Hey guys. I'm terribly sorry for not posting in a while. I'm far behind in updates, but not to worry. I "took notes" of every day of my trip so it's pretty easy to recall what happened on each day. I just hope i'll be able to capture the same feeling and atmosphere !
I've been pretty busy with work - you know, saving up for my next trip... the uge! - also spent almost a week on working at & enjoying the Flow Festival which also came with the workers' after party ! Not to mention the school's orientation days that made me realize that the actual start of school is lurking just around the corner. So, haven't really had time to write my blog (although I want to!).
Talking about school. I'm super stoked and keen to start my studies though the it only occured to me today (well actually yesterday since it's already 1:33 AM. But I haven't gone to bed yet so... anyhoo) that tomorrow (=today) is the LAST day of my year off.... Whaaat really ?? How did 17 months pass by so quickly ? It's pretty weird and a bit radical perhaps to say that the past year (well my year off actually) has been the BEST yet the WORST time of my life.
It's a cliché to say "I wouldn't change a thing" but that's not the only reason why i'm not saying it. Some things you just can't change no matter how you could go back in time and want to change them. But now that I've lived through it, I guess I've gotten accustomed to the shit I had to go through. For better and for worse, I guess.
But if I could. I would do it all again.
Never ever have I had a more better idea than taking a year off and doing exactly what I've been dreaming of doing. So, do it, go take a year off and go crazy and go travel! Explore ! Meet people ! Be a backpacker ! Live a little!
And finally, miss you Australia, but we'll meet again. Of that i'm sure.
Ps. I promise to post when I get my keyboard fixed on my laptop (note to self: don't eat when you are using the computer!!!)
sunnuntai 28. elokuuta 2011
torstai 4. elokuuta 2011
Sleep Deprivation
4.8 At Barcelona Airport 8:30 AM
I was almost left outside of the terminal at 00:30 because I lacked any papers of my flight what so ever.
Security guard infront of the gates of terminal 2:
"Su tarjeta de embarque por favor."
"...............No tengo."
"No tarjeta, no pasar."
"Pero.. no tengo."
"No puede pasar. Abiertan en las seis."
At this point I thought that I was in deep shit. I was trying to recall whether it had been ever necessary print out any forms (disregarding Ryanair's flights) or was a passport just fine to be able to check in. I began to panic that I would not get home. Or that I would have to wait outside the terminal for 5,5 hours..........
"Estás sola?"
"Sí.."
"Ok, pasa"
"MUCHOS GRACIAS."
I think the security guard realized I wouldn't be well off on my own with all my luggage and no where to go to (except terminal 1), waiting outside in the dark for the clock to struck six.
There was no way I was going to risk missing my flight (again) so sleeping was not an option. So I purchased 24 h wifi with 10 euros and pretty much made a camp in one corner. I sat in that very same place for 7 hours... Holy fuck. Thank god my friends have insomnia and Hector was on facebook to keep me company. Later on I saw Jared online and we skyped for half an hour!!! Man do I miss him so incredibly much. He is one of my all time favourite people I met in Australia and I still keep in contact with him. It was so good to see his face and hear his voice and I wished I could've just jumped through the screen to Darwin and hang out with him and hug him ! Jared's the best. We reminisced about good times... That very first night Melanie introduced me and Laura to Ian and Jared and we met crazy Wolf man. On that same night me and Jared got peed on by Melanie (!!! EPIC!!!)... We also thought about Magnetic Island and Airlie along other stuff. Damn. If only Jared would be going to Indonesia in December instead of September.
After skyping with Jared and reading one message on fb that wasn't reall the most pleasant one, I started feeling a bit anxious about going back. I am pretty sure it's the sleep deprivation that's talking, but I just really started doubting my purpose in my life back home. It felt a bit like in January, when I was returning home from my four month trip - returning to nothing (no school, no job etc). I tried to remind myself that it was just an illusion because I have everything going on for me back home - I'll be working non stop in August, i'll be volunteer working at this festival and getting free tickets to it, i'm gonna start going to the gym again and school is about to start in late August. But somehow just knowing, that I would go back to Finland with the mentality of saving up again so I could get away go traveling again felt a bit depressing. It feels crazy to have this strong urge of wanting to get away...
Don't I really have anything in Finland that would make a difference to keep me from wanting to leave home again ?
That's the issue I've been resteling with on this trip. Am I really happy in Finland? Do I really wanna live there? Meeting Finnish people abroad is always such a dull reminder of how things are back home - everyone is just so "jäinen". No one can keep up a conversation (unless they are drunk) and although I would be the one that is trying to spark up the convo, the other participate just lacks the skills to maintain it. And talk about Finnish men. Oh God. Don't even get me started. When I came home from Morocco I had decided to stay back in Finland to study, because I had a lot of shit going on and I knew I wouldn't have been able to cope on my own in a foreing country without my safety net. But now that I feel like i'm over those dark times, I feel like there's really no reason why I should stay home, in Finland.
The only reason why I would consider living and studying in Finland is that uni is free and I can make a lot more money -so I can go traveling again- in my country compared to most of the countries. Unless we are talking about Australia with a minimum wage of $18.5 per hour. Jared actually just told me that he gets $20 an hour but with tips $30.. He said he worked yesterday for 5,5 hours and made _150_ dollars. But yeah. The uni isn't free in Australia... It's pretty much the opposite, at least the ones I looked at some two years ago.
Yeah. I don't really know... I've been planning I should at least do an exchange year after this one. That would give me one year in Finland, second one in exchange and the third one in one of the partner universities abroad (in Madrid I hope!). The final year, the fourth one, has a work practice term of five months, and it is recommended to do abroad - which I would totally do of course. So I would only be in Finalnd for some 1,5 years or so. Unless they wouldn't recognise my studies on my exchange year. I think I wanna go visit CIMO - the place where they took us in high school. Maybe they would be able to sort my life out a bit for myself.
But I must say. When I was surfing in Portugal, I just felt so happy. "This is what I wanna do in my spare time", I thought to myself for the tenth time. And surfing is not something you can do in Finland (unless you are totally passionate, crazy and ridiculous).
We'll see.
Ps. I've just been so happy during these past five weeks that I don't want it to go away.
I was almost left outside of the terminal at 00:30 because I lacked any papers of my flight what so ever.
Security guard infront of the gates of terminal 2:
"Su tarjeta de embarque por favor."
"...............No tengo."
"No tarjeta, no pasar."
"Pero.. no tengo."
"No puede pasar. Abiertan en las seis."
At this point I thought that I was in deep shit. I was trying to recall whether it had been ever necessary print out any forms (disregarding Ryanair's flights) or was a passport just fine to be able to check in. I began to panic that I would not get home. Or that I would have to wait outside the terminal for 5,5 hours..........
"Estás sola?"
"Sí.."
"Ok, pasa"
"MUCHOS GRACIAS."
I think the security guard realized I wouldn't be well off on my own with all my luggage and no where to go to (except terminal 1), waiting outside in the dark for the clock to struck six.
There was no way I was going to risk missing my flight (again) so sleeping was not an option. So I purchased 24 h wifi with 10 euros and pretty much made a camp in one corner. I sat in that very same place for 7 hours... Holy fuck. Thank god my friends have insomnia and Hector was on facebook to keep me company. Later on I saw Jared online and we skyped for half an hour!!! Man do I miss him so incredibly much. He is one of my all time favourite people I met in Australia and I still keep in contact with him. It was so good to see his face and hear his voice and I wished I could've just jumped through the screen to Darwin and hang out with him and hug him ! Jared's the best. We reminisced about good times... That very first night Melanie introduced me and Laura to Ian and Jared and we met crazy Wolf man. On that same night me and Jared got peed on by Melanie (!!! EPIC!!!)... We also thought about Magnetic Island and Airlie along other stuff. Damn. If only Jared would be going to Indonesia in December instead of September.
After skyping with Jared and reading one message on fb that wasn't reall the most pleasant one, I started feeling a bit anxious about going back. I am pretty sure it's the sleep deprivation that's talking, but I just really started doubting my purpose in my life back home. It felt a bit like in January, when I was returning home from my four month trip - returning to nothing (no school, no job etc). I tried to remind myself that it was just an illusion because I have everything going on for me back home - I'll be working non stop in August, i'll be volunteer working at this festival and getting free tickets to it, i'm gonna start going to the gym again and school is about to start in late August. But somehow just knowing, that I would go back to Finland with the mentality of saving up again so I could get away go traveling again felt a bit depressing. It feels crazy to have this strong urge of wanting to get away...
Don't I really have anything in Finland that would make a difference to keep me from wanting to leave home again ?
That's the issue I've been resteling with on this trip. Am I really happy in Finland? Do I really wanna live there? Meeting Finnish people abroad is always such a dull reminder of how things are back home - everyone is just so "jäinen". No one can keep up a conversation (unless they are drunk) and although I would be the one that is trying to spark up the convo, the other participate just lacks the skills to maintain it. And talk about Finnish men. Oh God. Don't even get me started. When I came home from Morocco I had decided to stay back in Finland to study, because I had a lot of shit going on and I knew I wouldn't have been able to cope on my own in a foreing country without my safety net. But now that I feel like i'm over those dark times, I feel like there's really no reason why I should stay home, in Finland.
The only reason why I would consider living and studying in Finland is that uni is free and I can make a lot more money -so I can go traveling again- in my country compared to most of the countries. Unless we are talking about Australia with a minimum wage of $18.5 per hour. Jared actually just told me that he gets $20 an hour but with tips $30.. He said he worked yesterday for 5,5 hours and made _150_ dollars. But yeah. The uni isn't free in Australia... It's pretty much the opposite, at least the ones I looked at some two years ago.
Yeah. I don't really know... I've been planning I should at least do an exchange year after this one. That would give me one year in Finland, second one in exchange and the third one in one of the partner universities abroad (in Madrid I hope!). The final year, the fourth one, has a work practice term of five months, and it is recommended to do abroad - which I would totally do of course. So I would only be in Finalnd for some 1,5 years or so. Unless they wouldn't recognise my studies on my exchange year. I think I wanna go visit CIMO - the place where they took us in high school. Maybe they would be able to sort my life out a bit for myself.
But I must say. When I was surfing in Portugal, I just felt so happy. "This is what I wanna do in my spare time", I thought to myself for the tenth time. And surfing is not something you can do in Finland (unless you are totally passionate, crazy and ridiculous).
We'll see.
Ps. I've just been so happy during these past five weeks that I don't want it to go away.
A Backpacker Will Always Find A Way
19.7 Arriving in Salou, Spain
Arriving in Salou, Spain was just like I had expected - a bit of an adventure but nothing a backpacker couldn't get through. I didn't have a map, a clue where Salou was or how to get there from Reus’ airport nor any idea whether anyone (Mia or her family that is) would be home. But a backpacker will always find a way.
So I got off the plane and hurried to the bus as all the other people were hopping on cabs. I was so proud that I managed to sort out instructions how to get to Mia's address by asking the bus driver with my basic Spanish I hadn't used since my senior year in high school. When I hopped off the bus and found the street Mia was supposedly living on with her family, I started laughing with failure. Just as I had suspected - the apartment buildings were huge and consist of many many flats so there was no way you could go knocking on each door trying to find the right door. I had of course been given only the address and the buildings number, but no info what so ever on which apartment it would be :D
I also realized that there would be no way of getting in the actual yard since all the buildings were surrounded by gates that you needed a key to. I decided to ignore the problem and just call George (cause Mia's phone didn't work) when I would find the right building. Just then I saw a man sitting in a car, and just as I wondered wtf he was doing there alone sitting in the dark in the middle in a car- a girl's head came up from his lap. Oh how awkward, road head, i'm outta here! :D Walk passed the car and tried not to laugh.
I was lucky though, as soon as I arrived infront of the right apartment building, some people that were staying there were about to enter the gates and they let me inside too ! Karma was feeling a bit generous as turned out that the couple knew exactly whom I was looking for since they were neighbours from across the O'Shea family's door ! Just as I had thought, no one was home. So I finally called George who was in Barcelona but he was such a babe that he called Mia's mom, Nina, to let her know I was infront of their door. I sat there, in the hallway, on my backpack flicking the lights on every minute or two just so I could keep on reading the book Tom gave me (The Marching Powder by Rusty Young). I only waited like 5-10 minutes but I was so happy to see Greg and Nina come up the stairs and ran to hug them. They fed me as I waited for Mia and Dan. I was so excited to see Mia but the poor thing was sick so we decided to go to bed straight away and catch up tomorrow.
Arriving in Salou, Spain was just like I had expected - a bit of an adventure but nothing a backpacker couldn't get through. I didn't have a map, a clue where Salou was or how to get there from Reus’ airport nor any idea whether anyone (Mia or her family that is) would be home. But a backpacker will always find a way.
So I got off the plane and hurried to the bus as all the other people were hopping on cabs. I was so proud that I managed to sort out instructions how to get to Mia's address by asking the bus driver with my basic Spanish I hadn't used since my senior year in high school. When I hopped off the bus and found the street Mia was supposedly living on with her family, I started laughing with failure. Just as I had suspected - the apartment buildings were huge and consist of many many flats so there was no way you could go knocking on each door trying to find the right door. I had of course been given only the address and the buildings number, but no info what so ever on which apartment it would be :D
I also realized that there would be no way of getting in the actual yard since all the buildings were surrounded by gates that you needed a key to. I decided to ignore the problem and just call George (cause Mia's phone didn't work) when I would find the right building. Just then I saw a man sitting in a car, and just as I wondered wtf he was doing there alone sitting in the dark in the middle in a car- a girl's head came up from his lap. Oh how awkward, road head, i'm outta here! :D Walk passed the car and tried not to laugh.
I was lucky though, as soon as I arrived infront of the right apartment building, some people that were staying there were about to enter the gates and they let me inside too ! Karma was feeling a bit generous as turned out that the couple knew exactly whom I was looking for since they were neighbours from across the O'Shea family's door ! Just as I had thought, no one was home. So I finally called George who was in Barcelona but he was such a babe that he called Mia's mom, Nina, to let her know I was infront of their door. I sat there, in the hallway, on my backpack flicking the lights on every minute or two just so I could keep on reading the book Tom gave me (The Marching Powder by Rusty Young). I only waited like 5-10 minutes but I was so happy to see Greg and Nina come up the stairs and ran to hug them. They fed me as I waited for Mia and Dan. I was so excited to see Mia but the poor thing was sick so we decided to go to bed straight away and catch up tomorrow.
On the plane to Reus, Spain
19.7 On the plane to Reus, Spain
Destiny. It's a pretty interesting thing. We realized last night with Edwina, that if I hadn't met Tom, I wouldn't have been in Nottingham to meet my dear Aussie girl, because I was just so against the idea of wasting my interrail time in England. It's crazy to realize how many combinations of coincidences can affect a matter. The three Belgians are a big key in the story. Basically, these things had to happen in order for me to get to Nottingham: If Tom hadn't left on monday, I wouldn't have had a day to kill before my flight, so I wouldn't have gone to see Edwina. I wouldn't even had come to England, If I hadn't met Tom. I wouldn't have met Tom, if I hadn't stayed at the same hostel as him. I wouldn't have gone to the hostel we stayed in, If I hadn't met the three Belgian guys, who asked me to come there. And I wouldn't have met the Belgians on the train, If they had taken the right train (they were really supposed to go to Copenhagen but unfortunately - or should I say luckily - they got on the wrong train to Poznan). I wouldn't also be in Poznan if I hadn't been there to see Natalia, whom I met in Australia, and Barbara, whom I met in Mexico. So yeah. Chain of events. Butterfly effect. I don't think we would've gotten along so easily with Tom if I hadn't gone to Oz. Because I went backpacking there, we had something in common, we clicked, liked spending time with each other, and he asked me to come to London.
I'm currently on the plane to Reus, Barcelona. Honestly, I'm pretty happy getting away form England. I just hate it how much they patronise and monitor everything. I mean, they have cameras everywhere, monitoring everything. "To prevent crime." England really has an atmosphere like in that book 1984.. Also the fact that they have all these fucking signs and announcements guiding you with everything, is doing my head in. "Mind the gap", "Please wait for your bag to move before place another one here", "Watch out for pickpockets", "Look left and right before crossing" and so forth. It really gives this feeling of the English government treating the citizens like a bunch of dumb twats that have to be guided with everything. Like a herd of blind sheep.
I might've had a bit of a wtf am I supposed to do -moment at the airport when I tried calling Mia. Her Finnish phone was turned off. Fuuuuuck. She gave me like no instructions at all how to get to their Villa in Salou. The only thing she said that there is a bus from the airport and get of at plaza Europa... err. So I just had to pay a horrible £5 on my credit card to use the Internet so I could check my facebook for Mike's/George's numbers. See, Mia's family (Mike=her big bro, my ex-classmate) and our mate George are in Salou too. Thankfully George had been a doll and had posted me the address of the place they were staying at :) Got Mike's number from a mutual friend and called him on my Finnish phone... gaaah wonder how much that will cost me :S So. It'll be interesting to see, if I do find this place :D I just know, that because this stupid flight was 20 minutes late, i'm gonna arrive at the airport at 23:20 and checking out and getting my bags will probs take another 30 minutes... So fuck, I really hope Mia and her boyfriend Dan or her parents will be home when I rock up at 1 AM. Somehow I doubt it.. Guess i'll just get some grub and sit on the steps with my backpack waiting for these two drunksters to come home.
PS. Edwina took me to Primark today so I could buy PJ shorts... and I went completely spastic.. £1 for undies ?!? fuck yes. Love that store.
PPS. WTF WE ARE LANDING ??? I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE ANOTHER 2 HOURS. L-O-L, ok, so, seems like i'll be in Spain already at ten ! wheeeee :):):):) STOKED MONSTER.
Destiny. It's a pretty interesting thing. We realized last night with Edwina, that if I hadn't met Tom, I wouldn't have been in Nottingham to meet my dear Aussie girl, because I was just so against the idea of wasting my interrail time in England. It's crazy to realize how many combinations of coincidences can affect a matter. The three Belgians are a big key in the story. Basically, these things had to happen in order for me to get to Nottingham: If Tom hadn't left on monday, I wouldn't have had a day to kill before my flight, so I wouldn't have gone to see Edwina. I wouldn't even had come to England, If I hadn't met Tom. I wouldn't have met Tom, if I hadn't stayed at the same hostel as him. I wouldn't have gone to the hostel we stayed in, If I hadn't met the three Belgian guys, who asked me to come there. And I wouldn't have met the Belgians on the train, If they had taken the right train (they were really supposed to go to Copenhagen but unfortunately - or should I say luckily - they got on the wrong train to Poznan). I wouldn't also be in Poznan if I hadn't been there to see Natalia, whom I met in Australia, and Barbara, whom I met in Mexico. So yeah. Chain of events. Butterfly effect. I don't think we would've gotten along so easily with Tom if I hadn't gone to Oz. Because I went backpacking there, we had something in common, we clicked, liked spending time with each other, and he asked me to come to London.
I'm currently on the plane to Reus, Barcelona. Honestly, I'm pretty happy getting away form England. I just hate it how much they patronise and monitor everything. I mean, they have cameras everywhere, monitoring everything. "To prevent crime." England really has an atmosphere like in that book 1984.. Also the fact that they have all these fucking signs and announcements guiding you with everything, is doing my head in. "Mind the gap", "Please wait for your bag to move before place another one here", "Watch out for pickpockets", "Look left and right before crossing" and so forth. It really gives this feeling of the English government treating the citizens like a bunch of dumb twats that have to be guided with everything. Like a herd of blind sheep.
I might've had a bit of a wtf am I supposed to do -moment at the airport when I tried calling Mia. Her Finnish phone was turned off. Fuuuuuck. She gave me like no instructions at all how to get to their Villa in Salou. The only thing she said that there is a bus from the airport and get of at plaza Europa... err. So I just had to pay a horrible £5 on my credit card to use the Internet so I could check my facebook for Mike's/George's numbers. See, Mia's family (Mike=her big bro, my ex-classmate) and our mate George are in Salou too. Thankfully George had been a doll and had posted me the address of the place they were staying at :) Got Mike's number from a mutual friend and called him on my Finnish phone... gaaah wonder how much that will cost me :S So. It'll be interesting to see, if I do find this place :D I just know, that because this stupid flight was 20 minutes late, i'm gonna arrive at the airport at 23:20 and checking out and getting my bags will probs take another 30 minutes... So fuck, I really hope Mia and her boyfriend Dan or her parents will be home when I rock up at 1 AM. Somehow I doubt it.. Guess i'll just get some grub and sit on the steps with my backpack waiting for these two drunksters to come home.
PS. Edwina took me to Primark today so I could buy PJ shorts... and I went completely spastic.. £1 for undies ?!? fuck yes. Love that store.
PPS. WTF WE ARE LANDING ??? I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE ANOTHER 2 HOURS. L-O-L, ok, so, seems like i'll be in Spain already at ten ! wheeeee :):):):) STOKED MONSTER.
keskiviikko 3. elokuuta 2011
Good Mornings and Goodbyes
18.7 On the train to Nottingham
Sitting on the train and waiting for it to leave. I have a day to kill before my flight tomorrow to Reus, Barcelona, so I thought I'd go see Edwina. She's the cool aussie chick I met in Poland in my hostel, the one I danced in Deadmau5 half naked with. But it's good to be on the move again. Tom and the boys left today. Farewells... not my favourite thing in the world. A dreadful sound of the alarm waking us up, marking the last half an hour we shared before their departure. Some tears may have been exchanged on my part. But.. we'll meet.
Sitting on the train and waiting for it to leave. I have a day to kill before my flight tomorrow to Reus, Barcelona, so I thought I'd go see Edwina. She's the cool aussie chick I met in Poland in my hostel, the one I danced in Deadmau5 half naked with. But it's good to be on the move again. Tom and the boys left today. Farewells... not my favourite thing in the world. A dreadful sound of the alarm waking us up, marking the last half an hour we shared before their departure. Some tears may have been exchanged on my part. But.. we'll meet.
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