Thursday, April 30, 2009 - Amsterdam to Rhine Valley

I couldn't sleep this morning - up at 6:00 A.M., took a shower, got ready/packed up, called Jon and my parents to check in, and headed to breakfast. The phone connection was surprisingly good - even better than when I am calling locally within Santa Barbara. Today we have 3 hours in Amsterdam before heading to St. Goar, Germany.

The bus dropped us off at the Anne Frank House and Mia, Jessica, and I spent about an hour in the museum. Afterward Jessica, Matt (South Africa), Derreck (South Africa), and I walked around the city. Since it was the queen's birthday and everyone was on holiday, they were all out in the streets and dressed in bright orange. We walked around the city, Dam Square, the Red Light District (which, I learned, has girls in the windows even as early as 11:00 A.M.). then we stopped for a coffee and some water before heading back to the bus at 12:00 P.M. Next stop: St. Goar, Germany.


Once in St. Goar we went to a short informational session the history of beer steins. I bought a sand cast beer stein with the Hofbrauhaus emblem on the front for Jon. Then we went for a pork dinner and then drove up a steep, windy hill to our hotel. The drive up was beautiful - as was the drive into St. Goar - along the river with various castles and vineyards along the sides of very steep hills. But the drive to the hotel was first through the forest, but then opened up into green pastures with yellow flowers.


At 8:00 P.M. I went wine tasting at a small winery just a short walk from our hotel. The wine cellar was extremely cold and we could see our breaths when we spoke. We sampled 5 wines - one red, a rose, Riesling, Ortega, and the Eiswein. I was most especially impressed with the Riesling and the Eiswein. We learned that the Eiswein (ice-wine) is made by leaving grapes on the vine and then only harvesting them in temperatures of -7 degrees Celsius and before 5:00 A.M. It was amazingly sweet, almost tasting like syrup.


Then back to the hotel, I was rooming with Aya again in a double-share. Went to bed early tonight as there was really nothing else to do in this time town on a hill - and as I am exhausted.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009 - London to Amsterdam

Had to wake up at 5:00 A.M. this morning to shower, pack, and get ready for the tour to begin. We met in the hotel's main square at 6:00 A.M. to get our bags weighed and loaded onto the coach. During the drive to Dover, England, Josh went over tour logistics. Once in Dover, we took the ferry from England to Calais, France. The ferry took about an hour and a half. I hung out on the upper deck with Alana (New Zealand), Mia (South Africa), Jessica (USA), and some other folks from another Contiki tour (European Highlights). Once back on the coach we drove through France, Belgium, and into the Netherlands. Along the drive our tour manager organized us to do "speed dating" (2 minute "speed dates" with each of our other 50 tourmates) to help us get to know eachother. Once in Amsterdam Josh gave us a quick history of the city and handed out maps of the city.

When we got to the hotel we literally had minutes to unload our bags, get a bite to eat, and then back on the coach by 8:00 P.M. to head to our canal cruise. The cruise was so much fun - they provided us with unlimited drinks and loud music to listen to while crusing through the canals of Amsterdam. After the cruise we walked down Leidseplein Street and went to a bar to have some drinks and dance. Some people wandered off to endulge in all that Amsterdam has to offer... some people stayed, drank, and dance... but what happens in Amsterdam, stays in Amsterdam... so that is were I will leave it.


At around 11:30 P.M. my roommates, Aya (Japan), Mia (South Africa), Jessica (USA), and I took a taxi back to the hotel. I had a short time on the internet and could send emails to Jon and my family.

Fell asleep about midnight.

--Turns out my clock was off by an hour, and so we actually returned to the hotel closer to 1:00 A.M., oops!--

Tuesday, April 28, 2009 - Arrive in London

The flight was alright, although I only got about 3 hours of sleep before they turned on the lights and started serving breakfast. Both the dinner and the breakfast were really good. I had the beef pesto ravioli for dinner and the apple pancakes for breakfast - delicious! We would have arrived in Heathrow Airport at about 10:10 A.M., but due to on-ground delays we had to circle in the air for about 45 minutes. We landed at about 11:00 A.M.I was seated relatively close to the front of the plane, so I got off quickly and got through immigration before the rush. I suppose Contiki is well known over here because when I said that I was going on a tour of Europe, the immigration officer asked if it was through Contiki. I said yes, he stamped my passport, and I was through, Then on to the baggage claim. I don't know it is was the jet lag and lack of sleep, who know, but I watched my bags go around the turnstile twice before realizing that 'no, someone doesn't have the same bag as me' and 'yes, that is indeed my bag.' I got a quick 200 pounds at the ATM and was off. Customs was basically nonexistant. I walked through a door that said 'Nothing to Declare' and headed to the famous London Underground Tube.

There was only one train that picks up at Heathrow Airport, called the Piccadilly Line. It fortunetly goes straight to Russel Square, where my hotel is. While on the train though we kept hearing on the speaker that a portion of the Piccadilly Line was closed for maintenance - so I started trying to organize an alternate plane (taking the Picadilly Line to the Hammersmith Station then the Hammersmith Line to the King's Cross Station to the Picadilly Line to Russel Square was my second best bet). But just as we nearned the closed area the driver announced that the entire line had opened up and I could make it to Russel Square. So I got off at my stop along with, what felt like, a million other people. We had to wait for the elevator because it is 175 stairs straight up to the ground level. Once at the street level, I turned left, walked one block and I was at the hotel and the Contiki Basement (basically the Contiki London headquarters). I had to wait until 2:00 P.M. to check-in at the Contiki Basement (it was 1:10 P.M. whe I arrived). At 2:00 P.M., I checked-in, got my sleeping bag, and headed to the concierge at the hotel to get my room key. The hotel has 1140 rooms - it took up an entire city block and was several stories tall. I dropped off my bags and headed back to the tube to visit the London Eye.

I should have bought an oyster card or travel card at Heathrow (this gives your unlimited trips on the tube for the whole day), but I had only bought a one time pass. So when I went out this time, I made sure to buy the all-day pass. I took the Piccadilly Line to the South Kensington Station and then switched to the District Line to the Westminster Station. I walked across the Westminster Bridge, past Big Ben, to the London Eye. I caught the flight (I had already purchased my ticket while I was back in the USA) and could see all of London. After, I hurried back to the station as it had started to rain. Once back at the hotel I met my first roommate, Fabiana, a computer engineer from Brazil. She only spoke very limited English, but we chatted about our upcoming trips - she was taking the 14-day Contiki tour called European Highlights.




We went down to the pretour meeting at the Contiki Basement at 7:00 P.M. At the meeting we went over the basics of the tour and met our driver, Jon, and tour manager, Josh. After the meeting, Aya (Japan) and I went to a grocery store to buy breakfast for the morning and then found a little italian restaurant for dinner.

We headed back to the hotel and I was asleep by 10:00 P.M.

Monday, April 27, 2009 - Depart for Europe

Today is the day!

Woke up at 8:00 A.M. Shower. Breakfast. Checked my email one last time. Jon took me to the bus stop at 10:00 A.M. The bus left by 10:20 A.M. and the driver decided to take Hwy 1 down the coast to the airport in Los Angeles. I slept most of the way. We arrived at LAX around 12:15 P.M. The Air New Zealand counter didn't open until 1:30 P.M., so I sat and waited and 'people watched.' Once the counter opened, I got my boarding pass, went through security, and headed to my gate. The flight boarded at 3:45 P.M. and we were up in the air an hour later. I have a seat next to the window right over the wing, just how I like it.

1 day to go - all packed up and ready to go

Today I slept in until 10:00 A.M., since Jon and I attended the UCSB Men's Rugby Alumni Banquet the night before and that lasted until midnight. First things first, I had to get my laundry finished. Did that, then got lunch at Sam's To Go on Milpas. I needed to buy one more shampoo bottle, so after packing, Jon and I walked to State Street. We then went to Dargans for a beer, which turned into three beers and appetizers quickly. Amanda and Kyle met us there as well. Then headed home and was fast asleep by 9:30 P.M.

3 weeks to go

Today I received my travel documents in the mail.


For my main luggage I have purchased a Samsonite bag from Costco for $40 (I know, DEAL OF THE CENTURY!). It is a 30" rolling duffel bag with shoulder straps. Which means that you can carry it like a duffel bag, or extend the arm and roll it on its two wheels, or take out the shoulder straps and carry it like a backpack. The actual dimensions are 30" x 16" x 14", which "technically" exceeds some of the dimensions required by Contiki (29” x 20” x 10”), but I have read on the Contiki forums that this is never checked.