We're baaaack

Trent and I are not your typical backpackers. During our month-long adventure through Europe, there were 2 misconceptions that just about everybody made about us. One, that we were partiers searching for pub crawls. Gelato crawls? Yes please. Pub crawls? No thank you. We were often the first to bed and the first to rise in our hostels and suffered through several nights of drunken, snoring roommates waking us. Misconception number two- we were a couple. Gross. I guess most guy/girl combos traveling through Europe together are couples but didn't they notice that (a) we look alike and (b) we are completely unaffectionate towards each other and are constantly making fun of the other? It made for some awkward moments although I wasn't complaining when one hostel gave us the "honeymoon room" with only 2 beds, a private balcony and incredible view:)

Since we've been home, we've told many of our Europe stories but not all. Here is the spot where we will relive the many awkward moments, amazing views, and awesome adventures. When asked, "How was Europe?" I have found myself often saying, "Great. I loved Italy the best and Trent loved Switzerland. Paris surpassed my expectations. We loved public transportation and my brother is very cheap and made us eat in train stations often. Hostels were fun though sometimes gross and some of our roommates were crazy. Watching the Eurocup in all different countries was definitely a highlight. Cinque Terre, Italy and Interlaken, Switzerland were two of our favorite spots and we LOVED couch-surfing in Vienna and Paris. Despite bickering in the Alps about Trent's "tone of voice," it was an amazing adventure we'll never forget."

That's the two minute version of our trip. This blog will be the 2 hour version:) I will try to keep my commentary to a minimum so it doesn't turn into a short novel but no promises. I also will twist Trent's arm and force him to write a bit. He may need to tell his version of certain stories since we already disagree about how certain things "went down."

Los Angeles

We arrive back at LAX today! Can't wait to see my nephew! I love flying and especially on international flights. I anticipate watching good movies, eating the airplane food I love, getting swollen feet, and perhaps accidentally snuggling with a stanger (it's happened twice now but I think it's more awkward for the poor person sitting next to me who I use as a pillow.) Can't wait to be back with my family and friends!

London

Happy anniversay Heidi and Dan!! Today we will fly from Dublin to London, tour around a bit, hopefully meet up with my friend Jenny and then hop on the transatlantic flight the the next morning. Ok, I keep falling asleep while typing so I'm going to keep this short and sweet. We'll be home very soon!

Dublin

To celebrate our independence day, Trent and I will fly from Paris to Dublin. I'm already excited about the accents. After touring Dublin (we'll hopefully go on a singing tour- I'm assuming that means the tour guides will sing, not us), we'll leave the city to get some fresh air. When I think of Ireland I think of Leprechans, Notre Dame, bad tempers, and rolling grassing hills and cliffs. Those who know me well, know that I get a little too excited by grassy hills and rolling down them whenever I can. Ever since I saw a commercial for "Irish Spring" soap, I've wanted to go to those amazing hills for myself and get a few grass stains.

Paris

We found remarkably inexpensive plane tickets from Rome to Paris so we'll be jetting from one incredible city to another. I confess that I'm a bit intimidated by Parisians. As previously mentioned, I get easily offended when strangers are rude and I keep hearing how awful the French can be if you try to speak English with them. Luckily, I met Kr's who has broken all my previously-held stereo-types about Parisians. Not only does he speak English and enjoy country music, he also is INCREDIBLY kind and hospitable. We are using couch-surfing again and that makes visiting Paris way less intimidating since we'll have a local to help us out. Like Rome, there is so much to see here that I suspect we will be running from one place to the next. A friend here also just told me that the best hot chocolate in the world is located in Paris so I made her give me directions. Whenever something is called the "best in the world," I am immediately intrigued. Go ahead and call me Buddy the Elf, but this girl was very convincing that there is no better hot chocolate to be found and I'm up to the challenge of finding a specific tiny cafe in Paris. Of course hot chocolate isn't on the top of my list for things to see and in Paris- there is just so much fun stuff there and I can't wait!

Rome

Rome; a history-lovers paradise. So much to see and I want to see it all. So many awe-inspiring wonders to see....I wonder if I can convince Trent to literally run from spot to spot with me. (I do this sometimes when I'm not even in a hurry, just annoyed by how slow walking can be) My friend Stefanie was recently in Italy and told me about how amazing the food is- this might just be my favorite city. Trent has a history in the pizza business so it will be interesting to see what he thinks of real Italian pizza. The hostel we'll be staying at was supposedly a historical roman building of the XVI century. Plus, they serve free spaghetti on the roof every other night! With all the eating I plan on doing, it's probably a good idea to run everywhere. I remember when my roommate Lesley came back from Europe and she described the gelato and I was secretly sinfully envious of her. I have high high expectations for Rome and I don't think she'll let me down.

Cinque Terre

This is one of the areas I am the most excited about. (maybe I've said that too often but this one really tops the chart) A few people said that this was their favorite spot in Europe and the pictures look incredible. Cinque means five and it is a group of five towns on the mountainous shores of Italy. I'm looking forward to lots of outdoor activities- it is called "an outdoorsman's paradise" and although I wouldn't label myself as an "outdoorsman," I do love being outside and hiking, biking, kayaking and snorkeling all sound incredibly fun. I have a feeling Italy might be one of my favorite countries if not thee number one spot.

I look like a giant in the picture because Lisa cut me out from the other side of the picture and pasted me next to her.

Zermatt

To get to Italy, we are traveling through Zermatt and stopping overnight. Apparently this is a common way to travel by train into Italy but since it's all up in the mountains, the trains take a long time. Zermatt is famous as the home of the Matterhorn. I'm impressed by the one at Disneyland so I have a feeling I will be blown away by the real thing. Hopefully there won't be any scary abominable snowmen and hopefully we will get to see the famous mountain- apparently it is often hidden in the clouds.

Interlaken

I don't care too much for koo-koo clocks but I love chocolate, mountains and yodeling. Thus, I can't wait to visit Switzerland! Trent and I will take an overnight train on the 28th from Munich, Germany to Interlaken, Switzerland. A friend in Maputo recommended this picturesque town which is located "between two lakes" and surrounded by mountains. I'm expecting some breath-taking views, sore legs, and chocolate chocolate chocolate. Hopefully we won't be too grumpy from the overnight trainride to enjoy every moment in this beautiful town.

Munich

My friend Judith is from the Bavaria area and has told me how wonderful southern Germany is so I couldn't pass through Europe without stopping in Munich. We'll travel by train from Vienna to Munich. I'm hoping we can take a bike tour and see the incredible castles Judith has told me about. Apparently Germans in the South are much more friendly to tourists than they are in the north so I'm expecting to eat some more pretzels, see some incredible castles and mountains, and meet some friendly Germans. (I think these posts are going to get progressively shorter since I'm a procrastinator and am writing them two days before I begin traveling and I still have to pack and finish my grades)

Vienna

I met a guy on the Internet who we'll be staying with. How sketchy does that sound??? I actually did though. My world-traveling cousin Josh recommended checking out a network called "couch-surfing" where people open up their homes to travelers for free so they can have a bit of a "cultural exchange" and meet people from around the globe. Trent and I were hesitant about this system but when I went to search for hostels in Vienna, they were all super expensive. All the cheap hostels were booked because the exact days we'll be in Vienna are the days of the Europe-cup Finals which are being held in Vienna. Exciting for soccer fans but not so exciting for Trent and I who couldn't find a place to sleep. I reluctantly created a couch surfing profile and searched all the profiles in Vienna to see if there were any hosts we'd feel comfortable with. I looked at hundreds of profiles and decided there were 2 people in the entire city who seemed like perfect candidates as hosts for us. I'm not trying to be picky or judgmental but many "surfers" tend to be hard-core partiers and would be very disappointed to have us as guests. Markus was the only person I found who mentioned basketball on his profile and he seemed like a quality, trust-worthy guy. (I didn't choose him just because he likes basketball- I realize that would be silly of me but it was an added bonus) After e-mailing with him, I feel totally comfortable and am super excited about seeing Vienna from a local's perspective. I expect to see a beautiful town, meet fun locals, and hear incredible music. I've heard amazing things about Vienna and look forward to seeing Austria, the roots of our governator.

Cesky Krumlov

Although I've loved living in the capital city of Maputo this past year, I'm far from a "city slicker." I prefer the rural areas and wanted to see a different side of the Czech Republic so we will be traveling to the city of Cesky Krumlov (no idea how to say that) which is described as the "once-hidden gem of the Czech Republic." It appears to be a quaint little town away from the hustle and bustle of Prague but still exhibiting beauty and history. Our hostel is in a suburban area on a river where the popular outing is to float down the river in intertubes! There is a super old castle to explore and towers to climb, beauty to behold and adventures to be found. Can't wait!

Happy Birthday Trent and Trav!!!

Today Trenty-Renty and Trav-Rav turn 24! The picture is one of those family pictures that becomes famous within the family. (my siblings love laughing at the picture of me on rollerskates holding hands with a little black boy who sadly, I don't even remember) These two have been mischievous since they were born as evident in the picture of them in the dryer. This will be the first birthday that they are not together which I'm sure will be strange for both of them. Last year they had a super fun surprise party will all their friends which will be pretty much impossible to top. We will be in Prague and I feel the pressure to make sure Trent has a fabulous day so he won't miss his twin too much. On my calendar I had stenciled in "mime show" which is apparently quite popular but perhaps Trent won't be as amused by mimes as I am. I know what you're thinking: who doesn't love a good mime show? Nothing can take the place of being able to kiss your twin on the cheek but my guess is that mimes won't make Trent's birthday very fabulous although it might make it memorable.

Prague

The Czech Republic is the only Eastern European country we will visit and it is one that I am the most excited about. Several people have told us that Prague is their favorite city in Europe so I have high expectations for this leg of the journey. We will travel by train from Berlin to Prague and supposedly the train ride is beautiful and passes by castles. Perhaps I'm so fascinated by castles since we don't have them in the States, but I really can't wait to explore European castles and climb hundreds of stairs. (I may say differently after climbing tower after tower but as of now, I am really excited about castles!)

I'm also super excited about the rich history of the nation and seeing the Prague Castle which which is one of the world's biggest castles and housed the Holy Roman Emperors and the old Communist government. (OK, so I looked in my "Let's Go" book for that tidbit of info) Another interesting fact provided by the book: we can visit the Old Royal Palace and see where a Protestant assembly found two Catholic governors guilty of religious persecution and threw them out of the window in 1618. The men landed in a pile of manure and survived, but the event contributed to the beginning of the Thirty Year's War. Why is it that any history story involving manure automatically becomes interesting?

We're bound to get lost as we tour the city since the streets are described like a "labyrinth" but maybe Trent's experience in the country will help us find our way. We'll stay at a hostel right in the center of the city for 2 nights and then explore right outside of Prague and stay at a hostel by a river. I chose this spot mainly because they serve a homemade dinner. I think that as a history teacher I'm supposed jazzed about going to museums but honestly, I am more excited about trying new delicious foods.

Berlin

Today I will fly from London to Berlin while Trent flies from Latvia to Berlin and we will reunite in the Berlin airport. This reunion may warrant a hug since I haven't seen my lil bro since Christmas but this will be the only hug of the trip. We are not a hugging family. Hopefully no planes will be delayed since neither of us have cell phones or a way of communicating with each other. Fingers crossed.

I'm excited about Berlin because of the history- for some reason when I think of the Berlin Wall, the image of David Hasselhoff comes to mind and I would prefer to replace that image with a new one of where the infamous wall once stood. My German friend Judith warned me that Germans in the north are not nearly as friendly or welcoming of tourists as they are in the south. Duly noted. Note to self: grow some thick skin and don't be so easily offended by strangers. (I get really upset when strangers flip me the bird on the roads at home. Granted, I'm not the best of drivers but really, is that necessary?) Judith also introduced me to amazing German pretzels which they eat for breakfast- we will for sure be partaking. It's no "Auntie Anne's" but they are delicious in their own "German" way. I was also warned that fewer people speak English in the area so I printed 12 pages of German phrases that we may need. Here is an example of a phrase I'm sure we'll use:

Where can we have a snack? Wo kann man hier eine Kleinigkeit essen?

I look forward to hawking many a loogie as I try to pronounce German words.

London

Today begins the first leg of the month-long journey around Europe. It begins for me (Katie) with a 4 hour bus ride to the Joberg airport then a flight to London where I will meet up with my wonderful and newly engaged friend Jenny. I'll arrive super early in the morning on Sunday and will attempt to conquer the "tube" as they say, while pulling 2 giant suitcases, 2 back packs and a giant purse and make my way to Jenny's flat. I'm sure to get lost but at least I'll know the language. (Although the Brits I've met in Africa insist that I don't actually speak English- I speak American) I will hopefully get to go to church with Jenny, meet her fiance, catch up on a year of being awful at staying in touch, leave my luggage at her place and strap on my backpack to meet up with Trent tomorrow. I don't expect to site-see as I'll only be passing through but I do expect to be greeted with those wonderful accents and some excellent dental work. Here is a picture of Jenny and I when I visited last summer on my 9 hour lay-over on my way to Africa. The LORD sure can do a lot in a year- neither of us had a clue what God had in store but He had great plans. I feel like I've grown so much, am walking so much closer with Jesus, and have a new world-perspective after my year in Africa while Jenny met, fell in love and got engaged. Craziness. I feel the need to also give a shout out to my friend Stefanie at this point who also fell in love while I was in Africa and got engaged. Gosh- who am I going to hang out with when I come home?

Amazing Race

At the risk of appearing incredibly self-involved, I have started a new blog. The tales on this blog will not be from Mozambique so I naturally needed a new title so I am putting "Katie's Tales from Mozambique" to rest but I am hardly done blogging. The purpose of this blog is to record the adventures of my brother and I as we backpack through Europe for a month. Neither of us have been to Europe or had much experience with public transportation- should make for some interesting stories.

I am presently sitting at my desk in Mozambique where I will compose the first month of blog entries which won't be posted until the day we travel. Not that you're interested in following exactly where we'll be from day to day, but my mom is, so Mom, this is for you:) You can see if we're traveling by train, plane, bike, taxi, bus, boat or foot and send up a prayer for us as we make our way through 8 different countries in Europe. I'll write a few of my expectations for each town so I can compare these with our actual experiences and when we return, I'll post pictures and provide the stories.

As I write this, Trent is currently in Latvia with his friend and roommate from Biola, Joe. A few days after graduating from Hope International University, he hopped on a plane, flew across the Atlantic, laughed as he watched 2 sets of women accidentally walk into the men's restroom and then run out in the airport in Dublin, and then met up with Joe. From what I can gather from his brief e-mails and my stellar facebook stalking skills, (try to say that 5 times fast) he is having a wonderful time with Joe, is making friends quickly with the Latvians, figuring out public transportation, stealing food, and exploring the Czech Republic and Latvia. I can't wait to join him! The pictures of Trent and Joe are not from Latvia- they are proof of my stalking skills. Be wary of what you post on the Internet, it might end up on my blog. (Sorry I cut you out of the pictures Dave but I didn't want people to get confused about who Joe was. Your side and a tiny corner of your head have made into the pictures though)

I, on the other hand, am slowly packing up my life in Africa, saying farewells, administering final exams, getting emotional as I prepare to leave this wonderful country, and am trying to figure out how many pairs of underwear to pack. (I am counting my bathing suit bottoms as a pair)

To offer a premise for our trip, I'm going to cheat and copy and paste an entry from a blog I posted in February about Trent and I's travels this summer with some minor revisions. (why didn't anyone tell me I spelled "coaxes" wrong?) If you are a loyal reader of my blog (mom and Heidi) you've already read this next portion.

Opening scene of the video: The year is 1986. We are in our living room. I am 4 years old. Trent is 2, wearing only a diaper, smiling sheepishly in front of the camera while my Dad coaxes him to say his name. I intervene and spank Trent hard on his rear and giggle, "Say it Trent! Say it!" Trent responds by giggling shyly and watches me as I continue to hit his diaper and laugh myself silly. (admittedly I was a bit of an odd child but Trent was too) Flash forward 21 years. We are in our backyard at the ping-pong table. I am 25 years old. Trent is 23, wearing only his basketball shorts, smiling mischievously as he calls out the score. I interrupt and say, "Wait, I'm winning aren't I?" Trent responds by laughing obnoxiously and begins to taunt, mock, and talk trash as I begin to fume. I hate losing. I end up throwing the ping-pong paddle at Trent's face and storming inside. Next scene. Again we are in the backyard, this time with a basketball. I am determined to defeat him in one-on-one. I fake right and step left, past his leg and he shoves me hard- straight to the cement ground. Hands bloodied and stinging, I look at him with fury and yell, "I CAN'T FEEL MY HANDS!!!"

We have reenacted two of our infamous fights. The video is for the Amazing Race application. Surely CBS would eat it up. Competitive brother and sister who know how to laugh and how to push each others' buttons and go for each others' throats under pressure. Isn't that the essence of reality television? We've never actually made the video. I've always been a bit hesitant to allow the world to see me lose my cool with Trent and the timing has never been right. It still isn't. However, the timing is perfect for both of us to backpack through Europe this summer.

Heidi is married, busy chasing our little busy-bee Vander, and isn't exactly the "back-packing" type. Travis is starting up his new business venture and is about to tie the knot with our dear Emma. So the single Hardeman siblings, blessed with few responsibilities and obligations, will be strapping on the backpacks and trekking through Europe on an unforgettable adventure. (I used to think singleness was a curse. When will it be my turn God??? I've often asked. But in recent years He has revealed that just as marriage is a gift, so too, being single is a gift. Not only could I up and move to Africa, now I get to embark on an incredible journey with my brother. Sometimes I am overwhelmed by how blessed I am.)

As long as there is no competition involved on the trip, I don't anticipate any fights or hurled objects. Traveling through Europe is something I have wanted to do for quite some time and I am so excited to be able to share this adventure with my brother. Trent and I have a lot in common, including a love for awkward moments and ugly faces- I'm sure we'll have hilarious stories and disgusting pictures to share when we get home.

In my blog from Mozambique, I usually ended each entry with a "Danny Tanner moment" which in essence, is an explanation of what God had been teaching me. I don't plan on following the same pattern since I will be writing brief entries about the future, but I read this today and it struck me so I thought I'd share. I love how I can read the same Psalm a number of times but today the Holy Spirit breathed through it and I felt His presence as I read David's prayers. The following are passages from Psalm 61 and 62 which encouraged me and I hope will encourage you as well:

"From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faith; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings. For you have heard my vows, O God; you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that you, O God, are strong, and that you, O LORD, are loving. Surely you will reward each person according to what he has done."