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The Beginning
Entry 2 of 54 | show all | print this entry |
mood: exhausted
I hate saying goodbye! Especially when it involves not really knowing when you will be back.
My flight left Melbourne yesterday at 4pm and including a stop in Bangkok, took me almost 20 hours of flying to get here. The first half of my flight I was smack bang up the front of economy, window seat, a huge ammount of leg room (if i stretched out my legs straight i still couldnt touch the wall in front of me) and the advantage of being one of the first off the plane. Although my plan wasnt to sleep until after boarding my connection from Bangkok, I was way too tired to keep my eyes open and slept on and off for about 2 hours.
Bangkok airport was huge! and they parked my connecting flight on the other side of the airport so i had around a 15 to 20 minute walk from one gate to the other. There are sooo many duty-free shops along the way, including designers like Channel. And although it was almost midnight, the airport was packed.
The one thing that i didnt like about Bangkok airport was it looked like a sterile hospital or prison. The walls and floors were so stark white, and there was lots of stainless steel. And the most uncomfortable seats ever. Luckily i only had to be there for less than an hour!
We got into Athens at 7am local time, just as the sun had gotten up and was making a haze over the islands that we passed over. Athens customs involves 1 man standing next to a stainless steel bench waving us through. Definately not like home!!! I waved my tube of vegemite at him and he nodded and pointed at the exit.Oh yeah, and i got my first stamp in my passport! Woo hoo! hahaha.
Finding my way from the train station at the airport was a lot harder than i had anticipated. Although some signs were in both greek and English, not all of them are. and my first impression of greek people: RUDE! Trying to find out which train to get onto was impossible until i befriended a man in the lift who pushed me in the right direction.
The hostels instructions were impossible to follow, and changing trains led me one station in the wrong direction before i realised and had to backtrack. Finally, I arrived at the right station and heaved my pack up a huge flight of stairs. My instructions from the hostel were useless, and everytime i went to ask someone there was no-one that spoke english. It was about 9am by this point, and starting to get very hot. Even though i knew i had all day, i was sick of carrying my pack around and just wanted to have a rest! After wandering around for 20 minutes i worked out that the street signs are stuck to the sides of the buildings (not on poles like back home) and they are written in greek and english, though they still tend to throw some greek letters into the english words - just for fun i think. Which makes it incredibly confusing!!! I ended up getting a proper map from the counter of a hotel and got my bearings from that.
Although i feel safe (dont worry mum), my hostel is in a rundown part of Athens. Actually, the whole of Athens is rundown. I think this place is just a little bit worse. Although its a saturday and apparently quiet, this area is so busy. It seems to be pretty much made up of commission style flats, the streets are very dirty (you should see the soles of my feet... ewwwwww) and people are crammed in. But suprisingly it is very green, considering the masses of concrete, as most balconies have plants and vines growing on them, and all the streets are lined by trees. You can even hear the birds.
Theres a few things i noticed about Athens straight away. Firstly, parking seems to be a free-for-all, if it will fit half your car then it will do. if there is a car with a cover over it, you are entitled to double park next to it. same rules apply if a car has stones chocked under its wheels. It doesnt seem to matter where, they are parked all over the pavement in different directions. Most of the streets are one way, but its hard to tell which as none of the parked cars are facing the same direction!
You also find unusual sights like 50k Beamers parked next to stationwagons missing doors and covered in graffiti. Anything goes here. They park so close together that once your in, you would have to ram-raid yourself out. They are all crazy! haha.
There is a huge number of dogs just lazing around on steps and in the street.
So i finally got to the hostel and was too early to check in, so i left my pack there and went for a walk. I ended up at a big park and sat under the shade of some huge trees before wandering the city and now i am back here at the hostel. They have free internet which is awesome, as most internet places charge about 4euro per hour which is shite! At the moment i am in a 4bed dorm, sharing with 2 Canadians and an American girl. Tomorrow i move to an 8 bed dorm which is alot cheaper, which is where i will stay until i leave for Mykonos Island on Wednesday.
Thats all for now :)
Latest Comments (3)
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Hey Kate! Greece sounds crazy! (reply)
May 25, 2008 19:25 EST by ellyb
Hey Kate. I love this blog sight. Pretty awesome idea! Your adventure sounds exciting so far. Its sound daunting to begin with but im sure you'll get used to being lost and then finding your way again and also having trouble finding people who speak english. That must be very confusing and frustrating but a part of the experience i guess. You'll pick it up pretty quickly. Good to hear you got thei... show all
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Hey Love!! (reply)
May 25, 2008 08:06 EST by jayde_n_brent
It is so good to hear from you. we are both sitting here reading it together and we miss you already! Sounds like awsome fun but maybe you wouldnt get such dirty feet if you wore real shoes haha.. stay safe and keep us updated its so interesting to hear about it
P.S dont forget my postcard. lots of love Jayde and Brent
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Home is calling (reply)
May 25, 2008 07:20 EST by annettew
Hi Kate have just read your first installment. Hope it gets a bit easier to get around as you get used to asking for directions etc.Well, your adventure has begun. Hope it is all you want it to be and more. Luv U, Mum and Dad XXooXX
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