#28 My last days in Spain

Hi again, I'm staying in a hostel in a single room which is very nice. I can turn on the computer whenever I want and type away so I thought I better bring you all up-to-date. I just bought a ticket for tonight to see Carmen, performed by the Ballet Flamenco de Madrid. I am really excited. It's at 8:30 and it is right down the street from my hostel so at 10:30 I can just walk home, no problem. And there won't be a problem with the language, I know the story and I'm just going for the dancing anyway. I'll let you know how it is. This will be the third time I'm seeing Flamenco since I arrived in Spain. I booked my flight out of Athens this afternoon. So now I am flying out of Madrid to Athens on 8/28, Tuesday, and then on to Istanbul on September 4th, giving myself exactly one week to enjoy Greece. I am going to book my flight to India for around the middle of September, giving myself at least 21 days advance purchase as it costs more if it's less than 21 days. $75 penalty to be exact - Ouch! I bought a train ticket this afternoon for Toledo and have already booked a hostel for 3 days there. It should be nice. I am going to share the room with 3 other women (girls?) but I return to Madrid, this same hostel(and a private room)for my last two days in Spain. I am going to just take my backpack with me when I go to Toledo and leave my suitcase here to make it easy on myself. This morning on my way to the train station I stumbled on the "little India" area of Madrid. Restaurant after restaurant of Indian food so I am going to have a really good vegetarian dinner tonight before the show. I'm going to sign off now so I can pack and be ready for my trip tomorrow. I am still amazed at the ability I have to do what I want, when I want, with no responsibility. I also amaze myself at how I determine what to spend my money on! I will pinch pennies on some things, and then throw money away on other things. When I went to Barcelona I left my backpack with lots of things I didn't need for a week in a locked storage box at the bus station that cost 3.50 Euros a day. By time I got back that cost $35.00. But it was worth not having to carry all that stuff with me to Barcelona and back. The suitcase I am leaving here at the hostel is only going to cost me 2 Euros a day, a lot less for a much bigger piece of luggage. The problem is there are stairs sometimes and even with the wheels on my suitcase, it is heavy and difficult for me getting it up and down stairs. I want you to know I think of you all a lot. What a wonderful life I have lead to have made friends with all of you (and some of you are just stuck with me as a relative!). Love, Marie