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. :)

Brighter Side ~Danette

Arrived in Italy this morning. It's warm and beautiful here.

I know my last post was a bit of a downer, so on the bright side of things today, I found 400€ (which is $540.) on the train!!! 

As much as I wanted to hold on to it, I did give  it to the "train ticket puncher guys" and explained that I had found it on the floor. But only moments later when I saw them again they said they had no idea whose it was and there was no way to find them, so it was my lucky day!!!! Ahhh! Who finds that kind of money and gets to keep it?!!!  

Flight home maybe? I don't know. I've got to get a hold of Amy.

Ahhhhhh!!!!! ~Danette

I am feeling a hundred different things and I can't organize any of it. 

I sat at Starbucks in Budapest today staring at my iPod for hours. What do I do? What do i do? what do I do?! Everyone in American was sound asleep so there wasn't a soul to talk to. I get so stressed about making the best decision that it's hard for me to even make one period.

I've hit my wall. I'm tired and I don't think I can see any more buildings and cathedrals and actually appreciate them. It's all starting to look the same. And I don't even know which city I have come from. I'm tired of being on trains, trying to find places to sleep, trying to communicate and I need some mountains or ocean in my life. I feel like I'm drowning in these cities. I just need to escape. there are people everywhere!!! And i just need a second to myself!

I obviously am not dealing well with things. I have basically only ever traveled alone and I'm not sure how to do this with another person. I love Amy and yet I'm letting myself get irritated at the most ridiculous things!!! It's so bad that I'm sitting here wondering how I have any friends at all.

I'm on a train to Italy. Amy is on a plane to Moldova. I'm not sure exactly how it got to this,  but this wasn't the plan.

We said we wouldn't split up no matter what happened, and yet here we are. 

We literally do every single thing together, yet we will go all day long without talking about anything. I feel like I don't know her any better than when we first left the States. We are physically together and that is where it ends.

I don't know why I need so much space. And I don't have the first clue on how to go about changing it either. Amy feels i wont let her in, but i don't know how I'm not letting her in. 

All I wanted to do today was get home!  But my flight isn't changeable and I couldn't find anything for less than $2000. This is always when i feel lost. You think you have control of things, but ultimately no.  I know it would be ridiculous to come home early anyways. Have one bad day and throw in the towel completely?  No. Plus I can't actually leave Amy in Europe alone. Even though we are both adults, I feel somehow like I'm responsible or her safety and well being. Though a lot of help I'm going to be now as we are several countries apart. 

Sometimes I just feel like someone should be taking care of me. How am I even allowed to be running around by myself? 

Getting Our Charge On ~Danette

That is all.

Rude in Budapest ~Danette

I thought the people in France were rude. But they have nothing on the people of Budapest! I have had my change tossed at me, money snached out of my hand and someone yelling at me "do you speak English?!!!" after talking to her for several minutes before hand. 

I am a nice person. I smile at people. I ask for help nicely when needed. I say thanks. I don't understand where people get off being so rude!!! 

First thing when we arrived here after ALL night on a train. We go straight to the ticket office to make a reservation out of Hungary to Moldova. We take our number and then wait patiently for it to be displayed on the screen above us. 

When our turn comes, we step up to the counter (smiling as nice as ever) and explain that we need to make reservations out of budapest on the 26th to Chisinau Moldova. And that we have eurorail tickets. She gets on her computer and then asks if we want a sleeper car or a seat (in very poor English). I ask her what the price difference will be, becaue if it's a hundred dollar difference I will just sit in a stinking seat. Now this one simple question has almost sent her over the edge I could tell. She rolled her eyes and let out a disgusted sigh. I thought silently to myself that -geez, this is her job, I'm so sorry you have to punch a couple numbers in on your computer!!

She gives us a price, we pay, she hands us a ticket. ....Now I look at the ticket ad it says Budapest to Bucharest. I then say to her as I hold up my ticket, we are trying to go to Chisinau...

She snaps her head up and grabs the mic (because we are talkin through glass) "DO YOU SPEAK ENGLISH?!!!! you have to book a ticket in Bucharest!!" oh my gosh! That about sent me over the edge! Especially after not sleeping at all the night before! I yelled back "you don't have to be rude about it!!!!" she totally could have told us this without yelling!!!! I stood there in shock giving her the -how dare you look!!! (if you haven't personally witnessed it, it's not a good look.)

Anyway, I though of a million things after I walked out of that office that I wish I would have said!!! I guess in the end, it's best I walked away. But I am still shocked by the whole thing!!

My second incounter, I was at a grocery store. I bought a sandwich, a toothbrush,  shampoo and a doughnut.... Well I tried to buy a doughnut anyway. I'm checking out and she is trying to scan her piece of paper that has the price for the doughnut on it. This paper is so worn out! There is basically no ink left on it, it's obviously not going to scan! She try's and try's and try's to no avail. She punches stuff in on the computer. Meanwhile, the looks she is giving me are getting worse and worse by the momnet. She too is starting to roll her eyes at me and throw stuff around. -like I'm sorry I want a doughnut and you cant figure out how to ring it up! Eventually I'm like, it's okay, just forget it. (this is all done in charades because neither of us speak the other one language). She literally takes the doughnut and tosses it to the side counter in a huff. I just look at Amy with wide eyes like, oh my gosh!!! And walked away doughnutless!!

Every incounter has been about the same. I am seriously flabbergasted!!! Who do these people think they are?!! I'm about to start being just as rude back!!! 

To Be Young ~Danette

I was planning on writing about Munich. But I literally have nothing to say other than I have never seen so many drunk people in my life! Not just drunk, but no idea what is happening around them drunk. I guess what was I really thinking anyways? Octoberfest. 

I am definitely not the partying type. I guess i already knew this, but before I left home I was thinking maybe I would give it a try. You know, throw caution to the wind while abroad, not be so responsible and so concerned about making the right decisions all the time.  I know i say this often, but i look around and it just seems like everyone is just doig whatever the heck they want, with basically what seems like no consequence whatsoever. Meanwhile, I'm over here trying to make good decisions all the time. And it gets old and it is hard! 

But even in Europe, that is so not me at all! I don't like staying out late, I don't like the crazy bar feel, i dont like random guys hitting on me and I definitely don't like ruining a perfectly good day by having a hangover! 

I like to have a glass of wine with close friends, and then be in bed by 10 o'clock. And when the day is over, I like to be able to go to sleep knowing that I have at least attempted to make the best decisions possible.  Maybe some would call me lame, but I would prefer to be called lame and boring in the eyes of the world, but to have the piece of mind that I am trying my hardest.

Life.

Dachau Concentration Camp ~ Amy

It was our last day in München and Danette and I had pretty much seen all of Oktoberfest, we went on some rides and I drank a giant serving of beer (just one serving), So I had almost forgotten about this concentration camp a family on our train ride had told us about (super nice people and they were from the States). So Danettes like "what are weleave going to do till we leave tonight" so I suggested we go there, thinking it was going to be pretty far away, turns out it was only about a 30 minute metro outside München. We get there and I don't really know what to expect you know Learning about this horrific event in history they really just skim over the details and how inhumane it really was. You walk throught this rod iron gate which is guarded by several watch towers and a couple of trenches, to your right you have a large facility that was where the prisoners would shower, eat, be beaten and sometimes hung. What a mix right? Looking at these pictures and graphic information I'm reading I couldn't help but get emotional. It just baffles me that there was such cruelty played amungst such innocent people and children! This facility. Is not a museum. To left were the prisoner barracks which were built by the prisoners themselves, many died of exhaustion and malnutrition most from 1940-1945 up until the liberation. There are only two Barracks still standing today I'm guessing only for observation. The other 40 something buildings are gone only with the foundation still intact. At the end of the barracks there are three memorials: A Christian, a Jewish an cant remember the other. Now a little of a walk of the the side of the camp there is a infirmory where the bodies of the deceased where burned, but not all the time were the people brought here were deceased on a common occasion they were brought here under the impression they were going to bath in these separate showers when in all reality they were brought here to be poisened by a deadly gas. Walking through this was quite surreal how could so many people suffer so much for so long and no one doing a things about it...makes me wonder where the United States is headed with the path we are on.

Prague ~Danette

Prague!!! Such a beautiful city! Everyone has been so helpful and nice, and its much cheaper as well.  I could definitely see myself returning to the Czech.

Getting here was a little bit of an adventure. That always makes for a good time. Ha 

Starting in Amsterdam, we had a 12 hour train ride to Prague with 5 different trains. So 4 train changes.  We got our sheet of paper the day before with our different destinations, our platform numbers and train times. It was a lot of information with a lot of names I couldn't pronounce.

So we get on our first train, we then arrive happily at our next stop and board our second train. Now because Amy and I's tickets are different, we ended up sitting in different cars. Well, without throwing myself or Amy under the bus, this precious piece of paper with all our destinations and times on it was lost. Vanished into thin air. Gone. And we still had 3 more connections to make.... 

I literally had NO IDEA what the paper said! All I knew was that we had a 5 minute layover at one station, that we had like a 3 minute layover at the next, and that at one stop we just got off the train and our next train would be directly across the platform from where we arrived. Amy's memory told us that one of the destinations started with a D and also that at one stop we went to platform 18....

We tried to ask for help at our first stop to see if anyone could give us this list again. The guy we talked to literally didn't speak a word of English. I of course started off asking if he spoke English. I don't know what he said back. Next I said something like "trying to get to Prague?" more Czech I couldnt quite grasp. "train to Prague?" more Czech. I stood there trying to think of a better way to get across to him that I have no idea which train to get on next to finally make it to Prague. Amy then chimes in by simply saying "Prague". He turns, gets on his computer and prints us out something. Yes!!! I was so happy! ...unfortunately the information wasnt as helpful as we had hoped, but it did say something about platform 18, which Amy had remembered. 

So we hope on this train that is sitting at platform 18. Then get off 45 minutes later. And there was a train sitting right across the platform almost as if it's waiting for us. Ha Amy and I look at each other like, perhaps this is the train station where we hop on the train that is directly across the platform?  So we literally hopped off that train and stepped on the next train. No idea where is was going or how long we were going to be on it. Honestly I don't really remeber how we finally made to Prague, but I was sitting on the train and just started busting out laughing!!! -We are in the Czech, we literally have not a clue what train we are on, if it's going in the right direction or where we even needed to be at. I'm still shocked that we made it to Prague last night! Ha The whole time we were litterally guessing and making stuff up that we might have remembered.

Anyway, safe and sound at this amazing hostel in this beautiful city!  

I know all my pictures i post are super crappy, so I do opoligize for that. I will have some good ones that I've taken with my actual camera when I get back.

Actually, speaking of good pictures, I'm starting to get so nervous about losing my pictures! We have been to 7 countries now and I have a million pictures (actually probably like a thousand, but still a lot!) but a couple good ones I want to blow up and frame when I get back. It might sound rediculous, but my pictures are my most prized possession. If I don't have a picture, I literally won't remember it.  

I've been trying to figure out how to be sure I won't lose them. I was thinking to myself that I would buy a new SD card -but that won't do me any good because I still risk losing my card with all my pictures. Then I would have two to keep track of, which would be bad. I was thinking I could mail it home -but it could get lost in the mail. I thought about sending it home with Amy's siter Sarah - but if anyone is going to lose it, it's going to be me. I was telling Amy today that the only way I can be sure I won't lose them was to have my SD card surgically insert into my body.. Ha ha I haven't found a doctor yet. But I'm going to start looking. Ha

The Little Things ~Amy

I just want to say that this Hostel is the nicest by far! And Danette and I only payed 50 bucks for two nights which also makes it the cheapest to date:) ....And the shower..oooh the shower...is amazing all mosiac tile, waterfall shower head...and! Get this! There is a shelf in the shower to put all of the endless toiletries you could think of! Who would have thought you would appriciate a shelf in a shower? ~Amy

Finding A New Me ~Amy

I'm up bright and early this morning healthy and alive and just so happens that I'm on this amazing trip but yet I feel as tho there is some sort of void going on. I havnt quite been able to pin point what it might be untill talking to Danette last night, she asked me if I was aware of my surroundings and a question to follow to confirm that I really don't pay attention to my surroundings, I really shut a lot of stuff out and don't bother dealing with it may it be my surroundings or something that is going on in my life or others. My sister was here with me for two weeks spending this time with me and sharing this great experience together and yet I feel like ive just been shutting a lot of things out not really being_"aware" of my surroundings because when I think back on my trip so far I cannot think of anything or have had any "awe" moments, which I feel like I should have plenty of them. I mean how many people get to travel the world and see all of these amazing things yet have nothing to talk about? Ive been feeling like shit since my sister left, feeling like we didn't get along because ive just had this built up tension with myself that I haven't been dealing with, feeling like a was the worst host to her, feeling like a complete drag to be around. And I don't know if these are just feelings that I have or if is the reality of it. Its really and everyday battle with feeling like this, but I put it on the back burner and don't bother dealing with my own feelings I guess you can say finding this out about myself was an awe moment for me because I had never really thought about it but yet I have and last night was the first time ive acknowledged that I have this problem, ive never talker about it with anyone and have no clue where this all started and how ive become this way but knowing the issue is there and knowing I need to start thinking and dealing with my own thoughts and feelings is a great start to knowing myself more and being my own person and to also be someone whom is a pleasure to be around.

Awareness ~Danette

When starting off our trip, Amy and I were very cautious with our bags. Trying to make sure they were locked up in a locker when we weren't with them or that we at least locked them to our bunks when we are out.

But as the time has gone on, we have definitely become more trusting. I am still sleeping with my passport and camera, but i am pretty confident that when I wake up in the morning everything will still be around. Everyone is so nice and trustworthy right?

Last night our room was robbed. These guys from India got their laptop, their passports and $3000 worth of train passes stolen. I feel so bad for them as they were just starting out their trip too. And I think I probably saw the person too, Amy and I had been chatting in the hall way for a couple of hours and smiled at everyone that came our way.

It made Amy and I realize that we need to start being a little more cautious and a little less trusting. It could just as easily have been our stuff that was stolen.  

Honorable Mention ~Danette

I wanted to introduce you all to my friend and travel companion Bunny. =) Bunny has been with me now for over 9 years. She was actually a going away present from my older sister Lynn when I moved to Louisiana. Bunny has been on every flight, every voyage, every train ride and every adventure I have ever been on since I started traveling at age 18. She's been to 15 foreign countries now and is still excited to see more. 

And though she is always stuffed in the bottom of a bag and doesn't actually get to see the sights or do crazy things like skydiving or surfing, she never complains and is always willing to stick with me.... ...probably because she is clipped in and can't actually escape.  But I would like to think we are pals. =) 

Anyway, hopefully I don't ever lose her. And if one day I end up with a child of my own that also has an adventurous spirit, Bunny can be passed on and will always be able to travel. =)

Amsterdam ~Danette

Oh Amsterdam, how you frighten me. 

When arriving in the city of Amsterdam, my first thought was -Wow! This is the most beautiful city I have ever seen! 

The architect is absolutely beautiful!! Though as I continued to walk, swallowed in a crowd of strangers, I was starting to feel uneasy. It's the first time I haven't felt safe since beig here. I was gripping my wallet and camera as if my life depended on it. I finally managed to locate my hostel. And of course it is smack dab in the middle of everything.

I generally am completely okay being alone, a lot of times I actually prefer it. But I am excited to meet back up with Amy today. I was feeling quite lost wandering around Amsterdam alone. It's a bit of a frightening city, especially in the dark.

The red light district. All i have to say about that is, it breaks my heart. It takes everything amazing away from this city. And though I'm glad I got to see it, I am more than excited to leave it behind.

Surfing in the North Sea ~Danette

I was surfing in the Netherlands!! That is not something I would have ever imagined myself saying! If you just go with it, life will take you on some crazy adventures. It's hard to even imagine where that might be.

I cant explain why i love surfing so much. Even if the waves were a sloppy mess today and all i caught was white wash, I had such an amazing time!!!  There is something I absolutely love and respect about the ocean. It can be so calm and wonderful one moment and the next turn on you with no regard for anyone or anything. Just when you give it your all to paddle out, a huge wave comes out of no where and sends you tumbling on the ocean floor. Keeps me humble for sure. :) ha

Surfing was deinitely cold and refreshing. Actually cold is an understatement! It was freezing!!! I still can't feel my feet and I've been out of the water for a while now. Long enough to grab coffee and then hobble my way back to the train station. I had to keep checking to make sure my feet where still there! Ouch!! 

Sitting on a train again back to Amsterdam. Can't wait to book a hostel and take a hot shower!!! Life. Sometimes it's the crazy things that make me smile.