Day 27 - Venice

Our second day trip running was a visit to the sinking city of Venice, we arrived via the worlds least comfortable night train from Vienna at around 9am. We strolled across town to Saint Mark’s square, the most famous square in Venice and there we were just 4 in a massive horde of tourists, locals seemed almost nonexistent.

We started with a Gondola journey in true Venetian fashion, despite me saying to Mick “you can go to Venice without taking a Gondola, just watch me”. However we got it for a fairly ok 80 euro, and I was quite happy to see Venice from the Canals. The boat was 11 metres long but the helmsman seemed almost too happy to just bang around corners keeping the entire gunwale just inches from contact with the cold stone.

After the Gondola we got some food before bailing up the coast to a park where we chilled, chatted, and eventually I ended up swimming for about 30 seconds in the sea, which was a really really awful idea, but meh you only live twice.

After that we decided to visit the famous Saint Mark’s basilica where we took the free English tour, which I very nearly slept through, needless to say I am wrecked. The church is truly beautiful though, despite the sinking floor creating a stone wave effect.

Day 26 - Vienna

We decided to take a day trip to the Capital of Austria Vienna in between our Eastern Europe and Italian legs. It was a welcome change to once again be back in the Euro zone, however what we weren’t welcoming was any change, because prices were back to their EU extortion.

We strolled the gorgeous streets and saw some general sights, including the wonderful church on Stephen’s Platz, and various other things, before heading to try find a tour. Initially we went into the Jewish Welcome and Israeli tourism centre; they were helpful but useless and directed us to the tourist information centre proper. Once there we talked to the girl at the desk, who was far too banterous, and recommended us a bus tour around the capital.

The bus was playing Mozart between bits of tourist info and made for a good trip, Colman got me on for child because I am 15 (lolwut) and because of that I saved 7 euro, which was all too banterous. The bus tour showed us various sites including the biggest intercity bungee jump in Europe, the temptation was evident.

After that we got lost in a sports store for like 5 hours. It had a golf sim, putting green, climbing walls, table tennis, roller blades and various other distracting activities. We basically got food and then headed for our train.

Our train was going pretty well, we were 4 in a 6 man compartment watching shooter, however once the other two (an antibanterous old Austrian couple) got in, it was real shit. An uncomfortable 10 hours or so followed.