Today i got a shot at the doctor for Typhoid. It was painless at the time.... now my arm is sore though.
Estonia is the next place I plan on going to after Lativa, making my tour of the Baltic countries complete. The capital Tallin is yet another medieval capital said to be beautiful and full of character, but I also will be making a side trip for a couple of days to the island of Saareema, which is supposed to also be beautiful and also have a meteorite crater making it pretty special.
here's a couple of useful links. I'm tired today and not up to writing much, sorry...
http://www.saaremaa.ee/
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/europe/estonia
Sorry if the second one doesnt work the page is down right now you see.....
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Exciting Eurovision
From the Baltic lands of Lithuania I will head onwards to the completely different Baltic lands of Latvia.
I first watched the Eurovision Song Contest in 2002, the year that Marie N. won the contest with 'I wanna' for Latvia. Clearly not the best song in the contest (Malta were, as they regualarly are, robbed), this did feature the singer dressed in a suit, taking it off as the song progressed to reveal a stunning red dress underneath. Gimicks and Eurovision really do go hand in hand. Nevertheless, the nest year (2003 if you can't do maths, toughest year of my life) Riga, Latvia's capital, hosted the contest in what was my favourite contest of all. Featuring an out of tune T.a.t.u, Belly dancers and one of the competition's oddest ever performances by Austria'a Alf Poier, it will always hold a special place in my heart. Sadly it's unavailable on DVD.
Have I digressed?
Always.
Nevertheless, this is where I will be headed after Lithuania, just for 3-4 days in Riga which by all accounts is a beautiful city indeed. Maybe a day trip....
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/europe/latvia
there it is, knock yourselves out!
Well, I find myself needing to write up a 'to-do' list because I'm down to six and a half weeks and I feel that I still have a million and one things to do (it's that last 'one' that's a real bugger). I need warm socks, a jacket perhaps and I need to go see a travel doctor about medications and vaccinations.
So much fun fun fun.
Before I sign off today, I'm very happy to hear my friend Graham whom I'm meeting up with for a beer or three in London is safe and well, as he is presently in Peru which was rocked by an earthquake a week ago. Stay safe all travellers out there!
I first watched the Eurovision Song Contest in 2002, the year that Marie N. won the contest with 'I wanna' for Latvia. Clearly not the best song in the contest (Malta were, as they regualarly are, robbed), this did feature the singer dressed in a suit, taking it off as the song progressed to reveal a stunning red dress underneath. Gimicks and Eurovision really do go hand in hand. Nevertheless, the nest year (2003 if you can't do maths, toughest year of my life) Riga, Latvia's capital, hosted the contest in what was my favourite contest of all. Featuring an out of tune T.a.t.u, Belly dancers and one of the competition's oddest ever performances by Austria'a Alf Poier, it will always hold a special place in my heart. Sadly it's unavailable on DVD.
Have I digressed?
Always.
Nevertheless, this is where I will be headed after Lithuania, just for 3-4 days in Riga which by all accounts is a beautiful city indeed. Maybe a day trip....
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/europe/latvia
there it is, knock yourselves out!
Well, I find myself needing to write up a 'to-do' list because I'm down to six and a half weeks and I feel that I still have a million and one things to do (it's that last 'one' that's a real bugger). I need warm socks, a jacket perhaps and I need to go see a travel doctor about medications and vaccinations.
So much fun fun fun.
Before I sign off today, I'm very happy to hear my friend Graham whom I'm meeting up with for a beer or three in London is safe and well, as he is presently in Peru which was rocked by an earthquake a week ago. Stay safe all travellers out there!
Friday, August 10, 2007
An Ethiopian Distraction
Well
It's August. Suddenly days are flying by and I realise I have to get myself into gear for preparations. So tomorrow I am sending off to the Russian Consulate for my visa for the country of the similar name. Somehow I have found myself thinking of my next trip rather than this one. Have I planned things too much and now I need to think of something else? Perhaps... But I am thinking of Ethiopia and the possibilities that lie therein. I was on my way there as part of my crazy 2004 trip before I changed me mind, not because I decided the place wasn't for me but because I'd been so sick through India and Pakistan I had decided to take it easy (the same reason I didn't go to other parts of Africa).
Anyways, despite all that I suddenly remembered why I wanted to go. Contrary to most people's preconceptions Ethiopia is a green country, not particularly hot with mountains and some of the oldest and most amazing Christian historic sites in the world. Travelling by plane is the most sensible way to do the country it seems as a 200-300km journey on the roads can take two days. Considering I know the quality of African buses already I don't fancy that at all.
And yet this post was supposed to be about Lithuania. I will be flying into Lithuania four days after my Stockholm arrival where I will spend some time in its capital Vilinius and perhaps a place called Klaipeda, out near the coast. There's an amazing area (apparently) called the Curonian Split which Klaipeda lives on and if the weather ain't too bad I might head out there. An old friend I met whilst travelling in Iran in 2004 is going to meet me in Vilnius (his name is Siggi) and we'll tramp around together from Vilinius to probably Riga. Should be a fun week, although I am really starting to think that trips should be started in hot climates on beaches. Well, that's just what i've generally done before. South East Asia is a wonderful stepping stone to Europe from Australia, and this is the first time I've taken a flight straight to Europe without a stop over. (Well, it's stops in Kuala Lumpur for an hour or two, but no proper stop over as it were.)
So it's late and I delayed my bedtime to bring any readers I may have (please is anyone out there?) this little update. Here's a link for Lithuania via my good friends at Lonely Planet. Not that they actually know me at all...
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/europe/lithuania
It's August. Suddenly days are flying by and I realise I have to get myself into gear for preparations. So tomorrow I am sending off to the Russian Consulate for my visa for the country of the similar name. Somehow I have found myself thinking of my next trip rather than this one. Have I planned things too much and now I need to think of something else? Perhaps... But I am thinking of Ethiopia and the possibilities that lie therein. I was on my way there as part of my crazy 2004 trip before I changed me mind, not because I decided the place wasn't for me but because I'd been so sick through India and Pakistan I had decided to take it easy (the same reason I didn't go to other parts of Africa).
Anyways, despite all that I suddenly remembered why I wanted to go. Contrary to most people's preconceptions Ethiopia is a green country, not particularly hot with mountains and some of the oldest and most amazing Christian historic sites in the world. Travelling by plane is the most sensible way to do the country it seems as a 200-300km journey on the roads can take two days. Considering I know the quality of African buses already I don't fancy that at all.
And yet this post was supposed to be about Lithuania. I will be flying into Lithuania four days after my Stockholm arrival where I will spend some time in its capital Vilinius and perhaps a place called Klaipeda, out near the coast. There's an amazing area (apparently) called the Curonian Split which Klaipeda lives on and if the weather ain't too bad I might head out there. An old friend I met whilst travelling in Iran in 2004 is going to meet me in Vilnius (his name is Siggi) and we'll tramp around together from Vilinius to probably Riga. Should be a fun week, although I am really starting to think that trips should be started in hot climates on beaches. Well, that's just what i've generally done before. South East Asia is a wonderful stepping stone to Europe from Australia, and this is the first time I've taken a flight straight to Europe without a stop over. (Well, it's stops in Kuala Lumpur for an hour or two, but no proper stop over as it were.)
So it's late and I delayed my bedtime to bring any readers I may have (please is anyone out there?) this little update. Here's a link for Lithuania via my good friends at Lonely Planet. Not that they actually know me at all...
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/europe/lithuania
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