20070321_2

Until today, I have been *hanging out* with my parents everywhere we went.
Sometimes I would *hint* them on the direction, as I am the one with the hand-held gps, however they are the ones that have been making the decisions of where are we going, when and to do what.

Today, when we went to the congress there was a clear sky. So I felt the need to split from them, and get out.

So I went geocaching. I had a few caches on my GPS already, and I had a geoicon and a travel bug that I wanted to drop somewhere.

Getting out on my own was exciting. On one side is way more difficult to communicate, as my mom is the one who speaks German (asking for lunch on a restaurant on a non-turistic area was a real challenge). On the other hand, reading the German signs, the metro maps, even using a dictionary to translate a few words at the restaurant was so much fun. It gives a great sensation of confidence.

Later on, at night, my parents where invited to a fancy restaurant. My parents have been here in Koln four times and my mom actually speak fluent German, yet, I was the guide guy to get there. [I use a Garmin GPS map60cx and a tinny compass].

After doping them, I thought about taking a train, any train and go until the end of the line, see where would that take me. Well, I didn not made it to the end of the line, I stopped a few stops earlier. On a lonely residential area, went across the street, and took the same ride back. That was creepy.

20070321

Days are starting earlier and ending later, leaving me someday with a little bit more than 3 hours to sleep. Because of that, my end of the day blogging is lagging behind, and obviously with the constant stream of new experiences, previous days ones details would have to be left unwritten in order to accommodate time for the upcoming ones.

Last night, as I was *clubbing* with my parents, I had an invitation to go to Australia to dive with the sharks. Obviously I do not know how to take that seriously, cause we where all a little bit loaded on drinks, I guess they meant it would be *cool* if I joined their trip.

It is disturbing my sleep, I keep thinking about *how* could I make something like this possible. Since I was 17 I have been desiring to go to Australia.
There is a place called *The twelve apostles*, is a beach with gigant rocks pulling out of the water.I have pictured myself setting up a camping tent there, seeing the sunset spending the night and seeing the sunrise.
Yes, thats my dream, simple. And every time I think of it, I get anxious, and for a while it will be there bugging my thoughts, but even better, pushing me forward to find the ways to make it happen.

IDS Congress- Day 1

The exhibition's hall was huge. A lot bigger than expected.
When arriving, one could feel the magnitude of what we where getting into by just looking at the reception area. Over twenty counters (that seemed like an airport) where receiving people to sell the entrance tickets. There where two kinds of tickets, by day and by *season* (which are 4 days tickets). The season ones where 22euros each (about $35.00). I have no idea about the price of the dayly ones.

After getting the tickets, we would pass an electronic gate keeper, where a laser scanner would read the ticket code and unlock the gate bar. Right after that, a team will supply us with a protective sleeve for the ticket, and an around the neck trap band to hang it.

The whole process is streamlined *the German way* [mostly with German girls].