TravelStream™ news feed for member fiwarrander on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/fiwarrander en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:25:51 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fiwarrander/2/1240946100/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fiwarrander/2/1240946100/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fiwarrander/2/1240946100/tpod.html Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:25:51 -0400 A brief time in Germany

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Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

So, awaking at 5am for the early bird flight I get to the airport and it is dead! Like, seriously very, very quiet! So it's quickly through passports and after getting distracted reading some books in a shop I figure I'd best head for the gate - it's pretty much boarding time!!
Annoyingly, it's gate 1 which is thee longest walk from where I am. So I head along - quiet as can be. Wondering if I'm late and everyone else will be sat on the plane - gulp. No - not even close!! Arrive and the flight number is on the screen but NO-ONE is around. After a while another man rocks up, and a woman wearing a fluorescent jacket (so staff then). Then 2 men - German, one with an eye patch and glasses (awesome). They put a call out for the flight and there's three more men coming along as they start boarding us. So seven people?! Titchy plane - one of those types with only 3 seats in a row. Never been on one so small before! Get to my (reserved, argh idiot) seat - one row in front of the exit so there ends up being three travellers behind me. The three other guys are at the exit at the front. Then the air hostess' close the door - actually seven passengers?! Ridiculous!!
Being the silly early hour I decide I'm just going to try sleeping on the plane. Know how annoying it is when someone puts their chair back so I move to the row in front. Musing to myself that of all the people on the flight, I'm clearly the only one (stupid enough) to have booked my seat - and I MOVE from it. D'oh!

Arrive in a deserted Dusseldorf airport and whizz through passport.. there's only a cleaner at customs so unsurprisingly she doesn't ask to check my bag and I'm out and at the train station, just in time for an earlier train to Koln! Text the friend to tell her I'll be half an hour early and get on.
Worry kicks in when I remember I didn't print what she sent me about times, but assume the timing for the station I want from what I remembered for the later one. Pull up at Koln-something before this time. Eh!! Are there multiplestations called Koln??? We passed a Dusseldorf one with letters (hbf, apparently) and seem to remember that this was the case for station I wanted.. ask a german with poor english if there's multiple 'Koln' stations. She doesn't understand but I figure there is.. and I'm right (for once!) hurrah!!!
Arrive and head out nearest exit, following some of the crowd. And it's sOoooooooooooo sunny!!! Text the friend to tell her where I am, but wonder that I haven't heard from her yet about being early - turns out her phone was broken! Argh!! After about 20mins waiting/enjoying the sun I figure I'm probably not at the main exit, maybe I should find another... and do so, in the shadow of the MASSIVE loooooming cathedral!! idiot!!!

Find the buddy and after the hugs and hellos it's off for a drink by the Rhine - ahhh nice. Despite it being half 11 in the morning (or half 10 to me on English time.. although with the early morning surely afternoon for me?!) we start on the alcohol: her on a classic lager, me on some lovely wine.
We decide to move on, but have clocked a guy in a giant frog suit and are well wondering about chancing him for a photo. Turns out he's on a stag do, and he and his english-speaking-mate that is specially called over for us explain that it's tradition for the stag to try and sell things for drinks. So we buy some Germany-flag coloured sweat bands! Ace! We fail on the photo but end up talking to one of them who's telling us to go out to some place tonight, in Cologne, but that my mate doesn't know. Hmmm.

Move on for some lunch and another drink (MASSIVE glass of wine, hmm!) also in the sun in some square.. not so good with German names!! Decide that rather than just a short weekend this properly feels like a summer holiday so I'm loving it! And it's weirdly brilliant that nobody around can actually properly understand us chatting away due to the language difference!

Potter around the shops (so like England!) and buy some nice new jewellery as I'm in need and have forgotten any for the trip, silly!! Decide that we should definitely do the Dom Tower, as it's closed on a sunday and looks coool. But I've still my hefty bag with me, which we are NOT lugging up those steps. So we ask the desk if they can look after it? No no, but try the museum they say. So we do - 50cents: bargain! Except you have to go into the museum... and pay to do so, which we don't want to! Figure it isn't worth the expense and there'd be no time for the tower after museum. So we ponder finding her friends who should be in a bar nearby and leaving the bag with them... except they aren't there!!
So we find a nearby nicer outside bar and have ANOTHER drink. Enjoy the fading sun which is still so warm and summery, ahhh. They don't turn up so we get the tram back to hers and pick up some dinner on the way.

Food is gotten ready nice and quickly, and it's open with more wine and trying on of things for the evening. Missy just can't decide on what to wear, so she's trying it all on! I feel saddened by my lack of wardrobe so set about trying on all her pretty dresses instead, dancing around to various disco anthems: particularly belting out some Pink, leave me alone. Ahh joy.

So it's off to this party of some of her work colleagues. Take along some wine and these funny teeny bottles of alcohol we found in the supermarket for the journey: actually turn out to be quite nice!! So after a while at the party manage to get to grips with the introductions of all the people - they seem lovely! Go inside to get another drink and I swear here's the beginning of the end.. persuaded into a 'baby guinness' - SHOULD be kahlua with baileys floated on top.. instead is cheap stuff that won't float. Ugh. Not good, but somehow good enough for a few more. Along with more of those teeny bottles we had one of earlier - informed that it's Fig Vodka (yum yum! surprising) and they have a special way of drinking it: Shake it, bang it on the wall, take off the lid and stick it on your nose, and drink it through your teeth!! I'm pretty sure it didn't make it tastebetter, only made you look like a nutter but hey... all good spirits, and I did win with the keeping-it-on-your-nose malarky.. or is that really a fail?! So do a nuuumber of these and have a tour of the rather impressive house - made up of all these rather cute little flats... then I think the various drinks hit me after a while (coupled, I think, with the rather long day) and I massively CRASH.. essentially end up having to go to sleep in one of the flats upstairs: OOOOOPS...
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fiwarrander/2/1240599360/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fiwarrander/2/1240599360/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fiwarrander/2/1240599360/tpod.html Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:13:39 -0400 A brief time in Germany

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Macclesfield, England, United Kingdom

So: Having a friend that I said I'd visit move out to Germany at the start of the year, that seemed like a perfect thing to make an effort for!
Having booked my plane tickets ages ago on a night where I'd had a few drinks - oops, I'd managed to book the right ones, but failed at ignoring the options of extras - such as pre-booked seats, I'd ended up making things abit more expensive than meant to. Oh no! On the other hand though, the next day flights had actually increased in price so it was a sortof bonus...
Contrary to this, I managed to book train tickets SOBER. The plan was with such an early morning flight to spend the night before nearer the airport. So it comes to the day - the bag is PACKED (hand luggage only, darn check-in fees for budget airlines!), I'm all ready, the flight information is printed and I've got my euros... but then I look at my train ticket: it's booked for the 25th!! And it's the 24th! So I have to go buy a new ticket - bye bye nice shiny cheap ticket. So the sober mistake ends up costing me more than a drunken one did - surely that's a bit weird?!

But I make it back ok, do the ole online check-in (why, that seat, why not!) and it's off to bed ready for the super duper early morning start...
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fiwarrander/1/1218722400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fiwarrander/1/1218722400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fiwarrander/1/1218722400/tpod.html Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:09:20 -0400 Central American Journey

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Granada, Nicaragua

Arrive mid-swing of a fiesta! Hurrah! Although we're all pretty knackered for a party.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fiwarrander/1/1218634980/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fiwarrander/1/1218634980/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fiwarrander/1/1218634980/tpod.html Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:00:10 -0400 Central American Journey

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Utila, Bay Islands, Honduras

Utila! A lovely wee island of Honduras - nicer than the nextdoor Rouan, but not quite so lovely as Caye Caulker.
- Snorkelling! Afternoon boat trip to do some snorkelling. Was really great - actually better sites than did diving at Caye Caulker, so was bit sad that wasn't actually diving. Especially after there turned out to be some divers on the boat (though not our group), ahh well!
- The worst prepared meal ever: some of the group wanted to check out this Thai/Vietnamese place. Fine by all so we go... 1. Doesn't want to do separate bills so yes, we'll split between the tables. 2. Drinks orders take ages, this should be a sign. 3. Some food arrives. Food stops arriving. Basically, it took over 2 hours of being in the restaurant/waiting for the last person to get their food, which was some hour later than the first. With no apology. Nick, poor guy was last, with Sam, me and Damon closely getting our food just quicker. I didn't mind too much though - hunger had kinda left, and had a couple of vodka oranges + games of pool keeping me going!
- We hit the apparently best bar around - Treetanic (though not the nightclub as all were feeling tired!) Nick narrowly missed a near-death experience! As he was off at the bar getting more drinks, there was a big THUD and a large mango (we initally thought avocado!) hit the bench where he would have been sitting, and cracked. And it could have been his head! Cue much hilarity at the luck and prospect of what could have been.

- Kayaking! The next day a few of us decide to rent kayaks, with vague instructions of where to go! After walking for ridiculous time (40mins? in the HEAT) we find some, but with annoyance at the walk/trouble of now getting breakfast, only ends up being Christine and I who go. Worryingly asked what time we think we'll be back at, as if not they'll send out a search party. hmm! Anyway, head off through this gap in the mangroves and realise we don't know where we're going.... there's a beach somewhere...? Decide rather than kayaking into the lagoon (possibly as supposed to?) we take this path through the mangroves...and through.... Start getting worried as seeing nothing but mangroves, but this is being quite funny. After about 45mins, we get rather freaked as already in prime horror film setting, we see a man (local, big beard, raggy clothes the same colour as his skin and beard) on an odd little raft. Eek! However, when Christine calls out 'is this the way to the beach?' we get a yes. Hurrah!! Proceed onwards and finally pop out into the open!! Aahh beautiful. The sea!! We paddle a little bit moer and land on a 'beach'. Clearly not the beach it was supposed to be, as that has stuff on it (like food), and this was SO undisturbed! Relax a while, watch some crabs, find 2 wonderful conch shells we take back as souvenirs, paddle out a bit into the sea and try and have a swim around the kayak in the nice bits of water (i.e. not over all the weed). Decide we're gonna get too hungry to stay much longer (Christine's crazy american 'chex mix' and my out-of-date Oreo's wont hold us) so paddle back through the mangroves and head back for lunch. Wonderful!

Leave Utila though with legs looking like I have some mad disease due to epic numbers of (we think Sand Flies) bites all over them.. Argh! At least 50 on one side of one leg. Attractive, and they felt like they were on FIRE. not so fun, booo to fly bites!!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fiwarrander/1/1218461760/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fiwarrander/1/1218461760/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fiwarrander/1/1218461760/tpod.html Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:42:26 -0400 Central American Journey

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Copan, Honduras

Finally! There's a chance to see some ruins and I'm not being sick!
Arrive in Copan after a knackering bus journey (group split between recovering from the lack of sleep/excessive alcohol the night before, or jet lag) and head for the ruins. En route buy a sandwich - worth being mentioned because it was an absolutely amazing sandwich! Those of us that had them were craving them for days later, other sandwiches we got just didn't compare!
Ruins were pretty quiet, so we got to rove round them - Sam generally acting as 'tour guide'. So yes, finally - Mayan ruins? Tick!
Picking a restaurant for the evening one was suggested that the guidebook mentioned was run by Tania. Memory from Rio Dulce kicks in of couple telling us to avoid crazy english Tania's place.. so then it becomes a MUST GO. hmm! Though having picked this and headed off, someone speaks up that their guidebook mentions it after we'd decided it - as Twisted Tanias. Damn - more up-to-date guidebook, we got the wrong place! Although maybe what we lacked in crazy we got in nice food instead, good call!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fiwarrander/1/1218234900/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fiwarrander/1/1218234900/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fiwarrander/1/1218234900/tpod.html Fri, 22 Aug 2008 18:39:43 -0400 Central American Journey

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Panajachel, Western Highlands, Guatemala

Got to brush up on my Spanish numbers more and spend some (hmm) at the market at Chichicastenango. Very cool! Much haggilng was successfully done, wuhoo.
Lake tour of Lake Aitlan done - bumpy boat journey and saw a wee bit of some local villages. Everyone else went to see this odd Christian-Mayan religious statue, but Fay + I laggde behind and instead mixed in the local market which was really cool, seeing what it is for everyday life out there, and did some more haggling and shoppinh. wooohooooo.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fiwarrander/1/1219444260/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fiwarrander/1/1219444260/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fiwarrander/1/1219444260/tpod.html Fri, 22 Aug 2008 18:35:10 -0400 Central American Journey

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Monteverde, Province of Limon, Costa Rica

Wooo! Ziplining through the canopy of Monteverde Cloud Forest. Great fun, low effort. Brilliant! Really nice out here, though not so cheap and yesterdays storm on our arrival at least was pretty MASSIVE!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fiwarrander/1/1217959260/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fiwarrander/1/1217959260/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fiwarrander/1/1217959260/tpod.html Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:04:54 -0400 Central American Journey

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Rio Dulce, Guatemala

Well I'll keep this one short as it won't be so pleasant! Basically since the last one, I made dinner..then I barely left my room in Flores since!
As night hit so did some horrible buggies in my stomach. Cue much befriending with toilet. Joy! Missed the sunrise trip to the ruins at Tikal. Aww! (But luckily was sick before, one guy was sick en route poor thing)
Travelling here to Flores wasn't much joyful either! Me and other sickie sat up front on the wee minibus as we were both "prone to a good vomit". Charming but true. In 4 hours had to stop bus twice to be sick. Not sure if this is an accomplishment that it wasn't more or not! ah!

But here i'm missing another trip to some hot springs/waterfalls which is a shame. But I'm getting some books read, and nibbling on some toast (was most chuffed moments ago to nibble through a massive THREE pieces. I should point out that each piece is tiny though. But what a challenge!)
Hopefully things will start feeling rosy soon and I can enjoy Guatemala rather than it just being that-country-where-I-was-dead-sick...!!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fiwarrander/1/1217543460/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fiwarrander/1/1217543460/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fiwarrander/1/1217543460/tpod.html Sat, 02 Aug 2008 18:32:53 -0400 Central American Journey

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San Ignacio, Belize

Ooh-er. This is just a quickie (read the next one for a description of the place we stayed in) but I feel this should be added.
Spent the afternoon river tubing.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fiwarrander/1/1217716020/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fiwarrander/1/1217716020/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/fiwarrander/1/1217716020/tpod.html Sat, 02 Aug 2008 18:30:49 -0400 Central American Journey

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Flores, Guatemala

Woo! We´ve reached Guatamala. And am enjoying an afternoon checking out the internet (oh 7mins left else I´m paying for the hour! Quick quick!) not travelling and no hardcore activities like the last days!
We´re off to Tikal in the morning. I say morning... 3.30am to catch the sunset. Eeek. Early to bed tonight methinks!
Ridiculously cheap out here, but loving it after Belize and tourist MExico. Just spent less than 3 pounds for lunch. Ace!
That is all for now...!!! I´ll see how it goes.
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