What I did:
​Gondola Ride-
​One of the most famous and popular things to do while is Venice is to go on a Gondola ride.  The rides are priced by boat, so I would suggest finding a group to go with to save money.

Explored Venice by foot-
Venice can be a very charming city to walk through.  However, it can be frustrating if you have anywhere specific in mind that you want to visit.  The winding roads may be shut down, causing long detours.  Venice is a city that is best wandered through with little to no agenda and plenty on contingency time built in.

Church of San Giorgio Maggiore-
The Church of San Giorgio Maggiore is a beautiful building.  If you go up the bell tower you will be rewarded with some amazing views of Venice.

St. Mark's Square-
St. Mark's Square is one of the most popular squares in Vencie.  It also features the Basilica di San Marco.  It is a nice place to walk through, but there are many tourist traps in the surrounding area.

Where I ate and drank:
​6432 A Le Tole Spaghetteria and Pizzeria-
A Le Tole is a nice (and relatively well priced) pizza and pasta place.  Also, it is only about a ten minute walk from St. Mark's Square.  The "cavalli" pizza I had there was very good.

​Dal Moro's Fresh Pasta to Go-
Dal Moro's was recommended to me by the hostel I was staying in.  It is a cheap, highly rated, pasta to go place.  You can choose your combination (like a pasta version of Chipotle/Moe's/Subway) and take your pasta with you as you wander the streets of Venice.

Trattoria & Pizzeria Do Mori-
Trattoria & Pizzeria Do Mori is located on the Venetian Island of Guidecca, so it was a nice ten minute walk along the waterfront from my hostel.  I had the black (nero) pasta, which is made with squid ink.  It was tasty and I had some very nice waterfront views.

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Where I stayed:
​Generator Hostel Venice-
​Venice is one of the most expensive cities I have stayed in.  Especially in the summer months you will be hard pressed to find a good budget option.  Generator Hostels has a location on the island of Guidecca, which connects by ferry boat to the other Ventian Islands.  It cost me more than I would typically pay for a hostel, and it was slightly inconvenient to access the other islands, but it has good facilities and overall was a nice place to stay while in Venice.

How I got around:
I got to Venice via train from Florence.  Once in Venice ​I used ferry boats to travel between islands, and I walked to get around while I was on each island.  As previously mentioned, I also took a gondola ride, but that was more for the ride itself than for getting from place to place.

My favorite thing:
Venice can be a very charming city to wander through with its maze of old streets.

My least favorite thing:
Venice can get extremely crowded by tourists, and it is one of the most expensive cities I have been to.  If you want to go anywhere specific, it can be a pain to get there.  You will likely need to wait for the correct boat, then start walking to your destination, adjust due to road blockages, walk back and around, and finally (hopefully) arrive at your destination.  Also, although it a city of islands with an abundance of coastline, there is a severe lack of beaches.

For next time:
​Next time I would like to go into Venice without any sort of itinerary or destination in mind and just wander the streets of the city.

What I did:
Acropolis and Parthenon-
​I visited the Acropolis and surrounding area including the Parthenon.  It is an area steeped in history, and it also provides great views of the surrounding area.

Acropolis Museum-
The Acropolis Museum is a very nice place to visit for anyone interested in Greek or world history.  It provides background on the Acropolis and Parthenon, and contains a number of interesting displays.

Free Walking Tour-
As I have mentioned before, free walking tours are a great way to see a city.  I went on a tour led by Pluto, who, in addition to showing us around the city, also offered us some free snacks and drinks along the way.

Panathenaic Stadium-
The Panathenaic Stadium is one of the most famous stadiums in the world.  It is worth a visit when in Athens.  The entrance fee is relatively inexpensive, and audio tour guides are offered and provide context and information about the iconic stadium.

Monastiraki-
Monastiraki is an area with a variety of shops and cafes.  It is a cool area to walk through, and some good deals can be found on a variety of things.

Central Market-
​The Central Market in Athens has a wide variety of foods and trinkets for sale.  Most of the food for sale is not sold ready to eat, but there are numerous restaurants near the market also.
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Syntagma Square-
The Syntagma Square was a cool place to walk around while I was there.  At night I watched a break dancing competition, and also watched the changing of the guard in front of the parliament building which was...unique and interesting.  This square was also featured in the latest Jason Bourne movie.

Where I ate and drank:
​Athinaikon Restaurant-
Athinaikon Restaurant was a nice restaurant a short walk from Syntagma Square.  Their food was good, and their service was excellent.

Mokka Specialty Coffee-
Mokka Specialty Coffee serves Greek coffee in the traditional style.  They grind the coffee into a fine powder, then heat it in a pot in hot sand.  The coffee is served without filtering the grounds.  Because the coffee beans are finely ground, they create a mud-like substance at the bottom of the cup.  After drinking the rest of the coffee, some people believe they can read futures by pouring out the grounds and deciphering them.

Fresko Yogurt Bar-
Fresko Yogurt Bar offered traditional greek yogurt with options of traditional or nontraditional greek toppings.  It was very good, and I would recommend stopping by when in Athens.

TsiknaBoom-
TsiknaBoom is a great, local, authentic restaurant for very good prices.  It is definitely worth a stop when in Athens.

Bet Cafe-
Bet Cafe was a decent place to grab a bite to eat.  It wasn't spectacular, but also wasn't particularly expensive either.

Where I stayed:
City Circus Athens-
​City Circus was a great place to stay in Athens.  They offered a free glass of wine at their bar downstairs, and offered a relatively inexpensive laundry service.  The staff was very nice, and everything was very clean.

Athens Backpackers-
​Athens Backpackers was also a great place to stay in Athens.  Their rooftop bar is a great place to catch a sunset and socialized with fellow travelers.

How I got around:
I took the ​KTEL bus from the station in Patras to arrive in Athens. Once in Athens I used the metro system a few times, but I walked most of the time so I could see more of the city.

My favorite thing:
Athens had many things to offer.  They obviously have a heavy dose of interesting history, and they also have a nice mix of the "new city."  Also, I was surprised by the high quality of beer I found in Greece.  Additionally, the prices of things such as food (which I thoroughly enjoyed) are relatively inexpensive when compared to other major European cities.
 
My least favorite thing:
Athens may not be what some people expect.  There is graffiti scattered throughout the city, and it has a bit of an edge to it.  It does not offer many of the things that other major European cities such as Rome, Barcelona, and London offer, and it has a smaller city feel.  However, I think this adds to the charm of the city.

For next time:
Next time I would like to check out Cinque Wine Bar, as I have heard many good things about it.

What I did:
​Southernmost Point-
The southern tip of Key West has a bouy that marks the southernmost point in the continental United States. The bouy was constructed in 1983, and is only approximately 90 miles from the coast of Cuba.  However, while the bouy is celebrated as the southernmost point, a privately owned island southwest of Key West known as Ballast Key is actually the southernmost point in the United States.
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Duval Street-
Duval Street is one of the main and most popular streets in the Florida Keys.  There are numerous shops and restuarants on the street and was frequented by Harry Truman and Ernest Hemingway. It is worth taking a stroll down at any time of year, but this is also where many parades go for the different holidays and festivals in Key West.

The Overseas Highway-
The Overseas Highway is used to travel from one of the Florida Keys to the next, all the way to Key West.  It includes the famous Seven Mile Bridge and offers very picturesque views over the water.  It has been featured in movies and TV shows such as Licence to Kill, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Mission Impossible III, I Am Number Four, Burn Notice, and Leverage.

Snorkeling Trip-
I also took a boat trip off the coast to go snorkeling.  However, the water was not very clear due to the incoming hurrican.  Fortunately, while I could not see as much as I would have liked, I was still able to see numerous jelly fish up close.  It was the closest I had ever been to a jelly fish in person (outside of an aquarium) and it was a cool experience to see the beautiful creatures moving gracefully through the water.  I also had the bittersweet opportunity to see a lighthouse that after being built in the 1800's would be destroyed by the hurricane just a couple days after I saw it.

Where I ate and drank:
Cuban Coffee Queen-
Cuban Coffee Queen is a nice coffee place in Key West.  They served me the best cup of coffee I have had in the Florida Keys.

Conch Republic Seafood Company-
The Conch Republic Seafood Company was one of the few places still open while I was there.  The majority of the restaurants in the area had already closed down to the incoming hurricane.  However, I was still able to have the locally famous conch fritters at the Conch Republic Seafood Company.

​Evelyn's Restaurant-
I had a good breakfast at Evelyn's Restaurant on the way to Key West.  Their food was also very inexpensive.

My favorite thing:
It was pretty cool to have the opportunity to go to the southernmost point of the contiguous 48 United States, but there is still a lot I would like to do in the Florida Keys.

My least favorite thing:
Due to inclement weather, I was not able to do nearly as much as I would have liked in the Florida Keys.

For next time:
​As I was very limited with what I was able to do in the Florida Keys, I still have many things left for next time.  I would like to check out the Ernest Hemingway House and Museum, the Harry S. Truman Little White House, and go on another boat trip to snorkel or scuba dive.  I would also like to eat at Captain Tony's Saloon and Kermit's Key Lime Pie Shop.

The Cabeau Evolution Pillow can be  a very nice option when you want to sleep on a plane, bus, train or in a car.  While using credit card bonuses and travel hacking to fly in a fully flat business class would be a better option, sometimes that option is not always there.  The Cabeau Evolution Pillow is the next best option I have found.  It folds up into approximately the size of a fist, which is important if you are traveling with just a carry on, such as the Tortuga Backpack or the Datsusara Battlepack Core.  While some inflatable pillows can compact into slightly smaller sizes than the Cabeau Evolution Pillow, in my experience they are not nearly as comfortable.  I found the best results by turning the pillow around so the opening with the clip and drawstrings was in the back and the "back" was in the front.  This gave me the most neck support and allowed me to get some sleep even when sitting up.  At the approximate price of $40, it is a great deal.  Sweet dreams!