Sick and Tired~Amy

First of I would like to announce that Moldova is my second faborite country I have visited to far. Everyone, and I mean everyone is so stinking nice, like would give you the shirt off their. Back nice! Its crazy how people are so quick to give a helping hand to a complete stranger and treat you like their own family. Maybe I just need to stick with visiting small villages for the rest of my trip because the village of Mereni had totally topped off! Another great thing I love about Moldova is that basically everyone has their. Own farm or shares their farm with their neighbor. Everything they cook is from the farm and the garden, everything is natural and nothing is processed. LOVE. As much as I am enjoying it here in Moldova I got sick the third day in and I blame oz on the constant drinking...it may seem like people are alcoholics here but no they are not its really just the way of life here, you go to a friends you drink wine, you have dinner you drink wine, you have breakfast and lunch, you drink wine. You have baby, you drink wine, you get sick you drink wine! HA Alex had a nice cold remedy for me to try but it definitley got denied after the dinner and conagc (spelt wrong) we had with his parents. It was hot red wine with ground pepper!!!what there is no way that would make me sick to my stomach so Alex' mom said a tablespoon of raw honey would have to suffice...then Constantine is convinced that I got sick from it being cold outside...ha that idea is so oldschool. I'm pretty sure I got sick from his dang Butt!fl Drinking all sorts of wine after each other. Tomorrow is a new day:-)

Off to the Airport ~Danette

Catching my bus this morning was a nightmare! I alway try to be prepared, but it seems no matter how hard I try something unexpected always comes up. I looked on the Internet to see what my transportation options were to the fiumicino airport (1hrs drive). I found a couple different bus company's that went every 30 minutes. The directions said to go to the termini station (which is where I arrived by train), perfect. Sounds easy. 

I woke up super early this morning excited to be catching a flight. So i got ready and left my hostel an hour earlier than I was planning to. Arrived at termini, and started looking for any of the  bus stations I had googled.  I looked. And looked. And looked. 45 minutes later I  finally asked for directions. This guy sent me way over in one direction away from the station. Nothing!! Walked around some more. Asked someone else for direction. They sent me in the complete opposite direction. Again, nothing!! Finally I ended up back at the termini station and asked a police officer for directions, he sent me down another road but this time success!!! Thank God! I had to get on a bus like now! I got my ticket and waited in a very long cluster for the bus. I say cluster because apparently no one believes in any form of lines or waiting for their turn. I got in the back and was trying to wait patiently as i was getting shoved out of the way. There were so many people I was sure there was no way in the world we were all going to fit o the busn!! But one by one everyone started piling in, and third to the last seat, I made it!!!

Then we got stuck in a traffic jam forever! I don't know how I made it in time to catch my flight. 

Ha what a way to exit the country. 

Pretty much sums up how I roll... Like everyday.  :)

Rome!!! ~Danette

I had such an amazing day wandering around the city today! I went to the colosseum first off and just found myself standing there in awe! I don't know what makes it so magnificent, but it's probably the most amazing man made thing I've ever seen. Its so beautiful!!! I think I have about a hundred puctures! 

After that I walked to the top of this hill and sat in a beautiful little church for a while. It was so nice to get away from the crowds and have some quiet time. When I came out it was pouring down rain! Like rain we get in the south where all the roads have turned into rivers! 

I had my little pink umbrella (i finally had to break down and buy one) and I was walking -half skipping down the streets laughing. It was thundering out and everyone was smiling. "we are seeing Rome today no matter what!" I don't know, sometimes it's the little things that make my day.  

=]

And my map got its full use today. Barely survived!

Oh Sweet Europe! ~Danette

This past month has been amazing!!! I can't believe i have been so blessed to be able to do this trip!!! I've gotten to see some old friends, make some new ones and have gotten to see 12 new countries! It hasn't all been easy, but that just come with traveling. 

This trip was something I had been wanting to do for about six years. Backpacking, seeing Europe, not having to be anywhere I didn't want to be. I figured two months would be the right amount if time.... But that was a bit over zealous on my part. Ha One month has been amazing! I have seen so much stuff that at this point, I don't think I am able to take anything else in. 

I so was looking forward to seeing Switzerland too.  I know it must be beautiful!!! But the thought of sitting on another train to get there is not something I want to do. I'm so exhausted right now that I want to wait and see it when I will actually be able to enjoy it all. 

There is so much happening right now back home, my parents moving, and now with my little sister being engaged -I know I will be taking a trip to Missouri soon. Not sure how I can rightly get more time off work if I was to stay my full two months. I think about the 2 amazing ladies back at the salon working their butts off so that Amy and I can be on this trip. And I'm at the point now where I can't really justify my time away any more. 

The only reason to stay now, would be because my ticket isn't for later. I kind of feel like that is a ridiculous reason to stay. I don't want to just kill time waiting for my departure date to arrive, I would rather be doing something productive with my time.

I now have two flights home. :) I will be returning to Alaska October 1st now instead of the 17th as originally planned. It will be sad to leave Europe of course, but I'm ready to get home. 

:) 

Plus I think I've lost quite a bit of weight which doesn't thrill me at all. :( I need home cooked food in my life. 

Amy wants to continue on solo. More power too her!!! Traveling alone is a good experience. I look forward to hearing about the rest of her trip and seeing her pictures!

I still have a couple of days in Rome, so I'm sure I'll update soon. :)

Chioggia ~Danette

It's a beautiful fishing town just south of Venice, Italy. I don't know why I like it so much. I love all the fishing boats and I love the fact that the whole town smells like fishing nets that have been well seasoned. It's not a good smell, but it makes me smile. It makes me miss Alaska and reminds me of some of the lobster fishing towns in Maine. 

I ate some crab spaghetti yesterday by the water. Some old italian men were trying to talk to me, the communication was ridiculous. We all had a good laugh, it was definitely entertaining. 

Rome later today. :)

Moldova~Amy

Sitting here in Moldova and I'm finally able to enjoy myself since we are not constanlty going and going and going, it was past due for a time to just relax and slow down. Even though I am here alone and Danette decided to go home and the plan was to stick together no matter what. There are absolutely no hard feelings on my part. I like to do things at a slower pace then most people, so I feel like traveling alone will give me a more peaceful and graceulful new way to see things. I will be here in Moldova till Wednesday Or Saturday Costea has a friend in the airport and has a hookup for cheap flights to Italy so which ever day is cheaper. I'm still sad that Greece is to expensive to travel to and from because I really wanted to go and have a little more beach time but maybe one day I will come back bland just go to Greece. First night here in Moldova Costea and Alex picked me up and we went straight to drinking wine at a neighbors house accompanied by all these interesting traditional Moldovan foods. The homemade wine is delicious by the way, nothing like the stuff you buy at the store...anyways they broughtout this boiled meat but its cold and it has the gel from all the fat and protien from the bones and asked if I wanted some.....uuuhhhhh....not really I told costea, trying to be descreet about it, he goes oh try it, it is good! Ha! I tried it and it was not good! But it is a delicacy over here. On the other hand there are plenty of other delicious foods to choose from.

The Small Things ~Danette

Things that I will try not to take for granted when I get home:

Outlets (so hard to find here)

Drinkable tap water

Being able to wash and dry laundry for under $14 a load

The same language and money currency in all 50 states!

Road signs! Why does Europe not believe in road signs?

Being able to drive wherever I want to go and not having to rely on public transportation 

Not having to pay for restrooms

And my blow dryer (how I've missed you:)

It really is the small things. :)