What's been happening in Adventures in paradise

Yikes, seeing Prosebox down earlier on the week reminded me of the End-Of-OD-Days (or EOODD).
Nice to have it back!
Of course I wanted to write, but couldn’t even fathom writing over on OD (now that it’s back) so I didn’t bother. There’s life outside Prosebox. Right? 😮

I guess the only real interesting thing is that I have yet another new housemate (Nick’s replacement).
I never got to meet him initially because I was working when he had the interview, but it was relayed to me that, “He’s basically like you.”

Ummm. Okay. That annoyed me a bit. Yet another one of Andrew’s jabs. He’s been around far too long this time it seems, but he reckons he’ll only be in London for about 4 months. I keep telling myself that this will be the year I move out and move on.
Anyway. Met the new housemate. He’s a bit monkey-looking. Lol. I mean he’s tall but the first thing I noticed was his ears stick out a bit (like a monkey). He’s also got studs all along the top of one of ears. Ouch.
I’ve barely spoken to him yet. He’s pretty busy apparently. But I did find out one interesting thing.
He’s got three mums.

Yup, his biological mum left his dad for a woman. Then his mum’s partner had an affair with another woman, and it was these two women who raised him as a kid.
Something like that. All I know is there’s three snatches involved 😜
And they’re diesel-dykes! Andrew told me he met them when he was moving in and they were both built like brick shithouses and gave him a rough handshake with a deep-voiced “How ya goin’?”
I joked with him, “I’m surprised they didn’t go, “Maaaaaaate!.. ” which is what our old lesbian neighbour used to call across the fence whenever she was pissed off about something. Andrew couldn’t stand her lol. But they moved out a few years back and there’s a family next door now.

As for me, I’ve been tentatively planning my trip. I’m going to be roughing it again in hostels, so I’ve been doing my research and looking at reviews etc. So far, I have Lisbon and Madrid organised. I’m doing a day-trip to Porto from Lisbon, leaving first train there and last train back. Originally I was going to train from Lisbon to Madrid, but then I read a few horror stories about how rough that overnight train is. Apparently you need a day just to recover from it lol. So I’m now flying 😅
Lisbon is also being cut a day short. I’m taking off the morning after Eurovision, which will be insane, but oh well. I just need to fit a lot in. Madrid is Spain’s capital, and therefore massive, so I think I’ll need at least three days there.
I haven’t organised further than Madrid yet, but I have come up with a penciled-in itinerary. And anyone who knows my spontaneity knows how shit I find itineraries, but once again I’ll be in foreign countries where I barely speak the language, so I want to try to be a little organised at least.
Madrid to Barcelona looks like it’ll be a train trip though, because it’s a snazzy high-speed three hour trip, which sounds much more doable than the rackedy overnighter.
I’ll be doing a day-trip (possibly an overnighter) to Sitges, which has a ‘world-famous’ gay beach, so that should be interesting.
From Barcelona, it’s a flight to Naples. Naples to Rome, to Florence (day trip to Pisa), to Venice, to Milan, to Zurich. The idea is to train all these cities and see the Italian countryside but, especially Milan to Zurich, because Andrew tells me it’s spectacular passing the Swiss lakes and mountains. I’d believe that. That train trip in particular sounds so exciting.
I’m thinking a short stay in Zurich, although Andrew tells me it’s not that much more expensive than it is here at home.
Vienna’s probably not gonna happen this trip, but that’s okay. I initially had it penciled in.
From Zurich will be a flight to Paris, for my second visit, purely because I fell in love with it last time. Last time I was there with friends. This time I’ll be alone, like I will be on the rest of the trip!
From Paris, probably a Eurostar to London for my last few days, before I gave to fly back to Lisbon to catch my return flight home.

So, provided ALL that goes smoothly, it should be a nice trip. So long as I don’t miss a train, or a flight, or a natural disaster happens, or like last time, a fucking terrorist attack happens. Fuckers. Or I get lost. Let’s face it. That’ll probably be the reason I stuff up my plans. I remember trying to find my friend’s when I first arrived in Paris. LOL. Hopeless. At least if I lose myself, it’s okay!

So yeah, in short form..
1/Lisbon - Porto
2/Madrid
3/Barcelona - Sitges
4/Naples
5/Rome
6/Florence - Pisa
7/Venice
8/Milan
9/Zurich
10/Paris
11/London
12/Lisbon
13/Home

I might have to cut back time in cities or (like I did in Paris) extend time. It’s hard trying to fit so much of a city into two or three days. Most normal people would focus on one or two countries and explore the whole thing, but these massive trips are so few and far between for me that I like to jam as much in as I can.

I figured if I can do Amsterdam, Cologne, Paris and Berlin in 2 weeks last time, then surely I can do this in 4. I dunno, might be a stretch. Still a lot more research and planning to go, but it’s a start!

And stupid me realised that I’ve booked my Perth flight 4 DAYS after I come back to Australia. I’m going to be SO jetlagged hahaha. Oh Mercy.
And, it’s just as well I checked my junk email folder because there was an email in there from Tiger telling me the flight has been cancelled due to that route ceasing operation as of March 1st, 2018. Ceasing operation!? It only just began!
Anyway, the email was just to let me know my flight has been moved to a Virgin Australia flight now instead.
So it means I’ll need 5 weeks off work instead of 4.

And I have Mardi Gras in two weeks, which is always an expensive trip. Peter will be hanging around for a bit of that, so that’ll be interesting. We’re going to the Underwhere Party on the Thursday night. I’m also going to the Kylie party earlier that night, and I’m going to the main After Party where Cher will be headlining.
That’s pretty fucking exciting, I gotta say.
I’m considering shortening my stay there also because I know how boring Sydney is after that Sunday and I’ve stupidly booked til Wednesday. Why???
Ryan is already trying to claim me for those days lol. Sheesh. Might be cheaper staying at his but in reality it’d only be for the Tuesday night.
Then the weekend after is Big Gay Day, which is usually a bit of fun seeing the Brisbane gay scene in natural daylight.
Considering I never go out anymore, that will probably be my yearly appearance.
Anyway, I gotta go work out. Arms day. 😥😬

Welcome back, Prosebox!

Last updated February 18, 2018