Saki's Travel Blog

Day 26 - Tallinn to Tartu

2010-06-26T00:13:00.000-07:00

I've spent only one day in Tallin thus far, but I'm coming back after my two-day visit to Tartu, in the Estonian countryside. The purpose of this visit is to see a fellow TRF member - the first of this trip. Her name is Birgit.

Me and Birgit go back a while. She was one of my earliest friends on the forum, whom I've known for almost four years. She'd be visiting Tartu tomorrow.

I hopped onboard the bus in Tallinn and headed that way. I enjoyed the scenery.

In the time that I had Tartu to myself, which started from the time I arrived at 2:30pm, I at first had difficulty finding my hostel. But that was soon overcome with a phone call. There was no hostel sticker-logo out the front; apparently people liked to steal them.

I settled in. The hostel had a very nice, relaxed and laid back atmosphere. I had a good chat with the owner as we discussed what it's like to run a hostel - it was one of my future ideas to run one of my own. He seemed to have found the right, quiet place for his.

For dinner, I headed to a pizza place. After that, I was at the hostel, watching Toy Story and Toy Story 2 with other travellers. Toy Story 3 was coming out at the cinemas, and it was enjoyable to watch the first two. I wouldn't be able to watch it here, as it will be dubbed in Estonian. I'll have to wait until I get to England.

I didn't have much of a touristic day here, as this is a pretty small town, but I will definitely be doing some tomorrow with the friend I'll be meeting.

Day 25 - Departure for Tallinn

2010-06-25T03:38:00.000-07:00

I woke up at 7am, had breakfast, and was transferred to the bus station. It was time to say goodbye to Saint Petersburg and Russia, and hop on board the bus to Estonia. I was happy.

I was given a free bottle of water as I boarded, and there was also free Wi-Fi on board. I made use of it.

Ivanogorod, the final town on the border of Russia and Estonia, was three hours away. I sat back, relaxed and enjoyed the journey. And as soon as we approached the town, I recognised just where I was. I knew that there was a castle on the Estonian side, and it was in view. Border procedures were ready to go underway shortly.

There were no hassles. I was happy to receive my EU passport stamp, and to be in the European Union once again. Goodbye to Russia, it's been a pleasant visit.

From here, the border town of Narva, to the capital Tallinn, was a beautiful, scenic and relaxing journey, and I took in and appreciated as much of it as I could. I was in the Baltics again - this time, in the one country I haven't been to. Estonia, full of pristine beauty.

I changed my money and grabbed a hot dog once we arrived. The Estonian Kroon was a good looking currency; too bad they will be switching to Euros soon.

I made my way to the hostel by boarding a tram. I didn't feel entirely safe on board this train, as there were two drunken men staring at me. One of them snatched my tram ticket out of my hand. I didn't react; I stayed calm and relaxed. It was given back to me. I got off at the next stop, and the drunken man asked me for my ticket, which I understood as "bilyet" in Russian. I handed it over without arguement.

I was one stop short of the stop I was supposed to get off at, and I made way for the hostel. It wasn't too hard to find. I checked in, and found that it was run by friendly New Zealanders. I thought this hostel would be a great place to stay.

I met some travellers upstairs and we exchanged conversation. Of course the first question that's commonly asked is "Where are you from?". It was great to get back into the hostel lifestyle.

I went out for a walk in the Old Town. It was beautiful, and I began to like it here very quickly. I was back in old, Eastern Europe. Totally different from Saint Petersburg, despite it being Russia's most 'European' looking city.

I relaxed at the hostel for a bit and chatted with a few fellow travellers; first of all, a female traveller from the UK. We chatted about our trips. The other traveller was an older male American, who had been residing in Russia for over a decade. I later went out for dinner with this American, and we had a great time and chat! He was very talkative and confident, I wished I was like him!

He had many stories to share with me as we sat down at Taco Express, and he sure had a way with the ladies. I ordered some beef tacos, and he got himself a fajita. We shared nachos between ourselves.

After all this, it was time to head back and rest.

Day 24 - Final day in St. Petersburg

2010-06-24T19:35:00.000-07:00

Today was another fairly good day, and I decided to pay a visit to Saint Isaac's Cathedral, of which the spire the main viewpoint of the city.

I climbed to the top of the colonnade and took in the pleasant views the city had to offer. This cathedral had a museum inside of it as well, however I was only interested in the city views.

I didn't have much cash left in my pocket, so I bought myself a cheap lunch afterwards. Just a hot dog from a nearby stall.

I then walked all the way back to my homestay, instead of taking the metro. Along this route, I'd get to see more, and Saint Petersburg is a pleasant city to stroll through. I have a good idea of what the place looks like, now.

I took a walk along the river that lead out to the Baltic Sea, and ended the day with a pizza from the supermarket and listening to my iPod. I went to bed early. And sleeping is a bit hard when it doesn't even really get dark outside - I had to cover my eyes with the sleeve of my hoodie.

Day 23 - St. Petersburg sightseeing

2010-06-23T03:25:00.000-07:00

I headed back into the city of Saint Petersburg on my own, and decided to pay a visit to the Hermitage museum. I witnessed what was quite possibly the longest queue I've ever experienced. It was at least a few hundred metres long, and it took two hours to advance to the entrance. I questioned myself if it was worth it.

Besides all of that, I had to pay 400 Roubles for the entry fee. Russian citizens were able to get in for 100.

The museum was pretty good though; a pleasant and relaxing place. I took my leisurely stroll around the whole complex. There were housed antiques and relics even from ancient Greece and Egypt.

I later headed for a restaurant to have some lunch. I ordered pelmeni, to remind myself of the Russian food I enjoyed years ago. The waiter took forever to bring me the bill at the end.

Shortly afterwards, my iPhone stopped receiving signal, which had me a little worried. I was hoping it wasn't busted. I went straight to an internet cafe to warn my parents via facebook that I might not be able to respond to texts.

However, shortly after my stay here, signal came back. I played around with my settings and chose specific carriers when one was failing.

Day 22 - Arrival in St. Petersburg

2010-06-22T03:26:00.000-07:00

I met my agent at the station and he introduced me to the city of Saint Petersburg. He drove me to my homestay; another soviet apartment block. It was quite early in the morning, and a little chilly.

After a few minutes of rest and getting my stuff together, a cup of tea and some eggs, I was shown around the city's sights and attractions by the agent who brought me here. He showed me around by car, and by foot, and also shared a story with me about Rasputin. I was with him for three hours, and he showed me around some of the souvenir shops as well. I wanted to buy a Russian Ushanka, one of those furry hats, but they were ridiculously expensive.

Saint Petersburg looked like a beatiful city. It's considered Russia's most 'European' city, and I could see the resemblances. My agent told me to be careful of the pickpockets; they were apparently quite skilled around here, and there have been cases of travellers being robbed of their money belts. I decided I wasn't going to carry my money belt with me at all around this city. Not even my wallet. I would just have my phone, and a little bit of cash in my pocket, with all the important stuff left at the homestay.

We went and got my visa registered after the tour ended, and I gave the fifty-dollar US note that I had on me. My agent then took me to a restaurant, where he helped me order what I wanted; it was a Russian-speaking only restaurant. He told me the food was good here.

I had a nice pork meal for lunch, and that was the last I saw of my agent. I headed back to the homestay afterwards, put my documents away, then had a nap. I was tired.

I didn't do much else for the rest of the day other than catch the metro into the city for a while and have a look around. I caught up with the people I needed to on the internet.

Day 21 - Final day in Moscow

2010-06-21T03:09:00.000-07:00

Today is my last day in Moscow. I headed out into the city after midday and made for Lenin's tomb. That was my plan, however, the place was closed, to my disappointment. I guess I should have waited in line yesterday.

Not a big deal. I just took another walk around.

I ended up buying some souvenirs as well; I wanted to get some matrioshka dolls for some of the people I'd be visiting, plus one for myself. I'd be giving one of the separate dolls that make it what it is,so that everyone would own part of the same one.

By dinner time, I had no cash left in my wallet, so I had to pull out some. I wanted to pull out 200 Roubles, but the ATM annoyingly handed me a single 200 Rouble bill. I wasn't pleased at all. I went to the nearest bank to try and have it changed into smaller denominations, but to no avail; the bank tellers didn't understand English.

So I decided to try it at the cafe where I wanted to buy my sandwidch for dinner. I was handed back a bunch of notes as change; luckily the cafe had plenty. What a way to make it difficult for me, though.

After dinner, I relaxed at the homestay until it was time to be picked up and transferred to the train station for my departure to Saint Petersburg.

I was there by 9pm, and boarding time was 10pm. The agent found me standing by the pillar, gave me my ticket and guided me to my spot.

The cabin on board was different - it seemed smaller, but that would have been because I was sharing with three people. And it was mostly brown inside, and quite warm. It would be an eight-hour journey, and I waited for my chance to sleep it off.

Day 20 - Moscow

2010-06-20T06:48:00.000-07:00

Today I was out to see the sights on my own. I headed out at 10am and went to Red Square. I wanted to visit Lenin's tomb. I didn't know how to get in; but what I did see was a massive line up, which must have been at least 100 metres. It must have been the line up for the tomb.

I asked a nearby speaking tour guide, who told me he could get me to the front of the queue for 300 Roubles. Otherwise, I'd be waiting in line for 2 hours. He had a word to me about how "time is money".

I also would have had to leave my phone and camera behind in the drop box area. I didn't want to go through the hassle, so I decided to leave it be. Maybe I'll come back tomorrow, hoping that the line will be shorter next time.

So I headed to the Kremlin instead, and decided to check it out. First I took a walk around the walls.

One entry ticket was 350 Roubles, and on the inside of the Kremlin walls it was quite interesting. I saw the Tsar Cannon and the Tsar Bell, and lots of churches with golden domes. The inside of many of the cathedrals was also quite beautiful.

I had another walk around Red Square, then had myself some pizza for lunch. On my way back, I saw two men, one holding an eagle, and the other, a monkey.

Day 19 - Moscow sightseeing

2010-06-19T06:04:00.000-07:00

Today, my tour guide, a lovely young woman, came to pick me up from the homestay and show me around Moscow city.

We greeted and headed down to the metro station. We had a bit of small talk along the way. She told me exactly how to use the metro system and how to but tickets. Then it was down the deepest underground escalator I've been on; and she mentioned this station's was the deepest one in all of Moscow. It took a full five minutes to get from top to bottom, and there was even a noticeable difference in air pressure by the ears.

It was a 15-minute journey into the city centre. We disembarked at Ploshchad Revolyutsii station, and so the tour began as we emerged at Red Square.

Moscow was fascinating to say the least. She showed me the Kremlin and Red Square, and it was a very pretty city centre. I asked the guide to take a picture of me.

Then I was shown Saint Basil's Cathedral, very beautiful and colourful. Fantastic looking building, and fascinating place.

She also showed me the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, which was one metro stop away. She took me inside and it was a quiet, peaceful environment. The church was Orthodox, too, which is the religion I've grown up with to know.

We had some lunch later on, in one of the metro stations, before parting at a street lined with cafes, at Arbatskaya. She said I might find this place convenient. It was time to say goodbye and I thanked her for her time.

I was back on my own. Shortly afterwards, I headed back to Park Pobedy, which was where the homestay was. I decided I was going to have dinner here later on. For now, I had some pictures to upload on the internet.

The homestay lady told me I should be going out. Well, I wasn't going to sightsee all day long. I had tomorrow as well.

I bought myself some dinner at the cafe. Warm ham and cheese sandwiches. Then I walked around the area a little. That was it for the day.

Day 18 - Arrival in Moscow, Russia

2010-06-18T05:51:00.000-07:00

I woke up at about 7am Moscow time. We passed Nizhny Novgorod and Vladimir, before approaching Moscow after what I can say was a long trip.

I said goodbye to my fellow Russian passenger, and made my way out towards the city. I almost missed the lady who was holding up my name sign.

We greeted and she took me to her car, which was a short walk away. I got to see quite a bit of Moscow between here and the homestay, and she pointed out some of the main attractions, and how I can get around.

We arrived at the huge apartment block, where I met the homestay lady. She could speak English - she was the only homestay owner so far who did so. She was of great help; she gave me a map of Moscow and provided some useful information. To get to the city, I'd have to catch the metro, which the nearest station was across the road. I didn't do much after arriving; there wasn't much time left in the day anyway. I sat on the computer and uploaded all the pics of my journey thus far.

Tomorrow I'd be going on a guided tour around the city.

Day 16 & 17 - Travelling across Siberia

2010-06-17T05:38:00.000-07:00

I woke up to the sound of the train chugging along. It was 8:30am Novosibirsk time, a city of which we were about to approach. My Russian cabin mate was kind enough to offer me some of his breakfast. It was a tub of noodles, with salami slices and bread. Quite a fill.

Then it began to rain outside. It looked beautiful passing by the splendid forest views of the Siberian plains. We were passing through a storm.

The whole day, I was confined to my space, looking out the window and listening to my iPod from start to finish. I wondered what would happen first; going through the entire playlist, or reaching Moscow.

As the weather cleared up, we arrived at Mariinsk and I got off the train to pick up another big bottle of water. Back on board, I didn't see my cabin mate anywhere for quite some time. I wondered where he was by the time thr train got going again.

By dinner time, I found him in the restaurant car. He'd been sitting there all this time, and I joined him. I ordered some Russian beef. There was way too much cream, though.

I set my clock to Yekaterinburg time before sleeping at 10pm.

The following morning, I was up at 8am. Today marks day three of being on the train, and tomorrow I'll be arriving in Moscow. Today I would be crossing the Asia/Europe border.

As per normal, the train lady gave me some lunch for a small price, which consisted of potatoes and meat. I listened to the rest of my iPod playlist throughout the day, which ended up finishing some time after arriving in Yekaterinburg and crossing over from Asia into European Russia.

I changed my clock one more time, to Moscow time, and went to sleep. It's been a long two days, with not much personal movement. I saw a fight between two drunk men at Perm station though, on the train platform. That was quite the show. It looked nasty. I thought one was going to kill the other. They were taken care of by security.

Day 15 - Irkutsk and departure

2010-06-15T23:08:00.000-07:00

Today, I went according to yesterday's plan. It was nice and sunny, therefore a good day to go out and explore. So I took a stroll around Irkutsk city and took shots where I pleased, while trying not to stand out too much as a foreigner. I didn't trust this place.

I took a walk along the Angara river as well, which was pleasant. I watched a few planes fly over before heading back to the centre.

I saw the Changing of the Guard infront of the government building, then spent the remainder of the day in the city centre.

I was reminded of my previous experiences in the former Soviet Union for sure.

For dinner, I went to Pervat again, this time trying some fish from Lake Baikal; popular among foreigners and locals. Omul. It was raw fish, and it tasted quite nice. Definitely something to remember. I've never tried raw fish in my life before.

After my day out, it was time to head back to the homestay and relax until it was time for my pickup. I sat down on the bed, put my iPod on and listened away, until 5pm.

I was taken by my agent, and transferred to Irkutsk train station. The station was quite busy. I've enjoyed my stay in this part of Russia so far. Onwards, it's a non-stop three day journey to Moscow.

My agent helped check me in, and took me to the train at boarding time. I was shown aboard by the attendant, and I found myself to be sharing a cabin with three other Russian passengers, so I'm probably not going to have someone to talk to. Not only did I think I was going to feel bored, but also, slightly scared. I was hoping these guys weren't going to steal any of my stuff while I was asleep, or worse. I felt alone. Many thoughts went through my head.

Thankfully though, at the next station, two of the passengers got off, and I was left with the one man. He was middle-aged, and of slight build.

Anyway, I'm going to be here for three days. He tried to converse with me, but we barely understood eachother. With a few Russian words, I was able to communicate on some level or another, and I was able to understand some of his questions, such as 'Where are you from?', and 'Where are you going?'. I was able to answer in Russian. He asked a few questions that I didn't understand, but some that I understood were among 'How old are you?' and 'Do you have a girlfriend?'

For dinner, he shared some of his bread with me, and also offered a glass of vodka. I sculled it down, and it was quite good. Even while not understanding eachother completely, we still managed to get along fine. There were definitely lots of smiles happening. I asked if he was going to Moscow, and he said yes. So it looked like I was going to spend the whole journey with him. At least I felt better though. With the other two passengers in here, it might have been very awkward and uneasy on me. I was hoping that an English speaking tourist would join the cabin at some point though. Still, this is experience, and I'm grateful for it.

Before deciding to sleep, I set my clock to Novosibirsk time, to help myself adjust to the new timezone.

Day 14 - Irkutsk

2010-06-14T22:58:00.000-07:00

Shortly after breakfast, I was taken and transferred back to Irkutsk city, where I disembarked from the train. My visa was registered once we arrived.

The day was cold and wet to begin with, so there wasn't much of an opportunity for sightseeing. It should be clearer tomorrow; so I didn't do that much. I mostly stayed inside. I went out to the city centre and sat myself down at an internet cafe for a bit, then had lunch.

For dinner I decided to go to a restaurant called Pervat, where I had some Salmon served in cavier sauce. Too bad there just wasn't that much of it on the plate. For 400 Roubles, I'd expect to get a decent sized meal.

Day 13 - Listvyanka, Lake Baikal

2010-06-13T22:54:00.000-07:00

After breakfast, which consisted of egg, I headed down to the lake to have a basic repeat of yesterday.

On my way down to the shore, I funnily enough ran into Rebecca and Sanna. Well that was some coincidence alright. They were looking for a path to hike along, as they were walking up. We chatted for a bit, then we continued on our way. I looked around the shore's shops for souvenirs, and didn't do much other than have another walk around, taking photos of boats.

Dinner was spent at Hotel Mayak once again, this time having chicken wings wrapped in bacon slices. It was a little bit difficult to order, as the waitress didn't understand English, but I got by. I remembered the Russian word for "menu", and pointed to what I wanted.

Not much else was done. There was plenty of activity going on, though, as it was a fairly nice day, and there were people sunbaking on the shore. I enjoyed my little personal tour of this town. Russia hasn't failed to impress me yet.

In short, Lake Baikal has definitely been one of the most beautiful locations I've ever visited.

Day 12 - Arrival in Irkutsk and transfer to Lake Baikal, Russia

2010-06-12T05:58:00.000-07:00

By sunrise, I had a peek out the window and caught a glimpse of Lake Baikal before heading through the mountains and journeying for another hour to Irkutsk. I caught as much sleep as I could, and by 7am, we were due to arrive at the capital of Siberia.

At this point, it was time to say goodbye to the girls. I made my way, met my agent, and was taken to be transferred to Listvyanka village on the coast of Lake Baikal, which was about an hour's drive away. It was a chilly day, of about 10 degrees.

Along the highway was a nice journey. Lots of green and forest land. One thing I noticed about the car is that it was a right-hand drive, like in Australia, but still driving on the right-hand side of the road, which was odd.

Upon arrival at the village of Listvyanka, at the shore of the lake, I was taken to the homestay and I had some tea. I got to my room, put my stuff down, then went out for a walk. I needed to buy something to eat. I had a look around, walking along the shore, looking for some photo opportunities. I had this place for two days.

The lake was very clear and beautiful. I heard that you could see a rock sink down for up to 40 metres - quite clear indeed.

I was also quite tired, so I decided to trek back to the homestay to have a nap. There's plenty of daylight here at this time of the year, so I had more than enough time for a nap.

Afterwards, I headed back down and decided to take in much more of this lakeside village. I took a five-kilometre long walk along the coastline, all the way to the next village, and I took plenty of photos along the way.

During one of my photo captures, my foot managed to slip off a rock and fall into the water. I had to backtrack several kilometres in soaked shoes - but it was well worth it. I only wished it was warm enough to take a swim.

It was also interesting to see how the horizon blended into the sky. It was confusing at first. I didn't know exactly where the horizon was, or why it was misty. But it was definitely magical regardless.

After my pleasant stroll, I headed to Mayak Hotel to treat myself to dinner. I ordered pelmeni dumplings, which I've missed!

I still need to get my visa registered, hopefully it won't be too much of a problem. Apparently it's meant to be done within 72 hours of my arrival, however, the following Monday is a public holiday, so the registration office will be closed. That aside, it has so far been a great holiday.

Day 11 - Entering the Russian Federation

2010-06-11T22:57:00.000-07:00

Border procedures took place in the morning, shortly after I woke up. I knew from this point, I wouldn't be able to use the train toilets for the next few hours. At the final stop before the border, I went outside the train to use the public toilets, and accidently spent Roubles instead of Tugrik, and the Roubles were worth a lot more. Oh well, at least it wasn't a huge loss; only $5 worth.

To help pass the time, I chatted with the two girls in my compartment. Then we crossed the border and immigration came in to take our passports. Customs were tight, but there were no dramas, and everything went smoothly. I was glad to finally be cleared, so that I wouldn't have to worry about the possibility of being denied entry again. Overall, the train remained stationery for 7 hours.

We departed Naushky station at 4:15pm, and the train followed its course to Irkutsk. It would be an overnight journey; we would arrive in the morning. During this time, I mostly stuck to the compartment talking with Rebecca and Sanna. They had a little bit of food and wine to offer, and we each had a glass. Before arriving in Ulan-Ude, some other travellers from the next compartment over came into ours for a little bit, and we all became acquainted with eachother. I recognised two South American passengers who were on the same train when I was journeying from China. After the others parted, getting off at Ulan-Ude station, I prepared myself for bed.

Day 10 - Boarding for Irkutsk

2010-06-10T03:46:00.000-07:00

It feels like I've spent a long time here in Ulaanbaatar, and I've been waiting for the train to Irkutsk.

After having another pleasant breakfast of rice and sausages, I went to the nearby laundromat to get some of my clothes washed. During the time I had to wait, I took another stroll into the city to enjoy the last of it. When I was done, I changed all the remaining money I had into Russian Roubles, as it would have been more difficult to change the Tugriks once over the border.

With the remaining Tugriks that I couldn't change, I spent it at an internet cafe and then headed back to my homestay to have my personal dinner, which was quite boring, considering it was only a packet of noodles.

Once 8pm came, it was time to leave. I was picked up from the homestay by my agents, and transferred to the train station. It was quite a ride there. The driver was driving up and down the curbs, dodging oncoming traffic, speeding through residential flat areas. Seriously it was making me laugh, the way these Mongolians drive. I enjoyed the urban scenery though, and it reminded me a lot of my prior soviet-style living. I loved the way it was. I love the Soviet influence, mainly because I have precious memories of it.

I arrived at the train station and was set to depart at 9pm. I boarded, found my cabin and prepared for the night. I was greeted by two female travellers who shared the compartment with me; Rebecca from Germany, and Sanna from Finland. We will be arriving at the Russian border tomorrow morning.

Day 9 - Ulaanbaatar

2010-06-09T03:36:00.000-07:00

Today it was time to head back into Ulaanbaatar. After being at a peaceful place in nature, it was back to the populated city, and back to my homestay.

I went out and spend some time on the internet, before heading to the National Museum of Mongolia, which was pretty interesting. It housed a display of items from neolithic times, ancient and modern. Entry fee into the museum was more for a tourist than it was for a Mongolian national.

I did some shopping on the way back to the homestay. I needed to buy enough to support me for the train journey into Russia tomorrow, as the train won't have a restaurant car. I bought lots of noodles, bread and water. I think I'm going to be pretty sick of noodles after this. The train would at least have boiling water to cook them, so it was best and least expensive bet.

I spent the rest of the evening at my homestay with my iPod on. I had one of the packs of noodles I bought. It tasted boring, but it's dinner.

Day 8 - Terelj National Park

2010-06-08T00:05:00.000-07:00

Today was going to be pretty much the same deal, except this time I would make sure I get to the top of the mountain I didn't climb yesterday.

I was up pretty early, and started myself a fire in the ger. Without matches, might I add. Some of the firewood still had tiny amounts of afterglow remaining, so I chucked some newspaper on top, blew, and got the fire going.

I had some egg and bacon for breakfast, and spent some time in my ger listening to music. I would start my hike after lunch, which was fancy beetroot soup.

So the hike began. It was a strenuous climb, and it took me quite a while. The scenery was majestic. I felt like a true adventurer. My new hiking shoes were taking a hell of a beating, that's for sure. I thought the whole experience was wonderful.

As I got higher and higher, the scenery became more spectacular. I wanted to get to the very top. It was a long struggle, but so worth it. The views from the top were magnificent. I felt like I could almost see the whole country in every direction. I spent a good deal of time just sitting at the top and appreciating the view.

It was a difficult hike downwards, as well. I took a different route down than I took up. I thought my shoes wouldn't be able to handle it. But they did. My regular sports shoes wouldn't have stood a chance.

I was treated to a nice dinner afterwards, consisting of chicken and pasta, and I told my agent of all my stories. It was time to shower afterwards, and appreciate another night under the stars. I had another look at them before going to sleep. I would be headed back into Ulaanbaatar tomorrow. It's been great out here. What a beautiful part of the world. It's amazing how beautiful the earth can be in its pristine form.

Day 7 - Terelj National Park

2010-06-07T02:00:00.000-07:00

I woke up at 9am and had my breakfast, which consisted of egg and jam sandwiches. At 10, it was time for me and Darren to go our separate ways. I said goodbye to him, and that I enjoyed having someone to talk to for the last two days.

I was picked up by my agent and from here we proceeded to Terelj National Park, an hour's drive into the wilderness. There's a lot of open space in this country. It was a cold day as well. We stopped by a service station to pick up some supplies - I got myself two big water bottles.

The scenery along the rest of the way was fantastic, and I got out of the car a few times to take some pictures. Lots of green, many plain hills, some valleys, and cows in paddocks. We passed several ger camps - I was going to be staying in one.

Once we got to the ger camp, I was escorted to my ger. It was pleasant! Very interesting place to stay for a few nights. It was a large tent situated on a circular concrete block, and there was a furnace in the middle where I could light a fire if it were to get cold - and it was a pretty cold day, so I had one of the camp attendants bring me some firewood and newspaper to get things started.

As I could see, there was a lot of exploration to be done in this area. Having two days to myself here, I'm going to make use of this beautiful and aspiring part of the world. These mountains, a short walk away, closely resembled those of the Alps.

First of all I was to have lunch. I was treated to a unique, cultural dish. Salad, Mongolian egg soup and meats. Four courses - I was full and spoiled.

After that, I took a hike. I headed straight for the mountains. The whole day to myself, to explore. How wonderful, I thought.

I wanted to get to the top of these mountain peaks. It seemed to be a very hard, long struggle, despite the mountains being so close. Uphill walking is strenuous; and plus it was raining a little bit, so I thought perhaps I might not make it up there today; I would try tomorrow. Hopefully the weather would be better.

Instead, I decided to explore other surrounding parts. The area reminded me a lot of Canadian-type scenery. Pine trees, and the like. I've heard that bears patrol these areas too. From different viewpoints, I had a look around for other peaks that I could possibly climb. Tomorrow will be the day.

When I was done exploring for the day, it was time to have some dinner. I had some nice dumplings. Afterwards, I headed to my ger, had a fire going to keep me warm, put my iPod on and lay down on the bed relaxing. It was a great time and place to relax - possibly the best I had experienced. I loved it. This would make a fine place to sleep for the night - and the fire just makes it so much more intriguing and adds to the atmosphere.

At night time, I went out and had a look at the starry sky. I had never seen so much stars in my life. It was beautiful.

Day 6 - Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

2010-06-06T04:32:00.000-07:00

I woke up to find myself travelling across a seemingly endless flat plain, which resembled the deserts I crossed in Australia, particular the Nullarbor Plain. This place had a lot in common with it - only the colour composture was slightly different. Darren and I headed down the carriages to have breakfast.

The scenery changed shortly after, as we got closer to the city of Ulaanbaatar. And it was getting beautiful. This place is a naturalist's dream. I was amazed with what I saw. Then the change in culture came as we approached civilisation. People had their ger tents pitched up along the wooden fences - I was in a different world.

By 1pm, we had reached the station at Ulaanbaatar. I packed my things, and dismounted from the train. I looked for the agent that would have been holding my name sign up. I eventually found her - a woman. We greeted eachother, and I was taken and transferred to my homestay. I didn't know if Darren would be in the same homestay.

On the way, the roads were chaotic. This is by far the worst driving I have ever witnessed. People here are not patient at all when it comes to driving, it seems. Everyone wants to be first; there's no waiting. It's even worse than it is in Athens, and that's saying something. That's saying a lot, in fact.

Nonetheless, I was safely transferred to the homestay. I was going to see how people live here. It wasn't too different from what I experienced in Latvia two years ago. Same soviet-style apartment blocks, with about three main rooms per apartment.

Surprisingly, I met Darren, who was in one of the bedrooms. He said he figured he'd see me again.

So, I unloaded my stuff and took a break. I planned to go out into the city with Darren for a bit. I was hungry, and we wanted to find a place to eat. So we headed out, and walked towards the city centre, which wasn't too far.

On the way, we entered a restaurant pub. I decided to order some dumpling soup. I was keen to have them, yet again, just like I did two years ago in Latvia. I missed those dumplings. Darren ordered some Greek salad.

We chatted away and enjoyed our meal. At the end of it, when it was time to pay the bill, we found out that we had to pay a 200% foreigner tax. We were both appalled. Darren was quite angry, and he was ready to leave without paying the tax. The tax added was 20,000 Mongolian Tugrik, equivalent to about $20. That's $20 added to the price of what we ordered.

We ended up paying; not without a complaint though, and left. Thanks to them, I'll have to pull out money again from an ATM, which was something I didn't originally want to do. You learn from experience, I guess. That was the second time I've been scammed. First, the teahouse in Beijing, and now, a pub in Mongolia. These people seem to love getting money out of you. We know not to go to that pub again; hopefully matters won't be the same when we try somewhere else.

We headed into the city centre to continue our day. It was time for some sightseeing. We took some photos of the Government House and hung around for a while. We visited some shops, and a supermarket to buy some supplies. We bought ourselves some noodles. At least we won't have to pay any ridiculous tax on these. We could cook them at the homestay with their hot water.

Upon returning to the homestay, I had a nap, as I was a bit tired. Then I had my noodles. I wasn't going to go out for the rest of the day, so I went into Darren's room and we hung for a bit. He was using the computer, so I asked if I could hop onto facebook and do some picture uploading. He managed to connect to a free Wi-Fi spot. Then he connected Skype and had a chat to his girlfriend, while I sat back and had a read of his Russian phrasebook. It was good to hang for a while, and tomorrow morning, I would be off to Terelj National Park.

Day 5 - The Beginning of the Trans-Mongolian Rail Journey

2010-06-05T23:04:00.000-07:00

Today, the epic train journey begins. I checked out of my hostel by 6am, and made my way over to the train station across the road. I couldn't wait to get on board.

The train station had security detectors at the entrance. That was not usually like a train station, from what I knew. I headed through, was able to find my platform with a little help, and waited for my train in the waiting room, along with several other tourists embarking on the same journey.

I had plenty of time before the train would be ready for embarkation. I didn't do much. I just sat there and waited.

By the time the train was ready for boarding, I showed my ticket and proceeded through the gate. I could already tell which train I was getting on. Compared to all the rest of the trains, you could tell which one was soviet-style. I boarded my carriage, and found my allocated seat. My cabin looked nice, and comfortable to sleep in. I would be here for the next 30 hours.

Before long, I was accompanied by a British tourist, Darren Hurst, who shared my berth. I'll have someone to talk to during the whole trip. We became acquainted and talked about what fellow travellers would talk about.

The train set off, and our journey had begun. Darren was booked with the same tour company that I was booked with. Our paths, however, were slightly different. It would only be this leg of the journey, from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar, that we would accompany eachother. I was staying in Mongolia for five days, and he was for two.

As the city views of Beijing washed past, the air became clearer, and the journey more scenic. We started passing through beautiful mountain and lake scenery over the next few hours; scenery of which was very different to what I was familiar with. It was amazing. I was loving this journey with all my heart. Darren took some pictures, while I rolled some video.

Darren and I chatted away to pass the time. When we got bored, he pulled out his laptop and we watched a movie; District 9. It was a very weird movie. Prince of Persia was playing on the train TV-screens, but it was dubbed in Chinese. I've already seen that movie anyway.

After stopping by a few cities and towns along Northern China, such as Datong and Jining, Darren and I went to the restaurant car - which was about 8 cars away - and sat ourselves down for dinner. I ordered some bacon slices with mushroom and rice. It wasn't the best tasting food, but it was still great. It just seemed home-made. Catering for passengers wasn't top priority for the train attendants.

We continued through the rest of northern China, reaching the border town of Erlian by nightfall.

Erlian was where the train had to change its wheels to fit the narrower soviet gauge tracks. During this time, immigration officials boarded the train and took our passports. I decided to leave the train and check out the station. I wouldn't be able to board the train again until after the operation is complete. Darren decided to stay on. You could either stay on, or get off. By staying on, you would not be allowed to use the toilets; something of which I needed.

I wandered around the station, having a look for any supplies, and having a look around town. I didn't explore too much. I looked up at the night sky, though, and there were plenty of stars. Quite a starry night, considering it's China. I chatted with a few other fellow passengers while waiting for the train to have it's wheels changed. I sat up in the waiting room for most of the time, and occasionally got up and walked around to help pass the time. I noticed the immigration officials in their offices stamping people's passports while I was at it. All in all, it was after about 4 or 5 hours that the whole immigration and train procedures were complete.

I hopped back on, and found Darren in the compartment. He told me what it was like from his point of view when they were changing the wheels on the train. We crossed the border into Mongolia, faced immigration officials once again, then when it was all over, I could finally get some sleep and await tomorrow's adventures.

Day 4 - Temple of Heaven, Beijing

2010-06-04T04:41:00.000-07:00

Today I seemed to be coming down with the flu. I didn't feel well, and I had a very sore throat, which I felt was caused by the pollution. Not that it stopped me from resuming my daily touristic activity.

I had my breakfast, then caught the metro to the Temple of Heaven, one of Beijing's many sites that I wanted to check out. I would love to check every site here, but there won't be enough time, and I'm departing for Mongolia tomorrow. At least Beijing is a place I would consider visiting again.

The Temple of Heaven, upon arrival, was fantastic. I again felt as if I were in ancient times. There were many green grass patches throughout the colourful site. The architecture was very detailed and beautiful, consisting of many colours, such as gold, green, purple and red. I took photos as I pleased.

Unfortunately, my throat wasn't making my day very good, and it was shortly afterwards that I started heading back to my hostel. I figured I'd pick up some lunch at the noodle restaurant I went to before, which should relieve the pain for a while.

I then had some time on the internet. I kept on swallowing painfully. I bought myself some tea from the hostel bar, one which was good for the throat, but it didn't help much; not to mention it was hard to drink, with all the tea leaves floating at the top of the glass. I guess that's how they served tea in China. So I asked for a straw.

I couldn't remedy my sore throat. The next thing that crossed my mind was cough lollies. Here in China, I had no idea what they would look like. I ended up buying some chewy sweets. Then I tried again at another shop; this time, I tried asking the shop attendant for help. She didn't understand english, but it seemed that she understood me when I pointed to my throat, indicating that it was sore.

Now these cough lollies were pretty oddly shaped, and they looked totally different to what I get at home. I bought them, and hoped they'd be what I wanted them to be. And they were. I managed to get what I wanted. My throat was relieved. I could probably go through half of the packet by the end of the day.

Anywho, I practised my Greek with my roommate again. We conversed during the evening. And, as chance would have it, one of my other roommates was also Greek, but this one a much older man, by the name of Kostas. We had a good chat about travelling and of life in general. It was nice to be in a comfortable environment.

And so, that would be my final night in Beijing. I've got to wake up pretty early tomorrow morning to catch my train; the start of my trans-Mongolian and Siberian rail journey. I couldn't wait. Every day was going to be a new adventure. I loved the idea of having something new in my life every day, not knowing what I'd uncover.

Day 3 - Day trip to the Great Wall, Badaling

2010-06-03T21:19:00.000-07:00

Today was my planned visit to the Great Wall with my tour company. I was up at 7am, and picked up at the hostel lobby by my tour guide, Cynthia, at 7:30. It was a nice morning. I loved the feeling of waking up early in the morning, especially in a different place.

The tour guide took me to her car. We had another tourist who had booked the day with us, and we were on our way to pick him up. He was from Pakistan.

We chatted along the way to our first stop of the day, the Jade Museum. This museum housed a fine display of items and ornaments made out of a greenish mineral called jade, and I found it quite interesting. China is rich in this resource, and I also learnt many qualitative things about the mineral itself and healthy effects on the human body by wearing it, for example as a necklace. Statues and ornaments here were worth a lot of money, but I didn't consider buying any souvenirs.

After our short visit here, we continued onwards to the Ming Tombs. This place was fairly interesting. The main tomb I visited here was the Chang Tomb, but my digital camera was running low on battery by this point, and I wanted to save it for the Great Wall. So I whipped out my video camera and rolled for a bit. The place was great, I loved the ancient Chinese architecture and culture. I was in a very different world, and I was loving every moment of it.

Soon afterwards, it was time to continue our day tour. Our next stop was the Great Wall. It was a pleasant drive through the new scenery, and the sky was also somewhat clearer here. The mountains on the way were beautiful.

We were dropped off at the Badaling section of the Great Wall, one of the most popular sections, and from here, our tour guide showed us the two separate sections that we could walk along. On one side, it was steeper, but with less people. The other side was less steeper, but with more people. We had two hours to ourselves, and I decided I was going to take both paths. But first of all, the steep section.

It was quite a hard walk, too. It was very steep. It was hard to contemplate how this thing was built. Many of the steps were narrow and knee-high. I was enjoying myself, though. I was happy to be in a part of the world that I've wanted to visit for a long time, and to have set foot on a unique piece of ancient work. I've been interested in ancient China ever since I was a young child. My day tour companion from Pakistan told me that it was his dream to come here.

I got plenty of pictures taken, and some of myself from other random tourists, one of whom wanted to be included in my photo. We didn't speak the same language, but hand signals were enough to get by and make ourselves understood, and I was able to say "Thank you!" in Chinese, which is "Xiexie!"

I had a great day. I got myself a Great Wall certificate, which showed that I had climbed it. I went back to the rendezvous at the main entrance, and we were on our way back to Beijing. We stopped by the Olympic Stadium.

We stopped by a restaurant to have some afternoon tea, then later had some tea at a teahouse. I remembered what happened yesterday with the scam; I was more confident that it wasn't going to happen this time, as I was with a tour. Well I was right. This time, it didn't cost me $50. It costed nothing. Although, after our tea experience, the lady there insisted that I buy some tea to take with me. I didn't want to, but she kept on insisting, giving me excuses such as "it's only ten Yuan!" I wasn't buying it; I simply kept on saying no. It looks like the Chinese really love trying to persuade you into buying things. I wasn't having any of it.

The tea was nice, and I'll give them that much. While continuing back to Beijing, we stopped by the Olympic Stadium to take some pictures before finally being dropped off at my hostel, after a lot of traffic. I enjoyed the city scene.

Back at the hostel, I found out that my roommate was Greek, and I was able to converse with him and practice my own Greek. He says he's been living in China for three years, trying to find a girl to marry so he could live here. He was having trouble getting Chinese citizenship. But he told me he was living in hostels for the time being. Who knows, if I ever come to Beijing again in future, he might still be here. I was glad to have the opportunity to get my Greek up to scratch again though; after all, Greece is going to be part of my trip.

Day 2 - Beijing, China

2010-06-02T06:45:00.000-07:00

I managed a fair few hours of sleep while en route to Beijing. Leg room here was smaller than the A380's. I was on a regular passenger jet.

By the time the sun rose, we were given breakfast, and I watched as China came into view of the window. As I got closer to Beijing, the land began to disappear under a thick haze, which I was guessing was the insane amount of air pollution. It's pretty bad in China. I've seen pictures of Beijing before, and I was expecting to see the same amount of smog.

So upon landing, after a rough descent, that was what I saw as soon as Beijing came into view. An atmosphere heavily filled with harmful smog. I take it that won't be fun breathing in.

Once I had landed, I felt great as an independent individual, but at the same time, this place looked like it had a cold attitude to it. I still needed time in getting used to the fact that I was away from home. Maybe I'll feel better once I've reached my hostel and have a bed to rest on.

I proceeded through immigration. My first ever visa has been checked. And to get from one part of the terminal to the other, there was a train car. I rode the train and made my way to the main terminal. I decided to give my parents another call from a payphone. It was a little bit complicated setting up the phone card, and I had to ask a nearby attendant for help.

When I was done, I took a map of the subway system and city centre, and hopped on the airport metro, which got pretty crowded the closer to the city I got. I easily found my way to where I needed to go; the Beijing City Central Youth Hostel, conveniently located near the Beijing Railway Station, my departure point for Mongolia in the next three days.

So I checked in, got the key to my dorm room, and got this heavy bag off my back. I needed a padlock for the baggage locker, so I bought one from the hostel shop. I put everything away and locked it securely. Then I went to have a nap. I was very tired, and it was still pretty early in the morning.

I woke up at about noon. It was time to go out and explore. My first area of interest was the Forbidden City. I gathered all the required information from the hostel lobby, and, looking at the metro map, found out which stop I had to get off at. I crossed the road, buying myself a metro ticket, costing 4 Yuan. At first I tried to pay with a 5 Wu Jiao note, which I didn't realise was worth half a Yuan. The lady corrected me and I pulled out a different note.

I proceeded through, boarded the metro and got off at Tian'anmen East station. From here, I was able to find my way easily to the Forbidden City, as it was just right outside. The place seemed very large and widely open. I was approached by a local student, who initiated conversation with me.

This was definitely new to me. She asked me where I was from and what I was doing here. We got along like new acquaintances. She then offered to show me one of the student exhibits, near the entrance to the Forbidden City. The exhibit displayed some nice silk paintings. While the artwork was nice and all, I didn't want to buy anything, mainly because I didn't want to carry it with me, but the lady insisted and told me of her personal struggles. I was conned into buying a silk painting. It was only 20 Yuan ($4), so it wasn't too bad. I left and made my way to the entrance of the Forbidden City, which was a fair walk.

Once I got to the actual entrance, I found the ticket stand and bought myself entry. I was approached by several other Chinese "students" around this area, who offered to guide me. I didn't want to take part.

So I entered the Forbidden City, and what I saw was nothing short of amazing.

I felt like I was in ancient China, and that was something I really loved. Ancient sites are among my favourite types of tourist attractions wherever I go. I like to immerse myself and imagine being here during the ancient times. Chinese culture is one of my favourites.

At the other end of the City, I left quite happy with what I saw. Soon after, another "student" approached me, asking me if I spoke English. So I said yes, and we started to talk. We walked along the road. She asked all about me, where I was from, what I do back in Australia, my career goals, and what I think of China. She seemed to be a legitimate and friendly student, who would randomly approach tourists in order to practice their English.

She offered to take me for a cup of tea. Sure, I didn't expect tea to cost anything more than $2 or $3. So along the road we walked, and shops we passed, we went into a teahouse. I was sat down in a nice traditional looking room, with polished tree trunks as stools, fancy wooden tables and decorations, and a nicely dressed waitress. The room looked very nice. I was shown the ritual of serving tea, and given several different samples, each from a tiny cup. I was not aware of the prices, and I was not aware that I would be paying for the "samples". After a few sips of tea, trying different flavours, I was getting a little cautious and worried. I asked the "student" who brought me here how much I would be paying. And guess what? It was a pretty large bill. 660 Chinese Yuan. That was the equivalent of 100 Australian dollars. I thought, 100 dollars for a few tiny cups of tea and some snacks in a fancy room? I asked if we could split the bill, since we were both having every sample of tea. I wasn't going to pay for hers. So we agreed to split it, and I paid 330 Yuan. It was soon after, that I walked out and we said goodbye and went our separate ways.

So, I figured, I got scammed. It was a pretty common scam too, these people certainly have an innocent way with persuasion! I wasn't too happy, but at least it was only $50. It could have been much worse. Let's just hope I don't get involved in any more scams. And at least the tea was nice. I'd have been happy with the teahouse experience had I not had to fork out all the rest of my cash in my wallet. You learn, I guess.

So from here, I just made my way back to my hostel and called it a day. I went to the internet cafe downstairs and showed my passport. I decided to upload all the photos I had taken, and show all my friends. I couldn't access Facebook, though. China seems to have it blocked.

By dinner time, I headed onto the street and found a restaurant. One that wasn't too expensive. I ordered a bowl of noodles with meat, costing only $4, including the Fanta drink, which the waitresses just referred to as "orange juice". I enjoyed my meal.

Then I headed across the road, having to walk across an overhead bridge, to get to the railway station.

I was in search of a phone booth. I needed to ring and confirm with my tour to the Great Wall tomorrow. I found a set of regular phones on a table, which a guy was in charge of. I asked with hand signals, "how much?", and he showed me four fingers. I assumed it would cost 4 Yuan per minute. So I dialled the number, called my tour company and got everything clarified.

Day 1 - Sydney to Singapore

2010-06-01T04:02:00.000-07:00

I was up last night talking to all my friends on my new forum, called Softies. This was the new forum, with a new group of friends from TRF, being kept close together. I didn't manage much sleep, as I had to get up at around 4am. I was tired. But I was also happy. There's no way I can't get up for a trip, no matter how tired I feel. I hate getting up for work; but this is much different.

So I had my bag packed, and followed my mother out the door. She drove me up to Sydney Airport. I tried to catch a bit of sleep, but I've already become accustomed to being awake. So we chatted along the road.

It was pretty much the same as it was for my last trip; parents giving me advice on the way to the airport; except dad wasn't there. My parents have been going through some issues. Separation is a likely factor.

By the time we got to Sydney Airport, I loved it. There was a bit of light on the horizon. I loved the atmosphere. I knew I was going somewhere.

Once at the airport, I checked in and pulled out some money. I got it changed into Chinese Yuan. I spent a little bit more time with my mother before it was time to depart; we hugged and I proceeded through the terminal. Feelings were familiar. I was sad to say goodbye, yet happy to embark on my adventure. Mixed feelings make the whole experience so much more special.

I used some of the airport computers to log onto facebook and update everyone about my current whereabouts. I went onto Softies as well. I was going to meet all these people, and I couldn't wait.

While waiting to board the A380, I did some shopping. I bought a toothbrush and toothpaste travel-kit, and a bottle of water. I texted a few people so as to say goodbye, and I got in line, holding my passport and boarding card. I forgot about the sadness of leaving my family behind, and now I was all prepared and eager. I boarded the plane, and sat and enjoyed the flight.

In-flight entertainment and food was great, and I watched a few movies. I had a whole row of seats to myself, so I caught a bit of rest. And by the time I woke up, I was flying over the Timor Sea, just past Darwin. I'm all alone, away from my country, once again. But I'm sure I'll become used to it in no time.

Upon landing at Singapore Airport, the first thing I did was check to see if my iPhone would pick up on international signal. Turns out International Roaming wasn't activated, and I thought it had been. After disembarking the plane, I found myself some payphones. I'd use one of these to first contact my parents, to let them know I've arrived safely, and then, to contact Telstra to resolve my issue.

I first had to get a bit of money out. I went to an ATM and pulled out 40 Singaporean Dollars, roughly valued to that of the Australian. After trying the Apple Shop within the terminal, I found myself some computers. I went online to find out Telstra's international phone number.

I also got myself a phone card, for which I could use on the payphones. I called up my parents, first things first, and got that out of the way. I let them know that my phone was having trouble. Then I contacted Telstra. I couldn't seem to get to the bottom of it; I was put on hold for ages, and my credit was running out; and not only that, I was told to try a different number after finalising my details. I wasn't happy.

So I tried the other number that was given to me, and no one answered the phone. These phones were a little bit dodgy as well, so I decided to dismiss it anyway, and just email Telstra from the terminal computers. I'll have to wait a day or two for a response.

Well, I didn't come here for my day to be ruined. I decided to go out and check Singapore city. I asked around the terminal if there were any transfers available to the city centre. I was told that there was a free shuttle at a certain time, but I would have had to wait a fair bit. I stupidly asked, "How much is the free shuttle?". Obviously I still need time to adjust and get back into travel shape.

I proceeded through immigration, which was fairly simple and straightforward. I was only going to be out for a few hours. So I caught the metro into the city. I did feel somewhat alone; I still needed time to realise it.

By the time the city came into view from the metro windows, I was amazed at what I saw. I finally saw the outside of a different, Asian city that I had never seen before. It was a pleasure to see. Everything looked bright, clean and tidy.

I stepped out from the train and onto the platform at an interchange station, and it was like walking into a massive heat wave. From an air conditioned train car, to the outside hot, sticky and extremely humid atmosphere of Singapore. What a difference already!

I enjoyed the rest of the ride into the city centre. I got off at the main station, which was part of a large shopping mall. I stepped out into the heat once again, and, carrying my heavy backpack with me, went to explore the city's streets and sights.

I had a map on me, given to me at the information booth at the airport. I tried to navigate my way around, but the heat was making it pretty uncomfortable. I was developing a sweat patch on the back of my shirt. Still, the great sites were able to compensate for my discomfort, and I whipped out the camera. It was time for it to do its work.

I found myself the Merlion, which I was looking for. It was the main feature that I recognised Singapore by. I wanted to get a photo of myself infront of it, but didn't see the opportunity. Anywho, I bought myself a bottle of water, then continued to walk around. Walking along Singapore's streets and waterfronts, I saw a very clean and tidy city, with a few interesting things to note. There's apparently a $400 fine for littering. I saw one sign which instructed not to ride bicycles under tunneled footpaths, and the fine was $1000. Staggering!

Eventually, once I was satisfied with what I had seen, I made my way back to the airport. It was time to cool off, and it was time to get that heavy bag off my back. It was uncomfortable.

Once back at the airport, I got myself some Singaporean dinner, which was fancy, and then I spent the rest of the night, in the remaining 6 hours I had until my plane for Beijing departed, browsing the internet at the computer terminals, listening to my iPod, and walking around the airport, seeing if there was anything interesting. And there was a plant room, which was pretty hot and humid walking into. It was out in the open air.

I listened to all my favourite songs while waiting for my plane at 1:30am the next morning, and I would catch some sleep on the way to Beijing. It would be a 6-hour flight. Above all, I've had a pretty interesting day. I just hope I'll be able to use my iPhone shortly.

My next big trip - Day before departure

2010-05-31T19:44:00.000-07:00

It has been a year and a half since my last overseas experience. This one will be my second overseas independent journey, and a much bigger one at that. I will be departing tomorrow.

Over the last 18 months, I have travelled to other places within Australia, broadening my horizons and seeing more of my own country. I wouldn't have the confidence to do it had I not travelled before. My last trip definitely opened doors for me. I drove around New South Wales and Victoria, visiting Ben Boyd National Park, Melbourne, Mornington Peninsula and Mungo National Park in early 2009, and I took a trip across Australia by train from Sydney to Perth the following June. I saw Broken Hill, Adelaide, Cook, The Pinnacles, Wave Rock, Lancelin, Kangaroo Island and the Grampians. And by Christmas, I took a trip to the Red Centre, seeing Uluru, Kata-Tjuta and Kings Canyon, all of which were amazing places. I love travelling, and I think I've found out what my personal calling in life is at this point.

Now, tomorrow is the next big trip. This has been a long awaited day for me. It is time for me to hit the road, yet again.

In less than 8 hours, I'll be departing for one of the most important trips I'll ever have in my lifetime. One that involves crossing two continents by rail, and meeting people from Tomb Raider Forums who I really love and care about, and it will be a very independent journey, for the most part.

I'll be starting this rail journey in China. First off, I have a 10 hour stopover in Singapore, which is enough time for a day tour, and then it's off to Beijing. My train journey will take me through Mongolia, across Siberia, all the way to Saint Petersburg in Russia.

I'll be spending three days in Beijing, in which I'll see the Great Wall, then continue onwards to Ulaan-Baatar in Mongolia. I'll spend another few days here and in Terelj National Park. After that, I head to Irkutsk in Russia, spend a few days on the shores of Lake Baikal, then continue westbound to Europe. It's a three day train journey from Irkutsk to Moscow, which I'll be spending 3 days in, then I go to Saint Petersburg for another 3 days. And that's just the first leg.

The second leg of my journey is travelling all around Europe and the UK over the next three months. I have a rough plan of what countries I'm going to visit, and who I'm going to meet. I'll be sure to attend the TRF meetup in the UK as well.

So I've got to be up at 4:30 the next morning to catch my plane departing at 8am. I'll be flying on the A380, which should be exciting.

Day 285 - Returning home

2008-09-01T21:00:00.000-07:00

My trip has come to an end, and today is the day I depart for Australia.

First thing I did this morning was get a haircut. I got it done nice and short; one of the best haircuts I've ever gotten, and I would be happy to get home clean and tidy.

So Parry and grandma came over, and we would catch up once again before taking me to the airport. They gave me money to take back home and buy something for myself, my mother and sister.

Once it was time to leave, we all headed for the car, as Parry drove us to the airport. I checked in, first of all, and we would wait and have one last conversation before I headed through passport control. Parry assured me that there are plenty of 'fish in the sea', even though I was with Agnes. But even then, I wasn't even sure of what was going on between me and her at the time. I've tried messaging her, but she hasn't responded over the last few days. The last thing I remember talking to her about, was getting her dad on a plane to Ireland.

I said goodbye to Parry, Grandma and Despo. It was over, and time to go. They wished me well, as I headed through and past passport control, waving to them from the other side. I would be reunited with family once again in the next 24 hours.

And there I was, on the plane, returning home after a remarkable journey. I wasn't used to hearing the Australian accents on board yet, and nor would I be used to being back at home once I got there. I would take time to adjust. And not only that, I would be returning home with a new perspective on life, and more knowledge about the world and how it works. This whole trip has changed me for the better. There's only one thing that's had me worried, and that's that Agnes hasn't contacted me. I will try again once I reach home, and I'll find out where this is going.

Other than that, it will good to be back home after being away for 9 months. I hate being away from Europe, but it's something I'll have to get used to. It's all part of the travelling experience.

Day 283 - Athens, Greece

2008-08-30T19:58:00.000-07:00

It's been difficult sleeping at nights. On top of all of the emotion, it was very hot, and mosquitos were constantly attacking me.

Not that it's that important. Every day, I've been watching my new favourite show, Beverly Hills 90210. I'd be watching every episode until my departure for Australia. I just loved it, it meant a lot to me, and it taught me a lot.

I've been going shopping with Despo as well. We've been buying souvenirs to take back home, for myself and for my mother and sister. I bought myself lots of different foreign banknotes, such as British Pounds, American and Canadian Dollars. I also bought some old Greek banknotes. I loved the idea of collecting them.

The following night, I went out with Lora and Panos for one last time. It was a great night out, and we talked about everything; all of my adventures and what I've learnt from being here, and in Latvia, and the experience as a whole.

I don't know when I would be coming to Greece again after this, but I'm sure it won't be too long. I have to start thinking of my future once I get back home. I've had a wonderful time overseas, and this whole trip will be remembered as an important time in my life; a very important one at that, as it's one that changed me as a person and shaped me into who I am today. For that, I am very thankful.

Day 280 - Athens, Greece

2008-08-27T05:13:00.000-07:00

As soon as I got back to Athens, I packed my things and headed straight to Despo's. I couldn't stand living in Menidi with my uncle, having to constantly put up with his criticism. I was my own independent person, who's learned a lot in the past nine months, and I knew what I was doing.

I resumed my daily routine, heading into Athens. I decided to stop by the DVD shop, as my mother requested that I buy some DVDs for my sister Gina. I also bought Grand Theft Auto IV for myself, and I would play it on my Xbox 360 when I got home.

I went around to see a little bit of Athens again before leaving. I stopped by the Thai Airways office to collect my changed ticket. I paid the fee, and all was done. It wasn't much longer till the 1st of September.

Day 279 - Vronti, Greece

2008-08-26T04:43:00.000-07:00

So at the village, most days I was pretty bored. I spent a lot of the time thinking. Many things were on my mind, including Agnes, and going home.

Throughout my stay up here, me and Parry hardly talked, which was good for me at the time. The Beijing 2008 Olympics were also on, and I watched some of the action on TV. I also came across an interesting TV Series, called Beverly Hills 90210. The series became a part of me, as I enjoyed watching episode by episode, and a lot of it related to my experiences in life. I loved it, and it kept me entertained during the boredom of my stay. Baywatch was pretty good to watch as well, and that played before Beverly Hills, but that show wasn't as meaningful to me.

I also went out for a drink with my cousin Taso the night before heading back to Athens. In one week's time, I will be out of here, and headed back to Australia.

Day 265 - Vronti, Greece

2008-08-12T04:31:00.000-07:00

I wasn't able to stay at Despo's place much longer, as they were going away. So I had to live with grandma, and go up to the village with her and Parry. I haven't seen Parry since the whole debacle we had some months ago, so it will be rather awkward, probably for the both of us.

Before this, I had gone to the Thai Airways office to get my return date to Australia changed. I've been put on a waitlist, so I'm going to have to wait until it's confirmed. I wish I didn't, though; I just want to get home as soon as I can.

And within the next few days, after arriving at the village of Vronti, I got a phone call from the Thai Airways office. My seat was confirmed, and I would be going back to Australia on the 1st of September. I was happy. That issue is out of the way. I missed home. I've been away for nine months.

Day 259 - Athens, Greece

2008-08-06T04:18:00.000-07:00

I wanted to go home, back to Australia. The longer I would stay here, the worse it would be. I would rather get home quicker, so that I can start saving up again, as soon as possible, so that I could see Agnes again. I was losing my mind without her. I just wished she were here. I tried to keep my thoughts positive. I kept telling myself that I would indeed see her again one day, and that day would only be drawing nearer.

The first thing I did today was head over to Niko. I owe him a lot, as he's helped me, especially when it came to matters between here and Latvia. He was always someone who could comfort me by giving positive news. So, I asked him if getting Agnes Australian citizenship would be all that difficult, and how I would go about doing it. I know it's a hard process, and that's what I heard from Niko. But he would be willing to help, and I appreciate that. He's already helped me so much. With his help and support, I was able to see my first love and experience a whole new life adventure, so I'm forever grateful.

Day 258 - Back to Athens, Greece

2008-08-05T04:48:00.000-07:00

After a night's sleep on the couch at one of the airport's cafés, I didn't do that much other than wait until it was time to board my flight. Check-in procedures started at 2pm, and I went through. Once in the final waiting area by the gate, I gave Agnes one last phone call, telling her I was about to leave. So we exchanged goodbyes, which weren't too emotional, and I proceeded to board my plane.

I waved goodbye to Riga and to Latvia. I had a truly wonderful time here, of which some was pretty bad, but I'm over it and I got to do what I needed to do. I was with Agnes, and that's all I needed to keep myself comfortable from the pain of leaving.

The flight went smoothly and I was back in Athens by 7:30pm. Everyone on board applauded the landing. I found it strange - I've never witnessed that before. It added to the experience and acted as a symbolic representation of my memories. It was also the last time I would hear Latvian.

So I made my way over to Sofia's workplace by metro. I met her on the road, just outside Dafni metro station, where we greeted eachother. She wondered why I had gone to Latvia with just one backpack. Well, I travel as light as possible.

So she took me home, back to Glyka Nera, where I missed Agnes terribly and decided to give her a phone call before going to bed. We talked for a bit, but not too long, as call costs were expensive yet again. I was sad, but I kept myself looking forward to finally being together again once she moves to Australia. I let all my emotions out and cried myself to sleep.

Day 257 - Riga & Liepaja, Latvia

2008-08-04T22:49:00.000-07:00

Today was going to be my last day in Latvia, and my last chance to see Agnes again. I've come to this decision, because Agnes and I both decided that it would be best. For one thing, neither of us knew when or if her dad was going to Sweden, and secondly, it's best that I get back home as soon as possible, as my money is running low. I've used almost all of my savings.

So, from Riga, I decided to leave for Liepaja at 7:30am, arriving at 11am. I made my way to Agnes' neighbourhood in order to see her for one last time. We would only meet for a few hours. I had a little rest in the ruined apartment building that I slept in a fair while ago. I was pretty sleepy, and just waited for her to contact me and come outside.

I did doze off for a little over an hour. Then I checked my phone and saw her message, saying she was waiting on the street for me. So I headed out, and greeted her.

We took a walk from here, all the way to the store around the corner. We tried to enjoy it as much as we could; and infact spent the majority of the two hours we had, hugging. It was going to be the last time we see eachother for a long time, so we cherished the moment.

One last photo was taken, shortly before it was time to say goodbye.

So I headed on the bus, back into the city centre. Same routine all over again, except I seemed to be a little less emotional this time. I was probably used to it from the last time.

I went to Cili Pica, as I was hungry and hadn't eaten for a while. I enjoyed my last meal there, for the last time, and tipped the waiter as well. I gave Agnes a call to see how things were holding up, and if she was absolutely certain that I should leave. I couldn't seem to make the decision on my own.

So I headed back to Riga, seeing the same people that I saw this morning. I made my way to Riga airport, and got my plane ticket changed to depart for tomorrow. It costed me 104 Lats. By this point, my savings were getting drastically low. It wasn't really necessary to get it changed in the first place, since I only got to see Agnes one more time, but I think it was worth seeing her again. It was hard and painful for me to change my ticket date, but I had to do it for the best. Once I get back to Australia, I can get a job and save up again, as well as plan to get her down.

In the meantime, I would have nothing much else to do while waiting for tomorrow's flight back to Athens.

Day 256 - Sigulda, Latvia

2008-08-03T23:29:00.000-07:00

It was a terribly long wait to see if Agnes' dad was going to go to Sweden or not. I didn't know what to do, and I was running out of options. To keep my mind off all the stress for the day, I took a day trip to Sigulda, which was an hour out of Riga. I'd take the bus and let my mind relax somewhere beautiful.

And a beautiful place it was. It seemed that Autumn was just around the corner too, as I saw orange leaves scattered along the road. I took a walk down a steep and slippery set of stairs, down to the Gauja river where it flowed underneath the bridge. It was a lovely place to be captivated by. I didn't end up going across the valley by cable car, as I wasn't in much of a good mood, but I still enjoyed the nature here as much as I could.

After my visit here, I walked back up the stairs and up the steep valley slope at a rapid pace, to see if I could feel the difference in air pressure with my ears. There was a slight difference, and I've never achieved that by foot.

I made my way back to the bus station, and onto the bus headed back for Riga. I was able to understand the bus driver in Latvian when he asked passengers with pre-purchased tickets to board the bus first. So I waited at the end of the line, got on board, paid the 1 Lat, and once back in Riga, spent the night at the airport.

Day 255 - Liepaja, Latvia

2008-08-02T06:14:00.000-07:00

In the remaining days I've been spending with Agnes, we've been making the most we could out of it. We've been going to the beach getting tanned, eating at Cili Pica and another restaurant called Barons Bumbiers, which we were going to regularly. In this time, I've been staying at the Beach Hostel, and then I found out that Agnes' dad was going to jail for 10 days. I was able to stay over at Agnes' place again. Her father had gone to jail for drinking and driving. I thought to myself he deserved it more than anything, especially after what he did to me. Karma strikes back.

I was contemplating a trip to Estonia as well, and Agnes encouraged me to go, but I chose not to, so as to spend the remainder of my time with her. Even with hostel rooms still booked on some days as a result of pre-booking, I chose to stay with Agnes. It would be the last time I'm seeing her for a long time. Today is the day I had to go back to Athens. I was really sad about it last night, and it was quite hard on me. I kissed Agnes goodbye at the bus stop outside her apartment block, and made my way to Liepaja's bus station, and then onto Riga.

About halfway through my journey to Riga, Agnes had dropped me a text, asking for me to come back. I figured I would. It was an easy decision, because my family in Athens was going to the village at this time. Also, Agnes' dad may be going to Sweden; we don't know yet. But once I got to Riga Airport, I decided to change my ticket anyway. It cost me 35 Lats. I was running out of money by this time, and I probably shouldn't have done what I did. In Riga, I found myself a hostel to stay at, and I'd discuss meeting up with Agnes again tomorrow. I've probably made a silly move right now, but what else can you think about when you're under the influence of love?

Day 240 - Kuldiga, Latvia

2008-07-18T22:14:00.000-07:00

I wasn't going to be seeing Agnes today, so I decided I'd take the day trip to Kuldiga. I took the bus in the morning, and upon arrival, had something to eat from a café. I was contemplating spending the night here, so I looked for some accommodation. I had no luck, and I couldn't be bothered anyway, so a day trip it was going to be.

It was a beautiful little town, out in the middle of Kurzeme's forests. The streets were pretty active with tourists, but it's a much quieter place than from what else I've seen. I made my way over to the natural wonder, which is the Venta Waterfall, said to be the widest in Europe, though only about a metre high. I had good fun here for a little bit; I went in the water and tried to shower under the cold water of the falls. Then I decided to walk across the entire thing. The water was shallow enough along the top, that it could be walked across from one end to the other, though it took a fair while.

After I was done, I headed back to Liepaja, and was back by 9:30pm. I went to a bar and decided to try playing a poker machine. Surprisingly, I won 35 Lats. Well, that seemed incredibly easy. I played again, but didn't win anything. Maybe I was just very lucky.

Day 239 - Liepaja, Latvia

2008-07-17T22:06:00.000-07:00

Apart from what I've already mentioned, not much else has happened. I've been staying at the Travellers' Beach Hostel, meeting travellers from all around the world, sharing our stories. Almost everyday, I'd be going out with Agnes, spending time with her in the city, away from her home. I wanted to plan a trip with her to Kuldiga, which is only an hour and a half away. I've also extended my stay in Latvia until the 2nd of August, otherwise, today would have been the day I left. I wanted more quality time, as we haven't had enough of it.

We discussed going to Kuldiga together, but she wasn't up for it. She had to stay home and look after her brother, as well as her father, making sure he wouldn't drink any alcohol and abuse anyone.

Day 233 - Liepaja, Latvia

2008-07-11T02:53:00.000-07:00

For the past few days I've been able to stay with Agnes, we've been playing video games, one of which was the Final Fantasy X game I lent to her, and we would head out to the cinemas to watch movies such as The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. I've never seen any of the Narnia movies, and this one was pretty good.

Then, Agnes' dad was out of hospital and back at home. That was when I booked myself a room at the Travellers' Beach Hostel, the first hostel I've ever been to. It would be yet another new experience for me. It was actually a very great place, and it got me into the whole hostelling experience. One of the managers there was from Chile, and I had a chat with him.

I had free internet while I was here. So I hopped on MSN and managed to tell my stories to everyone who wondered where I've been. I told them everything, and they were shocked to hear it. There was not much else I could do. I just hope I can get Agnes to come and live with me in Australia, as it was something she suggested to me earlier.

I stayed at this hostel for several days, and met many different interesting people. Everyone who asked what I was doing here, I told them my story. This is my first real experience meeting other travellers from around the world. I met people from the UK, the Netherlands, Italy and even Australia and New Zealand.

Day 230 - Riga and Liepaja, Latvia

2008-07-08T01:57:00.000-07:00

So we were woken up at around 4am by the café manager, and we tried to catch a bit more sleep elsewhere. As soon as the buses started running, we hopped on and headed into the city centre. I've never been in Riga with Agnes before, so we took some time to look around together.

First of all, we wanted to visit the Australian consulate, as there was discussion about moving Agnes to Australia with me. It wasn't too difficult to find. We had to take a city bus. We were there by its opening time, and we went in, greeting the consul. We discussed the possibility of getting her to become a citizen, however, for her to move down with me first of all, she would need parental permission for the visa. It didn't work out. I was pretty upset after this.

Regardless, we went on a stroll through the city centre and tried to enjoy our day as much as we could. We took pictures of the clock tower, went up Skyline Hotel for a good view, then headed to a Japanese restaurant for lunch. Agnes loved Japanese culture, and I did too, for that matter.

We later decided to watch a movie at the cinemas. We got tickets for the Hulk, the newer movie, a remake of the slightly older version. It was much better, and it was a great watch!

By 6pm, we decided to take the train back to Liepaja. It was a three hour journey, and a beautiful one at that, as the sun was low on the horizon, shining on the green fields. Once back, it was nice to be back. Agnes' dad was in hospital at the time, and the reason we decided to head back to Liepaja today was because Agnes was concerned about her brother being home alone. Otherwise, we would have spent the night in Riga. Once we got back, all was good, and I was able to spend the night at Agnes' place.

Day 229 - Vilnius and Trakai, Lithuania

2008-07-07T03:07:00.000-07:00

The next day, we devoted some time to explore Vilnius. We started in the Old Town, where we made our way through the streets and to the main cathedral. We went on a photoshoot through the square before making our way to Gediminas Castle, on the top of the hill. There was lots to see between here and there.

We took the funicular up, and visited the Castle museum. From here, we could see the city skyline of Vilnius. We spent a good deal of time at the castle top here, observing the city and taking pictures.

The next place we wanted to go to was Trakai, an hour's drive away. We made our way to the bus station and hopped on the next bus. It was like a regular city bus.

Once in Trakai, we admired the beauty of this lakeside town, shopped around for a bit of food, then headed for the main tourist attraction, which was the Castle Island in the middle of the lake.

We hired a pedal-powered mini boat to take out onto the lake, observing the castle from different viewpoints. It was very beautiful and impressive. The weather could have been better though, but it's the memory that will be the most important.

After our day spent here, we headed back to Vilnius to have a meal at Cili Pica, then head back to Latvia the same night. We decided we'd go to Riga Airport and spend the night there. Not the best place of choice to sleep, but it would be for free. So upon arrival, we slept there, on the café couch. Of course, we would be woken up at 4-5am though.

Day 228 - Vilnius, Lithuania

2008-07-06T23:34:00.000-07:00

The next morning, we were up and headed back into the city of Klaipeda. We made our way by bus, and found ourselves a nice Cili Pica restaurant inside the Akropolis Mall. It was a pleasant setting; it was by an ice skating rink. We could sit down and have our breakfast while watching others skate around. I got myself a bowl of dumplings; I couldn't get enough of them.

Following this, we headed to Klaipeda bus station, hopped on the next bus to Vilnius and enjoyed the 4-hour scenic journey, having biscuits and ice creams at our disposal and catching a nap or two along the way.

By the time we got to Vilnius, it was 7pm. There was not too much that we could do today; we had to focus on getting something to eat, and finding a place to sleep. So first of all, we went on a walk through the streets. This place was already different from Klaipeda. We found ourselves a nice Greek restaurant and sat down.

After dinner, we went on a look for a hotel. We found a big one, from which we would just get information from, as they had internet service. I found a list of restaurants such as Cili Pica, and a few other hotels, which were pretty expensive. I decided to consult my Lonely Planet guidebook. I found a hostel, and thought we'd go there and see if there are any availabilities, as it was close by.

We had an available spot, and got the two-bed dorm for 70 Litas. After checking in, we headed out for another quick meal, this time at the nearest Cili Pica restaurant. It was a pleasant day, and much less stressful.

Day 227 - Klaipeda, Lithuania

2008-07-05T02:36:00.000-07:00

After a night spent at Liva Hotel, we woke up at about 7am. We packed our things, and headed to the bus station as quick as we could. We had to skip breakfast. We were to get on the next bus to Klaipeda, in Lithuania. This would be the start to our trip.

We boarded our ECOLINES bus and bought our tickets on board. It was a pleasant 2-hour trip across Latvia and Lithuania. It was also the first time I ever crossed a country's border by land.

We first came to a stop at Palanga, where we picked up some food. Then it was onwards to Klaipeda. Once we arrived, we decided to purchase tickets back to Liepaja for tonight. The idea was to spend the day here, and return. Little did we know how long we would be out here for, though.

We strolled through the city centre, taking plenty of pictures. Agnes took most of them.

We wanted to hire bikes, but it would have costed 600 Litas for the deposit. I didn't want to pull out any money, so I thought we'd just walk around. We found ourselves a place to eat for lunch. The food wasn't fantastic, and the service was pretty slow. From what we have experienced so far, this is a pretty slow working country.

After lunch, we decided to head over to the Curonian Spit, which was a short ferry trip across the lagoon. If we were to continue down to the sand dunes at Nida, which is the main tourist attraction of the Curonian Spit, we wouldn't make it back in time for the bus back to Liepaja. We decided that we would continue on, and not take the bus back. The tickets weren't much anyway.

So from Smiltyne, the top end of the spit, we took a bus down to Nida and enjoyed the trip. The Parnidis sand dune was situated pretty close to the Russian border of the Kaliningrad region. It's a beautiful part of the world, and we took the time to explore what we could.

After our exploration, we chilled by the bus stop to have some ice cream. Then we headed back to Klaipeda. There were some other fellow Australians on board the bus, which reminded me of home. We proceeded to the ferry crossing leaving Smiltyne, and had another look around once we got back, observing the town from the viewpoint up at Klaipeda Hotel.

Later, we had some dinner from a nice restaurant, similar to that of Cili Pica. Then we had to find ourselves a place to sleep, which got a little bit difficult. We were having trouble finding an available and well priced spot, and we were stressing out about it. Klaipeda Hotel was far too expensive, and the cheapest one in the area didn't fit in well with Agnes' needs. I managed to find a good option about 10 minutes away by road, so we thought we'd give it a try.

We took a taxi, which wasn't too expensive, and we walked into the hotel entrance. The hotel was called Ruta, and the lady there who greeted us was very friendly. There were no actual room availabilities, but there was one room that has not yet been finished. It didn't have a bed - and I insisted, and asked as politely as I could, if we could have the room. We didn't care if it was unfinished, as long as we had a place to sleep. The lady kindly accepted, and told me that there's a chance I might get a completed room if it's guests didn't show up before midnight. So she prepared the unfinished room for us anyway, and told us to wait and see. She offered us a cup of tea in the meantime, and helped us find transportation options across Lithuania.

After midnight, it turns out that the people who booked the completed room didn't show up. So that room was given to us. Great! Time to stop stressing, shower, and relax. I'll always appreciate the kindness of the receptionist.

Day 223 & 224 - Liepaja, Latvia

2008-07-02T02:14:00.000-07:00

Today, I finally received my credit card in the mail at the central post office. Agnes and I had been checking for the last few days. I was lucky to get it too, it seems. My aunt wrote 'Lithuania' instead of 'Latvia' on the envelope. I'm surprised it got here.

Well, that was that, and I was saved. Then I had to activate it, but I couldn't call the bank, as I didn't know the international number. I had to get it through my mum by texting her, and she was able to find out for me. I called them, and only just managed to get my card activated before my phone credit ran out. I was saved.

By now, I have learnt my lesson, and will never repeat this kind of mistake again. The first thing I did after successfully pulling money out of the ATM with my new card, I gave Agnes a big hug. I decided to get myself a hotel room. I was going to need the shower after not having showered for a week. Agnes decided that she wanted to spend the night with me, rather than be at home around her alcoholic father. So I got the two-bed dorm for 14 Lats.

The next day, we headed out together to our favourite restaurant; Cili Pica. We came here three times throughout the day, having ourselves some nice meals. It was good to finally be able to use money. We also watched Wanted and Hancock that night at the cinemas, both of which were great movies. Then one of these nights, we decided to plan a trip to Lithuania. It would be a great getaway for a while.

Day 219 & 220 - Liepaja, Latvia

2008-06-28T16:15:00.000-07:00

The next night, I was to sleep at Agnes' mother's place again, but this would be the last time she could look after me. She could barely afford food for herself. I appreciated that she let me stay for two nights though, as it was a lot better than no nights.

So the next day, the bad went to worse. I had tried to sleep under the staircase at Agnes' apartment block, and I was there for about an hour before being found by police. Two officers were standing right above me as I woke up, and I felt uneasy. They were probably going to take me away with no chance of prevail.

I stood up, and they asked me what language I speak. First they guessed Latvian, then Russian, and then French. I told them English. They asked what I was doing sleeping here, and I told them that I had trouble finding a hotel. They then took me outside and asked me to get in the back of their car. By this point, I was panicking and tried to say that I didn't do anything wrong, but they raised their voice and demanded that I get in.

At this time, I felt properly scared. I thought I was going to be deported from the country. The first thing that was on my mind was being separated from the one I love. Going to jail didn't even cross my mind. I was actually praying, hoping that I would get out of this situation. I texted Agnes, telling her I've been taken by the police.

They took me to the police station, and sat me down and interviewed me. First of all I was asked to show my passport. Luckily I had it with me in my bag, and hadn't left it with Agnes. So they asked me why I was sleeping there under the staircase. This time, I told them that I was having trouble with my girlfriend's dad, who had kicked me out of their apartment, drinking, and abusing us. It didn't go too much further than this. I was held for about half an hour, then they asked me if I had money for a hotel. I said yes, when in reality I had none. So they took me to Liva Hotel, just in the city centre. I asked if I'd be allowed to go back to Agnes' suburb again, and they encouraged me to do so. So this was the end of it. I sat down in the lobby at Liva Hotel, waiting until the police would leave, so that then I would head out and find somewhere to sleep. I went into Agnes' mother's apartment block, and slept in the lobby's toilet. This is what I'm going through because of Agnes' dad.

I lived like this for the next few days, trying to find places to sleep, while living off bread and water throughout the day. I found a better place to sleep, near Agnes' apartment block, where I wouldn't be found by anyone. Agnes had given me blankets too. The surface was hard and rocky, but it was better than nothing, and certainly good to have blankets, as it was warmer underneath them. She would usually sneak the blankets down from her balcony.

Day 218 - Liepaja, Latvia

2008-06-26T11:41:00.000-07:00

So I managed about 40 minutes of sleep time in the mall toilets, until a security guard found me, and took me outside. I wasn't scared of getting into trouble; I was too focused on Agnes. He just checked my bag to see if I had anything harmful, sent me outside, and that was the end of it. That plan was foiled.

I walked around and sat myself in a bar. I decided to have a coffee. Eventually though, I was asked to leave. So I just went to the next bar, called Fenikss. Here, I greeted some locals, who didn't know English. We became acquainted nonetheless, and I had a chance to practice my Latvian. There was one guy, and two women. The guys name was Valera, who was Russian. After all of my studying of the language in Greece, it seemed to pay off well. I was able to understand and get into a conversation, though, it was very difficult. But I was so happy, and it definitely made my bad day a lot better.

So, all in Latvian, I told them where I'm from, what I'm doing here, and also about what had just happened to me. I explained that my girlfriend's dad had kicked me out of their home. We got pretty far with this conversation. It wasn't really just a basic one. I was proud. It felt great to be able to understand and speak another language, even if I wasn't very good at it at all. There were some words I had to look up in my Latvian learning book as well, such as 'girlfriend'. I didn't know that word. But I told them that's why I was here, and about everything that had happened.

It was about 3am, and they asked me for Agnes' phone number. I didn't exactly want them to ring her, so as not to wake her up, but they rang her anyway and told her about me. They found out a bit more. They arranged for me to get back to her suburb, and told me to take either the bus or mini-bus. I said goodbye to these people, and left them some of my Australian pens as gifts, so they would remember me.

So at about 5am, I headed out and took the bus, without a ticket. My money was scarce. I tried to find somewhere to relax for a bit, and maybe catch a bit of sleep, until it was warm and sunny enough to just lay down on a park bench, near Agnes' apartment block. I arranged to meet her for a while. She came out, and we just stood there and hugged for 10 minutes. I was just very happy to see her after what I went through. She told me that her dad had gone drinking and driving, and had he put the car in a ditch somewhere on the outskirts.

She then arranged for me to stay with her mother, who lives in the city. She gave her a call and explained the situation to her. She told her everything. We headed there, and went inside to greet her. She was much more welcoming. She understood, and decided that she'd let me stay there for the night. She's separated from Agnes' dad and lives on her own, obviously because of the way he is, not to mention he's an alcoholic. So he really is pretty far in the wrong.

Well, tonight, I got some food, and a good night's sleep. I was thankful, and took extra care to say 'thank you' before and after my meal this time.

Day 217 - Liepaja, Latvia

2008-06-25T10:51:00.000-07:00

So the following morning, I was definitely getting booted out of here. Agnes' dad made me some breakfast first, before I said goodbye to Agnes for the time being, and was taken outside and driven into the city. He left me here in a parking lot near the mall, and I was on my own. I got out of the car, pretty angrily. I said nothing to him whatsoever.

Outside, it was pretty cold. I went inside the mall when it opened, to keep warm. To keep myself fed, I bought hot dogs with the little amount of money that I had in my wallet. I could basically afford bread and water for a week, and not much else. I had to come up with something. I bought myself a water bottle that I would refill somewhere for free. That would save those costs, and I could add a bit of meat and perhaps even fruit to my diet. I just need my credit card to arrive, and things will be easier. It was rather stupid of me to leave Greece without my credit card, but being blinded by love, I was easily influenced into taking such a risk. I did not know who to go to for help, and nor did I want to. I just wanted to wait for my credit card and hope that it would arrive here. Agnes told me that her dad would pick me up and let me stay overnight again if I didn't have a hotel, but I didn't see that happening. Right now, I'm just glad that it hasn't affected my relationship with her. She told me how much she loved me and how angry she was with her dad, but not even being 18 yet, she was pretty powerless. We spent a while texting eachother, and I couldn't stop shedding tears. This was horrible.

I'm going to have to experience homeless life, yet again. This time, on a much larger scale. It was freezing here at nights. At least this early in the summer. The first place I decided to try was the toilets in the mall after closing time. We will see how that goes.

Day 216 - Liepaja, Latvia

2008-06-24T10:22:00.000-07:00

The next day, bad went to worse. It was midnight, and me and Agnes had been hugging in the bedroom, while on the sofa. Her dad walked in, and he was furious with what he saw. It brought a horrible feeling upon me instantly, and I was scared.

He asked me to leave. I was devastated. So this is what it's come down to. He grabbed my bag, and took it out to the front door, and seeing it sitting there, I knew what was happening. There was another problem too, and that was that I didn't have my credit card. All I had was a bit of cash on me. I could not afford a room to sleep in, and he knew that. Agnes managed to convince him to keep me there for the night, as it was midnight, and tomorrow morning I'd have to leave. I spent a few moments with Agnes in her room to talk and it was a crying matter. We were done. She gave me a small teddy bear for me to keep for her. I was saying that this isn't going to be the last time I'm seeing her. I made that very well clear. But she insisted that I take the teddy. I took it and put it in my bag. It was actually a gift to Agnes from her dad. I would let it go too, if he did something like that to me.

It was very difficult for me to sleep that night, and I was hoping that he'd change his mind and let me stay, at least until my credit card arrives at the post office.

Day 215 - Liepaja, Latvia

2008-06-23T09:37:00.000-07:00

Today started well. Me, Agnes and her dad headed into Liepaja city and decided to take a visit to the Holy Trinity Church. From up the top here, you can get a good vantage point of the city. That was the main touristic use of the building.

We climbed up the spire, to the top. It was interesting on the way up. The building was very old. Up here, we stood and looked over the view of Liepaja, while I took some photos. Agnes' dad took a photo of us two together as well. It was a nice place to appreciate for a while.

After our church tower visit, me and Agnes headed to the beach. We met her friend, Eva there. We hung out for a while. I was just my usual self, not talking too much, letting them run the conversation. We had a good time regardless.

It was time to go back home after this. Agnes' dad had made us dinner. I thanked him and enjoyed the meal. It was spaghetti, probably carbonara or something like that. Then after dinner, I walked back into Agnes' room. This is where things started going bad. Agnes' dad was expecting me to say 'thank you' after my meal. There was no way I could know what he was expecting. He was quite angry at me, as he said he put in a lot of effort making that meal for me. It has now caused a bit of tension between me and Agnes, and I was upset. I already said thanks at the beginning of the meal, I had no idea I was supposed to say it twice. So Agnes asked me to say 'thanks' to him, as it's what I apparently owe him. So I did, and that was the end of that issue, for now. Agnes went on about how she didn't want to be in between herself and her dad all the time. We definitely don't want any parental issues. Parental non-approval does not sit well with me, and I don't even want to think about it.

Day 213 & 214 - Liepaja, Latvia

2008-06-22T22:10:00.000-07:00

Agnes and I went outside for the night tonight, just sitting together on the park bench, hugging. It was a very sweet and memorable moment of my life, and we both said that we were really happy. I'm happy to be back together again.

The next day, we stayed mostly at home, while her dad went to work. We spent some time on the computer, then went into the city later. There was not much else that we did.

Day 212 - Back to Liepaja, Latvia

2008-06-20T21:57:00.000-07:00

Today is the day I'm going to be meeting Agnes again. This time, in company of her dad, of whom only speaks Latvian. This would be a good opportunity to practise the language.

I took the bus at 1pm, and arrived at 5pm. I was getting nervous and excited all over again. I expected to see her on arrival at the bus station, waiting for me, but she was running late, and we arranged a new meeting point, which was Rozu square, in the city centre.

I walked my way over there, and we both arrived at the square at pretty much the same time. I saw her over on the other side, and went over to greet her. I was very happy to see her again. Her dad will be coming to pick us up later on, so I haven't seen him yet.

Firstly, Agnes went to see her mother, who lived within walking distance. I waited outside. When she returned, we went back over to Rozu square, and sat and talked until her dad would come to pick us up.

We exchanged a handshake, and I greeted him in Latvian. I said "Nice to meet you". We got into his car, and he drove us home. He commented that this was the first time he has heard his daughter speaking English. He asked me some questions, with help of translation from Agnes, and we sat at home and had dinner. Then we went to bed. Separate rooms for us, this time.

Day 211 - Cape Kolka, Latvia

2008-06-19T21:29:00.000-07:00

Today, there wasn't that much more I could do in Riga. At 5am, I headed out into the city, and looked up bus timetables to the town of Kolka, on the northern tip of the Latvian cape.

I asked for information at the bus terminal, and got some bus schedules. By the time the earliest bus would get there, the latest bus would leave in 20 minutes, so unfortunately I would only be able to spend 50 minutes up at the cape. So I took the day trip and intended to get what I could out of it.

I had some breakfast at Cili Pica near the bus station in Riga, having an omelets and mushroom dish, then departed for Kolka at 1:15pm.

It was a scenic drive a long the way. I didn't see much coastline, as there were lots of trees between the road and the beach, but it was still good scenery nonetheless. I loved it!

When I arrived in Kolka, I got out of the bus, and made my way to Cape Kolka, which was a long walk. I hoped that I would be back in time for the last returning bus to Riga. I had 50 minutes. It took 20 minutes to get to the cape, meaning I can spend 10 minutes here, then I have to head back.

I made the most out of it. I took plenty of photos along the walk.

Then reached the cape itself, from where I could see the Gulf of Riga and Baltic Sea hitting eachother.

After my short visit here, I had to run back to the bus. I was in time, and it was only a short wait for the bus to depart. So it's back to Riga, and I had a small nap on board during the three-hour drive.

Once back in Riga, I decided to have some McDonald's. The last time I had some, was when I was in Australia, I believe. It wasn't bad. Just like at home.

Then I went to find myself a hotel. I wanted a better sleep this time, rather than having a five-hour sleep at the airport. I found one, and it was Ls31, which was quite a bit of money. I probably shouldn't have, but I needed a bit of relaxation. I showered, then spoke to Agnes on the phone. Over the last two days, she's been hinting that she wants to be with me again. So I asked straight up, if we were going to be back together. And it looks like we were. This made me happy, and I was able to sleep peacefully.

Day 210 - Riga, Latvia

2008-06-18T23:57:00.000-07:00

Today I was going to have a head start to a day of sightseeing in Riga. I headed out at about 6am, so I could probably see everything there is to see in one day. I didn't get too much sleep in the airport, though.

My first priority was to get myself a local SIM card with Tele2. I walked around town, looking for a shop which sells SIM cards. I needed a Latvian phone number, as I was actually going to be spending a fair bit of time here.

I stopped by an internet café, and hopped online for a bit. I then asked the owner where I could find a SIM card, and I was directed to a Narvesen shop.

So, I went to the nearest Narvesen shop, and went in. They told me that they were closed and couldn't help me. I then waited nearby for it to open. When I saw other people enter the shop, I thought to myself that it must be open now. So I went in, and I was asked to leave. Again. Ok, then.

I'll have to go somewhere else. I found another Narvesen store eventually, and was successful in purchasing a new SIM card, which I then activated by giving my dad a call, and giving him my new number. I told him of my current whereabouts and plans and we had a chance to catch up with everything. I was telling the complete truth this time. My parents knew that I planned to go again.

So then, my sightseeing begun. I explored the streets of Old Riga, and encountered other Greek tourists in Doma Square, which made me happy. The streets themselves were fascinating. I also went to the top of St. Peter's Church, to observe the city. This was the main lookout point.

It was rather cold as well, so I didn't stay at the top for long. I went on to explore New Riga and see the Freedom Monument. I also took a trolleybus ride and checked out different parts of the city.

It really is a beautiful city, and much cleaner than Athens.

I wanted to go to the Open Air Museum, but I couldn't find it. I got on the wrong bus. But I decided to check out the Occupation Museum, which was free of charge and worth looking at.

Later on, I took a river cruise on the Daugava river, which was exciting. It was raining a little, and it provided a good atmosphere. I'm having a great time already! It seems like you really can do a lot in one day, provided that you wake up early! Something I'm not very good at, unfortunately. The days are long as well, which also helps. The sun doesn't set until after 10pm.

I couldn't decide what to do next, so I went to the cinemas to watch a movie. A movie called 'The Happening', starring Mark Wahlberg. It was a great movie! I tried to read the Latvian subtitles as well, which was helping with my knowledge of the language. It was a good relaxation.

Then I walked a little more around Riga, then headed back to the airport, and got myself a five-hour sleep.

Day 209 - Second visit, Riga, Latvia

2008-06-17T20:17:00.000-07:00

After all my preparing, it's time for me to go to Latvia. Unfortunately, my bank card still hasn't arrived in the mail, even with the date of the plane ticket changed. So I'm going to have to go off without it. Despo was kind enough to give me some cash to support myself, as well as Con, who gave me money that he owed me from working for him. Despo is going to send the bank card to me in Latvia when it arrives in Greece.

So I headed over to the airport by metro. It was only a half-hour ride, and it was an interesting one. I was excited; I was going again!

At the airport, I checked in, boarded my airBaltic plane to Riga, and enjoyed hearing the Latvian language once again, especially after having studied it a little more over the last two months.

It was 8pm, and time for take-off.

I purchased one meal on board. I love airline food! Probably because I love plane travel.

After circling the city of Riga, taking the spiral approach, we touched down at 11:30pm, and I was back. Back again, and happy to be. I was going to spend the night here at the airport, and go out the next morning. I'll be seeing Agnes on Friday. I've got two days of sightseeing to do. I have over Ls100 to support myself. Hopefully my bank card will arrive at my aunt's place in Greece shortly.

Day 207 - Avlida, Attica, Greece

2008-06-15T08:30:00.000-07:00

Today was, believe it or not, my first experience of beach life in Greece. I woke up at 7:30am and uncle Con drove us over to a village called Avlida, on the northern coast of Attica, overlooking the island of Evia. This was where my cousin Aleko's wife, Katerini's parents lived.

We stayed here for a while, and I sat on the couch outside, watching the kids play around. Shortly afterwards, I headed to the nearby beach with Aleko and Konstantino. I got into the water, and it was nice and warm, much better than what we have at my town in Australia. It was also a rocky beach, as opposed to sand. I had a great swim around while here, and had pictures taken.

I sunbaked, dug a channel in the sand for water to go in, and had a great time with the kids.

Day 193 - Parry booting me out, Athens

2008-06-01T22:21:00.000-07:00

Well, the good news, is that Agnes made up her mind, and said I could come to Latvia and see her after all. The bad news, is that my uncle, Parry, decided to boot me out of his house at 1:30 in the morning.

It began when Parry turned off the TV while I was enjoying a movie. I wasn't that angry at the fact that he turned it off on me, but more angry because of his reasons for turning it off, which didn't seem justified at all.

A few weeks prior to this, he had offered to take me on a trip with him to Mytilini, on the island of Lesvos. I was a little excited about going, but he turned down the offer just before we were set to go, and he decided to go by himself. He said that he refused to take me because of my schemes with Latvia. Like it was really necessary to offer me the trip in the first place then.

Anyway, after switching off the TV, I had gotten angry at Parry, and rightfully so. Because I refused to give up my plans to visit Latvia again, he thought he had an obligated right to turn off the TV as a "punishment" to me. Well, I'll be happy not to stay here anymore. I'm leaving. I'm going over to Despo's. I'm simply not going to tolerate someone who thinks that they can be in control of my life. So, I said this, and then Parry told me to leave.

I packed all my things, and headed out. Parry left me a childish remark, saying "Go back to Australia, and take Agnes with you!". That's the last time I ever plan to see Parry. I do whatever I want with my life, thank you.

So, it was 1:30am, and I headed over to the internet café. I asked the staff to put my bag somewhere safe, and I would wait here until 5am, when the buses start running. Then, I would make my way over to Despo's, and tell her everything that Parry done. I was fed up with him. He criticised me a lot over the time that I've been here, making me feel small, and I couldn't cope with it. He made me more depressed than anyone else did, including Agnes. Me and him will never be the same.

Day 188 - Decisions, Athens

2008-05-27T22:15:00.000-07:00

More trouble has been arising, with Agnes telling me that I shouldn't come to Latvia at all. At this point, I didn't know what to do. If I did go, it would be an emotional strain not being able to see her, even as just a friend. There were a few other friends who I wanted to see up near that region, such as Mika from Finland, George from Sweden and Birgit from Estonia. I was trying to decide on what to do. I have the plane ticket date changed, finally.

Day 182 - Collecting money from Grandma, Athens

2008-05-21T07:25:00.000-07:00

So far, all I've been doing is pathetically collecting money from my grandmother, who gives me about €3-5 per day, which builds up. Plus, I use some of the money at the local internet cafe. So far, I have collected €40, so I'm feeling safe. I need €50 to get the date of the plane ticket to Latvia changed, and I have until the 3rd of June.

But then, I went to the internet café, only to have Agnes tell me that she wants to call the relationship off. She's not stopping me from going to see her again, though. She just said that I wasn't the one for her, and that things weren't as good for her as she hoped they would be in real life. It left me devastated, and I couldn't think straight. I wasn't coping well at all. I couldn't believe it. I was happy up until now. With all the happy experiences I experienced in Latvia, it all came to a downfall.

I will be seeing her again, that's for sure. If I want her back, I can only hope that we will work something out.

Day 172 - Loss of my bank card, Athens

2008-05-11T07:11:00.000-07:00

Recently, and somehow, I lost my credit card. I have absolutely no idea how I lost it. I thought that it must have slipped out of my wallet, as I noticed that the cards tend to slip out easily. I was frustrated. I was unable to pull out money.

I got the card cancelled, and asked around at every place I thought I could have lost it. I asked my mum to send me a new one, and that is going to take some time. Hopefully before I go to Latvia again. I'll possibly need to change the date anyway, and use the money that my grandmother gives me. I need my new card, fast.

Day 165 - Meteora, Kalambaka, Greece

2008-05-04T06:38:00.000-07:00

Today is the day we'll be headed back from the village. We woke up at around 6:30am, and I arranged for Parry to drop me off at the site of Meteora, which is along the way.

So, after about two hours of driving, we arrived in Kalambaka, the town that is situated right beneath the Meteora. They are fantastic rock formations! I waved goodbye to my uncle from here, as he drove off, and I was free to explore the great natural wonder.

I made my way towards the rocks, looking for the path to get up. I had company from the start of the climb; a dalmatian dog. It was a stray, which I found right at the beginning of the trail.

I took my photo opportunities, then headed further and higher up. It was a tiring, yet exciting hike.

I hiked my way to the monastery of Aghia Triada, which was one of the several monasteries perched atop the rock formations. From up here, the view was fascinating. I could see other monasteries in the distance, as well as the Pindos mountain ranges in the other direction. It was absolutely amazing, and I spent quite a bit of time on the summit of this rock pillar.

It wasn't too long afterwards that I headed back down, and waited for a train back to Athens. I had my day, but I'm thinking that I should have explored more. There's always another time, I guess.

I happened to miss my first train. I wasn't happy. I had to wait another few hours for the next one. This gave me an opportunity to meet some more travellers from around the world. I met some American or Canadian travellers, who asked me for directions to the Meteora. I just told them to head along the main road and get into town, then head in the direction that the rocks are in. I also met another guy at the train station, who I had a chat with while waiting for my train to arrive.

By the time the train arrived, I hopped on board and enjoyed the ride home. Or at least, I tried to. Sooner or later, I had no seat to sit in, as my ticket didn't have a reserved seat assigned to it. Some nice ladies kindly offered me a seat where they were sitting.

During the long train ride home, I didn't want to get out of my seat and lose it as a result, so I stayed seated. Then my legs were beginning to ache. By the time I got back to Menidi, my legs were in agony. I couldn't understand why. It must have been because of the limited circulation. They actually felt very painful, not just sore or fatigued. With each step I walked on the way home from the train station, it felt like my muscles were being ripped apart.

I was so glad to get home, and I was so glad to get to lie down in bed. My legs are feeling better. They will heal overnight.

Day 163 - Vronti, Tsotyli

2008-05-02T23:53:00.000-07:00

I haven't written that much lately. I'm starting to only include the more important events. Over the last few days, I've had my head glued to that Latvian learning book, and I'm learning it pretty fast.

We spent the evening at Auntie Zoe's place to have dinner. When we leave, I have plans to check out the Meteora. I would ask Parry to drop me off there on the way back, and after I'm done, I will catch the train home. Also, Agnes has told me that she wants me to change the date for my plane ticket to Latvia, as it will be of better convenience.

Day 157 & 158 - Vronti, Tsotyli

2008-04-27T23:43:00.000-07:00

Today in the afternoon, we went over to our nearby relatives to have dinner. They offered to let me sleep there for the night, but I didn't want to.

Later on, I went out to a club in Tsotyli with two of my second cousins. We drank, didn't do much else, then they took me back to their place. I'll be spending the night here, which was a good place to stay, as they had the internet.

I used it the next morning. I found Mark, one of my best friends back home in Australia, online. We caught up and discussed everything we've been through. He told me that he lost his toe pretty soon after I left the country. That sounded pretty painful. He held it in his hand, apparently, but he had it put back on.

Day 156 - The village of Vronti, Tsotyli, Northern Greece

2008-04-25T04:16:00.000-07:00

Prior to today, I went to the Thai Airways office in Athens to extend my return ticket to Australia to the date intended, which was the 20th of November, the last day before the ticket expires.

I also went to Eleftheroudakis bookshop to buy myself the Latvian learning book, which will keep me occupied up in the village.

So today, my uncle Parry, my grandmother and I, packed our bags, and headed north, on a long road trip, along with a few additional relatives. It was a beautiful scenic drive along the way, passing mountains and valleys. I was reminded of how much I love Greece.

When we arrived at the village towards the end of the day, I remembered the place pretty well. We settled inside. There would be nothing to do here. Most of the time, all I did was study Latvian. And I would learn pretty fast, as I really have nothing else to do.

Day 153 - Mikrolimano, Piraeus

2008-04-22T04:00:00.000-07:00

Today, I arranged a meeting with Lora and Panos, to tell them all about my experiences with Agnes.

By evening, I headed out to Piraues by metro. I got off at Faliro station, which was one station away from Piraeus terminal, and met Lora and Panos out here, on the bridge. It was nice to see two familiar faces again, and we walked and talked our way to a cafe in Mikrolimano, situated by the yacht marina. It was a nice view from here.

We had coffee, and I showed Lora and Panos my videos and pictures from Latvia. It was great to talk about my experiences with someone else, and we all had a great chat. We talked about language study as well; Lora spoke of her sister, who had recently returned from a trip to Spain. She said she learnt how to speak Spanish fluently in just the short duration that she was there. Sweet, I am going to do the same with Latvian. I'm going to stick my head in one of those language learning books from Eleftheroudakis, and study the language as much as I can before going again.

Day 151 - Back to Athens, Greece

2008-04-20T19:16:00.000-07:00

From Riga, I headed on the plane back to Prague. I contacted Agnes while here, as well, then waited for my plane back to Athens. When I touched down, it was quite warm. Greece got a fair bit hotter in the two weeks I've been away.

I made my way back to Glyka Nera, and slept through most of the day and night. I was too emotionally overwhelmed to do much of anything.

Here is a video, showing all the good times that me and Agnes had together.

Day 150 - Our last day, Liepaja, Latvia

2008-04-19T18:40:00.000-07:00

Today would be our last day together. In the evening, I'll be heading back to Riga Airport.

Starting the day, we had until 7pm to enjoy our last hours. We went for a walk through the woods near her place, which was quite an enjoyable stroll. There was quite a lot of nature here, and I loved it. I was actually taking a walk through a temperate broadleaf forest, similar to the taiga forests in Finland and Russia, and I absolutely loved this type of environment. Latvia sure has its beautiful nature!

We stopped by a small lagoon, where we took some photos.

Then we went over to the beach, which was a short walk away. Again, I loved the environment that I walked through. It was beautiful and very different.

Then, we explored all the soviet ruins by the beach. They were fascinating, in a way.

After this, we took one last walk into the city. It would be our last hour together. We took the tram to Liepaja bus station, and there I would wait for my bus to Riga. This was when it got emotional. It was time to leave, but I know I will be back again. I waved out the window of the bus, saying goodbye to Agnes, and let my emotions get to me.

While en route to Riga, I spoke to Agnes on the phone. It was a different phone call from what we used to have; there was a lot more speaking. Now that we've met, we're far more confident with eachother over the phone. We talked until all of my credit ran out.

Then I arrived in Riga, and tried to find my way to the airport, with the help of directions. My plane departs at 7am tomorrow. In the time I had to spare at the airport, I went to the airBaltic office, and bought myself another ticket to get here again. I'll be back on the 3rd of June. This made me feel much better already. It was much cheaper than my Czech Airlines ticket too, at only €240.

Day 149 - Liepaja, Latvia

2008-04-18T06:33:00.000-07:00

Today was the second last day of my stay in Latvia. We went out into the city and stopped by the bookshop. It was here that I would buy something for Agnes. As she loved the Spanish language, I decided to buy her a Spanish-learning book, along with the Stephen King novel "The Shining" by her request. She was very satisfied with her gift and thanked me with a kiss.

We went to Cili Pica again, and got ourselves some chicken and dumpling servings. It was a tasty meal!

Afterwards, we headed to the cinemas to watch Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber from Fleet Street. It honestly really wasn't my type of movie, but there was no way I was going to to avoid watching it with someone I dearly love. It's the right thing to do. The movie ended up being alright anyway; just a little weird.

After the movie, we went to the bus station, where I bought my bus ticket to Riga for tomorrow. It saddened me to buy this ticket, but I had to go back to Athens. I've had a really great time over here, possibly the best in my life, and I really didn't want to leave. This was going to be hard. I know that I will come again, though, and that made me look on the bright side. I always try to look on the bright side of things. And on my next time around, her dad will be here for me to meet.

Day 145 & 146 - Liepaja, Cili Pica and Karosta

2008-04-15T04:38:00.000-07:00

Today we went to a restaurant, called Cili Pica. We had chicken liver. This was new for me. I've never had liver before, and it was quite alright. It was definitely something different. They also have cow tongue on the menu. I might try that some other time!

Then we decided to head out onto the broken bridge; the one in Agnes' suburb. We recorded video footage of ourselves while here, and made it a great memorable day.

By night, my dad gave me a call. He asked me where I was. I said that I was in Patras, Greece. But, he told me that he knew I was in Latvia. How he found out, I didn't know, but I didn't care, and I knew that he understood perfectly why I came here. I didn't want him to find out, as I didn't want him to stress about it. We had a long talk on the phone, and I got my valid points across. I finalised further and true details with him, telling when I'd go back to Greece.

The next night, my uncle John rang me, who found out about what I had done. He was proud of me, though. I was doing something that hasn't happened in the history of my family, and I was to be proud of myself for setting my responsibilities straight. John also told me that he was on works release. He was serving time in prison over the last few years. He gave me some useful advice. Then, I ran out of phone credit, and I would have to get a Latvian SIM card. I didn't let what happened today bother me. I moved on quickly, and stayed home with Agnes, playing games such as Tomb Raider: Anniversary, which I completed, Spyro 3 and a few other games that were common in my childhood.

Day 142 - Liepaja, Latvia

2008-04-11T04:15:00.000-07:00

Today, I stayed at home, while Agnes went to school. I found something to do with my time; I played Tomb Raider: Anniversary on the Playstation 2. This was the most recent Tomb Raider game, and I had a great time playing it, passing through most of the levels. I got up to level 6 before Agnes returned.

Later, we went out to the cinemas again. This time, we watched Fool's Gold, which was pretty funny. This movie will stick with me.

Day 139 & 140 - Liepaja, Latvia

2008-04-09T04:03:00.000-07:00

Today, a small problem arised. Agnes was late for school today, and as a result, her teacher gave her dad a phone call, which had us both worried that he would come back from Sweden while I was here. We didn't want that to happen now. Agnes' father doesn't know I'm here, and it's best for it to stay that way. I will meet her dad later on, if I come again during the summer. The day went fine, though.

The next day, Agnes went to school again, and I went to the interent café. This time, to upload better pictures that we were much happier with.

At home, Agnes taught me some Latvian. She wrote down the alphabet for me, and we had fun discussing it. We played a bit of piano too!

Day 138 - Liepaja, Latvia

2008-04-07T03:50:00.000-07:00

Today, Agnes had to go to school. We both headed out, and waved goodbye to eachother while she went into school, and I went into the city. We won't be able to see eachother for a few hours.

The first place I headed to was a bookshop, so I could study some Latvian. I was going through all the grammatical rules. They were a bit hard to get a gist of.

Afterwards, I went to the local internet café and shared some pictures. Agnes wasn't happy with one particular picture that I shared, but it was all good later on. We took some pictures of ourselves.

Later in the day, after Agnes finished school, we decided to go to the cinemas to watch Vantage Point. It was a great movie!

Day 135 & 136 - Liepaja, Latvia

2008-04-05T06:39:00.000-07:00

The following days were a great pleasure. We didn't do much on Friday, as Agnes had a slight temperature, so we stayed indoors and watched some TV. The day seemed to go by quickly.

On Saturday, we had the chance to go out together. Agnes showed me around her suburb and nearby Karosta, which had some attractions itself. One attraction was the Orthodox Church.

Then Agnes showed me around Liepaja centre. I bought myself a hotdog for lunch. Then we walked to the beach, which was lovely. It was just cold, though, so there wasn't much that we'd be able to do. We'll have plenty of time for that in summer, if I decide to come again. We also spent some time in an internet cafe, while I updated everyone of my online friends. After that, we went to the mall and had some tea.

We returned home, and I had a shower. After I got out, Agnes combed my hair for me, which was rather sweet. Then, we shared a banana. Following that, we played a board game, and a game of Sudoku in Japanese. It was great to do these things together!

Day 134 - Meeting Agnes - Athens to Prague, Prague to Riga, Riga to Liepaja, Latvia

2008-04-03T04:31:00.000-07:00

At 4am, I checked in, obtained my boarding passes, and proceeded through the gate. It wasn't hard work at all. I was learning to travel independantly. I boarded the plane at 3:45am and enjoyed the flight to Prague, arriving at 6am local time.

Upon landing, I got off and proceeded through to the connecting flights. I was to be in transit for the next 6 hours. I needed to find a way to kill time. In this time, I explored Prague's airport; there wasn't that much to see, but it was something new. I loved the Czech language, hearing it over the loudspeakers. It was a beautiful language!

I spent some time on the internet while I was here. It was for free. This would be a good way to kill time without spending too much money. One thing I found out while I was here, was that I couldn't ring home. This made me think I was doomed. I was worried now. I was thinking about what I was going to do without anyone finding out. I was worried that Despo wouldn't be able to contact me. She was going to ring everyday, to make sure that I was fine, so this was going to be a problem.

Text messaging worked fine, though. I sent a message to Agnes, and received one from her. Afterwards, I did get a call from Despo, and it came through. Luckily! I told her that I was in Nafplio, a town in the Peloponnese, which was obviously a complete lie. But, I had to do it. I didn't like feeling guilty about it, but I had no choice.

Anyway, I waited out the next few hours for my plane to Riga. Now it was getting exciting. I boarded at 11:45am, and arrived in Riga at 2:15pm. I was happy when I caught my first glimpse of Latvia from on board. So, this is where Agnes lives. This is her country.

Upon landing, I was happy to hear the Latvian language being spoken for the first time. I made my way through the airport, expecting to come across immigration officials, but I was lead straight to the exit. Well, I guess they don't check your passports when travelling from one EU country to another.

I asked around for directions on how to get to Liepaja. I was directed to the airport bus terminal, and I was to take bus 22A. I hopped on board, and rode my way into the city of Riga. I was delighted to be here. I was in a foreign world, nothing of which was familiar to me. Except for the pictures of which I've seen on Google Earth; so in a way, it did look familiar.

I got into the city, and saw the Freedom Monument. That definitely looked familiar! And it was much bigger than I expected it to be. I tried to find myself the bus station, which took me a while. I was having trouble navigating. Luckily I had my Lonely Planet guidebook on the Baltic States with me.

By 5pm, I hopped on a bus at the main bus station, headed towards Liepaja. I organised my meeting with Agnes over the phone. Now, I just sat back, relaxed, and enjoyed the ride from Riga to Liepaja, which was a joyful ride in itself. I saw a few snow patches, but otherwise, it looked pretty dead. It was only the beginning of Spring, after all. I also hoped I'd be in Liepaja while there was still daylight. I was reminded that the days here last much longer; and by 8pm, the sun was still up.

And then, I arrived at Liepaja's main terminal. By this point, I was becoming extremely nervous. I was constantly thinking about what I was going to say. This was definitely going to be the most different internet meeting I was going to experience, and it was going to be wonderful, nevermind the feelings of anxiety.

I recognised the bus terminal instantly, thanks to the pictures I've seen from Google Earth. And I knew that Agnes was outside waiting for me. I stepped out, looked around, and in the near distance, I saw her, standing just outside the station office, with her friend, Eva.

We both instantly acknowledged that we saw eachother. There were shy smiles. I approached slowly. I could see her laughing and blushing, almost as if running away, while Eva was trying to keep her there to face me. It was awkward, yet exciting. No words can describe these feelings easily. And Agnes looked just like what I've seen from her pictures. It was good to see her for real.

Eva was the first to greet me. Agnes was blushing, avoiding direct eye contact with me. Of course it was hard to meet someone you've known online for so long, but I still enjoyed the experience. I knew that eventually, we would become used to eachother, and the awkwardness would go away. The entire time, it was fantastic, but at the same time, awkward. It could be the awkwardness that is making it such an amazing and different experience. I know for one thing, that I was happy.

When time decided, Agnes let out a short "Hi". Then she blushed and looked away. Her friend Eva, wasn't that shy though, for obvious reasons. She was the one running most of the conversation for the time being. As we talked, we walked along the road, to the centre of Liepaja. We were going to the mall. During this time, Agnes and Eva were speaking to eachother in Latvian. I couldn't exactly fit in; I was trying to make out what they were saying. It was a good chance to practise my Latvian. We were all laughing at the moment that we had, and things got better sooner.

We got to the mall, and Agnes went in to buy something. She would be back shortly. I was talking to Eva during this time, about how I met Agnes and how I feel about coming here. Then when Agnes came back, we went out to the bus stop and waited for the bus to Agnes' place.

Finally, we had the chance to talk amongst ourselves. We got on board the bus, and sat down next to eachother. Things were looking up. We chatted pretty nicely. Most of the awkwardness had faded.

We arrived at her home flat, and we entered. Here is yet another place looking familiar, thanks to photos Agnes has shown me of her apartment. It was a nice feeling being here. It was late at night, and there wasn't much else to do by this time. Agnes showed me some of her old school photos, and older pictures of herself and her family, while she rested her head on my shoulder. Things were definitely looking up, and I was growing happier with each passing moment. Then shortly afterwards, we were to go to sleep, and we felt confident enough to sleep in the same bed. It was all a cute and wonderful experience in itself. These memories, will stay for a lifetime.

Now I will share a video of all past events, from the Greek island of Evia, to Thessaloniki, and until the plane landing in Latvia.

Day 133 - Night before departure, Athens

2008-04-02T04:15:00.000-07:00

The first thing I did today was pack my bags for Latvia. I told my auntie I was going to go travelling around the Peloponnese here in Greece. I headed out, and straight to the Czech Airlines office to pay for and pick up my plane ticket. I felt bad for having to lie to get to do what I had to do, but I knew that I had to take the initiative. If I'm going to have a girlfriend, I have to get my responsibilities straight.

After collecting my ticket from the ticketing agency, I headed to the internet café and updated everything, telling all my online friends where I was going, and that I was finally making the move to go and see the girl I've been dating over the last year.

I headed to Eleftheroudakis book shop and studied a bit of the Latvian language, then later headed back to the internet café. At 10:55pm, I headed out. My plane departs at 4am. I caught the X95 Airport bus from Syntagma square, and enjoyed the 45 minute ride to the airport.

Once at the airport, I got online, and left a last message to my online friends. I went to the bathroom and had a shave. I almost left my ticket on one of the internet counters. Luckily a guy behind me told me about it.

Day 130 & 131 - Purchasing my ticket to Latvia, Athens

2008-03-31T04:32:00.000-07:00

Alright, I've decided to buy my plane ticket to Latvia. It's going to be through Czech Airlines. It wasn't going to happen today though, as I only found out where the ticketing office is, and I got there too late; when it was closed. Thanks to daylight savings confusing me. I was angry. I was convinced that I knew the time, and that they were wrong.

The next day, I got up early, and headed straight to the ticketing office. I tried to get a one way cheapie, but it was more expensive than the return ticket, which was ridiculous. I was forced to buy a return ticket. It costed me €347. A lot of money, but I wasn't going to let anything stop me. I had it all going in motion. I was definitely going, and it's hard to believe that it's finally happening. I'm enthralled. I'm leaving on the 3rd of April, which is in three days.