Wales was a bit of a "I don't even have balls and they ache" kind of ballache, but we also loved it!

I didn't intend on including much about Wales because our time here was meant to be relaxing, which is pretty dull to write about, filled with a few adrenaline jerking activities at Zip World, a Christmas present from Dad. However, our perfect navigation around Europe took a turn for the worse, ironically, as soon as we entered the U.K and I found that there was a lot more to say about our activities than originally thought, so here goes.

The drama started during dinner on our first evening in Llanberis when I received an email informing us of planned strikes on Mersey rail trains on our intended day of travel, great. To cut a long story short, this essentially meant that our entire trip home was ruined. After trawling through various options and getting nowhere near a solution, we asked at reception if they could tell us where the closest station is so we could speak to a human. Bangor. An hour bus ride up the road that our skint selves couldn't afford. Yes, apparently trains in Wales are not a thing unless they're a tourist attraction like getting up Mount Snowdon or something.

We laughed (else we'd cry) and threw out our next question about how we could easily get to the site of the zip wire activity we'd booked for the following day. You'd think, it being the largest zip wire in Europe, that it'd be a pretty big feature within Wales but again, apparently not. The guy had no idea and so we checked the easiest route on trusty Google Maps which gave us a 2 hour journey which would take only 22 minutes to drive - where was our car/ private jet when you need one, or just an unlimited supply of cash?

Still nowhere closer to any answers, I decided a shower would lighten the mood and warm me up. Besides, how could having a shower possibly go wrong? Well allow me to tell you a little secret, it can. I was enjoying the warmth despite the power lacking, but then got out to grab my towel designed to dry things, to find it was dripping wet and that we had a leaking shower. Agitated and completely done with this day, I lost myself in my novel before falling asleep.

No answers regarding our trip home had been found the following morning despite our lovely Mum ringing pretty much every train company in the U.K while we navigated our way to Velocity, the fastest Zip Wire in the world and the longest in Europe. Thanks to a very friendly and efficient lady on the bus, we arrived at our destination 2 hrs early so we sat in anticipation, gradually getting more nervous as we watched people fly down the mountain attached to a rather thin looking wire. Eek.

It's OK, after we were all kitted up we had a test run to 'build our confidence'. Yes, this zip wire was only 500 metres long and would take just under 30 seconds to complete. Not scary at all. 'This is a lie,' you think to yourself as you hang there from the wire you're attached to looking down at the tiny people on the ground who are ready to catch you. Towards the end of the wire you feel as though something has gone drastically mechanically wrong and that there's no way you'll stop in time before crashing into the pile of slate forming the quarry behind. Somehow, you come to a speedy halt and feel proud to have completed it, suddenly looking way high up to your right and remembering that that was only a test run.

If your fear hadn't already reached a high, you then meet your driver who will take you up to that great height in an old army truck. He happily informs you that Velocity, which you're about to launch down, is over 3 times as long as the one you've just completed and takes you only 10 seconds longer to complete. Yeah, you're maths is correct. You travel over a mile in about 55 seconds. To really get your adrenaline going, he adds that he'll be driving at around 10 miles per hour to get you all up to the start and you'll be travelling back down in excess of 100.

As you ascend the tracks taking in the views and thinking this could well be the last thing you do, you pass under the wire dropping almost vertically below you with people flying past - you know, just in case you didn't know for certain quite how fast 100mph is.

However, we made it! You reach terminal velocity after the massive drop (when you really know you're speeding down) and everything feels as though it slows down and you can (kind of) take in the gorgeous view over the lake and beyond. Despite the fear, and the fear is real, Velocity is most definitely worth it.

The buzz was great afterwards and calmed us regarding the train scenario. That was until we dealt with more inadequate customer service people and spent another afternoon on hold listening to 'Moana' on repeat. It was at this point where the quote in the title of this post comes in. We were done with customer service, done with Train line and done with the same old music when on hold. Everybody was passing the blame onto someone else and we were fed up with going round in circles and just wanted to know that the dreams we'd been having of our warm shower and John Lewis mattress' would become real in the not too distant future. So, I rang Train line once again. Finally, we got through to a proper human who solved all our issues and gave us a direct train home - result! Feeling relieved and accomplished, we headed back and enjoyed a takeaway ready for the Caverns the following day.

We were woken to the sound of a lady in our room blow drying her hair at 5:45AM (who even does that?!) so needn't have set our alarm for the early rise to catch the bus to the Caverns. The Caverns were essentially Go Ape underground, with a greater drop and in total darkness so often you couldn't see the wire to attach your clipper to whilst standing on a miniscule piece of slippery slate, legs shaking and face planting the wall. Nice. Just don't look down! Though petrified and adamant from the start that we would avoid the extension at all costs, we did have a very enjoyable few hours underground.

Then came our bus ride home with a direct replica of Smithy from the TV show Gavin and Stacey, a perfect representation of how I imagined Wales to be. The three ladies we'd been chatting to (the same ones who helped us with our bus pass the day before) warned us to hold on tight and be ready for the entertainment. We whizzed off, the driver beeping at everyone, shouting random things in Welsh which were clearly hilarious but we didn't understand a word and being a general lunatic. It was the funniest thing and a perfect way to end our stay. Now, home sweet home.

I am aware that the beginning of this post is filled with negativity so I just wanted to remind you all that we've had the most fantastic trip around Europe and would recommend Interrailing any day. It gives you a glimpse into so many different and wonderful places so that you can learn a bit about each and revisit your favourite ones in the future to find out more. There is no way you can see everything in just a few days but the sneak preview that you get is the perfect insight and helps you decide which ones are worth seeing again. That said though, it is still amazing how much you can do and see in such a short amount of time. Looking back each week throughout our journey and realising what we'd done was incredible and always shocking.

So, ignore my moans and groans along the way, they make for comedic writing and you'll always have times when things go wrong wherever you go, but if you're considering doing something like this then don't hesitate - go. It'll be one of the best things you ever do, I promise. I know it certainly was for me - the memories and lessons will last a lifetime.

Things I learnt from Interrailing:
-tourists are shameless with selfies
-I'm not enthusiastic enough 24/7 to be American
-I don't look so bad with natural, messy hair and no makeup
-life doesn't begin in Europe until midday at least
-me and my sister are completely on the same wavelength far too often
-our tolerance of people is low
-it's not so much the physical travelling but rather the conversations that you get involved with and the time you have to reflect that makes you learn and grow
-there are dodgy people/ places everywhere you go, as well as lovely people/ places everywhere you go
-in a dangerous world it's reassuring to know that we can still travel around happily and feeling safe, enjoying different countries and cultures (hats off to services)