Fernweh

Anywhere but home

[janetfernweh-blog]

Of the sun, sea, sail, scuba and sand

Decent dive and snorkel site

The Apollo used to be a racing ship, now it takes groups of 26 out to sea for 3D/2N trips over the Whitsunday Islands. It is painted a garish yellow and blue, which flakes off and sticks to your skin. On first sight, one has to wonder how 26 people plus 3 crew members are meant to fit in there. Are we meant to sleep on the decks? Below decks, there are 2 toilets/barely functioning showers, a kitchen, a semi-hangout area, and bunk beds. The answer to how you fit nearly 30 people into a sailboat: very, very tightly. 

The group I'm in veers towards the backpackers crowd, more than half of them are British whereas the rest are from Germany/Austria/Denmark/France/Ireland and an odd Canadian and American. The skipper and cook/caretaker are both Aussies and the dive 'instructor'/full-time creep is a Kiwi. When I first looked into this ship,  I struggled to find any information about it online, and thus, I had no idea what to expect. Turns out whatever happens on the Apollo is meant to stay on the Apollo. On the basis of freedom of information and freedom of speech, I am writing of my experiences onboard. 

My first advice,  if you do decide to come onboard, bring as little as you possibly can. The shower is non-existent, any sense of personal hygiene will have to be thrown out to sea for the duration of the trip. The second advice, bring baby wipes and sanitary wipes to feel more human and less dirty hot mess. The final advice, alcohol. I didn't bring any because I did not think that alcohol, the sea and a somewhat incompetent swimmer (me) mix very well. However, after hours activity consists almost entirely of drinking games and the next morning consists of people complaining about how shit they felt. The absence of alcohol as a social lubricant means the people who did not bring their own onboard just can not partake in the 'festivities'. It also makes me sad that for most backpackers, almost every activity involves getting 'smashed', what is the point of traveling if you're going to be half out of your mind half the time?

It is certainly not a bad trip- the sun, sea, sail, scuba and sand parts were pretty decent. But I knew I was not on the right ship when one of the crew said something about hoping we'd all get fucked, literally and metaphorically. There were parts of it that I enjoyed- waking up early to watch the sunrise and the peace and quiet before the ship wakes, scuba diving even though conditions and the dive instructor were less than ideal, sailing at high speed with the boat tilted at almost a 45deg angle, rain splattering down and the wind whipping at my face, I loved it all. On the whole, I liked the non-human part of the experience, I can even cope with the lack of amenities once I've adjusted my expectations. I feel like it's worth stating that the individuals in the group are all decent humans, friendly and always up for a chat or help with gearing up and slapping on sunscreen. I just would rather it be a different group and crew, I would rather the focus be more on the sailing and the scuba diving than... what it was. One of the take home message that I got from this: it is very, very apparent when one does not take their job very seriously. There is a difference between someone who's really enthusiastic about what they do and someone who's only doing it because they have nothing better to do or just needed the money. It has shown me how I do not want to present myself, as a person with a position of responsibility, to my students at university. And that alone perhaps makes this sailing trip worth it.  

Spectacular sunset at sea

Perhaps you get what you paid for but I feel like the lack of information online about most of these cruises makes it very difficult to choose. You don't want to be on a luxury cruise with old coots and honeymooners but you don't want to be at the other end of the spectrum with a bunch of party kids as well... There has to be a review system for most of these so that people know what they're getting into. 

Once back on land, I checked in to Backpackers by the Bay, a very nice backpackers/hostel, got a much needed shower and headed out for my first proper meal since I'd arrived at Airlie Beach 5 days ago. Fish D'vine, a restaurant specializing in fish and rum served up a perfectly cooked grilled Barramundi with sweet potato chips and also my first, and last, drink of the trip- a spectacular snifter of a Rum Blazer.

Rum Blazer!

When I got back to the hostel, I met my roommate for the night, Katrina. Katrina is an interesting one, a Californian here on a 3 month unpaid diving internship. She was up in Cairns doing horse riding tours before this for 3 months (paid) and prior to that 6 months traveling through South America and prior to that 2.5 years with the Peace Corps teaching Biology in Portuguese in Africa. Katrina has a Masters in Ecology, specializing in small mammals and has plans on doing a PhD in Marine Ecology, can speak 4 languages pretty well and thinks drinking to stupor every night while traveling is stupid. Damnit, why can't there be more people like her on the sailing trip?

[janetfernweh-blog]

Bucket list: Great Barrier Reef

I have wanted to visit the Great Barrier Reef since I first read about it in an encyclopedia as a wee kid. The fact that you can presumably see the structure from space fascinated me and the brightly coloured corals and fishes drew me in like a kid to, well, brightly coloured objects. And thus I decided to utilise the Easter break this year to fulfil this childhood dream and cross the reef off my bucket list before it's too late.

How amazing is this structure?

Catching an early morning flight from Melbourne to Hamilton Island, I took the connecting Cruise Whitsundays ferry to Airlie beach where I decided it was a good idea to lug my suitcase 4km 'down the road' on an empty stomach to the KIPARA Tropical Rainforest Retreat instead of taking the bus or taxi like a sane person would. I arrived sweaty and dehydrated and completely famished at the resort, proceeded to book a scenic flight over the islands and reef for the next day and promptly slunked into bed for a nap that lasted 3 hours. I'm getting old. 

Completely adequate quarters

The 'resort', despite its name, is pretty basic but adequate with the cabins containing its own bathroom amenities. It was clean and felt safe, the manager/receptionist was also very nice, helpful and always up for a chat, so that was a plus. 

The next day I got picked up for my scenic flight and scored the co-pilot seat, mainly because of weight and I was the only non-paired person on the flight. 

Apparently a few of them are afraid of heights =_=

The flight covered the islands and the reef and was pretty spectacular as it allows you to truly appreciate the scale of the reef and surrounding islands. We had magnificent weather that day, which was a plus. 

Whitehaven beach

The rest of the day I basically spent walking up and down the coast, checking out Airlie Beach and preparing for the sailing trip.

Airlie Beach Lagoon

[janetfernweh-blog]

Ending the year with a bang

Not literally. Get your head out of the gutter.

I cannot believe it is already the second day of 2014. I started this post thinking I wanted to recount the previous few day's events but now that I am typing this, I don't really feel like doing so. 

So I'll say this: the decision to spend the last week of 2013 in Fiji feels appropriate. It capped off a year where I am blessed with the opportunity to travel more than I ever did in previous years. It is truly quite fitting that I should be here, celebrating the end of the year with a bunch of random folks I'd just met.

I left Mantaray Island Resort yesterday and am currently sitting at a lounge room in the last resort of my Fijian holiday, Smuggler's Cove in Nadi, whiling away time before I leave for the airport. I am tired from lack of sleep, covered with over 60 mosquito bites, multiple nasty bruises and am the reluctant owner of a mangled hand. I am the very picture of someone who's been on a relaxing island getaway. I know I've said this before and I'll probably keep harping on about this for awhile: having my own room rocks ass. Again, not literal. Jeez. It is probably the thing that made the remainder of my stay at Mantaray Island so much more enjoyable. I can take super long afternoon naps with the ceiling fan above me and feel the sea breeze coming through my door, roll out of bed and attempt to sun tan within seconds of getting out of the bure. Worth every penny. This wouldn't have been possible in the dorm. Whether imagined or not, there is a pressure to always do something, anything at all, other than laze in bed when you're in the dorms. Also, the lack of privacy is truly an issue for me. That said, I might have had the best night's sleep last night that I have had in the past month- the dorm in Smuggler's Cover has air conditioning! I slept like a baby but unfortunately had to get up early to check out =( The resort itself is very pretty but I am too tired to go exploring. I've planted myself on an armchair and can predict staying here until I need to pee or eat or leave. Or if someone comes and drags me away. I had such an awesome time in Fiji. The people I met, the things I did or did not do, it was everything I wanted and more but I am so ready to go home. I've come to accept that there's no right way of seeing the world. While I envy backpackers and their ability to do what they do, now, more than ever, I know I will never be one of them. I need to travel in relative comfort but that doesn't make me any less of a traveller, it just means I need to save up more to do shorter trips. Which is alright by me. Here's to 2014. May it bring new travels, people and adventures =)

[janetfernweh-blog]

Of the sun, sea and sand

I left feeling quite apprehensive about my Fiji holiday. The weather forecast for the coming days was not optimistic to say the least. My mother recommended I bailed on the trip, which really just galled me into continuing on with it.

The flight from Melbourne to Fiji took probably around 4.5 hours. It was one of the smallest planes I’ve been on in awhile. I sat next to a very nice Singaporean/Austrian couple that have lived in Melbourne for the past 30 or so years and chatted intermittently with them throughout the flight. 

Fiji is humid. Nadi airport reminded me a bit of Penang airport. Small, functional, and that’s about it. Fijians are a mixed bag, some are super duper friendly and call you dahling like your favourite cousins, others barely look you in the eye during conversation. I wonder though if it’s more a language barrier thing than an attitude thing. 

So, Fiji time is a thing ey? I thought it was a myth until I sat at the arrival hall of the airport for over an hour waiting for my shuttle, which I’d booked and double confirmed the time for. There was a driver for another resort there who kept coming back to reassure me every 10-20 minutes that I won’t be stranded at the airport and that he would personally send me to the resort should my arranged transport not arrive, which was fairly sweet.

When my shuttle finally did arrive, I piled on for what might have been a 15 minutes ride to the resort. Dafuq did it take the man that long to get to me? The driver was a fairly resourceful man, after I checked in and had a meander along the beach, he suggested we do a town tour of Nadi and so we did. 

The town was perhaps the 3rd largest in Fiji but only took 15 mins to cover. We stopped by what was apparently the largest Hindu temple in the South Pacific. I donned a half sari, because I was indecently dressed, and went in for a look-see. Got some bananas that were offered for prayer from a priest and ate it hoping that a blessed banana would mean my trip was also blessed. 

When I got back to the resort it was time for dinner as the kitchen closes by 9pm. Had dinner, showered, met my room-mate, a nice older lady from Byron Bay who’d been staying there for a couple of weeks. The next morning, a shuttle bus came and transported me (and others) to Port Denarau where we boarded the Awesome Adventures Fiji catamaran towards the islands.  My stop was 3 hours away from the port and we arrived to a fairly nice day at the Mantaray Island resort. 

**I truly did not expect to spend that much time on my computer but here I am typing this, more on why later*** Turns out I was worried about the weather for no good reason because the weather here is fantabulous, I'd met some really cool people and there was plenty of things to do. On the first day, I went snorkelling for hours, the corals and fishes here are just spectacular, followed by a sunset tube cruise where basically you're taken out into the sea and sit in tubes drinking for about an hour or so.

The second day, I went on an introductory dive, my first ever scuba diving experience and it was amazing. The feeling of swimming under the sea, not having to worry about catching my breath or water streaming into my eyes, swimming amongst the fishes, playing with giant clams, it was difficult to envision it prior to doing it myself, I'm so glad I got to do it and grateful that I am not one of those poor souls who just cannot dive. 

It was also today that a couple of other girls and I decided to do some exploring along the coast. Further along the coast away from the resort, we walked past a disgusting beach that had a lot of washed up rubbish. Took a 'path' that truly was not a path into the jungle to the other side of the island and arrived at this amazing private beach. 

We thought that we could walk along the coastline back to the resort but by that time, the tide was coming in at a rapid pace and we had to turn back. It was on the way back that calamity struck- I slipped on some really slippery rocks, fell on my arse and scrapped chunks of flesh and skin off my hands. Thus endeth water activities of any sort planned for the foreseeable future. It was a good conversation starter though- lots of random people I'd never met just rocked up to me and went 'you're the girl with the mangled hand'. And also I got quite a few sympathy drinks out of it through out the night. The pain does not bother me, I'm more wary of infections. I truly do not want to lose my hand on what is meant to be a 'relaxing' holiday.   

Today, I am taking things super super easy, on account of the fact that my one hand looks positively nasty and I can't really do anything with it. I am sitting under a palm tree, writing this and uploading photos on Facebook. The catamaran took away the people I got along with most and dropped off more people, about 6 couples and 4 very drunk men here on a pretend stag party. The 32 bed dorm I was in turned from being relatively quiet to being fully occupied and I dread to find out how sleeping there tonight will be like. Being the freaking wimp that I am, I opted to upgrade into the most luxurious accommodations that have here- the Jungle Bure, which has its own bathroom. Woot!!

My door literally leads towards the beach, and the view is fantabular.

3 days into my holidays in Fiji, I have discovered this of myself: a beach holiday, hell, a warm holiday is not my ideal holiday. While most people would love the idea and reality of sitting on their arse by the beach, swimming in the sea, not worrying about time or schedules or the rest of the world, I am clearly not one of them. The heat makes me melt. The sand gets into the most inappropriate of places. I have not had a solid night's sleep since I'd arrived in Fiji because I'd been bombarded by mosquitoes every night and icky from sweating, the humidity gets to me like nobody's business. In addition, my worst fear of living in a dormitory manifested itself on my second night when the dude sleeping on the bunk across from me started getting it on with a girl and I HEAR FARKING EVERYTHING. 

That said, I like this place more than I imagined I would. The awesome weather helped. The very picturesque setting of the resort helped. The fantastic staff helped. I imagine I will be a happier camper now that I have my personal space back. They're planning something good on NYE. Now that we have a group of goofballs, it might actually be amusing. There will be around 60 people on the island, not including staff on NYE. I'm looking forward to seeing how this all works out =D

[janetfernweh-blog]

Endpoint.

2 weeks and 6 Couchsurfers later, I am now starting to get a feel about the kind of surfers I like to host. Apart from being genuinely excited to meet the people I actually sent out invitations to, I did not really have a definite idea of what I wanted out of this experience. It was exciting, and some might say a little risky, but as a whole, I was just looking for distractions. 

As such, I wasn't really picky about who I accept, it was more of a first-come-first-serve scenario. In retrospect, I might have been less stretched and gotten a lot more out of the experience if I had been more discerning about who I say yes to. I'm glad the end is in sight. I really do not foresee myself doing this type of frenetic hosting in the near future. When I eventually do get a place of my own, I'd still host but most definitely at a more leisurely pace. 

Onwards to Fiji! Where there are apparently thunderstorms and the risk of cyclones.

image taken from web.

[janetfernweh-blog]

Cultural differences

stock internet image. not mine.

Since young, I have been supremely interested in Europe and European cultures. However, it has truly only been recently that I am exposed to more than the standard UK/US/Aussie (Anglo-saxon??) way of things. Visiting Spain, France, Italy, Germany and revisiting the UK this year allowed me to really compare and contrast these countries and I am truly fascinated by how different they are despite being relatively close geographically. Although, it probably should not have come as that much of a surprise to me, one would not expect Malaysian, Thai or Vietnamese culture to be the same even though they're all South-east Asian countries. With this recent couchsurfing experience, again I am struck by how different we are despite, or because of, international travel being so widespread. Most people who bother to travel are similarly fascinated by cultures different from theirs, the love and curiosity for the unknown is something I can relate to and appreciate in a person. But it also means the 'differences' I perceive are not necessarily just due to our upbringing and culture but also influenced by our travels. Because I'm hosting people from countries and cultures that I am sometimes unfamiliar with, I find myself combing through pages on the internet, reading up about their countries, cultures and way of life. Yes, it might be easier to just ask them about it but I likened it to reading up on your lecture notes before attending a lecture. You really don't want to be the clueless bimbo who asks dumb or obvious questions. What is a good host? A lot of the time I have to restrain myself from asking my surfers what they require of me. Does one stick to them like an overprotective mother? A knowledgable friend who's free to hang out? Or as a benevolent matron who provides them temporary shelter and nothing more? Surely it is also dependent on the person and to a certain extent, where they come from. I am still learning and truly I feel like by the end of this I might still be as clueless as I was before this. But one tries, and I think, as long as one tries, one cannot be faulted.

[janetfernweh-blog]

Halfway point

It is now 6 days after my first couchsurfers have arrived. FC left after 2 days and CU left this morning. I had another CSer come in on Saturday, ID from the US and he's leaving today as well. I have a girl from Germany, KS coming later today and a dude from Denmark, KM coming tomorrow. And then I'm done by Sunday. No more until I move out, hopefully to a country far, far away.

CU thought I was crazy for going all out and rotating multiple CSers so soon after I started hosting. I've always held the notion 'go big or go home'. Although sometimes I wonder whether adopting the 'if you want to do it, do it right' way might be more appropriate. Probably. I'll forego with coming to a conclusion about hosting and CS for now. It has been good so far so let's see if the rest goes as well. 

On a separate note: I'm going to Fiji on the 27th! Spending a week there over New Year's because I cannot stand the idea of staying back in Melbourne doing nothing. I've booked myself into hostels/dorms predominantly and am quite unsure how I'd fare. I am a bit of a wimp when it comes to personal space. I might switch over to actual rooms at some point but we'll see. I've never travelled to a 'developing country' by myself before so I'm quite excited about it. This travel bug has really gotten the better of me this year. Signs that truly it is time to move on from good old Melbourne. 

image taken from the web. not mine.

[janetfernweh-blog]

12 days before Christmas

The Christmas/New Year period has traditionally presented me with a lot of angst and ennui. It is when friends flock home and work winds down as colleagues take leave to spend time with their families. I envision these people cozying up in front of a fireplace, turkey roasting in the oven, mashed potatoes, snow and frozen lakes. In reality, well, it's probably more like beer and barbecues and cricket matches. Oh Australia, how I wish you conform more sometimes. This year I decided to proactively make the season less angsty for myself. I decided to open up my doors to couchsurfers. Surely if my absent housemate is to stumble across this post she would be shaking her fists at me. Yesterday, I welcomed my first guests, 2 female surfers: FC from France and CU from South Korea. FC is staying for 2 nights while she looks for more permanent accommodations and a job whereas FC is staying for 6 nights before she heads off to Cairns and onwards to other destinations. Both asked me what I was hoping to get from the CS experience. And I have been struggling to find a good answer for it. It's like when people ask me why I donate blood. It's not altruism because I don't feel like I'm sacrificing anything for it. I do it because I feel like it's something I can give, be it blood or space, and does me no foreseeable harm, so why not? I think, hosting people from different countries is my way of living vicariously through them and it breaks me from the routine of everyday existence. I get to hear their stories, give suggestions on local things to do, maybe gain some unforgettable memories and make a few friends who will have no excuse to not let me crash their couch if and when I need it, lol. As long as I don't hit the jackpot and get a house guest from hell, it's a win-win situation. Right?!

image taken from the web. not mine. 

[janetfernweh-blog]

What happens next?

Europe, you have stolen my heart yet again. I'm writing this while waiting to board my flight, 40% of me considered walking out of the airport, just to prolong the inevitability of real life back home.

Quick word about the party. It wasn't too bad. The music was shite but the drinks got stronger as the night progressed so it didn't matter much anyway. 

The next morning, Mutlu and Michael took me sight seeing. Up into the woods to look at ruins, particularly the St. Michaels Monastery, up to the famed Heidelberg Castle and out into the valley, which name escapes me, to look at 4 baby castles and a charming, well preserved village on top of a hill called Dilsburg. I truly apologize for the vague details, it is not an indication of disinterest because I love old buildings and ruins, I just could not keep track of the names. 

I met up with a new friend in the afternoon. An interesting chap whose company I truly enjoyed. The coffee I had though, was nothing compared to what we get in Melbourne. If he ever does get the chance to visit Melbourne, he would know what he considers good coffee really.... isn't. 

I took Mutlu and Michael out for dinner that night, to thank them for their hospitality. The pub we went to was just at the corner of their block, called Krokodil. I ordered a very seasonal dish of geese, tiny oranges, cabbage cooked in vodka and German noodle like thingies. While the food was ahmayzing, the portions were just unmanageable for me. How the hell are Germans not all fat blobs?

And now I am here. Waiting to board. Not wanting to leave but conscious of the fact that the sooner I get back to work the faster I'll finish and be able to come back. Until then, auf wiedersehen Europe, till we meet again!

[janetfernweh-blog]

I don't want to go.

As my time in Europe is winding down I face the familiar feeling of not wanting to leave. It was the same feeling I had when I left the UK for Sydney in 2006, the same feeling I had when I left Rome for Melbourne earlier this year. This unwillingness to leave, uggh, it's frustrating.  

After the fantastic time I had in Munich, Heidelberg was a whole lot calmer. On my day of arrival, I had a nice dinner in with the couple I was staying with, Mutlu and Michael, 2 German MDs who worked awhile in Melbourne before relocating to Heidelberg. Yes, I did the really thick-skinned thing of asking for free accommodations and feel really bad for it. I swear I'll do something to make up for it.

The very next day I arrived bright and early to EMBL Heidelberg, where I was attending a 3 day symposia. The campus is new, bright and shiny and the introduction we were given about the work they do here made me fully aware, for the first time, of how big of a deal EMBL actually is. 

Some of the talks were really interesting. The cafeteria where we had lunch and dinner overlooked the mountains and the city and had a wide selection of food. My poster session was at the very end of the first day and I am pleased to report that I did not spend my allocated hour standing around like an idiot. 

The second day, an undergrad friend of mine who was also attending the symposia decided that it was a good idea to skip out on the day's sessions and we went on the Philosopher's Walk. Not having learnt my lesson from Barcelona or Paris or anywhere else for that matter, my choice of footwear left much to be desired. That said, the view of Heidelberg from even halfway up was pretty amazing.

It was not a very good day for exploring, unfortunately. It started drizzling around the middle of the day and did not let up for the rest of it. We loitered around Altstadt, the charming baroque style old city of Heidelberg, with me going in and out of shops I recognised but cannot find in Australia. 

For dinner we went to the #1 ranked restaurant in Heidelberg, at least, according to TripAdvisor, called Schnitzelbank. A word of advice, come in hungry, come in thirsty or be prepared to leave loads of food untouched. Or do what we did and share meals between everyone. Also, the wine portions served are at least 2 standard serves. 

The restaurant was charming, the 2 servers were very accommodating and charming as well. The place was filled with not just tourists but locals and everyone truly seemed to enjoy their meals there. It is a quaint little restaurant but I'm not sure if I'll go back again. I'm just over all the meat and gigantuan portions, I think.

Today was spent at the EMBL, being a good symposia attendee and sitting in on most of the talks. Granted, I do have my laptop with me and I'm here updating my blog so no prizes for being attendee of the year, lol. There's a party happening later. I really want it to be good but we'll see. One big send off before the I leave?

[janetfernweh-blog]

Of castles and new friends

At 8.15am the next day, I boarded a tour bus to visit royal castles built by Ludwig II. Fun fact: Ludwig II and I share the same birth date, how cool is that? The first castle we visited, Schloss Linderhof, was meant to be a mini-Versailles of sorts. Being autumn, there were no flowers in the gardens. The interior was small but intricate, reminding me very much of the Royal Palace of Madrid, I believe the style is called Rococco or late Baroque. According to the tour guide, and I have to agree, travelling in off-peak seasons means less crowds and more time to meander. At the souvenir shop, I caught the profile of one of the shop assistants and I swear to god, he looked like the doppelganger of a German I knew in Melbourne. I should’ve gotten a photo with him, it would’ve made my friend/s laugh.

The second stop was apparently a very typical Bavarian village, called Oberammergau. It is definitely a very bucolic village, pretty and green, right under the alps, the air fresh with a whiff of horse manure. I cannot imagine living some place like this.

Our last stop was the Neuschwanstein castle. From afar, the castle looked like how I’d imagined it to be, a fairy tale castle against the backdrop of a cliff surrounded by forests. It took my breath away.

I ate lunch with a group of solo travellers- a fresh MD from Melbourne, an architect from Egypt and an engineer/lecturer from Brazil. We decided to trek up the castle together and were joined then by a Russian linguistics student. By the end of our time at Neuschwanstein, we were joined by another Australian, a camera man who had been living in the UK for the past 7 years.

The group of us went out for drinks and food when we got back to the city. It was a curious feeling of deja vu, sitting at a table in the Augustiner bierhaus with people of all nationalities and cultural backgrounds, discussing politics and culture and, of all things, booty. We decided to head off to another establishment, the Havana club, where we all had a round of caipirinhas and another round of cocktails before three of them headed back to their hotels. The MD, camera man and I decided to check out a club we saw on our way to the cocktail bar, called the Atomica cafe. For a Tuesday night, the club was pulsing with people and I was tipsy enough to want to work the alcohol off. The music was so easy to dance and jump around to. The security of anonymity in a foreign country means I had the guts to drag single dancers to dance with me, it would've been so easy to disappear into the crowd and get lost in the music.

Remember how I said I sometimes wish that there are people to travel and share moments with? This was what I meant. I very much prefer to be alone most of the time but sometimes, it's just better with the right company.

[janetfernweh-blog]

In the company of men

Oh Munich, how you surprised me. As I’m writing this, I'm on the train to Heidelberg, my last stop of this trip. This post picks up where I left off in the previous post. I’m breaking the post up into 2 posts because they are quite different experiences.

I managed to check in pretty much right after my last post, giving me time to settle in and take a quick nap before heading out. As I was walking along the city streets, I can’t help but remember what Patrice and Sarah said about German cities, Munich is definitely not as architecturally stunning as the other European cities I’d been to.

The afternoon was spent meandering around the old town centre, which was actually quite pretty. The laneways and cobblestone paths reminded me a bit of Melbourne. After a very late lunch, I decided to drop by the tourist information centre, where I signed up for 2 tours: a beer and brewery tour that very night and a castles tour the next day.

In the evening, I met my guide for the beer and brewery tour, Laura, at the main train station. Laura is a Canadian and has been living in Germany for the past 18 months, learning the language and living a student’s life. We picked up 6 computer engineers who were here for a conference or meeting of sorts.

The tour consists of 3 beer houses/breweries spanning 2.5 hours and to be honest, at the start, it felt like I was this random person joining a private tour group. However, the folks, a very eclectic mix of middle-aged dudes: 3 Germans, 2 Americans and 1 Indian, made me feel quite included in the proceedings. There were lots of engineer jokes, travelling tales and a melting pot of cultures and I found myself quite enjoying the company.

Our last stop was the (in?)famous Hofbrauhaus. For a Monday night, the place was pretty roaring but we managed to score a table for our group of 8, joining 3 locals at a table. Unbeknownst to us, we were actually sitting at the oldest table of the establishment with one of the 18 founders of the place, an 82-year old cheeky bugger. At this point, my head was spinning from 2 large glasses of beer from the previous pubs, lack of sleep and lack of food. So when this ginormous 1 litre glass of Helles came, I broke out in giggles.

The highlight was definitely when the 82 yo, who was sitting directly across from me, insisted that I snort some snuff with him. I had no idea what I would be snorting or what effect it would have on me but it would’ve been rude to decline. So I did it, to the amusement and surprise of the engineers and our tour guide. Try everything at least once, right?

Laura and I left the blokes at around 10.30pm and I headed back to the hotel, incredulous of what a surprisingly amusing and good night I just had.

[janetfernweh-blog]

Au revoir, Paris!

As I’m typing this it is 8.15am, I’ve been up since 6am. I’m sitting in a cafe in Munich, coming off an 11 hour overnight train from Paris. I’m feeling extremely light headed, I’m not sure if it’s fatigue or sleepiness. Surely it can’t be sleepiness because I just downed 2 cups of coffee in quick succession.

I can’t get hold of reception at the hotel I’m supposed to be staying at. My Australian SIM card refuses to work and my British SIM card is out of credit so I can’t even call the hotel. I really need to use the restroom but there is none in sight in this cafe. I refuse to leave my spot because then I’d be standing in the morning rush hour foot traffic and I refuse to be in anyone’s way with 2, albeit small sized, suitcases.

So I am here, taking the opportunity to write of my time in Paris, at least until they kick me out or my computer run out of battery, whichever comes first, probably the latter.

Remember how I said I did not wish to visit Paris by myself and how my friend was meant to join me in Paris? I arrived in the afternoon in Paris to quickly head towards Pasteur Institut where I was visiting a potential post doc lab. The Paris Metro is quite easily navigable and I got there with no troubles. An elderly gent propositioned me on my way to the institute, which was flattering and amusing. The lab visit was awesome, I really liked the work they do there but they do not quite have the funds to employ me so I’m not sure how that would work.

When I got back to my host’s apartment, I found out that my friend’s pregnant cousin got pre-eclampsia and had to be hospitalised so my friend had to cancel her trip that evening as she had to take care of her baby niece. And thus I found myself in a less than ideal situation where I was in arguably the most loved up city in the world all by myself.

I shall not bore you with a chronological tale of what I did and when but shall just clue you in on what I found interesting. The Arc de Triomph was worth a short, short visit, if only to get an iconic shot of the structure. It’s more impressive at night as the Champ-Elysee lights up all the way to the ferris wheel. In Paris, you cannot not go to the Eiffel tower. If you are able to, climb the stairs all the way up, it’s a good work out and less crowded than the lifts. It’s very windy up the top so dress appropriately. I wore a sweater and skirt and had loads of fun freezing my arse off and keeping my skirt down.

The Musee Rodin and the area around it, including the Hotel Invalides was pretty chill and less touristy than expected. I had a good time walking around it and getting lost in the alleyways. Same goes for the Latin Quarter, around the Luxembourg Gardens, and the Jewish Quarter, near the Notre Dame Cathedral. I learnt a new word- la flanerie, meaning to meander around aimlessly with an air of curiosity and indifference. It is by far the best way to explore Paris rather than rushing off to cross off a checklist of must see attractions.

That said, in my 3 days in Paris, I did manage to hit quite a few top attractions: Arc de Triomphe, the Champ-Elysee, the Eiffel Tower, the Musee Rodin, Hotel Invalides, attended a service I do not understand in the Notre Dame cathedral, the outside of the Louvre, La Marais, the Paris Christmas Market (yay! not quite the same as the ones in Germany, which I would’ve missed), strolled around the Luxembourg gardens, went to the top of the Montparnasse Tower, visited the Sacre Couer and Montmarte area.

A note about the Sacre Couer, most people get there by the furnicular from Anvers, I got off at the Barbes-Rochechouart station, meandered around the area and climbed up a manageable flight of stairs to the side of the church and had a prettier view than the dead front of the church, just saying.

Paris was pretty awesome once I made the conscious decision to not rush about everywhere trying to see everything and trying to get iconic shots of everything. I mean, it is Paris, probably one of the most photographed places in the world. Does it really matter if I did not get a perfect shot of the Champ-Elysee or the Eiffel tower?

The realization that Google maps worked without cellular data or WIFI helped my paranoia of getting lost. Downloading an extremely descriptive map of the Metro and Paris attractions and keeping it in my iBooks helped a lot as well.

My hosts in Paris, Patrice and Sarah were extremely kind and helpful. We did not become fast friends but they were extremely hospitable. They have 2 pets, a dog and a cat, both extremely fluffy and, sadly or not, my only source of love in the city of love. I recommend staying with them if you’re ever in Paris although get in quick, they are extremely popular hosts and will be relocating to Miami in a year. Their apartment is in a historic building, apparently where Alexander Dumas used to stay, they own the whole building, so I can’t quite imagine how well off they are although they do not have any airs at all.

It is now 9.18am. The Munich morning rush hour has apparently abated. I’m still at the cafe, there’s a group of sleazy looking men sitting across from me giving me glances every once in awhile. I really should leave now. Maybe try getting into my hotel. I hope there’s a receptionist there now.

[janetfernweh-blog]

Retracing my steps

Nearly 10 years ago I came to England to study. Back then I thought that I had all the time in the world to travel around the country. Thus, I never did anything touristy on the multiple occasions when I visited London.

This time around, I was determined not to make the same mistake. On my last full day in London, I took the time to explore the neighbourhoods around some famous sites. The good weather helped a lot. After my lab visit in the morning, I caught the tube to Tower Bridge. The surrounding area, while quite touristy is still worth a visit.

I also returned to Westminster where I walked the circuit around the back of the abbey and House of Parliament. The pathways next to the river was filled with not just tourists but commuters travelling home from work and joggers. The setting sun makes for an interesting backdrop for pictures and there were more than a handful of tripods set up along the banks to capture the clock tower and the London eye.

I met up with a University friend of mine for dinner at Lobster and Burger. While the line was long, the wait was nothing to me. Coming from Melbourne, I have gotten so used to waiting to get into popular restaurants. The premise of the restaurant was simple: they serve lobster or burgers or lobster burger. Everyone goes for the lobster because the burgers were supposedly pathetic.

I’m on my way to Paris now. A city I thought I’d never visit by myself. In truth, my friend whom I was staying with in London will be joining me later today and for the most of my time here.

I maintain the fact that I truly love the freedom of travelling solo. However, I see couples or friends travelling together a lot and I can’t help but envy them sometimes. But then I think about the compromise and the lack of privacy or flexibility and think, nope, I'm good with travelling solo =P

[janetfernweh-blog]

The Book of Mormon

We had amazing seats. The cast was superb and the show hilariously tongue-in-cheek. Did not manage to catch it on Broadway when I was in New York so this was definitely a treat.

[janetfernweh-blog]

24 hours

I've always been a pretty good flyer even though I have an impossible time sleeping on planes. That said, I knew that a 25 hours flight flying halfway across the world would take a toll, a toll that neither 3 seats in a row on both legs of the journey and a couple of hours of sleep could negate. Arriving in Heathrow airport at 5.30am with barely enough sleep, I managed to make my way to my friend's house before the onset of light headedness hit me, a feeling I could not avoid for most of the day. Even then, I refused to crawl into bed. So I took a shower and headed out into the rainy London morning. Taking the Jubilee line from where I was staying, I managed to hit the London Bridge, Tower of London, Big Ben, London Eye and Buckingham Palace. I can't say much for the quality of photos today. The rain makes everything not as vibrant or pretty as it should be. That said, I did manage this pretty picture of Green Park, which is adjacent to Buckingham Palace.

By the time afternoon came, I found myself in the middle of Oxford street, going in and out of shops and on the hunt for food. Walking out from Selfridges, I spotted the Christmas displays they have on. While it may be an advertising ploy, most of the displays were still pretty friggin' cute.

Went out for dinner with my friend, came home meaning to read up papers on the labs that I will be visiting the next day but could not. Crawled into bed, exhausted at 11pm and promptly fell asleep. Now here I am, wide awake at 6.30am but not feeling any sign of jet lag anymore. So here it is, folks, one way to stave off the worst of jet lag: power on without sleeping for as long as you can. Wish me luck while I go try to impress future bosses in a couple of hours. 

[janetfernweh-blog]

Fernweh

Ever since I'd started this blog, I'd been struggling to find a good angle and style for it. It is, in a way, my record of my travels, but also, I wanted whoever to stumble across it to find it useful in some way, perhaps somewhat interesting, even a little funny. While it first started out as an attempt at food blogging, I grew tired of needing to take pictures of food every time I eat out. Who has time for that shit? I'm usually way too eager to dig into my food. As such the blog has somewhat evolved into a travel blog/journal of sorts. Hence, the title Fernweh, which I believe has a German origin, meaning farsickness, or an ache for the distance, at least according to the internet, lol. Unexpectedly, I'm going back to Europe in another 2 weeks! On the weekend of my birthday, I'd received a grant to attend a symposium in Germany and took the opportunity to arrange a few lab visits around London and Paris. This wouldn't be so much for leisure as it is for me landing a job for when I finish my PhD but it is an opportunity again to fine tune my delivery of the posts I publish here. I look forward to sharing my travels with you. Onwards and upwards!