Finding the Pest in Budapest

After a long night train, with not much sleep, I arrived in Budapest about 11am to find my card wouldn’t work in the ATM! I tried unsuccessfully to use my Interrail on the Metro. Walked around the station (with my Back Pack) trying other ATMs with no luck, and was getting pretty frustrated at this point! Ignoring thoughts of getting on the next train out, I remembered I had a few Czech Kuronas, and managed to get them changed (via extortionist currency changers) into Hungarian Forints.

I then bought a metro ticket (later realizing I didn’t stamp it right and could have been fined if they checked!) and went to the station near the hostel I planned to stay at. Having no point of orientation it took me a while, and a friendly Florist to point me in the right direction and to find the hostel.. Only to hear that they were full!

I wanted to stay at Carp De Noctem as I’d heard good things. But apparently there were multiple music festivals in and around Hungary (news to me), and loads of people were basing themselves in Budapest for them. Luckily the friendly Aussie guy working at the hostel found me a bed at another hostel not too far away, where one of their mates worked. So off I went and finally about 1.30 or so I checked into the Island hostel and was feeling much better

+1 Skill: Sewing

Ahh the little skills you learn while traveling; How to order a drink in 12 languages, how to clean an entire load of washing in the bathroom sink, the ability to sleep through anything, and now sewing. Well sort of.

My Jeans were looking a little worse-for-wear, so I took faith in a £1 sewing kit. My previous sewing experience consists of threading needles for mum, and finding (read: stepping on) all the pins she left around the house. But if Phil can worm his way past Star City’s ‘no ripped jean’ policy with a kit from 7-11, surely I can fix these little holes.

About 2 hours and 12 meters of string later, my jeans were “patched”. I wouldn’t start sending me measurements for your next formal outfit, but at least you can’t see what colour underpants I’m wearing anymore. It will probably all come undone once I wash them, but thats a long way off (another backpacker skill).

Those kids in China must have loads of fun. I know you all want to see my handy work, so here it is.

Vysehrad

The weather has really been trying break out, and today was a really nice, sunny day. I met Steph and some of her friends to go to Vysehrad. Its an old castle that was built before the bigger and dominant Prague Castle. Its basically just a nice area to walk around, take some pics and let some sun onto our english-pasty-white-skin.

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