Final European Shananogins

Ready for the fastest ever break down of 4 months tripping around Europe??? Well here it is... my best attempt to summerise my experience in Europe after my Morocco trip... without losing the true essence of what it was really like... (and that was absolutely amazing)...

My Home in Haiming (Austria) at the Fankhauser Rafting Alm

Straight after leaving Morocco I went to meet my friend Angi in Tirol, Austria but I arrived at 10pm that night to find out that she was 300km away and I had nowhere to stay that night... so I plucked up the courage and randomly called up the father of another Austrian girl that I'd met twice last summer in Italy and Austria to ask if I could stay there the night... one month later I left Han's house with a heart filled with love for Austrians, a strong connection with the rivers, mountains and land in that beautiful province Tirol, a pocket full of cash and a months experience working for his rafting company. WHAT A DUDE!!!!!!! He had totally hooked me up when I needed it the most and I will forever be in his debt... he is without a doubt the biggest yarner I've ever met and I think he just liked me because I was the only person who would listen to his MASSIVE rants.

Another day at the office... the Inn River in beautiful high water



...then I went back to Assisi, Italy were I worked last sumer for a kiwi company called 'Full On' and so for 2 months I got paid to provide American students with opportunites to improve the quality of their lives. Very cool work. Very rad people. Excellent weather. Amazing coffee, pizza and gelato... And did I mention amazing people???? Some of the best crew I've ever met, let along worked with, and I truely hope that my path crosses over and over and over again with these great peeps!!!!!!!!


Again hard at work... Our very serious mentor meeting...



It is honeslty really hard to be negative when your constantly around such positive and inspiring people. It makes work so much fun as well... I can't even begin to describe how great work was with this group of incredible awesome and positive people!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our Medievel dressup night which was so crazy!!! We even ate dinner in Rocca Maggiore... a 900 year old castle

The parties were hilarious and we dressed up alot... we weren't even drinking in half of these crazy photos... just having a great time with great people and enjoying the great situation that we were all lucky enough to be part of. GREAT!!!

Maxx, Mary, Dano, me and Bobby doing our best to keep Sara awake

Cheers to everyone who was part of that crew... especially my flatties the B7 Bellas... love you all so much.

Sara, Mary the Maori, me and Paularenee... the B7 bellas for 2008

And then worked finished!!!! So naturally I moved into a trailor with slashed tyres in a camping ground. It was all class!!!!! Me, Sutto, Sara, Dicko, T-bone, Sandy, Jono and Emily all stayed there and had so much fun!!!! Mafia games night, sleeping under the stars together and pool missions by day... we loved our final week in Assisi, and I stayed there until every single Full On employee had left...that was the hard part.

Trailor trash forever!!!!

But then it was off to the Dolomites for Via Ferrata with Sutto, Paulo and Martino. With Paulo's car stacked to the brim, we set off for a night at the 'sea-side', fun time's in Arco and then straight on to Cortina for the via ferrata and the real adventures to begin. What a great trip. Paulo used to own a restaurant and Martin is an ex-chef so we ate the best food that I'd ever eaten constantly for a week straight. It was amazing. oh yeah and the via ferrata was pretty dam cool too!!!!!!

We became big fans of jump shots and heads up/heads down games

Creeping over the edge of one of Cortina's/Italian Dolomites finest via ferrata

Laura Sutto perfecting 'the stork' on the summit of a 1000m via ferrata peak

Vino Rosso placed strategically at the bottom of a Via Ferrata always ensures happy Laura's

And that was the end of my Italian and Austrian shananogins... well for 2008 anyway!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Off to Croatia and Eastern Europe next...