What do Jess and Alys do all day? They aren't working, they aren't trying to accomplish anything in particular? What is it they spend their time doing? GOOD QUESTION! I will address it now:
On a typical day, Jess and I wake up at an average time of 9:14 am. (Sometimes we set an alarm for 7:55 and sometimes we sleep in until 12:02 pm, but that is rare). Depending on our current accomidation, we make tea or coffee or go out to find tea or coffee. This step is important. Jess' eyes don't open until she's had a half hour to sit and sip something warm and comment about how she isn't quite awake. I refuse to make decisions until I've had my morning beverage. If I don't make decisions and Jess' eyes are closed, it is difficult to navigate the rest of the day.
After tea or coffee, Jess and I start thinking about breakfast. Normally, if we have a place to stay with a kitchen, this activity can happen in sync with the beverage acquisition step. Usually, we have yogurt (widely available all over Europe, but sometimes "mystery flavour") and fruit with granola.
When breakfast is done, we "get stuff done". It is always best to "get stuff done" in the morning. Often, we need to stop by the tourist office and ask a question about transportation, free museums, or how to ask for something specific in the local language (like bulion cubes, peanut butter, or tap water). While we are at the tourist office we pick up free brochers about tourist activities - these pamplets are full of usful information about what we should avoid. We will memorize these places and take care to stay as far away from them as possible. (This rule is broken late at night or very early in the morning). On occassion, we have to drop something off at the post office or get more phone credit. We usually give the "getting stuff done" part of the day a couple hours and it usually takes 15 minutes.
Before lunch, we wander. We go for long walks, mostly dictated by the direction that looks the prettiest or has the most shade (if it is hot). We are never really looking for anything, so we just go. Usually, by the time we are hungry again, we have found somewhere cool, cute, unusual or even scary looking to have lunch. Scary looking places (bars on the windows, heavy door that doesn't open upon first push, man standing in the door looking crabby) have the best food. Don't be fooled.
In the early afternoon, we often have "plans". Quotation marks should be used if something was said or is ironic. In this case, it is ironic. We never really have plans. Sometimes, we tell someone we will see them tomorrow around a certain time maybe at a semi-specific place. I'm not sure that constitutes as a real plan, and that is why it is in quotes. Anyway, we maybe go to the swimming pool or meet a friend in a park or we are visiting one of the previously researched free museums (by the way, free museums are amazing and always empty. I don't know why no one else thinks to ask for the list tourist information provides in almost every city).
Late afternoon is reserved for the great Spanish tradition of the siesta. We find a park, we lay down the blankies we acquired for this specific purpose in Spain, and we nap. We also read. We drink water. And we just sleep. This lasts about two hours.
We find coffee. Jess and I can take an hour to find either food or coffee. We refuse to pay tourist prices when we've seen cheaper. Sometimes, we've seen cheaper hours away in a small town, but we will still compare every cafe in town to be sure we've got the lowest price. We are also a bit picky about loud noises during this time of day, so we stay away from construction, traffic, and crying babies.
By about six in the evening, we meet back up with our host. We cook dinner for our Couchsurfing hosts as a thank you, so we go to the market and get great fresh ingrediants. Jess cooks. I clean up afterwards. Its the perfect arrangement for everyone.
In the evening, we go out. Usually, we go out with our host and whoever they want to bring but sometimes we have friends we've made that we invite as well. In the Czech Republic, the best thing to do in the evening is go to a large park with a beer garden. We get something to drink and watch the sunset and enjoy good conversations. The weather at this time is perfect and the lighting is beautiful so sitting outside is ideal. We usually leave around 11 pm and are at home and in bed by midnight!
That's it!
Alys
