Geo: 52.3738, 4.89095there are some things i do when travelling alone to make sure i stay safe:-i rarely, if ever, go out at night-i don't drink-i certainly don't do drugsso my first evening in amsterdam i went out at DUSK and saw a sex show, and DIDN'T DRINK...then i went to a 'coffee shop' and DIDN'T DO DRUGS, i bought 'cake' and took it back to my hotel room and i ATE it...it was a safety success! (though the sex show was so UNsexy it was practically boring) i used vivien's famous words at the door and was granted easy access - have y'all heard the story? of me and viv in las vegas looking for a strip joint? i was drunk (but i wasn't alone so it was allowed) and happened to walk up to ... read more

Geo: 52.5235, 13.4115ich bin ein defective - who woulda thunk? went to sleep last night in the usual manner - dead tired, feet and knees throbbing from walking 5 to 7 hours a day...but i woke up unlike every other day, refreshed and ready to go, today my knee didn't want to move correctly...i couldn't properly straighten my left leg and putting weight on it was painful...oops! i did some creaky leg stretches in my room, then went to a chemist and got some heat cream...points to me for being able to communicate what i needed :) so with a bandaged knee under my jeans, and ready with my umbrella, scarf, thermal undershirt and rain jacket (did you get the subliminal message there about how cold it is?), i hit the streets of berlin once again ... read more

Geo: 48.22, 16.37THEY DRINK WINE WITH SODA HERE....it's like they've been waiting for me to come all these years! I had a tour of Schonbrunn Palace which finished at 5.30, then I had to go back there for a concert at 8.30...I knew if I went back into town with the rest of the tour and back to my hotel I'd pass out, so I dumped the group (again) and stayed and had dinner for one...and what does one have on their first night in vienna? wiener schnitzel and apple strudel...I know I was just being a big stupid tourist, but I shall forever refer to it as 'the night I had dinner at the palace' coincidence: I did something a bit awesome without meaning to..the palace in Versailles is where Marie Antoinette lived (and died), ... read more

Geo: 43.7687, 11.2569omg, i love florence!there's this chick at work who i like (rare, true facts), and when i told her i had planned 3 days in venice, she said that'd be a bit useless and that my time would be better spent in florence...i haven't been to venice yet, but i am soooo glad i included florence :) (thanks, short but wise one)1.i arrived early evening after a 34 hour trek from ithaki (2 boats and 2 trains), and went out for my first sunset at Ponte Vecchio (see picture)...my hotel is right at the Duomo so it's pretty easy to look up and figure out which way i need to go - at least so far it looks like an easy place to get your bearingsi was asked for directions by 2 italian men ... read more

Geo: 43.6158, 13.5189DISASTER AVERTED3 - the one where you don't forfeit your ticketthe boat from greece is due to arrive at 10:30 so you book your train ticketto Florence departing Ancona at 12:30...pleeeeeeenty of time, right? exceptthe boat doesn't dock until 12:35!at the train station I handed over my confirmation "Si, ciao", pointed tothe departure time then to my watch "No"...he hummphs, he looks at me a fewtimes...I smile, while holding my credit card expecting to pay for anotherticket...he prints a ticket departing at 14:10, gives it to me and tells meto go to platform 4...that's it, no payment requiredcelebration time: across the road is a pizza place where I had my firstauthentic italian pizza, Diabla (but it wasn't very spicy) and now I'm travelling north through the italian countryside to Bolognawhere I will cha... read more