Finally out of Naples! We decided that heading south would be our best bet since we have to hit Greece soon. So we come to Ostuni (well actually right outside of it) to a campground called LAMAFORGA in Carovigno. The train was crowded but we kissed a conductor’s ass so he gave us his 1^st class room. Neato!

Well, it’s 6:30pm here and it’s thundering and lightning out so I’ll be wet soon (What? No Wet). This place is fucking great, even though there’s not too much to observe. It has waterfalls! I’ll say it’s like a Waupaca waterslide/ campground without the Americans. We’re so well-known here since everyone’s Italian- we stick out like a sore thumb.

Rachel has been an extra special person over the past few days- I never thought I was missing something without a relationship but so far she has proven me wrong (knock on wood). She rubbed lotion on my back today and even though that may sound incredibly stupid it’s one of those things that just made me feel so good. I’ve always had to live independently so I never had the chance to give someone a piece of me and expose most of the feelings that I’ve had locked up all this time. And although I feel less independent now I still think that it’s a good thing for me- I’m one of those people who are bound to break down someday for trying to be so independent with this mind, but at the same time a fragile body that needs support.

I love Italy! It’s gorgeous everywhere  you go- well, since I’ve only stayed in 2 different places I guess I can’t assume it’s all good. But I can fucking pretend!

We got 2 the campground called S. Fortunata Campogaio in a town called Sorrento right outside of Naples when it was already dark so we had to set up the tent quietly. We went and looked at the water and immediately agreed that the next day (hier) we would take the day off until 4:00pm to relax and swim. It was fucking great! Just like bath water except saltier. Tara and Cliff went up around noon so I just layed [sic] with Rachel for hours on end not caring about anything that went on around me.

Afterwards we went to downtown Sorrento and walked around for a few hours before going back to the campground for some dinner. I had a ham & cheese omlette [sic] that tasted like French toast and since the waiters were dicks we didn’t leave them a tip.

Last night was probably the best night of my life. Romance seen only in the movies was suddenly staring me- and not as the geek this time. Rachel and I spent the night on the side of a cliff overlooking the whole sea, with “loveboats” all lit up passing by with music and lights blaring out of all sides. Above us we had a techno party going on with trippy lights shooting out over the cliff. We had a candlelight snack consisting of cantaloupe and Ice tea [sic]. How romantic! j/k. But we spent the night there falling asleep to the waves and a slight breeze and waking up to some boats, some fisherman, and a hawk gliding endlessly overhead. The only thing that sucks about camping is ants. But it’s worth it.

Today we’re going to Pompay [sic] to see a volcano and make our way to Palermo on the island tonight. This trip is so cool so far, and it’s just now that I’m starting to realize how great this trip has been. I’m 18 and can already say that I’ve been to 16 countries and 4 continents already. Before I came I knew nothing about the rest of the world- the real world, but now I have such an awesome experience in most of it. I know the cultures, the scenery, and even the architecture. Sort of like how you and always tell Florida by its palm trees. And now I know about the palm trees in Nice, France and Barcelona, Spain as well.

Things are changing all the time. Days and dates are lost in the adventure, and I probably wouldn’t even know the month if it wasn’t for this journal.

12:35am

I really don’t have much to write about, but I have enough time to build a fucking kite and fly it. We’re sitting in a bus/train station in Naples waiting for a 1:28am train to Brindisi [sic] instead of the island now. I just got yelled at for scratching Rachel’s back in the station because the police will give me a ticket. Fuck that!

Today we went to Pompeii for a few hours and it was so cool! The sights are getting better and better all the time with Gibralter [sic], Rome, and Pompeii being the most impressive so far. Italians are exactly the same as their stereotype- loud, obnoxious, cocky, egotistical, pussball piece of shit pissbags who like girls and horns. Not to mention taking other people’s possessions…LOVE the country hate the pricks.

{I’m so surprised I never mentioned the water fight we had in Pompeii. All four of us were running around trying to fill up our water bottles and chasing each other through the streets as the other tourists scrambled to avoid getting soaked. It couldn’t have lasted more than five minutes but it’s one of my fondest memories of the trip.}

I don’t know exactly how to label myself anymore. Nobody is true, because somebody else has done it already. Like if I love myself then I’m egotistical, but if I kill myself then I must have wanted to n be like Kurt {Cobain}. I never know how to complete myself because there’s always that part of me that is 100% confused on who I’m supposed to be. I will never be a “normal” in society because my preferences are not accented.

I have the gut feeling that I’m never going to see the age of 26. Don’t ask me why, because suicide has never been the thought. It’s too stupid. I’m just the piece of onion ring that always seems to find its way into the fries. Because nobody likes that. I love you all I hate myself, it’s just the way I’ve always felt You are right and I am wrong, so lie your ass off all day long.

(Written at the top of the page: “Aw fuck it- How often do you get to write “I’m in fucking Rome!”)

Well, it’s only 4:40pm right now so I don’t have too much to write about yet. But since I’m on the 2 our train ride outta here I want to pass the time by.

Last night was great- we ended up going to MacDonald’s for dinner and afterwards we went to check out some fountains. We did a traditional over-the-shoulder coin toss into the fountain and it’s supposed to mean that we will return to Rome together in the future, or some shit. We checked out another fountain afterwards and then we figured we had better hop on a bus if we wanted to make it back. We had just gotten into the train station when a woman outside started screaming like she was getting stabbed or raped or something. All the guards started to run to her and that’s when I freaked out. I was so afraid that we would be threatened or something that I made sure that Rachel was always in front of me of next to me so that I could see her at all times. We ended up getting on the last bus to the station, and only one bus was left, and it was on its way out. But we asked for a ride and he said sure. All the lights were off and we were being very quiet so the bus driver forgot about us.

Next thing we know we’re sitting in the main bus station waiting for the driver to get his car and personally give us a ride to the campsite. What a night! Our first full day together! It was the best day in Europe so far…

Today we saw the sisteen chapel [sic] and it was fucking amazing! Oh-that reminds me- I taught Rachel how to use proper accenting on “fucker.” Such as: fuck face, fucker, and fucking cool and she loves to say it so it’s very entertaining for me seeing as I use it all the time.

Well, I’ll write later- this train is too fucking annoying- the driver is on crack.

6:15pm

(I’m still on the fucking train) I never realized what consisted of a relationship until I got this chance. The opportunities are slim nowadays. I’ve never had the chance (okay, nerve) to walk down the street holding someone’s hand. I mean. Who’d of thought that I’d be kissing a girl in the Sistine chapel [sic]?!  Or who’d of thought I’d be kissing a girl?! Just another thing that has expanded my mind throughout  this trip. I never expected to feel so independent but when you’re on your own with all amateurs we all learn to open our minds to some things and close our minds to others. I can no longer rely on a “beaner” {which is slang for “bean burrito at Taco Bell} for pleasing a whole days worth of appetite, or asking someone something because chances are they won’t understand me anyways. Nor can I rely on the car for transportation, parents for money or advice, a cozy warm bed at night. I’m just happy to wake up in the morning and find my body scabie-free! But hey, the grass is always greener on the other side.  No, let me change that. I love it here. Let the grass be greener over there- at last I don’t have to mow it.

Hey there care bear! Today has been a little too fun for me to handle. Well, I think I should fill in last night. Rachel and I got to talk about a bunch of different things, and it felt so good to talk to her finally. Tara told her about the window story and I almost shit when she said that she knew that already, and she thought it actually happened. Tara thought it was the funniest thing she ever heard, but I didn’t.

Today we were supposed to leave for the Vatican by 10:30am but Tara and Cliff ended up “talking” again so I told Rachel to get used to it, because it happens a lot.

Blah, blah, blah, we ended up going by ourselves and it feels so good to just laugh and be myself with someone that actually feels the same way. We saw the church and cruised over to see the coliseum again, and it was so cool. You actually feel like you’re somewhere important when you look around and see ruins everywhere. We bought some fruit afterward and now we’re just relaxing in a park for a while before we get some grub. I love this city, and I’m so glad that I can be here with someone that I have so many feelings for- I don’t get to feel this way too often.

I never thought of life as actually being rewarding, but this is probably the closest I’ll ever be to my heaven, so I better enjoy it. Love comes in many different shapes and colors, and this one is peachish and shaped like an hourglass.

Well what can I say? I’m in Rome! It seems like weeks since I have written in this notebook, but I’ll fill you in.

Last night we ate a good supper, and “mom” was packing the house into boxes for the big moving day. She gave us each some good-luck coins so that was cool. We left last night at around 9:10pm and it felt so good to hold Rachel again. I’d just hold her forever if I could. Well, we were woken up at around 6am by the police that they were asking if we all had our money. That’s when Rachel noticed that all her money was gone. We kind of freaked out, but they said that they had caught the guy and we had to go to the police station in Rome in 2 hours. We sort of slept in those 2 hours but I couldn’t sleep because I felt so bad for Rachel. I just held onto her to comfort her a little more. It was one of those times where I just want to pick her up and run far away from everything in this shit world.

We ended up retrieving most of the money and so we left to get this campsite. I’m fucking camping! So far we just walked around the main downtown and saw some ruins, which is by far the coolest thing to see on this trip! I love the way I can hold onto Rachel because she shows me that she doesn’t mind by holding me as well.

We got to go swimming today also! Cool! It’s been 8 days since I’ve smoked a full cigarette. God do I want one, though! I just hope that Rachel doesn’t get sick of me on this trip because I know how annoying I can get. But I guess I’m just hoping that she likes to do the same thing, because I love it. It makes me feel closer to human again.

Oh yeah- I almost forgot (well, I did) today Rachelle [sic] asked me how you would say “mouille” en Anglais and as Tara and I told her “wet” she mistook it for “what” and kept on repeating it. It took a while before she caught on and with a red face said “oh wet!” It was great! Now I tease her all the time for it.

(Exchange rate= $1.00 to 1,500 lira)

Wow! I am so fucking tired! It’s 12:45pm now and I’m just sitting at Anouschka’s house just relaxing to some coffee and Screeching Weasel. Tara, me and Rachel sat up talking until 5:00am this morning. She can talk very good English so now I feel stupid trying to speak French, even though she says she likes my accent. But I’m so happy to finally talk to her to know what she thinks about and it makes me even happier because I like what I hear. We have so much in common that I never thought we would- I think the only difference in us is the one thing that hurts the most- Language.

But I have a whole month to get to know her as much as I can. I can’t believe that she is actually coming along with us! That’s so fucking cool! Her and Francois are still planning in hitting the states next summer so I’ll definitely be looking forward to yet another summer of what seems to be one of the last summers of my life.

{“She can talk very good English.” I really hope I was being sarcastic. Hilarious!}