, fishing..
curvy, narrow 2-lane paved country roads
20h
Are we there yet? I have been uncomfortable the whole time.
40 minutes - can't wait
21h
weird to be back in Paris. it feels so distant but so familiar. the sounds and smells of the metro, the way everything works.. weird. I got so used to it here. now I've gotten used to being places that are totally new to me.
SUNDAY
09h15 : is it sunday now?
train thru Slovenia - heading to Ljubljana ( <3 ) - stopped at Zidani Most. moving now.
Slovenia is an incredibly beautiful country.
11h05
train from Ljubljana to Venezia. I almost missed it - it started to pull away but then stopped for me after I ran along behind / next to it for a minute, waving my arms like a fool (to the best of my ability -- with the weight of all the crap i am carrying)
Rudy and Guillaume didn't even make it off the train in Ljub! they were pulling their stuff together and putting on shoes etc - Andre and I could see Guillaume thru the window as the train pulled away and we stood on the platform.......
12h35
SLOVENIA IS SO BEAUTIFUL
and their border police are so diligent with their passport stamps! I now have 3 Slovenia stamps!
-Italy
-Croatia
-Switzerland ..............
we are now in Italy, though. also beautiful, but not so much as Slovenia.
I am here with Andre who is now sleeping. He has Spanish/French citizenship. we don't know where the other 2 ended up. They have a flight from Venice -> Paris at 20h40 tonight.
I wonder if they'll be able to make it, and where they were able to get off their train and all. Andre thought they'd probably try to hitchhike but it's still pretty miserable outside, and they have a lot of stuff...
14h10
gearing up for six more hours in venice.......... (boooo)
(walked around with Andre, at pizza, it was coo, he left at 17h30)
19h
I am unhappy about the train to Paris being full (couldn't get on it), I am unhappy because I don't want to be in Venice and I hate Venice and it's filled with so much ugly, I am unappy because I wanted to go 'home,' I expected to be there in the morning, and I am even more unhappy to the things I am looking forwards to because I am uncomfortable with some of them and I don't want to go back to Paris, I just want to keep traveling around, spend more time in Slovenia, but I am attached to school and I want to get my work done and done well, and I hate that that implies I have to go back to everything else, I like being out here because its away from real life and the things I usually have to deal with...
I am unhappy about money and I am unhappy about how expensive this vacation must have been (and still is, I hate you Venice) and how I could have done it cheaper and how I shouldn't have spent so much damn time in Venice.
Also, I have to pee, and that's annoying, because I'll have to pay.. I wonder how far from McDonalds I am and if I could go there?
22h52 Venezia S. Lucia -> 08h51 Zuerich HB
25 euro
23h15
(heading to Zurich)
in a 6-bed compartment, potentially stuck in the dark all night? I don't know if my little light works..
potentially unpleasant.
potentially troublesome, as I will be traveling through a country that my rail pass doesn't cover and I wasn't able to do anything about it because I realized too late. wanted to switch to a train to Nice, then to Paris. o well. more fees probably. fines. German. ah.
train thru Slovenia - heading to Ljubljana ( <3 ) - stopped at Zidani Most. moving now.
Slovenia is an incredibly beautiful country.
11h05
train from Ljubljana to Venezia. I almost missed it - it started to pull away but then stopped for me after I ran along behind / next to it for a minute, waving my arms like a fool (to the best of my ability -- with the weight of all the crap i am carrying)
Rudy and Guillaume didn't even make it off the train in Ljub! they were pulling their stuff together and putting on shoes etc - Andre and I could see Guillaume thru the window as the train pulled away and we stood on the platform.......
12h35
SLOVENIA IS SO BEAUTIFUL
and their border police are so diligent with their passport stamps! I now have 3 Slovenia stamps!
-Italy
-Croatia
-Switzerland ..............
we are now in Italy, though. also beautiful, but not so much as Slovenia.
I am here with Andre who is now sleeping. He has Spanish/French citizenship. we don't know where the other 2 ended up. They have a flight from Venice -> Paris at 20h40 tonight.
I wonder if they'll be able to make it, and where they were able to get off their train and all. Andre thought they'd probably try to hitchhike but it's still pretty miserable outside, and they have a lot of stuff...
14h10
gearing up for six more hours in venice.......... (boooo)
(walked around with Andre, at pizza, it was coo, he left at 17h30)
19h
I am unhappy about the train to Paris being full (couldn't get on it), I am unhappy because I don't want to be in Venice and I hate Venice and it's filled with so much ugly, I am unappy because I wanted to go 'home,' I expected to be there in the morning, and I am even more unhappy to the things I am looking forwards to because I am uncomfortable with some of them and I don't want to go back to Paris, I just want to keep traveling around, spend more time in Slovenia, but I am attached to school and I want to get my work done and done well, and I hate that that implies I have to go back to everything else, I like being out here because its away from real life and the things I usually have to deal with...
I am unhappy about money and I am unhappy about how expensive this vacation must have been (and still is, I hate you Venice) and how I could have done it cheaper and how I shouldn't have spent so much damn time in Venice.
Also, I have to pee, and that's annoying, because I'll have to pay.. I wonder how far from McDonalds I am and if I could go there?
22h52 Venezia S. Lucia -> 08h51 Zuerich HB
25 euro
23h15
(heading to Zurich)
in a 6-bed compartment, potentially stuck in the dark all night? I don't know if my little light works..
potentially unpleasant.
potentially troublesome, as I will be traveling through a country that my rail pass doesn't cover and I wasn't able to do anything about it because I realized too late. wanted to switch to a train to Nice, then to Paris. o well. more fees probably. fines. German. ah.
SATURDAY
8h30
hello, now I think it’s saturday, the day I start to head home. 35 hours in transit, Split to Zagreb to Trieste to Venice to Paris.
everyone else went out last night but I didn’t really feel compelled to do so – not to be judgemental but none of those people really caught my attention.
3 girls, california
2 boys, australia
Al, from the hotel, and his friend, who’s probably British or something.
WHERE’S MY STUPID BLACK PEN?
there is no reason for this page to be all red, and stand out from the others.
NOTHING TO SEE HERE.
(didn’t pay for last night yet and I secretly really hope I don’t have to...)
I COULD WRITE VOLUMES...
9h
Train leaves at 15h22
I have 6 hours to
pack
get reservations
--look on internet
--go to train station
eat
--cheaply!
get food to bring
--fruit from market
--bread
--cheez or s’thing?
also, enjoy the city more before heading back to STUPID reality.
10h10
will be on train from 15h22 - 20h47
--bring snacks?
eat dinnerstuff in Zagreb (2 1/2 hours)
be on train overnite - 23h22 (zagreb) - 5h03 (trieste)
--bring snacks
--try to charge the cost of this on card
be in Trieste 1 1/2 h - maybe have a small b'fast
THIS WILL BE ROUGH. Venice -> Paris 10hrs
have @ least 30 kn upon arrival in Zagreb.
21h30 SATURDAY
GOING HOME (BACK TO PARIS)
ITIN:
SATURDAY-SUNDAY
22h20 Split- Knin Gospil - 6h30 Zagreb
SUNDAY
7h50 Zagreb - 10h06 Ljubljana
10h28 Ljubljana - 14h21 Venezia
20h11 Venezia - 8h23 Paris (xxxx expensive xxxx boooo)
at the train station in Split. not going to miss this one.
did I mention that I missed the planned departure to Zagreb? that totally sucked, but ... I should have been more observant.
And looked at my ticket, at least.
..ah well.
ate dinner with Bryan and Pete, australians both traveling alone (until they ran into eachother in whatever city they were in last)
Pete is (was?) in the Australian army or whatever, Bryan is a lawyer (weird) and we hung out all day I think.
Dinner was excellent (54 kn) - gnocci with tomato sauce and mozeralla, baked, and some tasty focaccia (also, red wine)
sucks to be leaving croatia/vacation.
TERRIFIED OF REALITY.
Also met Cara, from California/been living in Melbourne, Australia. She has very long hair, and is traveling alone also. She was in that national park, Plid....whatever it's called, there are lakes there and stuff.
(shouldn'a gone to Dubrovnik?)
we hung out for a while today, it was cool, I hung around and watched as she bought vegetables from the market - lettuce, mushrooms, carrots, a zucchini, other things.. then picked up 2 oranges, a strawberry, chives.. off the ground. I took a picture of her.
going to look for bathroom @ bus station.
by the way, never paid for second night at the hostel. I feel bad, but it makes things a lot easier. i.e., dinner. have something like 90 kuna. also got some $ (kn) back from ticket refund, since I missed the bus to my train and all (minus 10 1/2)
CURRENCY (CASH)
50 kn + 5.95 kn (coins)
510 SIT
25 euro
22h55
on the train - 3 kids from Paris (Rudy Andre and Guillaume), 1 from Turkey, one from Poland, one from Lisbon, Portugal. they seem nice, the girls are kind of crazy and excited, it is fun to speak french to the ones that know it (the Parisians)
well......headed towards Paris....
00h30
yup. train. moved to my own compartment to be more comfortable. it is great to have the window open, though some rain comes in and so does some exhaust (the latter of which is significantly unpleasant)
I love the sensations of movement - acceleration, uphill/downhill, turning right or left..
hello, now I think it’s saturday, the day I start to head home. 35 hours in transit, Split to Zagreb to Trieste to Venice to Paris.
everyone else went out last night but I didn’t really feel compelled to do so – not to be judgemental but none of those people really caught my attention.
3 girls, california
2 boys, australia
Al, from the hotel, and his friend, who’s probably British or something.
WHERE’S MY STUPID BLACK PEN?
there is no reason for this page to be all red, and stand out from the others.
NOTHING TO SEE HERE.
(didn’t pay for last night yet and I secretly really hope I don’t have to...)
I COULD WRITE VOLUMES...
9h
Train leaves at 15h22
I have 6 hours to
pack
get reservations
--look on internet
--go to train station
eat
--cheaply!
get food to bring
--fruit from market
--bread
--cheez or s’thing?
also, enjoy the city more before heading back to STUPID reality.
10h10
will be on train from 15h22 - 20h47
--bring snacks?
eat dinnerstuff in Zagreb (2 1/2 hours)
be on train overnite - 23h22 (zagreb) - 5h03 (trieste)
--bring snacks
--try to charge the cost of this on card
be in Trieste 1 1/2 h - maybe have a small b'fast
THIS WILL BE ROUGH. Venice -> Paris 10hrs
have @ least 30 kn upon arrival in Zagreb.
21h30 SATURDAY
GOING HOME (BACK TO PARIS)
ITIN:
SATURDAY-SUNDAY
22h20 Split- Knin Gospil - 6h30 Zagreb
SUNDAY
7h50 Zagreb - 10h06 Ljubljana
10h28 Ljubljana - 14h21 Venezia
20h11 Venezia - 8h23 Paris (xxxx expensive xxxx boooo)
at the train station in Split. not going to miss this one.
did I mention that I missed the planned departure to Zagreb? that totally sucked, but ... I should have been more observant.
And looked at my ticket, at least.
..ah well.
ate dinner with Bryan and Pete, australians both traveling alone (until they ran into eachother in whatever city they were in last)
Pete is (was?) in the Australian army or whatever, Bryan is a lawyer (weird) and we hung out all day I think.
Dinner was excellent (54 kn) - gnocci with tomato sauce and mozeralla, baked, and some tasty focaccia (also, red wine)
sucks to be leaving croatia/vacation.
TERRIFIED OF REALITY.
Also met Cara, from California/been living in Melbourne, Australia. She has very long hair, and is traveling alone also. She was in that national park, Plid....whatever it's called, there are lakes there and stuff.
(shouldn'a gone to Dubrovnik?)
we hung out for a while today, it was cool, I hung around and watched as she bought vegetables from the market - lettuce, mushrooms, carrots, a zucchini, other things.. then picked up 2 oranges, a strawberry, chives.. off the ground. I took a picture of her.
going to look for bathroom @ bus station.
by the way, never paid for second night at the hostel. I feel bad, but it makes things a lot easier. i.e., dinner. have something like 90 kuna. also got some $ (kn) back from ticket refund, since I missed the bus to my train and all (minus 10 1/2)
CURRENCY (CASH)
50 kn + 5.95 kn (coins)
510 SIT
25 euro
22h55
on the train - 3 kids from Paris (Rudy Andre and Guillaume), 1 from Turkey, one from Poland, one from Lisbon, Portugal. they seem nice, the girls are kind of crazy and excited, it is fun to speak french to the ones that know it (the Parisians)
well......headed towards Paris....
00h30
yup. train. moved to my own compartment to be more comfortable. it is great to have the window open, though some rain comes in and so does some exhaust (the latter of which is significantly unpleasant)
I love the sensations of movement - acceleration, uphill/downhill, turning right or left..
FRIDAY: 28 april 06 (????)
8h
met some kidsin from Mississippi here at the hostel (Al's Place) in Split. They're on a 6-week trip around europe, with tents and sleeping bags and all.
Horton and Joe are their names - they've left by now for an 8h30 ferry to Hvar.
We went out last night, they were looking to buy some pot and I was curious about what it was like to do that here.
Anyway they found someone right away but it was a little to shady so we left and sat down on the waterfront with out legs dangling over the sea.. sat, talked, then came back to the hostel - they didn't want to be out late bc of their early start and ambitious plans for today (mucho hiking, with packs and all)
They're good people. Also, cute. Joe is a hilariously casual and fun-seeming kind of guy with a fabulous midwestern accent. Horton was funny, kind of awkward, but not at the same time.
anyway, it was cool. Then I left the hostel and wandered around until I could eat (14 kn deliciously awful burger with mayo & pickles) then eventually made my way back here.
MISSION TONITE: COOK CHICKEN. EAT IT WITH THE RICE I BROUGHT.
now: make yerba mate. drink quick. go eat breakfast (=bread)
then go hiking in the park, regardless of weather.
11h10
just got run over by a car. not a big deal; but maybe I should be more careful or something.
It takes a certain kind of person to walk under a car, bump against it, and have its rear wheel run over your foot.
crabs are so weird, and sneaky!!
(LOW TIDE - SPLIT HARBOR)
just now, I can see 11 of them!
crabbing along, sneakily.
o here comes a big one!
(big = 2-3 inches)
nešto - something
malo - some, (a) little
samo - only (sam - alone)
?dobro = good?
isto - same
obro - again
molim - plz
MESO (MEAT)
piletina - pollo
govedina - beef
svinjetina - pork
meso od pirasy - poultry
kobasica = sausage
odrezak = steak (beef)
??h
I love things that most people don't see, or don't even know about. I like being involved with things people don't know about. I like to feel like I'm discovering or putting together or arranging something new or different. I like to look inside of things. I like interior spaces. I like very small spaces, as well as very large spaces - ones that are so large that you forget you're even in that particular space. (Then there are spaces that are just large enough that you forget that there is anything else larger than where you happen to be).
met some kids
Horton and Joe are their names - they've left by now for an 8h30 ferry to Hvar.
We went out last night, they were looking to buy some pot and I was curious about what it was like to do that here.
Anyway they found someone right away but it was a little to shady so we left and sat down on the waterfront with out legs dangling over the sea.. sat, talked, then came back to the hostel - they didn't want to be out late bc of their early start and ambitious plans for today (mucho hiking, with packs and all)
They're good people. Also, cute. Joe is a hilariously casual and fun-seeming kind of guy with a fabulous midwestern accent. Horton was funny, kind of awkward, but not at the same time.
anyway, it was cool. Then I left the hostel and wandered around until I could eat (14 kn deliciously awful burger with mayo & pickles) then eventually made my way back here.
MISSION TONITE: COOK CHICKEN. EAT IT WITH THE RICE I BROUGHT.
now: make yerba mate. drink quick. go eat breakfast (=bread)
then go hiking in the park, regardless of weather.
11h10
just got run over by a car. not a big deal; but maybe I should be more careful or something.
It takes a certain kind of person to walk under a car, bump against it, and have its rear wheel run over your foot.
crabs are so weird, and sneaky!!
(LOW TIDE - SPLIT HARBOR)
just now, I can see 11 of them!
crabbing along, sneakily.
o here comes a big one!
(big = 2-3 inches)
nešto - something
malo - some, (a) little
samo - only (sam - alone)
?dobro = good?
isto - same
obro - again
molim - plz
MESO (MEAT)
piletina - pollo
govedina - beef
svinjetina - pork
meso od pirasy - poultry
kobasica = sausage
odrezak = steak (beef)
??h
I love things that most people don't see, or don't even know about. I like being involved with things people don't know about. I like to feel like I'm discovering or putting together or arranging something new or different. I like to look inside of things. I like interior spaces. I like very small spaces, as well as very large spaces - ones that are so large that you forget you're even in that particular space. (Then there are spaces that are just large enough that you forget that there is anything else larger than where you happen to be).
FRIDAY: 28 april 06 (????)
I hate this pen!
8h53
a new day. (thurs? the 27th?)
slept like woah. fell asleep at 11 and woke up just now.
oh no, it's raining....
I think it's time to head to Split.
get up, pack, shower real quick, hopefully leave my stuff here & head out to an internet cafe, check the bus schedules, come back for my stuff, leave when appropriate/possible?
I still might like to check out walking along the city walls, even in the rain. it's not too bad now, though kind of maybe a little chilly.
TODAY:
15h: get on bus - head over to bus station where intercity buses leave. find out what's up with the 16h30 bus.
PLAN: BUS: 15h30 to "about 8 o'clock" TO SPLIT
AUTOTRANS RIJEKA departs from thing #5.
122 kn
(it is weird to me to hear the strokes playing on the sound system at the Dubrovnik bus station. inside & outside.)
on raileurope.com, look at price quotes for these two trips (below)
get MSF's address. also, JCM.
"home"
Sat: SPLIT -> ZAGREB 22h57 -> 6h54 (sleep)
Sun: ZAGREB -> VENEZIA 7h50 -> 14h21
S/M: VENEZIA -> PARIS 19h59 -> 8h23 (sleep -- reserve)
(34 hours)
SPLIT -> ZAGREB
ZAGREB -> LJUB
LJUB -> VENICE
VENICE -> PARIS
As long as I am in Zagreb by 7h50 on Sunday morning, I can make it back to Paris without missing any school.
Otherwise, I can do it saturday morning, and have sunday to pull myself together before going back to school. blah. not necessary.
Thurs p.m. - Split
Fri p.m. - Split
Sat p.m. - ?? bus/train/Zagreb?
Sat: SPLIT -> ZAGREB 15h22 - 20h47
S/S: ZAG -> TRIESTE 23h22 - 5h03
SUN: TRIESTE -> VENEZ 6h44-9h09
SUN: VEN -> PARIS 12h52 - 22h51
?cheaper?
this is more appealing
(31 hours)
note: (added later:) I MISSED THIS ONE
withdrawal - 4/27?
300 kn - Split
200 kn - Dubrovnik
-122 (bus)
-90 (sleep
friday - manana -
220 kn
-90 kn (sleep tonite)
=130 kn for today and demain
-8 kn (apple and hot dog) - fri
-5 kn (internet) - thu
-23 (chicken and garlic) - fri
-7 (pizza) - fri
-4 (bread and pastry) - fri
-10 (vodka)
dear money, I hate you. from, Dana
15h30 on the bus
the only reason I can stand to be heading away from a landscape like this right now is that what I see on the horizon is incredibly beautiful.
can't write must look
209 km to Split!
just look away from outside and then looked out and looked down... Dowm...
my whole body tensed up, my eyes widened, it was terrifying,awesome, awe-inspiring
I am almost crying it is so beautiful
15h41
THIS IS WHERE I NEED TO BE
15h42
just passed a place with a sign for rooms/apartments for rent
could totally hike there from bus station someday
16h05
179 km to split
16h49
2 passport checks so far. interesting.
um. what did I want to write down.
oh yeah
red volvo 240 (245?) wagon parked on ledge (roof of old building?)
should be mine
I should be here
so many different shades of green,
and gray
17h05
118 km to Spit
I see a train track!
17h34
108 km (15 minute break some______) trails off to squiggle
BADMUSICPLAYING
landscape gorgeous but impoverished
19h
these mountains.. I have never been next to anything so physically Big.
(IAMJEALOUSIMNOTREALLYLIKETHISIDONTACTUALLYFEELTHISWAY)
19h38
I don't know that I have ever seen anything as beautiful than this sunset tonight, over the Adriatic sea.
23h45
alone in another ancient city
(what you trying to prove?)
see also: "hungry"
I want to be alone but I don't... at all
..but I need to be away
I LOVE THIS PART OF THE WORLD
00h10 (technically tomorrow)
I have no idea where I am. I walked until I could get food (hamburger), then I just walked until I could sit down. I will find my way back. in due time.
8h53
a new day. (thurs? the 27th?)
slept like woah. fell asleep at 11 and woke up just now.
oh no, it's raining....
I think it's time to head to Split.
get up, pack, shower real quick, hopefully leave my stuff here & head out to an internet cafe, check the bus schedules, come back for my stuff, leave when appropriate/possible?
I still might like to check out walking along the city walls, even in the rain. it's not too bad now, though kind of maybe a little chilly.
TODAY:
15h: get on bus - head over to bus station where intercity buses leave. find out what's up with the 16h30 bus.
PLAN: BUS: 15h30 to "about 8 o'clock" TO SPLIT
AUTOTRANS RIJEKA departs from thing #5.
122 kn
(it is weird to me to hear the strokes playing on the sound system at the Dubrovnik bus station. inside & outside.)
on raileurope.com, look at price quotes for these two trips (below)
get MSF's address. also, JCM.
"home"
Sat: SPLIT -> ZAGREB 22h57 -> 6h54 (sleep)
Sun: ZAGREB -> VENEZIA 7h50 -> 14h21
S/M: VENEZIA -> PARIS 19h59 -> 8h23 (sleep -- reserve)
(34 hours)
SPLIT -> ZAGREB
ZAGREB -> LJUB
LJUB -> VENICE
VENICE -> PARIS
As long as I am in Zagreb by 7h50 on Sunday morning, I can make it back to Paris without missing any school.
Otherwise, I can do it saturday morning, and have sunday to pull myself together before going back to school. blah. not necessary.
Thurs p.m. - Split
Fri p.m. - Split
Sat p.m. - ?? bus/train/Zagreb?
Sat: SPLIT -> ZAGREB 15h22 - 20h47
S/S: ZAG -> TRIESTE 23h22 - 5h03
SUN: TRIESTE -> VENEZ 6h44-9h09
SUN: VEN -> PARIS 12h52 - 22h51
?cheaper?
this is more appealing
(31 hours)
note: (added later:) I MISSED THIS ONE
withdrawal - 4/27?
300 kn - Split
200 kn - Dubrovnik
-122 (bus)
-90 (sleep
friday - manana -
220 kn
-90 kn (sleep tonite)
=130 kn for today and demain
-8 kn (apple and hot dog) - fri
-5 kn (internet) - thu
-23 (chicken and garlic) - fri
-7 (pizza) - fri
-4 (bread and pastry) - fri
-10 (vodka)
dear money, I hate you. from, Dana
15h30 on the bus
the only reason I can stand to be heading away from a landscape like this right now is that what I see on the horizon is incredibly beautiful.
can't write must look
209 km to Split!
just look away from outside and then looked out and looked down... Dowm...
my whole body tensed up, my eyes widened, it was terrifying,
I am almost crying it is so beautiful
15h41
THIS IS WHERE I NEED TO BE
15h42
just passed a place with a sign for rooms/apartments for rent
could totally hike there from bus station someday
16h05
179 km to split
16h49
2 passport checks so far. interesting.
um. what did I want to write down.
oh yeah
red volvo 240 (245?) wagon parked on ledge (roof of old building?)
should be mine
I should be here
so many different shades of green,
and gray
17h05
118 km to Spit
I see a train track!
17h34
108 km (15 minute break some______) trails off to squiggle
BADMUSICPLAYING
landscape gorgeous but impoverished
19h
these mountains.. I have never been next to anything so physically Big.
(IAMJEALOUSIMNOTREALLYLIKETHISIDONTACTUALLYFEELTHISWAY)
19h38
I don't know that I have ever seen anything as beautiful than this sunset tonight, over the Adriatic sea.
23h45
alone in another ancient city
(what you trying to prove?)
see also: "hungry"
I want to be alone but I don't... at all
..but I need to be away
I LOVE THIS PART OF THE WORLD
00h10 (technically tomorrow)
I have no idea where I am. I walked until I could get food (hamburger), then I just walked until I could sit down. I will find my way back. in due time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)