Backpacking

Hello!(Thats right, we can say hello and people here understand us!!)
So after enjoying one last meal and one last italian gelato, Kristin and I said Arrividercci to our now beloved Italy. We woke up at 6:45 this morning after a late night of packing and terrible sleep (it was awfully hot), and we caught an 8:30am train to Geneva. We arrived only 4 hours later, and found our hostel with record breaking speed and accuracy! A.K.A we didn't get lost or end up wandering aimlessly! Within 15 minutes of being off the train, we had found our place, locked up our bags, and were headed out the door for a late lunch. The hostel is BY FAR the nicest one we have stayed in yet, and after checking the train schedule, we are excited about spending not one, but two days in the lovely city of Geneva before heading to Paris. The prospect of spending some time in a place that speaks primarily English and French is really exciting for both of us!
As promised, here are a few more pictures from our adventures in Italy!
Talk to you tomorrow!
Love Kristin and Kare.

Buongiorno! (for the last time unfortunately...)
Today marked our last day in the absolutely beautiful and culture-enriched country of Italy. Both of us are sad to leave, but are happy with what we have been able to see/do and the experiences and memories that have come with the first third of our trip.
Our day today in Milan consisted of lots of walking, shopping, and stops for cold beverages. Milan is known as the shopping/fashion capital of Italy (and in some cases, all of Europe), so we definitely could not pass up a day at the outdoor mall(s). Though we won't disclose the amount we spent (more so for the sake and sanity of our parents), both of us stayed within a fairly reasonable budget and are able to walk away with at least a touch of European flare to our wardrobes! It was very hot though, easily 35 °C in the sun, so we were in and out of stores, more so just to get inside where it was air conditioned, and made a few stops for a cold drink.
We also went out to the train station to figure out our ride for tomorrow (to Geneva, Switzerland), which is leaving at 8:25am. We stopped at the post office on our way out, hoping to get some of our postcards on their way, but there was a huge line up. We love all of you, but not enough to stand in the stuffy portable building for 45 minutes...all that to say, you may have to wait a bit longer to get them!
We are planning on going out for a decent meal tonight, being our last night in Italy. And then of course, followed by our last Italian gelato! Hope all is well with everyone back home, and we plan on writing again once we're in Geneva tomorrow.
CIAO!!!!
Kare & Kristin

Buonosera!
Well there isn't much to report, however I'm sure you'll be glad to hear that we have arrived in Milan safe and sound! We had an early start to the day, waking up at 8:30 and heading out to th Santa Lucia Station in Venice to catch our train to Milan at 10:22.
It only took us a few moments to make reservations for seats and climb on board, and soon we were well on our way to our final Italian destination. We arrived in Milan at around 1:45pm, and we were able to find the bus wee needed to get to our hostel soon there after. With a little help from our trusty phrasebook and our kind bus driver, we found our stop at Piazzale Susa and found our stay, Hotel Medusa, almost immediately. After checking-in and dropping our bags, Kristin and I went out to do a bit of exploring. We found a wonderful local market and a nearby internet cafe (where I am writing this very entry). Tonight we don't have any major sight seeing planned, we just want to keep it low key and get a goodnight's sleep so that we will be well rested for a full day of sighseeing and shopping etc... tomorrow!
Miss you all!
Arrivederci!
Love Kristin and Kare

Well, we made it to Venezia! Of course not without a bit of an adventure though...

We got to the train station this morning shortly after 10am. We were hoping to catch the 10:37 train to Venice, but it was full and required a reservation. So we went ahead and made reservations for the 11:27 train. 15 Euros later...we had our seats ensured. We got on the train and sat with a friendly couple from Toronto. The train ride was about 3 hours and we got into Venice around 2:30. We had to walk about 10 minutes to get to the bus stop and realized we had just missed the bus by about 3 minutes. Normally, this wouldn't be an issue, but being Sunday (or Festivo..whatever that means!) the bus only came once each hour. So we took off our bags and sat at the stop waiting for the next bus. Just over an hour later, our bus came around the corner. I made some smart remark about how "funny it would be if the bus didn't stop". And it didn't. So, in disbelief, we broke out in a bit of nervous laughter and sat back down! Apparently, we discovered, you have to almost jump in front of the bus and wave your hand if you would like it to stop. So, one hour later, Kerry did just that! The bus kindly stopped and on we got. Kerry's handy phrasebook helped us figure out which stop we were supposed to get off at, but not after asking a lady who spoke neither English nor Italian, but had a great deal to say in whatever language she was speaking.
We made it off at the right stop and found our place shortly after. It's a very nice place, actually more like a bed and breakfast than a hostel -- we have our own private room with private full bathroom, a shared kitchen, free laundry, limited free internet use and breakfast is included.
Tonight we're planning on having a low-key evening; the bus stop is a 30 second walk away, so we might bus into town, explore a bit and then probably call it an early night. We only get 20 minutes of internet/day, so we won't be on much.
Anyways, hope to write again tomorrow. Talk to you soon.
Ciao for now, Kerry & Kristin

p.s. The weather is actually nice here! sunny and very warm! now you can be jealous! woooot woot