Budapest, I think, was the most British city. But the crazy hippy hostel made up for it. Yet again we spent the first day wondering around the city, with our new Welsh friend. We explored the castle and there was a big soviet gun that I wanted to take home! Our second day there we went wine tasting. 2 hours out of Budapest on the train there was a horseshoe road full of cellars selling lots and lots of wine where a small glass of wine was 100 forint, or about 30p!!! We tasted 1 glass of wine before moving onto the next cellar. With minutes to spare we bought a big tub of wine each to have with takeaway pizza, Richard had a poison pizza but I just stole some guys leftovers!
Our next day was spent lazing around and finishing up the rest of our plans. We were running out of time on our inter rail (and money...Too much partying!) so we had to miss Warsaw, Berlin, Munich and Prague out. But that just means I have another trip to plan!!
Monday, 7 June 2010
Vampire Hunting
Night trains:4
Lost socks:2
Squatters:0
On the train to Bucuresti we found the perfect hostel - Funky Chicken Hostel, 'No reservations, but guaranteed accommodation for everyone who turns up'. How could we not go with a name like that! However when we turned up after our impossibly long train journey we were greeted with the three worst words to a backpacker, 'no rooms available'. They sent us to another hostel whiich was pretty nice, who gave us the name of a beer hall with directions to go get some food. Where we had a big meal and beer for
Rich's birthday. We explored the rest of the city and headed to Brasov in Transylvania. We had plans to go out that evening, for Richards birthday but our train was an hour late which meant that we got to the hostel at half 11.
When we arrived at the hostel there was a cat curled up on the carpet to which I said 'aww, cute, you have a cat' the girl replied 'yes, we have 5'. I didn't think any more of this until the word kitten was used. They had 5 kittens all curled up together in a box that were repeatedly offered to me for free. They were so small and the cutest things ever! They'd only just opened their eyes and just getting up to walk. I couldn't leave them alone. The cat had been stolen by a group of Frenchies and left in the hostel before getting fatter and fatter until one day it just exploded.
The next day we went to visit Draculas castle, its not at all like anything I was expecting. It was just so simple and unvampire like. In one room there was a shut door and Richard said 'hey Rhianna, open that door' so expecting it to be locked I gave it a push and it opened up to some steps leading down. I quickly pulled it shut, but the door handle came off into my hand!!! I can't beleive I broke Dracula's castle!
We went to see another castle that was crazy huge with something like 50 rooms. Everything was just so castle-like and it even had a secret passageway. We had to wear ridiculous little slippers over our shoes but it was definately worth the visit. I think Dracula chose the wrong castle to claim!
When we got back to the hostel we were bombarded by 20 Romanian kids who spoke no english. So we spent the next hour playing cards with them before heading out for a celebratory drink with yet another Aussi and a Welsh.
In the morning us and the welsh walked up a massive hill to the hollywood-style Brasov sign, explored the city and got the the worlds most uncomfortable nighttrain to Budapest!
Lost socks:2
Squatters:0
On the train to Bucuresti we found the perfect hostel - Funky Chicken Hostel, 'No reservations, but guaranteed accommodation for everyone who turns up'. How could we not go with a name like that! However when we turned up after our impossibly long train journey we were greeted with the three worst words to a backpacker, 'no rooms available'. They sent us to another hostel whiich was pretty nice, who gave us the name of a beer hall with directions to go get some food. Where we had a big meal and beer for
Rich's birthday. We explored the rest of the city and headed to Brasov in Transylvania. We had plans to go out that evening, for Richards birthday but our train was an hour late which meant that we got to the hostel at half 11.
When we arrived at the hostel there was a cat curled up on the carpet to which I said 'aww, cute, you have a cat' the girl replied 'yes, we have 5'. I didn't think any more of this until the word kitten was used. They had 5 kittens all curled up together in a box that were repeatedly offered to me for free. They were so small and the cutest things ever! They'd only just opened their eyes and just getting up to walk. I couldn't leave them alone. The cat had been stolen by a group of Frenchies and left in the hostel before getting fatter and fatter until one day it just exploded.
The next day we went to visit Draculas castle, its not at all like anything I was expecting. It was just so simple and unvampire like. In one room there was a shut door and Richard said 'hey Rhianna, open that door' so expecting it to be locked I gave it a push and it opened up to some steps leading down. I quickly pulled it shut, but the door handle came off into my hand!!! I can't beleive I broke Dracula's castle!
We went to see another castle that was crazy huge with something like 50 rooms. Everything was just so castle-like and it even had a secret passageway. We had to wear ridiculous little slippers over our shoes but it was definately worth the visit. I think Dracula chose the wrong castle to claim!
When we got back to the hostel we were bombarded by 20 Romanian kids who spoke no english. So we spent the next hour playing cards with them before heading out for a celebratory drink with yet another Aussi and a Welsh.
In the morning us and the welsh walked up a massive hill to the hollywood-style Brasov sign, explored the city and got the the worlds most uncomfortable nighttrain to Budapest!
Saturday, 5 June 2010
Thursday, 3 June 2010
Our international compartment
Our night train was terrible. We had to pay on the train for the beds, but found that the free seats weren't too bad. We found a room with 3 other people so it wasn't too bad. After talking to them all we discovered that one was from Morocco but lived in France , another was from India but lived in Switzerland and the Third was from Bulgaria. We also found out that he had a wife, 3 kids, 2 girls and a boy, and 2 grandchildren, Also that he spoke no word of English, but he was very enthusiastic and kept going till we all knew what he meant. He was even more excited that we were all from different places, and every 2 minutes would shout 'international compartment!!' Yay! But as soon as we got to passport control, he was up and off the train before anyone could catch him. I think he didn't have a passport...
At 3.30 am, passport control got too us, I asked the guy if I got a stamp in my passport. But apparently I didn't, I said 'ooh never mind' and he looked at me and said 'souvenir, yeah? yeah i'll stamp your passport,' he took them back off me and i got up to go with him, but he said 'no, you stay here, I bring them back' and was gone with the 2 other guys and off the train with our passports.. Oops.
I was sat there worrying that I wouldn't get our passports back, but soon we were joined by some Romanian Mafia! There was the main guy, with about 10 bags, an even bigger guy who just stood outside the door with his arms folded, and a tiny little man who I reckon was the guys agent. Me and Richard looked at each other like ' oh dear,' I thought they were going to steal from us while we were asleep. They were however very nice, but I was still scared. The guy left the compartment leaving the little guy sleeping in the corner when the Indian man appeared back in our compartment. He just didn't shut up. We were just nodding along, agreeing, and stuff and then I realised that Rich was pretending to be asleep and left me talking to this guy on my own! Eventually there was a gap and I closed my eyes and hoped he wouldn't carry on talking.
Then the engine started. We still didn't have our passports back. Rich was just about to get up to go chase them down, when the guy appeared with our passports, and a stamp for leaving Greece, and another for Entering Bulgaria. My only 2 stamps!
At 3.30 am, passport control got too us, I asked the guy if I got a stamp in my passport. But apparently I didn't, I said 'ooh never mind' and he looked at me and said 'souvenir, yeah? yeah i'll stamp your passport,' he took them back off me and i got up to go with him, but he said 'no, you stay here, I bring them back' and was gone with the 2 other guys and off the train with our passports.. Oops.
I was sat there worrying that I wouldn't get our passports back, but soon we were joined by some Romanian Mafia! There was the main guy, with about 10 bags, an even bigger guy who just stood outside the door with his arms folded, and a tiny little man who I reckon was the guys agent. Me and Richard looked at each other like ' oh dear,' I thought they were going to steal from us while we were asleep. They were however very nice, but I was still scared. The guy left the compartment leaving the little guy sleeping in the corner when the Indian man appeared back in our compartment. He just didn't shut up. We were just nodding along, agreeing, and stuff and then I realised that Rich was pretending to be asleep and left me talking to this guy on my own! Eventually there was a gap and I closed my eyes and hoped he wouldn't carry on talking.
Then the engine started. We still didn't have our passports back. Rich was just about to get up to go chase them down, when the guy appeared with our passports, and a stamp for leaving Greece, and another for Entering Bulgaria. My only 2 stamps!
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