Gerard Ward's blog

Croatia has a hero.

Gerard Ward — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 09:56:23 -0500

I couldn't quite figure out who that commander was on these posters around Croatia. My only guess was that he was considered a hero amongst the Croatian and Serbian war of '95. You never see a hero being advertised around Perth. Our heroes are the unsung ones. Like parents, good friends, or the ice-cream...

So far in Zadar

Gerard Ward — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 09:53:30 -0500

My hostel - the only hostel in Zadar - was in Puntamika. Puntamika was described as a bus ride away from Zadar. I'm ignoring the fact that you would need to carry your backpack, but I could've walked there. But it was only 8 kunas ($2 AUD), so stress levels weren't totally going crazy.

This trip to...

A moment's talk to a train passenger

Gerard Ward — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 09:50:56 -0500

Dominic was a roundish fellow with a rosy complexion and glasses. He was my roommate in the sleeper train I was in to Zurich, before heading to Interlaken. The room was designed to hold six people for sleep when needed, but we were on the bottom seats, with plenty of room above - by train standards -...

Czech Prague out

Gerard Ward — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 09:46:09 -0500

The sun was disguised behind thin clouds in the sky, revealing only the glow of the yellow star, without the glare most sunglasses prevent a percentage of. The mountainous Hungarian towns that zoom past puff smoke, most likely for cooking or warmth. The sun is not shining bright enough to show much of...

A Turkish bath in an overfriendly place

Gerard Ward — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 09:41:12 -0500

I slept. It was good. I slept in, which wasn't as good, missing out on the free toast and tea. But not to worry, I thought. I'll just create a few awesome sandwiches for the day.

I bought some cheese, chicken and salami slices and three bread rolls. With a litre of 50% juice for 50c, I was set for my...

What's in Budpest again?

Gerard Ward — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 09:38:36 -0500

What do you do when you land in a country you know so little about, with none of its language and not any destination planned but your hostel?

Heck, my trip to Budapest was very spur-of-the-moment, and because I knew nothing of Hungary, I was wondering whether it was a smart move. I've run on being...

One quick night in Barcelona

Gerard Ward — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 09:36:25 -0500

"Get up Gerard. Get. Up," I was telling myself.

I lay there, not awoken by the sound of my phone's alarm, but from the Barcelonian sun, unshielded by curtains or light-softening technology. I check my phone hidden in my pillow case. 8:20am. I had planned to get up at 9am for my 11:20 flight, but...

On the way to the 'Big Apple'

Gerard Ward — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 09:29:13 -0500

Waking up at 6:15am and throwing together a lunch to save money (a rarity on this New York trip), I walked to the train station. Reading the Metro newspaper, one of two free daily papers, I find the grammatical and spelling errors, laughing, but frowning as I realise thousands of commuters will read...

First Impressions at a Greyhound stop in Burlington, Vermont

Gerard Ward — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 08:33:39 -0500

It's America. The usual reminders are there: Flag stickers on bumpers and windows, flags modified to give ornaments new stars and stripes clothing.

30 minutes until the bus leaves. I get out to explore a little while. Inside the station, the atmosphere of a hospital waiting room and the bad...

The best walk a Montreal park can offer

Gerard Ward — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 08:14:39 -0500

I had spent the day in Montreal walking around the main city streets, seeing the underground shopping and realised it was shopping, just underground.

It was around 4pm, and it was still nice and the sun was still giving us a nice glow to our untanned Canadian faces. I wanted to check out this park...

A bumpy departure from Vancouver

Gerard Ward — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 02:52:17 -0500

The last day of Vancouver was a great one.

There is a store called Booklovers which I loved. Basically the owner had purchased a ton of books at a warehouse sale, and set up shop to sell them, just for a little more. What happened was because he also offered to buy books too, the shop was literally...

A moment in a barbershop

Gerard Ward — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 02:42:56 -0500

I feel lighter. Yes, fruit and vegetables actually work, but I also got a haircut. I am not sure how these incidents come to be, but even a simple haircut at a barber shop can hold a funny story.

Down at Lonsdale Quay, right on the edge of North Vancouver, is an array of shops from your myriad of...

Peace of Lynn Canyon

Gerard Ward — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 08:52:13 -0500

Vancouver sports some of British Columbia’s greatest attractions around their temperate rainforests. Some hunt around the world for that perfect place of serenity and tranquility.

Residents of Lynn valley don’t realise how lucky they are with a backyard like this one.

Lynn Canyon is located in...