BERLIN OR BUST

The first BIG drink of the tour is complete!  Its was always going to be a messy start when our drinks of choice for the evening were Staropromen and Jagameister!

Started off with a few beers near the hostel and slowly worked our way through a mixture of local Slovak haunts, Mexican bars, The Dubliner (we were always gonna have one in there!) and finshed up on boat club.

Highlights of the evening included Stevie B going all Ricky Hatton at Johnny, interesting graffiti on bar walls (Dont tell Sally!), bouncers asking Shauny to limbo under his tree trunk legs and Stevie B doing his best to wake up the Russian dude when we got in whilst hiding his stuff under Jimbos jeans - Arthur wasnt impressed in the morning!

Weve been all over Bratislava today - Cathedrals, the bridge Tower 95metres high and have had more coffees than meals since we left Ilford 48hrs ago!  Loose backdoors all round!

Checking into a new hostel for the tonight (Stevie was scared that Arthur might come after him!) and getting ready for another session with the locals!

Plenty for stories and pictures to come...

Shauny G.

At 9:44am local time Slovakia held its breath and bar owners across Europe re-stocked their fridges as the East meets East team landed.

After a stress free journey to Bratislava we`ve had a big blow and are ready for a night on the tiles. It`s bloody hot out here and very cheap - sound`s like Stevie. Hostel is OK  but an old scottish lady on our floor is a bit wary of us as when we walked in she didn`t say hello - just "you`re not another bloody stag party are you?". Obviously we said yes so for the next few nights in Bratislava shaun will be hand-cuffed naked to various lamp-posts and statues around the city when drunk - photo`s to follow!!!

Out on the razz now so we`ll update with photo`s later.

EAST

East

Oh yes met up with the lads yesterday and I`m already in trouble DEEEP

3 countries in 1 day and no time to even spike my tuft up, although we bought some more fussball stickers, there`s always time for fussball stickers.

Toilets - 4 out of 10, had a bit troub with the backdoor already.

Bratwurst and wiene schnitznel - 8 out of 10, plenty of meat to keep me goin here though

Bratislavian women - 9 out of 10, absolute heaven on legs, the way mother nature intended

austrian people 6 out of 10 - lacking in juice and hair (u know wot i mean Ross Popejoy)

So in short left England at half 6 in the morn, after 2 hrs sleep, went to Bratislava, had a peek and a coffee, got on a train, thought i was still in Bratislava - was in fact Vienna, cos no one told me, almost got run over, had the worst shot of peach schnapps ever, lots of food - maybe not enough, watched James insult an entire nation by him tellin an Austrian about Dr Fritzel - bad move, alot of unhappy Europeans, saw a girl fall over - John laughed at her and got told in German that he was a Nazi.

Off now to hopefully the museum of contraception, then buy more football stickers, drink, meat and salsa dance with some ladies.

Help me

east

after the exploits of day one, we set out for another great day!!!!!

after some nice sight seeing we head for our new hostel (no we didn`t get booted out of the other one!!) everyone has a large blow!!! and then were set!!!

after some more Staromramen we head off to the Harley Davidson bar with the usual insuing drunken antics!!!!

Fortunately we all make it home in one piece! after more drinking we head up to the room where Jimbo enjoys some hardcore loud crisp eating! probably waking our strange roommate in the process! while i participate in some redecorating of the Shower room!

So were now joined by Mr Budd & we`re leaving Bratislava behind for the joys of Austria!!!

Vienna beware!! We`re on the way!!!

Two day´s down in Vienna, Stevie B´s romance seems to have turned into a one night stand - he´s getting over it with Jager

Random night last night, we all meet in an Aussie bar called Crossfield, Big Burgers all round which meant big smiles

The decision had been made to keep it to an early one, after a brief gasp from Shunie G, everyone bought in

Time for a shot and round of beers

Johnny loses first two, happy face gone, it was back after we´d finshed the 40th one

The panini game was invented, see seperate entry, a lot of confused faces from locals to start but they were just jealous of the fun we were having

By the end of the weekend, the book will be full and all sorts of nationalities will be on the vibe.

We´ve now left Elizabeth´s place and are officially posh packing - room even has tv and free towels

Big feed tonight, the O´Donnell´s are cooking!

We`ve invented the greatest drinking game in the world in Vienna. Here it goes:

You need:

1 x Pannini EURO 2008 Sticker Album

10 x Packets of Euro 2008 Stickers

20 x Mini bottles of Jagermyster

How to play:

Everyone sit round a table.

First person opens a packet of stickers. You then take a sticker and check if its needed. If the sticker is needed atfer sticking it in you down the shot. If the sticker is a swapsey you dont drink. Simple!

Also if 3 stickers in a row go in the direction the book goes round reverses.

If you get a sticker that completes a page in the book or a team evryone round the table does a shot and not you.

If you get the magical but illusive Number 1 sticker everyone, including you, do a shot in celebration.

This is the greatest game in the world - and also we get our sticker album filled in!! Only 117 to go!!!

Wow - what a day Friday was.

It started sitting round nursing our massive hangovers from the night before in our new Hostel and ended with Graham being worshipped around the City.

During the day Jimbo, Steve and Gra did their own walking tour whilst Shaun and John went to the football museum. During our walking tour in the park we stummbled across a kid and his Mum sorting through their stickers and album for Euro 2008. Graham got very excited he had finally found someone else collecting these stickers and got his album (which is carried everywhere with him) and swappsey`s out and they began trading. Before we left them the Mum said there was an organised sticker swap that evening outside the Museum - we noted the place and continued on our tour.

We got to the museum that night & there were about 1,000 people swapping stickers - it was unbelieveable. G Budd got his stickers organised and got in the middle and started frantically trading. At one point we met this guy who needed 7 stickers to complete his album - bang we had 1 for him, Number 411. He said it was very hard to get this and shouted out in eurphoria "This is the Man with 411" at that point everyone stopped swapping, looked at G Budd and attacked him to see if they could trade with him!!

The result of the swapping is that when the sticker album came to Vienna we needed 270 - now we only need 64!!!

Other highlights of the day was walking through a market with posh resturants which were packed with people who all stopped eating as Graham walked through dressed as an Austrian supporter. It was like a movie - with everyone clapping him, and cheering him - at one point a stallholder stopped him and gave him free food!! - unsurprisingly he will be dressed like this for remainder of his trip.

In the night we had an easy one in our new luxury hostel with Jimbo making a beautiful dinner for everyone.had a few beers with an aussie guy we met and went to bed in preperation for a big party on saturday and sunday as football comes to town!!

EAST

east

So this is it - i`ve been here now 5 days with the lads, everything`s hurting, alot of food has been consumed (we`ve all put on 3 stone, except Shaun who refuses to eat anything but rice cakes) and various toilets have taken an absolute battering.

oh and the y key`s on a different place on this keyboard!

Yesterday was an absolute treat, no in fact it was more than that, it was a meaty treat.

James pulled out another walking tour, it was worth 14 Euros in anyone`s book, not like the first one though cos i didn`t swap any fussball stcikers.

A couple of churches, a few monks, not enough pretzels for my liking and more beer than a normal human can drink.

The fan zone was amazing as well - 9 out of 10

Today`s its gonna be better cos its gonna be full of Croatians and Austrians.

Gotta go, help me

east

After 5 days here we had our final day in Vienna and it was also G Budds final day on tour before returning home for a big job on the sports areana.

We started the day with a final Jimbo Tour which covered 24 stops and lasted 4 hours. After word had spread about how good the tours were there was a capacity crowd in attendance of 7 including 3 different nationalities. Thje tour was given in English as well as the Austian Jimbo had picked up.

After all the hard work of the tour we headed to the Fanzone for the first of 2 matched - Croatia vs Austria. The place was packed with Croatians who were good craic. We also met an English guy who worked in TV over here and was fasinated by the sticker book story and has promised to follow it tour until we complete it.

During the 2nd game, Germany vs Poland the heavens openned and it lashed down for an hour. every one ran for cover. most of us went back to the hostel - g budd stayed in the fanzone and took cover in a portaloo with 3 croatian blokes for 3 hours - they will remain firm friends.

Vienna has been brilliant. Met loads of great people and had a lot of craic.

Bring on Hungary

Just to let you know we arrived in Budapest after a 3 hour train journey from vienna.

Had to walk about 10 miles to get to our hostel but after a good nights sleep we`ll be ready to embrace the city.

EAST

The Road to Berlin continues down the Danube to Budapest! 

On our first day round Budapest Shauny & Jonny headed to the Castle and walked practically the entire length of the city (feeling extra sweaty right now!) whilst Jimbo & Stevie got close and personal with the Danube on a cruise!

We`re all gearing up for a BIG drink in Budapest after our half time break after arriving last night.  We`ve scoped out the drinking situation out and it looks like we`re heading to a jazz club tonight and an open air party tomorrow... but given our track record we could end up anywhere!

Lots of reports and new pics to come...

Shauny

p.s check out all the new video`s on the video section... couple of classics in there!

Bang - long day.

Last night we went for a couple in a local bar. I couldnt open the door to the toilet and to the amazement of a couple of locals at the bar a little old lady had to open it for me. When I came out the local had a shot of UNICUM ready for me - he said it would make me strong. It tasted rough as f*** - so we had another!!

Then went to a pub called Old mans bar - they put the prices up by 100% coz we were tourists - fuckers - so we left.

Today me and steve went on a 4 and a half hour bile tour round Budapest. Very good but very sweat in 100f heat so we were well ready for what we all did next - a visit to a Budapest Baths and Spa. This was wicked - the feeling when you get into a 38c bath was amazing!!

Went to a steam room which was bloody hot - steve left first as it blinded him followed by me john and Shaun managed a good bit - then we all plunged into a freezing pool - wow. Before we left we had to have a Bidit which was lts saz a refreshing experience!! This was followed by a massively Posh packing meal and back to the hostel for a blow.

The road to Berlin comes at 12pm tommorrow with a flight and get on it!!

EAST

We`ve touched down in Berlin.

Quiet night last night means we`re ready to tear Berlin apart... looks like we`ve found Germanys answer to Vienna`s fanzone so we`re all over that tonight for Germany v Croatia then heading to a pub crawl tomorrow.

I predict plenty of Jaga`s (Stevies already one down for losing Shaunys last bag off the carosel game at the airport - GREAT GAME!), big dabs, Stevie getting up close and personal with our new room mates last tour style (the Koreans weren`t happy... who knows how this lot will react!) and a sprint to finish like the Grand National has never seen before.

Watch out Berlin the London/Lurgan connection are following Shaunys new motto "Win or lose we`re on the booze!"

Reports to come...

Shauny G

Big walk yesterday to start our Berlin trip, it involved looking at lots of pictures of buildings that are not there anymore

Amazing city, the tour guide even knew Lurgan (lost a point for that)

He got 7 out of 10, mostly because he sent us to a really cool area of Berlin for our evening that meant we coulld avoid all of the british stag dos - they get everywhere!

Watched the Dutch French game in a Beer Garden which was full of their natives, great atmosphere and Stevie was happy because he got a pretzal!

Moved on to the bars round the corner after the game and stumbled across a couple of jems, very Shoreditch, listened to some funky jazz and met some locals.  Shortly after, we went to what looked someone`s front room where we were made very welcome and celebrated the hottest girl in theres birthday

Stevie had women all round him, he didn`t know which way to look - unfortunately, the cab would only take the 4 of us home

In bed at 4.30 - big sleep and walked the city again today

James and Stevie have met a strange Brazilia girl who is apparently joining us tonight - more stories and photos to follow

Until then

jimbotours

After 4 countries, numerous different bunk beds, a lot of Jager and 1 big bath we are back home - already planning next year!!!

Photo`s from Berlin will be up very soon.

Thanks for your message`s (mainly from Northern Ureland in week 2 - then again you got to do something inbetween Giro days!!) and see you all next year.

EAST

 Following on from last year we have done a questionaire for our favourite and least favourite moments of the trip: 

1, FAVOURITE CITY

John - Berlin

Stevie - Vienna

Shaun - Vienna

Jimbo – Vienna

Graham - Vienna (although Bratislava seemed to be the biggest city I`d ever been to!) -

2. BEST DRINK

John - Jager!!

Stevie - Berliner

Shaun - Jagermister

Jimbo – Jagermister

Graham - Jaegermeister

3. BEST TOURIST ATTRACTION

John – Fanzone - Vienna

Stevie - Sticker Swap Meet/football museum

Shaun - Budapest baths

Jimbo – Baths in Budapest – closely followed by Jimbo’s walking tours™

Graham - Football museum, followed by the 1,000 deep Sticker swap

4. WORST TOURIST ATTRACTION

John - Berlin walking tour

Stevie - Old Mans

Shaun - Budapests "History of War" Museum - Cheap student tickets though!

Jimbo – OLD Mans in Budapest

Graham - Peep show in Vienna

5, WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU BROUGHT WITH YOU

John - Blackberry

Stevie - my drinking belly

Shaun - Comfortable pants

Jimbo – Odour-eaters

Graham - A bag with a zip that worked

6, WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU`D LEFT AT HOME

John - Stevie B

Stevie - half my t-shirts

Shaun -My smart shoes 

Jimbo – My spare jumber

Graham - Half the stuff I bought out

7. Favourite Boozer!!

John - Berlin`s Front Room bar

Stevie - "Shoreditch" in Berlin

Shaun - Berlins answer to Brick Lane

Jimbo - Our own pub in Berlin

Graham – Any boozer in Vienna, especially the one with the little chill out room inside it - them Austrians know how to create a great pub atmosphere

8, FITTEST WOMEN

John - Vienna (when Coatia played)

Stevie - Bratislava

Shaun - Bratislava

Jimbo – Bratislava

Graham - Bratislava

9. BEST NIGHT

John - Sticker Book Games in Aussie Bar

Stevie - Sticker Book Nite out

Shaun - Infamous Sticker Book drinking game night

Jimbo – Last night in Berlin

Graham - Definitely the Sticker Book drinking game night (which was supposed to be a quiet one)

10. WORST NIGHT

John - Old Mans

Stevie - Old Mans

Shaun - Old Mans - Budapest

Jimbo – Old mans in Budapest

Graham - last nite in Vienna, G. Budd wasn`t up for it

11.QUOTE OF THE TOUR

John - `Doctor Fritzel`

Stevie - "what doctor Fritzel?!?!"

Shaun - "Don`t tell Sally..."

Jimbo – Shaun you’re a F**king Chav

Graham - Either James Dr. Fritzel`s comment or John laughin at the German bird who fell over and then gettin told he was a Nazi

12. WEIRDEST PERSON WE MET

John - Elisabeth

Stevie - weird 6ft rugby player style man in Berlin in mini skirt & Boob tube

Shaun - Arthur - 1st night in Bratislava (Where`s my charger Stevie B???)

Jimbo – Elizabeth

Graham - Elisabeth, a mass murderer if ever I saw one

13, FUNNIEST MOMENT

John - The girl falling off her suitcase in Vienna

Stevie - James insulting an entire tube train full of Austrians!!

Shaun - When World War 2 kicked off again in the Fanzone - bloody Germans!

Jimbo – “Steve and the 2 Germans incident” in Fanzone – say no more!!

Graham - Yep, Steve versus the Germans in the Fanzone, it set the peace process back 20 years

14. FAVOURITE HOSTEL

John - 11th hour Budapest

Stevie - Baxpax in Berlin (K Studio)

Shaun - Downtown in Bratislava

Jimbo – Bakpax in Berlin

Graham - Menninger in Vienna

15. BEST FOOD

John - Fry up in Berlin

Stevie - Pretzels

Shaun - KebaPs in Berlin (1 day I`ll manage to eat 2 in one night!)

Jimbo – Bratwurst in Fanzone

Graham - The 4 Bratwursts on the last day, an absolute meat treat

16, SCARIEST MOMENT

John - Looking at the pictures of the sticker night

Stevie - arriving at Elisabeths!!

Shaun - Watching Grahams reaction to someone not putting a sticker in straight - scary!

Jimbo – Inadvertently Getting caught fare evading on first day in Budapest

Graham - Walking through the town centre as the only Austrian in the biggest crowd of Croats ever witnessed

17, BEST SHOWER

John - Budapest baths

Stevie - meningers Hostel

Shaun - Meningers

Jimbo – Shower in kitchen in Elizabeth’s – showering and cooking at the same time – genius!!

Graham - Elisabeth`s shower in the kitchen combo, its brings a new meaning to the phrase `Wash your hands before lunch` 

18. BIG QUESTION – JIMBO TOUR’s 07 or 08??? 

John - 08 - I`m all in for generator 09!

Stevie - 08

Shaun - 2008 - Lets have it in 2009... see you at the Generator in Kings Cross in 12 months!  Bang!

Jimbo – 2008 – bring on 2009!!

Graham - Not Applicable

WE`RE BACK - AND THIS TIME IS PERSONAL!!

Its that time of year again  - time to organise the tour of Europe 2009.

There are a few things we need to organise (such as where we`re going). As always Jimbotours is a democracry so the schedule is set out by the members of Jimbotours. To assist in this can all people emailed post on the message board of this site the answers to the following questions by midnight Friday 13th March 2009 (mine is there already):

1. Are you up for it?

Johhny - Standard

2. one week or two?

Johnny - one

3. It has already been decided that on the first night we will be staying in the Generator Hostel in Kings Cross. This will be a Friday. what day do we start this years` tour?

Johnny - Happy with a Friday

4. Last year we managed 4 countries - how many do we commit to this year?

Johnny - I reckon we could make 3 cities as well as London

5. Name 2 cities we should visit?

Johnny - 2 ideas. 1 - Keeping it East(ish) - Riga, Talin, Helsinki or 2. - Going West - France, Lux, Amsterdam

6. give a brief plan of your 2009 tour?

Johnny - As we`ve historically mixed up the modes of transport, my Eastish option would involve flying to Riga, train to Talin, Ferry to Helsinki and fly home.  The second option would include posh packing Eurostar to France, Train through to Luxembourg (or maybe Dortmund), train to Amsterdam and ferry home.

7. what drinking game should replace the famous 2008 sticker book?

Johnny - tbc

8. what 1 item should be banned?

Johnny - Shoes

9. what 1 item should all attendees bring with them?

Johnny - towel

10. should there be a mystery city? -

Johnny - potentially.  How about a mystery guest

Look forward to your responses - then we can book flights and the generator.

East

Alright Lads all the nominations are in for this years tour. Theres some intresting ideas on their.

We do however have conflicts on dates. Can you all please post your top 3 fridays between may and august for when we should start at the generator. eg:

1. Friday 15th May

2. Friday 19th June

3. Friday 10th July.

Please put these up on the message board by end of Tuesday as we can then get the plan sorted by the end of this week and start booking flights.

EAST

.....WILL BE REVEALED AT A SECRET LONDON LOCATION AT 8:30PM ON FRIDAY 30TH MAY. ALL JIMBOTOUR ATTENDEE`S TO BE PRESENT.

EAST

good title heh??

So we arrived in Helsinki. The weather is good. We`re staying in a hostel which is actually in the Olympic stadium where the 1952 games were held. We haven`t done any 100 metre naked runs yet but the girl at reception who met me on the way to the shower reckons I could do the pole vault all by myself!!

Anyway...we haven` t seen much of the city as when we arrived ahd to go straight to watch the fottball in a Chelsea pub, full of chelsea supporters and chelsea scarfes and chelsea flags..... so yeah it was full of pikies - Shaun loved it! Met a few weird chelsea fans in there and we had to escape before they showed us any more tattoo`s.

Then we went on a big of a pub crawl, played pool, drunk more, and went home to bed. Was a good night.

Its amazing over here as the sun didn`t go down till 11pm last night so was light till about mid-night then the sun comes up again at 3am. Mad

Will stick some photos up asap...speak soon.

Jimbo - East