The last three weeks...

So here's a quick recap blog post
1) We saw Everest in case you didn't hear - it's the picture of the mountain (duh) and it's the peak to the left not covered in the cloud.
2) We took a bath with an elephant and had the time of our lives as it sprayed us with water, knocked us off as we climbed back on, only to get sprayed again and knocked back off. Tons of fun and a great recommendation from Eric and Lorien!!
3) After Nepal we took the long trek (totally worth it) towards Italy where we munched on incredible food - actually we gorged - and spent a romantic four days in Amalfi exploring the coast and touring Capri like any good tourist should. We were in total bliss.
4) Then we met up with my mom and brother and family to celebrate my mom's BIG birthday (I won't name numbers) in Sicily. We stayed at a villa for the week in Porticello and enjoyed touring the big island and staying in one bed for an entire week. Ahhhhh.....
5) We then headed to Albania for ten days with my Aunt Barbara (see previous post). All three of us were constantly surprised with the hospitality and the beauty of Albania. I had only heard bad travel stories of the the place and besides that we didn't know too many people who had visited. The picture of the Sunset and the photo of my aunt and I are testaments to the incredible place we encountered. I can't wait to spread the word and let the world know what great people Albanians are, at least the ones we met. I would love to return there someday plus there is a neat beach we found with NO ONE on it!! My dream... Matt and I got in and swam in our underwear and just had the best time.
6)Off to Greece.... a long journey but for the economical side of things it turned out quite nicely. We were 2 of 8 people on a bus fit for 60. We made some nice friends two of whom must have felt sorry for us as one gave us some eggs and another bread and cheese to munch on. Once again, Albanian folks who spoke no English but wanted to lend a hand to the foreign travelers. We loved it....
7)We started in Delphi to visit the ancient ruins then worked our way to Nafplio (look at a map people!!), then Athens, the off to the Greek Islands! First Naxos, then Koufonisia part of the Little Cyclades, and now we are awaiting our boat to the party island of Ios who is also rumored to have nice beaches.

We'll write more on Greece after Ios but I thought I would post a few pictures. Lots of love and we'll see you all in about 3 weeks!!
xoxo,
H & M

Ode to Alex's iPod...

I have not mentioned in the past the savior that is my little brother's castaway iPod. It has helped me endure the 5 hour bus ride from Haridwar, India to Corbett Tiger reserve(also in India) when the bus was filled to capacity before the driver managed to fit an additional 30 people in the aisle and the road was so bumpy we hit our heads on the roof with every pothole and little hill in the road. Did I mention everyone was smelly and these two creepers were staring at me? After about thirty minutes I remembered the iPod in my backpack. I really had forgotten about it for the first month of our trip. I guess I was saving it for the most crucial moments. Well I put the headphones on from the back seat of the bus and sang as loud as I could for the next 4 hours to any and every song that Alex had programmed into that amazing contraption. People could barely hear me because the noise level on the bus was so high but it sure felt good. I did have some old ladies staring at me but I just closed my eyes and kept on singing.

Then there was the time when I was taking the overnight train from Corbett to Delhi and this guy in our cabin snored the whole night through and I had to hit his shoulder every 30 minutes just to get him to turn over and stop for a moment while I tried to force myself to sleep. Any of my friends who snore or snored in the past, Karoly, Arielle, may remember that I have zero tolerance for loud breathers and midnight snorers. Anyhow, finally when I thought I would have to sleep in the bathroom (disgusting)I remembered the iPod, popped it on and rocked out to Eric Clapton and Shakira's 'Grandes Exitos' until 6 the next morning while the horrible snoring man next to me slept peacefully.

As the weeks went on and the situations got more and more 'trying' as they like to say, I turned to the iPod with greater enthusiasm and each and every time it got me through the 12 hour bus ride or snoring man or crabby boyfriend or bumpy road or overnight train and for this I give many thanks.

So for a quick update, currently we are in amazing, fabulous, beautiful, undiscovered Albania. I love it. It is an incredible country with equally incredible and resilient people. The Mediterranean has nothing on Albania's coastline and the mountains are serene and peaceful and thirty different shades of green. We have been welcomed with open arms and after ten days it is just too soon to leave. We began after our ferry ride from Italy to Durres and then headed to Berati with a beautiful hillside castle and gorgeous old homes in the hills. Then we took the bus to Gjirokastra and stayed in the old village up in the hills. We also walked around their old fort/castle that was from the 4th century BC. The following day we hiked into the hills (that looked like a scene out of the Sound of Music) and mingled with the sheep, cows, goats, and townspeople. Incredible people with fabulous stories. These people have seen a lot in their lifetimes and they have managed to keep smiles on their faces and warmth in their hearts. After Gjirokastra we headed to Sarande a popular beach resort that was filled with 20 year olds looking for a good time. It was fun although we didn't spend much time at the beach. We instead headed out for day trips to Butrinti to check out their archeological excavations and look at old Greek theaters, castles (again, but Matt's in heaven), artifacts, old mosaics, and basilicas. After a couple of evenings strolling on the promenade in Sarande we headed to the incredible town of Himara where I am today. The water here is the best I have seen in a long time. Thailand has better sand and warmer water but I must say nothing I have seen in Europe in a long time or India, looks anything like this. The town is practically empty from tourists except for a few Albanians form up North. It is all locals and it is a small and perfect place. I am in heaven and will gladly soak up the sun for the next couple of days before we head to Greece.

Speaking of Greece we leave for Athens on Wednesday and we are debating whether to take the twelve hour bus leaving from Himara at 5am or the 12 hour bus leaving at 4pm. Either way I know I'll have issues sleeping and will probably feel carsick but I also know that I've got the iPod. Alex's castaway when the newer model came out. The little piece of technology that is keeping me sane during times of distress. I'm not going to guarantee that it will keep me rocking for the entire 12 hour ride but I do know that it will be a nice pick me up for a girl who does not do well on bus rides and it will keep me going when I need it and that is all I can ask for. Thank you Alex... I love you and congrats for almost finishing high school! 1 more month to go!
Lots of love!!
H & M

Italy is Like Home

Sine the moment we stepped off the plane in Rome I felt like I was back in the good ol USA. Dont get me wrong, I have loved every second of travel, but after weeks of dirty streets, smelly airports, and truthfully some scary people it felt like I was stepping into the cleanest place on earth (and mind you Im talking about a train stop!). Anyhow backtracking very quickly Matt and I were flying in from Kathmandu, Nepal (after a quick detour to the Doha airport in Qatar). Nepal was such an extreme between the crazy polluted dirty city and the calm serene and beautiful Himalayan Mountain range. We had gone on a 5 day trip tothe Everest region hiking through Lukla towards Namch Bazaar and Temboche (sp?) hoping to catch a view of the elusive Everest. We were seuccessfyul and saw some incredible views of the mountain as wells as views of the others 'greats' surrounding the big guy. We walked over the Hillary Bridge and through amazing valleys and gorges all the while climbing up to about 12,000ft a minor feat when compared to some of the other folks we met along the way. We stayed with Sherpa friends throughout the hike and really just enjoyed ourselves out in the natural world. I'll go into more detail later but for now the word magnificent stays in my mind.

After a few more days in Nepoal we headed the equally stunning, though for different reasons, Amalfi Coast where we stayed in the most perfect plac ein Amalfi with Italian tiles, delicious food and lots of relaxing time on the coast....

I feel like I'm refreshed and rested for the final month....
Cheers!
H