Photobucket Album
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Friday, August 10, 2007
Contiki - Czech Republic
Day 10 – August 2nd, 2007
Munich Germany to Prague, Czech Republic
We left munich this morning for our last bus ride on this coach... We are off to Prague and I can't wait. I have a lot of ancestors in Prague and I am very interested in this city. Czech Republic uses the Czech Koruna (pronounced crona). The money is a bit different because 100 CZK equals about 5 U.S. Dollars. We did some exploring today on our own I found some cute Czech souveniers to bring home to my family. We had a delicious dinner tonight and I think I like Czech food almost as much as German food!
Day 11 – August 3rd, 2007
Munich Germany to Prague, Czech Republic
Today is our last full day together as a group before we fly home tomorrow... This morning we had breakfast in the hotel, and a full day to really explore the city. I went into the shopping center of town and explored the main square. We took the subway in, which seemed easy enough until we tried to get back. When we walked out of the station we were in a completely different place than when we entered! Dont worry, we found the hotel eventually! Then it was off to our last big dinner together. We went into town and went to a fun Czech resturaunt with some really good food. It was a great way to spend our last night in Europe!!
Day 12 - August 4th, 2007
Prague, Czech Republic
What a life changing experience. I've made so many amazing memories on this trip and had the opportunity to see so many amazing sights. Contiki really did change my life for the better and definitely put the traveling bug in my blood!!
Munich Germany to Prague, Czech Republic
We left munich this morning for our last bus ride on this coach... We are off to Prague and I can't wait. I have a lot of ancestors in Prague and I am very interested in this city. Czech Republic uses the Czech Koruna (pronounced crona). The money is a bit different because 100 CZK equals about 5 U.S. Dollars. We did some exploring today on our own I found some cute Czech souveniers to bring home to my family. We had a delicious dinner tonight and I think I like Czech food almost as much as German food!
Day 11 – August 3rd, 2007
Munich Germany to Prague, Czech Republic
Today is our last full day together as a group before we fly home tomorrow... This morning we had breakfast in the hotel, and a full day to really explore the city. I went into the shopping center of town and explored the main square. We took the subway in, which seemed easy enough until we tried to get back. When we walked out of the station we were in a completely different place than when we entered! Dont worry, we found the hotel eventually! Then it was off to our last big dinner together. We went into town and went to a fun Czech resturaunt with some really good food. It was a great way to spend our last night in Europe!!
Day 12 - August 4th, 2007
Prague, Czech Republic
What a life changing experience. I've made so many amazing memories on this trip and had the opportunity to see so many amazing sights. Contiki really did change my life for the better and definitely put the traveling bug in my blood!!
Contiki - Germany
Day 9 – August 1st, 2007
Tyrol, Austria to Munich, Germany
This morning we are headed to Germany, and before we arrive in Munich, we are making a stop at Dachau Concentration Camp. This was one of the first ever and truly shows the dark side of European History. This is not a fun part of the trip, but it is a really meaningful part, and its very important to understand the history of these amazing sights and places. So we got about an hour to walk around and explore. Most of us kept to ourselves, and the whole area was just silent. Once we got back on the bus, things were a little different, so Ryan talked about it a bit. He then told us that he had collected a small stone for each one of us from the concentration camp. He handed them all out, and explained that when we are back home, and having trouble in our relationship, or having problems at school, we can pick up this small stone and hold it in our hands to put life back into perspective and realize that we can get through this, and that maybe our small situation isn't really that bad. Maybe it's not worth holding a grudge, and maybe our boyfriend didn't really mean what he said. Then he played "The Sunscreen Song". I had never heard of this before, but it really touched me. Its a song about lifes lessons, and struggles. Everyone out there needs to listen to this song, and re-play it for yourself again and again when you need it. Once we arrived in Munich we had about 3 hours of free time to get some lunch, and explore. Then for dinner we went to the Hoffbrauhaus to enjoy a delicious buffet and some German folklore! What an eventful day.
Tyrol, Austria to Munich, Germany
This morning we are headed to Germany, and before we arrive in Munich, we are making a stop at Dachau Concentration Camp. This was one of the first ever and truly shows the dark side of European History. This is not a fun part of the trip, but it is a really meaningful part, and its very important to understand the history of these amazing sights and places. So we got about an hour to walk around and explore. Most of us kept to ourselves, and the whole area was just silent. Once we got back on the bus, things were a little different, so Ryan talked about it a bit. He then told us that he had collected a small stone for each one of us from the concentration camp. He handed them all out, and explained that when we are back home, and having trouble in our relationship, or having problems at school, we can pick up this small stone and hold it in our hands to put life back into perspective and realize that we can get through this, and that maybe our small situation isn't really that bad. Maybe it's not worth holding a grudge, and maybe our boyfriend didn't really mean what he said. Then he played "The Sunscreen Song". I had never heard of this before, but it really touched me. Its a song about lifes lessons, and struggles. Everyone out there needs to listen to this song, and re-play it for yourself again and again when you need it. Once we arrived in Munich we had about 3 hours of free time to get some lunch, and explore. Then for dinner we went to the Hoffbrauhaus to enjoy a delicious buffet and some German folklore! What an eventful day.
Contiki - Austria
Day 7 – July 30th, 2007
Venice, Italy to Tyrol, Austria
We are off to Austria this morning, but we are making a special stop at the Swarovsky Crystal Factory. The show rooms are amazing! And there is a lot of reasonably priced stuff to purchase! It was cool to take a stop here and see this precious jewelry at its finest. We arrived in Tyrol, Austria right after lunch time, and went to this place called Feel Free Rafting. This is it, it is finally time for the part of the trip I’ve been waiting for!!! Lets do some rafting! So we all put on our rafting gear. We had head to toe wetsuits, waterproof jackets, water booties for our feet, and helmets. We were quite a sight to be seen! Me and a couple other people decided that we wanted our raft to be daring and adventurous and we wanted to go swimming! So we got a group of people together that happened to be all girls, and went up to one of the rafts to wait. Our raft guide was named Mike and he was so energetic and fun. I think we got the best guide, and we are all so excited about it! The rafting was out of this world. Ryan told us before we got out there that this literally would be one of those “Pinch me” am I really here, moments. And I really did pinch myself. The scenery was amazing with the Alps and the beautiful grass covered hills with just the cutest houses placed precisely on the hills. And the snow covered Alps in the background. Mike got us to flip our raft, and do a raft wheelie, and all stand up on the edges of the raft at the same time! It was crazy but absolutely amazing. After we got all warmed up, we headed to Hopfgarten where we will be staying at a special Contiki stopover. It’s a hotel owned by Contiki, so only Contiki travelers stay there. The Contiki staff is very fun and friendly and cook us meals and even do laundry if we need it! I can’t wait to relax here tonight!
Day 8 – July 31st, 2007
Tyrol, Austria
Today we got to sleep in a bit and it was amazing! They we had a big breakfast to get us ready for our big bike ride! The ride began at our Contiki Hotel, and was led by professional bikers. It was a 25 km bike ride, which translates to about 15 miles! We rode all throughout the Austrian hills. The scenery was amazing, and we got to stop for water and rest. We rode to lunch about 2/3 through the bike tour and had an amazing Austrian lunch. We had bratwurst, baked potatoes, cabbage salad, and lemonade. It was the best food I have had yet in Europe! After the bike tour we got to keep the bikes until 5pm, so we decided to ride into town and check out some of the gift shops. Tyrol is a very small cute town and made the perfect setting for a relaxing afternoon.
Venice, Italy to Tyrol, Austria
We are off to Austria this morning, but we are making a special stop at the Swarovsky Crystal Factory. The show rooms are amazing! And there is a lot of reasonably priced stuff to purchase! It was cool to take a stop here and see this precious jewelry at its finest. We arrived in Tyrol, Austria right after lunch time, and went to this place called Feel Free Rafting. This is it, it is finally time for the part of the trip I’ve been waiting for!!! Lets do some rafting! So we all put on our rafting gear. We had head to toe wetsuits, waterproof jackets, water booties for our feet, and helmets. We were quite a sight to be seen! Me and a couple other people decided that we wanted our raft to be daring and adventurous and we wanted to go swimming! So we got a group of people together that happened to be all girls, and went up to one of the rafts to wait. Our raft guide was named Mike and he was so energetic and fun. I think we got the best guide, and we are all so excited about it! The rafting was out of this world. Ryan told us before we got out there that this literally would be one of those “Pinch me” am I really here, moments. And I really did pinch myself. The scenery was amazing with the Alps and the beautiful grass covered hills with just the cutest houses placed precisely on the hills. And the snow covered Alps in the background. Mike got us to flip our raft, and do a raft wheelie, and all stand up on the edges of the raft at the same time! It was crazy but absolutely amazing. After we got all warmed up, we headed to Hopfgarten where we will be staying at a special Contiki stopover. It’s a hotel owned by Contiki, so only Contiki travelers stay there. The Contiki staff is very fun and friendly and cook us meals and even do laundry if we need it! I can’t wait to relax here tonight!
Day 8 – July 31st, 2007
Tyrol, Austria
Today we got to sleep in a bit and it was amazing! They we had a big breakfast to get us ready for our big bike ride! The ride began at our Contiki Hotel, and was led by professional bikers. It was a 25 km bike ride, which translates to about 15 miles! We rode all throughout the Austrian hills. The scenery was amazing, and we got to stop for water and rest. We rode to lunch about 2/3 through the bike tour and had an amazing Austrian lunch. We had bratwurst, baked potatoes, cabbage salad, and lemonade. It was the best food I have had yet in Europe! After the bike tour we got to keep the bikes until 5pm, so we decided to ride into town and check out some of the gift shops. Tyrol is a very small cute town and made the perfect setting for a relaxing afternoon.
Contiki - Italy
Day 4 – July 27th, 2007
Lucerne, Switzerland to Florence, Italy
When we got up this morning we headed to the bottom of Mt. Strasserhorn and prepared to go to the top of a real Swiss Alp! The ride to the top was beautiful, but the view from the top was indescribable. The way each Swiss Alp laid perfectly around Lake Lucerne, with the snow covered Alps in the distance. The air is the freshest and crispest I have ever inhaled. The view was picturesque and no post card or photo can recreate what I saw that morning. It’s a sight I will never forget, and is much of the reason why Switzerland is so far my favorite country. Once we made our way back down we were off to Florence, Italy! Once again there was plenty of napping time today on the coach ride. We walked around the city a little then got to enjoy a large group Italian dinner together. It was lots of fun! There food just kept coming out! Once we thought it had to be over, they brought out a full plate of chicken and meats! We will sleep well tonight!
Day 5 – July 28th, 2007
Florence, Italy
Today we get the whole day to explore Florence, and do what we want to do here. Ryan gave us another handy “Ryno in Ur Pocket” of course, so Bethany, Bri and I decided to start with the shopping squares first. Florence has so many shopping market stands up and down the streets and all over some of the squares. There is authentic jewelry, real leather and tons of cool souvenirs. We wandered through the streets and alleys too small for a car to even fit through. We went to the most popular bridge over the river, and sat just to enjoy the view. Ryan also told us about this thing called a “Puzzle Ring”. It’s a wedding ring for the soldiers and their wives, and the idea is that when the soldier goes away to fight, the wife has this ring that if she tries to take it off, will fall apart. And if it falls apart it is very hard to get back together and will show the husband that his wife was cheating. I was immediately drawn to this ring when Ryan told us about it, so that was one of my missions today…. To find a puzzle ring! Bethany used to study in Florence, so she took us to this amazing small Panini place for lunch. Its called Gustopanini and I would have never found it on my own. It was the best food I have had yet on this trip!! And yes, we finally found the puzzle ring. And the lady that sold them was from England and owned a jewelry store in Florence. She even knew Ryan our Tour Manager!! He is a popular little Kiwi! I am still yet to find out what that means though… Tonight we went to dinner with three other Contiki groups at this huge Italian restaurant. It felt like a big wedding with lots of food and dancing. Afterwards, all of the groups went out to the Space Electronic Discoteca, a popular club in Florence. Time for some sleep, because tomorrow we are off to Venice!
Day 6 – July 29th, 2007
Florence to Venice, Italy
The definition of a Kiwi: The national bird of New Zealand. It is a small creature that cannot fly but runs around everywhere. They often get eaten by dogs and other animals but still manage to be everywhere. Thanks Ryan!! The funny thing is, with no offence intended, Ryan really does resemble one of these!! He’s a very upbeat guy that runs all over Europe with these 45 travelers following him, and acting on his every word. And he actually does walk rather fast. He’s always about 30 feet ahead of the group, weaving in and out of people as we all dart to catch up to him. But he is an awesome guy, and I know I wouldn’t have been able to figure all of this out without him!! Today we are spending the afternoon in Venice. We have to take a ferry to get there, because it is a small island and neither cars nor motor bikes are allowed on the island. After exploring St. Marks Square, and St. Peters Basilica, we took a classic gondola ride today through the canals of Venice. Now this was just like a postcard. I like to call it a “Kodak Moment”. Tonight we all went to dinner at this cute restaurant on Venice. It was delicious, but once again, a TON of food! Tomorrow we leave for Austria, but to sum up Italy, my absolute favorite thing about it is the Gelato!! This is an amazing Italian ice cream. Back home I don’t even like ice cream and hardly ever eat it, but this Gelato is so creamy and flavorful we probably had it twice a day, each day we were here in Italy!
Lucerne, Switzerland to Florence, Italy
When we got up this morning we headed to the bottom of Mt. Strasserhorn and prepared to go to the top of a real Swiss Alp! The ride to the top was beautiful, but the view from the top was indescribable. The way each Swiss Alp laid perfectly around Lake Lucerne, with the snow covered Alps in the distance. The air is the freshest and crispest I have ever inhaled. The view was picturesque and no post card or photo can recreate what I saw that morning. It’s a sight I will never forget, and is much of the reason why Switzerland is so far my favorite country. Once we made our way back down we were off to Florence, Italy! Once again there was plenty of napping time today on the coach ride. We walked around the city a little then got to enjoy a large group Italian dinner together. It was lots of fun! There food just kept coming out! Once we thought it had to be over, they brought out a full plate of chicken and meats! We will sleep well tonight!
Day 5 – July 28th, 2007
Florence, Italy
Today we get the whole day to explore Florence, and do what we want to do here. Ryan gave us another handy “Ryno in Ur Pocket” of course, so Bethany, Bri and I decided to start with the shopping squares first. Florence has so many shopping market stands up and down the streets and all over some of the squares. There is authentic jewelry, real leather and tons of cool souvenirs. We wandered through the streets and alleys too small for a car to even fit through. We went to the most popular bridge over the river, and sat just to enjoy the view. Ryan also told us about this thing called a “Puzzle Ring”. It’s a wedding ring for the soldiers and their wives, and the idea is that when the soldier goes away to fight, the wife has this ring that if she tries to take it off, will fall apart. And if it falls apart it is very hard to get back together and will show the husband that his wife was cheating. I was immediately drawn to this ring when Ryan told us about it, so that was one of my missions today…. To find a puzzle ring! Bethany used to study in Florence, so she took us to this amazing small Panini place for lunch. Its called Gustopanini and I would have never found it on my own. It was the best food I have had yet on this trip!! And yes, we finally found the puzzle ring. And the lady that sold them was from England and owned a jewelry store in Florence. She even knew Ryan our Tour Manager!! He is a popular little Kiwi! I am still yet to find out what that means though… Tonight we went to dinner with three other Contiki groups at this huge Italian restaurant. It felt like a big wedding with lots of food and dancing. Afterwards, all of the groups went out to the Space Electronic Discoteca, a popular club in Florence. Time for some sleep, because tomorrow we are off to Venice!
Day 6 – July 29th, 2007
Florence to Venice, Italy
The definition of a Kiwi: The national bird of New Zealand. It is a small creature that cannot fly but runs around everywhere. They often get eaten by dogs and other animals but still manage to be everywhere. Thanks Ryan!! The funny thing is, with no offence intended, Ryan really does resemble one of these!! He’s a very upbeat guy that runs all over Europe with these 45 travelers following him, and acting on his every word. And he actually does walk rather fast. He’s always about 30 feet ahead of the group, weaving in and out of people as we all dart to catch up to him. But he is an awesome guy, and I know I wouldn’t have been able to figure all of this out without him!! Today we are spending the afternoon in Venice. We have to take a ferry to get there, because it is a small island and neither cars nor motor bikes are allowed on the island. After exploring St. Marks Square, and St. Peters Basilica, we took a classic gondola ride today through the canals of Venice. Now this was just like a postcard. I like to call it a “Kodak Moment”. Tonight we all went to dinner at this cute restaurant on Venice. It was delicious, but once again, a TON of food! Tomorrow we leave for Austria, but to sum up Italy, my absolute favorite thing about it is the Gelato!! This is an amazing Italian ice cream. Back home I don’t even like ice cream and hardly ever eat it, but this Gelato is so creamy and flavorful we probably had it twice a day, each day we were here in Italy!
Contiki - Switzerland
Day 4 – July 27th, 2007
Lucerne, Switzerland to Florence, Italy
When we got up this morning we headed to the bottom of Mt. Strasserhorn and prepared to go to the top of a real Swiss Alp! The ride to the top was beautiful, but the view from the top was indescribable. The way each Swiss Alp laid perfectly around Lake Lucerne, with the snow covered Alps in the distance. The air is the freshest and crispest I have ever inhaled. The view was picturesque and no post card or photo can recreate what I saw that morning. It’s a sight I will never forget, and is much of the reason why Switzerland is so far my favorite country. Once we made our way back down we were off to Florence, Italy! Once again there was plenty of napping time today on the coach ride. We walked around the city a little then got to enjoy a large group Italian dinner together. It was lots of fun! There food just kept coming out! Once we thought it had to be over, they brought out a full plate of chicken and meats! We will sleep well tonight!
Lucerne, Switzerland to Florence, Italy
When we got up this morning we headed to the bottom of Mt. Strasserhorn and prepared to go to the top of a real Swiss Alp! The ride to the top was beautiful, but the view from the top was indescribable. The way each Swiss Alp laid perfectly around Lake Lucerne, with the snow covered Alps in the distance. The air is the freshest and crispest I have ever inhaled. The view was picturesque and no post card or photo can recreate what I saw that morning. It’s a sight I will never forget, and is much of the reason why Switzerland is so far my favorite country. Once we made our way back down we were off to Florence, Italy! Once again there was plenty of napping time today on the coach ride. We walked around the city a little then got to enjoy a large group Italian dinner together. It was lots of fun! There food just kept coming out! Once we thought it had to be over, they brought out a full plate of chicken and meats! We will sleep well tonight!
Contiki - Paris
Day 1 – July 24th, 2007
Paris, France
We finally made it to Paris! It was exciting to meet everyone that I will be spending these next few weeks with. Its crazy déjà vu being on the Contiki bus again, but I can’t wait to see what this trip has in store! We met our tour manager and tour driver today and they are two awesome guys. Our tour manager, Ryan, is from New Zealand, and everyone calls him a “Kiwi”. I am yet to figure out why this is, but once things get going I will bring it up. Our tour driver Andy is Australian and is the nicest guy ever. Once we arrived in Paris we got a couple of hours to hang out around the Notre Dam. It was beautiful! A couple of the other girls and I decided to go in and check out the inside as well. Then its back to the hotel to finally meet up with the whole group. There are 45 amazing people on this trip and I know we will make some memories that will last a lifetime! Tonight we went out to a buffet dinner in Paris, before we headed up to the top of the Eifel Tower. Although the Eifel Tower is one of the main attractions in Paris, we are still yet to see it. On the way to dinner, we were driving in the coach and Ryan gave us a challenge. He offered a free bottle of wine to the person who could spot the word “NAPS” (for Napoleon) shot with bullets into the side of a building. He had us all looking very hard at the building to our left because we all wanted that gift! When all of the sudden he goes, “Gotcha guys, look to your right at the Eifel Tower!!!” The sight sent chills up and down my spine. It was an absolutely breathtaking view. Andy the tour driver said he knew what he was going to do all along, but still fell for it, and STILL got the shivers when he saw the Eifel Tower at its best. After dinner we went up to the top of the Eifel Tower to see the beautiful city of Paris at night. The view from up there was spectacular, and it was definitely a once in a lifetime experience. Right when I reached the bottom, the entire Eifel Tower lit up with white sparkling lights. This is a sight I’ve never seen before, and it really put the finishing touch on an amazing first day in Paris.
Day 2 – July 25th, 2007
Paris, France
After a typical European breakfast consisting of bread and more bread, we headed off for the day to explore Paris. The coach dropped us off by the Arc de Triumph, at the top of the Champs Elysses. Our tour manager Ryan gave us each a little something he calls “Ryno in Ur Pocket”. It’s a guide that he created with each hot spot to see in the current city where in, as well as some secret entrances, and basic words in the local language to help us get around. Today I explored the city with two of my new friends on the trip Bri and Bethany. We did some shopping down the Champs Elysses and stopped for a French baguette around lunch time. Then we made our way down to the Louvre, where we went in the secret entrance, which had NO line! Ryan our Tour Manager told us about this secret entrance and without him we probably would have been waiting in line for up to 3 hours just to get in! So the first thing we headed to was the Mona Lisa. There were signs everywhere pointing us to the paining. It was crazy to see this famous piece of history right there in front of my eyes. Once we made our way out of the Louvre, after getting a little distracted we walked down to Rio de Rivioli, which is a cute shopping area with some cheap authentic souvenirs. My “Ryno in Ur Pocket” actually spent most of the day in my hand because I used it for everything and got to see all of the hot spots!! Thanks Ryan! After some more wandering and exploring we met back up with the group to go back to the hotel and change for dinner and the Moulin Rouge!! The Moulin Rouge was amazing and a lot of fun to be at with the whole group. There was actually another Contiki group there as well, so it was fun to meet them. Some people decided to go out tonight after the show, but I went home with a group that decided just to hang out and relax. That’s the best part about Contiki; you really do get to decide what you want to do. I am so absolutely excited for Switzerland tomorrow morning!!
Paris, France
We finally made it to Paris! It was exciting to meet everyone that I will be spending these next few weeks with. Its crazy déjà vu being on the Contiki bus again, but I can’t wait to see what this trip has in store! We met our tour manager and tour driver today and they are two awesome guys. Our tour manager, Ryan, is from New Zealand, and everyone calls him a “Kiwi”. I am yet to figure out why this is, but once things get going I will bring it up. Our tour driver Andy is Australian and is the nicest guy ever. Once we arrived in Paris we got a couple of hours to hang out around the Notre Dam. It was beautiful! A couple of the other girls and I decided to go in and check out the inside as well. Then its back to the hotel to finally meet up with the whole group. There are 45 amazing people on this trip and I know we will make some memories that will last a lifetime! Tonight we went out to a buffet dinner in Paris, before we headed up to the top of the Eifel Tower. Although the Eifel Tower is one of the main attractions in Paris, we are still yet to see it. On the way to dinner, we were driving in the coach and Ryan gave us a challenge. He offered a free bottle of wine to the person who could spot the word “NAPS” (for Napoleon) shot with bullets into the side of a building. He had us all looking very hard at the building to our left because we all wanted that gift! When all of the sudden he goes, “Gotcha guys, look to your right at the Eifel Tower!!!” The sight sent chills up and down my spine. It was an absolutely breathtaking view. Andy the tour driver said he knew what he was going to do all along, but still fell for it, and STILL got the shivers when he saw the Eifel Tower at its best. After dinner we went up to the top of the Eifel Tower to see the beautiful city of Paris at night. The view from up there was spectacular, and it was definitely a once in a lifetime experience. Right when I reached the bottom, the entire Eifel Tower lit up with white sparkling lights. This is a sight I’ve never seen before, and it really put the finishing touch on an amazing first day in Paris.
Day 2 – July 25th, 2007
Paris, France
After a typical European breakfast consisting of bread and more bread, we headed off for the day to explore Paris. The coach dropped us off by the Arc de Triumph, at the top of the Champs Elysses. Our tour manager Ryan gave us each a little something he calls “Ryno in Ur Pocket”. It’s a guide that he created with each hot spot to see in the current city where in, as well as some secret entrances, and basic words in the local language to help us get around. Today I explored the city with two of my new friends on the trip Bri and Bethany. We did some shopping down the Champs Elysses and stopped for a French baguette around lunch time. Then we made our way down to the Louvre, where we went in the secret entrance, which had NO line! Ryan our Tour Manager told us about this secret entrance and without him we probably would have been waiting in line for up to 3 hours just to get in! So the first thing we headed to was the Mona Lisa. There were signs everywhere pointing us to the paining. It was crazy to see this famous piece of history right there in front of my eyes. Once we made our way out of the Louvre, after getting a little distracted we walked down to Rio de Rivioli, which is a cute shopping area with some cheap authentic souvenirs. My “Ryno in Ur Pocket” actually spent most of the day in my hand because I used it for everything and got to see all of the hot spots!! Thanks Ryan! After some more wandering and exploring we met back up with the group to go back to the hotel and change for dinner and the Moulin Rouge!! The Moulin Rouge was amazing and a lot of fun to be at with the whole group. There was actually another Contiki group there as well, so it was fun to meet them. Some people decided to go out tonight after the show, but I went home with a group that decided just to hang out and relax. That’s the best part about Contiki; you really do get to decide what you want to do. I am so absolutely excited for Switzerland tomorrow morning!!
Sunday, July 22, 2007
the day has finally come
This is it... 1 day until the big Europe Trip!! The past 30 days have gone by so slow that I wasn't sure this day would ever come. To be able to finally get to this day on my month long count down brings a smile to my face. Now that it is finally here, the reality of getting to go on this trip and meet so many awesome people is finally sinking in. Its time to go through my packing list one last time before this adventure truly begins... I will update as soon as I get back to the USA!
Friday, June 22, 2007
Counting down the days...
31...
That's the official count down of days left until the big Contiki Trip! I think about it everyday from the second I wake up and see the count down poster I made and hung on my door. I get in the shower around 6:45am and remember that my motivation to get up and go to work is bringing me closer and closer to the day I will arrive in Europe. I walk into work, sit down at my desk, and see the count down I made on my calendar. Yes it was the same number that I saw on my door in my bedroom a few hours ago, but its the hours i'm thinking about now. I get off work around 5pm and my best friend Ashely calls me from school up at UCSB. We catch up a little, and she asks me what i'm doing for the rest of the summer. I yell "31!!!!" She is a bit confused, but then understands when I explain that I'm going on a trip with Contiki, as a Field Marketing Intern. She then proceeds to yell "LUCKY, rember what an amazing time we had on our Contiki trip?!?!".
You see, exactly 3 years ago to this day, I was in Europe on a Contiki tour with 16 of my best friends, and Ashely was one of them. I had just graduated from High School, in San Diego, CA and one of my friends moms is a travel agent. We had all worked so hard in High School to get good grades, and go on to good colleges, many of us playing Division I sports. Our parents got together and planned to send us all to Europe for one last amazing time together. And thats when I first learned about Contiki.
I didn't know what to expect when I left for Europe. We were all 18, and in Europe 18 is the legal drinking age, so you can only imagine 16 recent high school graduates venturing off to Europe with out any parents and being able to LEGALLY drink. It was an adventure to say the least.
That Contiki trip, in the summer of 2004 was a life changing experience. I thought I would never experience a trip like that again in my life, and I assumed that the summer of 2004 would forever be the best summer of my life.
UNTIL NOW...
It is happening again, I was given the opportunity to not only return to Europe, but to return to Europe with CONTIKI!!!!! Contiki gave me the memories of Europe that I will cherish forever and it is now time to return to make even more memories. My expectations are huge. I am so certain that we will all have the time of our life of this trip.
It will be different from last time though, because I do not personally know anyone going on this trip. We have communicated in email, and of course we are all friends on Facebook, but I have never met any of the other college students that I will be traveling with. And that alone, is an awesome adventure to be able to meet and interact with SO many students my age.
So until we speak again, and until I update you on the latest count down remaining have an amazing weekend!
Love,
Ally :)
That's the official count down of days left until the big Contiki Trip! I think about it everyday from the second I wake up and see the count down poster I made and hung on my door. I get in the shower around 6:45am and remember that my motivation to get up and go to work is bringing me closer and closer to the day I will arrive in Europe. I walk into work, sit down at my desk, and see the count down I made on my calendar. Yes it was the same number that I saw on my door in my bedroom a few hours ago, but its the hours i'm thinking about now. I get off work around 5pm and my best friend Ashely calls me from school up at UCSB. We catch up a little, and she asks me what i'm doing for the rest of the summer. I yell "31!!!!" She is a bit confused, but then understands when I explain that I'm going on a trip with Contiki, as a Field Marketing Intern. She then proceeds to yell "LUCKY, rember what an amazing time we had on our Contiki trip?!?!".
You see, exactly 3 years ago to this day, I was in Europe on a Contiki tour with 16 of my best friends, and Ashely was one of them. I had just graduated from High School, in San Diego, CA and one of my friends moms is a travel agent. We had all worked so hard in High School to get good grades, and go on to good colleges, many of us playing Division I sports. Our parents got together and planned to send us all to Europe for one last amazing time together. And thats when I first learned about Contiki.
I didn't know what to expect when I left for Europe. We were all 18, and in Europe 18 is the legal drinking age, so you can only imagine 16 recent high school graduates venturing off to Europe with out any parents and being able to LEGALLY drink. It was an adventure to say the least.
That Contiki trip, in the summer of 2004 was a life changing experience. I thought I would never experience a trip like that again in my life, and I assumed that the summer of 2004 would forever be the best summer of my life.
UNTIL NOW...
It is happening again, I was given the opportunity to not only return to Europe, but to return to Europe with CONTIKI!!!!! Contiki gave me the memories of Europe that I will cherish forever and it is now time to return to make even more memories. My expectations are huge. I am so certain that we will all have the time of our life of this trip.
It will be different from last time though, because I do not personally know anyone going on this trip. We have communicated in email, and of course we are all friends on Facebook, but I have never met any of the other college students that I will be traveling with. And that alone, is an awesome adventure to be able to meet and interact with SO many students my age.
So until we speak again, and until I update you on the latest count down remaining have an amazing weekend!
Love,
Ally :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
