The Start From Australia to Valencia

TheStart
This is a general warning to all readers I am a terrible speller and typist therefore just consider any typing or grematil errors as intentional, put in place English.

Well it has started the adventure of a lifetime the straight middle aged guy in a suit going through the slow process of bending to a normal guy or perhaps someone slightly more bent than normal. I am so happy I achieved my first goal; all my possessions for three months are in cabin baggage. Could have sacrificed the lap top and the camera then perhaps it would have been just the day pack.

The plan (for what it is worth), two weeks in Spain, a month in Corfu (Greece) three weeks of, Mmmm unsure perhaps Turkey and Croatia, then Thailand Laos and home around mid October.
It’s 7:15 PM I have been on the aircraft for 2.30 hours, haha still so far to go, 20 hours to London a 12 hour stop over and 2 hours to Barcelona Spain. And so the adventure starts, the young lady beside me on the plane is travelling through Europe and up to Ireland before coming back home and I think it’s her first trip by herself she usually travels with her 12 year old nephew mainly staying at Motels, all organised. How different we are, I could not stand to have the trip fully mapped out, I’m booked in Barcelona a bit sketchy about how I get to the Pension (bed), we will see what’s the worse that could happen, a night on the streets?

I may be rambling a little as I have had three small bottles of red wine on the plane (it will help with the deep vein stuff. because I will be getting up all night to go to the loo, thats my excuse anyway). Malabec from Argentina, a lovely mild red, perhaps a Merlo by another name.

A great send off at the airport Linda, (woops Lindy for mum, she still thinks Linda is from Thailand, don’t tell her) came down with me and Lucy came out to say good bye. A little sad but that’s the way it is, sometimes things that matter are hard to do. I can feel the stress of work slipping away as the shores of Australia disappear.

Just watched clash of the Titans during the flight and had a lovely curry to go with my red, I‘m thinking it’s time to read my new book on Spain. No bull fights to much gore. perhaps I will check when the tomato festival is on. Landed in Heathrow and thought I would break up the trip with a quick visit into London just a few hours and it passed in a blur. Back to Heathrow and on the plane to Barcelona,

Mmm navigation is up the shit, the sleeping in th egutter almost came to fruition. Arrived in Spain on the same night that the Spanish were playing the soccer finals, arrived in the suburbs of Barcelona at th estart of the game, the plan was to get to the pension and find a pub to watch the game. Only problem was that I turned right after I exited the metro, not left like I should have. After an hour and a half (about midnight) of pestering the locals (not that they could understand me) I ended up back at the metro, and you wouldn’t believe it, but 200 Metres in the correct direction (left), there was Pension Norma. The online reviews were wrong there was not greater than 100 steps up the stairs to reception, it was only 66 steps and I now know every one of them. I think I will beable to run up the stairs at Merewether now.

Barcelona is a great city so vibrant and interesting I just loved the old buildings and the design work. Also loved seeing the Picasso work, I think he was a bit naughty but.

Had a wonderful night, dinner in a restaurant, cusscuss, chicken and vegies oh and red wine. Surrounded by the noise of strange voices in a strange land, not understanding a word but sort of knowing what the conversations were about. The picture was perfect a long skinny restaurant everyone animated and gesturing to make a point, the different faces, the guy with the greco roman noise, the lady with the buff shoulders and her uncovered foot on the chair, the bald guy with the new tattoo on his neck. And afterwards, in the square the line up for the gelato ice cream, it is so hot everyone is out in the squares, a skill we have lost, the young and old sitting around in groups talking late into the night sharing a story or asking advice where we would be glued to the TV. I wish I could record this; a photograph would not do it justice.

Had a few beers with an Aussie (Grant) be is on a break from Afghanistan. He is a civilian (ex army) has been working as support over there on an US base for three years. He stays on base so relatively safe, but bad guys still lob rockets over the wall of the camp. He doesn’t know Ryan but it brought home a few truths again, it is the busiest it has been since he has been there and it will get worse over the next few months. I count the days until he comes home, woops better stop on that subject folks are looking at me wondering why thi sstrange person sitting in th ecorner is starting to tear up.

A night out in the tourisi traps of Barcelona, what a busy street too much fun and too many things to see. Must look alone have been approached by two ladies of the night.

Note to self: Barsalona pubs go to late but Metro closes at 11 PM.

Eventually gave up on trying to understand the bus system and settled on a taxi, yahoo he knew where I lived not that far. Mmm perhaps I should have tried that on the night I got lost, not that I saw any taxies they were probably watching the soccer.

Friday 16 July - I sit here in a busy cafeteria after my first night’s sleep in Valencia. I’m staying at a B&B between the old city and the beach (bus route 19 will be my home for a few nights). The B&B, a tiny room with my own bathroom (luxury), 30 Euros a night. I was chatting to a young Aussie girl on the train from Barcelona she has been paying the same for Hostels in shared rooms. The place I’m in is clean (except for the cockroach which made the receptionist scream). The room is super hot all night; I think my room is on a heater, but otherwise great (only 10 steps hehe).

The girls in the cafe are running past with fresh pastry setting up, the cafe is filling up people chatting and happy. This is the B&B breakfast, a coffee and croissant nice lucky I'm trying to keep the weight down. One of the things I can’t get over is the number of people with dogs out walking them in a busy city all shapes and sizes, n dth enumber who smoke everywhere. Wish I could speak a little Spanish.

Note to self: next time take the time out and listen to the Spanish CDs that you purchased before you come and try to learn a little.

I’m am so pissed off, although I have pulled my bag apart I realise I have left my Spain book at Barcelona, it’s not the book that matters it’s the photos that I had in there to keep flat, the ones I setup beside my bed each night, dam, dam.

A day at the aquarium - Another great day in my travel’s such a cool aquarium. The aquarium is next to ‘the city of art’ a walk from where I am staying. The city of art is a group of futuristic buildings focused around large pools of water, unbelievable cantilevered shapes, took some strange quirky minds to think of the building shapes. Then there is the aquarium, the range of fish is fantastic walking around there is lots to see from above with penguins, sea lions and an aviary, But it’s when you go below ground that the marine world opens up. At first thought you think there are just lost of big fish tanks, as you go further you realise that you have entered a tunnel and there are sharks, manta rays and fish of all sizes beside and above you, suddenly a diver plunges into the pool feeding the greedy fish. There are two tunnels one for sharks, rays and big fish and another with fish from a range of tropical areas. Although connected the tropical areas segregate the fish and specific regions are kept together. It was a hard choice on the fish I liked the most but finally it wasn’t a fish at all that was favourite but a tank full of jelly fish, they were doing a fantastic flamenco dance as they moved their transparent skirts propelling them gracefully through the water their skirts wafted like a fine piece of material in an updraft so cool with the light shining through them.

Went shopping at the grocery shop as I have been doing just stocking up on munchies and water. I carry 1.5 litres in my backpack whenever I go out. The bottled water in the sites costs around 2 Euro for 600 mls and 0.59c for 1.5 litres at the grocery shop, I guess they have to make a profit somehow. Also provides me with an opportunity to purchase some fruit.

Note to self: when buying fruit in shop make certain you weigh yourself and put a weight sticker on the bag otherwise checkout person will not be happy, hehe no fruit today.

I called Linda on Skype last night, so good to hear her voice even if I woke her up, also chatted talked to Clay on facebook this morning, each of the places I have stayed have had free unrestricted access wireless internet love my little laptop and the access it gives me. I have not heard from Ryan for some time nor have I seen him on facebook ( I use that a check to see if he is going OK if he is online he is ok). Checked with his girlfriend Alanna and she said they were having communication problems at his base.