Pauli

bombora

Pauli

Hi Folks!

Thanks for joining me on my WALKABOUT 2010 adventure around various parts of the globe!

This is the first time i have tried this as i usually send postcards, but i bought a little laptop and thought
i would take the great leap into the 21st century......

....so please be patient with my updates coz im not a 'sit at the computer' sort of guy!

Whats my plan?

....well, i dont really have one!

Im going to be in Germany (Dresden) to see my great friends Angie and Phil for Angie's 30th birthday
at the beginning of August, then catch up with as many couchsurfing friends that i can (www.couchsurfing.org)

...then im going to see where the 4 winds take me (and cheap flights and trains!)

So get in, strap yourself down and hang on!

Pauli



Europe » United Kingdom » England » Derbyshire » Ilkeston September 9th 2010

Well....got back to Aunt Sandra and Uncle Alans place in Ilkeston about 6pm...and straight inside for a cuppa tea and a shower! Sandra and Alan have gone caravaning to france for the last 2 weeks, and they are due back sunday... Just had an early night tonight because the old knees are feeling the weight of the backpack! Friday 10th. Had a bit of a sleep in this morning, then up for a cold shower and a cuppa tea before walking into Ilkeston and getting the bus into Nottinghma. Had lunch at this chinese buffet restaurant (only $10!) and ate waaaay too much! Had another walk around the city (mainly to walk off the lunch) then heading back to Ilson (as the locals call it) for another cuppa tea and a sit down before heading "uptown" ... read more
Into Derby...
The Walkabout ....
Iron Gate...

Europe » United Kingdom » Scotland » Midlothian » Edinburgh September 4th 2010

Saturday 4th September. Well, the plane finally got off the ground at Charleroi Airport, after we where all loaded along with our bags and taxi'ed out onto the runway, we where told by our captain that "this plane is broken so we are going to use the spare one"..... ....so we where all unloaded and had to (it seems) walk to the other end of the airport to be loaded again, although it was a bigger plane with more leg room.... Now, flying to Edinburgh with a plane load of Scots in their kilts can be a fun thing, but not if you have to follow them up sets of stairs....twice....and across a windy tarmac.. We finally got into the air 90 minutes late, and landed in Edinburgh with no further problems, and Lizzy and her ... read more
The Very Welcoming Locals...
Jane and Pat...
Haggis!

Europe » Belgium » Limburg » Hasselt August 29th 2010

Sorry for the late updates...i was so busy being looked after and fed by the Cuenen clan i just didnt have time to update this! Sunday 29th August Jean and John dropped me at Belfast City Airport for my flight to Belgium via Southampton. Well, Els and her dad Leon picked me up from Brussels airport and took me for a quick tour of the city as well as a visit to my first Belgium bar for a lemonade and a sip of their beers just for the taste! (and got rained on again) Had a look around the city (see the photos) before hitting the highway back to their place in Beverlo, via a restaurant for a quick dinner then home to my Belgium mum Monique! Monday 30th saw the sun out! Up at about ... read more
Belgium Customs...
Welcome to Belgium!
Parc du Cinquantenairs Jubelpark


Well, Amsterdam to Nothern Ireland....bit of a difference there! Got word my cousin Daniel from home was there along with my Nana, so jumped on an Easyjet flight for the 1 hour flight to Belfast...and scared Nan silly when i walked in the door at my Aunty Jeans place in Templepatrick! Sat down to a nice pasta dinner with the family and my thier friends and a nice chat before having a shower and settling in for the night! Tuesday 24th my Aunt Jean dropped myself and Daniel, and my 2 cousins Ella and Beth into belfast for a walkabout and a look around and we all did a little bit of shopping before heading back home again for dinner and more of a relax!...Wednesday was a lazy day, didnt get out of bed until about ... read more
Dinner time!
Beth and me...
The Campbell residence...

Europe » Netherlands August 21st 2010

Took a flight with Norwegian Air from Copenhagen to Amsterdam (Friday 20th)and got to Schipool airport about 8.30pm local time, and onto the train to Centraal Station in Amsterdam....and walked straight to the Heart Of Amsterdam hostel on Oudezijds Achterbugwal in the heart of the red light district! Who ever writes these reviews for places to stay should be punished! The place is frieindly enough but its sandwiched between a 'bar' and a live sex show venue...thats not the problem its just the noise ha ha! Put my bags away and went for a wander to have a look around for a few hours, and this place dosnt sleep at all....and neither did i..... Took a few discreet snaps (as discreet as you can be with a camera and a flash) and had a bite to ... read more
Amsterdam from the air...
Thats where im staying....
The Heart of Amsterdam...

Europe » Sweden » Skåne County » Malmö August 19th 2010

Well...jumped on the train and went to Sweden for the day (as you do in these parts) Got off at a lovely town called Malmo (with 2 little dots above the 'o') and had a meander around from about 10am until 4pm. The place was getting ready for a big festival of art and music and street performances so there was a lot of hussle and bustle about, but was a pleaseant day all round....not just because the sun popped its head out and the rain took the day off, but the sights and the lunch i had was pretty good also. Only cost about $20 oz to get on the train, and we went over the longest bridge that i have ever crossed to get there.... The trip back was a little different because the ... read more
Malmo Central Station...
Swedish Customs...
Welcome to Malmo...

Europe » Denmark » Region Hovedstaden » Copenhagen August 14th 2010

Well...left sunny old Germany and headed to sunny old Denmark (note the hint of humour) on the train and what a trip it was! Don left for warmer climates south at 6am and Ines and me made our way to Hamburg Hbf about 11am for my 1330 train to Denmark and hers to her friends place... The first part from Hamburg to the ferry was a nightmare...the train was too full so had to stand in the doorway with all the luggage (mine and everyone elses) for the first 2 hours and got pulled on by customs who wanted to check my bags, but said dont worry when i pointed to them at the bottom of the pile...ha ha The train drove onto the ferry MF Prins Richard and we all got off for the 45 ... read more
The Ferry...
the crew....
Like ships in the night...

Europe » Germany » Hamburg » Hamburg August 12th 2010

Made the train trip to Hamburg without any fuss....and Ines joined us for the journey! Found our hotel the Auto-Parkhotel easily enough, right by the train station in a suburb called SAINT PAULI! These germans are smart people! What can i say about Hamburg? Well....its like a little Amsterdam here....we are right next to the Reeperbahn (google it!) and went out for dinner that night and lots of very friendly Hamburger girls wanted to talk to us! the street was full of them being very friendly to all the men walking past...i cant speak german so i didnt quite know what they where saying, i think it was something like "Welcome to Hamburg, i hope you enjoy your visit" or something similar.... just did the other usual tourist things and went for a walk (between rain ... read more
From the train...
Auto-Park Hotel...
St Pauli...

Europe » Germany » Saxony » Dresden August 9th 2010

Went to this great restaraunt called the Anno Domini in Dresden with the fellow couchsurfers! Myself, Don, Angie, Phil, Franzi, Andy and Ines.... You get a wooden spoon and wooden knife, a bib and thats about it! We ordered the platter which was preceded by spiced pigs fat with bread as the entree! ...then in walked a donkey and a goat which ate most of the bread and spilled the drinks and it just got messier from there! Out came the platter...a whole roast chicken and duck,both stuffed with whole onions and apples with a skewer of lamb, cows tongue, quails, kassler pork surrounded by a salad of half tomatoes and lettuce and sauerkraut black pudding and this very very mean horseradish! ...with a side order of dumplings, noodles, cooked mushrooms with carrots and beans... ....then ... read more
Me and Andy...
Spiced pig fat...
The table next to ours...

Europe » Germany » Saxony » Dresden August 6th 2010

Well....made it to Germany! Even flying over the countryside from the U.K you can see how green and how many forrests there are! The trip over was standard...1 hour 40 minutes on Ryanair with no problems....and German customs are a lot friendlier than their English counterparts.. Angie and Phil picked me up from Berlin Airport for the 200km drive to Dresden down the autobahn and there unit just out of town....very nice old building that is being renovated. Went for a look at the Panometer which is a giant Diorama in a domed building that gives you a 360 degree view of the city as it was in 1756....awesome! Met some more friends of Angies and Phils at a bar called Saloppe Bar which is like a place in the middle of a forrest....very nice! They ... read more
Sky over Germany
Comming into land...
Customs..




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