Trip of a Lifetime

Temperature: 14 | 27
With such a beautiful location, we decided to get up nice and early and go for a run. Making the most of the views, we headed off on our run along the western side of Lake Como heading south for about 5 km before returning. It was a beautiful morning with almost no one about it and we got some incredible views of not only Lake Como, but some nearby towns along the way.

Once we got back to the accommodation we decided to have a quick shower and then head down and make the most of the included buffet breakfast. We devoured some Coco pops, plenty of coffee, a bit of toast and maybe stole one or two sachets of Nutella for the road!!

We headed back upstairs and got ourselves comfy to Skype my family and catch up on life in Australia as well as update them on us. We spent about an hour talking to my family before we decided to head off for the day and find somewhere for a swim. We were conscious that any restaurants for lunch were also probably going to be expensive in the area we were headed, so we decided to grab some meats, cheese and biscuits from the supermarket to make a little picnic.

We lined up for the bus and while waiting we realised we stupidly forgot our cash. While most buses prefer cash, some do take card so we decided to take a bet and wait for the bus to arrive. Unfortunately we couldn’t pay with card, however, fortunately the bus driver was kind enough to say ‘just get on’.

We caught the bus about 20 minutes in the direction that we ran this morning and we got off at a big park which we’d read some really good reviews for. The park was like any other park, grassed with lots of paths, however it also had multiple steps down to the water with a contained swimming area. It was such a cool area and like nothing we have in Australia. Lake Como is really busy with boats and ferries, however we felt really safe swimming in this spot as well as being able to sunbake on the nearby grass.
After a quick dip in the icy water, we set up our towels and laid out our little picnic lunch. Lunch was very delicious and quite a cheap option. We ended up staying at the spot for about four hours before deciding to head home.

We asked a nearby restaurant where we could buy a bus ticket, now knowing we couldn’t use card, and they told us a tobacconist up the road that we could go to. It was quite a hike to the tobacconist, however, we already had our free ride for the day, so we decided we should probably take the hike and buy a ticket. When we arrived at the tobacconist it was closed meaning we had a very easy decision and we’d just have to try our luck with another free trip. Clearly the bus driver was feeling generous today as he welcomed us on again with no issues. It would’ve been a long walk back to the hostel, had he not let us on the bus. Our lack of organisation ended up saving us about $25AUD…backpacker budget.

We got off the bus at the supermarket again and decided to grab our stuff for dinner now so that we could chill out for the afternoon once we were home. We grabbed two microwaveable Carbonara’s, hoping that they would be better than last nights dinner and also some chicken wings and eggs - random but delicious.

We had showers at the hostel and then chilled out for a couple of hours before going up to the other hostel to use the kitchen. We cooked up our microwavable chicken wings and carbonara meals, both turning out to be far better than last night’s dinner. We then headed back to the hostel and chilled out while meeting a few of our new roommates, and then decided to head down for a free wine that the hostel had given us.

We enjoyed our wine with a view of the lake and then decided that wasn’t a sufficient enough treat for the night. We headed down into town were we grabbed ourselves and ice cream and then sat and watched the town orchestra play. By about 10:30pm we decided it was time to head home to bed.

grace crosbie

277 chapters

1 Feb 2023

Day 211: Menaggio

September 02, 2023

|

Menaggio, Italy

Temperature: 14 | 27
With such a beautiful location, we decided to get up nice and early and go for a run. Making the most of the views, we headed off on our run along the western side of Lake Como heading south for about 5 km before returning. It was a beautiful morning with almost no one about it and we got some incredible views of not only Lake Como, but some nearby towns along the way.

Once we got back to the accommodation we decided to have a quick shower and then head down and make the most of the included buffet breakfast. We devoured some Coco pops, plenty of coffee, a bit of toast and maybe stole one or two sachets of Nutella for the road!!

We headed back upstairs and got ourselves comfy to Skype my family and catch up on life in Australia as well as update them on us. We spent about an hour talking to my family before we decided to head off for the day and find somewhere for a swim. We were conscious that any restaurants for lunch were also probably going to be expensive in the area we were headed, so we decided to grab some meats, cheese and biscuits from the supermarket to make a little picnic.

We lined up for the bus and while waiting we realised we stupidly forgot our cash. While most buses prefer cash, some do take card so we decided to take a bet and wait for the bus to arrive. Unfortunately we couldn’t pay with card, however, fortunately the bus driver was kind enough to say ‘just get on’.

We caught the bus about 20 minutes in the direction that we ran this morning and we got off at a big park which we’d read some really good reviews for. The park was like any other park, grassed with lots of paths, however it also had multiple steps down to the water with a contained swimming area. It was such a cool area and like nothing we have in Australia. Lake Como is really busy with boats and ferries, however we felt really safe swimming in this spot as well as being able to sunbake on the nearby grass.
After a quick dip in the icy water, we set up our towels and laid out our little picnic lunch. Lunch was very delicious and quite a cheap option. We ended up staying at the spot for about four hours before deciding to head home.

We asked a nearby restaurant where we could buy a bus ticket, now knowing we couldn’t use card, and they told us a tobacconist up the road that we could go to. It was quite a hike to the tobacconist, however, we already had our free ride for the day, so we decided we should probably take the hike and buy a ticket. When we arrived at the tobacconist it was closed meaning we had a very easy decision and we’d just have to try our luck with another free trip. Clearly the bus driver was feeling generous today as he welcomed us on again with no issues. It would’ve been a long walk back to the hostel, had he not let us on the bus. Our lack of organisation ended up saving us about $25AUD…backpacker budget.

We got off the bus at the supermarket again and decided to grab our stuff for dinner now so that we could chill out for the afternoon once we were home. We grabbed two microwaveable Carbonara’s, hoping that they would be better than last nights dinner and also some chicken wings and eggs - random but delicious.

We had showers at the hostel and then chilled out for a couple of hours before going up to the other hostel to use the kitchen. We cooked up our microwavable chicken wings and carbonara meals, both turning out to be far better than last night’s dinner. We then headed back to the hostel and chilled out while meeting a few of our new roommates, and then decided to head down for a free wine that the hostel had given us.

We enjoyed our wine with a view of the lake and then decided that wasn’t a sufficient enough treat for the night. We headed down into town were we grabbed ourselves and ice cream and then sat and watched the town orchestra play. By about 10:30pm we decided it was time to head home to bed.



1.

Trip of a lifetime

2.

The final pack

3.

Transit

4.

Day 1: Stockholm

5.

Day 2: Stockholm - Salen

6.

Day 3: Salen

7.

Day 4: Salen

8.

Day 5: Salen – Stockholm – Kiruna

9.

Day 6: Kiruna

10.

Day 7: Kiruna

11.

Day 8: Kiruna (Abisko)

12.

Day 9: Kiruna

13.

Day 10: Kiruna

14.

Day 11: Kiruna - Stockholm

15.

Day 12: Stockholm

16.

Day 13: Stockholm

17.

Day 14: Stockholm > Copenhagen

18.

Day 15: Copenhagen

19.

Day 16: Copenhagen > Odense

20.

Day 17: Odense

21.

Day 18: Odense > Hamburg

22.

Day 19: Hamburg

23.

Day 20: Hamburg > Amsterdam

24.

Day 21: Amsterdam

25.

Day 22: Amsterdam > Rotterdam

26.

Day 23: Rotterdam

27.

Day 24: Rotterdam > Amsterdam > London

28.

Day 25: London

29.

Day 26: London

30.

Day 27: London

31.

Day 28: London

32.

Day 29: London > Birmingham

33.

Day 30: Birmingham > Sheffield

34.

Day 31: Sheffield

35.

Day 32: Sheffield > Liverpool

36.

Day 33: Manchester

37.

Day 34: Liverpool

38.

Day 35: Liverpool > Newcastle

39.

Day 36: Newcastle > Edinburgh

40.

Day 37: Edinburgh

41.

Day 38: Edinburgh

42.

Day 39: Edinburgh > Aberdeen

43.

Day 40: Aberdeen

44.

Day 41: Aberdeen > Inverness

45.

Day 42: Inverness

46.

Day 43: Inverness > Glasgow

47.

Day 44: Glasgow

48.

Day 45: Glasgow > Belfast

49.

Day 46: Belfast

50.

Day 47: Belfast > Londonderry

51.

Day 48: Londonderry

52.

Day 49: Londonderry

53.

Day 50: Londonderry > Dublin

54.

Day 51: Dublin

55.

Day 52: Dublin > Waterford

56.

Day 53: Waterford

57.

Day 54: Waterford > Galway

58.

Day 55: Galway

59.

Day 56: Galway

60.

Day 57: Galway > Kerry

61.

Day 58: Kerry

62.

Day 59: Kerry > Limerick

63.

Day 60: Limerick

64.

Day 61: Limerick > Cork

65.

Day 62: Cork > Bangor

66.

Day 63: Bangor

67.

Day 64: Bangor > Bath

68.

Day 65: Bath

69.

Day 66: Bristol

70.

Day 67: Bath > Bournemouth

71.

Day 68: Bournemouth

72.

Day 69: Bournemouth

73.

Day 70: Bournemouth > London

74.

Day 71: London

75.

Day 72: London > Celle

76.

Day 73: Celle

77.

Day 74: Celle > Hanover

78.

Day 75: Hanover > Celle

79.

Day 76: Celle

80.

Day 77: Celle

81.

Day 78: Celle

82.

Day 79: Celle

83.

Day 80: Celle > Barcelona

84.

Day 81: Barcelona

85.

Day 82: Barcelona

86.

Day 83: Barcelona > Valencia

87.

Day 84: Valencia

88.

Day 85: Valencia > Madrid > Cordoba

89.

Day 86: Cordoba > Granada

90.

Day 87: Granada

91.

Day 88: Granada > Malaga

92.

Day 89: Malaga

93.

Day 90: Malaga > Seville

94.

Day 91: Seville > Lisbon

95.

Day 92: Lisbon

96.

Day 93: Lisbon > Faro

97.

Day 94: Faro > Albufeira

98.

Day 95: Albufeira > Alvor

99.

Day 96: Alvor > Sagres

100.

Day 97: Sagres > Sines

101.

Day 98: Sines > Alcacer do Sol

102.

Day 99: Alcacer do Sol > Sesimbra

103.

Day 100: Sesimbra > Lisbon > Marrakech

104.

Day 101: Marrakech

105.

Day 102: Marrakech

106.

Day 103: Marrakesh > Msemrir

107.

Day 104: Msemir > Sahara Desert

108.

Day 105: Sahara Desert > Fez

109.

Day 106: Fez

110.

Day 107: Fez

111.

Day 108: Fez > Essaouira

112.

Day 109: Essaouira

113.

Day 110: Essaouira

114.

Day 111: Essaouira

115.

Day 112: Essaouira > Marrakech

116.

Day 113: Marrakech > Fez > Istanbul

117.

Day 114: Istanbul

118.

Day 115: Istanbul > Cappadocia

119.

Day 116: Cappadocia

120.

Day 117: Cappadocia > Antalya

121.

Day 118: Antalya

122.

Day 119: Antalya > Kas

123.

Day 120: Kas

124.

Day 121: Kas

125.

Day 122: Kas > Fethiye

126.

Day 123: Fethiye > Marmaris

127.

Day 124: Marmaris

128.

Day 125: Marmaris > Kusadasi

129.

Day 126: Kusadasi > Samos

130.

Day 127: Samos

131.

Day 128: Samos > Syros

132.

Day 129: Syros

133.

Day 130: Syros > Naxos

134.

Day 131: Naxos

135.

Day 132: Naxos

136.

Day 133: Naxos > Paros

137.

Day 134: Paros

138.

Day 135: Paros > Sifnos

139.

Day 136: Sifnos

140.

Day 137: Sifnos

141.

Day 138: Sifnos > Milos

142.

Day 139: Milos

143.

Day 140: Milos

144.

Day 141: Milos > Ios

145.

Day 142: Ios

146.

Day 143: Ios

147.

Day 144: Ios > Athens

148.

Day 145: Athens

149.

Day 146: Athens

150.

Day 147: Athens > Sarande

151.

Day 148: Sarande

152.

Day 149: Ksamil

153.

Day 150: Sarande > Dhermi

154.

Day 151: Dhermi

155.

Day 152: Dhermi > Tirana

156.

Day 153: Tirana

157.

Day 154: Tirana > Shkoder

158.

Day 155: Shkoder

159.

Day 156: Shkoder > Theth

160.

Day 157: Theth > Valbone

161.

Day 158: Valbone > Shkoder

162.

Day 159: Shkoder > Ulcinj

163.

Day 160: Ulcinj

164.

Day 161: Ulcinj > Budva

165.

Day 162: Budva

166.

Day 163: Kotor

167.

Day 164: Budva

168.

Day 165: Budva > Dubrovnik

169.

Day 166: Dubrovnik

170.

Day 167: Dubrovnik > Mljet

171.

Day 168: Mljet

172.

Day 169: Mljet

173.

Day 170: Mljet > Korcula

174.

Day 171: Korcula

175.

Day 172: Korcula

176.

Day 173: Korcula

177.

Day 174: Korcula > Hvar

178.

Day 175: Hvar

179.

Day 176: Hvar

180.

Day 177: Hvar > Bol

181.

Day 178: Bol

182.

Day 179: Bol > Split > Naples

183.

Day 180: Naples

184.

Day 181: Sorrento

185.

Day 182: Capri

186.

Day 183: Naples

187.

Day 184: Naples

188.

Day 185: Naples

189.

Day 186: Naples

190.

Day 187: Naples > Rome

191.

Day 188: Rome

192.

Day 189: Rome

193.

Day 190: Rome

194.

Day 191: Rome > Florence

195.

Day 192: Florence

196.

Day 193: Florence

197.

Day 194: Pisa

198.

Day 195: Florence > Salerno

199.

Day 196: Salerno – Amalfi Coast

200.

Day 197: Salerno

201.

Day 198: Pompeii

202.

Day 199: Salerno > Taormina

203.

Day 200: Taormina

204.

Day 201: Taormina

205.

Day 202: Taormina

206.

Day 203: Taormina > Cefalu

207.

Day 204: Cefalu

208.

Day 205: Cefalu

209.

Day 206: Cefalu

210.

Day 207: Cefalu > Genova

211.

Day 208: Genova

212.

Day 209: Genova

213.

Day 210: Genova > Menaggio (Lake Como)

214.

Day 211: Menaggio

215.

Day 212: Menaggio

216.

Day 213: Menaggio > Munich

217.

Day 214: Munich

218.

Day 215: Munich > Ulm

219.

Day 216: Ulm

220.

Day 217: Ulm

221.

Day 218: Ulm

222.

Day 219: Ulm

223.

Day 220: Ulm

224.

Day 221: Ulm > Heidelberg

225.

Day 222: Heidelberg

226.

Day 223: Heidelberg > Dusseldorf

227.

Day 224: Cologne

228.

Day 225: Cologne

229.

Day 226: Cologne > Munich

230.

Day 227: Munich

231.

Day 228: Munich

232.

Day 229: Munich > Berlin

233.

Day 230: Berlin

234.

Day 231: Berlin

235.

Day 232: Berlin

236.

Day 233: Berlin > Singapore

237.

ASIA

238.

Day 234: Singapore

239.

Day 235: Singapore

240.

Day 236: Singapore

241.

Day 237: Singapore > Mersing

242.

Day 238: Mersing > Tioman Island (Genting Area)

243.

Day 239: Tioman Island (Genting Area)

244.

Day 240: Tioman Island (Genting area > ABC area)

245.

Day 241: Tioman Island (ABC Area)

246.

Day 242: Tioman Island (ABC Area)

247.

Day 243: Tioman Island > Malacca

248.

Day 244: Malacca

249.

Day 245: Malacca

250.

Day 246: Malacca > Kuala Lumpar

251.

Day 247: Kuala Lumpar

252.

Day 248: Kuala Lumpar

253.

Day 249: Kuala Lumpar > Ipoh

254.

Day 250: Ipoh

255.

Day 251: Ipoh > George Town

256.

Day 252: George Town

257.

Day 253: George Town

258.

Day 254: George Town

259.

Day 255: George Town > Kuala Lumpar

260.

Day 256: Seoul

261.

Day 257: Seoul

262.

Day 258: Seoul

263.

Day 259: Seoul

264.

Day 260: Seoul

265.

Day 261: Seoul > Osaka

266.

Day 262: Osaka

267.

Day 263: Osaka > Hiroshima

268.

Day 264: Hiroshima

269.

Day 265: Hiroshima > Kyoto

270.

Day 266: Kyoto

271.

Day 267: Kyoto > Tokyo

272.

Day 268: Tokyo

273.

Day 269: Tokyo

274.

Day 270: Tokyo

275.

Day 271: Tokyo

276.

Day 272: Tokyo > Brisbane

277.

Final Words

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