Where in the World is HHM...

[Minnymouth]

HHM,
Thanks for checking in............ We want to see LOTS of pics when you get back.... Sounds like your having a real good time and have made some friends along the way....

Stay in touch, and have a great time..........

[HHM]

It's beem a while since my last update. I have spent the las 23 days in Phuket, Thailand relaxing on the beach and doing some scuba diving.

Anyway, I am back in Bangkok and will be flying to Greece on Sunday. I hope all is well.

HHM

[Minnymouth]

AHHHHHHHHHHH, GREECE......

A girl can dream...............

Sounds like your still having a great time....... great to hear from you......

We'll be waiting on all those pics when you get back.....

Take care,

Minny

[HHM]

Well, it looks like it has been a while since my last post (Sorry). Anyhow, as I previously mentioned, I was headed to Greece and I am now in Greece.

I don't have too much time, so I will give you the abridged version so far.

-Landed in Athens, spent several days there seeing the major sites.
-from Athens, bused it up to Delphi to visit that ancient site (Oracle of Delfi, etc). Spent a few says there, its a nice, small mountain town, very good.
-from Delphi to Kalambaka (i.e. Meteora). Meteora is where there are various monastaries on cliffs and spires (see For Your Eyes Only, James Bond).
-from Kalambaka to Monodendri. Monodendri is part of the Zagori villages, which are small stone villages in and around the Pindos Mountains and Vikos Gorge. Very cool, good hiking etc.
-From Kalambaka to Veria to visit the Tomb of Phillip II of Macedon (i.e. Alexender the Great's father).
-From Veria (rented a car) to Litohoro, Litohoro is the main village at the base of Mt. Olympos. Spent six nights and Greek Orthodox Easter in Litohoro and hiked in and around My Olympos (weather did not allow a summit attempt).
-From Litohora I am now in Thessaloniki and not sure what I am going to do next.

I hope all is well.

[Minnymouth]

Great to hear from you........

Sounds like your having a terriffic time.....

Had you been able to climb the summit - would you???

Keep us posted, bring back lots of pics.

We're still holding down the "fort" till you get back,

Minny

[HHM]

More updates

-From Thessoloniki to the Island of Lesvos. Yes, it does live up to its reputation, nearly half the tourists were "obviously" lesbians. It was a fantastic island.
-Lesvos to the Island of Samos. Samos was a necessary stop over because of ferry connections, but it was interesting nonetheless. It was more rocky than Lesvos and had higher peaks. I only spent a few nights here.
-Samos to the Island of Mykonos. Mykonos does not really live up to its hype. Its a fun place, but not terribly scenic. Its also expensive, the room I had was cheap, but food and drink was outragously expensive.
-Mykonos to the Island of Santorini (Thira). Santorini does live up to it's hype and delivers. However, like Mykonos, its expensive by Greek standards, but again, I was able to get a cheap room (actually the cheapest I have had so far), but eating and drinking are more expensive, as are rental cars. Santorini is arid, like Mykonos, but far more scenic and interesting. It has both black, and even more interesting, red sand beachs, excellent sunsets and a vibrant overall scene.

Of the four islands I have visited, my favorites so far are Santorini and Lesvos. Both are must visits on my list.

I am spending a few more days on Santorini but then I am off to Crete. By the first week in June, I should be in Italy.

Cheers to all, I hope all of you are able to find time to travel. Hopefully, from your visiting this site, you will be putting your financial lives in order, and you can start saving money. It's good to have a goal for saving money, and trip is as good as any reason. Whatever you do, do NOT finance a vacation on credit, save the money, budget your trip, and you will have a blast (and not pay for it later).

HHM

[Minnymouth]

Fanstastic to hear from you........ wish I was there as a mouse in your pocket!!
You make me want to put on my travelin' shoes and join you. Maybe someday in the future.......

Yes we are all still "trying to help each other" and soothe that "savage beast" that comes out of us during the bankruptcy process......

Think of us often, we do of you...... check back in again soon and tell us about Crete....

By the way - I LOVE GREEK FOOD........... hint! hint!

Minny

[robivi3]

I remember that scenery from "For Your Eyes Only". Beautiful and scary. I'll bet Oddyseus had similar monetary complaints, minus the rental car. Oh well, at least they don't kill the men on Lesvos now!

dare I ask, what parts of the world did you skip between Asia and Europe? Some are obvious, just curious as to others.

[HHM]

Wow, I guess it has been a while since my last post.

Let me give you the quick run down on Italy.
Arrived in Bari: Bari is a rather uninteresting, work-a-day town but it is where the ferry docked an I stayed one night there because I was not able to sleep on the ferry, so I was exhaused.
From Bari it was off to Salerno: I got a good feel for everyday Italian life there since it is not very touristy, but it is a good jumping off point for the Amalfi coast which is a series of very pretty town set among very high coastal cliffs.
From Salerno it was off to Assisi: Assisi is a classic medieval village, very scenic, but kinda touristy because that is where everyone goes (St. Francis of Assisi and what not).
From Assisi to Florence: Florence is a nice enough city, but I think it is over rated. It has some fine collections of art, but they are spread out over the city, and it really only has a few well known pieces. From here I did a day trip to Pisa and a tour into Chianti.
From Florence I went to Trento (in Northern Italy) as a stop over on may way to the town of Molveno. Molveno is set on a lake amongst the Brenta Dolomite Mountain range. I rented a holiday apartment here and spent 25 days exploring the mountains. Molveno is at about 3000 feet (so thankfully it was cooler there than much of the rest of Italy). Note, since Molveno is by a lake surrounded by Mountains, my hikes involved significant uphill, usually about 3500-4500 feet at the start of any hike.
From Molveno it was off to a worldwind tour to Venice, Torino and LaSpezia.
Venice is in fact a charming city and very interesting. Torino (home of the 2006 Winter Olympics) is probably one of my fravorite Italian cities. LaSpezia is not notable in its own right, but is a jumping off point for the Cinqueterra, a 12km stretch of cliffside seashore with 5 relatively charming former fishing and famring villages set amongst the cliffs.

Then it was off to Rome. I did the usual sites in Rome, Roman Forum, Vatican, various musuems etc. However, it was hot, damn hot, so I had to curtail some site seeing.

Having said all that, Italy did not really endear itself to me and it was very very expensive, much more than I anticipated, so that was a stress always in the back ground. I much preferred Greece over Italy.

However, I am not back in the U.S. and thankfully have english as the first language and english speaking TV. I will try to write more about my general observations and thoughts about the trip in the coming weeks.

I hope all is well.

Ciao
HHM

[krobin02]

Wow... never found this thread. No wondering why though. No posts since May!!! It must be so exciting to do so much traveling! I can only dream. Anyway, I do wonder if HHM is ever coming back to the States or if this is a pseudo-permenant vacation! Hope you're having fun out there!

[HHM]

However, I am not back in the U.S.

Oops, that should have read "However, I am back in the U.S."

HHM

[Minnymouth]

WELCOME BACK HHM............... our world traveler!!!

Sounds like your trip was a good one, and the last part a HOT one.......

Rest up, then come tell us about it all.....

You have been missed!!!!

Minny