Well today is my last day in Greece, and I am spending it in the Thessaloniki airport, waiting for my flight in about 6 hours. Kara is boarding her plane now, we just said our indefinite goodbye. It’s crazy to think that I have spent almost every day with this girl for the past 5 months, and now I don’t know the next time I will see her. However, I haven’t said anything about Greece yet, so let me start from the beginning. There are so many crazy stories from this trip, so I will create posts by Island/City. We’ll start with Chania.

 We arrived in Chania still shivering (metaphorically, of course) from Norway, completely stunned by the warm sun, glittering blue sea, luscious palms, and of course all the chaos of a touristy Greek city. Kara and I did not plan a thing for this trip. I mean, we landed at the airport, walked outside, and got on the first bus we saw. We had no idea what was going to happen for the next 2 weeks, let alone in the next few hours. Anyways, we got off downtown. Two white girls with huge packs in the midst of a herd of Greek teenagers. We started wandering the streets with no idea where we were going. Kara has a Canadian flag patched to her backpack and one couple noticed. They were also from Canada. It was nice to meet some english speakers. They pointed us in the direction of some tourist shops. After picking up some maps, we went on the hunt for a place to eat. We wandered for a while when Kara looked up to see a restaurant on a rooftop. Let me just tell you we had no idea how this moment was going to impact our time in Chania. We sat outside in the shade of an olive tree, overlooking the busy street of shops and people, with the sea on one end, and mountains on the other. We ordered pita gyros and iced coffees, and sat back to take in the moment, complete with a soundtrack of traditional Greek music in the background.. The lady who ran the restaurant was the sweetest thing, and kind of completed my idea of a typical greek woman. We were just in love with the food. Kara had never tried pita gyros before, and she was sold from the first bite. A warm pita wrapped around thin strips of lamb or pork (gyros), potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and tzatziki sauce. Perfection. And this is the first time I have seen iced coffee since I have been in Europe. No one could ever understand what I wanted when I asked for one (wait for the portugal post for a funny story about that). We forget her name, but I think it was something along the lines of Mya, so we’ll call her that. She taught us how to say thank you in Greek - Efharisto. As we were getting ready to leave, she told us we could leave our packs at her restaurant while we figured out where to stay and what not. It was so nice not to have to carry those around in that heat. 

We wandered down the busy streets of shops, full of local goods and products. Some time later we wandered into a jewelry shop, where we met the man who created the jewelry, George. He was a very sweet fellow with lots of tales of his travels to find jewels and different styles of jewelry making. Each piece was so unique. He offered us water as we were talking and looking around, and then he asked if we had a place to stay for the night. He had a friend, Vlassius, who owned a hotel nearby and could offer us a good price if we liked it. He called Vlassius and told him to wait outside for us. George gave us the best directions he could, and Kara and I set out to find the place. All he said was, “You will know him when you see him, he has a big beard.” Vlassius found us first, and took us to his Hotel Athine. He took us to a room and opened the window, where all we could see was blue ocean. This place was right on the bay with view of a lighthouse in the distance. For €40 per night, this could be ours. We took a moment to deliberate. Yeah we don’t have big budgets, but how many times are you in Greece with the opportunity to stay in a place right on the sea for €40/night? We took it! We went back to the Rooftop Garden to collect our belongings and drop them off. What the heck though, might as well stay for dinner. We got more pita gyros and greek yogurt with fruit and honey to split. Un. Real. Oh it was so so good. After that we wandered around the town again, through more shops and things. We saw a stand for frozen greek yogurt and HAD to try it. Amazinggg!! We took a little segway by the sea on our way back to the room, (We decided for an early night because we slept in the Oslo airport the night before, and by slept I mean didn’t sleep). When we got back, Vlassius was sitting at reception so we sat and talked to him for a bit, asking about which Greek Isles were the best to visit. Before we knew what was happening he had two glasses in front of us full of clear, strong smelling alcohol. It wasn’t ouzo, but the other one…I can’t remember what it’s called. We tried to refuse but he insisted. “No no, this isn’t strong, it’s for tourists, Yamas.” We downed it. He recommended the island Milos. Our glasses were full again. Again we refused. Again he insisted. “Yamas.” He recommended the island Sifnos. Our glasses were full again. Again we refused. Again he insisted. “It’s for tourists! Yamas.” Ughhhhhhh hahaha so typical. I was plain exhausted, and finally we made an escape to our room where I passed out asap. Kara’s newly buzzing head sent her out with Vlassius and George to listen to some live Greek music. 

The next morning we left our hotel and walked out by the sea. There are these Fish Spa’s all over the town (and all over Greece, we’ve since noticed). You put your feet in a tank of fish that eat the dead skin off your feet. Anyways, what the heck, we tried it. We became quite the spectacle for the many passersby, some even asking to take pictures of us. After, we wandered around the bay and to the lighthouse. After walking around and taking pictures, we were quite hungry so naturally we decided to hit up our favorite Rooftop Garden. Mya was happy to see us again, and we enjoyed our delicious meals once again. Kara and I were considering heading to Heraklion that night. Originally we were going to go the next morning to catch the ferry to Santorini, but we thought, we’ve seen Chania pretty thoroughly, might as well go explore a new city tonight. We decided to catch the 2:30pm bus. As we were finishing our meal, the restaurant started to become busy. Mya grabbed Kara and asked if she could help for a minute. One thing led to the next and one minute turned into 3 hours. For 3 hours Kara and I worked at Rooftop Garden, taking people’s orders, serving food and drinks, clearing tables, making conversation with the patrons, and giving people their bills. Mya even sent me to a grocery store to buy some more produce. That was an adventure and a half. We were wearing our bathing suits and running clothes. I had nothing with me, no idea where the store was. I finally found it, all the tomatoes were rotten. There was no lettuce. Everything was written in Greek, no one spoke english. Eventually I was able to find someone to bring out fresh tomatoes and lettuce, and I was on my way back to the restaurant. “Bravo, bravo” said Mya. While we were working, Mya made us more iced coffees and fresh squeezed orange juice. Delicious. Also, she didn’t make us pay for our meal. We tried to insist but she let us leave with our wallets still full (well as full as a college students wallet is these days…). As we were walking back to change, we discussed how there was actually no better way to spend our afternoon. I can’t think of a better thing to have done that day than to help Mya out at her restuarant. Besides making a Greek woman very happy, we met loads of cool people from all over the world. There were so many things we could have done/were planning to do that day, and yet this is what worked out. So awesome. 

We wandered back to say hello to George, then went to find dinner. We considered Rooftop Garden again, but decided to try another rooftop restuarant we came across. Not nearly as good as Mya’s, but whatever. We made it another early night because we had to catch the 05:30 bus to Heraklion the next morning. 

There were several fiasco’s that morning. In Greece, you usually pay for your hotel once you leave. Well, we were ready to leave the hotel by 04:45, no one is at reception. We haven’t payed. They have Kara’s ID somewhere. There was a number for night reception. Buddy who answered came in 10 minutes later looking totally haggard and still mostly asleep. Anyways, we payed and he gave us the ID back and pointed us in the direction of the bus station. It was eerie wandering around Greece at that ungodly hour. Anyways, we made it with plenty of time and were off to catch our ferry! 

We got to Heraklion early, the ferry was supposed to leave at 09:45. They told us the ticket office opened at 9. We went to a little Cantina nearby for breakfast. We got back to the ticket office before 9, only to be told they were sold out of tickets. Busses full of cruise tourists were coming in, and all these people had pre-bookd seats. In line we met several other backpackers in our same shoes. One guy was in his mid-40’s, and very Canadian. He had Canadian flags all over his backpack, so naturally him and Kara became best friends. He had a strong Albertan accent and told us how he worked for 4 or 5 months of the year, and travelled the rest. And this is what he has been doing for like 10-15 years. He has no family and makes $15,000 a month, and yet still stays in youth hostels all over the world. Anyways, he was a nice guy, and told us if we didn’t get on this ferry, he would show us where he has been staying for cheap in Heraklion. There was also a young backpacker from Singapore and a married couple Kara’s and my age who were all hoping to get on this ferry. Somehow through the grace of God we were all able to get the last few seats left from people who didn’t show up. 

Santorini, here we come! 

Ok, so first, it’s been a dang long time since I’ve written anything. It got a little hectic after Portugal, with finals looming, and packing and figuring out what to do with everything, and travel planning, etc… But now I have some free time, so maybe I’ll start with Norway, which I went to last week. I can write about Portugal and the end of the semester later.

Kara and I flew early in the morning to Oslo on the 9th. We bussed to the town center where we met my friend Katrine. My family hosted Katrine as an exchange student back in  2001. I was just 10 years old last time I saw her! It was an awesome reunion. I was so stoked she was free this week, and willing to spend her time with me. Kara went straight to Stavanger to meet some of her friends (how crazy is it that we both have friends in Norway!!?). Katrine was in the process of finishing her bachelors paper for the police academy, so I took a long nap while she worked on her paper. For dinner we made tacos, which she claims is the national dish of Norway. How funny, but delicious!! After she made some more progress, we went to the store to get some chocolate and sat on the couch watching British reality shows for the night, haha. I can remember her sending us some Norwegian chocolate when I was younger, and all I remembered was that it was yellow, the name took up the entire package, and it was delicious. Needless to say, she knew exactly which one I was talking about, and it was such a happy reunion for my tastebuds. Also, I remember her sending us a chocolate hazelnut spread, which for the past 10 years I believed to be nutella. I tried telling so many of my friends that nutella was Norwegian. Well, my bad. The Norwegian spread is called Nugatti, and it’s a million times better than nutella. mmmmmmm.

The next day I hung out at her school library while she finished her paper. Then her and her friend, Ingvild,showed me around Oslo. It POURED. I haven’t been that wet all semester, and I was living in IRELAND. But it was still amazing. They showed me the castle and we took pictures with a guard. Katrine was very enthusiastic about the guards. Then we walked to this really cool fortress on a hill above the Oslo Fjord, where apparently Obama dined when he was in Oslo. We caught a ferry to an island so we could check out this viking museum. I was so stoked, they had recovered real viking ships and artifacts! I bought a viking lunch box that I cannot wait to use once classes start again. We went home that night and made more tacos and Ingvild came over, and we watched more British television (because it was the only channel I could understand). This is how they celebrated being finished with their papers. (I think the Bachelor’s paper is similar to a thesis in American universities). 

The next morning was pretty early, Katrine and I caught a 6 hour bus ride to Lyngdal, her hometown. We stayed with her parents that night, they were so sweet. Later we met up with her friend Elin, who I also met 10 years ago because she came with Katrine to Temecula as well that summer. It was fun to see her again too, and to go through photo albums from the time they were there. We were planning to drive to some fjords the next 2 days, and Elin was coming with us. 

Kjeragbolten and Preikestolen are two places that have been on the top of my bucket list for so many years. I don’t know what it is about Norway, but I have long been drawn to it. The culture, wilderness, fjords, everything, I love that country. Kjerag is the boulder that sits in between 2 cliffs, over a thousand feet up from the fjord. I’ve been day dreaming about how to pose on that boulder for years. So saturday morning, we woke up at 5 and drove to pick Kara up, and head to Kjeragolten. It was in this time where it truly hit me where I was. The beauty of Norwegian countryside is indescribable. I couldn’t get enough. It was like some deep need of mine was being fulfilled in that moment. I told Kara it felt like some deep desire of my childhood was about to come full circle. We were about to do one of the things I wanted to do and see most in the world. A huge part of me was about to be completed. Not 5 minutes later we reached a road closed sign. Apparently it’s just too early in the season and there are still icy conditions that high up. I was absolutely devasted. I can’t even describe. Here I was thinking I was about to fulfill this part of me, and bam. Crushed. Denied. Maybe it sounds a petty thing, considering we were in Norway. But still. To be 20 MINUTES from the trail head after already driving 2 and a half hours…devastating. But you can’t change the weather or conditions. There is a reason we weren’t able to get to Kjerag that day. I’m not sure why, but it just motivates me even more to make it back to Norway (later in the season, of course). 

So we drove to the town of Stavanger, where Kara had been staying all along. We met Elin’s sister there, who was very sweet. After freshening up at her place, we wandered downtown while Kara went back to see her friend one last time. We went to another viking museum (of course, my favorite). Katrine and Elin made me dress up in traditional viking garb, and enjoyed themselves taking a mini photoshoot at my expense. But of course, secretly I’ve always wanted to be a viking, so secretly I enjoyed it. And then we had chinese food. We met Kara and headed back to the hotel we had reserved. Elin’s husband had some extra travel points lying around or something, so he booked us 2 rooms for free!! I wish I could have met him to say thank you, but he was away for the weekend. The next morning we got a free breakfast at the hotel, which was pretty amazing, and we set off to conquer Preikestolen, the other huge fjord cliff I’ve wanted to experience first hand since childhood. The day was cloudy and rainy, but nevertheless I was pumped when we arrived and the trail was open. It took about an hour and a half to reach the top. It wasn’t an easy hike, but it wasn’t the most difficult one either. It was nice to catch up with Katrine and Elin, and this hike was the perfect time to chat. When we reached the top, my breath was gone. Not because I was beat from the trek, but because of the 1000+ foot vertical drop below my feet. It was unreal. And although it wasn’t the best weather I’ve ever experienced, it was pretty cool to be there with very few other people. I’ve seen pictures where the rock is packed mid-summer. Here there were only a few other groups, so for most of my pictures there is no one in them! Blessings in disguise. The wind became insanely strong, and we feared being blown over the edge. So we made haste down the mountain, with Elin and I getting slightly off-trail at the end. No matter though, I felt so blessed I got to at least experience at least 1 of the 2 fjord views. We drove back to Lyngdal that night to stay with her parents before catching a bus back to Oslo the next day.

6 hours on a bus is a ridiculously long time, but at least the scenery is amazing. I would not mind spending more time in Norway indeed. Once we got back to Oslo, we took the subway back to Katrine’s cute little apartment. Kara and I thought we would hang out there for a few hours and catch the 8pm bus back to the airport that night, rather than waking up at 2:30, taking a taxi to city center, and then catching the 4am bus to the airport to make our flight on time. The only problem was, Katrine checked the bus times 1 last time, and the bus actually left at 7:20, not 8. And it was 6:40 then, and we were stuffing our faces with dinner, not packed or ready in the least. Well we switched gears real quick. While we hastily threw everything in our bags, Katrine wrote out directions. We rushed some goodbyes and ran out the door. Power walked up the hill to the subway station. Already sweating by this time, we stared in horror at the Norwegian writing on the subway timetables. There are 2 trams we could have taken. The long one and the short one. Luckily Katrine wrote out directions for both options. Of course, the quicker one wasn’t coming for 8 more minutes. But the slow one was approaching that minute. We asked some Norwegian buddy to make sure it would take us where we needed. He assured us it would and we ran to barely make it on the subway. The door slammed shut right on me, nearly knocking me over with my big pack. Ha. We forewent paying, even though it was a very hefty fine to get caught without a ticket. We sat down in angst as we awaited our stop, afraid to look at the clock. Even once we got off at our stop, my memory of how to get back to the bus station was hazy, and I was quite scared of how this was all going to work out. We had exactly 11 minutes until our bus left, and still several stops to go on the subway. I really felt like I was on the Amazing Race. Our tram even stalled for a few minutes, only adding to our anxiety. We finally got off and started sprinting through the train station. Up the stairs, keep to the right, go outside…then what?!?!?! There was the sign to the Bussterminalen. Still we had no idea which gate the bus left from, or which bus it even was. We were at a full out sprint at this point, of course getting stuck behind large groups of slow pokes. Kara saw that it was gate 10, so in one last kick we found the bus, exactly as the doors were shutting. We had zero money left so had to pay with card. And we were sweating, out of breath, and shaking from the adrenaline. But we made it. I honestly did not think we would. 

After the hour bus ride, we arrived to Oslo Rygge airport around 8:30pm. Here we settled in to spend our first night in an airport. I was kind of excited for the adventure, but in hindsight, I can tell you it is really not that great sleeping on wooden chairs with fluorescent lights left on all night, and other travelers snoring on their chairs. What other option did we have though? It was an experience nevertheless. Kara and I bought some chocolate to take with us, which we are proud to say we have not broken into yet! 

Also, the Norwegian currency, the Krone, is quite intimidating. 1USD is about 5.8 Krone.  So the numbers are really intimidating. And Norway is a very expensive country, with Oslo being one of the most expensive cities in the world. 40 Krone for a hot chocolate, which is about $8!!! UNreal. On that bus ride, Kara and I wanted something for lunch, and it stopped at a McDonald’s. Since there was nothing else around, we thought we would just do it. Then we saw it was 82 Krone, which is over $13! For a Big Mac! No way did we do that. Anyways, besides the hefty prices, Norway took the lead for favorite country by far. Definitely a place I need to soon return to. Not only to hike to Kjerag, and to see Katrine and Elin again, but to explore so many other awesome places I didn’t get to see! The language sounds so cool, and I had fun learning a few words, even though Katrine and Elin thoroughly enjoyed me trying to pronounce anything. 

I love Norway!! 

Now we are in Greece! And I will write about this eventually :)

Ha det! (good bye for now)  

thetimeistudiedabroad:

It goes by way too quick. Especially on a semester abroad. Last night was the re-entry/pre-exam’s meeting. We all remember when they were first talking about this meeting, nearly 4 months ago when we had only just arrived. Back then we thought it was ages away. And yet there it was. Already in the past. It got us thinking about memories from the beginning, things that seem like they happened a lifetime ago, yet also feels like it was yesterday. It’s a scary thought to be this close to the end. To look ahead and know it’s full of goodbye’s, of routine, normalcy, getting back to the grind. In many ways, this is good. I think most people are looking forward to heading home. Ready to rest from all these adventures. But there is definite sadness in the air. I was thrown into this place with all these beautiful, wonderful people, and now I have to say goodbye? I have to say, “hey, nice to have met you. Hope to see you again somewhere in the world one day.” ?? Almost kind of seems unfair at this point. 

Since this isn’t the absolute end, I won’t go too much farther into that just yet. But those thoughts are definitely on people’s minds around here. Fortunately, there is still SOME time to create memories left. 

This week was crazy hectic. I had a group human lifespan development essay due on Monday. A Folklore final, Sports Injuries lab practical, and Music online test on Wednesday. A biomechanics lab final this morning. Phew. Glad for those to be out of the way! Feels good to be sitting here playing on my computer, not needing to be studying instead for once :) Classes officially ended this week, my last being biomechanics lecture last night! Reading/study week is next week, then the next two weeks are finals, and then it’s all over! Fortunately, Kara and I booked a week in Portugal for the upcoming week!

Coming home from Spain was filled with the craziest weather. Pouring, ominous, cold. Every day. I’m glad to be heading back into the sunshine coming up, even though it will mean having to study on the beach (what a life…) for my last 3 finals when I come home. But we will make sure to include some play time as well :) 

Our friends Katie and Emma also recently booked a few days in Portugal at a place near where Kara and I are staying. Thinking about time, it’s amazing to think that the last time Kara and I travelled together was in February! Our trip to Doolin was the last time. It will be nice to get back into our old bizarre antics, this time not in rainy, swampy hikes through Ireland, but playing in the Atlantic in sunny Portugal! 

While it’s going to be one amazing week, it’s daunting to think that when I get back I will only have 1 week left in Limerick!! Kara and I are going on some post-semester travels as well, so we’re definitely looking forward to it, but it’s going to be a rough week studying/taking finals, packing, solidifying plans, and saying good-bye’s! :( It’s scary, but at the same time, I think we all look at it as a chance to visit our friends in their home territory sometime in the near future. There’s nothing like having connections and free places to stay around the world :)