Today started with me taking my first independent bus ride into Athens alone. I knew which bus to catch, and how to catch it. I waved my hand out to the approaching 308 Bus and rode it to Aghia Paraskevi, which I recognised by the old Church. I disembarked here, and walked up the street to the internet café that Despo and I found yesterday. I logged onto Tomb Raider Forums, my personal forum FF4ever, and MSN to keep in touch with my friends back home in Australia, my online friends who I wish to meet, and most importantly, Agnes. I got an e-mail from her which told me that she can come to Greece during Christmas. This made my day! I also got two private messages, one from Ada and one from Angeliki. I gave ... read more

I went travelling with Despo again; this time it was a different procedure. We caught Bus number 308 from Glyka Nera, and headed to Ethniki Amyna Metro Station. From here we caught the metro to Monastiraki, located in the city centre of Athens, and walked to Plaka, the old town. It took a while to find Plaka, but I must say it was well worth it. The narrow labyrinthine streets, particularly Adrianou street, were very fascinating. It was a very attractive and quiet part of town, tucked beneath the floodlit acropolis. Souvenir shops and restaurants were lined up along every street! This is a place that most tourists use as their base, but as I had free accommodation, I wouldn’t need to stay here. Me and my aunt decided to stop by a cafe and have ... read more

When I woke up, I was flying over Eastern Turkey. I was still about 2 hours from Athens; I had looked out the window, and noticed the glare over the horizon. It was beautiful! The skyline was red, and the sun was going to rise sometime soon. The local time was about 6 in the morning, and I could actually see some of the snowy mountains. It was a pleasant sight. Then I landed in Athens at about 6:45am EET. I was nervous and happy at the same time! Getting off the plane, I felt a great amount of freedom and independence. I got my passport stamped, and collected my luggage. I headed out of the lobby and met Grandma and my uncle, Parry, and they welcomed me with a hug. It was great to see ... read more

Well, this is where my journey begins. The long-awaited day has finally arrived. I packed my things and left for Sydney Airport at about 2:00pm AEST. On the way, my parents gave me useful tips and advice on how to exercise caution and avoid trouble. If anyone were to ask me who paid for my trip, I did. I worked for 6 months, and saved up. I believe I am aware of my right to safety; unfortunately, it’s not a perfect world out there, and being out there in another country by myself for the first time puts my personal safety at risk. So then, we arrived at the airport and unloaded my luggage. My dad drove off to find parking, while me and my mother went into the terminal to find my departure point; and ... read more

It is drawing nearer to the day I leave for Greece. The only thing on my mind at the moment is getting homesick. I'm worried. This is going to be a huge step for me. I'm going on a plane to Greece all by myself, and the mere thought of being alone, separated from my parents by such a vast distance; I don't know if I'll be able to cope. I'm so used to living with my parents, and to do something as big as this, flying 15,000 km away to the other side of the world is just extreme, especially for someone who is only 17 and has just graduated from High School. I can tell I’m really going to get homesick. I can feel it already. I'm all anxious and worried about the situation. ... read more