Egypt/Africa

The cruise around the Greek Isles was glorious (Santorini is gorgeous). I actually just realized that Google has a photo service, so I might be putting my photos on there, but for now, I have my 5 favorite photos from Europe on the left hand side (well, hopefully, Egypt has been crappy about letting me upload pictures, so we'll see). These aren't even up on facebook yet, so rejoice! The first in the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, the second is from the longest remaining stretch of the Berlin Wall left, the third from the Ancient Agora in Athens (the old marketplace), the fourth is a building's painting decoration from Ljubljana, and the fifth is the old Roman Coliseum in Pula, Croatia. They were all fabulous places to visit, although the picture from Ljubljana is sideways.

Egypt is/has been a wicked time. I traveled down to the bottom of the Nile and worked my way up through Aswan and Luxor (at one point I was reeeaaally close to the Sudanese border, but didn't know it at the time). I cruised down the Nile in a felucca and got something that made me really sick (I think that's just known as 'eating in Africa'). The tour group wasn't too bad, which was nice (same as the cruise group). Both groups were pretty small so I got to actually know everyone. On the cruise I clicked well with Catherine and Dave who are my age and backpacking around Europe. They'll be back to Australia by the time I get there so we've made plans to see the penguins on Phillips Island the Sunday I'm there when they're off work. It should be awesome.

Anyway, I'm glad to be back to an internet connection that allows me to update the blog (that's why it's taken so long -- I've gotten internet someplace and then I can't upload to blogger). Hopefully I can get on again soon once I'm in Dar es Salaam and preparing for my safari.

Athens

In Athens (and Greece in general) now. It's lovely and warm, and even if crowded and polluted, I love it. It has history and character (and isn't as dirty as Skopje was). I'm hoping to run around and see some historical sights today and then to hit museums tomorrow (I helped someone with is rail pass so he gave me his paid-for pass to the Acropolis and other historic sights up on the hill today). There's a rail strike going on here though, which means the metro is closed today. Europe and quasi-socialism are all fun and games until you're here and there's a freaking rail strike. Ugh. My time in Thessaloníki was cut short as well by the rail strike because I had to take an earlier train to Athens in order to avoid it.

Oh well, I get on a cruise ship in 2 days and then I don't have to worry anymore. Someone else will deal with it. That sounds lovely. A break from backpacking.

Skopje

I'm in Macedonia now. I had a hellish night bus ride from Sarajevo to get here, through Croatia, Serbia, and then into Macedonia. I have no idea why Croatia was involved because if you look at a map it's pretty out of the way. Also had an old grandmother next to me who snored over the 16 hours and would periodically jab me in the ribs in the middle of the night. It will be fine though, because I get to GREECE tomorrow (hoo-ray!). My favorite cities/countries thus far are Slovenia (Ljubljana was amazing) and Bosnia (went to Mostar and Sarajevo), which I didn't expect. I really want to come back to the Balkans now and I'm already mentally planning my next trip (I want to start out in the Middle East and work my way up through Turkey to Southern Europe). If I manage to get a whole lot of time off (like 3-4 months) I'd want to work myself all the way over to Barcelona along the Mediterranean. i guess that's my future goal now -- maybe during a summer between law school years.

I also experienced culture shock for the first time here in Skopje. They use the Cyrillic alphabet so I can't read anything (or guess at it), I have no guidebook, and I'm just kind of winging it. Between that and the long bus ride, when I got in yesterday I was just kind of dazed and overwhelmed. It's certainly fun and a new experience. The last time I was this overwhelmed was Japan and I had Kate there with me. It's entirely different to be on your own feeling like you have no idea what's going on. Anyway, I'm going to wrap this up, but hopefully I'll get on again before I go cruising in Greece (at that point, you probably won't hear from me here or on facebook for at least a week).