Summer Statistics

Before I embark again for another trip, though this upcoming one is a short one, I have to, at least, write down where I had been this summer 2012 (European time summer which is August and September). My posts had been silent lately, as it is the usual case. So here I am breaking down where I had been, how long, and some smart spending points.

Across countries literally turtlebackpacking

My first backpacking trips were not spent in the Philippines, but in a few European countries from ABCD to P! Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and Poland.  Covering over 21 cities and towns in West and East Europe including my first Scandinavian land, I started my first step spending a calm midday in Cologne. 

First stop at Köln with Turtany while waiting for my carpooling driver

I brought my turtle, Turtany, during my entire trips which served as a trusted headrest and pillow. And a 35+5L backpack which include all what I need for my days on the road. Since this is a summer trip, my clothes are not so bulky, no thick jackets necessary and i can squeeze them all to less than 7 kilos (including my MBP). Check my turtlebackpacking routes 1 and 2 from tripline.net.

Roam-a-Roma

Here's my first week and one of the close encounters to Rome city center. 
At the end of the first week of our Mathematical Economics class, the Mundus Urbano - Rome group hurriedly went to the Welcome Day 2012 organized by the Erasmus Mundus Association. This event aimed to prepare the EM students to the Italian cultural, academic and gastronomical life. 

Mundus Urbano - Rome group: Me, Jamileh, Manuela, Tharmendra, Lea, Aleksei, (Matthew is still in Darmstadt, Germany); and EM Students

We arrived late but just on time, uhmm, for lunch. So our empty and hungry stomachs went rejoicing after seeing the lunch cocktails prepared. It was a real-tummy filling experience.

Fusilli, Risotto, and Panini

How great!

So groß ist der Herr, sing mit mir!

So groß ist der Herr, Ihn preisen wir.

So groß, so groß ist der Herr!

Grande è Dio

canta che Dio è grande è Dio,

e si vedrá che grande è Dio,

è il nostro Dio.

How great is our God, sing with me,

How great is our God, and all will see,

How great, how great is our God.

All roads lead to rome

and so I am here.

How can I not start writing again, now that I am in Roma.

From Germany to Italy, via train! It took me a total of 33 hours of travel all-in-all including my stopovers in Darmstadt, Heidelberg, Wilhelmsfeld, München and Venezia. (Which I still have to put up in this blog)

first glimpse of sunrise in my new flat from my balcony

I was so eager to move in to my new flat in one of Rome’s suburbs in the south, Giardinetti. I was expecting for a flatmate, but apparently, it is hard to convince people to live near the university than in the city center.