We've made it denia now, the first leg of travelling is over... the next train we get is to Madrid and my first departure out of Europe in my life.
We arrived in Valencia early. Still hammered from the previous nights events. We got on the train just in time and as Sam slept lance and me watched hotel Chihuahua dubbed in Spanish. Funny experience, the film itself was less so.
Now none of us knew anything about Valencia, i thought and hoped it was the F1 race that weekend but its next week so no seeing Schumachers return...Booo.
So anyway we wandered, slowly, it was 370 with a hangover, my head had no idea what was going on, over to the nearest travel shop to pick up a map and a little guide. We had to be in Denia for half 5 so we had over 4 hours to have a good look round. The park which runs the length of the city center splitting it in two looked like a good idea, but then again so did hiring a 3 man bike thing. We must of looked so special riding around on this ridiculous contraption. It soon became a game of "how fast can we go on it" "how high can we take it" or i "wonder what it's like off road"
The place was deserted, so we had the town to ourselves, we saw only a few people all day, it was like 'i am legend'. Everyone must of been either at the beach or having one mighty siesta. We jumped into the one open bar we found for a shandy and some shade.
Maybe we gave it less time than it deserves, but we were all looking forward to our villa stay by this point with plenty of good meals and relaxed drinking sessions. So maybe i'll go back one day and spend a few days having a good look round. For now and the next 4 nights though i'm doing nothing but burning in the glorious sunshine. Temperature has just hit 40o on the thermometer outside and there's a mattressed up sun lounger waiting for me.
Gaudis cathedral and the Nou Camp, that was the hit list for Barcelona, even though we had 2 nights, day one was always going to be an effort after what had gone on the previous day. By the time we'd showered, changed and had a little sleep we were ready for a cold drink and some proper food, bar some pasta at Cinque terre and a pizza in rome we hadn't had since getting on the train to London so this was a treat to ourselves and good preparation for the for the following days site seeing marathon. After a good few litres of sangria and a belly fully of tapas dishes it was time to call it in for the night.
Alarm went early, everyone got up, quick espresso from the hostel kitchen and 2 mins later were on the metro to the cathedral. Extra kudos has to go to Barcelona's underground; never late, never longer than 3 mins and always super clean and cool. The cathedral was as mental as i'd hoped, we'd been through Italy where all the great buildings had these regimented, perfectly symmetrical Arch's and domes, even the most extravagant buildings like the trevi fountain and the Basilica all had a sense of logic in its design. The cathedral had none and i loved it for that.
As i said to Sam, while lance rushed off to get his phone which he'd left back at the hostel kitchen, i can't wait to go back in 50 years and see how much more has been done on it in the ever ongoing construction. We didn't have time to queue and go inside but would love to on return one day.
Off to the Old town for some food and a stroll, it's not that overly impressive as a spectacle i thought as i whole. Maybe it was architectural overload by this time, but it did have a atmosphere i felt quite at home in, and of all the places i/we've visited this ranks highest on a list of places to live. By 2/3 we were on our way to the nou camp, we'd just sorted the train to Valencia at this point.. i was excited about this one, i know it's only a football stadium and all and nothings quite like going to be Anfield but Barcelona are hard to dislike.
The tours pretty good, we got plenty of the cheesy touristy shots but it's impossible to avoid. Have a look at them on flickr anyway. From there we spent the evening in Gaudis park which again was awesomely strange then spent the night having drinks on the street near the la Ramles and then stumbled to the N6 night train at half 3 in the morning.
We arrived into Milan midday, followed our directions to the hotel and arrived shortly after. The hotel was nice enough, it was real cheap and not to far from the center. You learn quickly in Milan that it's real easy to jump on and off the tram system, after paying for our first journey and seeing no one bothering to check tickets and the way the locals don't bother to validate theirs. We thought we'd do as they do and jump on and off whenever needed.
I'd actually been to Milan before and unlike Rome had been fairly underwhelmed with the place. It seemed to lack a bit of personality and just came across a tiny bit hollow. But saying that i didn't venture out at night as i'd been tired from the days walking so was looking forward to taking a few pictures at the night time.
So with a bottle of wine in hand we headed off for the Duomo to enjoy the sunset and the chance to relax before having to deal with what to do next. It was actually scaffolding free which i was amazed at, the place always seems to be in a state of Restoration/repair. Even the golden statue of Madonnina which the last time i was here was completely boxed off and only imaged through reading about it was on show in all it's glory. It was really nice to see it again and definitely worth a visit at night as the white of the stone makes it all the more impressive when viewed against a pitch black night sky.
The morning came and the start of what turned out to be a horror 24hrs began....
I'd actually left writing all this until it was all in the past and in our memories developed from a horrible 'journey' to what most stories like this do and become a memorable 'experience'.
We'd woken early so to go online and work a route out in getting over to Barcelona, we were thinking Marseille for a night then train out to barca the next day, but that wasn't able to be booked in Italy and had to be done once in France. That was fine we thought, we also looked into maybe going to Bern, Switzerland for a day and night training it the following night. But we'd already had problems booking night trains so close to departure so thought it's probably better to get closer to our eventual destination and to follow the south coast of France.
Train one "Milan - Nice" It started well we'd stocked up on salty snacks and alcoholic beverages, we had a cubicle to ourselves again. For once we had reservations so no chance of getting thrown off. We talked, we laughed, we slept. After 3 hours an overly handsome, didgeridoo playing, English speaking Spanish guy called phillipo joined our cubicle. We spent the next hour talking to him about everything from language to Religion to anime. He'd just come back from a sailing holiday and was just one of those people you wanted to speak to as they were genuinely interesting. He helped pass the time until our destination in Nice.
Train2 "Nice - Marseille" Italy was officially done, we'd swapped train networks, we'd stopped using the 4 or 5 words of italian we knew and swapped them to the 4 or 5 French words we knew. It was a short train, it was something like 2 hours and completely uneventful, bar those two finding it amusing to do anything to stop me falling asleep.
We arrived after 10 at night, to late to be making hostel bookings so it was down to 'do we sleep on the beach, the train station or push on, leave France and get to Barcelona by morning. We worked out we could get a night train heading towards Portugal, get off at Toulouse and then local train it in the morning to Barcelona and have an extra night there. We got to the platform and asked this guy if we could get on this night train, he sort of walked on the train and off it, then back on and then off it. Then said "10 euro's each" and to get on. We sat down getting comfy ready for our 5 and half hours sleep. When some one came up and said they've reserved that seat and showed me the ticket. I obligingly moved and sat somewhere else, then the same thing happened again, then again, this time to sam and lance. It quickly dawned on us we weren't going to have a seat for this train. We ended up stood outside the toilet with some homeless looking dude in the corner. It's past midnight now and we were too warm and tired and the train still hadn't set off. By the way this wasn't like any of the other trains we'd been on up until now. This one was dingy and sweaty, there was crowds of people lying on the floor, there was animals in boxes, it was like a shanty town on tracks.
Lance was somehow in some incredibly good mood and made us laugh for the first hour or so, then tiredness kicks in and legs started to getting itchy. I had to sit down somewhere, i was stood between this toilet door and someones bike and was so restless at this point i had to move. I Decided i'd climb into the top luggage compartment rack, give that go. So i climbed up and tried to get comfy, it's really not designed for people, i can now say that as a fact, and quickly realized that it wasn't a great idea and i should probably get down.
We had to move, we had to sleep, anything to get us out of this position. We walked down the train, banging into sleeping people and stepping over carcases on the floor, and found a little space on the floor for maybe 1 and a half people in the doorway of two adjoining carriages. Lance and Sam kind of huddled together and molded themselves into the space on the floor while i tried to find something similar. The only place i could find was under this double seat. The two people had fallen asleep and leaned there chairs back almost horizontally so as to leave enough space to crawl under. Now i don't know how i'd react if on my way home from manchester some 24 year old, scruffy looking, possibly smelling by this point, person crawled under my seat to get 40 winks but i'd probably either feel sorry for the guy and give him money or ask him what the hell he thinks he's doing. But i was to tired to care and for the next 4 hours drifted in and out of sleep, head on my day bag and my feet dangling into the carriage walkway.
At one point, and this is the gods honest truth, the guys hand,who was sleeping on the chair above me, fell down the side of his chair stopping inches from my face. At the same time (i was listening to my ipod for most the journey) the song "hobo blues" by Seasick Steve came on. I sat up and looked at Lance who was awake and had one of those laughs that you can only do when everything gone completely to shit.
We got off in Toulouse after very little proper sleep laughing out heads off. It's what i imagine altitude sickness to be like. Our bodies felt like crap and yet everything was hilarious to us as we recapped over the journey we just had, yet the funniest thing was we'd only done 2/3rd's of the route.
It was half 6 and another 2 trains to go. The next one to Nabonne was Luxury we had seats and space and as we pulled into our destination the sun had begun to rise.
Train 5 "Nabonne - Barcelona" The last train. It would arrive in Barca at 12.05 almost 24hours to the minute from when we set off on the tram from our Milan hotel. It was spent in a state of sleep and reflection from the journey just done. Bear grylls may be able to survive in a desert with just a twig but there was no way he'd of got off them trains....especially with a smile on his face :D
Barcelona's been good and i think we're fully recouped, Valencia tomorrow morning. Hopefully get a chance to write it up on route.
The easy life became a tad harder in the past 12 hours, we'd decided from La Spezia we'd get a night train to Paris, have the full day and night there then jump on the following night train to Barcelona. Thing is the Trains fully booked and the night supplement is looking higher than we'd be led to believe when booking so close to departure. This has meant us leaving Paris out of the plan and jumping on the first train that's heading north. Just so happens to be Milan. So we're going to stop there for a night before deciding where's next. The initial plan is out of the window so from here on out it's winging it to barca.
There's something cool about not knowing , i should know i've done it for 24 years (thought i'd get it in first) we know we're hitting Barcelona some time around the 15th so it's just a few days where only god currently knows where we'll end up.
It's still 31 outside, we're in an air conditioned cubicle all to ourselves, these two are sprawled over 2 seats fast asleep and i'm listening to becks golden age album, so it's not all bad
Hope every one's good back home, it was the first time speaking to my brother since leaving so had a few extra thoughts of everyone back home and at work (ex-work). Hope all's well.
It's around half 8 on the 9th of August. I'm sat on some rocks out at sea looking back at riomaggiore in Cinque terre, it's honestly stunning. It's quiet and chilled out and about the best cure from busy Rome. We're all just sitting here watching the sunset, we haven't met our fellow hostel roomates but we've a kilo of pasta ready to cook so shouldn't be to hard.
To be honest this post was really just an excuse to put up a few pictures as there's no much to be said but plenty to be seen.
Writing this on the floor of a crappy old train, with no reservation and in all likelihood of getting thrown off. It was only a last minute spot but it seems all 'IC' trains now require you to have a seat reservation. Despite this massive variable we should be in Cinque terre in 3 hours.
Oww crap conductors coming!
Ok she just walked past, i guess that's not the end of that but it's less than 3 hours to sweat it out now.
Back to Rome, this was kind of Lances treat of the trip, it meant slightly more expensive flights and a longer distance to travel but he thought a travel through Europe without seeing Rome would be a wasted opportunity. First day we arrived from London we got checked in to our actually pretty nice B&B and headed off with a few beers to watch the sunset at the Colosseum, it's an awesome place and probably a little bigger &more grand than i'd remembered plus being able to drink in public with friends outside a modern wonder is something to remember. The next day was a return to the Colosseum and forum, man it was warm, i think the internet had said it was 32. Visited the Trevi fountain at the night time then finished a bottle of wine off at the Spanish steps. *Does feel like i'm just listing places we've drank so far. Oh actually while on that subject we found this bottle of 95% Lime tasting devil juice in our b&b which has magically found it's way into lances back pack. 
The last day was spent between the Vatican, Pantheon and piazza Navona and followed by an almighty walk back to bed. Check out the flickr link from the pictures tab at the top. I ought to go as the ticket nazi is on her way, i'll let you know how it goes.
UPDATE: A different guy, a nicer, friendly looking guy, came to get our tickets. We got a little telling off but all in all we saved a little money and will be in Cinque terre soon enough, the trains no less comfy, they've now got seats, i've upgraded to a bag!
First off just a quick note, because i'm doing this in a book and copying it over whenever i get to a Internet cafe the dates aren't exactly helpful. plus it's always going to be a couple of days behind so sorry*
Carrying on, we're (we being Lance, Sam and me) are currently flying to Rome, so thought i'd quickly run over the past 48 hours.
We got in late on the Tuesday night, sometime round 11 and met with Lances cousin Vicky. A quick trip to the off license, a catch up with Luke and Vicky and off to bed. It's an amazing apartment, i should of taken a picture in retrospect, but it's only a one bedroom apartment so Luke got the bed, Vicky had the couch, Lance and Sam on the blow up bed and i had the bean bag... it's like an 8 foot, ùber comfy bean bag, but still a bean bag. It's definitely a strange feeling when you wake up with your arse on the floor, your legs in the air and your head stuck somewhere in between.
Ok, anyway next morning, first stop on our little site seeing tour; "weatherspoons?" sounds good!.... 4 shandys to start the day, happy days! "17.45" "you what??" sad time :( lol, anyway we went off to Trafalgar square, walked over to the houses of Parliament and big ben, then spent a bit of time watching some the street shows under the London eye. One of which was a break dancing group with one member looking a spit of stringer bell from the wire, check the flickr for proof but for the entire show i couldn't get it out of my mind. So a fairly surreal moment having Stringer bell spinning on his head then asking people for money. I ran quickly to avoid being shot.
Back to the pub for a few more then a night stroll to Piccadilly circus, then headed home.
And that's where we're up to at the moment, cheers Vicky for putting up with us and for those that know us 3, we arrived on time with no hitches or mad rushing, which in whatever way you look at it is a small miracle. Plus we even stopped by Boots for a meal deal to save money, logical and on time. This surely can't keep up!!
It feels like i've just stepped onto a rollercoaster, it's that same feeling you get when you've been in the queue for hours and hours and felt like you've hardly moved, yet suddenly, you're there strapped in thinking 'What the crap am i doing' you've been looking forward to it for ages and you know you're gonna enjoy it. But your brain can't stop thinking how illogical it is to be doing what you're doing. And that you'd be far happier safe and sound watching from afar.
All the leaving parties are done, goodbyes said, for the first time it's all real. I've had the best few days saying bye's to people, yet it's all the more difficult when you love your job and have some really close friends, but at the same time nice to know/think you'll be missed. Cheers everyone for the pressies and the send off.
London in 1 hour!
