Leaving Europe

Since I last wrote we have driven from Perpignan to Cognac, to Paris, to the French Alps, to Geneva, then Milan, Venice, Montepulciano, Rome, Marseille, Porto, Rio Maior, Lisbon, Toledo and finally to Madrid. When I say we, it was actually Andy driving as I cant drive, and even if I could would not try myself on these roads. I instead was the ever faithful and alert navigator. It was like the Peugeot rally minus the roll cage, sweet bodysuits and helmets.

The toll roads are fantastic three lane super highways, but the drivers are erratic, unpredicatable and as Andy hypothesised one day after a mad driver almost smashed us off the road they may actually get their licences from cereal boxes. The Italians with their wild non indicating ways, overtaking at speeds over 160km/hr were ridiculous, but worse were the Portugese. One day travelling on a local highway we saw three crashes and four dead dogs over a 15km stretch of road. We travelled a whopping total of 8352ks, Andys most ridiculously long drive being a total of 18 hrs. He´s like robocop, eyes on the road, no expression, pure determination. Amazing.

During our roady we had Robyn my aunt, my cousin Zak, Kate Salmond, my enduring primary school friend and her partner Chris, and Mima my bud with us. It´s been rad having so many NZ´s around, partly due to our isolation and lack of english speaking contact, but particularly as they are all such good friends and good company. It actually felt like home sometimes which is comforting after almost 6 months on the road.

Andy was lucky to have the entire Team NZ for his birthday celebrations in Rio Maior, north of Lisbon, Portugal, the closest place he has beyond NZ to a homeland. There we drank the night away in our picturesque windmill home with the fire blazing and the circle of death drinking game ruining us in the best way. Mima was a power house that night managing to polish off an entire bottle of Jagermeister to sober Robyn´s entertainment. Unsurprisingly Mima was also the one that always failed at the animal noise card as she was so foggy brained she could never remember or do the noises... and anyone who knows Mima knows how hilarious she is in that state, let alone making dolphin noises...eeeeiii eeeeeiii...I have videos!

Heres some shots http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=54347&l=e9a2d&id=694561720


We had a few fantastic nights out with Mima, our longest travel buddy, all ending in absolute debauchery. The best, no doubt being the feverish streets of Lisbon. With the help of some of the local skaters as tour guides we downed 50 cent beers, and 1 euro cherry liquor shots both from standing street bars, african buskers gyrating in a way 10 years of yoga will never allow me to do.

Money is not going so well. Its due to mainly shopping, Andys expected and must do football expenses, and our call to come to Europe early for extra Greek islands and Turkey instead of Egypt in the hottest month. Good news is however that today at check in for our flight to Guatemala we were offered 150 euros each (over $300 nzd), and an all expenses 4 star hotel if we fly out the next day as they had over booked. That´s equivalent to over a weeks budget in South America each, so we gladly accepted. Easiest days work Ive ever done!

Fricken ´GUATEMALA´.

Its so weird getting my head around going from Europe to Guatemala. Culture shock here we go again. I wonder how it will feel compared to our last one of Vietnam to Jordan....think it may beat it.

A little catch up is required!

It has been too waaaaay long since my last post! This is mainly because of the surprising lack of internet cafes and to boot the speed of our travels.

Since my last post we have travelled to Morocco where we met up with Jess and Christina, back to Spain, through to France where we met Robyn and Zak, and are now in Italy with crazy ass Mima.

We are still having a brilliant time, absolutely love Europe, and have gone way over budget in doing so! We will claw it back along the line...we hope. The shopping is fantastic, particularly in France and Italy, which has damaged the coffers... not to mention the three football games and merchandise to boot that Andy has coughed up for! Got to do it though. When in Rome...

Andy particularly loves Italy, as you all know, and is currently considering a tattoo to signify his love for his team, AS Roma. Lucky we have Mima, the tattoo guru with us to design it with. We don't however like the look of our local tattooist who has a weird poster of himself with glowing green eyes and bad tattoos out front...may have to wait for NZ.

We picked up our beautiful Peugeot in France and have already put about 3,600 k on the clock, zooming down the toll roads at ridiculous speeds that one would never sanely attempt on NZ roads that put chills up poor Robyn's spine. Any other driver than Andy I would protest but he never takes it beyond the conditions so I rest assured.

Morocco was beautiful, and if you have had a chance to check out our shots you will already know this. It is one of those places you go snap mad as everything is so different to what you know but is also finished with an artisans touch. I also found this in Venice which was the most beautiful city I have seen yet. It becomes impossible to put the lens cap on and just relax as its all so framable!

My favourite place of the towns we visited in Morocco was Chefchaouen. It reminds me of a a typical cobblestone Greek town, but instead of white its painted an equally tranquil sky blue, adorned with rich silk fabrics in reds and oranges and dropped in the foothills of the North African Rif Mountains. After the chaos of Marrakesh and its tourist trade soured markets at 50 degree temperatures it was pure bliss to melt into this cool (er) mountain town and laze the week away.

There our days consisted of lounging in cafes and at our second home, Antonio's, sipping on Moroccan mint tea, reading great books, chatting to other travellers and as always playing cards.

I went to a Turkish Haman, where for about $20 NZ I had a full one hour treatment that completely stripped my tan back to a NZ winter skin! Its composed of the five stages: 1. the sauna, or as they say the seasoning of the body with heat, 2. Vigorous massage, 3. Peeling off the outer layers of the skin, ( and yes, this is as gross as you imagine!) 4. Soaping, and 5. Relaxation.

This was all performed on me by a strong little old lady with the most perfect skin, wearing nothing but her bikini bottoms on the bare ground in front of everyone in the spa. Afterwards the outside temperature of 35 degrees was actually cold to me and I had to sit on an orange juice for about 30 mins to regain my senses! Fantastic.

Would love to do it again right now actually as its exactly what I need with this never ending cold...argh, sniffle, wheeze. xx