Since Milan

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Since Milan, there have been quite a few developments on the trip. Aside from the fact that we've got down to Rome, and are now in Amsterdam, we've had an interesting time packed with excitement.

After Milan, we procedeed to drive to Rome. Having visited Pisa (they've got this really dodgy tower thats on a bit of a lean, poor workmanship if you ask me) we headed onwards to Rome. Sleeping in a truckstop about 100km from Rome, we were woken at 2.30 am by the alarm going off. So someone tried to break into the car. The lock was busted, and really, who would have guessed, given the graffiti on the half demolished service station we were at. Ok, we'll notch that one up to carelessness on our part, but at least the alarm worked. It really did need a test anyway.

While in rome, we wandered around, got lost, ate some pizza and other such fun. The colosseum doesn't look quite as flash as it did 2000 years ago, but hey, not too bad i gotta say.

Heading north to Venice, which Kane thinks is the most beautiful city in the world that he's seen, I'm not willing to make that call yet. But it was great nonetheless. Although definitly not cheap. A good time was had by all, as we had a few beers in the Piazza San Marco and ran across the city to catch the last bus back to the campervan.

Moving on towards our world cup match in Dortmund, we spent the night in Innsbruck, Austria. Well, Innsbruck seemed like the perfect town to hit it real hard. The culmination of a night of heavy drinking, creating a 5-6 metre beer snake (in austria, not australia like usual) was that after I decided to head back to the campervan as i had had enough and was feeling a little sleepy, i found myself waking up, not in the campervan as i expected, but in an Austrian hospital. A most unexpected development, for both me and my companions, as they were forced to sleep for a while in the chicks toilets as i had the keys. What can i say, in australia they let you sleep it off in the gutter, or garden, or tree, or whatever it was, i really dont remember. But no. In Austria, its an ambulance ride. And i have the certificate to prove it. Upon waking up (somewhat hungover after a night of attempting to nick half-yardglasses and throwing up, Dianna especially, putting in a good half an hour driving the porcelain bus) Kane realised that he was missing something very important. His passport. Whoops. So, we got a another day in innsbruck, not munich like was planned. But these things happen. After Brazil beat Australia (which should have been a draw, but hey, we were robbed 😊 ) we headed towards germany, desperately hoping passports wouldnt be needed to enter the country. Thankfully not, so we made camp just before munich.

Woke up to start the 650 km drive to dortmund at 5 am, getting there for a 3pm game at 1.30pm (only just, we encountered the first rain of the trip, not to mention wind.) The atmosphere was electric, with the stadium for Togo vs. Switzerland being filled with a sea of red and white. Never before have the chants for a team sent shivers down our spines as the swiss fans chanted hop suisse, hopp schweiz or forza svizzera (they really should pick a language and run with it) and yodeled their way to a 2-0 victory over togo.

After this match was finished, we decided to head onwards to amsterdam, spending the night just inside the dutch border, making it our 8th country to visit to date. We woke up the next morning and headed to The Hague, visiting the Australian Embassy, where Kane was punished for losing his passport to the tune of 73 Euro, not to mention the new one hes gonna have to get, plus losing his stamps to date and having to get a new visa for vietnam for the way home. Ouch.

We are now in Amsterdam, at a camping lot just near the many harbours in amsterdam on the outskirts. Its been a good day in amsterdam, pretty relaxed, with a visit to a coffeshop or two, a smartshop (thats right Chris, mushrooms) and a visit to the red light district pending. And its all nice and legal here, so there cant be any trouble because of it. Thats just a pre-warning for all who might get a little authoritative about it, because its gonna be a blast.

Catch you all with the next update in a few days time, and bring on the Australia-Croatia match, because they are gonna get wrecked by the unbeatable australian side (alright, except for brazil, but hey, it is brazil)

Matt

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Comments

[Campbell]

Go the F*cken Aussies!!!!
good to hear you boys are havin fun. now australia is in the final 16 does that mean you get to watch them play italy?? or you going to the game after that one??? Put some pics on here!