Athens, Greece

I love how cities can be so small sometimes ♥ Genevieve and I ran into about a dozen people from the overnight train from Madrid to Lisbon while we were out drinking last night. Which sidenote: I love how you can get drinks to go and just stand in the street drinking, it's like big outdoor party. I am SO tired of smoky bars so it was a nice change. But anyway Gen and I ran into tons of people we knew from the train, and i love what a vagabond community backpackers have. And, for the first time, met someone from Portland! It was definitely a night of multiple "small world" events. 

I would also like to let everyone know that i made it to the Lisbon airport in one piece. It was actually very uneventful. Soon after I posted my last entry I looked up the metro times online to find out that it doesn't actually open up till 6:30am, so I had no other choice but to take a cab. I didn't sleep, although I probably could have, since I sat in an empty airport after getting to the airport at 5:05 and getting through security by 5:20....the trip only cost me 10 euros, which wasn't as bad as I expected, yayyyy! I weighed my bag when I got to the airport, I totally had weight anxiety. For those of you who haven't had the pleasure of traveling with me when I bring my large pink suitcase, it can definitely surpass the 50lb mark....so I usually end up throwing a couple pairs of jeans into my dad or brothers suitcase :) if I don't go over, I kid you not, I am within like half a pound. So with this shaky airline suitcase past you can imagine my unease when tossing my backpack on the scale while checking in. The limit is 33kg, and guess what I was at? 20! Hah! I win! 

I'm trying to keep my flying anxiety at bay while thinking about how excited I am for Greece! I'm staying in Athens for 3 nights, and in that time I'll figure out my next move. I'm hoping the locals will help me pick the beautiful yet affordable islands for some island hopping :) Ill keep you posted, but Im assuming Internet service will be spotty once i head for the islands...don't worry I'll find an Internet cafe so that you know I'm alive. 


I never realized how much I love trains. More specifically, how much I love NOT flying. I'm what people call a "nervous flier." I freak people out with my assumption that I am going to die on the plane. By people I mean my brother Craig, because he's the one who always got the full force of it. During take off from Lisbon to Barcelona this morning I was surprised at how my fear seemed almost intensified since I became used to travel without being up in the air. Plus is was a smaller plane, which I hate because then you feel everything. This second flight's take off was great...I'm almost throwing up from nerves and the guy next to me is saying a prayer and doing the sign of the cross. Thanks for making it worse buddy.

Got to athens, limited Internet, leaving for Mykonos on Sunday (already bought my 6 hour ferry ticket) I'm going there with a friend, meeting some other people I met in the hostel last night who got to Mykonos today. We've booked accommodation on Sunday night, but then on Monday the four of us are going to try to go in on one nicer room. The thing about these islands is that it's so expensive, it's still going to be at least 15 euro for the night when we split it. My only rule is that i won't sleep on a beach. Other than that I'm game for anything. 

Signing off, going to the Acropolis to take photos. There's also supposed to be some good hiking around here, so I'm going to scout it out then return tomorrow morning (before the temperature hits 100...yeah, it's 35degrees Celsius here right now)   

♥RG