Bec Virgona

London

2006-09-02T22:57:00.000+02:00

Now in London and I absolutely love it. I've given my camera a break so I haven't got too many photos of London yet but here are just a few.

Windsor Castle in the distance.

Sitting at the World Rowing Championships. First time I had worn a jumper in 2 months!

Watching the parade at the Nottinghill Carnival.

Elaborate costumes on show during the parade.

In Trafalgar Square after visiting Leicester Square and Convent Garden with Jane.

Day 54, 55, 56, 57 - Greek Islands (Santorini)

2006-08-19T16:08:00.000+02:00

Santorini was absolutely beautiful...the most breathtaking of all the Greek Islands we visited. We had a fun night out and just enjoyed chilling in the town of Perissa. We took a boat cruise so we could explore the volcano in the centre of the caldera and we stopped in Oia to watch the sunset. Heaps of people make the trip to Oia as it the best position to watch the sun go down. Overall, a really nice way to wind down and finish off my eight weeks of travelling...now watch out London...here I come!

A group of us out at the Beach Bar

One of our friends on the trip - Elly

Enjoying another cocktail or two...

A church near Perissa

On the boat to the volcano...a very windy day

On top of the volcano with Rach

Swimming in the hot springs

Donkey ride up the hill to Oia to watch the sunset

View from the top of Oia

The sunset

Day 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53 - Greek Islands (Ios)

2006-08-19T16:07:00.000+02:00

Ios was absolutely CRAZY! We were staying at the Far Out Club just near Milopotas Beach. The surroundings were beautiful and the Club had four pools so it really felt like a resort. The first couple of days were fun but after that the poolside party that started at 10am every morning did my head in. The nightlife was full on but fun. A few good shots of a fun night out can be seen below.

We were practically camping as we booked a beach hut with no sheets or electricity. We felt like we were constantly outside and I think that was when I felt a little tired of lying on the beach all day. We did go into the city centre and look around but the town was pretty dead during the day. Overall, our stay in Ios was probably 2 nights too many but had we stayed in better accommodation in the city centre I may have a different opinion.

Pool side at the Far Out Club

Fun night out in Ios

At Manganari beach where we were blown away

Lying in our beach hut

View from inside our beach hut

Day 44, 45, 46, 47 - Greek Islands (Naxos)

2006-08-19T16:06:00.000+02:00

Relaxed and chilled...a nice change from Mykonos. Naxos certainly had it's own charm and I really enjoyed our time there. There is a main strip along the water with heaps of restaurants with special cocktail hours - we loved that! The beaches were long and sandy and the water was just beautiful.

Enjoying a cocktail or two...

The beach at Naxos

Sunrise at Naxos

Day 40, 41, 42, 43 - Greece (Mykonos)

2006-08-10T15:40:00.000+02:00

The minute we stepped off the ferry at Mykonos it was full on. There were crowds of people at the port trying to sell accommodation. Fortunately we had this all sorted so we just needed to hop on the bus to Paradise Beach. The bus ride was just crazy - the roads are not wide enough for two lanes of traffic and the bus driver was going nuts. We finally arrived at our destination and settled into our beach hut...and it was exactly that...a hut, the size of a shoe box.

Mykonos is truly the party island. We went to the beach on the first day and I was expecting to read my book but music was pumpin' and the beach was packed. Anyway, the next day we arrived at the beach early and the music hadn't kicked off yet...you did however see people on the beach who were still out from the night before. Crazy but fun if you like that sort of thing. We did go out one night but the atmosphere wasn't as electric as I would have expected. The guest DJ didn't start playing until 4am...on Mykonos time I suppose!

As the sun is going down, the view of the windmills in Mykonos

Out for dinner one night with some of Prue's friends

Inside Cavo Paradiso - one of the nightclubs

A pelican - it was huge and this lady was patting it!

The view of Mykonos town from the hill

The view from our beach beds that you hire for 4 euro a day

Sitting at the beach

Day 36, 37, 38, 39 - Turkey (Olympos to Fethiye)

2006-08-10T14:41:00.000+02:00

One of the best ways to see the coast of Turkey is by boat. So for 3 nights we were on a boat sailing along the coast. Breakfast, lunch and dinner was provided and the crew were fantastic. Each day we took a dip in the sea, lay on the lilo and read on the deck. So relaxing and enjoyable. We were also fortunate to have a great group of people on board. We slept on the deck each night as the cabins were too hot. We travelled from Olympos to Fethiye in the 3 days and stopped at a number of swimming spots along the way.

One of the swimming spots

The view of the sunset from the boat

Sleeping on the deck

Prue and I relaxing after dinner one night

Beer o'clock

Me pretty relaxed after a day of lying around reading and jumping in and out of the water

Dinner on the first night...getting to know everyone

After a late night dip

Dancing to some traditional Turkish music on the last night

Day 35 - Turkey (Cappadocia)

2006-08-02T17:41:00.000+02:00

Straight off one bus and onto another...the tour bus and we had 6 hours of sightseeing in front of us. We hadn't had the chance to go to our hotel and we stunk! It was a long day but the landscape is just amazing and the views were well worth it. All the rocks have been formed overtime through erosion.

We also visited the largest open air museum in Goreme. There are a number of churches and the artwork inside can still be seen. The Underground City was also amazing. There are 8 levels but you can only visit to level 4. It was icey cold inside and so interesting to explore this 'mini city' which was developed thousands of years ago.

Standing with a great view of the valley and rock formations

One of the best views of the valley

Artwork inside one of the churches in Goreme

Inside the Underground City

Day 34 - Turkey (Troy)

2006-07-31T15:43:00.000+02:00

Troy was a real disappointment. Only 10 per cent of the site has been excavated so there is not much there and you really need to use your imagination. The Trojan Horse is the big attraction which was built 30 years ago...a bit of a gimmick really. Anyhow, we were back at the hostel within a couple of hours and then we had to pysch ourselves up for the 14 hour bus ride that lay ahead of us. We needed to catch a bus to Cappadocia which is further inland. 18 hours later...yes you heard it...not 14 hours...18 hours later we arrive in Cappadocia. All worth it though...

Day 33 - Turkey (Gallipoli)

2006-07-31T15:42:00.000+02:00

Standing on the beach where the ANZAC soldiers arrived back on April 25 1915 was really quite emotional. Actually being there and hearing of what happened 90 years ago helped you get some perspective. Trenches are still standing and you can see that there were only 8-10m separating the ANZACs from the Turks. It is difficult to explain how it makes you feel...certainly somewhere you need to visit and experience first hand.

Standing at the beach where the ANZACs were supposed to land

ANZAC Cove where the ANZACs landed

The ANZAC Shrine

The Lone Pine

One of the trenches still standing today

Day 31 & 32 - Turkey (Istanbul)

2006-07-29T13:25:00.001+02:00

Istanbul is amazing. The city is so beautiful and surprising clean. I met Prue at the airport and it was the first time we'd seen each other in over a year - we had heaps to catch up on! We made our way to the hostel and put our stuff down then we set off exploring. We stayed in the area of Sultanahmet and visited various attractions such as Aya Sofia and the Blue Mosque.
It is really important not to draw attention to yourself because women can get hassled here. We were advised by other travellers to Turkey to wear long skirts that cover your knees and tops that aren't too revealing. We still managed to receive our fair share of comments and conversation starters. Most of the time the best way to approach it is to be friendly with a polite 'no thanks' but at the end of the night you are really sick of hearing 'where you from', 'you come and eat here', 'I show you around Istanbul', and 'you Aussie?'.

Blue Mosque
Sheets are provided to cover your shoulders as you enter and you must remove your shoes. Inside there are areas for women only and the floor coverings are so soft!

Grand Bazaar
The streets are absolutely packed. We visited the Bazaar on a Saturday so it was packed with locals as well as tourists. There are heaps of rip offs around the place but you can strike up a bargain.

Taksim Square
First dodgy experience of my trip so far...a 29YTL taxi ride turned into 75YTL! The taxi driver did the dodgy and swaped my 50YTL (equivalent to $50 aussie dollars) for a 5YTL note and pretended that's what I gave him! I couldn't remember and wasn't completely positive that it wasn't 5YTL so I let him get away with it. Some good lessons learned. We enjoyed some yummy baklava though.

Day 26, 27, 28, 29 - Croatia (Split)

2006-07-29T13:20:00.000+02:00

For the first time in 3.5 weeks I was on my own for 5 days. It was actually quite nice to take a break but at the same time a little lonely too. Accommodation for 1 was harder to find but I did manage to come across a small apartment just 200m from the main strip.

The Old Town
Shopping is a must in Split. The streets are filled with markets - heaps of rip offs but there were a couple of good bargains. Just wanded around Diocletian's Palace and soaked up the atmosphere. Little disappointed with the up keep of the Palace - very different to the historical sites of Rome but it had its own charm.

Brac
I decided on a day trip to Brac over Hvar for some unknown reason but I know I will definitely be back in Croatia so I'll check out Hvar then. On the island of Brac there is an area called Bol. A 50 minute bus trip got us there but the water wasn't as good as I've seen.

Suhi Potok
I went to visit Bec Z's dad in Suhi Potok - Dujo. It was lovely to spend the afternoon by the water and then enjoy a beer or two with Dujo. Later that afternoon went back to Split to catch the overnight ferry to Ancona, Italy.

Day 22, 23, 24, 25 - Croatia (Lastovo)

2006-07-24T09:37:00.000+02:00

After Vela Luka it was off to Lastovo. Again Veronica has family here - her Dad Tony and Maria - they had been in Lastovo for almost 3 months. Most of the people are locals or people visiting from Geelong! Yep, nearly everyone visitor I was introduced to was from Geelong. It was really like being in a small town in country Victoria.

One day we took a cruise to a sandy beach off the main island. It was so good standing in the water with the soft sand under your feet. The water here is superb but nothing beats the beaches back home in Oz.

Sandy beach - doesn't the water look superb!

On the boat to the island

Posing in the water!

Enjoying the boat ride home

Night out in Lastovo

The view from the top of the valley in Lastovo

Day 18, 19, 20, 21 - Croatia (Vela Luka)

2006-07-24T09:26:00.000+02:00

Vela Luka is on the island of Korcula. Veronica has family on this island so it was lovely to meet them. We stayed in a the family guesthouse which was right in the city. The food was magnificent and the water absolutely beautiful. The town wasn't packed with tourists which was good - it had a nice local charm to it.

Proist
After a 45 minute boat ride, we arrived on the island of Proist. The water and views were spectacular. We embraced nudity and enjoyed ever minute of it.

Day 17 - Croatia

2006-07-17T19:46:00.000+02:00

Arrived in Croatia today after an overnight ferry ride. It was actually quite fun. The ferry departed at 9pm and we arrived at Hvar around 6am the next morning. After a brief stop, it was onto Split. The coastline is beautiful and the islands are all very green and relatively flat compared to the Aeolian Islands in Italy.

In our seats on the ferry

On the deck singing songs with the crew

View of Hvar in the background

Coming into Split (as you can see it was a bit windy!)

Day 16 - Termoli

2006-07-14T12:40:00.000+02:00

Departed Salina at 8am and caught a ferry to Napoli (5 hours). From Napoli we jumped on a train to Termoli which was one of the best timed connects ever. We only had to wait 15 minutes...we couldn't believe our luck. The countryside was just beautiful and we were amazed that we had travelled to the otherside of Italy in a day. Long day, had a very good night's sleep, ready for Croatia in the morning.

Day 15 - Aeolian Islands

2006-07-14T12:35:00.000+02:00

What I love about Italy is how friendly the locals are. I was in the local piazza this morning and started chatting to a Salina-born Australia who lives in Sydney but is here for 3-4 months of the year. He had a friend who is a Virgona and a phone call later I had scheduled a time to meet him. Enrico Virgona lives in Malfa and he is the best wine maker in town. I visited him at the winery and had a couple of tastings. Luckily I had a translator with me which made the conversation flow that much easier. Enrico has 2 sisters in Geelong and I now have their details so hopefully we may be able to trace the family tree and see whether there is any connection.

Standing outside the wine-making factory with Enrico Virgona

View of Lipari, just around the corner from where we were staying

Anna and Sam (Americans who we met on the ferry and we stayed with their family on the island)

Maria and Giuseppe (the owners of the house we stayed in)

Day 14 - Aeolian Islands (Stromboli)

2006-07-14T12:30:00.000+02:00

Today we caught the ferry from Salina to Stromboli. Stromboli is an active volcano and the best way to see it is from a boat. We paid 20,00 euro for boat tour around the island and the views were spectacular. Unfortunately when it came time to swim, there were heaps of jellyfish so we just stayed in the boat to avoid the dramas of being stung. Once we returned, we took a dip in the shallow waters near the port and it was beautiful.

View from the top of Stromboli

Lunch at Stromboli

View of the volcano from the boat

Day 12 - Aeolian Islands (Salina)

2006-07-11T19:45:00.000+02:00

World Cup
Can't believe we were in Italy when they won the World Cup. It was absolutely crazy here. Bombs and flares going off, people hanging out of cars tooting horns and waving flags. We watched the game in a piazza in Lingua. Didn't manage to capture many good shots but the one below gives you an idea on what it was like.

Day 13 - Aeolian Islands (Salina)

2006-07-11T19:29:00.000+02:00

Within the island of Salina there are a number of different regions. The best way to see the entire island was to hire a scooter. As you could imagine, I had so much fun! We visited Malfa, Leni, Rinella and Pollara. The swim at Pollara was superb. Weather is just perfect.

Fuelled up and ready to hit the road!

View of the island from Malfa

Driving in the car car - so much fun!

After the swim at Pollara

Dinner at Portobella at Santa Marina Salina

Day 11 - Aeolian Islands (Salina)

2006-07-11T19:13:00.000+02:00

Salina
The Virgona family originated in Salina so this trip was all about exploring the island in which we came from. From Amalfi we arrived in Messina (Sicily). From there we caught a ferry to Salina which took around 4 hours in the end. We didn't have any accommodation planned so we were just going to wing it when we arrived. The ferry trip was interesting. We started chatting to the crew who were just lovely. The language barrier is hard work but we're in the swing of it now. As a result of chatting to the Captain, we were able to tee up some accommodation with a family in Salina.

Veronica and I on the ferry over to Salina

The Captain and I on the ferry at Vulcano

Maria and Giuseppe
The accommodation was courtesy of Maria and Giuseppe. 30,00 euro a night each and we couldn't believe what that got us. We had an entire house to ourselves complete with kitchen, bathroom, study and terrace. Just perfect and a nice change from the shoebox in Amalfi! They have both lived on the island their entire life. On the first night they welcomed us for dinner and it was a feast! Very yummy - fish, pasta, cheese and small goods, dessert and fruit.

View from our house - Lipari in the background

Day 7, 8, 9, 10 - Amalfi Coast

2006-07-11T10:46:00.000+02:00

From Naples we caught a ferry to Amalfi. The coast line is just amazing. Along the way, we passed Capri, Sorrento and Positano. At each location, there are lots of umbrellas on the beach where people pay around 15 euro for a spot on the beach. There are free beaches too.

Atrani
The ferry docked in Amalfi but our accommodation was in Atrani, the next town along. We struggled up the hill only to encounter a huge set of stairs. We made it there eventually. It is a little bit cheaper here. We were not far from the main piazza - every day we enjoyed happy hour in a bar which served beer and wine for 1,50 euro. Our room at the hostel was a shoebox. We also could hear the sounds in the side streets because we were right next to the window. The bathrooms were a first for me - the shower was over the toilet so everything was usually pretty wet and yucky.

Activities in Atrani
We enjoyed our first swim - the water was nice but a little bit dirty. You could see a skin of oil on top of the water which wasn't pleasant. It was good to have a dip though. We also met a guy called Stephen - he was an investment banker in New York. Really lovely guy. We had dinner with him one night. Also met a couple from Scotland - Katie and Hector - and we had a few drinks with them too.

Arriving in Amalfi on the ferry

Veronica and I in the main street of Amalfi heading out for dinner

Katie, me, Hector, Stephen and Veronica having a few drinks in the Piazza.

Overall didn't really love Amalfi...bit hyped up for what it was. Overpriced, no genuine atmosphere and the beaches weren't crash hot. Probably wouldn't go back...

Day 6 - Naples (The National Museum)

2006-07-04T08:55:00.000+02:00

So it's Day 6. Can't believe it's nearly been 1 week since I left Australia...it feels like ages. Naples has grown on me but it's not my favourite place. It is dirty in parts, dog poo on the ground everywhere and overflowing bins on the side of the street. Must admit that the pizza here is damn good...and cheap too. 1 margarita = 3,00 euro and it's a family size pizza. Very simple and very tasty.

The National Museum
V and I checked out The National Museum to follow on from our tour of Pompeii yesterday. Probably not the highlight of the trip. I found that it was a difficult museum to navigate and the audio tour didn't seem to give us much. I'm a bit 'ruined' out and can't wait to laze on the beach for a few days. Off to Amalfi coast tomorrow...

Day 5 - Naples (Pompeii)

2006-07-02T20:14:00.000+02:00

Today we visited Pompeii. In 79AD the city was wiped out when Mt Vesuvius suddenly erupted. Exploration to undercover the ruins began in 1768 and it is amazing to see how well the city was preserved. You walk through the city and see the baths, temples, market places, shops and an ampitheatre. Human remains were also discovered and are now displayed in glass cabinets. Another hot day today but Naples is fortunate to have a sea breeze so that provides some relief. We're off to have pizza tonight.

Day 4 - Naples

2006-07-01T17:10:00.000+02:00

We've just arrived in Naples and it is very different to Rome. We were struggling to find accommodation but Veronica managed to discover this hostel run by a man called Giovanni. It's basically his house. There are a number of Australian tourists staying here, good atmosphere and we feel safe so it should be good.

First impressions of Naples - more crazy drivers but they don't wear helmets here, little bit more run down than Rome. Pizza is meant to be awesome...can't wait to taste!

Giovanni takes guests on tours around Naples on his motorbike. It is the best way to see the place. Views from the top were just amazing. Pictured below is Veronica and Giovanni in the streets of Naples on his bike. The ride on the back of the Harley was so much fun!

Day 3 - Rome (Vatican City)

2006-07-01T09:12:00.000+02:00

Vatican City
As Thursday was Saints Day, many parts of The Vatican were not available so we went back today. The queues were extraordinary and standing in the heat was exhausting. We did make it to the top of the Dome up 320 steps...bloody hard work but the view from the top was amazing (see below). The Pieta was on display but now sits behind glass after an attack by an Hungrary-born Australia in 1971. It's hard to believe that this piece of art was carved from one piece of marble which meant no room for error.

Day 2 - Rome (Vatican City, Colosseum, The Forum)

2006-07-01T08:42:00.000+02:00

Vatican City
Today we visited Vatican City. June 29 is both St Peter and St Paul's Saint Day so it was a special occasion and the Pope was saying mass. St Peter's Basilica was jam packed, everyone trying to get a glimpse at Pope Benedict. The Basilica is just amazing - all the artwork in the building is mosiac which is why visitors are permitted to take photos. Vatican square is just grand - words can't describe it. We also visited Hadrian's Castle which down the road from the Square - great views of the city.

The Colosseum & The Forum
The sheer size of the Colosseum is spectacular. V and I took a tour which was great. We discovered that all of the marble and lead used in the construction was removed and used to build St Peter's Basilica which is why there are so many holes in the columns. I just can't believe how old these structures are. We took another tour through The Forum and I couldn't believe we were walking on cobblestones that were over thousands of years old.

Day 1 - Rome (Trevi Fountain, The Pantheon)

2006-06-28T15:14:00.000+02:00

Veronica and I arrived in Rome around 7.00am this morning after a long 22 hour flight (not including stopovers). The plane was delayed 1 hour in Hong Kong but time was made up in the flight to Rome. Food was good and the service was just ok. Our section of the cabin in the first flight had no air conditioning! We were cooked and only realised it was just us when we walked through the other sections to get out. Anyway, all seats were equipped with their own TV set so I just loved that and we discovered that games were available as well. V and I had a few trivia battles and some other passengers joined in too.

We checked into the hostel around 9am this morning but the room wasn't available. V and I set out to explore and checked out Trevi Fountain, The Patheon, Piazza Navona and walked past the ruins of The Forum. Lunch was cheap - 1 euro each for a roll and some good old mortadella. Tomorrow we're off to The Vatican.

First impressions - old, historic, a little unkept in parts, crazy drivers, no real road rules, lots of gelati stores, very hot (35 degrees today) but we're loving it.

Trevi Fountain & The Pantheon
What I love about Trevi Fountain is that it is tucked away in a side street - we just stumbled across it. The Pantheon is another structure in which the size of it is just amazing. Materials used in the construction were removed and taken to St Peter's Basilica so wood now replaced the beams in the entrance (these were once bronze). The light shines through the hole at the top of the Dome and when it does rain the water drains into the 20 holes which can be found on the marble floor.

My travel buddy

2006-06-20T15:14:00.000+02:00

My travel buddy - Veronica (left). We were celebrating her birthday in this shot. Many more good times will be had overseas!

1 week to go

2006-06-20T14:42:00.000+02:00

The countdown continues and it's now only 1 week to go. The mad rush is on to get everything in order. Still need to purchase the essentials - a back pack and some good walking shoes. A few family dinners have been planned as well as farewell drinks with my friends. This time next week, I'll be on a plane and have nearly reached Hong Kong...wow - can't believe the time has nearly arrived.

Last day at WDG

2006-06-17T12:24:00.000+02:00

Yesterday, Friday June 16 2006, was my last day at WDG. I have worked there for more than two years as a Strategic Analyst. I enjoyed a few drinks after work at a nearby pub and it was lovely to catch up with my colleagues who I don't get to chat to everyday. I'm certainly going to miss the place, especially the friends I have made but I will be staying in touch via my blog!

So, it's only 10 days to go. Leave for Rome on June 27. Not long to go now...