The Bass and Drum
Well the DnB night on friday was well wikkid.
We got there at about midnight to find the place already packed, and realised that because theres so many good name DJ's on we'd missed about half of them.
But it was a stella night tho. 3 rooms of loud Dnb, there was no escaping it.
Beer prices ridiculously high (not that I bought any Mum).
4 pounds for a beer. 4 POUNDS! -thats $10. * choke*
Well not been doing much else but helping Dave with his house hunting. -But I think they've found a place now.
Hmm... what else. Some Gypseys are camping near us..
and now im just waiting on my PIN number to arrive. Should be here tomorrow or the next. After that I should be going up to Manchester to meet up with Dad.
Aaaghh Luke man... I think I'm going up to Manchester on Friday or sometime then. Won't be able to meet up with you in London I dont think. :(
I'll see what happens.
Well I finally made it to London....
...And if you thought that was it for my bad luck, read on..
The day before I was to leave Barcelona, I decided to make sure that I could get to the airport the next day. So, first I looked at my print out of my plane ticket which read "From: Girona Barcelona, To: London Stansted." And I thought; "Girona Barcelona? why would they put the name of the airport and not just "Barcelona", perhaps there are 2 barcelona airports.."
So, I went up to information and asked them; "Hello information, I was wondering if there was more than one airport in Barcelona" me says, and my reply was ;"No sir, there is only one airport in Barcelona", "Oh Ok, could you tell me how long it takes to geet there by train?, please kind lady" says I, (and yes I did say "Geet" and not "get"). She says; "Aboot 45 minutes, here is a timetable." And I reply, "Thank you kindly, and good day to you" And she says "No problem, Be seein' y'all" (or something similar to that).
So chuffed that I have worked out how to get to the airport, now all that was worrying me is how I'll pay for the train ticket. But, that afternoon, whilst looking through my bag, I find my 10 trip Barcelona travell card that I lost on the first day! Horay for losing things before they can be stolen so you can find them again later!
I felt quite good then, having worked out how to get to the airport, and having the means of getting there, so I went to sleep.
The next moring I awoke, (after an awful night sleep due to shouts every few minutes, construction noise that doesn't cease through the night, and the intolerable heat.), had a pitiful breakfast, and told my story of theft and how I was travelling to London with only 20 Euro to my 2 new roommates. They were so nice to me that they gave me 10pounds so I wouldn't starve to death after getting off the plane.
-A big thankyou to Jen and Jennifer from the USA-
So now, with a bit of money in my back pocket, I thought my luck had changed. I was ready to leave Barcelona!!
So, me says my goodbyes and gets on the train to the airport.
Arriving at the airport, I see a problem. -There is no "Ryanair" desk. (the name of my airline)
So I ask another information; "x'scuse me miss information, why cannot I be seeing my airline desk, and why aint me flight on the board?" To that she took the print out of my flight and said; "You are in the wrong airport. You need to be in Girona airport." I say, "Where that?" she says; "Aboot 90 minutes by train in the other direction from Barcelona." I stare at her blankly for a second. She continues; "You've missed your flight."
So it takes a few moments for it to sink in. Ive got 20euro, 10 pounds, no food, no accomodation, no plane ticket, and Im trying to get to London to meet up with Dave and my Credit card.
No worries, says I, and I put my thinking cap on.
I take the train back to the hostel and plead if I can use the free internet again even though Ive checked out. They say Its ok, and so i get the freecall number from VISA and check plane flights. They are all expensive. I check my email to see that Dave has bought me a ticket for a Drum'n'Bass event in London on Friday night. Hmm. I think. A deadline. I must get to London before Friday.
I ring VISA and request emergency cash. It takes 4 hours, but I get 200 Euro thinking it would be enough. I ponder staying another night in the hostel.
Chris, an Aussie guy I met in the hostel says; "If I were you I'd go to the airport. See if theres any cheap flights going tonite or even tomorrow morning." So, thats exactly what I do. I go to the airport that night.
I get to the (correct) airport at about 10:30pm that night.
"No theres no flights tonight. No theres no such thing as getting on a spare seat if someone doesnt turn up. Youll have to buy another ticket." The early morning tickets were 160euro. The 2pm tickets were 130 euro. All other tickets up to the next week were 160 or more. So I buy a ticket for 130 euro.
So I'm at the airport at 10:30pm with a ticket to leave at 2pm the next day. What to do.
Sleep at the airport!!
Surprisingly there was a lot of people doing the same thing. I padlocked my bags closed, padlocked my bag to a seat, unrolled my sleeping mat, and slept across 3 seats. It was actually quite comfortable.
In the end, I get my flight the next day after nearly spending all my money on expensive airport food, get to london, get to the campsite, explain my situation to the camping people, and they've let me stay till my credit card comes back.
Phew.
Well Im glad thats over.
On a brighter note, Im going to Fabric (a club) tonight to see some wikkid Drum and Bass. Should be awesome.
Theives!
So last night i went on an organised pub crawl, and in one bar, i was too busy talking to some chick and i didnt realise the group had left. So, I decided to make my way back to the hostel.
As i was in some dodgey area of Barcelona, on my way back i encountered heaps of hookers and pimps that would come up to you and grab you and try to get you to come with them. Its pretty bad, you have to push these people away or you wont get rid of them.
So, i get back to the hostel and guess what..
I have no wallet or camera. They frikking stole it.
Its not really the wallet or camera that i really care for, but the photos on the camera. I had put all my photos on my I-pod but ive lost all photos from Salzberg till now. So about 3 weeks of photos. Including the street parade photos which are by far the coolest...
crap.
Das ist nicht sehr gut. (that is not very good)
But ive rang insurance and gotten a police report so i should be able to get another camera..
and my new credit card is being sent to a london camping ground.
so thats ok.
(in the meantime ill eat paper)
LOUD NOISES!!
The place im staying at is impossible to sleep at night ..
Oh, did i mention im satying in a hostel? It was gonna cost me 20euro a night to camp in the nearest campsite, some 15km from the city, or 20euro and 50cents to stay in a hostel, which provides breakfast (a very small breakfast), and is about 100m away from the main street.
Other benefits of a hostel to a campsite are:
Roof - good for protection against rain and sun. Usefull for needing to go to toilet in night.
Matress - provides added confort whilst sleeping. Prevents you from waking up every nite because you have rolled onto your arm and its gone "dead-arm"
Pillow- Provides comfort and support for head. Prevents you waking up with "Dead-head"
Free Internet - Helps you to stay in contact with outside world without wasting those precious last coins. (which are much better spent on beer)
But as I was saying, there are some disadvantages of a hostel,
As its only 100m from the main street, each night theres people walking past either talking, singing, shouting, or screaming, every 15 minutes from 10pm to about 5am. And this morning there was heaps or shouting for 15 minutes then a really loud BANG! and then screaming. So possibly there was a shooting. (No i dont think so)
An yway, someone wants to use the net so ill leave now, bye !!
(singing): "Sometimes I feel like im in Barcelona,"
"see everytime I hear this tune I just start drifting awaaay... And all I wanna do is go back..."
Oh.. but i am in barcelona. And its awesome.
Cant say ive done much yet, see ive only just arrived, but the place is beatiful.
Big wide streets lined with trees, old arcitecture, old buildings that look so falling down and haphazard, markets with live animals for sale and heaps and heaps of people everywhere, and not to mention the heat. - Well, i think its the humidity more than the heat, its only 29 degrees but feels more like 35.
To answer your question Mum;
I arrive in London on the 22nd, maybe Daveman will still be there, or maybe I can meet up with Joel, but I dont think ill have much money left for much more travelling around... can you tell Dad to bring a bit of extra cash? (maybee the rent you have been earning using my room as a youth hostel).. cause when i checked my account balance just then it was $275..
So i think i mite be going down to G 6 J's with Dad.
Hey Matt ill try see a game in England for ya... ill try to make it an Everton game.
Its good to hear Football (soccer) is now the force it should be back in Oz. Go Sydney FC!
2 posts in one day! wow
haha, so all the cars youve ever had are from the tufts family hey heh?
The matress inflates to about 3cm thick.. yay.
Hi tim.. i played that song you made to some germans and they reckoned it was the strangest song theyve ever heard.
Hi sara! keep on tenting!!
Hi Mels!
Hi Matt (TENT)
Hey ive finished that book already luke man.. was a bit dissapointed with the ending.
Hey cossie man. Nice to see your still drinking rum. keep up the good work.. I hear the rsl stays open till 3am now..
Hey Dave how long are you gonna be in London for? Im flying there on the 22nd August.
And Hi Mum and Dad.
I have nearly no money left :(
OK bye im off to Spain.
Its been a while between posts...
Sorry about that..
So, after salzberg i went to Veinna, it twas nice, but not great i think. It has been raining pretty solid this last week so ive been either confined to a tent or running around wet.
Then after veinna i went to graz, also in austria, then innsbruck and now ive travelled back to Zurich..
And why, do you ask, did i come back to Zurich?..
STREET PARADE!!
www.streetparade.comit was a crazy crazy day. i think there was 800,000 people in zurich all going mad.
Ill put some pictures up when i can re-charge my camera (i left the charger on the train- not good.)
Yes, i think the tent might become the new leisure lounge. yet somehow i dont see it floating quite as well..
Daveman, can i get emporer off you?? Noble house is too thick to carry :)
ok i have no time left
Well i suppose ill post something so you dont assume the worst..
But the rain has finally come to Europe.. all over i think.. and its very boring and wet.
I think its photo time agian.. (cue photo music): "da da duh da da-dah duh!"
Luxemburg: very quaint
And the tent in Luxemburg (note the log)
Strasburg, France
And the tent in Strasburg.. (note the cardboard)
Freiburg, Germany ..
..And the mighty green tent in Freiburg!
Burning some wood in Bern, Switzerland..
..And Mr tent in Bern. (Note the David and Tegan posing in the background)
Me having climbed to the top of a mountain in Interlaken, Switz.
And once Again, the Tent(s) in Interlakern.
Zurich, land of banks.
And... WHAT?! I forgot to take a picture of my tent in Zurich!! Aggh!!
Salzburg, Austria, home of the Sound of music... Ok everybody now!:
"Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens,
dum diddy dum diddy ..warm wollen mittens..
brown paper packages tied up with string,
these are a few of my favouritte things"
And everybodys favourite:
"Doh, a deer, a female deer,
Ray, a drop of golden sun... "
Or who can forget:
"Just a spoon full of sugar makes the medicine go down,
the medicine go dow-wn,
the medicine go down."
(or was that last one Mary poppins?)
And the tent being attacked by bikes in Salzburg.
