#21

EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE 2012

From the 6th of July to the 25th I set out among with 50 other's to experience parts of Europe. I took part in a contiki trip which not only was a highlight of my months abroad but made me part of one large drunken, disorderly and very hungover family. 

We had a child, Piglet who loves to root, even now long after the trip has ended. We buffaloed (If you get caught drinking from your right hand you must skull your drink or risk everyone yelling out 'YOU ARE A WANKER' till you finished it) ourselves the whole 20 days with some being able to hold more than others. I for one could not drink 20 days straight.

We stayed in some strange, amazing, large, upgraded places and fell in love with cities and countries along the way. The people on our trip soon felt like friends we had known for years and not under a month. From Australia where at least 50% of us resided, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa we bonded. 

We were on a tour. However though with the days we had to ourselves, a chance to explore with our friends and see the sites we wanted to, gather all the postcards we needed (in my case I gathered postcards) it felt less like one. 

Never had I walked so much in my life, my feet constantly hurt and I complained more than once to Alana and others that I was going to need some new one's by the time I got home. We travelled among the many train systems, each with their own name (Paris was called the METRO for example) not to mention using the little knowledge we had to speak French, Italian, German and if you knew it Dutch - though they were very good at English so it make it a lot easier in Switzerland and Amsterdam.

We tried foods in which we never would have in Australia, we failed to work out the conversations rate and we experienced the after emotions of being pick-pocketed (my new friend Marian was). Though aside from that we experienced the traditional culture of the countries we visited. Some places take your breath away knowing how long they have stayed standing (yeah they have gotten some help but they still stand) or better yet built from ruins. We also are the contiki group which has the 2nd best record for the amount of people that can fit in a giant clog of a shoe. Though due to the 1st group's artistically advantage we consider ourselves first! 

Of course the shopping was only an added benefit to the trip. When you have saved for over a year for a trip a little shopping around Europe here and there can be called for. Though on the trip (I found aside from the Church attire we hunted down for The Vatican) it seemed my suitcase was filled more with presents for others than so myself. All those presents I had to get on account of telling my friends on their 21st's I'd get them overseas for you. Suddenly carrying around mostly presents didn't seem all that exciting, mainly because I didn't get to keep them. 

When people ask me how contiki was, I don't think to the bud bugs we always feared or the dinner where I ate just potatoes (I don't eat pork and they didn't give me anything else) not to mention the 2 TIMES I was sick with what became known as the 'contiki cough' and had to see a doctor in Austria. They were all simple just bumps along the way. We drank, we partied on our broken back window of a bus, we drank some more and took part in optional tourist events that we will never EVER forget. 

I loved contiki and I can't wait to catch up with some of the friends I've made. I'd be willing to do another one but I know, nothing will replace the family 2012 has brought me

coming next post:

photo's from contiki

xoxo