Saved by Spontaneity

Right outside my hostel

When people ask me where I’m going or what my travel itinerary is, and I reply with, “I’m not sure yet. We’ll see,” it’s not that I’m lacking in preparation (though, let’s be honest, when am I not?), but, rather, going on three years of solo exploring experience. I’ve learned the best way to travel is as freely as possible. Why? Because things happen—you meet people, hear about a must-see island, or your money runs low, and your plans change. I’m an avid “know where you wanna go, but go with the flow” kind of traveler.
Casually browsing after breakfast, I began to question this philosophy as my plans to ferry over to Rovinj, Croatia started falling through. Not only were all the ferries booked, but so were most decent hostels on a Saturday night.  I started looking at Pula, another Croatian port, as a backup, but found trouble coordinating that as well. Stress hit. Screw Spontaneity =/ Why didn’t I plan this better??  I mentally banged my head against a wall.
Just as I was about to book a last resort train ticket to Trieste that would eventually get me to Pula, Marco, the hostel desk-worker, laughed at me as he flipped around his laptop with Istria’s forecast for the week.
Stormy
Stormy
Rainy
Stormy...
Ohh no. Nope, I was not going to trek down the Adriatic Coast with that weather. If I’d wanted to swim, hike and mountain bike in the rain I would have vacationed at home.

Saved by spontaneity—sorry for doubting.

I then started looking for sun. Budapest…Cairo…Sicily…Athens.  Going by my global hit list, Athens won out. So I booked a flight early this afternoon. I leave Venice tomorrow morning, head to Milan by train, and catch a flight to Athens in the evening.

I’ve been talking about Croatia for months now and I’m bummed it’s not happening tomorrow, but I mean…it’s Greece. 

Maybe later, Croatia?

And when you’re faced between the two...

 

Places in Croatia I wanted to visit

It's not really a tough call.

I’ve had such an amazing time in Venice; the city really is unreal. I went to Lido yesterday and the weather was perfect.

This is the prison part of the palace. I thought it was ironic.

Today was stormy in Venice and I ended up getting stuck in a palace.
Yeah, that happened.
I wandered inside trying to figure out what this big building was and it turned into that awkward moment you end up in a moving ticket line facing an outstretched hand and “16 euro, please,” before you can even turn around. I honestly didn’t know what I was walking into even as I stared at my ticket going through the entrance. I found out later (actually just now because I was still trying to figure out what this palace was called) that the ticket was good for four museums. That makes me feel better that I paid so much for the ticket then, but also maybe worse ‘cause I didn’t go to any of them. It wouldn’t have mattered since I was museumed out after this place—Palazzo Ducale, by the way; google it cause I still couldn’t tell you.
Seriously, though, google it and see how massive it is: three levels of oh-my-gee-I-just-want-the-exit.  
I was there for a solid few hours, but I did get some good pictures out of it.

Other than that, my stay has been pleasant. Coffee in the mornings, alleyway roaming, people watching, supermarket stops, tossing grapes on the way home, fresh pizzas by the slice, cobblestone runs, and evening drinks on balmy nights. I’ve loved it.

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On an added note, Marco put me in charge of the hostel tonight cause he wanted to leave early. Really, being “in charge” just meant I had to sit out in the lobby and wait for new guests to give them their key and show them their room. It also meant I stayed out here to write this blog, and when two guys from Holland returned from drinking, it made for some entertaining conversation that I had to mention:

(Just imagine two intoxicated guys with their Dutch accents…)

Guy 1: Where are you from?

Me: Oregon

Guy 1: Oh, like the cookie.

Me: …No?

Guy 2: That’s Oreo.

Guy1: Oreo (long pause) Oregon.

Guy 2: Hey, that rhymes.

Guy 1: See?

Annnyway, Athens tomorrow :) Goodnight.