So I’m finally going back to London after a long stint in Prague, and again catching the 7.30am flight. But it wasn’t quite as simple as my last 24hr dash to London, this time I was moving back. With all my shit.
I knew something was different. My 70lt bag was filled to about 105lt, my 2 carry-ons were choccas, and I literally couldn’t fit anything extra. I lugged them all to the airport, again on the tram, metro and bus, and checked in. I had to put my backpack in the over-sized luggage, and I was a bit suss leaving it because one bag was already sitting there and no one was there to receive them. Security guard insisted it was fine so I left it.
2hrs or so later I got to Luton Airport….My Backpack didn’t.
You watch the belt go around, bags thin out, eventually there is nothing left, a few confused people are standing around, and then the belt stops. Yup, our bags, all “over-sized” coincidently, didn’t make it on the plane.
At first I thought it might be a blessing in disguise, they would deliver my bag later on to my door, for free. Saving me the hassle of carrying it! But it ended up being 3 full days before I got my bag! More on this later..
But I did make it to Jons place, and in the first 2 days I had a (much needed) hair cut from Neel, went went to London Fields and discovered the popularity of hoola-hooping, caught up with Joe, and went to a crazy fancy dress party!
The weather was pretty crappy so I went to the Danske Museum as its free and indoors! Later I caught the train to Kalmar, Sweden, and waited for Shahab and his mate Joel to pick me up. We then drove on to Öland, one of the Swedish Islands, where they were entering a Beach Volley Competition for the week.
The bridge from Kalmar to Öland is one of the longest bridges in Europe, and has a bump at one end to allow ships to pass underneath. Stopping for food, we encountered a strange place that really speeds up the usual pub-to-fast-food plan by literally having a fast food shop IN the pub with live music. Sadly, Shahab is no longer a vegan. But at least its easy for him to sort things out for me 
We then set up a tent as we were camping the first night. Admittedly right next to a NO TENT sign inside a camping ground, but the grass was soft and we were getting up early
Going from the Czech Reupblic, central Europe, up to Scandinavia by train, does sound a little strange, and up to Sweden is almost a full day’s travel. But with days left on my Interrail, why pay for a flight?!
I got an early train to Hamburg for 7hrs, Continue Reading…
Keleti Station is Budapest’s main international train station, but it is quite small and chaotic. Because it doesn’t have many platforms you only find out which one your train is leaving from a few minutes before hand, so everyone crowds in front of the boards waiting. When I did get on the train, I was at first in a nice car with air conditioning and talking to a guy from Slovakia.
About 10min into the trip, the air-con stopped working. Then the lights. Then when the Slovakian got off we stopped for about 20min while they fixed something on the train (not the air-con or lights).
Wondering what was going on I got talking to a Chilean guy who was wondering up and down the train trying to find out, and ended up sitting with his family in a different car which had no air-con so we could open the windows. But it was still boiling. And there was nowhere to get water!
We were later told the other car was a 1st class car, and it was put in second class BECAUSE the air-con didn’t work!! Bastards! haha.
At the next station the Chilean and a Brazilian guy ran out to grab some water and I had to stop the doors closing and the conductor from letting the train go without them! haha
11hrs later with no sleep and boiling, I got to prague and then back home where I could finally sleep!
Probably one of the greatest ideas Christoph has ever had, and ever will have, was to take a boat from Thun to Bern on the Aare river. Continue Reading…
Banks and Cows. Thats how my Sakura brother Christoph (aka Tofu), describes his little country called Switzerland. Who knew it also has some amazing lakes and a little hilly area called the Alps. Continue Reading…
Prague isn’t that big a city, especially for a capital, but not so when you compare it to Vraclav. A small village that is an hours’ walk from the nearest station of Vysoké Mýto, Vraclav is slightly remote. But that’s OK when you are building a largely self-sufficient house, as Sarka and Jakub are doing.
Continue Reading…
