Jan. 27th... Off to Greece I go

The day started of with a pretty early train ride from Aversa to Bari with a stopover in Casserta. The train ride was pretty uneventful, but I really wish the Italians would stop staring at me. I mean really if Italian men like what that see they will stare you down. I had boys from the age of 12 though men the age of 70 staring at me. The least they could do is talk to me a little. At least then it would be a bit more comfortable, I think. *shrug*
I did get to ride business class on the way there, because the lady at the ticket counter charged me for it without me even really understanding what was going on. Gee sometimes I really dislike the Italians. In business class I did talk to a guy that was a judge. He had a lot of paperwork so at first I thought he was a teacher. After he said he was a judge though, my first reaction was, "They have judges here?!" Crazy; who would have thought?!

When I got to Bari the first thing I saw when I got off the train was a sign for ferry tickets and information. Yay, something helpful! When I got to the counter and asked about tickets to Greece though, the guy told me that I had to go to the port. "How do I get there?" "Take the bus 20 backslash out front." Okay easy enough, right? Apparently not. I first had to get a ticket and then I was sure I heard 20/ but I only saw a bus 20. I looked at where the bus was going according to the top of the bus and it said it was going to "Torre di Mare". Okay... so logically I look up what "Torre" is in my Italian-English dictionary that I bought in Austria, because I know that "Mare" means ocean. Somehow they the dictionary did not have a direct translation and just had "air-control tower". Okay so maybe "control tower of the ocean" means port. Made a little sense... like everything else in Italy. So anyhow I get on the bus to find an old man telling me I'm beautiful in Italian and asking me all sorts of questions I didn't understand. I also asked him if this was the bus to the port and he nodded. "Okay... I'm on my way," I said to myself. It was looking good; the bus was heading into the city and following the signs that I could tell were to the ferries.... and then we started moving away from the city, the old man got of the bus, and I started to get the feeling that he had no idea what I had asked him and just nodded out of politeness. Wonderful! I leaned over to a couple of people and asked, "Do you speak English?" "A little." "Is this the bus to the port?" "No. This is the bus to a little village by the sea." Oh. Go figure. Luckily I wasn't too far out of the city, so I didn't have to wait very long for the bus going back to the train station. When I arrived at the train station, guess what I saw? Bus 20/ to La Porta.... oh geeze... I'm a dork. What an adventure. I'd rather not do that alone again.

This was the sign pointing down the street at the place I got off the bus. What does it mean? When I come back I will find out! Just kind of random. Anyone have any ideas??

This was on the other side of the street from where I got lost. I figure it must be a memorial or something. *shrug* Once again I didn't really have time to figure it out. I came super early to Bari so that I could get a little lost and find my way back, not to explore the places where I got lost. :-) Maybe I will when I bring someone with me next time.

I thought the Port of Bari seal was cool. I was also bored out of my mind, because I knew that if I left the port I probably wouldn't have made it back in time to get on the boat. I probably would have been lost in Bari instead. Go figure. Oh well, I'm a scared-e cat.

The ticket counter that I got my tickets from and then stared at for a few hours until the boat was ready to be boarded.

The not so lovely city of Bari. It was scary traveling alone in that city.


Superfast VI. There was barely anyone on the ship. See if I go to Greece again in the wintertime! Actually I took my cues to get on the ship from a Korean guy named Choi that had been living in England over the past year. His English accent was awesome! :-) He's a great guy, Choi.

I couldn't believe there was a casino on the ship, so I had to take a picture. Choi thought it was hilarious that I was taking a picture! What a crazy American I am! :-)

This is the bed I got to sleep in. I woke up about a million times during the night thinking it was time to get up. The time that I did spend sleeping was wonderful though. I think I got more sleep than I would have ever received on the deck.

Not an update yet IMPORTANT!!

For those of you who received my email and are trying to call me in Oz, you do NOT need to use the "0" at eh beginning of the number... that means that the number would be +617...
Thanks! Smiles,
Kate

Jan. 25th and 26th

I spent most of these to living in America in Italy (aka spending time on base). It's just too bad I don't have any pictures of the NEX (Navy Exchange/Navy mall).
I started to sneeze on these two days, but I was ao dead set on going to Greece that I ignored my Innsbruck mini cold and decided to go to Greece.

Jan. 23rd and 24th

I spent most of the day on the 23rd window shopping. I did however break-down and buy new shoes. I was getting wet and cold feet from my other boots. Oh well. Oh, and I bought Disney Cartoons in German. Good times! :-)
Then after having a few more drinks with Angelo and Chris on the night of the 23rd, I made them promise to come visit me in Oz. It was really fun to see them one last time before I headed back to Italy. I'm going to miss them!
The train ride back was nice. I spent most of my trip talking to a guy from Florence. It was too bad that the train came into Advera about an hour later than it was supposted to @ 11pm. Sorry Aunt Hope. Dang Italian transportation... always late!!

The world famous ski jump in Innsbruck. It now has a cafe in it. I didn't get to go to it though. Oh well.



The views from my hotel room; beautiful!

Jan. 22nd

I went to the Cepus family house for lunch. That family drives me crazy sometimes. I am still really happy that for the most part they are pretty happy.

Here's me showing off the limited edition Ski-doo hat that Elmar gave me for ridding a Ski-doo with him for the first time in my life! He said it's something to remember my experience with. :-)

My last night with Karo. It's so sad.

One of the best days I had the whole time in Europe, Jan. 21

I spent the night with one of my best Austrian friends, Karo! Oh how I miss her already. Anyhow in the morning she took me out to walk the horses with her friend (and now my friend too), Florian. :-)

Karo doing some horse grooming before going on a walk. :-)

Flo being a goof. Nice glasses silly!! :-)

Florian (Flo) and Karo. They are just great!

Me helping Flo and Karo take the horses for a walk. We walk them to the field and they walk themselves. :-) That's how it was explained to me at least. After the walk I got to help prepare the dinner for the horses! It was good times!

Karo's beautiful horses, Karo and I. I'll have to ask Karo what her horses' names are again. She loves those horses though. :-)

This was the first mountain that I ever went snowboarding on... about 5 years ago. That was one of the best days back in 2001... Karo was with me!
Elmar was the guy who took Karo and I snow-machining. Karo would have never ridden one without me going first though. She is so cute!!

I lived in Alaska how long... and this is my first time on a snowmachine. Now that's just silly. :-) I had such a blast! Elmar even did a jump with me! Yes, I hit my knee, but it wasn't too bad. I thought it actually might make for an interesting story on the beaches in Australia. "How did you get that buise?" "Oh yeah, I was playing in the snow a few weeks ago." :-)

Karo's first time on a snowmachine by herself. She loved it. Right after this picture I jumped on with her and we waved good-bye to our teacher and our good friend Elmar. He was stunned that we were just going to leave him to walk out of the field on his own. We were just kidding, but it was good fun!

This is the cafe we had our before dancing/clubbing drinks at. The name actually translates to an "auto shop". Very interesting. We watched out for a cute boy that Karo likes there. :-)

The club I danced the night away at. It was awesome! Yay techno and house music! :-)

Karo and I out on the town. Gee, I love her!!

Visiting Telfs and my old German teacher Jan. 20th

The wonderful town of Telfs. Home to my Austrian music school.



My German professor, Prof. Simon, was very very surprised to see me. I failed to mention to her that I was going to be in town... and after 5 years no less. She thought she was actually never going to see me again. She thought she was in a dream. After taking me back to her place for dinner and to chat, we took a walk. It was beautiful! The following pictures are mostly of our walk. :-)


In Austria they have one of these at almost every turn in the countryside. They are very interesting.


Prof. Simon's cute Husky/Shepard mix watching over the sheep while we're talking towards her. :-)


If I remember correctly these were the mountains that I said were my favorite when I went to school in Austria. I think that they are still my favorite, because they are just breath-taking!


These things are also all over the place in the countryside. Personally I think they're pretty cool! It seems to me that a lot of work goes into them.



The sunset from Prof. Simon's apartment. It was even more beautiful in person!

Off to Telfs and Rietz Jan.19th

This is where I spent most of my time in Austria going to school and living. It was a time to reconnect with long lost buddies and teachers.


Took a 15 minute train ride from Innsbruck to Telfs. Here's a picture of the sign @ the railway station in Telfs if you ever want to go. ;-)


The Innsbruck river. I used to walk the banks of this river a lot from and to school.


The view from my hotel room. The church in the picture is the church where the school had closing mass the year I was there. We had opening and winter mass at another church nearby. I didn't understand everything at the first couple of masses but something I always understood was the "Our Father who art in Heaven..." prayer... the rhythm sounds the same in every language. :-)


I was amazed at how much the shopping center in Telfs had grown! It used to only be about four stores or so!


The mountain Hohe Mund... or directly translated "High Moon". This is the backdrop for the city of Telfs and my old school.


On of the views I saw everyday on the way to school back in 2000/2001. The Innsbruck river in the foreground and the Alps in the background. Just BEAUTIFUL!!


My host sister, Evelyn, her baby girl Maria and her boyfriend Christian. They make a wonderful family!


The Cepus Family. My second host family and the family I stayed the longest with. I had some hard times with them, but I still love them dearly.

First full day in Innsbruck Jan. 18th

The Golden Roof!! What Innsbruck is know for around Europe.


Downtown Innsbruck. It was snowing this day. Goodtimes!


I had lunch with Angelo and his boyfriend Chris. Chris is a great guy! I am so happy they found one another!! I hope that they really do come and visit me in Oz!


The cute little hotel I stayed at. The people there were very friendly.


The room I stayed in and the skirt I bought. I love it!

I am still alive...

I promise. I am doing really well and enjoying my last days here in Italy. I have picked up a couple from OZ and they are a blast! It is too bad they won't be back in Brisbane till April. Bah! :-)
Today I was in Rome with them and tomorrow I will be in Rome with them, and then on Wen. I leave Italy for a 44 hour travel day to OZ. It's exciting. I'll write more when I can and tell you guys all about Greece!
I miss you guys!
Ciao for now!
All smiles,
Kate