if prison is a cell then it's raging in my blood

It's been a long time.

Two months in fact. And that feels like a really long time to me.

Last post, I promised to post here when the first zine came out. Two zines later and now the whole thing is up in the air because of some scumbags who never paid up for advertising. I guess it's not at the top of my list of priorities right at this moment, but it's still in the back of my mind and I can't wait for us to get another issue out. If anyone is interested, i still have a few copies, and there may still be some of the last issue floating around the likes of rocking horse, off ya tree, underworld realm, the step inn, 299, rosies, the jubilee hotel, or any other alternative store or club you can think of around Brisbane.

A week from today I will have finished my first year of uni!! It's unbelievable, I don't know where the last year has gone.... until  think back and realise I was on the other side of the world this time last year (depressing that it is already a whole year ago), and then all the memories of coming back home, summer days and hanging out, old friends and break ups, arguments and not knowing where I stand, starting uni and making new friends, partying hard and meeting people, being able to walk into one of the pubs and know there would be someone I know there, stupid relationships, starting writing for the zine, winter and old friends again, gigs and shows, the group of friends dispersing, uni work, and over the last three months, finding this immense sense of peace and love in the middle of it all.

Well I better stop  procrastinating and get back to work.

I'm in uni.
Shaking off the sleepy cobwebs from staying up late to write an essay.
Killing time before a tutorial.
Psyching myself up for the possibility of doing two oral presentations today.

Everything has been going remarkably well, and I keep finding myself closing my eyes and expecting to open them and it all to have been a dream.

I have been super busy, but it's been good. The zine comes out very soon - it's meant to be this week but there was a family crisis for one of the people who do the layout and it was pushed back. I will post here when it is available and where.

Uni is a rollercoaster. Hectic then lull. I'm waiting for a lull.

And the parties have been great. Apart from that one time when it was jocks. And that one time you were at the club.

my favourite photo of you is the one where you're bleeding.

maybe because it reminds me you're human.

It's finally got me.

After months, I'd say, of fighting it off, of feeling just about on the brink of falling into its icy grasp...

It's finally caught up with me.

Fuckin flu :(

Of course, right when it's finals :P

Halfway to finishing my assessment though, the end is indeed in sight.

Just been taking pleasure in little things. Watching skins. Repeatedly. Listening to music. Have been trying to watch good films, but I haven't found a really decent one in a while now... I'll have to keep on the lookout. Any suggestions guys?

Everything hurts and I feel gross. Wallowing in self-pity makes me miss people. Makes me wonder what I want. Also, there is no point in this journal, so I don't know why I keep it!! wtf.... Honesty is so difficult! It's so easy to look like the villain... FUCK. brandy is good. Tea is excellent. Tea and coffee. Winter is nice but I get cold so easily. I hate being sick. It's a waste of time. I want to curl up and watch comedy series and drama series. My head feels like a balloon filled with glue.

I get to go and see a hardcore band called Earth Crisis in a week (I BETTER BE BETTER.) I am anticipating an epic mosh. I haven't been in a good mosh in a long while. Maybe this is what I need! (not in regards to the cold). Yeah! RELEASE!
Massive exam next day though.

I went to hand in an assignment yesterday afternoon. Got to uni at 5 something and it was getting dark and freezing. The assignment place was closed, so it means it was marked as late anyway. I should have just brought it home again, used the extra time to make it better, hand it in today. I got distracted by some guy asking if I'd seen a silver pen. Man, I hate that I always think people think I'm guilty of stealing shit. Like when I wear a hoodie in a shop. Anyway. Was going to go and study while I was there but by this stage was feeling really sick and sneezing and freezing. I jumped back on my first bus, got off, and had just missed the second one. But there was one in a while. I'd have to wait like, half an hour. Fuck. It was so cold. And at Eight Mile Plains bus stop, at the end of the busway, it is quite miserable and lonely. The bus didn't come. I sat and froze more. I called my Mum but my phone broke. 20 minutes later the bus rocked up. Fuck. I'd spent almost an hour at Eight Mile Plains. Called from a pay phone and paced around in the cold til I got picked up. What a waste of time and money and effort and what a hideous day.

Bet you thought I'd never change my icons, huh.
Anyone who recognises who it is, don't judge me. I enjoy the combination of cigarette, milkshake and sunglasses, and no I didn't seek it out LOL.

Anyone wanna sing for a shitty punk band?

I'm sitting in the music library at UQ, waiting for a lecture.
Getting books. Y'know.

I love my music subjects to death. I want to have their babies.. o_O

But I have to say
I hate my Reporting topic.
It's about science. Ew. Science. I hate reporting.

Tomorrow night shall be sSIIIIIIIIiiiIiIICK. Adam and Luke's band. WOO. Pity I is still poor.
Sooooon my pretties, soon.

I have to go hire these books and get the my lecture. Then it's HOOOOMMME FREE.

Fuckin.. pretty sick of public transport though, right?
Laters.

To be honest, I'm not really sure what I feel toward some of it these days. I've cried, it hurt so much. And somehow now I seem to have picked myself up. I do not feel it anymore. I don't know what changed. Maybe I don't know how to try anymore. Maybe I think there is no hope of it going back to the way it was. Maybe, for once, I have let go. Maybe, for once, I have realised that this is a pretty clean break. Things won't go back this time around. I'm not sure. I'm almost anticipating a complete disintegration of this composure I seem to have. Suddenly, maybe, I'll just crash down, weak and meek and dependant. Maybe not.

Finally perhaps, this is me standing on my own two feet.
No, too easy, too simple. Maybe it's just someone else is there to fall back on right now.
But you know, in a way I have faith in myself because of this. I can handle this. I am handling this.

I don't really know what happened there. I have theories and I hear rumours. I hear the opinions and observations of others. All I get is some charade. I can't seem to get through that, I can't seem to get to you anymore. When did that happen? Well, I can pin point the beginning. I still don't regret it somehow. In retrospect, maybe I should. I regret the outcome, i resent the backlash. But I don't regret my actions. And you know what, maybe you'll never forgive me for thinking I'm not wrong. I really hope that isn't the case, the situation was not about right and wrong. It was about emotions, it was about feelings, it was about possessiveness and protectiveness and egos.

Who are you?

Really, I do care. But I'm letting this go for a while. I'm just going to let this slip away from me, I'm not going to persue and I'm not going to break down again. I have new chapters opening in all sorts of directions. It seems your new chapters are writing you as a character I might not want to follow. Sure it's distressing, but I don't want to try anymore, I don't think I'm helping. I'm just going to sit back, let the cards fall where they may.

It's like a lifetime since those days.
Things always change. People always shift.

I hope it isn't as bad as it feels though, really. I really hope we pull through this like we have with everything else. Because really, what is there between you and me that is preventing any kind of a resemblance of an us?

*****

I'ts cold. Today you walked in and brought with you a cloud of gloom. I wasn't expecting it. But I realised how absolutely dead my emotions are toward you. My soul is a corpse to you now. You can touch my skin and I do not feel a thing. You can speak in my ear, and I cannot hear a sound. You are in another dimension, I cannot compute your existence. I have nothing left to feel for you.
It was a feeling of almost soaring freedom. It would have been soaring if I didn't feel so flat myself. Maybe it was just a sort of sigh of relief instead. A little smile at the recognition of severed ties. The proof of the end of emotional turmoil. I do honestly wish it was the same for you.

But don't think everything comes easy to me. I know how you feel to a certain extent. I have actually been there, in a way. Though you wouldn't want to believe it. I drove away down that rainy street one early morning, with tears blurring the last views I got of the city, looking out the back window, knowing that I would never be back there. I will never be back there. I lay in an empty bed, reaching out for someone that wasn't there. I lay there with my whole body aching and burning like it never had before and never has since.
I lay there with silent tears, unable to breathe with longing. I have been unable to stand, overcome with despair, trying desperately and in vain to gain composure and control, after months without closure. I have, to a certain extent, been there.

*****

It's funny, I started out telling you not to scare me. Now I don't want to scare you.
I'm definitely scaring myself, and it feels pretty fantastic.
You aren't like anyone else I know, that's for sure. And by the way, you have something of mine, but that's ok, you can keep it for now... Just don't say you have all of it because no one does.

*****

Did this post sound down? Did this sound negative? I didn't intend it to. I'm feeling really good right now. I'm living my life well, I am seizing opportunities, and good things are coming my way. I am being brave and I am learning always. I am meeting amazing people, I am living the dream I just need to remember not to apologise for who I am quite so much. I don't want to slip back into that habit. At the same time, I want to better learn from the real mistakes I make.

Good night.

I went and saw the boat that rocked today and loved it. It was such a feel-good movie, and not the shit kind. And I would marry Carl (Tom Sturridge's character) right this second if I could. :3

Am swimming in new music tonight too ♥ and stuff I haven't heard in ages.

Brushed the dreads out again tonight too.... they'll soon be back though...

So sleeeeeepy and hungry, I'm off for tea and toast!

xo

My neccckkkkk huuurrrrtttsssss.

Last night was another great night, and one not filled with any dramas at all. In fact, being the person who was the unspoken 'organiser' of the night, it couldn't have really gone much better.

Apart from having spent $80 and having no money left, and everyone being poor, and cover charges being steep, and a fucked up taxi driver, and slightly annoying males, the whole night was really damn rad!! :D

I love being a part of the nightlife. I remember when I first went into the valley at night just with Shane, I must have been about 14 and we went to some little place in Chinatown and played pool and drank Chinese beer and although I couldn't get in anywhere else, walking around there gave me this buzz, just seeing all these people out, being amongst them, everyone drunk and loud and happy pumped for a good night. I wanted so much to join these people. At the time, I looked up to all the people a lot more than I do now of course, and I don't get that giddy childish high from being out there, but it's still the buzz. And now I can be a part of it, and see what's inside those doors I could only catch glimpses through. Once when I was about 15 I walked past Gilhooley's in the city on the way to the Botanic Gardens with Mark, and I made some comment in passing like, "I can't wait to be able to go into pubs and stuff." And he just said to me, "it's over-rated." And I have to say that although sometimes it can be, I have so much fun going into these places, sharing good times with people I love, sharing good times with people I've just met, passing drinks around and putting everything negative out of my world for a while. It's not for everyone, but I love these times.

I had so much fun dancing at club 299 last night. They play the kind of music I definitely want to hear when I'm out having a good time. Not necessarily 'good' music, just shit you can sing along to. Shit you wouldn't usually admit you like - guilty pleasures, stuff you can dance and sing to without scorn from mates when you're all pissed and having a good time. I'm not a 'dancing' type. Well, at least, I never thought of myself as that. (I got told by someone I'd just met last night that I didn't seem to be the dancing type, too...) But I had so much fun dancing to this stuff, the good shit, the kind of music I ACTUALLY LISTEN TO, as opposed to top 40 R&B and mainstream techno...

It was strangely nice to see the sunrise in the taxi on the way home. Even nicer to finally crash into my bed for a few hours before going to the pub with the family today...
Getting to be closer with my brother than I have been in years is so nice. He came out with us last night, and it was just the perfect group to go party with.

Despite the sore neck and back from my headbanging and the extreme tired-ness, I am feeling so goddamn content. I feel like a big fat cat lying in the sun after eating. For some reason, cats lying in the sun are the epitome of contentedness for me. ^_________^

I'm going to nap, like a cat in the sun.

It's getting colder :D

Easter means nothing to me, in the way of religion or in the way of chocolate (not one egg in my goddamn house haha) but it means a week off uni, and while I'm adoring uni, it's cool to chill for a bit and be able to get drunk and see the mates who have days off when I have lectures and shit. I got all my assignments in on time, not sure if they were to the best of my ability, but it's been a long while since I've had to study anything, so I'm pretty happy with my efforts. The subjects that I love the most, I really really ENJOYED doing my assignments for, which scared me as much as it made me happy as a clam. Is that something people say? Happy as a clam? I like it!
Now I have to make the title of this entry 'clam bake'.

Ben moved out about, oh I'd say, 3 weeks ago? There were some really unhappy times there... but I'm feeling a lot better at the moment, things are picking up, my life is gaining momentum again. I'm making mates at uni, which is rad, and I'm getting to see a lot of my mates outside of uni too. I've got a lot more time and freedom in my life right now, which I am enjoying thoroughly! And I plan on catching up with all the people I've wanted to but haven't coz of all the shit that went down.

I went to the Step Inn the other night to see City In Stone (Agey, Andy, Nic, Ben and Trent's band), and Adriatic (Bojan, Rod, Bojan's brother and some other 2 dudes' band). Penny, Rae, Arlene and I missed out on City In Stone much to our horror... we were late because of happy hour haha.... but I got to see Adriatic, who were really good! And City In Stone are always good. <3
If you feel like checking them out, they are at www.myspace.com/cityinstone.

It was a really awesome night (until some dramas erupted toward the end.... I hate that shit, but wasn't a 'part of it' so that made me glad) and I hope we have a lot more just like it in the near future, minus the bullshit and violence :) (But definitely not minus the "tims")

I've been making quite a bit of art recently as well. I've been really enjoying it. The creative urges come in waves as usual, and I start drawing and can't stop :) It's a nice feeling!

Not a whole lot else has been happening... I'm just enjoying the place that I've found myself in - well, it's more than that.... it's the place I've worked toward, the place I've gotten myself to, and that's an achievment in itself as well. :)

I have to write a blog for one of my music classes, it's the best assignment ever haha... when I start it, I'll just put links in here in case anyone is at all interested.. it's basically just about music and music subcultures haha... (fuck I love my courses haha).

Oh, and, the trailer for the up-and-coming Where the Wild Things Are film looks ABSOLUTELY AMAZING, right!?!? Exactly like the book I fell in love with all those years ago :) I can't wait for it!

Oh and feel free to show me what you kids have been listening to lately. I want to bathe in new music haha.

Well it really has been a long time since I wrote here. Between my last post, which I can't even remember, and now, I'm sure I've lived a lifetime and you probably have too. Then again it's amazing what stays the same.

I finished my first week of uni, and it was pretty fuckin smooth. I love my courses, even the one that I find boring, and I know that doesn't make any sense, but I'm just starting to get into the rhythm of studying etc, and I think it's helpful to be in love with what I'm doing. It's going to be hard work, and if there's no drive and no love it's going to be difficult. That's why I'm glad this is something I've always wnated to do :) Let's see how it goes! I'm pumped! The transition to uni hasn't been a big deal for me at all. The only slight concern I have is the actual work haha, which is just gonna come down to working hard. :)

My drum kit is back, set up in my garage after a long stint being packed away while I was away, and even before that I hadn't played for a while. In fact, I believe it's been over a year since I've properly played. But the drought has now been broken, and I intend to keep it that way, provided uni allows for it, considering that is my first priority from now on. I've already had two jams, and it's felt great, despite the frustration of having to work my way back to where I was, which will take a bit of effort. I know I can do it though, and it's just going to take the time, it's not really hard work as I know it all, it's just re-learning, but I just need to have that mindset to play every day again, get back into that routine. Once I'm back at a level where I'm more comfortable and capable jamming I will feel even better. Once I earn that little bit of confidence back, I'm pretty sure I'll be right where I want to be.

My social life has actually been pretty sweet too lately. It's been awesomely amazing being back with my old friends, I really did miss them while I was away, even though I thoroughly enjoyed every second of meeting incredible people overseas. But seriously, these guys are my best mates for life, and it's been great catching up, seeing where they are at right now. And it seems that each of them is in a pretty great place right now, which makes me feel really content :) New jobs, new bands, new friends.

Today I finally tidied my study desk, which was really therapeutic. Now I feel kind of refreshed and ready to start studying :) Also ready to start making art again. I have to hurry up and make a Youth Day Out poster, which I'll post here when I'm done and scanned. :)

Been watching anime I've always never had time for somehow as well which has been awesome, since Ben has a fuckload on his hard drive that's just beginning to be watched on his massive flatscreen on the comfort of my old bed. Best way to chill out ever. Thank fuck for gigantic gale-force fans (for those of us plebs who don't have aircon that is).

On that note, I'm getting the fuck outta here. Anyone interested in photos from the trip, go to:
www.myspace.com/navigator17

Laters!

We are in a hostel called Frolic Goats hostel in Poznan, Poland.
Fucking coolest name ever no? Last hostel was called Oki Doki, and thats a pretty cool name too I think.

We've met up with Shane and Janek over here which is awesome. It's cool to have someone from home! Someone we know! And it's cool to have a local to tell us the cool places to go, the cool things to see, straight up. Also, to have a local who has a CAR and an AWESOME house that we can crash in tomorrow night until Monday when we leave :D PARRRRRRRTAY! haha.

I'm sleepy.
NIGHT.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllll;;;;;
That was from gABZ.

Well, we're sitting in our hostel stairwell thingy where the pcs are, waiting for some photos to load onto myspack, which I will link at the end of this, ma'es.

TODAY when we got up and moving, it was snowing like a motherfucker! So heavy! The snow has settled thicker than yesterday and it's fucking awesome. We went out and made snowballs and a snowman and ran around and frollicked like gleeful ickle youngsters. Felt well 'appeh. :D
There were little kids playin in the snow and we felt just as excited as them haha, people thought we were a bit retarded I think. DON'T CARE THOUGH!! I'm still a kid fuck this 18 = adult business.

Anyways, the snow is the excitement of the moment. We don't really have any other plans or anything at the moment but I'm content to just chill (scuse the pun) and enjoy the cold and snow and awesomeness of being in Poland! :D

Last night we had to take a private room here at the hostel because all the others were booked out, and it was fucking cool to have our own bathroom and tea and coffee and TV!! We've been watching Europe mtv and shit.
Last night I took the braids out that Gabz had done all my hair in, and my hair went fucking mental, crimpage to the max. Since we had a private room, I decided to have a 80's glam hair-metal moment with it.

Right now I'm sitting by the window, looking down at a small street here in Warsaw. The parked cars are covered in a thick blanket of white, and the dark trees are mostly bare except for a few stubborn brown leaves. There is snow along the length of each of their branches. Snowflakes are spiralling down toward the damp street, and it's very pretty and peaceful looking. The people walking past all have their hoods up and their scarves on.
It's really strange to think that in the last country we were in (Greece) we were swimming in the surf on a beautiful hot beach on an island, soaking up the sun! I look through the photos on my camera and it feels like a lifetime ago but it was only a couple of weeks. I think it's pretty fucking cool and amazing that we got a beach holiday and a snow holiday all in one!!! That's really lucky :D

I do really miss you guys back home, and I'm thinking about everyone a lot. Thinking about you all sweltering in the heat and humidity muahahaha don't envy you there sorry guys! I'm absolutely loving this snow. It seriously turns me into a squeeing giggly fangirl. Yes. I'm a fangirl of the snow. I haven't grinned so much this entire trip haha.

At this hostel where we are, there is a guitar available to borrow, which we have basically claimed as our own haha. We've been writing songs and singing, it's been really cool. I'm looking forward to getting back into music when I come home. I miss my drums terribly.

I made a breakthrough last night with something I've been working on for about 18 months or more, a piece of fiction I've been writing back home, and I was so fucking excited.

At moments when it's raining or it's night-time and we aren't going out, I think a lot about the things I want to do when I get home. i've created a long list of goals and projects I want to start and it gets me really excited thinking about all the things I want to do. It's going to be hard to find the time for them all!! But I'm well exctied.
I think it's going to help make it easier to come home, having things I want to start there, things to look forward to. Apart from seeing everyone of course. That's what I'm really looking forward to, too.

Also, Soundwave is when we get back which will be really cool. Anyone on here going to it? I'm so excited about Say Anything! I freaking love those guys. Max Bemis has a radical brain I reckon. And fucking Less Than Jake! MY GOD that will be a fucking fun show. Gabz is so looking forward to Forever the Sickest kids, too. I think I'll end up knowing all the words to their songs she sings them so much haha :P

Gabz is going back to the UK after Poland, because she's run out of money. I'm not ready to go back yet, so I'm thinking of travelling on to Sweden like we planned to. I have a mate there to stay with so I won't be totally alone, but I will probably have to get there alone, and leave alone. It's a bit of a scary thought, I'm not sure how it will go. My Mum doesn't want me travelling alone understandably, but I just can't pass up the opportunity to see a friend of 3 years or so when I'm in their part of the world. I'm not going to be this close to Sweden very often! I really don't know what I'll do about it. I think I'll wait til we catch up with Shane and Janek before I make any decision about any of it. Travelling alone would scare the shit out of me but maybe it would be an amazing experience, maybe it would be really fucking good for me at the same time? I think it would definitely have its benefits in the long run. I think if I do it, I will feel I can do anything. I already sort of feel that way just by being here.

I can't help but have the awesome feeling at times like this, of “We FUCKING DID IT”. I'm looking our of a window in Poland at snow for god's sake! I think that means we made it. Anyways, IM OFF.

Laters kiddos, love yas alllll to death.
xoxox PEACE.

Today we woke up to snow.
SNOW.
...SNOW GODDAMMIT!

It was awesome. I love this weather! I love this city!
We're in Warszawa, it's really cool.

Oh shit I have to go.

HAVE AN ACE DAY!

I was in the back of a taxi this evening driving through the streets of inner city Athens like it was normal. It was just on dark and all the lights were just on and the streets were busy with different kind of people than during the day.
I got this memory of being in The City (brissy) once with Gabz, a few years back now. We had been in the city wandering round all day, and were still there when it was getting dark. I remember all the lights coming on and the people still buzzing around the streets and it gave me a buzz. It gave me a buzz just to be in the city at night.
I miss how things like that got such a reaction in me.

There's some people I'm starting to think "it's just me" with, and I don't know if I'm welcome where I once was. It's making me hesitant, not knowing where I stand.

I met a guy who had been travelling for 23 months and still had a month left before heading back to Australia. It made me wonder what that would really feel like. If I could ever do that.
I miss home, I do. But really, there's no way I'm ready to go back yet. But knowing that it's only another 2 months until I am home, well, it's not too far off. It's a good amount of time. 2 years is a long time to live out of a backpack, moving house every week, meeting and losing your friends and family all along the way.

I'm looking forward to leaving Athens tomorrow morning. Nothing against the city, I just feel like it's time to be on the move again. "On the road again" as Gabz says every single time we step out of a hostel, onto the street with our backpacks and each other and nothing else to stop us from going anywhere, doing anything we want. It's freedom that comes with adrenalin. Nothing but rough plans and no idea of much else. Vulnerable/strong. It's strange.

I'll remember Athens as souvlaki and gyros and coffees. Crazy streets and loud talkers and grey concrete buildings. Corn on the cob, taxis, Goody's.

I sent post-cards today. According to Richard, it was so 20th century of me. It was indeed - but they were to my grandparents who don't have the internet and who my Mum doesn't want to show my emails/blogs to because I swear too much. I had fun writing them in the middle of Sytagma Square, the big busy trendy area in the city, full of designer shops and western fast food places.

Anyway, after this next song I'm going to go and sit and think, wait for Gabz.
Good luck to everyone in whatever they're doing at the moment! :D
PEEEEEEEEACE

We got up at 4 this afternoon.

It was all because of last night.
There is a bar here in the hostel, and they have 1 euro beers, and an entertaining pommy bartender. We had some beers before dinner, during dinner, and a fuckload after dinner. And some shot of soemthing. And some vodka.
We were given control of the music for the bar too, which was fucking awesome fun. We made friends with a couple of Canadian lads and also a dude from Melb. and we all sat and picked songs and drank and danced and sung and headbanged. (okay I was the only one headbanging.)
I drank too much though, sooo sick. I don't usually get that sick, don't know what it was.
Anyway so that's why we slept all day today.

Yesterday we wanted to hire kayaks and go out on the lovely water, but reception told us they weren't letting any kayaks out that day because it was rough or something. We were really devastated, but went down to the beach anyway, with our new friends Lara and Bubba, two dogs who live here. They are lovely dogs!! And they follow us everywhere.
We went and sat on the beach and the dogs sat with us. We saw why there were no kayaks allowed, the completely flat water of the day before had turned to surf. Well, not surf like home... but mild surf. We went swimming instead though.

The water here is clear and blue. Really blue. It was cold and refreshing and because when I was packing for the trip I didn't really anticipate any swimming (considering all I had in my ehad was EUROPE - WINTER) I didn't pack any swimmers, I swam in my camo pants and GC shirt. It was awesome. We had the entire beach to ourselves. The water was lovely. The waves were lovely.
We lay on the beach until we were almost dried out, and then headed back. The dogs came with us. Then we realised that we'd lost the key.
All that came to my mind was the girl at reception saying "It's a 30 Euro fine if you lose the key, so leave it at reception when you're going out."

We walked all the way back down the mammoth hill to the beach to look for it. I had little hope. We looked where we had been sitting, but it wasn't there. We looked where we had been sitting previously, and we couldn't see it. Then suddenly Gabz found it. We were so fucking happy. We ate at a cafe on the beach and drank Mythos (lovely greek beer I remember Mum buying back home that I like) while the sun set over the ocean.

We are staying at the legendary Pink Palace hostel at the moment. It's massive and painted pink. It honestly looks like a barbie house. Anyway it's reallly famous and popular, which was why I didn't reaaally wanna come here, but we did, just on a whim and because there wasnt anywhere else. At frist I hated all the people here. Everyone was American, Australian, Canadian, and they were allllll jocks and sluts and what I call 'schoolies types'. I don't understand people going on holiday to a different place, to stay in a hotel full of people exactly like home, to do things like quad-bike with people exactly like themselves. I like mixing with different people, meeting the locals, experiencing the local food/customs/etc. and meeting travellers from all over the world, from different cultures, not just yankees and aussies.
There was a big group of americans on break from uni or soemthing when we first got here, but after they left it got lots better. The people we made friends with last night were awesome, so I like the place better now. Pity they left for Athens today.

We are heading to the Peloponnese on Sunday because that's when the next ferry is from here. I'm excited about seeing Olympia and Sparta. And then after that, on to Athens. Meeting up with a couple of mates we made in Albania there too, which will be cool.

Anyways guys, my net time is about to run out.
Catchyas on the flipside or some shit.
xoxo

It's been a while, I know!

We made our way south to Greece, like our plan.
It's been amazing. We're on the island of Corfu right now. It's beautiful.
Montenegro and Albania were amazing. I fucking loved it.
Before that, Budapest was brilliant.

Moving south was so much fun. Moving away from western europe was actually so much fucking fun. We got to actually relax when we got to Montenegro.. spent over a week in a private apartment on the beach for cheap, just making friends with the locals eating great food and drinking free fucking beer (the friends we made worked at a bar). That was SO much fun. Then in Albania we made more friends and spent the days sleeping late and watching movies in english for the first time all trip and seeing nearby castles, and the evenings with our mates on the balcony drinking vodka redbull and beers.
If you hadn't already guessed, I've been tasting the local beer everywhere I go. They've all definitely been drinkable haha, really nice beers have been Soproni in Budapest, Berliner in (you guessed it) Berlin, Urquell in Prague... and Bavaria was popular in montenegro even though it's dutch. Dutch beer is also lovely.

Now we're in Greece, we are still relaxing but we have a lot of thing we wanna see here so we're planning to be more active again, see all the sites, get out there, explore. We are meeting up with some Albanian friends we made in Athens in like 2 weeks time, which will be sick too. Before Athens though, we are chilling in Corfu for a few days on the beach, then going to the Peloponnese to see Olympia and Sparta etc.

We have met some fucking incredible people, learnt so much.

I havent been able to write much here.. the time we actually get to go on the net is uaully all taken up emailing home and making plans for where to go and where to stay next.

Anyways..
Having a fucking blast, I'll try to update here more regularly anyways... and when we get free internet in a hostel again, we'll upload the fuckload of youtube updates we have collected on Gabz's camera!

Anyways, I'm off, just found a place to stay tongiht wooooooopp!!!!
Hello to Aus from me, xoxoxoox
Oh and... wonder what will happen with american election tomorrow?!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnivBRcnMRw

CHECK IT, for anyone who is interested.

We started in Budapest when we got the idea haha... so we missed out on Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, and England... but we're gonna try and make them a regular thing if we can find comps everywhere we go that will let us put our shit on here.

Anyways, We're off to explore more of Budapest today.
I'm hungry for a kebab :S

Laters!

My god.
I jsut don't even know where to start.

We had a lazy day on Thursday, washed our clothes finally, went on the net, went and got some food and stuff, bought some cheap beers.. (60 cents for a tallie) and just waited around to see what everyone was wanting to do for the pub crawl.
Chris wanetd to go on the 'normal' pub crawl, which was 12 Euro and said on the flyer "Must be 18, bring photo ID". Alex was just tagging along whever Chris was gonna go. I wantde to go on the 666 anti pub crawl with the people we'd met the day before from the alt. berlin tour, because they were AWESOME people and it just sounded a lot cooler and not touristy bullshit. Gabz wanted to go with other people though. So we made the plan to go see if I could get on the first one and if not, go the the anti one. Then Ria (27, Ireland) the chick on the bunk under mine who we hadnt spoken to but who I thought was cool started talking to us and we made friends and invited her. We rocked up to the normal crawl adn the guy wouldnt let us do it without ID, which was possibly the coolest bet I've ever one because it meant we could go and meet up with the other pub crawl.

In the meantime I'd skulled 3 tallies in the space of about 40 minutes. -___-
We met up with the two Scottish brothers - Callum (20) who had taken our tour the day before, and his bro Rory (22, nickname Roo), in this SO cool little bar with a dog and a funny barman who made me a gin and tonic when I wanted beer hahaha and gave us mystery shots. Then we moved on to the bar owned and run by Rammstein - which was soooo coool. We met some SUPER nice goth chick n her mates there, and had more mystery shots - and the shot glasses were test tubes!!! So rad. Also had a beer there... Tehn we went to a gay bar which I have no recollection of LOL. Then a metal bar, then we went back to the building from the tour that was made into art studios, to the bar under there. We had the BEST time ever, the people were just awesome. Absolutely some of the nicest people I've ever met. Bit of a shame I started too early lmfao. But by the end I'd sobered up for the coolest part of the whole night which was just hanging out before we went home. We also met two German boys at a noodle shop on the way home who were awesome as well.

We got in at 7 soemthing in the morning (later than the horrible german girls we nciknamed Paris and Nicole who always got in at 6am and slept all day and went out again) , and then Gabz and I got up at 9am to pack all our stuff, put our backpacks on and try and find our way to Prague.

We really miss the people we made friends with in Berlin. :(

When we got in to PRague last night at about 7.30, we fell straight to sleep and slept through until 8 or 9 thsi morning @__@ I think we needed that.

Today, we dont really have any plans as yet. From what we saw yesterday Prague seems quite pretty. Quite grimy. I like grime. I'm interested to go exploring today.

Anyway I'm off. Take care of yourselves.
Laters

When we first arrived here in Berlin from Holland, walked to our hostel from the train station and met a couple of our room-mates in our 10 bed dorm, we were kind of less than impressed. The people seemed pretty rude and unfriendly, and the area not anywhere near as cool as where we were before.

But we did get talking to another Aussie in our dorm, Chris (19, Melbourne), and a dude from Mexico Alex (27, errr... dunno the name of the city.. MExico haha) and a Russian dude who said he was living here but we didnt know if he meant the hostel or the city or what.. he's a little mysterious. It was good to have a godo talk like we did with Chris, about things like school and uni and tafe and cars and bands like KArnivool, The Butterfly Effect and even The Cat Empire!!!!! (he has excellent taste, no?) The first night I also found a flyer in our hostel for an "Alternative Berlin" tour, and knew we had to do it.

So yesterday we met up with the free Alternative Berlin tour and had a freakin awesome day - saw exactly what interested me in Berlin all along - stacks of AMAZING street art, abandoned squatters buildings turned into art studios and bars - little havens where artists and people can do what they like - abandoned train stations bombed to pieces in WWII turned into skate parks and rock-climbing venues and tight-rope-walking spaces... vintage and retro clothing stores where you can buy clothes by the kilo... beautiful parks where punks sit on bits of rubble playing guitar and where frisbee ARTISTS i kid younot, show off their skills... abandoned houses dedicated to street-art legends and made into safe houses where people can go when they have no where else to stay... the biggest mural in the world... and even a Banksy. Oh and a Legal drugs, trip-tease and Absinthe store (kind of like Happy High Herbs) where I tried REAL absinthe, as in the red stuff not the green fairy stuff. The stuff with the real shit in it. Our guides were SO awesome, really lovely and informative and is was so relaxed as well. <the art was just incredible adn some of the spaces are amazing. This is an example of one of the artists we saw: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuGaqLT-gO4 Tehn last night we had a couple beers with Chris and Alex too in the garden outside. That was a lot of fun. Luckily things are a bit cheaper here than in the UK, France and even Holland. Only had two beers though, thinkin of going on a pub crawl tonight. There is the 'normal' one, but there is also one run by the Alternative Berlin people called the '666 Anti Pub Crawl' which I would rather go on.. but I think chris adn alex and one of the other girls are doing the normal one so we'll see what happens.... fingers crossed for the anti pub crawl. We decided to stay one more night here because we cant be bothered moving on yet and the room is cheap as chips (12 euro for a night including sheets and free internet in the heart of the city) and then we're going to Prague for at least 3 nights. Well then... PEACE.

OMFG
I love Amsterdam.

Yeah sitting in our hostel lobby in AMSTERDAM. free internet, omfg its amazing haha.



The train here from Paris was.....wait for it..... 100 fucking euro. SO expensive. But goddamn worth it, i love this city. First time this trip I've got that giddy kind of excitement about a place to be honest. I didnt really get it in England or Paris - not even the brief bit of London I saw. But here.... it's so lvoely. And no not coz of drugs haha. (You have to be 18 to get into the coffeeshops i feel so ripped off haha)



The people here ar so much freindlier than Paris and more of them speak English. The hostel here is really nice and it seems we have cool roommates who we briefly met on the stairs before. In Paris we had this boring 27 year old woman who seemed like sh was 37 and really nerdy, and a 50 something year old man from Peru who didnt speak English and offered us his thongs for the shower hahaha. Last night we didnt have anywher to stay again so we ended up in this REALLY WEIRD bed and breakfast it was a bit creepy so we avoided the place until 8.30 at night, just spent the day killing ourselves laughing, peopel watching and realising how poor we are. There were `13 beds in our room haha and the lady and man were so weird who ran it. But it was cheap and they gave us brekky so whatever.



But here, the hostel is pretty cool.

And we got I think the best meal for our money so far today - EVERYTHING IS PARIS WAS SO EXPENSIVE.

I wish I was old enough to be going out (but at the same time glad I will be 18 in cheaper areas haha)

ANYWAYS
LOVE YAS ALL
GOTTA GO AND HIT THE TOWN HAHA

peeeeeeeeeeeace