Well, er ... not really to be fair, constant reader. People like Muhammad Ali whom I quote are born to greatness, others have greatness thrust upon them, and then there are the rest of us who just aren't so great! There has been, however, a powerful synergy to this European trip that I hadn't fully realised when planning my itinerary in Sydney. I've arrived back in Germany where my European travels began, and on to fascinating Berlin. But in hindsight I realise my trip has followed in the footsteps of great and terrible men; men such as Napoleon and Hitler, and like them I've been drawn inexorably towards the East. The main difference is I didn't enter Eastern Europe and…

The vast stretch of land linking Finland and Russia forms the largest border in Europe. The border between the two countries was only fifty kilometres from St Petersburg in 1940, and this is believed to be a major reason for the Red Army attacking and defeating Finland during the early stages of World War ll, despite heroic resistance from the Finns. I took the six hour train trip from Helsinki to St Petersburg, which starkly illustrates just how close St Petersburg is to the rest of Europe. This strategically important and beautiful European city is very rich in history. In 1941 the Nazis suddenly invaded Russia, thereby breaking the non-aggression pact between the two great powers. Yet they failed to…

I arrived in Helsinki on the ferry from Tallinn with a brand new Lonely Planet in hand, and ahead of schedule. It's not often a traveller has the opportunity for further exploration, and I was keen to make every post a winner. I'd intended to visit Helsinki for a brief stopover visit only, yet here I was with a week to explore the pristine countryside of Finland. But something was missing, what I needed was a plan! My first night in Helsinki at the Hostel Errottajanpuisto provided me with the solution, from where it was all systems go for a wonderful Nordic adventure. Luckily in my dorm room I met a friendly and helpful Finnish businessman, we also chatted with…

I thought I should ask the pretty girl for permission before taking her picture, as she was working at a medieval cart in the heart of Tallinn's old town. "Yes" she replied without hesitation, "if you have your paper and brushes you may begin." I looked at her blankly then repeated, "No, I would like to take a photograph." "Not at all" she responded "just take out your brushes." Huh, now I was really getting confused "Er, I mean with my camera." while pointing at said apparatus for added emphasis "What?" she exclaimed with a frown "I don't know what you are talking about. Weird people!" Finally the penny dropped, it became clear she had pulled off this little caper…

This ancient pearl of wisdom from Seneca echoes down through the ages, as I continue my travels through the beautiful Baltics, and get the chance to delve into the recent history of Latvia. After arriving in the capital Riga one feels like this is the centre of the world, with the beautiful UNESCO world heritage listed old town attracts tourists from western Europe and the United Kingdom. Riga is a short hop from it's Eastern European neighbours to the south, fascinates it's scandanavian neighbours to the north, and of course one cannot afford to ignore the 800 pound bear in the neighbourhood to the east ... er, that would be Russia! My journal continues from Siauliai, dear reader, from where…

Lithuania has burst forth from under the yoke of several decades of Soviet oppression, to become a hot travel destination on the Eastern European backpacker trail. Formerly one of the three Baltic states in the Soviet Union, Lithuania joined the European Union in 2004 leading to a new dawn for this small country. The people are friendly, the food is good though somewhat artery clogging, and the capital Vilnius is a very attractive and clean city, having undergone a major transformation since independence was gained in 1991. The last journal left off in Krakow, dear reader, from where I took a four hour train ride north to the Polish capital Warsaw. I'd arranged an overnight bus trip from Warsaw to…

Poland is an extremely rewarding and fascinating tourist destination. The geographic location of the country in the heart of Europe has led to a turbulent past, including several occupations by foreign invaders, yet the country has embraced it's future in the European Union with alacrity and is destined to again be an economic power in the region. My focus on this visit is the beautiful city of Krakow, the medieval capital of Poland that is crammed with historic buildings, as the city was spared the destruction wrought on Warsaw by Luftwaffe bombing in World War ll. Krakow can also serve as the gateway to several fascinating day trips, and I've spent nearly a week in this enjoyable city. To recap…

The Czech Republic is a landlocked country, and shares common borders with four other countries in the heart of Europe. Although it is nominally considered part of Eastern Europe, technically the Czech Republic is in Central Europe. Everyone visits Prague and the old town is justifiably famous for the superb architecture on display, as you walk amidst a maze of cobblestone streets along the banks of the Vltava river. Prague is a special and extremely popular travel destination, but the crowds of tourists are not quite so special! But let's recap from the previous journal, dear reader, where I caught the Eurolines from neighbouring Slovakia in a relaxed four hour commute. My hostel was only three stops on the local…

A brief stopover in Bratislava has been just the ticket as an introduction to Slovakia. The capital is noticeable for the slower pace of life and laid back attitude of the locals compared to neighbouring countries. Although it seems the Slovakians are reserved I recommend experiencing this relaxed lifestyle in a small city of 440,000 inhabitants. There are just over 5,000,000 people that inhabit the country of Slovakia. The Velvet Revolution in Prague bought down the communist regime in 1989 and the Slovak parliament voted to declare sovereignty from the former Czechoslovakia, thereby becoming an independent country in 1993. When arriving in Bratislava the Soviet era apartment blocks on the outskirts of the city provide a stark reminder of the…

The demise of the Soviet Union has led to extraordinary changes within the former Eastern Bloc in the last twenty years or so. Following on from an effortless bus commute out of Vienna, a cursory glance at my passport was all it took before being stamped into Hungary en route to the capital Budapest. The journey from Vienna to Budapest is a little over 200 kilometres by road, yet the contrast in heading from west to east is not that noticeable, due to the massive economic advances made since the Republic of Hungary was declared in 1990. Hungary has since gone on to become one of the ten newest member states of the European Union after the results of a…