Choo choo

Next stop Grenoble! I'm on the train now, if you hadn't guessed from the unimaginative title.

'Croissant- Growing' This could well be my favourite translation error of all time

Avignon was lovely, though it seriously tested my navigation skills. The historic centre is walled, so when you don't have a map like silly old me, trying to find your way to the wall through a maze of streets, and then walk along the wall to find a door was not easy.

I'm quite pleased with my French though- I dived straight in and it's been fine!

Yesterday, I spent most of the day just wandering around and getting lost. I climbed a massive rock thing and had an ice cream in a little cafe at the top as a reward.

Considered riding one of these

I also walked along the river and sat there contemplating life for some time before deciding to find a restaurant and getting lost for the hundreth time. It was quite relaxing, just meandering around by myself, occassionally stopping for coffee, and once for macaroons- I love the pistachio ones.

Getting lost in the windy streets

I didn't sleep so well last night because two more room mates arrived, well they arrived earlier in the evening but they went out and returned at 1am and proceeded to make as much noise as a herd of elephants. I really tried to ignore it, because it's a hostel and you can't have privacy and luxury but it was too much in the end. I stormed out for a cigarette and when I came back it was dark and silent. The American girl and I had the last laugh though- we were both up at 7.30.

I had a coffee at a cafe before heading to the train station, where a man came and asked me for a lighter. Then 10 minutes later, he returned and asked if he could sit and talk to me. I politely declined and he went away. About half an hour later, I was having a fag outside the station when a car pulls up and the same bloke gets out, comes over and says he has to talk to me because I'm beautiful. I told him to go away and he appeared to, but I hid in the station for a bit. What is wrong with people?!

Anyway, thank you Avignon, for a lovely and sunny couple of days!

Laters
Xxx

Un erreur

I meant pushchairs, not children, oops.

Okay bye now
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Hasta luego Murcia, Salut Avignon!

So the week in Spain came to an end and I'm sitting in a cafe near a fort above Avignon, after walking for ages in boiling heat and shouting at a lady in the tourism office because she told me to wait my turn while she found out whether or not the monuments are suitable for children (hint, you're in a bloody walled town with fortresses, hello) and all I did was quickly and politely ask where I could get water... ANYWAY
The last few days in Spain were good fun- we spent one of them round the pool, another down by the beach at La Azohia which was just like something from a film set, and my last evening was spent at an anniversary do.

La Azohia

I danced my butt off, which always happens with Auntie Julie around. Roger, Julie and I all had a lovely dance to 'Get Here' by Oleta Adams, which is a song for our whole family really, as we're in all corners of the globe (YouTube it, you'll see what I mean) and we all get choked up listening to it. The night was rounded off by me finding some Germans to talk to, yay!

At the top of the hills

We spent my final morning at Mazzaron port for coffee, before we came home to pack and had a final sausage, eggs and chips at the Trevi. I fell asleep on the way to Alicante, which I'm annoyed about as I wasted my last hour! My family don't say goodbye to each other, so see you soon Julie and Roger and thank you for a lovely week!

Told you I was famous ;)

It was a massive faff at the bus station after they dropped me off. There was nothing for Avignon on the board so I asked a man behind a counter and he said 'diez' and held up 10 fingers so off I popped to bay 10. Three boards had 'Francia' on them- no cities, just France. Helpful.

So when a Eurolines bus pulled in, people surged towards it desperately waving their tickets. I was quite close to just having a little scream and telling everyone to get in a queue, but it was alright in the end and I got here eventually!

I've already been 'Sur le pont d'Avignon' har de har. Did anyone else realise that the bridge was built because a man had a message from God that Avignon needed a bridge? I also had a look at the Pope Palace which was interesting. I know right, Avignon also had popes at one point and was completely separate from France. You learn something every day.

View from my hostel

Moi on the bridge

Pope Palace

I clawed my way to a church across the river and dragged myself up a hill to a fort. It was a very spooky experience since I was pretty much alone up there in one of the towers, and not improved by wearing flip-flops! The views were worth it though.

Fort St. Andre

What?

One the better selfie attempts, believe it or not

Ciao for now, I'm gonna have another coffee before I face the walk back down...

Xxx


P.S. I am posting via email, look at me and technology eh

Corr it ain't half hot

Hola from sunny Costa Calida!

The time I've spent here with my Aunt and Uncle has been great fun so far; we've karakoke'd, danced the night away to rock 'n' roll, swam in the Med, lounged by the pool and even spoken on the radio station. (Yes, you read that right, I'm famous here now and have the baseball cap to prove it.)

The view from Tia and Tio's rooftop

It was baking hot from the minute I arrived. It's 11.34 p.m. and I'm sweating like a pig.

Friday began with the drive through what looked like the Nevada desert to Camposol in Murcia, where my aunt and uncle live, the lucky buggers. It's a pretty surreal place, partly because it's as dry as Ghandi's flip-flop and partly because it's just like being down the social club back in Basildon. Talking about the social club, their local is a place called the Trevi across the road and we spent Friday night there singing and dancing along to an excellent entertainer called Suzy G. She did a fantastic Michael Jackson tribute.

After recovering on Saturday morning, we headed to the port of Mazzaron to the local market. Uncle Roger went off for a coffee, having realised that he's lived here long enough now to find the tourists irritating. That night we went to a different bar to see a rock 'n' roll band called the Red Tops, who were brilliant, even coming out in the dancing crowd with their instruments and singing with us.

Camposol

Sweaty smiles at Mazzaron Port

On Sunday evening, Auntie Julie and I went on a karaoke crawl. Auntie Julie is known as Ju-Bo round here, because pretty much everyone hear knows her voice. It was good fun that night, and although I chickened out of taking part myself, it was lovely to hear Julie sing again.

I slept in until 1 on Monday, wooops. It was a quiet day though, and we spent the afternoon in the Trevi and came home to bangers and mash. I tell you, I should have come here sooner as a lot of the homesickness would have been helped! Well, to do with food anyway. I've had several fry-ups, steak and kidney pie, propa sausages AND fish and chips. We watched the commemoration service for the beginning of WW1 and lit our candle outside. We nearly gave Uncle Roger nightmares- he was asleep in the armchair and Auntie Julie and I were sitting on the sofa behind him, in the dark for the service, so when he woke up and looked around... hahaha oh his face, it was amusing.

Yesterday evening was spent on the beach in Bolnuevo, which was just gorgeous. I haven't swum in the sea for years, and apart from nearly falling over in the rather large ripples, it was lovely.

Me in the Med (yes, I cropped this because I don't look half as good as the other ladies in the picture. but whatever)

So today I had my 15 minutes of fame! Ju-bo knows everyone round here, so we went up to the Costa Calida radio station to see DJ Eddie B, and I got to sit in the big chair and announce a couple of songs! I was so nervous beforehand, but it was all good. I'm obviously a natural radio star. I mean, people we bumped into the caff and at the pub said "Oh, you were on the radio earlier!". Ego x1000.

Eddie B, and me, watching how it's done

Cheesy but I love it

Me and Julie have just got back from quiz night up the Trevi. We did come last, but we won a bag of sweets for our trouble. I think we did pretty well considering it was just the two of us and that I was the youngest one there...

Anyway, not sure what we're doing tomorrow, maybe looking for some new shorts for me, and then having a quiet one round the pool.

I'll be off to Avignon on Saturday evening, but I'll see if I can check in before then. Whether you'll get any photos before I'm back in Berlin or Essex, I cannot say!

Adios amigos! (My Spanish is seriously limited. I'm sorry).

xxxx

Odds and ends

So my internship is over. I've had a brilliant six months in Berlin and know for definite now that I want to translate as a career. It was sad leaving on Thursday. My boss gave me a book about the history of the German language in German, and a nice card. There were a few tears on my part when I finally left, but he did say I was always welcome there. Careful, mister, because I may just have to take you up on that in a year or so.

I also realised that, despite sending a huge suitcase home, I still have far too much to take as hand luggage on the final flight back to England. I mentioned this to my boss and he gave me a suitcase that he had in the office. It's a perfect size, and yes I've had to pay for hold baggage, but I'm much less stressed now.

Though I have just realised that my trainers are white and brand new, so I'll look a bit like a dick. Might have to scrape them across the curbs or something, you know, to look cool and all that, because spanking white trainers are a bit too much. Perhaps I should have slept before my flight and not decided to stay up eating cheeseballs, because I'm chatting poop now.

Anyway, my rucksack is all packed and ready to leave for Spain in the morning. Can't believe it's come around so quick! It doesn't seem possible that in just a few weeks now I'll be at home in Essex.

Before that though, it's the summer holidays and I intend to make the best of them!

Laters
xxx

One lone Muskeeter

So I'm pretty much getting ready to leave Berlin now! I'm pretty much packed for the next 3 weeks, and my big suitcase has been shipped back to England already. (Mum just text me to say she has it, relieeeef). Finishing up at work has been sad, but my boss gave me a glowing reference and I can safely say that I'm really proud of the last 6 months! Can't believe Thursday is my last day there. I really enjoy it and would quite happily stay if, well you know, I didn't have a degree to finish.

Last week, Sophie and I went for dinner on Tuesday evening at an Italian place that Hilary kept telling me to go to! It was definitely worth all of her hype and we were very impressed.

On Wednesday, it was Sophie's leaving thing and we all got pizza and sat in the Volkspark in Friedrichshain, which was really relaxed and lovely. Then we all headed to Seemanderstrasse for cocktails, obviously, and Sophie had her last falafel in Berlin. It was sad times. Got even sadder when Guy and I had to wait 30 minutes for a bus back to Kotti, then I had to get another bus back to Hermannplatz and walk home from there. Oh well!

I don't think anything else exciting has happened at all! I went for a nice walk along the canals on Saturday and sat in a cafe for 3 hours reading. I really should have contacted Lionel over the weekend, but no use crying about that now. I might see if I can meet him tomorrow evening.

Monday I was off work because, well, quite frankly, I couldn't stop vomiting everywhere. So I spent most of the day  watching True Blood and getting a bit too hooked.

And so we come to today, and my netbook is home again. For how long, I dare not even estimate. You may or not hear from me before I jet off to Spain on Friday!

Oh yes, and the teeth are sorted! I fully recommend German dentistry, seriously. Aside from the fact it's 1000% more intimidating, it was overall a rather okay experience, and I'm happy as larry with the result! (Let's just hope it's a while before I have to do anything else to them, hmm)

HELLO HOLLYWOOD

Off to have pizza, wine and tv with the flatmates now. Only got two more days left with them!

Bis bald (hopefully)

xxx

On Granddad's trail

I don't actually think that I mentioned where I was going the weekend before last, so you're all probably on the edge of your seats with suspense. If you're expecting some terrific adventure, stop here, because I stayed with an old lady in Büdelsdorf/Rendsburg in Schleswig-Holstein. No, this isn't one last desperate attempt to have a German tandem partner-she met my grandad when he was part of the occupying troops there after the war.

She and her sister were only young (10 and 4), but they remember him coming to their house with sweets and even reading them bedtime stories. I've known about them for a long time, as my Grandad wrote to them frequently. After he died, I wrote to tell them and they have always kept in contact with us, so I thought it would be lovely to meet them finally!

I took the train on Saturday afternoon and had an hour to have a little walk around Hamburg. I didn't see much, and it was so bloody hot that I'm surprised I didn't just melt. I saw the Alster which was gorgeous in the sun, with the sailing boats bobbing along.

A teensy weensy bit of Hamburg

I didn't get fantastic impressions about Hamburg, but come on, I was there for no time at all and didn't see a lot!

When the train pulled into Rendsburg station, there was a woman with a red rose on the platform and I knew it was Helga, because she'd told me on the phone she'd be carrying one. So cute.

So my weekend of solid German speaking began! Helga showed me around her house and garden and introduced me to her cat. Then we went for dinner at a little place on the high street.

The following day, we went to her sister Erika's house and we all went down to the canal to see the big ships. They have liveed in Büdelsdorf their entire lives, and their grandfather worked on the canals, so the water is in their blood. We spent Sunday in Erika's garden, drinking tea, eating ice-cream and having a very German cold supper. Helga and I went home and watched a Helene Fischer concert, and I learnt the verb 'naschen'. I nasched a lot of chocolates that evening. It was honestly great, as it brought back so many happy memories of spending time with grandparents.

I'm sorry, but this is awesome

On Monday, Helga took me on a proper little tour of everywhere. The house where they lived when my Grandad used to visit is still standing. It's now office space, and has a MacDonalds next door, but STILL. That was pretty eerie.

Their old house

The whole town of Rendsburg was lovely, and again, was just strange to think that my Granddad had been here all that time ago! We lit candles in the church for my grandparents, bought some postcards, saw the old site of the barracks where Granddad would have lived, and had a currywurst for dinner.

Paradeplatz (Granddad lived just off this square)

It all went very quickly though, and it wasn't long before they were seeing me off at the train station, and loading me up with peaches, sweets and cartons of orange juice. Bless them! I did take a picture with them, but I don't know how'd they feel about being thrown around the internet on my blog, so I'll be keeping that one to myself, also, it's a disgusting photo of me. So everyone's happy.

It was a lovely break from the city as well. I'm glad I went to see them! I also think that my German has actually improved since then? Maybe I'm imagining it, but three days solid of speaking German has definitely improved my confidence, if nothing else. It was also quite strange to hear a different dialect: the first time someone said 'moin' to me, I just stared at them in wonder. Plaadeutsch was quite fun though, it sounds like a mix of Dutch and English really, but I couldn't really understand what Helga was saying when she spoke so fast on the phone to Erika.

Anyway, it was lovely! I feel like it was definitely worth doing.