So we are nearing the end of our awesome journey and we got totally behind telling y'all what we been doing, where we've seen and what our impressions were. And if you're wanting that then tough - coming so close to the end, I'm more interested in sharing other things with you.
You know the one thing that I'm really really looking forward to doing when we get back? I look forward to getting into my car with a full tank of gas and driving. Being over here and having to deal with trains, buses, bus and train stations in relation to where the hostels are and getting walking directions everywhere has worn me down a bit and makes me appreciate my car in ways that would be understandable only to someone from Wyoming. My car is my freedom. Being here and walking everywhere has been good, don't get me wrong, and I hope that I can keep up the walking around when I get home. However, nothing beats long-distance travel like a car. (If you are wondering, yes, it's been frustrating figuring out travel in the UK because the bus company's website doesn't like my debit card and the fares change too much. Also, they don't take our Eurail pass, which sucks.) Public transportation is great in the city, give me a bus or a metro any day to keep from having to drive... but for long distance, gimme my car and a good variety of CD's and I'll see ya in a few hours!
We are staying in London now as our trip winds down and have been hosted by two amazing people with two amazing kids. I wish that I could start to tell you how much of a blessing it has been to have people who we've never met open their house to us. (Ron is a friend of my step-mom, Carole's, who is from Wyoming but lives in London.) This family is awesome, their kids are fun, the parents are so sweet to give us guides to London, Oyster cards for the public transportation, help with the bus issue, food, places to sleep... and it has been nice staying with people from home.
And here's my update from Rome in a paragraph - down to Naples for pizza and pickpockets, on to Pompeii to see the ruins and Vesuvius was camera-shy, down to the tip of the boot and the deflated soccer ball, stayed in Catania during their 3 day celebration of their Saint, lots of fireworks and partying, back up to Rome for round 2 and a better hostel, on to Pisa, the tower leans, then to Milan which was nothing special but day trip to Venice which was A-MA-ZING, loved it and so did all the lovers because we hit it on Feb 14th. After Milan we went up to Switzerland to see Maria and Bjorn again (see Berlin) and spend time in her parent's cabin in the Swiss Alps, while they snowboarded or skied during the day, Ana and I read books and relaxed in the sun. From Milan we went up to Paris, the city is amazing, escaped WW2 with just a few bullet holes in the facade of one building. We were not able to see the Louvre because we planned things horribly wrong, but were there at the beginning of fashion week and couldn't get over the irony (I keep thinking - here is Mandi and Ana on the catwalk, sporting their happening outfits of 'dirty backpacker' style - notice the hats strategically covering their unwashed hair, the well-worn jackets and totally utilitarian shoes). We then went up to Rotterdam for a couple days to get more CHEESE! Then we took the ferry from Hoek Van Holland to Harwich and the train in to London. There's your nutshell. As for the rest, from here we go to Edinburgh, then to Glasgow, then back to Edinburgh, down to Bristol then over to Ireland to round out the trip and come home.
I'm in a weird state where I'm sad to see the trip ending, but happy because I really am looking forward to hugging my family and friends that I've missed so much. And I'm at the point where American money looks weird to me (quarter, what's that). Guess I got used to using Euros. It will also be nice not to have to take the exhange rate into account. If I get $100 out of the ATM, then $100 will come out of my checking account... not $150. If you do ever come over here, wait until the exchange rates are better!
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