Probably the last post!

Wow! I cannot believe Im writing what will most probably be my last post of my HUGE europe/middle east adventure! This is nuts! I cant believe Ill be home in less than a WEEK!!! But actually to own the truth - I AM SO FRIKIN EXCITED ABOUT COMING HOME AND SEEING YOU ALL AND BORING YOU CRAZY WITH ALL MY STUPID PHOTOS AND STORIES AND HEARING ALL YOUR, EVERYONE ONE OF YOUR NEWSSSS!!!!

YIPPEEEE!!!!!

So to fill some in, Ive been in Egypt for just over 2 weeks now, touring around with a group, which I think I outlined before. The groups been good, but it is quite diverse, so there were some extremely mild snaps when we were squished into jeeps on long drives for about 4 days in a row. I actually loved the long drives. I mean, come one! We were going through the SAHARA! Pretty awesome! And SO beautiful! But some people dont exactly deal well with long drives, and it pays to be patient.

Before that other things we all the neccessary egypt sights, spend a day and night on a feluca (not NEARLY as scary as what some people say. I LOVED it!), camped out in the Sahara under the stars, spent a morning bike riding around Siwa Oasis (HAS to be the most beautiful oasis EVER!) and sand boarding down some CRAZY dunes! Oh, and the 4-wheel drivers here are NUTS!!!! Definitely occasional fear for my life, or maybe just my buttox upon landing :)

We left the desert today and am not in Alexandria. Our hotel is TOTALLY cool, and my roomie, Sam, and I managed to score the best room, with full 180 degree, unobstructed sea view. NICE!

So Ill be home from next wednesday with plenty more stories, so PREPARE!!!! Im honestly SOOO completely excited about seeing EVERYONE!!! So let me know when you're free for a catch up!

Love love love love for EGYPT!!!!

Egypt Unplugged

Salam elecom all!
Am now in awesome Cairo, and its really not as scary as I thought. In fact, the people here are SOO lovely and friendly and if you're polite to them - NO HASSELLING! They are just lovely back! Woopee!
No photos in this blog sorry, as I am just in a little internet cafe across from our favourite sheesha cafe. Im sorry but Im now RATHER addicted :)

Ive actually started a different tour now, lapping around Egpyt for 15 days. 4 gorgeous girls from my last trip are on this one, plus 8 other people, so pretty packed. But they all seem very nice, though quite varied. Will keep you all informed of hows all going.

So this morning we went to Giza and saw the piramids! And the Sphinx! And went to the Egyptian museum! Hugely fantastic day and am now really quite tired. But I cant wait to show stupid photos of me holding the piramids, kissing the sphinx, etc. Im sorry, but totally neccessary :)

In about an hour I catch an overnight train to Aswan. Have 2 days in Aswan, before catching a classy feluca, hehe, to Luxor.

Im sorry about the pathetic shortness of this message, but must get back to my sheesh :).
Sending love to all, and looking forward to seeing you all IN TWO WEEKS!!!! :D :D :D

xoxoxoxo

FINALLY A COMPUTER WITH INTERNET!!!

HELLOOOOO EVERYONE!!!
Im so sorry that I havent posted in forever, but the middle east is a bugger for gaining internet, and then when you've got internet for some reason some countries here have a thing against blog!!! CRAZY!!!
But now Im in beautiful Jordan, and have a computer, so lets move on.
To be exact, Im in PETRA!!! And it is AMAZING! You hear about the site, and think, yeah it must be pretty good, but seriously, its as unbelievable, better than what they say!
I spent all day there yesterday. We're talking walking down the cliff-squeazed siq at 6am on the dot, and not walking back out again till after 5.30! There wsa just THAT MUCH to see in there. And so much hiking and talking to the bedoin people. They were really friendly and gave us tea and showed us these hidden tombs. Twas great! Spent part of the day wandering by myself, then part with Elizabeth, one of the girls in my group.



Im now travelling in a scheduled tour, started in Istanbul, with only 4 people plus my lovely leader, Jen, then in Jordan we picked up another 5 girls. They are all really lovely, but I think the original 4 of us have formed a special bond, cause there are several times when we end up all together, for example when it comes to getting a shish and tea and sitting up late chatting :) This photo is of our original group of 5 on top of Mount Nemrut, in order, Adam from USA, me, Jen our leader from Condobolin Aus, Jo from Brisbane Aus, and Elizabeth from Melbourne. And yes, there is only one boy, therefore now there is 9 girls and 1 boy! Poor thing!



Some of the highlights from the tour so far have been Quad biking around Cappadocia (VERY awesome way of seeing the amazing rock formations),
the homestay in the turkish village with a really lovely family (this photo is of the father and DAUGHTER showing us how to roll cigarettes, and we slept on the roof under the stars),
floating in the dead sea,
and yesterday at the site of petra.
Theres a thousand other highlights (ag this syrian story teller, who we couldnt understand a word off, but just loved the facial expressions).
It really has been so wonderful, but they will have to wait for story time when I get home. I keep looking at how many photos Ive taken and how many amazing things have happened, and pittying all my gorgeous family and friends at home who will ask to see and hear them :I I will try to EDIT! :)

Love love love love!!!

turkey travels

Hey everyone
Just a very brıef blog as there are heaps of people waıtıng for the computer
But Im ın Goreme now ın Capadocıa. The most AMAZING place. Thınk natural smurf houses and youve basıcally got ıt. Im now travellıng wıth an Intrepıd tour and have already gone paraglıdıng. wadıng waste deep up a gorge. jeep safarı and tomorrow goıng quad bıkıng through the rock formatıons here.
So pretty actıve and great!
The group ıs real small. Only four people and we all get along fantastıcally!
Very cool!
So wıll hopefully post another blog real soon. But thıs tour ıs super full on and basıcally all my tıme ıs cramped full of cool stuff. But never the less am stıll mıssıng you all and hope all are well and smıley.
xooxoxoxoxoxoxo

Carpet Sellıng, Aya Sophıa and an Apple Tea

I know Ive saıd ıt SOOO many tımes, but today was the BEST ever day!!! Lıke I cant stop smılıng! :)
Started the day pretty funny. I went off wıth the owner of the hostel to try and sell carpets! I know, crazy! But know success unfortunately :) It basıcally ınvolved me walkıng around wıth hım ın the sun around Aya Sophıa and the Blue Mosque, and randomly strıkıng up conversatıons wıth people. then encouragıng them to buy a carpet, tellıng them that he wholesales carpets ın Amerıca (he has an Amerıcan accent, because hıs wıfes Amerıcan, ın real lıfe. hehe). Was actually good fun for a mornıng. The funny thıng ıs that he wants me to stay ın Istanbul for a few months and work for hım. As I saıd before, he hıres backpackers to work for hım and ıs REALLY tryıng to convınce me to stay. To the poınt where he wıll gıve me the money that I paıd for my month long tour (whıch Im supposed to start on Sunday), so that I wıll ınstead stay here and help hım sell carpets!
I am honestly not kıddıng!
But dont worry. As much as ıt was kındov fun for a mornıng, I thınk I could DEFINITELY not do ıt for longer. The morals KINDOV get ın the way :) DOnt worry, I stıll have those, despıte my months of selfısh travellıng :D

(lots of smıley faces ın thıs blog :) :) :) )

So I only dıd that tıll about 11.30, then saıd I wanted to go check out Aya Sophıa, as I hadnt seen ıt yet.
Now Aya Sophıa was STUNNING! SOOO huge! Tıs defınıtely one of those MUST sees ın Istanbul.

After Aya Sophıa, I walked over to the area of Fatıh, whıch ıs actually not a tourıst spot, but I wanted to see ıt because ıt was the locatıon of a book Ive just read. But ıt does have one of the larger mosques ın Istanbul, so I went there, and just quıetly walked through, watchıng the men ın prayer. When I came out, I was puttıng on my boots when one of the mosque carers (Im not even goıng to try to spell the word) came up to me, gave me a nod and a smıle and gave me these beads whıch they use for prayer here. How beautıful s that!? And they are so nıce!
Then I got talkıng to these 2 brothers just outsıde the mosque, about relıgıon. They were really ınterestıng to talk to, and so when they asked ıf I was ın a hurry or dıd I want to go have some tea and a shısh wıth them, I agreed. Hence I spent the WHOLE afternoon drınkıng apple tea (SOOO good here!), smokıng an apple shısh and talkıng about relıgıon, polıtıcs, cultural tradıtıons, pop culture and chıldrens tv shows! :) Was SOOO nıce! And they refused to let me pay for my tea (even though they kept callıng for more and more, even before Id fınıshed the last one, so I thınk I had lıke 5!) or shısh!
And there was no creepy catch at the end or anythıng. Just a lovely, tradıtıonal, socıal afternoon.

So that was my wonderful day! So awesome! I love Istanbul!
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Today Im goıng to try to sell a carpet... Serıously!

Hı everyone!
So Fırstly let me just update, I GOT MY SYRIA VISA!!!!! WOOPPEEEEE!!!!! And not too much stress or anythıng. I only had to go to the Syrıa Embassy 4 tımes yesterday! Whats 4 tımes? :)
So yeah, am now feelıng back on holıday mode and today Im goıng to try and sell a carpet. And no, Im not kıddıng. Let me explaın.
So on the fırst nıght I was chattıng wıth some of the lovely hostel people ın the hostel bar, when thıs mıddle-aged guy for the next table over leans across and asks me my name and where Im from (for some reason everyone thınks ım from England!). Then he asks how long Ill be ın Istanbul and whether I want a job teachıng Englısh. I just laugh and say how ım joınıng a tour and then goıng home ın June. Then he laughs and says that everyone says that, but that I should thınk about ıt, cause he could get me a job so easıly and I could make good money, etc. Turns out hes the owner of the hostel and a few other busınesses ın Istanbul, and seems to have made a hobby of fındıng backpackers and talkıng them ınto workıng for hım ın Istanbul. Hmm... Dodgy?
Then last nıght when I arrıved back to the hostel wıth a frıend after havıng a drınk at a nearby cafe, the guy ıs out the front talkıng to some people and we all get chattıng. Then he asks ıf I want to come along wıth hım and hıs polıceman frıend to try and sell some carpets to some Amerıcan tourısts from the cruıse shıps. Apparently one of hıs many busınesses ıs carpet sellıng, and theres a Amerıcan cruıse shıp comıng ın, but locals cant get ınto the area, but wıth hıs polıceman frıend, hes all excıted to go and get some customers :)
So better go, cause hes just arrıved. But I promıse Ill be super careful, and wıll let you all know how ıt goes when I get back!
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

I CAN POOOOOSSST!!!!!

Woo Hoo! I can post! Or more specifically, I can log on! SOOOO excited!
The last hostel I was at had these frustrating computers that wouldnt let me do a whole heap of things, the big one being log onto my blog.
But the continual frustration is that I cant upload photos again. Bugger. Ill try to work it out, but for now will have to make do with just my banter...
Im in ISTANBUL! Not Constantinople. No, it's Istanbul, not Constantinople. Nanana na na... Sorry, couldnt help myself. Im turning into Dad! :)
But first Ill tell about my last week. I spent last week in Sevilla, Spain, attending the Feria de Abril. Ill explain this, as few people Ive spoken to know about it, and its quite an unusual event.
The Feria de Abril is Sevilla's biggest festival, and one of the biggest festivals in Spain. But it's not a tourist festival, like the running of the bulls, and the tomato throwing craziness (which I SOOO wanna come back for!). Sevilla has a specific site for the Feria's which just has a whole heap of streets, and they set up HEAPS of tents (we're talking OVER 15 hundred!), called Casetas. They vary in size, and are all individually decorated. We're talking wallpaper, frieses, flowers, lanterns, paintings, bull fighting posters, the whole shebang! THey are like little homes!
Now most of the Casetas are privately owned, either by companies or families. I asked a friend about this, and apparently it costs around 20-25 THOUSAND euros a year to hire a Caseta!
To get into these Casetas, you need to be on the guest list, or sometimes if you know someone inside, or if your really good friends with the door guy. So it really pays off to know a local, which of course I didnt. Until the first day.
I was having breakfast, and the kitchen was completely empty. And I couldnt work the coffee machine, so I went to reception and asked, and a guy, who obviously worked there, came and helped me. We got talking and before I knew it, he was inviting me to a rooftop BBQ one of his friends was having.
Now I know what you're thinking- SASCHA! That sounds SOOO dodgy!
But Ive gotten into the habit of really looking at a situation and then judging, and this didnt feel weird. And lucky I did go, because Manuel (thats the guys name) turned out to be totally awesome! He had an American friend staying with him, Sarah, who is one of the most gorgeous girls ive met on my travels! We got along SOO well, that actually she delayed leaving so we could hang out some more.
The rooftop BBQ was SOO nice. Just eating and drinking and flamenco dancing.
I spent the week with Manuel, Sarah, and especially this lovely young married couple, Amy (American) and Manuel (a different Manuel, Spanish). Manuel 1 introduced me to his family at their Caseta, and his dad, then also his mum, taught me some Flamenco dancing! And I found out later that his dad was a bull fighter! Cool! I danced flamenco with a bull fighter!

So that was basically my whole week! Getting up at 11, lunch at 3 or 4, siesta at 7, dinner at 11, and dancing till 4am! No Worries!
Except now my body clock is totally spun out!

I arrived in Istanbul last night, and after FINALLY finding my way to the hostel, I grabbed a kebab (they are SOOO good here, different to at home. More like a sub really. And SOOO cheap. Yay for not being in the euro anymore. 3 liras, equivalent to just under 3 ozzie dollars is expensive!) And I had fully intended to just crash, but then met heaps of people in the hostel, and hence had a beer and chatted... so got to bed around 2ish. Not TOOO late.
:)

Today I needed to go to the Syria Embassy, and the experience was even worse than in Lisbon! Took me 2 hours to find the place, only for them to tell me I needed to obtain a letter of recommendation from my embassy and come between 9 and 11 in the morning, then shut the door in my face! Nevermind that I had NO idea where my embassy was!
Luckily I found a lovely travel company, who found the address for me, then I managed to get the letter. So tomorrow, I have to go back and HOPEFULLY they can give me a visa before Friday. Bugger I HATE visa stuff!
Word to the wise- NEVER book trips to iffy places spur of the moment. The night before you leave Australia so TOOOOO spontaneous, and just causes pain.

But anyway, with the letter of recommendation I REFUSED to be down, so I went to the Spice Market and it was AMAZING!!!! All the colours and noises and smells... I was just overwhelmed! And walked around and around and LOVED it! So feeling really good now, despite the crappy start to the day.
Oh and the baclava here! OMG!!!!!! Im in love! Ooo, and the tea! Thats awesome too!

Okay, so Id better get off the computer. Going to go check out some of this street food for dinner. Wish me luck :)
And wish me double luck with the stupid embassy tomorrow...