Venezia - Ciao Bella!

(For a quick summary, scroll to the final paragraph)
Four hours sleep, an aggravating taxi journey and a million toilet trips later we arrived at Barcelona airport. To catch a taxi to the airport you don't have to book in advance, even if you are travelling at five in the morning. Simply walk over to La Ramblas and flag down a passing cab - five seater taxis aren't common so if you travel in a big group you may have to split up. As you can see (to the right), we were hyped up and bursting with energy and excitement to begin our Italian leg of the journey....

What else is gonna wake ya up?!?!

On arrival to the airport, for a quick fix, Simone decided to whip out her muesli and... Do a line.... (well, not literally but the image was hilarious enough to send us into fits of laughter). Having regained some of our energies from a fibre boost we boarded the plane and headed to Milan! We couldn't get a direct flight from Barcelona to Venice on easyjet so settled for Milan - luckily for us the trip was easy and rather quick - as we landed in Milan we hopped on the bus to the central station (costing €6), after which we took the (two and half hour) train to Venezia :). Instead of waiting for our train to Venice we were able to change our tickets (with Tren Italia) to an earlier time at no charge, so if you arrive early at the station it's worth asking if there are spaces on an earlier train.

Travel in Venice

Since travel around more distant parts of Venice and to surrounding islands is by waterbus, we were told to purchase a student ticket that lasted for a few days. Now here comes our unsound advice - DO NOT BUY THIS STUPID TICKET!!! You may be thinking, well then, why did you buy it? We were fooled to believe (by people working at the station) that this ticket was a necessity and that travel without it was impossible, as was every other confused tourist that strolled out of the central station in Venice. Meanwhile, no ticket officer or waterbus driver EVER checked our ticket, EVER! This was most irritating, particularly because €22 was a huge sum of money for us on a small budget! So, we would advise you to perhaps not buy the ticket, HOWEVER, be warned, if you are caught without a ticket, you may be fined €50. Fine, that is considerably more than €22 and some of you may be thinking 'better safe than sorry', but, for those of you who live on the edge, it mayyyy be worth hedging your bets and not getting it- you could always come up with a cunning story about your ticket falling in the water, or that you didn't know you had to get one. Either way, DON'T BLAME US!!!!!

Expenses

Venice may be notorious for being expensive, though we can assure you that it is possible to travel on a budget - just keep your eyes peeled for bargains, and perhaps look for cafes or meals on quieter side-streets.

For accommodation - we stayed at a little hotel called Ca Mignon. It was just brilliant - we had our own mini apartment with an ensuite bathroom (a real necessity for our locas). The price tag per night was also not very expensive, at about €22 a night (considering the location is great {you can walk to San Marco Square in about 15 minutes}, and the staff there are very helpful).

For dining - what we believed was the BEST pizza restaurant of the entire trip - Casa Mia (located on Cannaregio, calle dell'Oca) a real Italian-style place located in a small side-street, perfect for a quiet evening eating delicious food and soaking up the local atmosphere. For very cheap ice-cream (about €1.30), you can walk down the main road not far from either Casa Mia or Ca Mignon, and you will no doubt find a number of ice-cream stalls - walk down nearer the end to see what suits your fancy or which stall is cheapest. Also, there is a fantasticccc little cafe right near Ca Mignon hotel offering very cheap cappuccinos which are nonetheless deliciously creammyy and satisfying ;)))

To save money (and time) at lunchtimes between sight-seeing, pop into a local supermarket and you can simply buy a large salad and perhaps a tin of tuna for some protein --> its great value for money.
If you are interested in spending a one-off ridiculous amount of money for top-quality baked goods while enjoying top-notch service and good music (as Dora and Ella did) - have tea at San Marco Square.

Gondola!!

For a Venetian experience - since gondola rides can be a touch (*major understatement*) on the pricey side, to get a taste of what its like to be on one look out for small cross channel gondola rides for about €0.50 lasting a few minutes - they may be short though the rides are fun and at least you get a taster of what one is like.

For sight-seeing - the Guggenheim Museum is the top museum of the list (a brilliant modern art museum which appeals to most creative tastes), San Marco Square (which is dominated by the beautifully grand church of St Mark {which if you want to enter make sure you are dressed modestly - knees and shoulders covered}, beyond which is the church tower and before it is the Loggetta at the foot of the Campanile). Entry into the church of St Mark is about €4, though to enter some of the other sections within the church you may have to dish out a few extra euros. We would not recommend buying an €18 pass to all churches if you are only staying for a couple of days, it isn't worth it and you won't have the chance to go and see all of them.
You must however visit the island of Murano - The Glass Island!! There you can go to the glass factory and view the professionals effortlessly crafting beautiful masterpieces famously known as Venetian artworks. There are many little shops dotted around, though be warned, they are VERY expensive. It is worth checking out one of the first few shops that you see as you get off the waterbus at Murano - there Erin found a gorgeous little glass pendant for only €6 (which she bargained down to €4, ooooo yeeeeee!!!)

Do visit the old Jewish Ghetto, where you will also find the Jewish museum and synagogue - all of which have a fascinating history.
Another sight on your to-do-list must of course be the Rialto Bridge - the oldest bridge across the canal in Venice.

                                                                                              

Summary

- There are so many sights to see in Venice and beautiful little shops/cafes/restaurants to pop into, that its worth just walking around and taking the waterbus around different places for a full 2/3 days to soak in the atmosphere.
- There isn't really a nightlife here, so if you are going travelling for a long time, perhaps leave Venice as one of your more intensive tourist locations during the day but a good place to rest in the evenings. (oh, and word of advice, don't go to the Casino - leave the gambling for Vegas).
* Small warning from Simone: holla to all those suffering from pernoctation – a.k.a pigeon phobia – it is where your fear will come alive – common symptoms include hyperventilating and bad thoughts about ways in which you could harm the pigeons most (and no, she isn't joking).

Barcelona - Land of the Pick Pocketer

(For a quick summary, scroll to the final paragraph)
After a fun and somewhat hyper journey, we finally set foot on Spanish land. What a relief, and may we say, success to have arrived safely in Barcelona. Transferring six girls across the sea is no easy feat.

Pickpocket....

We finally decided to take the metro to our hostel in the Gothic Barrier located off the famous Las Ramblas. We highly advise buying a train ticket in Barcelona even if you are staying in a central location and only for a couple of days, which we were. It is great to be able to use the ticket whenever you want to travel to various landmarks dotted around the center. Anyway, back to our arrival in Barcelona - as soon as we got off the metro station at Liceu we were greeted by the more unpleasant side of local Spanish culture. Two pick-pocketers were stealthily weaving their way in and out of our group and other metro-travelers. To add to our panic, as soon as we laboriously began to lift our suitcases up what seemed to be 50 steps, a train supervisor told us to stay put since a famous pick-pocketer was milling around at the top of the station. Perhaps its just us, but a small suggestion to the Spanish police would be to sort out the situation, considering they know who is involved, don't ya think?! But, do not worry, pick-pocketing should not deter you from visiting Barcelona. While the issue is admittedly worse in there, it is a common problem practically in every major city. All we can say is- be sensible, keep your money in a safe place that is out of sight, and be especially aware in very crowded areas. Erin, Myra and Simone would highly recommend wearing a money bum-bag at all times (preferably nude coloured as this is least visible and very discrete). Also, beware if you happen to be approached by groups that will try and distract your attention so that they can pick-pocket you (this didn't happen to us but we were given the heads up by others).

View from our balcony

Although we were slightly apprehensive about walking around Las Ramblas and the Gothic Barrier at night, this really is the best place to stay in Barcelona if you want to be right in the heart of this vibrant city - great places to eat (and might we add, rather standard price and even slightly cheap - by London standards - if you choose carefully), great nightlife, vibrant food markets and fantastic sightseeing locations. Our hostel, Galerias Malda, was really brilliant. A what-you-see-is-what-you-get type of place. Not the cleanest and certainly not luxurious, but perfect for saving money that can otherwise be spent on going out or for a little retail therapy. At about €15 a night it serves its purpose as a place to rest your head, AND, for meeting fantastic people --> shout-out to our American buddies Breck and Brenden. It has a rustic feel, which is reinforced by the Spanish (only!) speaking owners- brilliant for those who want to immerse themselves in local culture. What we certainly noticed during our travels is that choosing a hostel is mainly about LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION! If you stay too far out of the centre, you compromise time and money spent traveling to all the sights and places to go out at night.

Top of the list places to see and things to do:

Maoz!!

Food: for traditional Spanish cooking you can just pick from the countless little restaurants and tapas bars dotted around the area. If you are looking for something cheaper, word of advice, stay away from eating right on Las Ramblas - try finding a nice restaurant on a quieter side-street (most restaurants are usually having some special deal on). For those looking for a good value for money meal which is rather cheap and very filling- Maoz is the place. A falafel joint where you can refill your pita as often as you like (and trust us, did we refill that pita :D).

Pasta Bar, mmmm

For a top quality (and quite cheap) burger it is worth checking out George Orwell square (from memory we think the restaurant is called Oviso Oasis Bar though we are not 100% sure!)- its a lovely little area to stop for lunch and is also a nice family place since there is a little playground. For a wide selection of fresh pasta, sauces and toppings, visit pasta bar - a hip restaurant in the Gothic Barrier with a great ambiance and good food.

Fruit, finallyyyyy!!!

For a fresh boost of fruit and veg (something that is easily lost from a travelers' diet) the local market just off Las Ramblas is the perfect place - from fresh juices, to packed-full fruit boxes, to sweets and nuts, and of course fresh meat, fish and cheese. Its brilliant if you want to get some fresh fruit for breakfast (Simone would suggest buying some muesli from the supermarket to add to the fruit, with yoghurt). See http://dining-guide.net/europe/barcelona.htm for more info.

Nightlife: for a chilled night, you can easily find a bar to hang out in pretty much anywhere. If you want a chance to meet people (most of which will be tourists) and chat but also have a good time dancing and listening to music, then a pub crawl is the choice for you. Most cost around €15 but there is normally a free shot at each pub/bar/club you go to, and more importantly, the Mediterranean venues do not hold back on pouring the alcohol!! To find out about details of these, just walk along Las Ramblas in the evenings and promoters will no doubt approach you. If you are a hard-core party-goer then Barcelona is by far one of our chart toppers.

Apolo

There are plenty of clubs to choose from - Apollo, BeCool, Razzmatazz, Macarena Beach Club and loads more. These clubs get very crowded, and temperatures soar - particularly in summer. If you like to get lost in the crowd, party HARD, dance to a mixture of House/Old School/Techno and some good old pop music, then this is the perfect scene for you. If you are looking for a more relaxed vibe, with fewer sweaty bodies pressed up against you then STAY AWAY. Another word of warning - people in the Mediterranean smoke inside clubs - so if you cant stand smoke, and cant handle the heat - again, better you stayed away from the clubs and stuck to the bars. Keep your eyes open for beach parties, they are brilliant! If you want to feel like you are in a scene of a popular show like 'The Hills', or just part of the local elite, this is a great choice. Ghoa Beach Party on is up there on the list of parties to attend - a summer event filled with all sorts of characters from all over Spain, and all over the world, dancing by the pool, drinking cocktails and having a good time. Nearby is Macarena Club - a 'rough-around-the-edges sweatbox of a club its an excellent destination for quality, non-commercial dance music. Fact and Clubtura on Wednesdays and Thursdays are particularly good'. For a free party (and who can resist that) Mac Arena Mar Beach Club is easily one of top summer venues - 'the Sunday parties are the pièce de résistance'.

Sightseeing:

Parc de Guell

Parc de Guell: is certainly a must when visiting Barcelona - interesting history, beautiful architecture and a lovely area to hang out in on a nice summer day.
Sagrada Familia: magnificent on the outside, albeit there are always renovations being carried out so the view is slightly restricted. Entry is rather pricey for hard-core budgeters (about €10.50 for students and about €13 for adults), though Erin thinks entry is worth it to see the beautiful interior. It is important for us to mention that in many of these places information is lacking. So if you want to go in and explore every corner of the church, it is best you asked a ticket officer whether the stairs/elevators are in use and what the charges are. Ella and Dora would not recommend going inside - though devoted art lovers would not miss this sight.
Picasso museum: right in the heart of Barcelona's Gothic Barrier, a really interesting museum to visit since it showcases Picasso's earlier work and skill as a young artist, apart from just the cubist work he is most famous for- it also exhibits Picasso's blue phase. You should leave time to spend a good 2 to 3 hours here.
Cuatro Gatos - a cafe/restaurant famous for its history and great ambiance. As mentioned on their website, Picasso at aged 17 (in 1899) started to frequent the place and carried out his first exhibition in the big room. He also made the poster that was used as a title page of the menu of the house.

Keep your eyes pierced for free museums, there are plenty of those in Barcelona! (To find out more see here http://gospain.about.com/od/barcelon1/qt/free_barcelona.htm)

We highly recommend going on a free-walking tour in each city you visit (shout-out to DUNCAN from the travel Bar who took us around Barcelona). Its a brilliant way for getting to know your local area, especially if you will be sticking around for a few days, but its also interesting to learn a little about the history of each place, not to mention a good chance to meet people from all over. Another tip - go to a travelers bar - you are likely to meet friendly people who also want to have a good time and get a taste of local culture.
                                                                                                                  

Mini Gap Yah - The Road To Freedom

¡Hola chicas and chicos! 

The trip we have been planning for several months is upon us. School is out, exams are over and our life has finally begun! The excitement to become tanned gods is seriously starting to make us go crazy. Our pastiness (by that we mean Myra and Simone's pastiness) has reached new levels and even rivals that of Snow White. No joke. This is our last joint trip (potentially) before we part ways and embark on our journeys to adulthood - or as we like to think of it, the end of all that is fun. Sitting in a taxi we are laughing and chatting loudly, but each one of us is secretly thinking; "what the hell are we doing?!?!?!?"

On arrival at the airport we check in (with minor sleaziness and complications), board and settle into our seats. 30 seconds later we are already laughing hysterically, with many irritated eyes glaring at us from surrounding rows - somehow we think this will be a common feature of our travels.

Mini profile

Myra, aka The Egg: short, (deceptively) sweet, looks like an attractive egg, bigass tourist with a cap, translucent skin. Relationship status: sold.

Simone, aka The Polar Bear/Mama Frocia: tall, white (very white), TOURIST (seriously, we will post photos), laughs hysterically at nothing and has a serious muesli addiction (again, we will post photos). Relationship Status: officially very heterosexual, buuuut she does unofficially like the galdem (Ella's booty in particular).

Dora, aka The Slooty Meerkat: poo coloured tan, always ill, likes to think of herself as a party animal, always wears shorts, squeaky animal noises. Relationship Status: single and ready to mingle.

Jane, aka The English Rose: typical English lass, takes an age to get ready, likes Sangria and guys named Pedro. Relationship Status: likes sultry men with Spanish accents.

Erin, aka The Koala Bear: strict trainers only policy, Rule Number One enforcer (no guys back to hostel), geography, Britney enthusiast, poserrr/geek chic. Relationship Status: frigid nun.

Ella, aka Golden Retriever: sloot, big bootay, always hungry, stroopwafel devotee, smiley and universal sleaze target. Relationship Status: in progress, attracts the creeps/vagabonds (vagabond: noun - A person who wanders from place to place without a home or job.)

One trip. Eight cities. Six girls. First stop: BARTHELONA BEBIIIII