May 20th, 2017 Leaving Ningbo, China

1PM My uncle drove me to the airport but I ended up paying 100 CNY toll because he missed the exit.

4:30PM I arrived at Xian but it was too late for me to go anywhere since the city is between 1 and 1 and half hour away.  Roundtrip to the Terra cotta was going to leave me with only half an hour to an hour on site, which I thought was too short. I stayed at Xian's lounge. It was alright. I left around 9PM for Jiuzhaigou.

9PM I arrived and found a guy who had his hotel pick up for 200 CNY. I gave him 100 CNY. The driver took an hour and half to reach Jiuzhaigou.

11PM I reached the hostel and paid 30 CNY. I got directions from the hostel employee.

November 21st, North and West Africa, Europe

The highlight of this trip is Morocco.
Actually, I feel like the top 5 of this list are probably in my top 10 of all time.
However, my true love is Rome. No question.

November 21st, 2017 Financials

These are the financials for this trip. Most of the spending on this trip was on the flights. The total expenditure was $6403.65.

May 2nd, 2017 Vaduz, Liechtenstein, Zurich, Switzerland to Stockholm, Sweden

6AM I rented a car to drive to Liechtenstein . I slept on the road for a few hours and arrived at Liechtenstein early morning. I took some photos and drove to St. Gallen. St. Gallen the watch company really had no location here. It was purely at Hong Kong.

















12PM I was back at Zurich. The watch museum was closed. I walked around until time expired that I had to go back to the airport. My plane left for Hamburg, then arrived at Stockholm at 7:30PM. I stayed at the lounge until 10PM so that I could figure somethings out.

3PM My flight took off from Zurich to Hamburg.

6PM My flight took off from Hamburg to Stockholm.

11PM I rented a car and arrived at City Backpacker Hostel.



I stayed at Stockholm until May 8th, 2017 and flew back to Miami through Keflavik, Iceland.

May 1st, 2017 City of San Marino, San Marino

5AM I woke up at 4:45AM on time and walked up to the City of San Marino. It was not as bad as the girls said yesterday. I got a small lift from a lady and took a couple of elevators on the way. I got up at 6AM almost exactly and got to the third castle at 6:40PM and started my way down. I got another ride by a gentleman for 70% of the way and got back to the hostel at 7:30AM. I left for the cafe next door and bought an apple croissant and a cappacino for 2.4 EUR. The bus came on time at 8:16AM. Today is the May 1st holiday and this is the only I could take if I were to make the 10:07AM train to Bologna to catch my flight to Zurich at 1:15PM.

9AM I arrived at the Rimini trains station. The ticket I bought yesterday allows me to take any 2nd class train to Bologna so I took the one earlier at 8:57AM to reach Bolona 1 hour earlier.


11AM My flight left pretty much on time at 1:25PM to Cologne, where I stopped to grab a soda and snacks from the lounge upstairs. The food was pretty bad and the plane took off for Zurich half an hour later. I arrived at Zurich around 4:30PM. I rented a car from Enterprise and then drove to the center to grab a drink. A girl bought me one and then I took off for Liechtenstein around midnight. There is nothing at Zurich.

April 30th, 2017 Rome, Italy

4:30AM I left one hell for another. The station is open to outside and my clothes are still in storage. I slept with my backpack on the cold floor next it the locked metro entrance for 30 minutes when it opened it 5:30AM.









5:30AM I took the metro until the end of the blue line and fell asleep for 5 minutes on the metro. I was too tired and this was the warmest place right now. It was probably bright outside so I got out at Colosseo on the way back. I did the same route to see Pantheon, the Fontana din Trevi when there is very few people there.

8AM The tickets from the American girl yesterday didn't work because she had already used them. I took the first tour I saw available for 25 EUR. I was misled to think that the tour is continuous. They had a 2 hour break before the forum at 12:30PM. The Ukrainian girl told me she will get me a tour at 11AM. The guide we had was horrible. He is probably the worst guide possible. I saw other guides giving much better and more through explanation and they had the same microphone as we had for the Vatican. I came back at 11:30AM. The Ukrainian girl didn't know or what company who she called to give me the guide at 11AM. I went back to where I found her and was given to a Chinese group for 11:05, which didn't leave until 12PM.

12PM The forum was great and had much much to go through. The Chinese guide was much better and I had to leave at 1:05PM.





1:20PM I got my luggage no problem for 5 EUR and ran to platform 1, I ran there and forgot to stamp my ticket. I got there in the nick of time, with the train leaving within one minute at 1:28PM.

5PM We got to Ancona. I asked for directions from Nicola. We got some coffee from a coffee shop manned by Chinese. It happened so that he is going to San Marino as well. We talked about traveling. He told me there is the last buses there at 6:30PM. 

7PM Nicola forgot today is Sunday so there is no 6:50 PM today. He called his girlfriend, whose brother came to give us a ride.






10PM I gave him 5 EUR and we arrived at 9:30PM at Hostel San Marino. The owner is not friendly and charged for linen. I got a piadina and two sodas for 11.2 EUR. Water was lukewarm so I went to sleep without shower.

April 29th, 2017 Rome, Italy and Vatican City

8AM I arrived but spent a lot of time using the wifi in the lounge, even through there was not a shower nor any real food there. I took the train to Rome's main train terminal. the luggage storage there is a total scam and takes an hour to line. There was a Bangladesh man trying to get people to use his luggage instead. It is 6 EUR from 9AM to 9PM instead of 6 EUR and 1 EUR per hour at the train station. I negotiated to pick up the next day.

12PM I took off immediately to Vatican. There were many people selling tours. I took one for 40 EUR as I heard that this city requires a guide. Our guide was pretty good, especially considering what I got tomorrow. The paintings, sculptures are all the best I have seen. the Sistine Chapel was magnificent. I took some picture though it was forbidden like other people there.


3PM I left the Sistine Chaple at 3PM and got to the Colosseo at 4PM. The tour is 25 EUR. There were many guides here. But they said I couldn't so both the Colosseo and the forum so I decided to doing a walking tour now and postpone the Colosseo until tomorrow.







5PM I went to the Fontana di Trevi, the Pantheon, Piazza Navona and Spagna. I took a bus to Casa Sparita. The owner told me to wait for 15 minutes so I looked for the internet to reset my phone. Remember I was still having a problem with my phone. It would go into an infinite loop of rebooting if it loses internet.





I returned in 15 minutes and had to fight with the waiter because they said they were closing in 15 minutes. I pleaded with the owner and he seated me upstairs. The food was bad and I don't think I'll ever go to a Bourdain choice again. It's been mediocre or bad 4 times in a row.

11PM I couldn't find any hostels for less than 60 EUR and it was getting really cold. I was only wearing a shirt and the blazer. It was more than enough during the day but definitely not at night. I walked half way and took a bus with some direction help from locals back to the train station. I couldn't find any hostels still and was told that the train station would close and the only thing I could do is go to the McDonald's. I bought a chocolate milk and was told I couldn't fall asleep. I swear half of the people here look like criminals. I bought another one at 4AM. The place was horrific. I was being moved from one corner to the opposite as they started to clean areas. There is this Nigerian bouncer who watches and kicks people out. I hid in the bathroom and was found and kicked out of there within 10 minutes. The bouncer said I could stay until 4:30AM when the station opened.

April 28th, 2017 Tunis, Tunisia and Valletta, Malta

6:30AM I arrived and walked to the Medina, which was only 10 minutes away. I got on a roof without asking and no one saw me until I was done taking pictures. The Medina wasn't too different from the other ones. I found a couple of high school girls who offered to take me to some picturesque places.








8:30AM I was done with the Medina and went on to Sidi Bou Said. It was very reminiscent of Chefchaoeun. I finished around 11AM and took a taxi to the airport.
















10AM I had to get a boarding pass from domestic flights and then I sat in the lounge for two hours until my flight boarded at 13:50PM.



4:30PM I arrived at Malta. I went to the arrival lounge which only had sodas. I got some recommendations: locals eat rabbits and I should also visit the archeological sites if possible. The one underground, which is the one I wanted to go to, is under renovation for 2 more weeks. I walked all around the city and had dinner at Nenu the Artisan Baker. The rabbit was a mainstay here and people have told me it's tender. Well, it is not the worst but is certainly not tender. I had a Maltese coffee and ice cream.





11PM I caught the last bus to the airport.

April 27th, 2017 Tozeur, Tunisia

12AM I filled the tank and slept in the car until 6:30PM.

11AM I didn't get to check in until 10:30AM and took a shower in the lounge. Tripsta cancelled my flight from Tunis to Malta. 

1PM I arrived at Tunis and went out to check on tickets from Tozeur to Tunis and from there to Malta. I had rebook the same flight to Tunis. They wouldn't let me back in the international gates even after I pleaded. I finally got a supervisor lady to let me in the AVE departure lounge. The result was far less pleasant. There was no food nor drinks there.

6PM A girl who works at duty free got me a coke. Our flight left at 6:45PM. 

7:30PM We finally arrived and it was completely dark. I called the taxi driver recommended by the airline attendant. He wanted 100 TND. I went with the guy with a 4 by 4 and who wanted 120 TND. I couldn't persuade him and we finally agreed on 44 USD. We dropped off some local tourists and went to the northern sites. The southern site, Lars Homestead is in a dry salt lake. I gave him 55 EUR and got 25 TND back. I bought the ticket for 24 TND and I was on my way back to Tunis.

April 26th, 2017 Barcelona, Spain

1AM We arrived at Barcelona and I slept at the couch benches at the Ribs Restaurant. I was woken up by 4:30AM and waited for the lounge to open at 6AM. I stayed there for 2 hours and borrowed a car from Avis and cancelled Budget's reservation. They were in the same office.





9:15 AM The Sagrada Familia had to be booked prior. I booked one online after getting there and being told that I had to wait until 7PM. I started driving to Andorra.


12:30PM The drive was long and through a couple of tolls. I did take a couple of small breaks and arrived around 1PM. I went to Salvador Dali's statue first and then got 500 EUR out of the ATM. I asked the banker because I didn't see any fees and she said there was a 3% fee. I got another 20 EUR out and checked my Wells Fargo online and there was no fee. I drove to La Casa de la Vall recommended by Tripadvisor. It was a complete waste and I drove back. I had to take an hour nap.

6:30PM I reached Barcelona but didn't have time for Casa Batllo so I just drove by and went directly to Basilica Salgrada Familia. It was decent but not that impressive. It rained today so I didn't even get to go to the facade.


9PM I got to Tickets, a one Michelin star on Bourdain's list, only to be told that they needed a two month wait with reservation. I pleaded with the director, who told me to wait until 10:30PM.









10:00PM I got a couple of cold tapas from Quimet & Quimet. I was not impressed and went back to Ticket. The girl have me dirty looks and I asked to talked to the manager's. A bad Help review is on its way.