TravelStream™ news feed for member kiwimeerkat on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/kiwimeerkat en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Sun, 27 Sep 2009 04:06:27 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiwimeerkat/2/1246369703/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiwimeerkat/2/1246369703/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiwimeerkat/2/1246369703/tpod.html Sun, 27 Sep 2009 04:06:27 -0400 Europe: I did it my way.

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Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria

Okay... so believe it or not, I've been a little slack. It happens when travelling. Your willpower goes out the window (with most things food, alcohol, and money related), your brain slows down a little, and the travel blog falls down the priority list somewhat. So instead of retracing my steps, Ill just have to give you the highlights of the past few weeks. Plitivice National Park was pretty awesome. I had a(nother) hangover but how's the serenity when youre walking through a Croatian national park full of waterfalls and giant lakes. Well it would have been a lot more serene had it not been 2 whinging Australian girls who would not stop droning on about the walking and the heat. Give me a gun. Actually on a side note... Australians. I had had a pretty good run for about 7 weeks of travelling companions. However the past few weeks has given me too many examples of annoying backpackers to simply ignore. And believe it or not, mostly are Australian (although I will admit that I was severely let down by some Kiwi antics too... so lets just generalise with stupid backpackers). Anyway, whinging I can handle. Sometimes. But to then travel with 4 Aussie guys who feel the need to take their beer funnel EVERYWHERE, do not feel a need to wear a t-shirt/singlet/upper body wear despite weather conditions MOST OF THE TIME, have southern cross tattoos (or at least wear the boardshorts) and are generally obnoxious, arrogant, and ignorant ALL OF THE TIME. Phew, just venting. Oh and then to travel with the ditzy girls... the ones who cheat on their partners, go out not knowing the name of their accommodation or even the town theyre staying in and then hop into some random croatian mens' car hoping theyll get you home (I kid you not, this happened... geniuses)... oh and they usually are the ones that hook up with the former Aussie tourist described. So yes that was my side note. Fortunately theyre not the majority of Aussie backpackers but are so memorable that they kinda ruin it for the rest of them. Back to the point. Spent a night or so in Split (nice spot... wish Id done Croatian Sail but I wasnt willing to take the risk with my reputation for motion sickness and boats), a night in the Croatian island of Pag (this was a mission of a day as it was so windy the bus couldnt cross a certain bridge and we ended up getting lost in the Croatian countryside) and then onto Slovenia. Slovenia was soooo nice and a refreshing change from the blunt aka rude nature of the Eastern Europeans. Stayed in Bled a couple of nights and it was gorgeous albeit cold (getting down to a forgotten 7 degrees at night time). Headed into the Slovenian Alps for the day... ok theyre no swiss alps but spectacular nonetheless. To be honest, it was nice to do something physical for a change as the alcohol and backpacking diet is starting to take its toll (this becomes all the more apparent when I compare photos and the size of my face from the start of my trip to now!). Oh yeah, it was very exciting going on a car train too. A train that carries your car that carries you. Brilliant. Wanted to give a few impressions of Eastern Europe now that I have vacated the premises. It is pretty cheap. Not quite Sth East Asia cheap, but definitely significant cheap relative to the rest of the EU. Its usually cheaper to drink a beer-wine than a juice... easy to figure why they spent 4 out of 7 nights a week at their local. Customer service is pretty much non-existant (exception being Bled where they were very friendly and accommodating). Meat is the meal of choice. This is kinda fun at first until you start feeling weighed down by beef, pork and lamb. The remenants of the Soviet era are still there... whether that be in mentality, efficiency, or even physical evidence that remains on the buildings. History is interesting but complex with too many invasions and empires to count e.g. Turks, Venetians, Romans, Ottomans. Still feels relatively untouched by tourism especially Poland and Slovakia... to be honest I never really felt unsafe either despite numerous warnings from my mother (Thanks Mum) and Id say youre in more threat walking down a London street at night time. Point of the story... Id definitely come back and Id definitely branch out a bit more also. Okay back to my whereabouts. From Slovenia I headed up to Salzburg. Nice enough spot although a few days is all you need. Birthplace of Mozart and Red Bull. I hit Salzburg with a bang that kinda ended in a whimper as headed off to a 'Schnapps Farm' somewhere out in the Austrian countryside. This involved all-you-can-eat ribs (the meat theme continues...) accompanied by all-you-can-drink schnapps. Oh and cider, and beer, and white russians. See a recipe for disaster here?? I took a certain liking to the coffee and apricot schnapps, yet it didnt really like me and somehow I ended up wasting all the schnapps and the ribs all over a paddock. Hmm nice. Ill admit it wasnt my proudest moment. Hmmm what else in Salzburg.... I went to a brewery (this preceeded the schnapps), oh and I visited Hitler's Eagles Nest (meh, bit of an anti climax). Oh and I shopped, but no surprises there. And then we were off. As you may have ascertained from earlier paragraphs, I was definitely not a big fan of some (not all) of my  travelling companions so decided to take an early stop in Cesky Krumlov for an intended detox, some me time, and a dedicated chillax period. Not quite what I got. But more on that later.... if I ever get round to writing that entry!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiwimeerkat/2/1252857586/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiwimeerkat/2/1252857586/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiwimeerkat/2/1252857586/tpod.html Sat, 19 Sep 2009 13:21:21 -0400 Europe: I did it my way.

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Budapest, Hungary

Ill admit... Im slipping further and further behind on the blog... largely due to the cracking pace of the past few weeks (even when I want to chill, it never happens - but Im not complaining!). Ok, Ill see what I can remember...Krakow! I think that's where I left you... After the intense and sombering experience of Auschwitz, arrive in Krakow slightly depressed, extremely pensive, but still keen to see what the city would bring. It didn't dissapoint. The city was cute, prices cheap, lots of history, and great night life. Quickly discovered the local vodka, zubrowka (flavoured with bison grass apparently??) and apple juice goes down a treat. I was lucky to have met two kiwi girls whom I got on with like a house on fire (no exageration!) and we attempted to discover what was raging in Krakow's nightlife by leaving our original (and perfectly fine) club early and roaming the streets. This meant lining up for the so-called "best bar", Frantic, but by which stage we had sobered up and after all the effort decided to flag paying the 5 euro cover charge (which is actually rather cheap but I dunno where our logic was coming from). ANYWAY, we ended up wandering aimlessly around the Square, visiting a reggae bar (not quite our scene), a euro pop-techno bar (definitely not our scene), and then mistaking a wedding reception for a bar (!). Finally after all the effort we ended up at our original bar. Sigh. Slight hangover the next day but awakened by our neighbouring room which had 3 girls travelling together who could not last a day without an argument of differing degrees (this one lasted 1.5 hours). How appealing. Jumped on a bike tour (I think I enjoy these almost as much as audio guides) and weaved our way about the charming town. Krakow suffered no destruction in WWII so everything is original. Of course WWII plays a major part of its history and it was interesting to find out that the Jewish Quarter in fact only house approx 150 Jews - this from an a population of 70,000 prior to WWII, plus the Jewish population was originally about 3.5 million, and now is only 150,000. We also visited what was the ghetoo and is now a memorial of empty chairs placed across a concrete square. Other points of interest in Krakow - castle, monastry garden, lots of legends (all of which the guide classified as 'stupid stories'). Big rivalry between Krakow and Warsaw, whereby Warsaw is viewed as 'money, money' and Krakow as laid-back aka lazy, inspiring the term "Krakow Take" ie all takl, no action... hmmm kinda reminds me of Ireland!! Anyway, all in all, a nice spot.Next stop, Zakopane, a small skiing resort with 30,000 residents and 3 million visitors pa. A quiet and quaint town that Ill largely remember for its Meat Palace... a restaurant that unsurprisingly serves a whole lot of meat. Even the vegetarian menu has fried cheese and ham on it. The Eastern Europeans love their meat, god knows how they stay so slim... Im going to peg it on genetics. Plus the women are hot, let's be honest. Anyway, on a cuisine note, other EE foods Ive tried include sheeps cheese (meh), pierogi (this stuff is pretty good, kinda like yum char steamed dumplings but a little heavier), zakokanke (not sure about the spelling but these mega huge toastie sticks that you cant go wrong with) and other interesting combos e.g. radishes at breakfast, stuffed cabbage, pork knuckle... hmm you can understand why I am becoming less photogenic by the day. Anyway, a drive through Slovakia (I ate there and used the WC so it counts as a visit) and we were in Budapest. It still amazes me that you can drive through 3 European countries in a day. Plus I still cant get my head around how borders are laid out...i.e. just 'exactly' where is the border line?? This stuff can keep me awake at night... Back to the point. Budapest was fabulous and lived up to my high expectations. Yet another night on the town (I see a recurring theme here...) which was pleasantly interrupted by a boat 'cruise' down the Danube. The boat was called the SS Rustbucket which may give some indication of quality. However it had a free bar, so wasnt much of an interruption to the nights's festivities. I discovered a new drink combo (Spanish not Hungarian) - red wine and coke. Soooo good. A 24 hour pub but our hostel (which is disturbingly where breakfast was served) and karaoke ensured a late night but more good times. A 915 am bike tour (yup another one) in 30 degree heat on cobblestones meant I was on the brink of a hangover. But there was no time for it... plus everyone was in the same boat so what was the point in complaining. [Bit of trivia, Budapest originates from two towns, Buda on the hill and Pest at the bottom and they amalgamated in 1111. Bit of pub quiz knowledge for you]. Although everything looked really close on the map, they werent. Heroes Park was impressive as was the Basilica which took 50 years to build. The Parliament building was the first prize winner in some design competition (plus 2nd and 3rd design winners were made into the buildings next door to it). Its 96 mtrs high, as is the Basilica, to represent the city's founding in 896 (I guess 896metres high would be a little inpractical), and is symmetrical for equality between the upper and lower houses. This was also the site where the unsuccessful 1956 revolution kicked off and the flag that flies there still has a hole in it where the communist hammer and sickle had been cut by the revolutionaries. Following on the same theme, we missioned the Budapest public transport system to Memento Park, a place out in the wops that houses all the old communist statues. It was kinda interesting although lack of signage meant that half the time we had no idea what we were looking at. Watched entertaining video footage which was basically the 'Dummies guide to being a Communist Secret Agent'... it actually was a little disturbing. You might be familiar with Stalin's giant boots... or maybe youre not... anyway they were there to. Anyway finished my trip with some Hungarian baths (had to be done), hit a major wall and slept like a baby (that sleeps all night). Budapest might not be for everyone but I loved it! I guess architiecture and history spins my wheels a lot more than I had imagined. And leaves me constantly wanting to know more!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiwimeerkat/2/1251906700/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiwimeerkat/2/1251906700/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiwimeerkat/2/1251906700/tpod.html Sat, 05 Sep 2009 12:02:50 -0400 Europe: I did it my way.

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Krakow, Southern Poland, Poland

So onboard yet another budget flight with a much anticipated destination: Eastern Europe. Well, not all of it, but parts of it... Prague first to be precise. I have been looking forward to Eastern Europe my whole trip, so expectations were high - plus I was excited at the prospect of a slightly lower cost of living... Prague was nice. I was lucky enough to enjoy the luxury of 2 nights in a 5 star hotel, which definitely helped (oh the joys of a large <i>private bathroom with free miniatures including a manicure kit). Spent most of my few days meandering through the Old Town... "highlights" included the Old Town Square with a compulsory stop at the Astronomical Clock (note to self: must google what an astronomical clock is as still have no idea). This particular clock draws a pretty large crowd every hour, although the procession of the 12 apostles was somewhat of an anticlimax. Then moved on to the King Charles Bridge (which was yet another tourist attraction covered in scaffolding at the height of tourist season) and popped into St Nicolas Church for a peek. I'm losing count of all the European churches I've visited... they're going to be hard to distinguish on my memory card. Trekked up the 'hill' to Prague Castle and again lamented my lack of fitness. Was all for the audio tour until I saw the queue and had to reassess the situation. Instead decided to do it another time with more energy, so took a random detour to an absinthe shop complete with absinthe soft serve icecream. What better place for 1pm on a Wednesday. Surprisingly, I passed on the icecream option (for once) but made up for it with an absinthe cocktail. I'm not exagerating, nor was it due to my light weight status, but my head was spinning afterwards. Don't&nbsp; think the waiter was all there either as he was eating the icecream throughout our visit. Trying to be cultural, we decided to attend a 'soprano musical recital at one of the most beautiful music halls in Prague not usually open to the plague' (quoted direct from the flyer). This ended up being one of the more memorable things of my trip as it was borderline comedy as we watched the 'soprano' tapdance in a white topcoat, hand gesture worse than Mariah Carey at MJ's memorial, and sing english songs with an extremely thick czech accent (e.g. the pronounced 'da'). Plus the hall&nbsp; was a room with a poorly painted ceiling - hardly the advertised concert hall. You had to be there. But be glad that you weren't! Oh well, we tried but failed to experience the bohemian nature that Prague is famous for. Checked into Plus Prague hostel in preparation for my Eastern Trekker Tour. Only thing worth mentioning here is that I decided to have a quiet night however was awakened with the return from a pubcrawl around 2am. No worries there, aside from the fact that about 15 minutes later, lights out, brink of sleep when I hear whimpering and quiet crying. Decide to pretend it's not happening, I mean maybe the girl is homesick... however me playing dumb became more difficult as this developed into full blown sobbing, pretty much impossible to ignore... thankfully by this stage the other two girls are up and trying to calm her down although she had no concept of what was going on (meanwhile i'm wondering how much absinthe she had drunk). Anyway, point of the story is that this happened for about an hour and it was rather surreal as I lay there just really really wanting to go to sleep! Interestingly, the next morning the girl confessed she gets night terrors (fair enough) and that particular night thought she was in Sassenchuan concentration camp. Weird. So my Eastern Trekker tour kick started on Friday. 39 people, full up, and I'm pleased to say&nbsp; much better group dynamics than my Morocco tour (although we´re not 100% knob-free)! Had a brief stop at Kutna Hora, a small town famous for its church of human bones. The church isn´t actually constructed of human bones, but rather interior decorated with bones, including a chandelier that contains every single bone from the human body. While the church is seen as a reflection of humanity and life, I think if someone came up with the same idea in today´s day and age, they would be viewed as a little bit sick...Stayed in Olumouc, but to be honest, not a whole lot to say about the place. It had a bar in a plane, an abandoned Yugoslav war memorial and a statue of Julius Caesar (even though he never made it there). So thats about that. On Saturday we cossed into Poland which was a non-event, although had my first day of rain since I left Ireland! The rain didnt let up the whole day, which made Auschwitz and Birkenhau an even more sombre event. I don´t really know how to adequately capture my visit to the concentration camps. I was a bit aprehensive having done study in the past on the atrocities commited there plus first hand accounts of friends who had visited the camps. Auschwitz I, the first ever concentration camp, was explained by a live guide over headsets which gave the place an eerie quiet. A few things that particularly struck me:* A room of 2 tonnes of human hair (removed before their visit to the gas chambers)* Standing cells - used as punishment whereby prisoners had to work all day and then stand in a claustrophobic cell overnight* The gas chamber and creamatorium - which could kill 700 people every hour (which was relatively inefficient compared to Birkenhaus cambers)* All the empty suitcases and childrens clothing* The photos - of all things including children, the people executed with their arrival and execution date (they only did this the first few years... eventually 1.1 million were killed at Auschwitz)It was an incredibly sobering experiencde. Sure I knew some facts before I got there, but to be at the actual site... The systematic, efficient and seemingly robotic system of mass killing is incomprehensible.&nbsp; I know it still happens today, perhaps in a different form e.g. Rwanda, Sudan, Balkans... but to see the documented and physical evidence of cold blooded brutality was really shocking. Birkehau (or Auschwitz II) was even worse. Auschwitz I was originally a Polish army barracks so seemed almost inhabitable. Birkenau on the other hand housed 70000 Jews (and other non-desirables eg gypsies) in purpose-built wooden shacks. Only the chimneys of these remain as they were destroyed by fleeing nazis. The ruined gas chambers and crematoria, watch towers, barb wire and a dead end to the railway tracks where the selection process (who was to be gassed immediately and those to live/die a slow death), all such an intensely powerful and heart wrenching kaleidescope of images that I dont think Ill ever forget. Im glad I visited the camps as they are a sad reminder that human behavior has few boundaries. How did this ever happen and with such little resistance? I have so many more questions after this experience. Anyway, sorry for the serious tone, but it was off to Krakow after this so Ill try and keep it lighter next time.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiwimeerkat/2/1245961096/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiwimeerkat/2/1245961096/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiwimeerkat/2/1245961096/tpod.html Thu, 27 Aug 2009 15:43:47 -0400 Europe: I did it my way.

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Athens, Greece

So after the drama and physical setbacks of Morocco, life could only get better in the Greek Islands... and I'm happy to say that it did! It was awesome meeting up with girlfriends again in Gatwick. We caught an early morning Easyjet flight to Santorini... I was the subject of many stares as I spluttered and coughed my way through the flight. I'm thoroughly convinced that people thought I had swine flu... ah well, I was going to the Greek Islands so who cares what people thought? (Even though the girls had to share a room with my coughing fits). Anyway to the point. Santorini first. Beautiful beautiful beautiful island. We stayed at a pretty decent hostel/apartments near Perissa beach, a black sand beach not exactly how you picture the beaches... pitiful to say, we never actually did swim in the ocean in Santorini... or in Ios... (luckily we swam in the ocean 'once' in Paros). Santorini is actually a lot bigger than we had imagined so we decided to hire quaddies and zip around the island that way... this is a pretty common way to get around, in fact I think there are more quad bikes on the island than cars. I'll admit, there were a few near misses... I was struggling to come to terms with the whole Right Hand Side of the road thing... there actually was no reverse, so reversing consisted of Nikki and I physically pushing the bike backwards. Went a bit mad in the jewellery stores in Fira (main town) and then in the evening missioned the ride across the island to Oia which is the site of all the picture-postcard-sunsets you've probably seen from the Greek Islands. Yes it was rather picturesque, however what the postcards don't show you is the crowds of people that you can't escape from. Rather claustrophobic to be honest. Somehow we managed to quad back in girly dresses, and in the dark, post-sunset, back to Perissa. Kind of a weird experience. After 2 nights we headed to Ios. Not without a little bit of drama as I received a phonecall in broken english informing me that 'bad weather' had cancelled our ferry. Considering all other ferries were sailing and the shining sunshine and calm seas this reason was rather dubious... we then had about 1 hour of stress as we tried to find the ticket office, ferry etc and get on another one (along with abut 100 others...). We were soon to learn that the Greek ferry system isn't necessarily the most efficient. Ios second. Lived up to the reputation of party island but was probably our favourite. We stayed in fantastic self-catering apartments, Island House, a few hundred metres from Mylopatos beach. Would totally recommend this place as the owners were awesome, the pool was gorgeous, and it was just a fabulous spot. Anyway, back to the island logistics. Most of our days were spent laxing by the pool, lazing at the most chilled italian restaurant ever, and then planning what time to have our cocktail... We had discovered we were addicted to greek tsatziki (btw the greek yoghurt is also out of this world) and downed with a few homemade cocktails, we were on our way. All the action happens in Hora and it doesn't really kick off till about 1am... when it does, it's rather insane. This nana doesn't do all-nighters often (and for good reason), but it was a 6.30am bed time that was rather well worth it. To be honest, while you don't always want to be surrounded by Kiwis/Aussies while travelling, in this instance it was rather refreshing (never thought I'd say it). We only spent 1 of our 2 nights out and in retrospect should have gone the whole hog and done both... but the girls were struggling with our hangovers and we thought we'd make up for it in Paros... In between Ios-Paros.... a very traumatic ferry ride in high winds. Enough said. Paros third. Meh. A bit of a let down to put it bluntly after the higher standards set by previous islands. Popular with the Greeks and French, and a family holiday destination so we were definitely in the minority. The island is pretty spread out so we hired a jeep and Nic tested her right hand side skills (she did much better than I did)... we just drifted between towns, bought jewellery, were subjected to terrible customer service, and not much else! Hiring a bike/car was absolutely essential - although unfortunately we couldn't avoid the sleaziness of all employees at the car rental shop (this is where I was christened 'New Zealand Tiger' while my cleavage was examined... charming). We visited Naoussa and also the 'clubbing-beach' which again was mainly occupied by Greek/French and the beach consisted of sardine-packed loungers and umbrellas on a tiny strip of sand. Not our idea of fun. Finally went for our first dip in the Aegean sea in Golden Beach... figured it would be criminal to leave the Islands without swimming in the ocean! We also spent a lot of our two nights reminiscing about Santorini and Ios!Lastly, Athens. I'd heard pretty crap reviews of the place from mates so had relatively low expectations. It wasn't bad, it wasn't great. We missioned up to the Acropolis (after a few wrong turns... not sure how that happened when the Acropolis is the biggest landmark in town and on top of a hill...) which was well, pretty average. Yeah it was pretty awesome if I thought about it long and hard in the context of history, however when everything is covered in scaffolding and you've paid 12 euro to wander about something you have limited knowledge of and no information provided... maybe a litttle short changed? Ah well, I ticked it off the list and it killed some time. After 7 nights it was back to London for a 4 hour stopover before I hit Prague. Nearly didn't make it as our Athens taxi driver had a death wish as he drove 160 km/hr in a 60-70 k zone. He seemed to find my back seat driving hilarious (we meanwhile did not) and I'm still thanking God we made it to the airport alive. (Ironically, my taxi driver in Prague was also a speed demon. Normally you want your taxi drivers to go faster... not in this case). We then proceeded to argue over the fare with the driver, however after Morocco I think I've become pretty determined with any form of negotiation (if I do say so myself) plus I wasn't paying any extra for my near-death experience. I loved the Greek Islands! If I did it again I would definitely skip Paros and spend at least 3 nights in each location - Ios and Santorini. It's near impossible to skip Athens, but don't spend more than a night there... there's just not a whole lot to do and it's hot without escape. Oh and eat all the Greek yoghurt you can - I'm getting withdrawals... &nbsp;
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiwimeerkat/2/1249738389/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiwimeerkat/2/1249738389/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiwimeerkat/2/1249738389/tpod.html Thu, 20 Aug 2009 03:02:45 -0400 Europe: I did it my way.

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Marrakech, Morocco

What a week of extremes. Highs and lows - literally, physically, emotionally...So I arrived in Marrakesh, a little nervous just over a week ago. I felt thoroughly unprepared - mainly in terms of wardrobe as my last minute reading on womens fashion in morocco had me worried... however I needn't have panicked too much as although some of my clothing was probably not totally culturally acceptable, I still managed to get away with shorts and singlets (although not spaghetti straps). I figured sunglasses also meant I could ignore any looks. Anyway enough talk about clothing and more about the country!It has been EXTREMELY hot. Probably the hottest temps Ive ever personally experienced, every day&nbsp;in the 40s. Note to self: if I ever come back, it will not be during August. Met up with my tour group on Sat night... hmm how to capture such a "dynamic" group of 16 in one paragraph?! We had 4 well-meaning albeit slightly boring Canadians (one of which blue steeled for every photo she was in, it was cringe worthy to watch), a group of 3 aussie girls in their early 20s who were hilarious but developing alcoholics perhaps and sang on the bus non-stop, reminiscent of school camp, only 2 guys - one of whom was really nice and travelling with his mum who had always wanted to see Morocco, and the other a painful munter of an Aussie who was extremely patronising to locals and managed to irritate the majority of the group... and a few other randoms. All in all, 14 girls, 2 guys, with one of the guys gay and other guy said irritating knob... hows that for ratios. Oh and as for me, I was middle of the road in terms of personality and irritating characteristics.Anyway I digress. Again.Sunday we headed to Gorges du Dades, a painful but spectacular 7 hour drive from Marrakech. The drive went up and down through the Atlas Mountains, which was scenery unlike anything Ive seen before. While not the rolling green hills and snowcapped mountain scenery that Im used to, I could still appreciate it for its own beauty. Meals were always 3 or 4 courses and guaranteed to include either tagine, couscous, or both. This was great at the start of the trip, although now Id be happy to be 'tagine-free' for the rest of the year. Breakfast was renamed 'bread-fast', as was every meal... you can figure that one out. Monday was a little bit tamer on the driving front (you see a mini van with 16 ppl and no air conditioning in sweltering temps is challenging to say the least), as we headed to Todra Gorge. We managed a mini 'trek' in the am about 1600 mtrs into the Atlas Mountains (although did I mention that we were already 1000 mtrs above sea level?). We also visited a carpet factory which could have been a tourist trap, but also helped us appreciate the level of effort that goes into an authentic carpet. Swigged the compulsory Mint Tea. Quite a few carpets were purchased, and while I would have liked to have joined the bandwagon, my backpack is getting ridiculously heavy (why did i pack 3 prs of pants?) and I had no idea of carpet prices to even use as a remote benchmark. It was an opportunity to watch the cringe-worthy bargaining skills of the condescending Aussie guy who managed to talk way too loudly and slowly (these guys could speak english) as well as fabricating his financial status which really irritated me i.e. how can you tell a local that you are a poor man when the average Morrocan earns about 10 dollars per day and is unlikely to get a passport, let alone visas, to visit the rest of the world? Anyway...I did end up buying a "turban" though, actually it was just a scarf which could be shaped into a turban. This would prove essential for Tuesday's adventure.... the Sahara!Definitely the highlight of the trip. After another hot and windy morning, somewhat tempered by a swim, we made the bumpy drive to the Base Camp where our camels were ready and waiting to take off... I really liked my camel(s) of whom I decided to name Randy and Snowy. Anyway we were pretty much a caravan of 18 camels and we wandered off into the dessert. I was at the front so had a chat to our Berber guide, Yusef. He was 25, largely uneducated but could speak 6 languages... talk about making me feel insignificant with my measly 1 language. Anyway he was quite cute too so I held onto his camel hair sandals while he led us barefoot through the Sahara (btw, I was so talented on my camel, I could do it no hands).About an hour and a half later we got to our berber camp and despite labouring up the sand dunes as fast as we could, we still managed to miss sunset. Gutted as my calves were killing me and I was having to come to terms with how unfit I really am! Back at the berber camp, we lay back and appreciated the sahara night stars as our meals were prepared by the multi-talented guides. That is, we relaxed until Maree, one of the girls on the trip stood on 'something' and proceeded to have a very bad reaction e.g. hyperventilating, panic, pain etc. Hmmm the relaxation part dissapeared as dinner plans halted, tourniquets made, and rugs were overturned as 'scorpions' and other possible dangerous insects were searched for! (Apparently a 'bite' is a regular enough occurence, how reassuring). Anyway, cut a long story short, she had to be 'cameled' off into the darkness and back to the base camp before being 4 wheel drived to a doctor for a shot... wow, drama. In the meantime, we all had to carry on like nothing happened and sleep under the skies, on the rugs, and hope the 'bug/scorpion/ant/spider/whatever' didn't attack us. As you can guess, I came out unharmed. Next morning we cameled back to base camp. The muscles were sore from the previous day however it was still pretty awesome, very chilled and peaceful. Despite another girl from the tour having a panic attack that she would fall off her camel... sigh... oh the group dynamics. Okay so I dont want this to turn into a saga so to summarise the rest of my trip quickly... Quad biking in Ouarzazate. Awesome. The 'Hollywood of Morocco', many movies have been filmed here including Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, Alexander, etc. Despite a worsening flu, I managed to speed race... and despite the fact that my rear brakes were non-existant and the seemingly blase attitude of the company about it. Ah well, when in Rome... Went to the gladiator set and mucked around. Got extremely dirty. Ya, it was fun. Medina Marrakech. Awesome. Sensory assault. Food, bags, belts, jewellery, rugs, scarves, nuts, juice, henna, monkeys, snakes... you name it. My flu had firmly set in by now which severely impacted my bargaining abilities (which were poor to begin with) and patience with the barrage of sellers. Yup, sick Claire is not good company. Moroccan Hamman (Spa). Awesome. Albeit a peculiar experience. Stripped to our bottoms, doused with cold water and rubbed down with mud and exfoliated by semi-naked Moroccan women, put into a sauna-like room with your other tour companions (all female of course)&nbsp;and then showered off? Hmm maybe not to everyone's tastes. The massage was just what the doctor ordered though. (In absence of an actual doctor to prescribe me with pharmaceuticals).Being sick while on holiday. Awful. My flu started on the Wednesday and by Saturday was definitely settled in to stay. Cough, sinuses, throat, and lack of appetite (that's when I know Im definitely sick) meant that I had to cancel my planned overnight trip to Essaioura and instead book into a 4 star hotel to sleep it off. (Yeah backpacker justification, it worked). Complete misery. Bedridden with one extremely poor english channel and a diminishing supply of panadol. But hey it happens, and word of advice to self and anyone travelling - get your flu shot and make sure you pack cold and flu tablets!!!&nbsp; Ill be completely honest, it totally knocked me for six and really impacted on my enjoyment of Morocco as I had no energy to do much at all. Felt very sorry for myself (if you couldn't tell) that I had missed my trip to the Coast. Anyway my very last night I had to mission back into the Old Medina and find my hostel... easier said than done as I was led down dark alleyways and deserted corridors by a 12 year old kid who I simply followed blindly... and then proceeded to harass me for a 10 euro tip. Puhlease, even in my blase and unenergetic state, I was going to argue that one. Riad Massine II was an awesome hostel, and the owner put me promptly to bed. Anyway, in a nutshell, I don't think Morocco is for everyone. I did enjoy it, but I think it will always be a bit tainted by how bad I felt while I was there (I really didnt want this blog to turn into a whinge!). However, the Sahara was an unforgettable experience. Oh well, upwards and onwards to the Greek Islands!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiwimeerkat/2/1249392770/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiwimeerkat/2/1249392770/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiwimeerkat/2/1249392770/tpod.html Sat, 08 Aug 2009 11:56:02 -0400 Europe: I did it my way.

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Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain and Canary Islands

Okay I could quite possibly cry. After painstakingly typing (what I consider) a very informative and entertaining barcelona recount on a difficult arabic keyboard in a sauna=like internet cafe, the&nbsp; computer goes and freezes and I lose everything! Typical. This entry prob wont be as good because of my impatient frustration, but youll never know will you? By the way, arabic keyboards are difficult so I apologise in advance for the typos and lack of punctuation.Barca! Wow, what a place, so much so that I dont know where to begin... Ill try and group it by subject&nbsp;matter rather than a long winded chronology... although this just may be a longwinded thematic review...Nightlife: Raging. Ill be honest, I only had one 'big night' in Barca with a 430 am hometime which was more than enough for me. However this is only small fry as&nbsp;most people dont head out till midnight or later, and when I caught the airport bus at 8am this morning, people were actualy leaving the clubs. The Spaniards know how to party -&nbsp;there are so many bars/pubs, drinks are relatively cheap and the sangria free flowing.Sightseeing: There is so much to see and do in Barca contrary to what others had told me. My tourist productivity on Weds was strongly curtailed by my raging hangover, and also meant that the rest of my time there I had a self-imposed curfew of 1am (which is quite positively grandma standards in these parts). Anyway I had both the genius and foolish idea of doing the open top bus tour on the Weds.&nbsp;Genius because you get to see so much, it takes up 5 hours at least and requires little thought/energy but you still feel like youre achieving something, which suited me perfectly on that day. However, rather foolish as it was about 35 degrees, I had no sunscreen, no water, and no energy to actually hop off the bus (somewhat defeating the 'hop off' aspect). Oh well, the bus overview meant I had a better plan of attack for the next 2 days. Barca is packed of things to do - arts, architecture (more on that later), food, beaches, shopping, olympic park, football stadium (not appealing to me but worth w mention), plenty of parks, theatre, oh and of course&nbsp;SHOPPING (somehow my backpack is already 3kgs heavier than it was 2 weeks ago).Weather: Uncomfortably hot. And a real sticky heat. Showers were pretty much redundant because as soon as you left the comfort of aircon, you were dripping sweat (perhaps the term 'glowing' would be a nicer description...); Yup, my afro frizz was on.Food:To be honest, I didnt really try much of the local specialities as I ate mainly sandwiches and cereal (oh and of course gelato but you would already have known that is a daily meun prerequisite). The extent of my Spanish cuisine experience&nbsp;was paella, some very un-adventurous tapas, &nbsp;and sangria at a cooking class. Gourmet daredevil huh. And after we learnt how to make sangria (to be replicated in the cooler climate of home - hopefully still just as satisfying) and consuming 2 jugs of it, I cant say we really concentrated on the cooking techniques of paella. Whoops. In my defence, I have been to madrid before and had bombed out big time whenever I tried to order something 'authentic'.Architecture: AMAZING. I have never been into architecture and only mildly so into arts (considering my critique methods are slightly amateur, something along the lines of "I like it because the colours are pretty"), however visiting Gaudi's unfinished La Sagrada Famillia, a cathdral in the making since the late 18th centure, was awe-inspiring. From afar it seemed to me beautifully ugly, like melting candle wax, but perspective changes as you get closer to a piece. I did&nbsp;a fantastic audio guide tour which illustrated that&nbsp;every single aspect of the cathedral had a reason/relevance/justificqtion/purpose. It would seem that nothing of Gaudi,s work is just left to chance. Much of it relates to nature, for example the columns represent trees, patterning on the nativity facade is inspired by honeycombs, and some of the curvature resembles falling leaves. Now this was an audio guide worth listening to! I know I risk sounding the tourist-geek here, but&nbsp; it was also pretty awesome to see a monumental piece of work 'in the making' as the cathdral wont be complete for at least another 2 decades. Something to tell the grandkids about (without getting too far ahead of myself!). Examples of Gaudi's work is all over Barcelona but the cathedral inspired me to visit Parc Guell, another of his creations and probably recognisable by the mosaic lizard which can be bought in souvenir shops all over Spain (ok Ill admit I bought a magnet...). The park again held surprises and innovation around every corner, however the 35 degree heat at 11am meant my trip, albeit worthwhile, was rather brief.Art: Salvador Dali and Picasso, two pretty famous spanish artists, so I thought I better pay a visit to the Picasso Museum which is located in an amazing building in the Gothic Quarter and houses a lot of his earlier stuff. Ill admit that I wasnt exactly capitvated, especially with the lack of english signage and my lack of prior picasso knowlege,&nbsp;but it was interesting nonetheless. The most memorable part of the collection is his interpretation of the <i>Las Meninas painting, by Velazquez&nbsp;of which Id seen the original in the Prado in Madrid. About 44 paintings are made from the original Las Meninas and what an interpretation of colour and shape, although still maintaing space and design. Its hard to describe, and Im bound to lose your interest, so&nbsp;Ill just&nbsp;recommend googling it.Thats about it! Barcelona was quite different to Madrird which I found more cultural and 'Spanish' (although I think Barclona is part of Catalonia which is apparently seperate to spain although not a seperate state...? Ahh i was too confused to research further). It was definitely more touristy, a bit dirtier, sleazier, but also housed amazing pieces of architecture and design at every turn with some amazing beaches so probably a more visually impressive city. Oh and there were more things in English which makes life easier. Definitely enjoyed it and would go back but extend my sightseeing further afield. Now Im in Marrakech, and if I thought Barcelona was a sensory city, this place provides a full frontal assault on the senses )&nbsp; as I type I can hear the call to prayer accompanied by techno drumbeats, the smell of spices but also of hot chips, feel my legs sticking to the chair in 42 degree heat, and I only have to look out the window at the sqauare dusty building and know that Im a very long way from home...But more on that later!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiwimeerkat/2/1249219953/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiwimeerkat/2/1249219953/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiwimeerkat/2/1249219953/tpod.html Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:08:06 -0400 Europe: I did it my way.

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Avignon, Provence, France

On recommendation of a friend, I decided to stop off at Avignon, a small French town famous for its Palais Des Papes and its lavender fields (although I didn´t know about the lavender part). They also have a famous arts festival which I happened to miss by two days (wasn´t too upset as it would all be in French). Oh and there is a famous song which I was also unaware of about dancing on the St Benezet Bridge... yeah I didn´t know about that either! (But I did later find out that people actually danced <i>under the bridge, not actually on it, piece of mindless trivia for you). Anyway, the Palais as the largest gothic palace in Europe dominates the small walled town and was home to 9 popes back in the day (13th-14th century). I´ll have to keep this entry brief I had such a low key 2 days in Avignon. I was lucky to be rooming with Georgina, another 25 y.o from Melbourne who I spent my whole time with (we had a shared passion for gelato) otherwise it is possible I may have got bored. We also had another random German roommate who was lovely but had some ´strange ideas´... what kind of ideas you may ask? Well, the only reason she was staying at the Hostel was because her plan of going up to random people in the street and asking for a couch to sleep on didn´t work as people either ignored her or men propositioned her.... hmm funny that. Anyway I don´t think I hid my dissaproval of her accomodation methods very well. Anyway, back to the point. So we visited the Papal Palace, the bridge (well only a 1-3 of a bridge), wandered the streets, went on a boat ride, listened to a dj on the banks of the river rhone, ate gelato, ate baguettes (impossible to avoid... no atkins diet on this trip) and shopped a wee bit. The only other thing to note is that both the bridge and palace had quite possibly the most boring audio guides i´ve ever encountered. Instead of giving any interesting bits of information, instead you got a whole entire thesis on the structures... of which I remember nothing. That´s about it really! I would have loved to have gone to the vineyards but 100 euro plus for a tour is a bit ridiculous. So 3 euro wines from the local dairy just had to do. 2 nights was definitely enough time to recharge and relax before the madness of Barcelona. Few other points:1. The french language is beautiful! (Just like the women)2. My French pronounciation is painfully embaressing3. French people don´t really seem to appreciate pitiful efforts to speak French. 4. I gave up trying on the French, resorted to NZ-English... sounds extremely twangy in comparison... least I tried!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiwimeerkat/2/1249133535/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiwimeerkat/2/1249133535/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiwimeerkat/2/1249133535/tpod.html Wed, 05 Aug 2009 13:16:48 -0400 Europe: I did it my way.

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Nice, Provence, France

Ok so after my nature retreat in the Alps, it was off to very different pastures... the sunshine, the glamour, and the dirtiness of Nice. The drive was pretty stunning, driving through the Gotthard Pass, which was rather impressive and helps pass the time on 10 hour bus rides. Arrived in Nice around 7pm where it was strikingly hot (I better get used to it) and full of hustle and bustle&nbsp;- a stark contrast to the cleanliness and efficient order of Switzerland. However Nice was actually nicer (excuse the pun) than I though it would be. First night I ´leisurely´ strolled the promenade (it´s great having little regard for time) and saw the most amazing street performers. These kids (?) were brilliant, incredibly creative and entertaining. I could watch them for hours. I also discovered ´´Finnochio´´, my daily Nice gelato haunt... complete with 96 flavours of gelati. Yes, 96, that is not a typo. Plus you could order up to 17 scoops&nbsp;(don´t worry, I held&nbsp;back).&nbsp;Flavours included avocado, tomato &amp; basil and lavendar... so I chose from the 90 or so others. Friday was a tough day to be honest. First day I´d really been on my own on this trip, and I just wasn´t really feeling it. But what better pick-me-up than a trip to the beach. Nice isn´t really a beach at all to me as it´s noticeably absent of sand, instead you sunbathe on stones (or pay 15 euro for deck chair hire), so I made the brief train trip to Villefranche Sur Mer which has sand and is where the locals head (I´d done my research). This was much smaller, relaxed and comfortable! It was small enough that I could see my stuff from the water and didn´t have to worry about my things getting nicked. The Med is unbelievably warn, like a giant bathtub... paradise! That evening, complete with new tan lines (whoops), I went up to Parc du Chateau, brilliant views of Nice at sunset. Another leisurely walk through old town and a rather quiet (yup a little bit lonely and feeling sorry for my self). I¨ve learnt very quickly that the quality of you room mates can vastly improve your mood and travel experiences. I´m pleased to say Saturday was much better as I went with Rachel (Aussie girl I met in Lauterbrunnen) to the Cours Saleya Markets, morning food market. Wow I am so in love with this aspect of french life... the best fruit and veges which were so cheap. Plus breads and pastries... how on earth do french women not get fat? Actually on a side niote, as most of you alreay know, french women on the whole are BEAUTIFUL. I felt I could be a model agent everytime I walked down the street. Just a bit of pointless, but very visible, information for you. Visited Monaco/Monte Carlo that arvo. Was a little surreal...how do people get ´that´ rich?! Well they manage it somehow, and going to Monaco was very impressive but also put us in our lowly backpacking place, far down the food chain. Monaco is tax free and apparently costs 1 million euro to apply for citizenship... and that´s not refundable on rejection. Rejects include the late MJ and Madonna. Go figure. Anyway, the boats (´´it´s not a boat, it´s a yacht´´) and the cars... not a car person but could def see the appeal of an Aston Martin (my next car haha), but not so much the orange lamborghini.&nbsp;Few drinks and a night out to end my time in Nice. Daylight robbery&nbsp;for a drink in clubs though... 10 euro for a vodka and coke is enough to bring short most people´s nights.&nbsp;&nbsp;So yes, all in all, it was nice (groan but I couldnt resist!)
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiwimeerkat/2/1248614961/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiwimeerkat/2/1248614961/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiwimeerkat/2/1248614961/tpod.html Wed, 29 Jul 2009 10:47:41 -0400 Europe: I did it my way.

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Lauterbrunnen, Swiss Alps, Switzerland

Arrived into Lauterbrunnen late Mon night. Was thoroughly over travelling having missioned a early morning flight from Heathrow to Milan, then onwards by bus to Lauterbrunnen, which is in the Jungfrau region near Interlaken... yup meant nothing much to me either when I booked it. But this place is a hidden gem! Im so dissapointed that I was unaware of its existence as I swear I could have spent many a European break here. Warm, breezy, beautiful (sounds like im advertising shampoo). Its ringed by snowy mountain ranges into which you can catch gondolas (cable cars, whatever you want to call it) up into various peaks and then meander through the mountains. Prices vary so I stuck to mid-range, gondala-ring up to Grutschalp, walking up to Murren and another cable car to Stecheberg... of course my pronounciation is embaressing too. Murren was at 1645 mtrs, however you can head up to the highest point in Europe at about 4000 mtrs (if youre willing to part with about 200 swiss frances or approx 150 euro) and also some restaurant from a james bond film in Schiltorn...&nbsp;some pointless info for you. &nbsp;Also walked to Trummelbach falls which are 10 waterfalls hidden within the mountain. You catch yet another elevator-type thing into the mountains (the swiss are so good at these) and walk inside a cliff face to view these illuminated falls... I was duly impressed. Its all been very 'wholesome' so far. The air is gorgeous, there's snow on the mountains, hiking when usually im sitting on my butt all day at work, the cows have bells on them, there is cheese for africa, and everyone looks very healthy (well the europeans that is - not the drunken aussie contiki tourists). Speaking of tourists... so Im doing busabout, a hop on hop off type system. So far decentish - and its totally up to you what you do in regards to accom, activities, socialising etc which is good when I start getting impatient and intolerant! However we also happen to be sharing this campsite with CONTIKI and TOPDECK... dont get me started. I could stereotype all day... lets just say im not impressed by the stereotype. Few other notes... 1. my pack weighs a tonne and ive only just begun : ( My shoulders were ripped to shreds yday as I navigated the milan metro....in jeans in 30 degree heat may I add... was not a good look. I may have to consider further consolidation of my packing... perhaps the hairdryer and hair straightener werent necessary.2. Beer with grenadine tastes good. 3. Swiss chocolate is really tastes better in Switzerland.Day 2... Wow, what a day! I think I've done more walking in the past 2 days than in the past 2 months! Began the day bright and early and went PARAGLIDING over Interlaken with brilliant views of the Alps... it was awesome. Seriously. After my nauseating experience skydiving in NZ yonks ago, the parachute was the one good thing I remembered so this was really the best bit all over again for me! Great start to the day. Then caught a train up to Kleine Scheidigg which is over 2,000 mtrs into the Alps and is a somewhat touristy town backed by snowy alpine peaks. The swiss really know their trains. Everything is a little pricey here, including&nbsp;train fares,&nbsp;but it was still spectacular. I then decided to walk back down to Lauterbrunnen... what a mission. Casual pumas were not designed for downhill alpine trekking, my feet are seriously throbbing right now. However despite the discomfort, the surroundings made up for it. I kept having 'pinch myself moments'...Or I&nbsp;would have to stop every 5 mins to take yet another photo&nbsp;in yet another&nbsp;mode (can't figure out my camera, left the manual at home). Although it's the height of the season, you can still walk for ages without coming across anyone... except some cows. You come across these random little villages... oh it's so cute, I could gush all day!Anyway, I have about a gazillion photos that need to be waded through plus I can't find a usb point on these computers (could be the computer at fault, could be me... probably me...). But they won't even come close to doing it justice!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiwimeerkat/2/1247754604/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiwimeerkat/2/1247754604/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/kiwimeerkat/2/1247754604/tpod.html Wed, 22 Jul 2009 06:02:50 -0400 Europe: I did it my way.

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Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland

Well I'm kind of in limbo at the moment. I'm full of conflicting emotions. There's the anticipation and excitement leading up to any trip of a duration of more than 1 week. But there's also the hardship of leaving people behind, the prospect of the unknown (I've never been a fan of&nbsp;this, although our constant encounters mean I'm getting rather used to the unknown), coming to terms with being on my own, and even just the administration side of travelling / moving e.g. finances, flights, accommodation and packing. Sigh.However I've learnt to do as the Irish do, and have procrastinated the packing part. But the reality is that I need to do it, otherwise, God forbid,&nbsp;I'll be leaving about half my wardrobe behind. Seeing this is the 4th time I'm moving country, you think I would have learnt by now about minimising, and avoiding constant accumulation of material things... But nope, I think I will always be a material girl at heart. Hopefully the Irish Post system won't fail me (although it has already so not a great track record) and everything gets back in one piece. So enough about me and more about&nbsp;Ireland.&nbsp;In reflection... well I have to be careful what I say as I have all spectrum of readers out there! Personally, I think it's great to visit but I just didn't take so well to the living there part... (Disclaimer: I did turn up at the beginning of the rollercoaster spiral downwards of its economy, which impacted moods, media, and my employment prospects. I also lived out of Dublin city centre, in the burbs, which would have definitely impacted on my impressions as I was destined for the quiet life and commuter traffic)Some points:The People Two adjectives: generous and laid-back. They also know how to have a good time, a pub is always around the corner and I challenge anyone to try and drink an Irish man/woman under the table.&nbsp;It just won't happen. Their generousity is particularly evident when it comes to drinks - they will continue buying rounds, whether you want a drink or not! Oh and everyone knows everyone by about 3 degrees or less of seperation... seriously. Hurling. Now that's a complete blog entry (or forum) in itself. But I don't think I've ever seen, nor will I ever see, such commitment and passion towards an amateur sport. I encourage everyone who visits Ireland to try and attend a match. You probably won't make much sense of it at first, as 30 men whack the crap out of ball (and each other) with sticks, but it is entertaining. Nope it's not hockey, it's not lacross, nor is it&nbsp;curling. Youtube it. 'The Craic'.You will find it here (and when I say here, I mean anywhere in Ireland).&nbsp;Usually accompanied by a few pints. I still struggle to use the word in everyday converation, and am not really sure how to respond when asked 'How's the craic?' or 'What's the craic?' or 'Any craic with you?'. Get out of Dublin! My favourite Irish places included Kerry, Galway, and Belfast (Let's not argue whether this is Ireland or not...). Country folk are different too. Different-good, not different-bad.&nbsp;The InfrastructureLaid back can also mean complacent. Enough said. (along the same lines...)The Banking SystemArchaic.The Traffic. Oh god, the bane of my life. I swear every person&nbsp;in this country&nbsp;must have 2 cars each (even the children).&nbsp;Cost of LivingExtortionate.&nbsp;I still convert to New Zealand dollars and it still hurts just as much as my first day here. On the upside, the pay is good (well at least it was...unemployment is now 12% - and rising).The foodGotta love soda bread and Toffee Crisps. I'll miss them, but my waist-line won't. Not such a big fan of the Irish BreakfastIrish WeddingsExtravagant would be an understatement. Usually 3 day affairs where you wouldn't blink an eye at 250 guests. Undeniably beautiful and lots of fun though. WeatherWay below average (this is particularly emphasised as I look out the window at pouring rain from grey skies on a Summer's day I have endured my two worst summers ever ). Fact. Although apparently ''it wasn't always like this''. Best tourist attractionKilmainheim Gaol, Dublin. Interesting history I promise! (And I know it's almost compulsory but the Guiness Factory is highly overrated). And that's about it for now!
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