Time in Europe is different. A lot of shops don’t open till 10am, and the sun it up and people are out and about after 9pm; most evening functions don’t start until 10pm. However, even taking this into consideration, I have still been lacking sleep. Also thanks in part to Antoinette whom I’ve share the last two evenings with.

We arrived late in the night at our campsite in Florence with high expectations of it and we weren’t disappointed at all. It really was only campsite, though we stayed in cabins, but there was a pool, a really fantastic restaurant, three bars and a night club.

Our full day in Florence saw us dropped in next to the city and taking a walking tour. Florence has a really lovely vibe I think. It is intolerably overrun with tourists though. As part of our walking tour we visited a leather-making shop where they gave us demonstrations and I bought a nice wallet. I had it embossed with my initials later in the day, but had to return it later again because of a flaw in the craftsmanship. At least it had craftsmanship though, and hadn’t just come off an assembly line.


After the walking tour, Jan and I took a free guided tour within the cathedral (Duomo) that was taken by a nutbar of a girl who loved her job and didn’t let details like factual information get in the way of her saying what she wanted. She told us the story of the child-like figure in the fresco (at the bottom next to the skeleton) that was painted alongside a bicycle. Or at least that’s what she told 26 tour groups last week before she climbed the steps and saw for herself that it was actually a broken sword and not a bicycle (she actually told us all of this).
We took the time to line up and climb the dome which was worth it for the amazing fresco on the inside of the inner dome and the unobstructed view from outside the outer dome.


After, we followed some back streets to the “Old Bridge” – lined with goldsmiths and jewellers. We shopped for a present for Jan’s sister, found something perfect, then headed back into town for a cappuccino and a sit down.

Coffee in Italy is amazing. You’ve heard it before and I’m saying it now too. Never have I enjoyed any coffee so much, it is simply superb.

After a little while (hour or so) soaking up the local atmosphere we thought we’d chance the Uffizi gallery. Being so late in the day the queue was only 30mins long instead of the usual 2hrs. There are some truly magnificent pieces of art here; it’s one of the most famous museums in the world, and we had a whirlwind tour of it, realising only as we were running for the bus that we’d missed the “Birth of Venus” painting!

Our final night in Florence Lara and I showed off our moderate dancing abilities and she wound up with an old guy buying her drinks and making proposals, and I would up with a great South African lady.

If I was feeling better in the snow up so high then I would have loved to snowboard, but the lack of sleep the previous night and the lack of oxygen left me struggling to get around for 10mins of every hour (it would come and go in waves). There was a little bit to see but not a whole lot if you’re not up for getting physical in the freezing temperatures, so in the mid arvo most of us returned to the valley village. Some of us went into the village and sat at a coffee shop breathing in the scenery and soaking in the feel of the place. This is an important part to my experiencing each place we visit, and it was quite magical in Switzerland (“hey guys, just thought I’d mention the ALPS again”).



Yesterday we bussed it into Italia and Firenze (Florence), the capital of old Tuscany. The drive showed us some remarkable views, alpine mountains behind picturesque villages set on the bank of a crystal mirrored lake – the sort of thing you see in a movie or painting or dream.
So it followed that our first stop (for lunch) in Italy was amazingly disappointing. It was at a petrol station with no distinguishing features apart from the enclosure with small roadworking equipment, and the smell of urine near the bins (common to many Italian servos I hear).

Top Deck Coach
Florence -> Rome, Italy

What does "brad" mean and how is "bradwurst" different from normal wurst?
The "young lady"/"Jungfrau" is lovely. Over 4000m high and you can go up over 3500m without going out of doors and the view is every bit as spectacular as you'd expect.

Top Deck Coach
Lauterbrunnen -> Florence, Italy

The drive yesterday was reasonably uneventful except for the surprising and astonishingly beautiful change of scenery when we came to Switzerland at the end of the trip, and the spending time with folk from the group.



The body is an amazing device, how it all interconnects and works together. As we were approaching Switzerland the scenery change hits your eyes and somehow manages to take your breath away and increase your heart rate. Picturesque doesn’t cover it, but it’s a start. Glorious is up there. Today we have travelled up to Jungfrau: “Top of Europe” (notice there’s no “The” in the title), and despite our hangovers and sleep deprivation the scintillating view and excitement for being a part of it was enough to keep most of us awake and sucking in the scenery.


Jungfrau Hotel Restaurant,
“Top of Europe”, Switzerland

So yes, from now on I'll be looking out for bike tours in the cities we stop at.

After our bike tour we decided to do the next required tourist's task in Paris and go to the top of the Eiffel Tower. The tower itself is an interesting monument. In 1889 it was chosen as the winner of a competition held for what to put in that spot to celebrate 100 years of the French revolution. It narrowly defeated the runner-up (which was a giant guillotine), but in typical French style everybody hated the Eiffel Tower. Eiffel was promised it would be erected for 20 years, so the locals weren’t allowed to have it torn down straight away. And by the end of that period there was a world war on and the Frenchies found out they were sitting on a 300m antenna.
Eventually the rest of the world came to appreciate the structure and Parisians decided they liked it and don’t you even suggest replacing it my fine foreign friend oui oui.

It took us about an hour and a half to get up and down the Eiffel Tower. If you ever do it I think it’s quite a bit quicker to walk up and down where you can (only the first two “levels”).
Our next plan was to take a metro to Notre Dame de Paris. We started by walking to a non-existent metro station, then doubled back to walk along the river, walking completely past one station in the pursuit of another (non existent) before realising our mistake and heading back to the one we passed. Right so where are we and where are we going? The trip was only three stops, so we started to try and figure out the decidedly French (ticket?) machine there. After a few minutes of frustration someone commented on the tin shed next to where we were and how people were leaving it then heading underground to the track. We quickly bumbled inside and discovered it was an unmarked ticket office. We ordered our tickets, suffering the dissent from the ticket lady with good natured humility.
Down to the platform just in time to jump on board. As we’re pulling into the next station Peter read off our information sheet that Notre Dame was closing in 10mins. Off we jump in a rush, and over the bridge for a wander up Camps Elysees, stopping only to check out the Renault dealership and to sit in a restaurant for a few minutes before deciding it was taking too long to order a beer and leaving. Snap some shots of the Arc de Triomphe then wander back over to the Eiffel Tower for a champagne picnic dinner under it.



For some culture a few of us opted for the cabaret show in the evening. Yeah good for a bit of culture, and also for a bit of peep show too – a few of the dancers were topless for a few of the acts. But it wasn’t distasteful really and I was more disappointed with just the slight lack of polish on the production than the young ladies’ breasts.

And now this morning we’re off to Switzerland, with many a bus hour ahead.

Top Deck Coach
Paris -> Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland

Well I'm back in Aus now, am in the process of finishing writing my journal in the book, and also sparodically also putting it online.
I've changed the settings so anyone can post a comment on any of the posts so please offer any opinions or stories or whatever by clicking the word "Comments" under each post.


After the church (where we had a disappointingly small 30mins to eat and take in the view) we boarded for a coach tour of the sights of old Paris town. It was really great, there really is a lot of cool stuff to see in Paris if you've got the time.


The next day we realised we didn't have the time. Some of us took a tour of the city on bicycle. This really is one fo the best ways to do it in my opinion. The bikes are not standard bikes, but are very comfortable to sit on and easy to ride. The riding is at a leisurely pace too, so there's no reason for someone who doesn't normally ride to think that it's not for them. In Paris especially it's easy to get around, and the commentary given by the bike leader is fantastic. Fat Tyre Bike Tours - highly recommended.

Room 208, Sovereign Hotel
St Denis, Paris, France

Wow, backpacking is easy in a hotel!



Paris was interesting. On our way in on the coach for a sight-seeing tour last night we drove through the NE of Paris which was really very dirty and amazingly disappointing for what supposed to be a beautiful city. Litter and rubbish were all over the footpaths.



Soon later though we were out and climbing the numberous steps to the church of the Sacred Heart. This place is wonderful, you reach the top of the stairs and infront of you is this grandeous domed roof church with statuettes above the entrance welcoming you in. Turn around and you are treated to an amazing view of the city that instantly started to transform my view of the place.

Room 208, Sovereign Hotel
St Denis, Paris, France