Mark's Travels

10 years of travel blogging from 35+ countries around the world

Watching England Play, going out with the Spanish Girls, New German Girls 7th October 2001 in Exeter, United Kingdom


Funny how the small things are different.

Cigarette packages have two warnings on them. One in small writing at the bottom of the package saying their dangerous and another on the side in really tiny letters "for adult use only". Duty paid appears more prevalently on the packages than the health warning.

I'm had a very lovely weekend. Friday night the girls and I went to the market to pick up some booze. We took it back to the hostel where we did an excellent job of polishing it off. On the menu: one £3 1.5L bottle of white wine, 2 2L bottles of coke, one £2.99 bottle of red wine and a £9.99 bottle of Jack Daniel's (over priced). They introduced me to Calimocho, red wine and coke (tastes much better than it sounds). Then we went clubbing at a house club near by. I met up with a few other people from the hostel there and we ended up having a great time. Afterward, Maria, Ana, Cliff and I went back to the hostel and watch movies in the TV room. I don't remember much after that but I do remember waking up next to Ana at 6am in the morning. We were cold, tired and hung over. The only difference was that I went to my nice warm bed upstairs and she went to work.

Later on in the day, England tied Greece at the last moment in order to qualify for the world cup. It's funny how England's best football players are managed by Sven, the Nordic-work permit-English superhero-football manager. If the last sentence confused you, the manager of England's team is from Sweden.

Afterward the girls and I went to the supermarket for some more booze. There were hooligans running around the high street screaming and kicking rubbish whilst waving the English flag.

But that was nothing compared to Maria. Maria speaks very little English and she, unfortunately, is trying to learn from me. Yesterday we had a learning experience. All I can say is that she doesn't understand the difference between swear words and normal words, nor the context and setting in which they are used appropriately. Taking her to the supermarket can be a daunting task when you try to get her not to say "Fuck" every time she is thinking of the write English word to say something.

Alcohol is getting quite expensive and I was thinking of going into France to pick some up. You can transport as much Alcohol between the EU countries as long as it is for personal use. 12 bottles of wine might be pushing it. I invited an enchanting English girl to accompany me on a romantic journey into the heart of France in order to hoard booze and bring it back into the United Kingdom. She kindly denied.

Last night we stayed in. Maria, Ana and I along with an English girl, a French girl and a German couple sat around a table drinking wine and talking until 2 in the morning. Quite enjoying. The German girl noticed I didn't look her directly in the eye when I cheer's her. She said in Germany, if you do not look one in the eye when you cheer's them with a glass of wine, it can bring 7 years of bad sex. I'll try not to make that mistake again.

In the background wonderful Spanish music played. I could not help but think that little mice are playing the instruments and singing due to the high pitched voices of the musicians.

Later in the evening I made my contribution into the guest book.

There were many people from many different places. On Friday evening we all we on the same wavelength. After Friday night the TV room would never be the same again. All I can write to describe this, I can only write in Spanish: Maria y Ana este borracho. Calimocho es hombre hermoso. Cheer's!


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