Where's Shazzy?

So much has happened in the last week, sorry for the being so slack, but im without laptop now and computers are usually pretty useless in these places.

Just after i last blogged we went out for dinner and drinks with a work mate of mine. All was fine we ate Puffin and Reindeer and conversed over our travels so far. Just as we were finishing up and about to ask for the bill i saw a bald dude in a hoodie walking past our table spray something. Next thing i know everyone in the restaurant starts coughing and spluttering and one lady was crawling on the floor. Another threw tables out of her way screaming something about chemicals. Its was really friggen bizarre, everyone in the place got evacuated and the police told us to leave. So a long story short is... we got a free night out... hell yes!

London well.... it was London. I was excited to see my longlost friends i´d met travelling all these years. But other than that i dont rate it much. It did what london did best (rained everyday), i went to the tourist sights and all that stuff. But i dunno just wasnt for me.
The night we went out however was something i dont remember but wish i did, i believe we met some friends in camden around 12 (some were late... u know who you are!) began drinking straight away and ended up in the Kilburn drinking at some pub. Long story short.... we got shitfaced.

Now Morocco.... So happy to be here. i feel like im finally backpacking again! Its hot, its a bit grimey, there are weird smells everywhere but i freakin love it.
We flew into fes yesterday. Got driven to the old town in a sleek mercedes benz.... only to be taken to the outside of the medina walls coz there is no vehicle access. Some dude had to walk us to the hostel, but we were a bit weary as it looked like one of the biggest ghettos i have seen.
I was so relieved when we found it and didnt get robbed. But then the guy wanted a tip.... this is something we will experience alot in our time here.

Soon as we entered the hostel there was our buddy Ryan, we booked in... had a mint tea and got to our room. Then it was time to explore. i could never have imagined the medina in my wildest dreams. its something you just have to see to believe. (so you all need to get your asses here)
It goes on forever, you get lost at everyturn and every street looks the same. There are mosques hidden amongst the maze of stalls and eateries, camel heads hanging, people making jewellery, donkeys carrying leather products and most impressive of all the tanneries where they dry the leather and tan it on the roofs. The view from the rooftop took my breath away. We ate on the rooftop of a traditional moroccan restaurant overlooking the lights of the city and listened to the call for prayer.

This morning we were up bright and early, it was so hot and it was only 6:30. We set out early into the medina only hoping to get lost and experience it... and that we did. The boys got some traditional shirts, i got some leather products and just had some fun with the locals. Who arent as aggressive as we first thought... you just need to approach them differently. We finally ate some camel and stumbled apon some snails which i took part in consuming.
We walked for about 8hrs and im buggered, think we consumed at least 3 litres of water each and more than 3 cups of tea.
Tomorrow we are moving onto Meknes, i will be sad to leave this city.

Last night the sleep was a fair bit rougher than the first, thought the wind was going to blow our little $20 tent over... not to mention its not exactly waterproof and it rained in buckets. I awoke this morning sore from the mound under my hip bone but surprisingly dry.

We got up early in order to get ready for our tour of the golden circle. Which is the most popular tour to do while in iceland. I dont like tours very much, and here is no different, you are surrounded by old foggies and crying babies all day long. Stop for so much longer than is needed in each sight and the tour guide is a stone cold woman who looks like a man. (although very informative).

We stopped a national park Þingvellir, the waterfall Gullfoss (meaning "golden falls"), and the geothermally active valley of Haukadalur, which contains the geysers Geysir and Strokkur.

My favourite by far was Pingvellir. It was where 2 techtonic plates have seperated, it was like being in a fairytale land where giants and elves might live. It took my breath away, trully magical!

Now back at the campsite, i feel like im in the poshest campsite on the planet. Everyone has the best tents, best equipment and best and most expensive hiking/outdoor clothes. We stick out like dogs balls, im in my thrift store clothing, always shivering and while i sit here on my lappy writing this blog, everyone is hovering over there camp stoves cooking tonights dinner. Out of place much?

Anyway bout to go meet with Rogerio for some dinner.

Until next time

Iceland started out in a daze maybe it was because we got hardly any sleep on the plane because of the old man next to me having sleep apnea, maybe it was that the beer was wearing off or maybe it was sheer excitement of the things to come.
As soon as we left customs it became apparent to us how expensive it was when i paid $9 for a coffee & croissant!!!!

The bus picked us up soon after stuffing our faces and we headed to the famous blue lagoon, even though most would think of this as cheesy and tooo touristy, i had a great time! Paddling in the icy blue hot water, rubbing mud all over my face and most of all staying warm instead of freezing my ass off. On the way back to Rekjavik we took turns of nodding off, and i began to feel sick from sleep deprivation and lack of food.

We got dropped right outside of the campsite and set up our home for the next 4 days. I could write what we did for the rest of the day, but im not going to waste the readers time. To sum it all up, we were angry, hungry, tired and it rained alot.

Today though we were in much better spirits after 12hrs of sleep. We headed into town in the rain once again, past all those smileless faces (the icelandic folk dont smile much) We walked down the main street window shopping & grabbed a coffee at a small cafe to waste some time. (plus nothing was open yet!)

We walked the streets looking at the cute houses, the crazy church that towers above the city, the old port and the famous hotdog stand where we grabbed a snack. Then it was off to the busstop where we chowed down on sheeps head. When we ordered it, the thing was on a plate cold, was probably sitting there for ages, but we got it anyway and the girl heated it for us. It was really only half a sheeps head, but that was more the enough. The cheek was quite nice, i also enjoyed the tounge, but i couldn't do the eye. Dizzle tried being manly and tough and scooped the eyeball out with a spoon. Next thing he shoved it in his mouth and began gagging. I was in fits of laughter, he began guzzling water to try and wash it down.

Minke whale kebabs were our afternoon delight, which was quite good. A little rare for my liking, but reminded me alot of beef. My stomach is kind of queezy now though and whenever i burp i taste it again. its the gift that keeps on giving!!!! Gonna sleep well tonight, bout to have a shot shower that smells like fart (sulphur) then some cous cous and tuna for supper. Catch ya on the flipside.

Although Toronto has been my home away from home (on and off) since Dec 2007, i have a love/hate relationship with it. Right now its hate, but when i leave i miss it. Go figure. I'm counting down the days until i can give my landlord back his keys, sling that huge backpack of mine over my shoulder and jump on that plane. Then maybe working all these nights and turning into a yorkville working vampire will have paid off!!!!
Oh yeah Happy Canada Day eh!