Lets catch up part one…

I have not done very well at this blog thing….I believe it is supposed to be a frequent activity to do…this has obviously not happened, as you can see from my last post to now, it has been a while…

Like politicians I have promised a lot in this blog, and not delivered, so this post is to get you up-to-date with my life since the last post….

Had my leaving party. Was good, did not get as many guests as I had hoped but very pleased for those that made the effort to say goodbye.

Left to Europe, had a good flight, went with Cathay Pacific, (P.S the economy class recline in seats is very minimal – do not recommend! Especially when traveling for 24 hours!) got to London at 5am and could not check in to the hotel till 2pm so we had to do sightseeing on minimal sleep, and of course, london treated us to its wonderful weather (rain). Met up with my friend for dinner, which was great and got to sleep!!! In a bed!!! Heaven after traveling!!

We had two days in london, and did the whole tourist thing!

We then joined the group the next morning to go to France, with two early morning starts (on the same day), 1. A fire alarm where we left promptly outside the hotel, and 2. To actually get on the bus! The adventure and unpredictable was in full swing!

The countries I have been to with the [Contiki] tour…(listed below, with a little detail on experiences – I will try and detail in short as this blog will be long enough to get you up-to-date)

France

Paris – beautiful city!!!! Loved it. Arrived in the afternoon, and had a tour via the bus. With a quick detour to a French restaurant to taste escargot. Escargot is – chewy, tastes like dirt and tough. Tried it once, never again.Walked everywhere in Paris, walked up the Eiffel tower, saw the amazing view, and walked around to see, arc de triumph, champs elysee, louvre, notre dam, saint chappelle cathedral( beautiful stain glassed windows – floor to ceiling), sacre coure. Enjoyed the sun, the love and the baguettes!!! Dinner was onion soup – delish!, duck la’orange (have to taste the delicacies of the countries I am in – food is a huge part of the culture!)

We then went to a cabaret show, saw the cancan, the beautiful dancers and all the theatrics!

Beaujolais Wine Region - Stayed in a 400 year old château (Chateau de Cruix) – beautiful!!! Had a “P” party in

the wine cellar/basement – the start of many great drinking nights!!! French picnic on top of a hill, after an hour of climbing straight up in the heat!!!

French Riviera - HOT HOT HOT…boiling hot!! And beautiful! We arrived and were “treated” to frogs’ legs – one bite, spat it back out and the rest of the frog went in the bin! We went to Monaco, Monte Carlo, walked a lot in the heat, by the time we got to the casino, all make up was gone! The heat + a beautiful glow = no make up and not great photos!

We gambled 5 Euros, high roller – I know… then went down to the Fairmont hotel for a

cocktail. After great deliberation we agreed we will get one cocktail as the cost is 20 Euros each – about $40 nzd for one drink! Ordered the mojito’s, 30minutes later we got the drinks and pushed for time, we had to scull our drinks!!! We paid 20 Euros, and drunk our drinks in 30 seconds….all class when in Monte Carlo.

Next day we went and saw the French Riviera by boat – great for the tan! And beautiful yachts!!!

Italy

I love this country!!!! And can be described as YUM!!!!

Florence - Our first stop! Beautiful city, got to our accommodation, had to eat quickly, and we could not wait for our first drink! Went to a bar with a happy hour, which sold 1 litre picthers, lets just say after 1 litre of Long Island Ice Tea and a shot or two…the night was in full swing…lets just say i learnt a bit more about the Italian culture then some others did….

The next morning we were supposed to go on a walking tour, great idea before the cocktails…not so great the morning after. Went and took a few photos, then went back to sleep!!! Much needed

sleep. That night we had a “real” Italian dinner, and I absolutely LOVED it!! Beautiful antipasto platter (just thinking about this meal makes me want to be back in Italy), three different pastas (I thought this was the main)…there was more, meatballs next, then chicken then dessert!!!! Lets just say after the pasta, I could not fit much

more in…. We then went out to space discotheque…this was a discotheque that has teenagers and tweens, and then their mums and grandparents in the corner…odd.

Rome - A lot of history, saw the colleseum, went to Vatican City , Trevi Fountain (BUSY- but gorgeous, loved the peach colours of the buildings surrounding it) ate gelato (yum) ate pizza (Yum and yum)… had a great pool at the accommodation had a few dips in the pool, loved it! Had an ABC party (Anything But Clothing) I thought our outfits were original, naked women on aprons…

Venice – BEAUTIFUL,

LOVED it! Monique and me did our own thing and got lost in the city and absolutely loved it… had a delish meal of gnocci and tomato, mozzarella, balsamic salad (yum)…

Our Quick stops in Italy … Verona – beautiful town (Juliets Balcony), rubbed a breast for good luck in love (still waiting for that luck to get in to action…), Pompeii, was interesting but not amazing…. Pisa - it is still leaning :)

Greece

Corfu – LOVED IT, don’t let me leave!!!! Sunbathed, beautiful accommodation, beautiful beaches, beautiful pool, not so beautiful was the hike to our apartment (which was the highest one!). went on a boat for a day and went to different parts of the island, the sea was so so so clear!!! Sunbathed some more, skinny dipped, and sunbathed some more!!! What more is needed in life!!! Will be definitely be visiting Greece some time VERY soon…

An hour and 1/2 after coming off our ferry from

Corfu, we took a pitstop...after hearing banging noises from underneath the bus...out comes this guy covered in soot! Taking a free ride underneath our bus!

Austria

Vienna – had a chicken schintzel and chips… and a few wines, lets just say the bus ride back

to our hostel was a dance party and was awesome… J

Czech Republic

Cesky Krumlov, gothic little town…totally different to what I saw previous… so picturesque!

Prague – the city I have wanted to visit so so so much – since 4^th form Social Studies – it was beautiful!!(it did rain-but it still lived up to what I wanted). Our first night we were there we went to a bar that was made out of all car parts – it was amazing! The second night we went of a pub crawl – wow – that was a crazy night! We ended at the 5 storey night club…lets just say I only made it to the second floor, and went home…(I am pretty sure I went up stairs)….

Germany

Munich –loved. Went on a bike tour and it was amazing – had lunch at a beer garden that was huge! We also went to a beer hall for dinner,

which was fun – Prost!

While in Munich, we also visited Dachau Concentration camp.

Switzerland

Went up to the “Top of Europe” the worlds highest train station Jungfraujoch. Summer and snow in the Swiss alps – got to the top, and noticed how you can become lightheaded (probably wont experience again, as I do not see myself hiking up any mountain that high…), but it was beautiful.We then had a party night – Swissco disco…wore white…lets just say by the end of the night,

my outfit was not so white. After my wonderful friends were looking for me all night I appeared…in no harm, a little flushed, with just a few grazes on my knees ….

Holland

Edam – we ate cheese, and went biking – what more to do in Holland!!!

Amsterdam – went to a live sex show….that was something different. First time to watch porn, and I watch it live!!! It is crazy!!! Then had a wander through the red light district,

interesting… last couple of nights with the tour so we partied well!!!

So now you are nearly up-to-date…there is a little more I have to tell you about my experiences to date. So far all the people I have met, I love. I met some really good friends, and look forward to when we meet again. But so far I have no regrets…everything I have done, has been the best for me. And I have to still remember – “do what is right for you…” it is hard but I am learning slowly…

I should put the next up date up shortly…and I do apologize for the lack of posts…but be warned I will get good at this some day…

Don't Go...

So it is a little scary putting yourself out there and posting things about yourself or about life that seems so close to you…to be honest I found it hard for a name of the blog – I remembered what I was taught at uni – do not have a website with such a long name – went against this rule obviously…owell this blog is not about choosing a name its about life and experiences, the people that I encounter and sometimes not wish to encounter…

On a completely different track - went back to work after a long weekend and my boss asked me if I could push out my date of departure….(let me think about it) …umm no, he said he will pay for whatever shortfall I would have if I did (thought about it – really quickly) and it was another no… (I guess, no harm in him trying). It was sweet gesture/thought though (even though it was for his benefit rather than mine).

This is what I have learnt over the past month (or two) is that I have to put myself first – I cannot remember when I last did… I think as girls/women we tend to forget about ourselves – well that is what I have heard and for some reason it just seems like this is true.

So I am putting myself first – I am throwing in the towel (of a good job, good opportunities at work), stepping out of my comfort zone, going to the gym daily (or at least 5/6 times a week - daily is for another league of people), and going to Europe – with no real plans (accept the tour). Not only am I putting myself first – I am doing what I expected to do – but alone, which is scary, which is exciting, but in the end, which is something I cannot wait to do!

Where do I Start?

To introduce myself… My name is Esther and lets just say 2010 has been a year of many adventures, many changes and many opportunities… and it has only hit the ½ way mark! This year started off great – a great new year in Whitianga NZ with friends, camping and a port-a-loo that we trucked up ourselves (a sight to see! Or a smell?)… then went to Tahiti which was Amazing – what is better than having a few cocktails poolside – sunshine, beautiful lagoons and people! Great opportunities at work… a great personal life…great friends and hopes for the close future!

However the reason I came to writing a blog is that all these changes made me think that other people may have some familiarity into what I am going through or what I am to go through.

My partner broke up with me after 8years – no reason why, nothing. One day he was talking about our future – the next he just said he cannot commit to it anymore, the next day he had a trailer to pick up all his things…

I started dating him when I was 16 years old, and I am now 24 – I feel lost, and like I am 16 and going on 24 (like those movies 13 going on 30 – is probably the best way to describe it) it is surreal. I have learnt a lot, and am still learning a lot, like today I am ok, and then tomorrow I am crying like crazy over the smallest thing?

So as can be expected it flipped my world upside down and everything I knew to be true was no longer so…

It gave me the ability to open up to possibilities that may never have come about. I can honestly say that I would wished it never happened, but on the other hand I am happy that it did, I would not be able to experience the world with my eyes fully opened…my whole heart and appreciate people and things more, and I guess I will be a better person for it (all this positive affirmation helps me going…it may be a load of crap – but I guess what helps you through it in the end? And as the all the clichés state (sad but true) what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger…time heals etc etc (I may be recreating these clichés slightly – but they sound familiar).

Since this has all happened I have been given opportunities that seemed like maybe this is just the way my life is meant to be, yes maybe it is fate, or just coincidences that have happened…

For example: my friend said lets go to Europe – why not? We got this ball rolling and it seemed to just work… we wanted to go on a tour that commenced 15^th July 2010, this ended up being fully booked, and we could not get the cheap flight either…so somehow we got on the tour that left the 17^th and we got the really cheap flight – fate or coincidence?

To me this showed me it was “meant to be” may be something is saying yes this is right, or the stars are aligned or whatever your religious/spiritual views are it just felt like: yes this is right.

So this blog (after a long winded intro) is about new beginnings my adventure though life – especially traveling – experiences in Europe, what I find fascinating… (mainly fashion – but I will detail more than this), friends, new friends, families, experiences, new countries, new cultures and more! In the end the life of a single chick in her 20’s trying to find her self…if you are interested post comments – suggestions – I am open to them!

Anywho… I depart land of long white cloud, Aotearoa, New Zealand July 14^th – stay posted for updates… and if anyone has must haves for travels or travel tips – let me know – 1 month 10days left… countdown is on!