So after work on saturday night, roberto and cyrell dragged me to club101 for a well deserved glass of wine, apparently there were cause for celebration, it's Halloween weekend and also the end of DayLightSaving time, which means we gained one Full hour, big deal...

people can be seen dressing up to the occasion, the streets were infested with vampires, zombies, mummies and younameit...thing is, they were not exactly treatOrTreating, but merely, as you would have guessed, drinking!

we chilled for a bit and just meeting friends, friends of friends, and it turned out we all have common friends, which i find it really amusing...London is a city of seven millions, what is the odd of that? It's happened to me on few rare occasions, and im beginning to lean forward to the theory of six degrees, we are all related somehow...

i've also recently succumbed to all these facebook invitations and thought i will just give it a try, and bam, i'm meeting all these folks ive lost touch with again...it's just great to receive messages from a travel mate whom you havent seen for over a year, and update each other on our current location and doing...

would like to take some time and hangout in the network and sort out the whoswho, send someone a poke and just keep in touch with the people you have crosspathed with...it takes so little effort nowadays to be in contact with other people, i just hope we dont start taking it for granted...


***

brought Roberto to Hillsongs yesterday and he really did enjoy the service tremendously, he declared after the service that he is gonna be attending church every Sunday now...

i cant be happier that i have managed to touch yet another person's life...

Hoxton, London


Cant believe how quickly things get organized once you've had the experience, yeah, i've managed to find a room in just two days!

Was kinda worried if my new roomies could top that of my previous ones, because they were just absolutely amazing! didnt i have such a grand time in Spain?

My concern is totally uncalled for, turns out my current roomies are just as fabulous! So there're only the four of us essentially, two hungarians, one british and myself, all dudes. Szabi's brother is right now visiting london, so he's here hanging out with us as well.

The moment i stepped into the house i knew im in serious trouble, the kitchen shelf is filled with tonnes of alcohol! just about any kind that you can name, plus those that you cant, and rightly so, as two of the boys work in the bar around the corner...im thinking my plan of staying sober at least until Christmas aint gonna be working out so well afterall...

Im hoping i can quickly get acquainted to my roomies and hit it off well (we already have), and eventually get invited to Hungary, which is in my travel list...i know it sounds like im befriending friends for ulterior motive, but im really not like that, i do treasure each and every individuals that ive met along the way, even the touch-n-go ones...

I've started working with the RSA and hopefully i can top up my bank account for a little bit, so that more travel plans can be forthcoming...

things are pretty much working out so far, guess for once ive really got nothing to complain...

oh wait, maybe just one, but we'll leave that for some other day...

Camden Town, London


it sure feels good to be on payroll again, it can only mean one thing though, the spending power is back!

u wont believe me if i told you i havent bought anything for myself (other than the basics) during the entire course of my six-week travel, truth is, ive been very careful with my money, for one, i didnt know how long i was gonna travel, for another, using your UK card in Europe is really expensive (they slap u with lotsa charges and commision).

so it's fairly accurate to say that i spent most of my money only and purely in food and transportation (and booze), and the verdict is...

total expenditure = €1000 (+/-)

which amount to only about €25 a day!

from the beginning of the travel, i have given myself a challenge, budget traveling with minimal expenditure, very much inspired by 'the amazing race'. Needless to say im feeling pretty proud of myself, and who can write a better book on 'budget traveling' other than me?

With that said, i want to challenge you guys out there to beat my current record, let me know if you are successful, coz if you are, you might just be the perfect travel partner for me, someone who doesnt hafta travel in STYLE...


drunken days back in germany...(i passed out in the bar and was carried all the way back home, kinda embarrassing i know...)

London

Havent felt so exhausted for a long time now, getting in to London always give you that feeling, people hustling about, over taking you on the street because you are being such a slowass, try carrying my backpack, you holes...

welcome back to London, it's freezing here and im glad im well prepared, i even got myself a ear cover! dont say it, i know im a total wuss...

so being back here means getting back to business, something in which i hate...first thing first, i needa get my lodging sorted out, i know i shoulda done that BEFORE i got back, but im really not so much of a planner, in fact, i didnt know i was coming back until one week ago...

next up, dont i need a job? hate to break it to you but i do, and the reality is killing me, doesnt it to all of us? good thing is, ive established enough contacts before and i should get going in no time at all...

would also like to take up some courses while im here for the next two months, i have a good idea of what i wanna do, just wanna do some more research before committing myself to it...if only i was that sensible when i chose to do five years engineering course in the Uni last time...

what's next? just looking forward to celebrating Christmas for the most part...it kinda feel right having Christmas in Winter, and not summer like down under or back home, have always wanted to cuddle up in rugs near the fire place, chestnut roasting on an open fire, on Christmas eve, just like what we see on television...

dont worry, none of that is gonna happen in London...Bummer!

Berlin

ive always been obsessed with visiting the capital city of a country, there has gotta be some unique qualities that govern the choosing as such, other than the obvious such as being the major CBD or in the population perspective.

but like Madrid and London, im in for a major disappointment...

to be quite honest, i really dont know what the big donkey has to offer, first off, everything seemed scattered and distant... never mind the fact that the city was divided before, but surely they can come out with a new plan when the wall was torn down? how'bout concentrating on beautifying a specific area and mark it as the city central, instead of having developments in different parts of the city? it really makes it difficult for travelers who travel by foot, like me...

and if you are here for the architectures and old buildings, you will have to be contented with new, characterless ones...

on the contrary though, there are heaps of museums and theatres and philharmonic halls if you are into them, you can also walk along side what seemed to be the remnants of the wall and soak in the history of yesteryears...

but then again, who am i to judge? hell, im totally biased when it comes to big cities...will always be a country boy at heart...

boy, i sure miss buenache, alcala, hildeshime and offenburg...


***


went out with my lovely hosts last night to the local sushi bar for some temaki and A drink, as it turned out, we had more than one drink, we had three drinks each, one maitai and two zombies, and by the time we were done with our drinks, we were the only ones left at the bar, and we walked back home like zombies...

things are not that hot during the week, the night scenes in berlin only heat up towards the weekend, and generally mondays and tuesdays are detox days, you've gotta give the poor liver a darn break at some point, you dont wanna mess it up...

one thing about all my hosts is that, we all share the same passion in traveling. German Vanessa and aussie Michael have been to countless places, and they never stick around at one place long enough to call it home, the world is their home...

we exchanged travel tales and i sorta like what they are doing, just doing what they are doing, worry bout nothing, and you know, Living...

life isnt all that complicated if you get down to it, live it and not to be lived...

Save the Earth!

so im committed to writing bout the environment for today, in support of the greenies...will just present a few observations seeing ive only got 10 minutes left of internet usage.

The germans are dedicated to creating a very environmental-friendly atmosphere, they are aware of the importance of recycling, and they are actually practising it too...

First off, you get charged for every single piece of plastic bag at the store, bottles and glasses alike. Not only that, you are required to categorize your waste according to the different substances and you are legally obligated to dispose them accordingly into the different bins.

Smart cars are highly supported here as well, ppl are willing to pay a higher price for a small car in the name of saving the environment. Brochures and flyers are all printed in recycled papers, lights and heaters in the apartments are operated with timer, electrical appliances are made to be energy-saving...

It is also a common practice for people to carpool around here, ive been using the facility myself arranging rides to different places and traveling with complete strangers in the car. It is a brilliant idea, not only does it conserve resources, but more importantly, it is very cost effective as well.

We can all learn from the germans in becoming a greener person, they are really making an effort in making a difference, and they sure have done a helluva job at that...

Hildeshime

Im loving Autumn, something about the falling leaves that feel very close to heart, a sign that there is always a beginning and an end, and something to look forward to next year...

im feeling detached to other people, im feeling melancholy, im feeling the cold weather and the gray sky, and when i say i dislike changes, i dont really mean it...truth is, it's good to have changes...

will be flying back to London from Berlin on wednesday...do i miss London? not a chance...someone here in Germany is holding me back that it's so hard for me to leave...i guess im in love...

i will be back here next year...

Hildesheim, Germany


When you gotta go, you gotta go...

so i left munich and headed north...my initial plan of going through prague didnt work due to some logistic matters...

right now im staying here with Chloe, indefinitely, as ive been traveling for a while now, and a good rest is in order...somehow, going to another country with another language just doesnt seem so hot to me right now...i need some time to rejuvenate and yeah, detox my body for a little bit...

this is a really quiet town with some good walks and some unesco heritage sites, not so much on the happening side and also on the nightlife department, but hell, it suits me just fine, what i really need now is some wholesome food and a good place to sleep and to catch up on telly (i mean american TV)...

as chloe and i go way back so im pretty sure i wont wear out my welcome any time soon...

it's about time to think about getting back to the UK to earn some money...

Oktoberfest 2007, Munich

Official logo


Chloe


Petra, Carola and some crazy americans we met


inside the famous HB tent


Strong bavarian girl


the Olympic rollercoaster


Spatenbrau tent


horses with beer


fische


Eurostar


Munich


band


pork chop


Welcome to the biggest, craziest and most happening party on earth!

it was madness! there are no words to describe the magnitude of it unless you see it for yourself, ive never seen anything that huge a scale in my entire life...

and no, it's not just about drinking, there are tonnes of other things to do and eat and see here, and of course, to meet other crazy travelers from all around the world...

everyone has gotta go to oktoberfest at least once in their lifetime, i promise you, you will have the time of your life!