PSYCHICS

Are another topic, whom present us with an extremely controversial opinions, which I feel strongly about.

Okay so, I'm going to share some stories with you all...again, a nice little break from travel posts, right?

The first time I visited a psychic was about 12 years ago when I was about 6 years old. Crazy, right? Well, my dad was doing a website for this one psychic woman who was well known in my state. So, we drove about 4 hours to her house so my dad could talk to her and set up what she wanted for the website. She asked me if I wanted a free reading...again, I was 6 years old at the time and had a vague idea what she did for a living and from what I had heard, psychics were cool!

Before I get into more detail, I want to say that when I was younger, I had very, extremely vivid dreams, that were repetitive, of events that happened anywhere from 200-700 years prior. I have never learned about these time periods in school and what existed/what was typical of these time periods so these dreams were incredible because looking back, they composed of everything those time periods were known for (again, I had no previous knowledge so to be dreaming of this was unexplainable).

I remember this experience (visiting the psychic) as one of my few lasting childhood memories. Anyways, it started by her asking me to turn over my hands so that my palms would face her. Over the next 30 minutes she told me a variety of things. From what I remember, she told me I would be working in the arts/writing career one day. I remember that I wanted to be a vet or children's doctor of some sort at the time so I was in denial. Plus, I hated the way I drew, painted and wrote so I was pretty confused. She told me I would have 3 children and marry the love of my life. I would face more hardships in coming years and there was to be a significant amount of change in my life. The rest, I unfortunately do not remember, but in the end I asked her about my dreams. I remember her being so surprised and amazed that I could explain such detailed, vivid dreams. She explained to me in the simplest way and in a way that would not freak me out that "my spirit" lived in numerous time periods, one in the 1700s where I was a young entertainer in large events another in the era of King Arthur and I was one of his assistants so-to-speak.

Now, get ready for the freaky part...my dad and her kept in contact for the next several years when one day they were talking and she told him she had a strong feeling she was going to pass soon. Of course my dad was confused and just let things go. Well, about a week later, he got another phone call. This time, it was a friend of the psychic informing my dad that she was found passed away in her bed due to heart failure or some complication of that sort. Mind-blowing, right? Sounds like it's one of those fake stories but I promise you this happened.

Fast forward to present day and what she has predicted in terms of hardships and change could not have been more accurate. I am also now pursuing a career in writing after a certain hardship. So, is it a coincidence or did she see my near future and accurately predict it?

There's another story, well two more that I will briefly sum up.
About 5 years ago, I went to another psychic. My dad had tried numerous psychics over the years but never really felt it was as legitimate as the first...until he finally met one...in the middle of a mall. In the last place you would expect it right? He said he was walking by and the woman summoned him over. He sat down and she began telling him his entire life story over the next hour and she predicted his future. Every exact thing she has told him, has happened since then. I am not even joking. He has gone to her over the last few years and the most recent visit about 2 years ago, she told him that someone who has been in his life for about 20 years will reconnect with him and they will get married. My dad laughed out loud and denied that would ever happen (my dad was very set on being alone the rest of his life). Well, a little over a year ago, he told me he had a girlfriend and they were most likely going to get married. I said, "Dad, you barely know this woman...what are you talking about?" He said, "No, Shelli, I've known her for 17 years, I had feelings for her way back when but it was very subtle and now we just recently reconnected, she emailed me, and we've been dating for several months." My mind went back to when my dad came home that night from the psychic and told me about what had been predicted (at the time, he was newly divorced and the very suggestion was so far-fetched).

However, that was my dad's story with her...my experience with her is scary accurate as well. The first time I went to THIS psychic was when I was first starting high-school. I still did not have any idea what I wanted to do with my life but I was set on going to college somewhere on the west coast. When I sat down, she turned over my palms and read them aloud. She said that hardship and change is yet to come, I will experience a lot in the next few years (as said above, shortly after this is when many changes and hardships began happening to me). She told me I would be attending school somewhere far away from home and would meet the love of my life when I was 18 years old. She said I would have 3 children, a career in the arts/writing, I would be well-off, travel often and be married only once. I would have a better life after leaving for college and I would live a very long life without any disease or sickness. Phew, relief. I was petrified that she would give me some earth-shattering news about my future. At the end, she emphasized most of this would happen IF I kept on the "same path" and that my future would change IF I made any "life-changing decisions." Whatever that meant, I thought at the time. I was content and thought, "Damn, I meet the love of my life in 4 years...better start getting ready!"

Now, for the grand finale. If you have been reading from the start, you know that my decision, my "life-changing" decision, to move to Prague was very spontaneous and was one of my wake-up-in-the-morning-revelations. My entire life changed in a matter of seconds after waking up one morning and deciding to move to Europe and start fresh. It was only a year or two before that I discovered my life passion for writing and traveling. So, towards the very end of my senior year of high-school, I told my friends that we were going to go visit this psychic. They heard the stories previous so they were either excited to get their futures told or extremely scared. When we got there, I asked the woman for a palm reading, she didn't even look up (I looked very, very, very different, so even if she did look up there would be no way of recognizing me and she did not have my name or any contact info). I put down my $10 bill and turned my palms over. She told me my entire life story, a story that about only 4 people on this Earth know and is so very complicated and complex that no one, I mean no one, could ever in a million years just guess by looking at me. My jaw dropped but I remembered that it's best not to show emotion. After she told me my life story, she looked up and asked me if it was true. I nodded, hiding the amazement in my eyes. She then sighed and I thought, "Jesus Christ what is it". She said, "I see you have been treated poorly by men in your life, you let them treat you this way and I don't like that, I see who you are. Kind, giving, nurturing, warm, you do not deserve this treatment. Please do not let this continue." Again, I was mind-blown. How did she know about my personal relationships? She then said that aside from that I had a good future and she proceeded to tell me, rather give me a guide line as to what is in store. She said, "I see big, very big travel plans and a big move is coming up very soon. Am I right?" Amazed, I nodded, numb to my astonished emotions. She went on, "You will feel refreshed and happier than you have in years when you finally move. You need this move. You deserve this move. I see good things coming from this move. You spontaneously decided this." True, so very true. She went on to tell me that at about 28 years old, I would meet the love of my life (a tall, dark haired, tan skinned, green eyed human god...okay, not human god but you get it, attractive, caring man) who I would stay with for the rest of my life. She said I would make more money than him (woo-hoo) which will at first cause some issues but overall we would have a happy, successful marriage. I would have 3 kids (I want to have about 4 of my own and adopt) so I interjected and asked about any adoption. She said, "I see you want to but in the end you will not end up adopting." I was bummed out, but I mean that doesn't mean I won't adopt a child still. She told me that the next 10 years of my life will be spent working hard for my future career in writing and spent traveling the world, hopping from place to place often so she couldn't see a specific place where I settled down, it was "unclear due to frequent travels." After settling down, she said she saw me on TV, hosting/anchoring for a show (I am not so good with public speaking), I was surprised by this but pleased nonetheless. She finished by saying that money would not be a worry, I would love my career and be fulfilling my dreams, no disease or sickness was visible in myself or my family and that I would live a very long, healthy and happy (after moving) life.

My friends then got their palms read and had the same reaction: mind-blown. Each of our futures were very different and our life stories vary drastically so to pinpoint 5 different people's life stories and futures in a matter of minutes is just unexplainable if she were a fake. This emphasized my belief in this specific psychic.

So, will all of this happen? Who knows, I mean, I sure hope so! What she has predicted SO FAR has been spot on, without a doubt correct and she told me my life story which makes me believe that there ARE real psychics out there, her being one of the very few. Granted, there are MANY fake ones who will tell you any random thing but I believe if you take the time (several years and numerous test sessions with other psychics, like my dad) you CAN find a legit one, especially in the most unlikely of places. Seriously, who would ever think that a legit psychic would be sitting under an umbrella in a mall? No one. Maybe that's her secret though...

Part I: Baaaa Daaaa Boooooom....BERLIN!

FINALLY! The long awaited, much anticipated...I hope...post about the Berlin, Germany girl's weekend trip a few weeks ago. 

With almost no sleep and a 6:00 (AM) alarm clock buzzing right next to my face, my room-mate/best friend and I met our other friend at the metro station to trudge our half asleep selves to the bus station where we would meet our other friend. At 7:00 sharp, sitting in the sweaty hot waiting area, we boarded the Student Agency bus to Berlin, Germany! 

I was so excited because I had never been to Germany for more than just a few hours in the smoke-filled airport. Well, I take that back. I was actually born in Germany and I lived there when I was a baby but of course I don't remember it whatsoever. Since we didn't make it to Munich for Oktoberfest last semester, we decided we needed to go to Germany sometime shortly before uni started second semester. Attempting to sleep on a bus though...yeah, not so good. I stuck to watching movies and listening to the surprisingly great playlist the Student Agency bus had to offer. If you ever travel within Europe, Student Agency is one of the best travel options if you want to go via bus. Super comfortable, great service, the tea is delicious and best of all, it's one of the cheapest- if not the cheapest- option for traveling around Europe. Yeah, it might take a little longer than a plane but you will save quite a bit of money!

Love my ladies- doing the whole Berlin tourist thing.

Our first curry-wurst...was the tits.

My girls are such babes...before the 'American coffee' break in McDonald's...yeah, McDonald's in Germany, we were ashamed. 

THEY HAD DUNKIN DONUTS!!!!!!!! Most importantly, they had DD iced coffee :))

Trying to find the Checkpoint Charlie Museum after a day of Urban Outfitters, curry-wurst and Dunkin Donuts!

The happy Swede!

And the happy Norwegian!

One of my favorite pictures from the fall of the Berlin Wall-in the Checkpoint Charlie Museum

The view after seeing the naked man in the woods...yes, the naked man.

My favorite blonde are the silliest.

Love from Berlin!

People thought I was a land-mark, so they took pictures too. 

Berlinale Red Carpet!

Beautiful Berlin Dom in the late afternoon.

I ass-planted in the snow right after this picture was taken- the big tour group was laughing at me...HA!

Fully appreciating my land of birth.

Exploring the university campus surroundings before the flea market.

We got to Berlin around noon-ish on a Friday and the girls were eager to head to Urban Outfitters since they don't have one here in Prague. Before doing that, we headed over to the hotel after broken ticket machines, not enough euros and getting really lost on the metro. In the midst of all that shenanigans...my suitcase wheels broke off. I can't carry heavy things due to a back/neck injury so I had to drag it along in the snow with it scraping the sidewalk the entire way. We get to the hotel finally and discover it's sort of like one of those horror movie hotels but has a sort of quaintness to it. The elevator didn't work or maybe it just didn't support all of our weight...eh....so we ran up the stairs and into our room. Cute and cozy with the highest ceilings I have ever seen and the smallest TV screen. But Berlin isn't about the TV in the hotel room, right? We went out to explore and try our first curry-wursts of the trip after freshening up in the hotel room. 

On the way, I discovered a...DUNKIN DONUTS!! I screamed like a little girl in a candy shop who was just told she could buy anything and everything she wanted. Back in the states, I lived off DD iced coffees. I ran inside and got myself one. Okay, it didn't taste as great but still satisfied the long overdue craving. We then walked up the long, and I mean LONG shopping street in Berlin with all the expensive shops and boutiques. Finally, after a 20 minute walk with alternating sun shining in our faces and clouds over our heads, we ended up at Urban Outfitters- the best part was the fact they had free WiFi. Afterwards, we experienced the magic of our first curry-wurst. I'm all for trying new foods and weird looking foods but this one had me questioning whether or not it would be worth it. I closed my eyes and took a bite and was so surprised at the different tastes in my mouth. When you go to Berlin, the stands are okay but the best one was called Curry36. 

Some more exploring, getting lost and oogling over the gorgeous German boys...again, I was surprised...we headed over to the Turkish area of Berlin and got ourselves a proper Turkish dinner. Hands down, the BEST rice pudding I have ever tasted in my life. As I always say, "sex in my mouth". Sorry for the little ones who could possibly be reading this- just bleep that out. The food was pretty good too even though we were rushed out seeing as the line was forming outside the door. Exhausted from walking around the city all the day and, of course, traveling all morning, we decided our big night out would be Saturday. So, we walked the day's worth of curry-wurst off back to the hotel and slept like babies in the big, fluffy white beds, dreaming of the hotel breakfast awaiting us in the morning. 

Aaaaand tomorrow Part II will be posted. Have a lovely Tuesday- my day will be spent sleeping, doing some homework and eating Nutella and strawberries...it's healthy...ish.

Travel on wanderlusters!

Post-Valentines Day and BOOBS

Ciao ciao ciao wanderlusters!

I know I promised a post about my adventures in Berlin, Germany last weekend and don't worry there will be one coming! This week has been packed with university, homework, going to the gym, getting some sleep and just as of today, a new job! I went for a second interview this morning and ended up staying for my first day of training and then getting the job! It was a lovely day. I now work for a communications firm here in Prague that is a British based company so I get to work with some pretty cool and diverse people.

After only my first few hours on the job, I love the company, the office and the fantastic people I work with. I cannot wait to actually start next week! With an internship, a new job, university, new dedication to the gym, a social life, writing for various websites, blogging, traveling and sleeping, I am about to the world's busiest college student! But I love to be busy so it's okay.

How was everyone's Valentines Day from around the world? I went to a wonderful cafe/restaurant called The Globe, if any of you are ever in Prague, I most definitely recommend it. It is an English restaurant with most of the staff either being British or American and the atmosphere is great. Really relaxed and the food is delicious for great prices. They also have phenomenal apple pie with ice-cream, a definite must get when going there. If you are into goat cheese salads, that's what I ate last night and it was hands-down of the best I've ever eaten. Can't wait to go back! The Happy Hour there is also fantastic, really cheap for cocktails (49-99 crowns, which is $2-$5 USD). I treated myself to a Sex on the Beach and a White Russian, yummmm.

Two of my blonde Valentines! Princess Di and the future ambassador of Norway/France/the world!

What did you and your significant other do? Or if you are single what did you and your friends do?! I love to hear these stories! Valentines Day is actually called Friends and Love Day in Spanish which I think is perfect because it's a day that's meant to be spent happy and grateful for the love that surrounds you, not for feeling pitiful and sad that you are not romantically involved with someone.

Tonight, the girls and I are headed to an art exhibition called BOOBS. Yes, it is art about all different types of boobs, so we will see what surprises are there.

Travel on wanderlusters and happy Friday!

A Roman Recap

Good-morning wanderlusters! I barely got any sleep last night...must be because I am so excited for uni to start again today! Please know that was completely sarcastic, haha. So, I decided to get up early, make some egg, onion, cheese, tomato and seasoned concoction of a breakfast with a big cup of green tea and some Swedish House Mafia to get me going. I don't want to jinx it but it looks like it might actually be a nice, sunny day here in Prague! I'm kind of tired of being a vampire in my dark cave of a apartment, you know? Bring on the sun! My last morning in Rome was so beautiful, I got to drive by the Colosseum with the sun rising behind it and see the St. Peter's Basilica since we didn't make it out there on Sunday afternoon. The Pantheon and Vatican will have to be for next time!

Now is the perfect time to write about my week long trip to Rome, Italy. In one word, it was superfantasbulousmazing. I took the airline Wizzair from Prague to Rome in the morning. I'll just be honest and say I was not at all impressed with this airline. Granted, I should have read some more reviews before I bought the cheapest ticket I saw, the ticket I bought back in October was about $60 (USD) but if I were to buy a ticket after October, the price would have gone up to about $180-$200 (USD) and I would have absolutely not paid that price now that I know the airline. First, they changed my flight randomly about 5 times; they changed the dates and times, forcing me to stay longer. Yes, I'm glad in the end but what if someone was on a time-crunch or had work or school and could not stay that long? An airline should not be just allowed to do, trapping their customers or forcing them to pay a ridiculous fee for cancelling the booking. Wizzair seemed pretty reliable and desperate with their additional fees. Next, they suggested being at the airport anywhere from 3-4 hours early because sometimes they decide to leave earlier than printed on the ticket. I get being there about 2 hours early so you can comfortably do the check-in, go through security, find your gate and etc, but since when is it normal that an airline who has already changed your booking up to 5 times can change the time on the day, without any notice, leave earlier than printed?! My flight, thankfully, left as printed on the ticket but from reviews I read, there were some pretty pissed off customers. Another thing, to take any bag larger than a standard tote bag or backpack, you had to pay 10 euros, it doesn't sound much at the time but when you calculate that into your week in Rome and then 10 euros for the trip back, it quickly adds up. So I had to pack lightly in a backpack, and it seems like a majority of the passengers were forced to do the same. If you are hungry or thirsty on Wizzair, be prepared to whip out your wallets because even water is NOT free. I got some dirt tasting coffee with one sugar, they seemed to be angry that I wanted more than one packet of sugar, for 2.50 euros. I'm sorry but some of the delicious pizza and gelato I got in Rome was 2.50 or less! Insanity. The flight itself was fine on the way there. On the way back was a different story. I get squirmish on the plane if there is turbulence or if it feels weird taking off, which happened on the way back almost inducing a very premature heart attack. We took off and for about 15 minutes it actually felt like the plane might just fall out of the sky and crash, the pilot was turning and doing all sort of readjusting, almost like it was only his 2nd or 3rd time driving a plane. People were being loud and obnoxious, it resembled an American frat party with the guys hooting and hollering and just being overall disrespectful to everyone else and especially the cabin crew. Yes, it's their fault but it tends to oversee the quality of the airline. When still in Rome, the plane was late causing customers to be angry and rant in Italian or Czech and one of the check-in employees started to get attitudes with a calm woman who simply asked a question, this causing everyone in line (about 100 people) to stare with jaws dropped. All in all, if you have any other options than Wizzair, take them. If Wizzair was not the worst airline I have ever flown, it was most definitely a runner-up.

Other than the airline, Rome was full of sun and semi-warm weather, great food and great company. I slept on a small IKEA couch for the week at my friends house so I was so happy to come home to a nice, big, blanket and pillow filled bed but it was all an experience. I experienced some great nightlife, delicious food, those "crazy Italian men", Vespas whisping past you, all the extravagant and ancient buildings and architecture and just a week in the life of an average Italian. Pretty cool stuff, pretty cool stuff. Definitely an experience I will love to share with others in the future. I had an almost scary incident with a taxi when I first arrived though...it all started outside in the rain and clothes that were all too thin for cold rain. My friend was going to come to the Termini Station to pick me up and so I waited and waited and waited then decided enough was enough and I would go inside to get some WiFi and see what was happening with her. Turned on my phone...welp at the future phone bill...and she tol me to take a taxi and she would pay for it..fair enough. So, I power-walk outside to the taxi line waiting behind a massive family, all of them frantically speaking Italian and throwing their hands up in the air. First taxi guy says he has no idea where my destination is and speeds off, then a man, who was standing with the other taxi drivers waiting for their next victim, and he told me "come with me, special price 30 euros". SWEET! I accepted and we begin to walk away...away from the other taxis in the taxi line that is. Hmm, strange...? I got this weird feeling in my stomach as we inched farther and farther away from the taxi line and began to think, "where on Earth is this Italian taking me?!" We are walking and he keeps looking back and giving me a stereotypical creepy smile. RED ALERT, RED ALERT, I thought in my head. So, finally, we get to this back alley-type of parking lot...where is station wagon is parked and there is no meter in his car, aka it is a fake taxi. Immediately, I thought of that crazy movie Taken and thought "well this is about to be Taken 3, no way am I doing that!" Before even getting close to the passenger door I told him I wanted normal taxi and he insisted on "good price, good price", told him "no, sorry" with a trying to remain calm but internally freaking out smile plastered on my face and with that he crumpled up the paper with the address on it, threw it at me and I quickly walked away and back to the taxi line. I ended up paying 60 euros for a taxi, which is RIDICULOUS but my friend paid me back so it was okay. Pretty much the most "exciting" thing to happen other than exploring, eating good food and you know, everything I wrote above.

Rome is definitely one of my new favorite cities and I will be returning in the very near future. I recommend it and suggest you spend about 4-8 days there to get the full effect of an "Italian lifestyle".


Travel on wanderlusters!

P.S. I find out about Australia either today or tomorrow...SO EXCITED! Fingers crossed x2!
P.S.S. If you want to follow my travels and daily adventures on Instagram, my account is:  shelleahlenka