Eurotrip 2008

Yes, okay, technically this was one of those 18-30's holidays that everyone above that age looks upon as a bunch of gap-year students' excuse to get absolutely rat-arsed and irritate 'proper' tourists with their total lack of interest in culture. But Sarah and I booked our holiday with Topdeck with every intention to take in the sights of Europe...not to spend all day nursing a hangover in a dark 'Irish pub' in the middle of Prague, Berlin or wherever. Although to say we never had a boozy night would be a big fat lie. I mean, we went to Munich and Amsterdam!

So, with that out of the way, here comes day one: Venice.

Sarah and I got off the plane in Venice with absolutely no idea how to get to our campsite, where we would be meeting the rest of the group: we would be joining up with a longer tour that was doing the round trip from London. With no sign of the bus that might or might not get us there, we decided to walk as the campsite wasn't far from the airport. 20 minutes later, after dragging our cases in the summer heat next to a busy road with no footpaths, we were wondering whether we'd ever make it to our destination.

Finally, we arrived just minutes before the coach carrying our group did, and watched as, with military efficiency, everybody had their tents up within minutes of disembarking. Tent pitching, we found out, is the most important thing to do on arrival: you never know when it might start chucking it down and putting up tents in the rain and in the dark is a miserable, miserable task! After an al fresco dinner made by our on-board cook and a few introductions we found ourselves introduced to Topdeck life with a bang, as we were presented with a white sheet and told "Toga party!" So although we were pretty bewildered by the whole thing it was a great ice breaker....thanks to the combination of alcohol, drinking games and looking like a fool in a bedsheet.