This should be a long post. Read only if you care to. I actually don't expect anyone to really enjoy these entries, as I do not plan on reading them until I grow old. I feel when I am in the 70's with graying hair(that is if I have hair) I will look back and see the world I did when I was 22. I wonder if I will view it the same.

Long trains, short trains, day trains night trains, taxis, trams, chairlifts, subways, and busses. This is my journey of the past 10 days filled with sights, stories, and small things that interetested me.

I long for a computer in my dorm room. While it is good to go outside, I miss the comfort of TV or music on and being able to hop on the internet to surf or email. I haven't used IM for more than 10 minutes since I've been here and that was early February. So here I am now at library. I must say it always feels good coming back to Maastricht. Especially this time around. I have been on trains straight for the last 22 hours. Clean shaven, nails clipped, and smelling like a soap I try not to smile as my lips are chapped and crack. Its hard not to.

Wednesday the 2nd, head to Innsbruck, Austria alone(I would meet up with friends in the Czek later). I was taking a night train through Germany. I met a guy from California. We talked awhile, but he departed in Cologne, spelled Koln in Germany(I wonder who decided to change spellings for the English). So now I am in this small car, that during the day would hold 6 passengers on a busy trip. The car is empty and I prepare myself for sleep. Sleep did not come over me quick and swiftly as it usually does. I stared at the small door and the curtain drawn over it with open eyes. I heard foot steps and watched as shadows danced in front of me. A ballet of sorts I didn't care to see. Images in my head appeared. Usually with a guy and a knife. Images associated from Hollywood and the like. I feel asleep eventually and would be awoken by 3 Swiss boys in their mid teens. They were going all the way to Munich, the same station where I was to switch trains. I no longer could lie down, but would hope they would go to sleep. Quite the opposite. They decided to take bottles out of their pack and drink. One passed out and had a hard time waking up.

That Thursday I got into Innsbruck. I wanted to just drop my stuff off at the hostel. Actually I wanted to take a nap but wouldn't be allowed to check in till 5pm. I followed the directions I was given. But when I was to switch busses the one I needed was not on the street it was suppose to be on. Armed with a map, I found my way. So that day I walked around Innsbruck. I would have liked to have seen the mountains, but it was cloudy in the higher elevations. With nothing to see, I walked around aimlessly for over 8 hours. A hightlight was going to McDonalds and just sitting down and reading a book. It was a way for me to get out of the rain.

Next morning I went skiing. I went to the nicer mountain and the snow couldn't have been better. Tons of fluff, sometimes as deep as my knees. I rented gear including gloves and pants, but they did not have goggles or sun glasses to borrow. I damaged my eyes to say the least. I don't know why they were blood shot. Poor visibility, staring at white all day, snow and ice hitting them, or the occasional sun. All I can is that they were red. Eventually they cleared up. Still I can now say I skiied the alps. One more thing on my life long list I can check off. A few others include owning a convertible, sky diving, and having a family.

The next day I was to meet up with my friends at 7 in Prague. The earliest I could get in was just 10 past 7. I hoped they would still be in the room. Now I have a train pass that is good in Austria, but in Czeck. My plan, get to the border town, buy a ticket. Actualallity was quite different. I tried to buy a ticket, but Austrians said I would have to buy it from the Czeck. I didn't have their currency, but hoped euros would work. I met a mother and daughter from Arizone, and she said good luck because she had been kicked of before. Well my pass worked. They didn't pay close enough attention to it. I can't explain how relieved I felt, and how this act would cause me to commit other such acts, some would fail. Now this train was small and the worst one I've ridden in yet. I can't believe I got there, as I was sure the chickens and goats through my window were laughing, knowing they could beat this mechanical beast in a race.

I arrived into Prague. This might be the first time I truly felt lost. I hadn't looked up where the train station was or where the hostel was in comparison(another reason for a computer in the dorms, easy access to researching trips). I tried to find an ATM, but with no luck exchanged currency instead. I'm sure the rate wasn't that great. I decide to go ahead and take a taxi. This car had no safety belts, I noticed the speedometer didn't work, but the driver seemed to know his way through the cobblestone roads. Tackling them with grace, it made me long for my car. Driving, something I hope will never be taken away from me.

I don't want to go into detail about Prague. I saw the clock, went to a Communist musuem & Natural history museum, took a walking tour, saw Prague Castle, Jewish Ghetto, and old town square. The city is beautiful, food ok. Just try and not pay attention to all the tourist shops that are more present than the McDonalds and the KFCs. I saw an acoustic guitar performance. They played songs by Vivaldi, Bach and the sorts. Truly a great show, and one made all the more interesting when being played in a church. I bought a CD of it, my first souvineir purchase.

Don Gionvani. An opera Mozart created for the people of Prague. The people I were with wanted to see a marionette show of it. I was guessing it was a good tourist trap. The stage would be in someones basement and us sitting on bean bag chairs. Close enough, it was in an attic. I wonder how hard it is to control these puppets. Watching them clumsly walk around stage I feel I could do better....even at the young age of 6. The music and plot were entertaining though.

I thought Amsterdam was forward with sex. Ok, it is. But I would have prostitues come straight up to me in Prague and start talking in English. Which brings me to one quick point. Why is it always beggars and crazy people I meet speak English. So now these hookers were trying to get me to purchase a service I had no desire in. One even grabbed my ass and said sex discount. I wondered if the ass grab was an attempt to get my wallet. A wallet safely secured in my front zipped pocket of my jacket. I must add here that the weather in Prague was miserable. Some of the coldest weather I've experinced in europe.

One night, we had a guys night out and decided to go to the Cabaret close to the hostel. This was my first strip club experience, and I can also see it being my last. I'll admit the girls were beautiful. It was also cheap and a different scene than I had expected. They just dance and no one throws them money. For some reason I seemed to be the popular one there. Several strippers would get of the stage and give me a short lap dance. I wondered why they didn't go for my friends next to me for their lap was just as available as the next. So now most guys would love this, I didn't care for it. If the lights had been turned on Im sure my face would have been as red as the bricks on the wall because of embarresment. If you like, you can go downstairs for a private show. So after the dancing the strippers would mingle with the crowd to help convince you to purchase such services. 3 out of 8 in my group did, I turned the offer down.

The next day were to take a bus to another Czec town. However the planner of the trip couldn't figure it out. I need to bring to attention the fact that I was excited of meeting up with group in Prague. I didn't want to be in control of knowing where to get to places and etc. In the end I realizd relying on such people will get you no where literally. That day I spent in Prague discovering it on my own. A group was a diverse group, but a numerous amount were from Korea. American is very much indiviualistic as many times I tried to get the group to split up so everyone could be happying doing what they wanted to. To them a group consensus was a neccessity, one that would lead us no where. Anyways, I also found bookstores with English dialogue. I purchased 6 books. I also hurridly wrote down other titles I would like to read, but didn't want to carry them around for the time being. I've realized if I dont write down what crosses my mind that instance it will quickly be lost for my mind is continually busseling with thoughts. I also keep a list of songs I want to download when I get home.

Next stop Shittybest, I mean Budapest, but it is shitty. That too was a night train. One in which sleep was often broken because of crossing borders and having passports and tickets checked. Made for a long night. And this has made for a long entry. I shall continue on tomorrow.