Currently I am in Romania Bucharest and it definitely a new sight, the capital in one word.... dump. But i guess that is why I am here, to experience something different. We only got here last night so I haven't got much to say about Romania yet.

In terms of my last trip, Egypt was amazing! This is definitely the best place I have been for sight-seeing, some of the ancient artifacts are truly unbelievable. The pyramids are a true spectacle but Abu Simble was probably the coolest thing I saw (picture with the people carved out of the rock face). Life in Egypt very different to that of the western world, it reminded me a lot of Morocco. The hagglers here were the worst I have ever seen but I still had an amazing time. One of my memories was getting a horse and cart back to my hotel and it being cheaper than a taxi!! Relaxing on a Fellucca while sailing down the nile for 2 nights was also certainly an experience.

When I landed back in London from Egypt I had 6 hours to get home, re-pack and get to a different airport fly out to Poland. I almost pulled out as after such a full on tour of Egypt you just want to relax but thanks to a bit of a push from a friend I went. And I am so glad I did in the end as Krakow was definitely better than expected. Great place to party (I drank way to much on the first night I was there) and it was really cheap. I also went and saw Auschwitz (concentration camp where over 1.1 million people were murdered) which was something you had to see but very very sad.

I will add pictures at a later date

Bye for now,
leigh

Well it's been 2 weeks since i got back from my last trip and i'm off to Egypt tomorrow, returning to London on the 12th heading to Krakow (Poland) for 2 night then back to London and back to work. I have a full time job working in a gym now fitness instructing, taking classes etc. I am on a 6 month contract so i won't be home for a while.

In my last trip I went to Helsinki (Finland) Copenhagen (Denmark) and Stockholm (Sweden). 2 nights in each capital, Finland is not usually first choice as a tourist destination for most people but I really think it should be up there, Helsinki is a quiet city by day with beautiful buildings, at night it becomes a lot more lively. My hostel was in the actual stadium where the 1952 Olympics where, that was definitely a highlight but I must say my highlight in Helsinki was going to an Ice-hockey game. If you are ever in a country where they play it professionally make sure you go to a game, if is far different to any sport played in Australia!

Copenhagen was a cool old city, the Danish are friendly yet a little bit weird. In the first bar we went to the barman told me I looked like an axe murderer and then gave me a drink on the house.

Stockholm is built on 14 different islands, great place to go out at night but ridiculously expensive ($14 for a beer). All in all it was a great week, meet a lot of interesting people from around the world, spent a lot of time in airports and very expensive but definitely worth it!!

France

Well I am back now after my 3rd trip to France, I spent 16 days in the South of France with Fanny. During the week we stayed in Montpellier where she works and went traveling on the weekends to her Village and other cities.

My favorite thing about this trip was being able to experience France for how it really is, you get to experience far more than you would on a tour. The heat was hard for me to cope with as Air conditioning is rarely used because of it's pollution effects. I enjoyed the food very much but what I enjoyed most was driving through the mountains and passing the villages and the beautiful green landscapes. The cities we visited were - Montpellier, Carcassonne, Beziers, Toulouse and Fanny's village Riols among other villages. Hopefully one day when Fanny comes to Australia I will be able to show her what life is like where we live.

In terms of my plans, i got a job for the next few months which allows me flexibility. September 14th I go to Helsinki for 2 nights, 3-12th October Egypt, 13-15th oct Krakow, Poland and just booked today..... 6th nov - 15th nov Romania where Tom and I are going to hire a car and visit the capital Bucharest and then travel around Transylvania. We might even get to meet dracula!

Morocco

Well I am back from Morocco and I must say it has been my best trip so far. There was so many elements of the trip that I had not experienced before that made it so special. The heat was ridiculous, think of that scorching hot week earlier this year in Melbourne.... and now think of it without any air-conditioning or fans, minimal shade and no showers; that was what it was like in the desert. Luckily most of the hotels we stayed in in the city's had a/c and showers!

In a nutshell what made my trip was the music of the Moroccan people, as there isn't much else to do in the desert they would play music and sing songs at night. One of my favorite memories is sitting on top of a big sand dune during sunset while some of the Moroccans at out camp played the drums and sung, I joined in as well but as I don't speak Arabic my line was "Fatima" in between each verse. As it was too hot in the desert I didn't sleep in my tent, i just slept outside on a sheet in the sand and got to wake up to a beautiful sunrise over the atlas mountains each morning. The markets and bargaining was also fun, I traded some items of my clothing which are uncommon in Morocco for some wooden and leather goods. I could have gotten much better trades but our bus was leaving and I would have been left behind so I had to hurry the trades.

In Morocco they speak Arabic, Berber and French, luckily I could have some very basic communication with some Moroccans with my very basic french.

Tomorrow I am off to the south of France for 16 days and when I return hopefully I will have a job. Next Trip after that is Egypt 3/10-12/10. In terms of coming home all I can say is that it wont be this year.

Bye for now,
Leigh

In the last few weeks a few things have changed and now my travel plans are now more open than ever. I went to the Running of the Bulls 2 weeks ago which was a really crazy week. Unfortunately I got pretty sick mid-week but still managed to have the time of my life. The sickness stayed around for a while and put me out of work for a week.

The Running of the Bulls is a festival in Pamplona properly known as San Fermin. The opening ceremony everybody gathers in there white outfit with a red sash around their waist and a bandanna around their wrist. At midday the mayor comes out to the balcony of the city hall and everybody holds up their bandanna, a rocket is set off and this marks the opening of San Fermin. The bandanna then goes around your neck and everybody pretty much goes into party mode for the rest of the day and night.

The bull runs are done every morning 8am for the next 10 days. I tried running on the first day but as there were too many people they kicked heaps of people out including myself out. The second day we were successful in running, the run itself is just over 800m in length and finishes at the bull fighting arena. 6 Bulls run it along with 6 steers (bulls that are not angry). The steers steer the bulls on a straight path... if a bull strays from a straight path or turns.... that is when you want to be jumping over the closest fence or as far away as possible. Timing and postioning of your run is very important if you want to get into the arena where there is more fun to be had. The gates open for the first bull and close after the last one gets there. I made it in and then they release 2 year old bulls and you get to run round around the arena with them.

I resumed work this week and also resigned as the pay was average, the work involved a lot of traveling and the work was pretty much glorified cleaner and receptionist which is not why I work in the fitness industry. In a weeks time I head to Morocco with Tom my housemate where we will be going on a Adventure Tour. You will find our itinerary here -

http://www.traveltalktours.com/traveltalk_morocco_m2.htm

After Morocco I return to London for 3 days and head to the South of France to stay with Fanny in her Village for 2 weeks. She recently aquired a job that is near Montpellier so we will most likely stay there during the week and then return for the weekends and I am told that we will be going to some of the village parties in the nearby Villages which involve a lot of drinking and specifically Sangria.

I retun to London 26th of August where I have a job lined up which pays much better than the last. It is not set in stone as it is a month away and things can always change.

Also when I am not in the UK I will be on my Australian number +61403778496. You can send SMS to me but not called as I get charged heaps to take calls.

See ya!

Edinburgh!

Well earlier in the week I went to Scotland, the start of the trip didn't go to plan as my airport transfer which I pre-booked and GAURANTEES me a seat rocked up only to tell me the bus was full. After a long argument with the driver he closed the doors on me and drove off, luckily I was able to get another bus through another company and I just made my flight. Then when I arrived in Edinburgh my camera was flat and I had no charger! I had to pay £54 for another battery only to later find out I forgot one of my debits cards then leaving me with £7 for the rest of my trip!! Luckily i was able to borrow some money off a friend who lives in Edinburgh and mum to get me through the rest of the trip.

Edinburgh is definately the best english speaking city I have visited so far, the scottish people are geat, the city is very unique and drinks are cheap!! The night-life here is great, the sun goes down at 11pm and rises at 3am but it never really gets that dark. I bought a kilt and wore it out on my last night as well!!

Next weekend I am off to the Running of the bulls in Spain for 1 week, I have also upgraded rooms in my house. It costs a little bit more but it is a much better room. I have also booked flights to Helsinki, finland for september.

That's all for now!!

Ireland

Well I spent 5 nights in Ireland and it is expensive.... I liked Dublin as a city but it didn't stand out like some of the places i have been to recently. One of the things that made Ireland such a great place was the people, i have never seen people this friendly anywhere in the world.

I also took a bus tour south of Dublin into the Wicklow mountains and Glendalough where Braveheart was filmed. I tried some Irish stew and was gooooooooooood.


Since I last posted I have booked one more trip... couldn't help myself, cheap flight came up! I am going to Edinburgh for 3 days 22nd June.