Take A Moment

On a more sombre note after leaving Vienna and on the way to Munich we stopped off at a Nazi concentration camp. 'Mauthausen' 

 Words can't even begin to explain how you feel when you go to a place like this, the towering walls, the dreadful living quaters and the smell of the burnt hair that still lingers from the crematorium. 

Mauthausen was a labour camp where they would send the likes of anyone that didn't conform to the fascist nazi regime to death through labour. 

 A good example of this is the stairs of death. Where all day the nazis would force these poor souls to carry stones up and down for no purpose other than to punish. They were so malnourished and tired they would slip and fall taking out anyone behind them.

 Anyone deemed unfit for work would be sent to an extermination camp or burnt in the local crematorium. I find it difficult just thinking about it now. Going to a place like this does really put things into perspective. 

Oh schnapp!

After a good haul through Verona the text stop was Venice! Such a remarkable place and unlike anywhere I've ever been before! Firstly we did a bit of a walking tour around the place and got some good snaps.

 It was crazy when it was explained people's front doors to their houses more often than not were directly facing towards the canals. On that note you can't cruise through Venice like any usual city. Gandalas for the win!

Then after trolling around Italy for the last couple of weeks it was time to move on. Hello Austria, 

Vienna. Full of art and culture so much to see and do.... And I was dreadfully hungover from the drinking sesh in Venice the night before. It was like 45 degrees too. But you know what helps a hangover... More booze! Off to the schnapps museum where it was explained how schnapps came to be and how it was made. Usually I would be genuinely interested but at the first sight of hundreds of samples you can forgive me for my lack of attention.

All round a great time was had, I'm kicking myself for not taking more pictures but oh well just means ill have to go back. Schoolboy error lol 

Why am I in a toga

Sooooooo topdeck begins! Met up with everyone for the first time, the tour leader Joel is a funny dude. I was assigned with a tent partner who I would be sharing with for the trip. His name is Steven and he is from about 2 hours out of Melbourne. 

 Bam! Toga party on the first night. #somessy 

I couldn't believe how early we had to be up and on the coach. Showered and had breakfast and on the coach by 8am. 

First place we headed was a little place called Verona the home of Romeo and Juliet ;) 

 What I would call a mini Rome, Verona was packed full of all Luxury/High end designer shops like Armani, Loui Vuitton so a lot was out of my budget. Like Rome also it has a mini colloseum that is still in use today. 

One of the thing that sets it apart from Rome is the whole Romeo and Juliet thing. 

 The balcony and courtyard where it all happened. That weird looking gate in the courtyard is actually covered in padlocks. Countless couples couples come each year and smash a padlock on this bad boy as a sign of their love for each other. I gathered two things from this, 1. Going their as a single bloke is always going to be akward and 2. The padlock industry in Verona must be booming lol

Summertime Sadness

As it came to the last day at the first hostel chilling by the pool having a beer and some pasta by my lonesome I had a brief feeling of loneliness. People who I have spoken to have always said that there will always be times of "what the fuck am I really doing here" but you keep pushing through.

Keeping that in mind I set off for the yellow hostel where I would stay for 2 nights, lol meant to be three sorry camping roma I stole a free night from you my bad haha 

I rock into my room and met a bloke named zach from Canada. I told him I was heading to the pub downstairs and that he should come down for a pint later when he had dropped off his bags. 20 minutes later he rocks up with a pitcher of beer and a couple of glasses. Then after that we were joined by two other solo travellers nick from Melbourne and Michael from Auckland.

 It well and truly lifted my spirits meeting these blokes all in the same position as I was. I went on the have 2 of the best nights in Rome with those guys!

To The Vatican

Another solid day of hiking through Rome. I started off with heading about 30minute walk north to the Olympic statium and with great disappointment it wasn't open the the public.... Soooo gay but I took the chance on the way back to the centre of Rome the check out some stuff I otherwise might not have seen.

 When I eventually made it back to the city centre I decided to make it rain a little and truly enjoy the authentic Italian dining experience. 

 Feeling well and truly induced in food coma I pushed on and thought of what to do next. I had heard about a castle called "st angelo" but wasn't sure if it would be open to the public. When I got there however it exceeded all expectations. 

 

 Then at the top.

Strolling on the way back to the train station I went through the Vatican City and realised that there was no line to get in so I checked that shit out.

 

 Royal guard keeping it real.

Blisters and beggars

Finally made it, Rome Italy.

Now when I mentioned in one of my earlier posts that Helsinki was a cultural shift, I had no idea what Rome had in store.

I arrived in Rome at about 1930 on the Friday afternoon sun still beaming and a dry heat that reminded me of summer in aus. The cab driver on the way to plus Roma was hitting like 180km/ph on the highway but I made it in one piece and in a timely fashion too. 

My first act of sightseeing was the next day. I met and American from Texas named Caleb and he was travelling by himself as well, I think we were both happy to have some company and decided to travel around Rome together. I was fortunate to have met him when I did since he gave me a heads up on how hectic the pick pocketing was on the public transport here.

The Vatican City was first.

 The line to get in was probably like 1km long and I was like 'fuck that". Then we travelled to the colosseum and the varius historic sights around that.

 

When I got into there I was shocked to find out that the original floor that was built had deteriorated so much. Then we booked it to get some late lunch, went to one of many Italian restaurants and got some of the best carbonara pasta of my life for just 6 euros. We made it to the trevi fountain but it was in the middle of getting restored so that sucked. Now while I'm writing I'm chilling by the pool at the hostel with blisters on my feet sipping on cold beer. 

 Life is pretty good atm

Fosters beer tastes like piss.

 Tastes like piss that is all lol