Alright eeeeeeeverybody. Sorry for not writing for time but I just haven't felt like it. I overstayed my welcome in Budapest somewhat. The city took it's revenge and decided to depress me. Sacked it off eventually though and I'm now in Zagreb. It's miles nicer. Pretty quiet and just better (in my humble opinion) and also a lot cleaner. (sorry I missed you in pesky buda anna etc but I had to get out of there)
Despite Zagreb's bonusses, I'm not sticking around. I'm going to Zadar tomorrow for a bit of snorkelling. Work this one out, it takes three hours on the bus and 11 hours on the train????????? hm Think I'll be bussing it. The bus also takes you past a national park with 16 turquoise lakes inter linked with waterfalls. I would stop but you can't swim in them and I need a large water body to soak my weary, capital city-dirtied body in. Plus I haven't been traipsing a snorkel and mask all this way for nothing!!!!! I might stop over night at the lakes on the way back though.
Despite teh seven sweaty hours it took to get here on the train, the journey was cool. Went past Lake Balaton which looked PACKED! and was kind of glad to be passing it over. (What was it like The Raunds Massive?.. didn't you stay there for a bit) Got talking to a finnish couple aswell, ernie and vernie (i thought I was in the muppets!) who were really cool. Learned about Helsinki, and it sounds a bit like a colder Manchester... haha, still want to see it though. So I got a hostel with those two. It's a bit of a dive but only being used for kipping so that's fine.
Personal msgs:
Con: I need to play golf soon. And I hope you're doing okay. Give my love to Clare
Moonata: Is the offer of a bed still up for a night or two. My bro's going to be in Venice on the 15th and I'd like to meet him. How long is the train from Lub...
not a clue how to spell it... lejlana?
Bell: What's your route and dates going to be down to Dubrovnic?
Jess: You got an e-mail but I just thought I'd mention you anyway.
Phil: Let me know about Venice soon as I can get a flight back from there for about 60 quid if I know in the next couple days about the meeting up viability!
Mum: When you back from SA, when you orf to Italy and ignore any msgs on your mail when you get back.
DNO:How's it going pal? We're going to have to do this route together some time. It's cheap as and you'd love it!
Blah and Leese (and others using the mail on the blog):
Sorry for not writing back and stuff but I forgot about the fact I had another mail address... I've remembered it now though and cheers for you msgs (James the lick has been a successful conversation starter on a couple of ocassions... Let's start the revolicktion!)
Monday, August 04, 2003
Thursday, July 31, 2003
ooooh, deary me. One of those days today. I went to that festival yesterday so I'm feeling a little tender today. I only got back in at 8 this morning. Not only have I been feeling than an industrial sander, but the guys I went to the festival with, Dawn and Stu (pot) (both from Scotland), Chris (from Macclesfield) and Ed (from France) have all moved on today. I guess that's one of the things about travelling but they were all really cool. Guess it's just left me a bit lonely for today but that's alright. There'll be someone else to chilll with soon.
So yesterday at the festival I saw Nitin Sawhney and the Buena Vista Social Club. Both excellent. Haha, two Polish guys we've met along a bit later on in the day, one of them insisting that Dawn drank more beer to make her 'easy'. Very amusing, as was teaching them what to say when I say Bo (shelekta of course). On that note the bar maid at the hostel's called Bo... made for several minutes of pissing myself. I got split up eventually from the guys I went with though. They weree dawdling on the way to the dance tent so I just leggeed it. I ended up with some Austrians and sat with them at their marquee type thing until it got light. Then I had to try and get home. Not so easy when you're a little worse for wear, covered in mud and in a somewhat unfamiliar city. Like a tool, I got off the train too early so I had to hike bloody miles. Not the most fun.
Well, I'm orf now. I've walked into the centre and habve to figure out how the hell I'm going to get back and then I think it may be bed time. Going for a swim tomorrow and maybe more festivities around the second and third.
So yesterday at the festival I saw Nitin Sawhney and the Buena Vista Social Club. Both excellent. Haha, two Polish guys we've met along a bit later on in the day, one of them insisting that Dawn drank more beer to make her 'easy'. Very amusing, as was teaching them what to say when I say Bo (shelekta of course). On that note the bar maid at the hostel's called Bo... made for several minutes of pissing myself. I got split up eventually from the guys I went with though. They weree dawdling on the way to the dance tent so I just leggeed it. I ended up with some Austrians and sat with them at their marquee type thing until it got light. Then I had to try and get home. Not so easy when you're a little worse for wear, covered in mud and in a somewhat unfamiliar city. Like a tool, I got off the train too early so I had to hike bloody miles. Not the most fun.
Well, I'm orf now. I've walked into the centre and habve to figure out how the hell I'm going to get back and then I think it may be bed time. Going for a swim tomorrow and maybe more festivities around the second and third.
Tuesday, July 29, 2003
Alright, I'm in Budapest.
The train journey was awful, got here and had no accomodation but landed on my feet massively. There's a music festival here in the next couple of days and loads of good bands are playing. The plan is to jump the fence and camp there for a bit. Need to buy a tent first though. Bennito moonio, if you're not busy this weekend, come over! MAssive attack, Lamb, Goldfrapp all playing for our pleasure. Anna and those, Make sure you book ahead, Budapest is packed! Overflowing with people and not any rooms at the inn.
The train journey was awful, got here and had no accomodation but landed on my feet massively. There's a music festival here in the next couple of days and loads of good bands are playing. The plan is to jump the fence and camp there for a bit. Need to buy a tent first though. Bennito moonio, if you're not busy this weekend, come over! MAssive attack, Lamb, Goldfrapp all playing for our pleasure. Anna and those, Make sure you book ahead, Budapest is packed! Overflowing with people and not any rooms at the inn.
Sunday, July 27, 2003
Just before we start. The links in this blog are all for pictures, as I've still not got a camera, so they're just lifted off the web as before. So just click and they'll pop up unless you're on a clockwork computer, in which case you'll click and then wait three days.
Evenin' all. My time in Brno has come to an end just as soon as it started really. Got to keep moving though. When I first got here I thought it was proper dive. It was chucking it down with rain, the station's a bombsite and the hostel is massive, characterless and largely empty. With the rain pouring down I just looked around the city for a bit and went to bed.
Day two proved a lot better. I had to revise my idea of Brno being a hole. It's actually a top place. Far less touristy than Prague and a lot cheaper to boot. I walked up to the castle in the morning. Lovely place, apart from the fact it used to be prison circa the 18th century. People got chained up in there for life. This dude looks like he's been there far too long. Honestly though, it was eerie as, with no natural light and long low cells, packed to the brim with unfortunates. Then the Nazis grabbed it and used it in the war and there's some remnants of their occupation.
Outside was much more cheery. From the tower you could see a 360 degree view of the Brno. Couldn't help noticing the power station slap bang in the centre, hmmmm! Just as I was starting back down the bloody bell rang and I nearly nose dived down the spiral staircase but kept my cool (sort of).
To appreciate the interior you don't have to be an architect. To appreciate the museum you have to speak Czech. Still they were showing a loop of the first bit of Gladiator (Romans kicking the Teutons arses) so that was entertaining.
Today was an early start (half 5) to get to some caves out of town. An Oz couple were getting an early train too and they'd been the day before and told me what see and which train to get. The caves were class. Firstly a walk through all the Stalactites and mites, opening out into the Macocha Abyss . More mites and tites, then a boat ride down the subterranean river. For the geologists amongst us these caves are part of the Moravian Karst. I'd tell you more but of course the guided tour was in Czech. The Abyss was even more spectacular from above after the hike up to it through dense green forest, with trees filtering the sunlight into shafts.
On the wayback I got try out my new Czech phrase.... Je to vlak do Brno... (is this train going to Brno) it was and now I'm back. Bumped into a lad (kev) that I met in Prague, just before I left, on my way to write this. Turns out he's in the same hostel as me (told you it was big!) so we're off out for a few beers tonight.
Other than that, Phil - I think I'm going to have to go to Venice to get a cheaper flight home. It's not far from Croatia so I might see you there for a beer or two!
Evenin' all. My time in Brno has come to an end just as soon as it started really. Got to keep moving though. When I first got here I thought it was proper dive. It was chucking it down with rain, the station's a bombsite and the hostel is massive, characterless and largely empty. With the rain pouring down I just looked around the city for a bit and went to bed.
Day two proved a lot better. I had to revise my idea of Brno being a hole. It's actually a top place. Far less touristy than Prague and a lot cheaper to boot. I walked up to the castle in the morning. Lovely place, apart from the fact it used to be prison circa the 18th century. People got chained up in there for life. This dude looks like he's been there far too long. Honestly though, it was eerie as, with no natural light and long low cells, packed to the brim with unfortunates. Then the Nazis grabbed it and used it in the war and there's some remnants of their occupation.
Outside was much more cheery. From the tower you could see a 360 degree view of the Brno. Couldn't help noticing the power station slap bang in the centre, hmmmm! Just as I was starting back down the bloody bell rang and I nearly nose dived down the spiral staircase but kept my cool (sort of).
To appreciate the interior you don't have to be an architect. To appreciate the museum you have to speak Czech. Still they were showing a loop of the first bit of Gladiator (Romans kicking the Teutons arses) so that was entertaining.
Today was an early start (half 5) to get to some caves out of town. An Oz couple were getting an early train too and they'd been the day before and told me what see and which train to get. The caves were class. Firstly a walk through all the Stalactites and mites, opening out into the Macocha Abyss . More mites and tites, then a boat ride down the subterranean river. For the geologists amongst us these caves are part of the Moravian Karst. I'd tell you more but of course the guided tour was in Czech. The Abyss was even more spectacular from above after the hike up to it through dense green forest, with trees filtering the sunlight into shafts.
On the wayback I got try out my new Czech phrase.... Je to vlak do Brno... (is this train going to Brno) it was and now I'm back. Bumped into a lad (kev) that I met in Prague, just before I left, on my way to write this. Turns out he's in the same hostel as me (told you it was big!) so we're off out for a few beers tonight.
Other than that, Phil - I think I'm going to have to go to Venice to get a cheaper flight home. It's not far from Croatia so I might see you there for a beer or two!
Thursday, July 24, 2003
For those of you posting messages (mum) you have worked it out right but no need to post them twice. Also, my phone is
on the blink, i.e. the battery's run out and I can't find a converter for my charger anywhere! Not to worry though. As you can tell, internet access is not a problem.
I'm off to Brno tomorrow on the train. Slightly apprehensive about it due to not speaking Czech but never mind. It's only three and a half hours away! Just been for a Thai foot massage for half an hour, as my feet have been killing me. It was rather painful but well worth it. The stumps feel very refreshed now. The lady doing the massage kept talking in Thai which I couldn't understand. Her and her mate seemed to be having a good old chuckle. Haha, no doubt taking the piss out of me. And no I'm not paranoid. My proof is that at the end of it I said thanks in Thai. She looked somewhat embarassed, then laughed and ran at me as if to hit me. When I let her know that I couldn't speak Thai at all she looked suspiciously relieved. Anyway, all good fun. I'm off to Tesco now and then to chill at my dorm for a bit. Ciao.
on the blink, i.e. the battery's run out and I can't find a converter for my charger anywhere! Not to worry though. As you can tell, internet access is not a problem.
I'm off to Brno tomorrow on the train. Slightly apprehensive about it due to not speaking Czech but never mind. It's only three and a half hours away! Just been for a Thai foot massage for half an hour, as my feet have been killing me. It was rather painful but well worth it. The stumps feel very refreshed now. The lady doing the massage kept talking in Thai which I couldn't understand. Her and her mate seemed to be having a good old chuckle. Haha, no doubt taking the piss out of me. And no I'm not paranoid. My proof is that at the end of it I said thanks in Thai. She looked somewhat embarassed, then laughed and ran at me as if to hit me. When I let her know that I couldn't speak Thai at all she looked suspiciously relieved. Anyway, all good fun. I'm off to Tesco now and then to chill at my dorm for a bit. Ciao.
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