- USA
- Ireland
- France
- Belgium
- Back in France
- May 30, 2005Mexican Princesses
- May 31, 2005Versaille
- June 1, 2005Last Day in Paris
- June 2, 2005Coast of Marseille
- May 3, 2005Callanques of Marseille
- June 4, 2005Leaving Marseille
- June 5, 2005Busted Ankle
- June 6, 2005Healing in St. Raphael
- June 7, 2005Bongos on the Beach
- June 8, 2005Goodbye, St. Raphael - Hello Cannes
- June 9, 2005Antibes Daytrip
- June 10, 2005Chilling in Cannes
- June 11, 2005To Nice with the Finns
- Monaco
- Switzerland
- Germany
- Austria
- Hungary
- Poland Fun
- June 29, 2005Zakopane
- June 30, 2005Hiking in the Tatry Mountains
- July 1, 2005Trail of Wooden Architecture
- July 2, 2005Krakow Jazz Festival
- July 3, 2005Kazimierz
- July 4, 2005Goral Burger
- July 5, 2005Ciupagi
- July 6, 2005Czestochowa
- July 7, 2005Trainhopping
- July 8, 2005Happy Birthday Mom!!!
- July 9, 2005Happy Birthday Jack
- July 10, 2005Banana Riding
- July 11, 2005First Russian Embassy Visit
- Poland Family
- July 12, 2005Family, at Last
- July 13, 2005Mom's Schoolfriends
- July 14, 2005Muddy Ponds
- July 15, 2005Partying in Poznan
- July 16, 2005A Relaxing Day
- July 17, 2005Sheeshah Bar
- July 18, 2005Five Souvereign Lands
- July 19, 2005The Good News
- July 20, 2005Another Family Function
- July 21, 2005Just Chilling
- July 22, 2005The Best Bike Ever
- July 23, 2005Looking for a Home by the Baltic Sea
- July 24, 2005Copernicus and the Boyscouts
- July 25, 2005Visas are Set to Go
- July 26, 2005Luxury
- July 27, 2005A Day at Work
- Russia
- July 28, 2005Back in St. P Looking for 1UP
- July 29, 2005Peter's Pimpin' Palace and the Neverending Nights
- July 30, 2005Big Bad Moscow
- July 31, 2005Beating Birches
- August 1, 2005Off to Siberia
- August 2, 2005Drinking with the Guards
- August 3, 2005Big, Rolling Trans-Siberian Party
- August 4, 2005Pack up, Only Six Hours Left
- August 5, 2005Irkutsk
- August 6, 2005Swimming in Lake Baikal
- August 7, 2005Drenched
- August 8, 2005Partying with Uzbeks
- August 9, 2005I Love You Omul, I Heart Baikal
- August 10, 2005Pushed out of Russia
- Mongolia
- China
- August 26, 2005Chasing Buses
- August 27, 2005Looking for the Opera
- August 28, 2005Sleeping on a Wall
- August 29, 2005Trying to Find the Opera Once Again
- August 30, 2005Forbidden City and Searching for the Opera
- August 31, 2005The Opera Sucks
- September 1, 2005Hutongs and Strange Food
- September 2, 2005The Peking Ducks Incident
- September 3, 2005Beijing Shopping
- September 4, 2005The Dirt Market and Tiger Penis Vodka
- September 5, 2005Temples, Temples, and More Temples
- September 6, 2005The Amazing Summer Palace
- September 7, 2005Goodbye Asia
- Back in the USA
World Trip
Closing German Bank Account
Once again we had delicious marmalade sandwiches for breakfast. We said our goodbyes, and Elsbeth gave me a jar of her homemade marmalade for the road. I caught a ride into Nurnberg with Kurt and relaxed until it was time to catch the train for Vienna.
In the meantime, I decided to go to a Sparkasse bank and see if I would finally be able to close down my account. I was not expecting much money, but figured an account that started out at 41 Deutsch Mark over 15 years would gain some interest. Perhaps even at a measly 3% there should have been about 62 DM in there. Considering the initial DM to Euro exchange rate of 1.57DM to 1 Euro, I was hoping to get two crisp 20 Euro bills. Nope. A measly 26 Euro and change! The German banks suck, and rip off little kids by not paying interest. But anyway, I took the money, got myself a lunch, and patted my younger self on the back for being forward thinking and anticipating to these rough traveling times ahead.
Vienna was nice. This was one of the few times that I had a hostel reservation ahead of time so I had nothing to worry about except getting there. It was a nice change for once. The hostel was easy to find and soon enough I was eating a juicy kebab for dinner and drinking beers with all the other travelers there.
We decided to go for a walk in the city. So the nine of us got more beers and walked. We walked left, we walked right, and the goal was just to walk. Eventually we found a tiny little hole-in-the-wall bar where the price was right, and stood outside while finishing the beer. The bartender lady came out and told us that we are not allowed to drink in front of the bar. I explained to her that we are just finishing our beers before coming in, and she quickly ushered us in with the beers. One of the Quebec girl named Veronica that was with us was a bartender and was wondering if she could make us a drink. After explaining this to the bartender, she let Veronica have her way. They eventually decided on a round of shots of some homemade schnapps that had a good taste to it, but unfortunately no name.
Eventually we left the bar and most of the group went back to the hostel. Veronica, Simon, and I were determined on finding a place where you could hang out until later, and after a long walk got to Club Flex. We did not stay there long because it turns out Veronica and Simon are not big fans of techno, so we headed back to the hostel by foot and taxi.
