The First of Many to Come

Moving to London has been the start of fueling my need to see as may cultures and countries as possible, and now that I have ignited this fire, I doubt it will ever go away. Over nine days, I traveled to three different locations: Milan, Amsterdam, and Berlin. Even though I only had a small amount of time in each location, I attempted to throw myself at every possible attraction.

First Stop: Milan, Italy

I have always wanted to go to Italy for as long as I can remember. When people say Italy, I always thought of Rome, Venice, Florence, but never Milan. In saying this, I think Milan is definitely a city worth visiting. I only spent three days in Milan, but those three days were magical! The Milan Cathedral was to die for. A picture doesn't do it justice. In the square there were at least two buskers going at once. My favourite was an elderly lady who sang both nights we were at the square. She knew how to captivate the audience and everyone really got involved, whether it was singing along or dancing.

The canals in Milan are also a must see. You can buy a beer to drink alongside the canal, but also many bars open with outdoor seating. Most bars also have a free buffet, which has salami, cheese, chips, pasta, pizza, and much more, which is great for afternoon tea before having a late dinner (if you can fit it in). Before I knew it, the few days I had in Milan were over. I was sad to leave such an amazing city, but I was excited for what was to come next.

Second Stop: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Overall, Amsterdam was unlike any place I have ever been to. I do wish that the weather was better. It rained the whole time that I was there. There was a lot to discover, whether it was the legal coffee shops, walking through the Red Light District, or the various sex museums that were on offer. If you love food like I do, then you definitely have to take advantage of the food, there are hundreds of chip stalls, stroopwafels (a waffle covered in your choice of topping), poffertjes (mini pancakes), and much more. If you go to Amsterdam, I would recommend eating as much food as you can!

When walking the streets, make sure you're mindful of the cyclists, because the people of Amsterdam are chill until you get in the way of their bike. They will run you down. There are many boat companies that offer tours of the canals. They offer drinks and some even provide food. If you read the book or watched the movie The Fault in Our Stars, the canal tour will spark your imagination back to the scenes of Augustus and Hazel exploring Amsterdam. It is just as magical.

Third Stop: Berlin, Germany

I found Berlin extremely interesting. The first day in Berlin, I did two walking tours, a free walking tour and Alternative tour, run by Berlin Uncovered. I learnt so much about the history of Germany on the free walking tour. I knew Germany had a troubled past, but I didn't realise the extent of the Berlin Wall, which I found extremely interesting. On the tour they also showed the Memorial of the Murdered Jews of Europe, the last standing Nazi building in Berlin, and the location of Hitler's bunker. The tour guide was great. She told stories in a captivating way. The Alternative Tour was amazing. It was all about discovering areas of Berlin that aren't filled with tourists. There was a lot of street art, night club recommendations, and outdoor theatres.

Berlin is known as one of the biggest night life cities in the world. It is extremely hard to get into some of the exclusive clubs. The best advice I can give is act sober, don't go in big groups, try and speak in German where possible, and do your research on clubs before you go. They will ask you questions like who is playing and what the name of the club is. Be prepared. The clubs are not nicely decorated like clubs in Australia or England, they are usually run down buildings but are huge (usually with three to four different dance floors) and they all play hardcore techno music.

My holiday was absolutely phenomenal! All three locations captivated me in many ways. I couldn't pick a favourite! I'm extremely excited for my next holiday that is in planning right now. This holiday is just the start of many more to come, so stay tuned!