San Sebastian (Little Melbourne): A magical Place
Proving to get out of the airport in Barcelona seemed to be a little more difficult than expected. Even though i have been travelling now for close to 9 months and have not had an issue anywhere that I have been, for some reason Spanish ATM's do not like standard issue ANZ cards. My ANZ visa card was cancelled because of fraud occuring in Greece not long ago and my Virgin CC is pinless, well it's not but I don't know it and when I rang Virgin, using my CC, they told me that they couldn't give me my pin over the phone but they would be more than happy to send me a new card and pin, not that that was going to help me in Spain.
I thought that at least if I could get to the Train Station (last train leaving at 12:30, lunchtime, flight landed at 10, plenty of time to sort something out) I would be able to buy my ticket to San Sebastian on Credit and sort it out when I got there, but because Virgin Credit Cards are missing the corner for stylish reasons, the train station's machine where I had to purchase my ticket to get to the long distance train station would not accept my card! getting a little frustrated I thought that perhaps taxis might take cards, well apparently some do so as I waited for 1 to rock up that did (which I soon learnt was about 1 in 500), some yanky wanka pushed in front of me and took the cab before i even had a chance to scrtach myself, having waited for that cab for over half an hour, checking with all banks and ATM Machines in the airport and looking for an answer for over 2 1/2 hours, I got fed up with the airport and went and rented a car, on credit of course!
Finally relieved to be out of the airport, i hit the AutoPista and headed straight for San Sebastian, yay! I arrived in at about 5, but had neither any idea where the hostel was or where to park, so i found the closest car park and went for a wander around town, stumbling across the Urban House with much relief before being shocked by realising that almost everybody working and staying there were from Melbourne, after 9 months of hardly meeting any Aussies! So I decided to leave the car where it was for the night, grab my stuff, take a much needed shower and a beer! Hooked up with this cool Kiwi guy who leant me some money and we hit the Tapas. had a pretty big night in the end, but with my body clock still being in NY mode, I actually really got to bed at like 11pm.
Next day with my car still by my side (I had to pay an extra 30 Euro for 2 more days), I headed west along the coast solo, checking out some beautiful amazing little towns and coastal drives. I headed back to SS around dinner time and found a bargain supermercado that took credit cards, where I stocked up on Food, Beer & Wine. Out for a few more 241's at Zibbobo before home to crash, slowly re-adjusting the body clock. On Sunday we took a drive to France for some French cuisine and wine (SS is like 10 minutes from the border), we checked out some beautiful towns and great surf breaks before once again heading SS bound for a much quiter night and early bed time.
With the car returned it was time to actually start checking out SS itself, I walked up mountains and along beaches taking some awesome snaps before bumping into my old friend Felipe with whom I travelled with in Argentina 8 months ago and hung out with in Sao Paulo. The last email I had received from him stated that he was making his way to Spain, but I had no idea that we would be in SS at the same time. Spent the evening with him and a crew of about 8 from the hostel (most who are also now on their way to Barcelona, so we are all going to hook up) before spending yesterday working the tan on the beach before some more great SS Tapas last night along with a few glasses of Red Wine before jumping on my midnight bus through to the Big B where I arrived some 2 hours ago, which I have spent waiting for Dickie (friend from Melbourne now living in London whom I have not seen in 12 months) and crew finally catching up on Blog action.
I am also catching up with a guy called Loic whom Lil & I travelled with in Bolivia this afternoon, he works in the hostel where i am staying, so it looks like we are going to have a pretty decent crew to get the La Merce festival shennanigans underway here in Barcelona, will let you know how things go!
I thought that at least if I could get to the Train Station (last train leaving at 12:30, lunchtime, flight landed at 10, plenty of time to sort something out) I would be able to buy my ticket to San Sebastian on Credit and sort it out when I got there, but because Virgin Credit Cards are missing the corner for stylish reasons, the train station's machine where I had to purchase my ticket to get to the long distance train station would not accept my card! getting a little frustrated I thought that perhaps taxis might take cards, well apparently some do so as I waited for 1 to rock up that did (which I soon learnt was about 1 in 500), some yanky wanka pushed in front of me and took the cab before i even had a chance to scrtach myself, having waited for that cab for over half an hour, checking with all banks and ATM Machines in the airport and looking for an answer for over 2 1/2 hours, I got fed up with the airport and went and rented a car, on credit of course!
Finally relieved to be out of the airport, i hit the AutoPista and headed straight for San Sebastian, yay! I arrived in at about 5, but had neither any idea where the hostel was or where to park, so i found the closest car park and went for a wander around town, stumbling across the Urban House with much relief before being shocked by realising that almost everybody working and staying there were from Melbourne, after 9 months of hardly meeting any Aussies! So I decided to leave the car where it was for the night, grab my stuff, take a much needed shower and a beer! Hooked up with this cool Kiwi guy who leant me some money and we hit the Tapas. had a pretty big night in the end, but with my body clock still being in NY mode, I actually really got to bed at like 11pm.
Next day with my car still by my side (I had to pay an extra 30 Euro for 2 more days), I headed west along the coast solo, checking out some beautiful amazing little towns and coastal drives. I headed back to SS around dinner time and found a bargain supermercado that took credit cards, where I stocked up on Food, Beer & Wine. Out for a few more 241's at Zibbobo before home to crash, slowly re-adjusting the body clock. On Sunday we took a drive to France for some French cuisine and wine (SS is like 10 minutes from the border), we checked out some beautiful towns and great surf breaks before once again heading SS bound for a much quiter night and early bed time.
With the car returned it was time to actually start checking out SS itself, I walked up mountains and along beaches taking some awesome snaps before bumping into my old friend Felipe with whom I travelled with in Argentina 8 months ago and hung out with in Sao Paulo. The last email I had received from him stated that he was making his way to Spain, but I had no idea that we would be in SS at the same time. Spent the evening with him and a crew of about 8 from the hostel (most who are also now on their way to Barcelona, so we are all going to hook up) before spending yesterday working the tan on the beach before some more great SS Tapas last night along with a few glasses of Red Wine before jumping on my midnight bus through to the Big B where I arrived some 2 hours ago, which I have spent waiting for Dickie (friend from Melbourne now living in London whom I have not seen in 12 months) and crew finally catching up on Blog action.
I am also catching up with a guy called Loic whom Lil & I travelled with in Bolivia this afternoon, he works in the hostel where i am staying, so it looks like we are going to have a pretty decent crew to get the La Merce festival shennanigans underway here in Barcelona, will let you know how things go!
posted by Sanchez at 6:12 PM
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