Blow your nose weather

I have 20 minutes to write something. Tomorrow we depart for New Zealand and leave all this blow your nose weather as Dermot calls it behind.

It's cold.

Since we left Prague we've really felt the ensuing winter months.

But in Poland it added to the atmosphere. I dunno, stereotype or not, I just consider Poland one of those cold countries. And it was.

Anyway, Prague.

Beer crawls, tourists, and theives. It's a beautiful city. I say that a lot here, but I mean it this time. Take away the bazillion tourists, and it's eastern Europe serene.

Somebody stole my wallet in our hostel. We know who it is, we've canceled the card, the company is investigating it, Dermot and I look forward to having our 3,500 EUR returned to us as soon as possible. Unforunately, when something like this happens it puts a damper on the city itself, but I think once the money is returned and the case is closed I'll look back on our 4 days there more fondly.

Picture this, we're in Krakow, Poland, in the expansive, hopping town squre. We go to get money out of the ATM and it says that we've already spent our daily limit. But we've been on a train all day, how could that be? Where's my credit card Dermot? Cause it's not in my purse. It's a beautiful evening in Krakow, early birds are going to dinner, people are coming home from work, music is humming loudly, and then there's me in front of the chapel ripping through my luggage in a way that would make Jack the Ripper proud and screaming it's gone! It's gone! My wallet is gone.

Eh, we went through the emotions, drank the 11 free shots of vodka our hostel was offering that night and finished the night with a little Polish kareoke.

We saw the tiny Krakow the next day. I can understand why Pope John Paul II was proud to call it his home, the city of his life. It was quaint and medieval and very walkable.

We then headed to Warsaw, Poland. Which was a huge city in comparison. Thankfully our hostel was in a perfect location, otherwise it would've been too much. We saw what we could though, considering we arrived at the Jewish cemetary an hour and a half after it closed THANK YOU LONELY PLANET. Anyway, we saw a Christian cemetary that was equally as moving. I can't express how shocking it is to actually see the countless grey headstones that mark deaths at the year 1944.

The Warsaw Rising monument was equally compelling. The Polish have some history. It was a very moving city. And it has a wonderful old town, that despite being completely rebuilt in the 1970s looks like you've stepped back in time when the Polish actually had the opportunity and the wealth to create and flourish in their own right.

Off to Berlin. The first night we arrived in really late so we only had some time to get some food and drinks and soak up the night life, pacing ourselves for the next day. We took a 4 hour walking tour around the city which was so great because we really saw everything. Berlin is freaking awesome and I will jump at the opportunity to come back. Vibrant, historical city. It's awesome.

That's the justice I can do it, Berlin is awesome.

I'm rushing to write this, gimme credit!

This whirlwind tour of Europe has been exactly that. A whirlwind. Day long train rides, 8 hours to sightsee massive cities, ...hangover days.

I can't believe we did it. I can't believe this European chapter is closing, for now.

Amsterdam, hehe, I really haven't been the same since.
Munich, it's weiners and pretzels and beer halls.
Interlaken, heaven on earth.
Vienna, and the cult of KFC.
Romania, look at all the COLOURS.
And all those twisting, revealing train rides.
And so much more...

Dermot took a picture of me throwing out our Europe On A Shoestring book as I made room for our New Zealand travel guide in our carry on bag.

I'M SO EXCITED. We're so excited.

We depart tomorrow, Oct 28th and we land Oct 30th in Auckland.

We'll say hi then, from the otherside of the world.

In the meantime, GO PHILLIES!!!