Hey (hello in Swedish!) everyone!!
So I am now in Stockholm, Sweden. Woohoo!!!
Yesterday we literally spent the whole day sitting at the hotel poolside restaurant. I had bacon and eggs for breakfast and we all chatted all day whilst waiting for our ferry. It was actually a really nice way to say goodbye to everyone; by spending some time together on the last day like that!!
The other Busabout tour that was 2 days behind us turned up about 1pm. This was great because we got to see other people that had stayed longer in other islands! The way the tour worked was you could pick the standard one like I did (2 nights on each island) or you could add nights in 2 night increments to whichever places you liked. So some of the people from our tour had added nights in Mykonos and Santorini and were then 2 days behind us. So we got to see Rick, Ashleigh, Jake, Terry, Brian, Charlie and Kelsie again!
We took our "crushin it" photo on the beach (spelled it out by each making a letter!) and then me, Caitlin, Kirra, Milena and Tom said our good byes. I NEARLY cried but controlled myself haha. So hard saying bye to such lovely people that you meet. The tour went really quickly but at the same time it feels like I've known the friends I've made on tour for a really long time!! I should see a fair few of them again. Rachel is moving to Ringwood, Caitlin and Kirra live about half an hour away and Carly will as well soon! And if I'm ever in Echuca, Brisbane, Sydney or Launceston I know who to visit!
We met Gracie and Luke at the port. Our 4.30pm ferry ended up leaving at 6pm due to bad weather. When boarding we were told we might have to spend the night in Santorini (damn, what an awful place to get stuck) and go to Athens the next day. This would have stuffed up our hotel bookings and flight plans. But luckily they decided it was ok to go straight to Piraeus (Athens) after Santorini. I say luckily but I'm not sure I mean it. The ferry ride was 6 hours of us swaying side to side, going over huge bumps, having giant waves crash into the front of the boat, water come in through the door, the fire alarm go off and eventually all of our group except me Kirra and Luke spewing our guts up. I tried to block it all out by listening to my iPod and having my eye mask on, but at one point when four massive waves hit us in a row I genuinely began to contemplate what then felt like my inevitable death in the Aegean Sea. But eventually (and thankfully!) at midnight we arrived in Piraeus. It was raining heavily, I even wore my coat!
Got back to the same hotel as at the start, said bye to Gracie and Luke and checked in. I crashed straight into bed and slept for 8 uninterrupted hours for the first time since I've been away!! Yay! Sorry liver and immune system for the past week, it's all good from here on in I promise. Haha.
This morning I had one last look up at the rooftop cafe and had some breakfast. Weird to think this is where we all met just 10 days ago. So much has happened and I have done so much since then!
Then me, Caitlin, Kirra, Milena, Tom and Christie headed out for brunch. Wanted to take them to a restaurant mum and I went to last time but it was closed :( so we went to another place instead. Enjoyed a feta, tomato and olive paste sandwich.
Went back to the hotel and said bye to Milena, Tom and Christie. Kirra, Caitlin and I got the train to the airport. We got most of the way when all the lights went off and a voice came over telling us to get off the train. But we weren't quick enough and the doors closed and wouldn't reopen. Stuck on a dark, locked train - bad run with public transport today!!!! Luckily a man told us the train would be going back one stop, to get off and swap trains. No idea why but we got to the airport in the end.
Said bye to the girls and went and checked in. Skyped mum, dad and Adam for a while and then had my last Greek pastry and fro jo - mmmm.
The flights both went well. I flew via Brussels. Made my connection easily and slept a bit on the plane. Was so weird still seeing the sun at 10pm!
Have quickly realised upon arrival that what Adam, Dave and everyone who has been here really told me is true - Scandinavia is sooooo expensive! Student train ticket return to airport was a casual $50. Then I got a cab from the station to the hotel because it was dark and I'm tired and that was another $30. *cries*. As ABBA put it - "money money money, must be funny, in a rich man's world"! I think I'll be eating groceries for dinner here hahaha.
My room is a shoebox too. No window which is great because the sun rises at like 4am. But I don't have my own bathroom so had to do washing in the community bathroom secretly so no one saw me doing washing (frowned upon here). I literally have clothes covering all the tiny walls of my room haha.
Exploring Gamla Stan and surrounds tmro - super excited! Not so excited for the price tag of it all but we will get there !!!!!
Love to all
Claire
Xoxox
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