ISTANBUL
I learnt a couple of things by coming to Istanbul!
One: Istanbul is not the capital of Turkey ( totally didn't know that)
Two: the city is split over two continents europe and Asia.
Three: I love it there!
I was completely shocked when we arrived in Turkey. I though it would be really dirty and there be homeless people and beggars around everywhere!
It was actually nothing like that many of the other cities we went to in western Europe were heaps worse than Istanbul for example Napoli, that place freaked me out!
Anyways, I spent the day shopping in the bazar and brought some beautiful scarfs, we then headed to the Turkish bath! Apparently this is the 365th thing you have to do before you die according to some book!
However it is not for people who dont like to show a lot of skin because you have to bare just about all!
Firstly you are given a pair of underwear and a sarong and get changed. You then head into a sauna like room with a big round stone in the middle which you lay on. After about 15-20 mins later you head over to the scrubbing ladies who scrub you down with an exfoliating glove and lather you up with bubbles they then through water on you and wash your hair. You then go and chillax in a spa bath type thing. You can then go and get an oil massage, mud mask and pedicure!
All this is done in a pair of underwear!!!!! Its lucky that I am pretty blind so I didn't have to see old lady boobs lol!!'
You come out so relaxed and your skin feels A-MAZ-ING!!!
Another thing that was great to experience was prayer time! "Good" Muslims pray 5 times a day and at 12pm the towers outside the 2000 mosques in Istanbul say the prays. Many of the shops in the Bazars closed and while waking past mosques there were tons of people praying outside because the mosques were full!
It was a really great experience and I would love to go back there one day!
Xxx
Monday, 4 July 2011
Gallipoli - lest we forget
GALLIPOLI
If you didnt already know, I am a big history fan and love reading/studying world wars, so when i saw that this tour was going to Gallipoli i was instantly sold!
Thanks to my dad, I have inherited to the gene of crying at almost anything (books, tv shows, songs ect) so me crying was a given! However I didn't know what the atmosphere would be like with 46 other people, some who didn't know anything about Gallipoli (Americans, Canadians) and thought others wouldn't be interested or emotional!
I was wrong.
Driving through the Gallipoli peninsula, our tour manager Kellie gave everyone a run down about the Anzacs and the battle at Anzac cove. Listen to the story I was fighting back tears however when I looked up an saw that Kellie was crying I lost it!
We arrived at the cove and were given an hour to walk along the beach. I have never seen 46 people more quiet in life! Everyone was so wrapped up in the surroundings and taking in the area.
After the hour we jumped back on the bus Kellie played the last post (evoking many more tears from me) and we headed up to Lone Pine cemetery.
Reading some of the inscriptions on the grave stones was heart wrenching! It was such a lovely place with magnificent view over the bay!
Overall it was an extremely emotional day but I am soo happy that I got to go there and see the place where so many men sacrificed there lives for Australia.
Lest we forget
Xxxx
If you didnt already know, I am a big history fan and love reading/studying world wars, so when i saw that this tour was going to Gallipoli i was instantly sold!
Thanks to my dad, I have inherited to the gene of crying at almost anything (books, tv shows, songs ect) so me crying was a given! However I didn't know what the atmosphere would be like with 46 other people, some who didn't know anything about Gallipoli (Americans, Canadians) and thought others wouldn't be interested or emotional!
I was wrong.
Driving through the Gallipoli peninsula, our tour manager Kellie gave everyone a run down about the Anzacs and the battle at Anzac cove. Listen to the story I was fighting back tears however when I looked up an saw that Kellie was crying I lost it!
We arrived at the cove and were given an hour to walk along the beach. I have never seen 46 people more quiet in life! Everyone was so wrapped up in the surroundings and taking in the area.
After the hour we jumped back on the bus Kellie played the last post (evoking many more tears from me) and we headed up to Lone Pine cemetery.
Reading some of the inscriptions on the grave stones was heart wrenching! It was such a lovely place with magnificent view over the bay!
Overall it was an extremely emotional day but I am soo happy that I got to go there and see the place where so many men sacrificed there lives for Australia.
Lest we forget
Xxxx
The wonderful world of Corfu
CORFU
I'm skipping ahead here to day 16 here, not because the others places were crap but most were very action packed and I cant really be bothered typing that much :)
So Corfu...
I had never heard of Corfu before and only after booking the tour did I know it was in Greece!
I know I have said this about every other place I have been to but Corfu is wonderful! It didn't look how I expected ( cliffs covered on white house with sparkling blue water below, apparently that is santarini) but was still fantastic! We got to spend 3 full days here and we spent probably three quarters of that time at the beach, only emerging to do a beer run at the market ( 1 big beer was 1.20 euro, bargain)
One of the days we were there we went on George's boat, a cruise around to lots of different swimming spots and to skinny dippy island ;) This is the day I decided I didnt want to wear sunscreen and got really really sunburnt! Was in so much pain that afternoon! Meet an older couple from Ireland who swore by putting natural yoghurt on sunburn and I was desperate enough to try it! Lol! Not really sure if it worked but it was cold so it helped a bit!
Our third day on the island we spent by the pool! We were all pretty sunburnt and there was no shade on the beach so we hired loungers and sat by the pool for the whole day!
I wish I could upload some photos to prove to you that it is beautiful but you will just have to believe me until I get home!
Xxxx
I'm skipping ahead here to day 16 here, not because the others places were crap but most were very action packed and I cant really be bothered typing that much :)
So Corfu...
I had never heard of Corfu before and only after booking the tour did I know it was in Greece!
I know I have said this about every other place I have been to but Corfu is wonderful! It didn't look how I expected ( cliffs covered on white house with sparkling blue water below, apparently that is santarini) but was still fantastic! We got to spend 3 full days here and we spent probably three quarters of that time at the beach, only emerging to do a beer run at the market ( 1 big beer was 1.20 euro, bargain)
One of the days we were there we went on George's boat, a cruise around to lots of different swimming spots and to skinny dippy island ;) This is the day I decided I didnt want to wear sunscreen and got really really sunburnt! Was in so much pain that afternoon! Meet an older couple from Ireland who swore by putting natural yoghurt on sunburn and I was desperate enough to try it! Lol! Not really sure if it worked but it was cold so it helped a bit!
Our third day on the island we spent by the pool! We were all pretty sunburnt and there was no shade on the beach so we hired loungers and sat by the pool for the whole day!
I wish I could upload some photos to prove to you that it is beautiful but you will just have to believe me until I get home!
Xxxx
Saturday, 2 July 2011
The wonderful world of canals!
So I have decided to start blogging again with Venice! Venice was day 9 & 10 of the tour! Day 9 was the day we spent driving to there however we also stopped off at Verona on the way and saw Juliet's balcony ( if you have seen the movie Letters to Juliet, the balcony we went to is where they leave all the love letters and it looks just like that!) I also hit up some really cool markets and brought some pretty cool souvenirs for some pretty cool people! ;)
The camping ground we stayed at was a Contiki site meaning that there were Contiki people that live on site and know lots about the area and most importantly party with you!
Once we set up our tents we had dinner (sweet and sour pork) and had a few drinks! I brought a bottle of wine and drank it myself then we all headed to the bar/club at the camp ground! The bar had an awesome drink called Amnesia and as you can guess they are pretty potent. Had a couple of them and danced the night away!
As you can probably guess I wasn't feeling 100% the next morning and the first thing we had to do was jump on a boat and head over into the city of Venice! We had a pretty action packed day today with a walking tour around the city, then a bit of free time, a glass blowing demonstration (apparently that's another thing Venice is famous for! Who knew!) then spent the afternoon gondolaing (totally just made that word up) through the canals!
I absolutely loved Venice and the best thing to do is to get yourself lost! They have some great markets and amazing views!
One tip though: bring heaps of insect repellent because you will be EATEN ALIVE by mosquitoes!
Xxxx
The camping ground we stayed at was a Contiki site meaning that there were Contiki people that live on site and know lots about the area and most importantly party with you!
Once we set up our tents we had dinner (sweet and sour pork) and had a few drinks! I brought a bottle of wine and drank it myself then we all headed to the bar/club at the camp ground! The bar had an awesome drink called Amnesia and as you can guess they are pretty potent. Had a couple of them and danced the night away!
As you can probably guess I wasn't feeling 100% the next morning and the first thing we had to do was jump on a boat and head over into the city of Venice! We had a pretty action packed day today with a walking tour around the city, then a bit of free time, a glass blowing demonstration (apparently that's another thing Venice is famous for! Who knew!) then spent the afternoon gondolaing (totally just made that word up) through the canals!
I absolutely loved Venice and the best thing to do is to get yourself lost! They have some great markets and amazing views!
One tip though: bring heaps of insect repellent because you will be EATEN ALIVE by mosquitoes!
Xxxx
Catch up
I'm going to start off by apologizing for the lack of blogging and try and make it up to you all by doing a run down of some of my favorite days on tour so far!
Please keep in mind that im using the Internet on my iPod and using free wifi so it may not be brilliant!
Xxx
Please keep in mind that im using the Internet on my iPod and using free wifi so it may not be brilliant!
Xxx
Friday, 17 June 2011
CIAO FROM ITALY!!!
Buongiorno peeps!
Currently in italy if you can't already tell, and this is the first real chance to use Internet.
I'm having a great time visiting all the different cities, so far we have spent 5 France, 2 nights in Spain and this is our third night (out of 7) in Italy. We arrived in Florence this afternoon after spending to nights in venice. Venice is absolutely amazing! It is impossible to find your way around and you will get lost! We got to have a bottle if champagne while on our gondola through the canals. Be warned though, if you are going to Venice (which you totally should) bring insecet repellent!!! Mosquitos are everywhere! We were given a tip to help keep the mossies away is to drink, so we took that advice to the next level and it totally works.
We stopped at the learning tower of Pisa today, and took many pics doing various things to it!
On day 4 we got to visit the 16th century contiki chateau in the Beaujolais wine region and got to do some wine tasting. It was great!
It's really warm over here at the moment and I got sunburnt in Venice, going to have an awesome tan when the redness dies down! :)
That's about all I have time for! Will try and update you all again soon!!!
Lots of love
Xxxxx
Currently in italy if you can't already tell, and this is the first real chance to use Internet.
I'm having a great time visiting all the different cities, so far we have spent 5 France, 2 nights in Spain and this is our third night (out of 7) in Italy. We arrived in Florence this afternoon after spending to nights in venice. Venice is absolutely amazing! It is impossible to find your way around and you will get lost! We got to have a bottle if champagne while on our gondola through the canals. Be warned though, if you are going to Venice (which you totally should) bring insecet repellent!!! Mosquitos are everywhere! We were given a tip to help keep the mossies away is to drink, so we took that advice to the next level and it totally works.
We stopped at the learning tower of Pisa today, and took many pics doing various things to it!
On day 4 we got to visit the 16th century contiki chateau in the Beaujolais wine region and got to do some wine tasting. It was great!
It's really warm over here at the moment and I got sunburnt in Venice, going to have an awesome tan when the redness dies down! :)
That's about all I have time for! Will try and update you all again soon!!!
Lots of love
Xxxxx
Wednesday, 1 June 2011
Well here goes...
So I'm about to embark on an amazing trip around Europe by MYSELF!! Kinda freaking out at the moment, but I know I can do it and that its going to be awesome.
My flight leaves at 2am on the 3rd of June and im arriving in London at approx 7:30pm! I hoping I don't have to sit next to somebody that wants to chat, because man its 2am! I just wanna sleep!
Also I wanna say thanks to everybody for their support and well-wishes! I really appreciate it!
Well that's about it for now because seriously I haven't even left yet! :)
Lots of love to everybody...
Sam
xxxx
oh and special thanks to Bronwyn for the amazing Blog name! Great Work!
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