Europe 2007 diary
Below is a (slightly edited) transcript of my trip diary. Most of the entries were written during train journeys. I've also added a few of my later thoughts and some explanations on each entry. Enjoy!
Sunday 15th July - Day 1 - 10:02
En route from Liverpool to Berlin
The trip has begun! Had to get up at 5:30 for the flight, but got to enjoy a cooked breakfast before leaving. This morning was fairly uneventful - passed through the airport quickly - although they confiscated my 200ml bottle of suncream as it was 100ml too big. Why the extra 100ml makes such a difference I have yet to discover. Sitting between Pranav and Mitch - one is reading the economist and the other playing rather noisily on his gameboy. Can't wait to arrive in Berlin. Weather forecast for today and tomorrow is hot! And I'll finally get to make up for what I missed on the history trip!*
* A few months before, I had had to pick between a school music trip to Paris or a History trip to Berlin as they were happening at the same time. As you can tell, I went for Paris.
En route from Liverpool to Berlin
The trip has begun! Had to get up at 5:30 for the flight, but got to enjoy a cooked breakfast before leaving. This morning was fairly uneventful - passed through the airport quickly - although they confiscated my 200ml bottle of suncream as it was 100ml too big. Why the extra 100ml makes such a difference I have yet to discover. Sitting between Pranav and Mitch - one is reading the economist and the other playing rather noisily on his gameboy. Can't wait to arrive in Berlin. Weather forecast for today and tomorrow is hot! And I'll finally get to make up for what I missed on the history trip!*
* A few months before, I had had to pick between a school music trip to Paris or a History trip to Berlin as they were happening at the same time. As you can tell, I went for Paris.
Tuesday 17th July 2007 - Day 3 - 10:11
En route from Berlin to Prague
Currently sitting in a rather nice train compartment of 6 seats. Guard accepted the interrail tickets without any problem despite the fact that Mitch lost the questionnaire part of his. Had to get up early to catch the train - we left the Australian who we shared our dorm with without ever properly introducing ourselves or bothering to ask his name (though we found out it was Greg, rather than "Bruce")*. Berlin was fantastic. Saw the Reichstag (though the dome was closed), climbed the "Angel of the North"** (which was actually a statue of Germania), saw the outsides of several impressive looking (but expensive) museums, the book burning memorial (though my picture of it failed miserably), Checkpoint Charlie (little of which was still preserved), a section of the old Berlin Wall (the path of the rest of it is still marked out all over Berlin), the Holocaust Memorial (very good - like a maze), passed the heavily guarded British embassy, saw the Brandenburg Gate twice, went out to the Olympic Stadium, and not forgetting a bombed out church. Camera pictures and money are holding up well, though I've still got to make my first cash withdrawal when I get to Prague. Berlin was exceedingly hot - yesterday had highs of 37°C - which means that we've all been ruining out clothes with sweat and making the most of morning showers and air conditioned shops (such as the Ka De We - the German equivalent of Harrods). Food = fine so far, basically been living off baguettes from Upper Crust, though we had a meal out at a nice and cheap Italian restaurant last night. Only spent around £60 so far - so money should work out fine. Next few days will see more trains - next two night stop is in Vienna - though we did make very good use of the U-bahn yesterday. Berlin's main train station was impressive - 5 floors, tons of shops and 16 platforms. Next stop - Prague!
* We gave him a nickname so we had something to refer to him by. Fortunately he never overheard as such...
** Don't ask!...
En route from Berlin to Prague
Currently sitting in a rather nice train compartment of 6 seats. Guard accepted the interrail tickets without any problem despite the fact that Mitch lost the questionnaire part of his. Had to get up early to catch the train - we left the Australian who we shared our dorm with without ever properly introducing ourselves or bothering to ask his name (though we found out it was Greg, rather than "Bruce")*. Berlin was fantastic. Saw the Reichstag (though the dome was closed), climbed the "Angel of the North"** (which was actually a statue of Germania), saw the outsides of several impressive looking (but expensive) museums, the book burning memorial (though my picture of it failed miserably), Checkpoint Charlie (little of which was still preserved), a section of the old Berlin Wall (the path of the rest of it is still marked out all over Berlin), the Holocaust Memorial (very good - like a maze), passed the heavily guarded British embassy, saw the Brandenburg Gate twice, went out to the Olympic Stadium, and not forgetting a bombed out church. Camera pictures and money are holding up well, though I've still got to make my first cash withdrawal when I get to Prague. Berlin was exceedingly hot - yesterday had highs of 37°C - which means that we've all been ruining out clothes with sweat and making the most of morning showers and air conditioned shops (such as the Ka De We - the German equivalent of Harrods). Food = fine so far, basically been living off baguettes from Upper Crust, though we had a meal out at a nice and cheap Italian restaurant last night. Only spent around £60 so far - so money should work out fine. Next few days will see more trains - next two night stop is in Vienna - though we did make very good use of the U-bahn yesterday. Berlin's main train station was impressive - 5 floors, tons of shops and 16 platforms. Next stop - Prague!
* We gave him a nickname so we had something to refer to him by. Fortunately he never overheard as such...
** Don't ask!...
Wednesday 18th July 2007 - Day 4 - 10:28
En route from Prague to Brno
Sitting in another compartmentalised train - though this one isn't quite as luxurious due to the lack of air conditioning, the small window, and the smell from the toilet that occasionally wafts in. The guard on this train seemed a little more uncertain with the tickets - he just took a look, thought it seemed official, and stamped it. The Prague hostel had everything we needed, though it did look and feel rather Soviet. And as will probably become normal throughout the holiday, we stayed up late talking about school and the like. Getting into Prague was interesting though, the train from Berlin got into Prague Holesovice late, so we needed another connection to Prague HLN - so we took a train that was 320 minutes late! The city was lovely once we made it, though, very pretty and quite compact - and Will, Iain and Pranav's knowledge of the city certainly helped. We saw the infamous KB bank*, several squares, a rather strange clock which crowds of people were hoping would strike, Charles Bridge (very pretty), the biggest club in middle Europe (though we didn't go in), Prague castle (which we walked through), the square where the Velvet Revolution happened in 1989, and overly guarded and rather ugly American embassy, and then ended up playing cards in front of a statue of Dvorak and a rather impressive Czech building. We did have some local cuisine - Troddle - though we dined out at an Italian restaurant again! The quote from the economics trip ("Prague - KB'd by globalisation")*, however, did seem very apt - there were loads of international brands on the main street, and the Marks and Spencer we walked into would not have been out of place in the UK. Perhaps Brno will be more economically isolated...
* Inside joke!
En route from Prague to Brno
Sitting in another compartmentalised train - though this one isn't quite as luxurious due to the lack of air conditioning, the small window, and the smell from the toilet that occasionally wafts in. The guard on this train seemed a little more uncertain with the tickets - he just took a look, thought it seemed official, and stamped it. The Prague hostel had everything we needed, though it did look and feel rather Soviet. And as will probably become normal throughout the holiday, we stayed up late talking about school and the like. Getting into Prague was interesting though, the train from Berlin got into Prague Holesovice late, so we needed another connection to Prague HLN - so we took a train that was 320 minutes late! The city was lovely once we made it, though, very pretty and quite compact - and Will, Iain and Pranav's knowledge of the city certainly helped. We saw the infamous KB bank*, several squares, a rather strange clock which crowds of people were hoping would strike, Charles Bridge (very pretty), the biggest club in middle Europe (though we didn't go in), Prague castle (which we walked through), the square where the Velvet Revolution happened in 1989, and overly guarded and rather ugly American embassy, and then ended up playing cards in front of a statue of Dvorak and a rather impressive Czech building. We did have some local cuisine - Troddle - though we dined out at an Italian restaurant again! The quote from the economics trip ("Prague - KB'd by globalisation")*, however, did seem very apt - there were loads of international brands on the main street, and the Marks and Spencer we walked into would not have been out of place in the UK. Perhaps Brno will be more economically isolated...
* Inside joke!
Thursday 19th July 2007 - Day 5 - 10:14
En route from Brno to Vienna
In short, Brno was quite similar to Prague, except it was smaller, less globalised, less touristy and there was less to see. The shopping was very good - lots of small shops as well as a huge Tesco (where I got a complete packed lunch for 100 koruna - about £1.50) - and was so cheap in general that I have 1000 Czech koruna left over. I'll try not to overwithdraw as much in Slovakia or Poland - which will probably be cheaper still. We had a good look around Brno - saw the very impressive cathedral (though no pictures were allowed) and the castle (where we went up the lookout tower - which we subsequently gave the award for best "air conditioning" due to the nice breeze)*. After much searching, we also found the Soviet war memorial and a memorial to the two world wars which also had the dates of the Cold War on as a kind of "third war." As ever, we plunged ourselves into the local cuisine by having a McDonalds yesterday evening. While eating our chips, we also noticed that some of the trams had adverts for "casino abbas" - perhaps a rival to Abbas Taxis?!?** The hostel was interesting - probably the most basic so far as it was a school gym that was made into a hostel during the holidays in order to bring in extra money. The showers were also communal - hence we showered in swimming shorts - and the toilet became rather blocked, which we blamed on someone sharing our dorm. However, the place did have internet access - which we used well, although the hostel let themselves down a little with the quality of the breakfast. Still - looking forward to Vienna - at least one of us (Pranav) can speak the language, although according to the BBC, temperatures will peak at 41°C!
* After we left every city, we did a summary of our thoughts on Iain's video camera, and gave out "awards" for various things in the city.
** Inside joke!
En route from Brno to Vienna
In short, Brno was quite similar to Prague, except it was smaller, less globalised, less touristy and there was less to see. The shopping was very good - lots of small shops as well as a huge Tesco (where I got a complete packed lunch for 100 koruna - about £1.50) - and was so cheap in general that I have 1000 Czech koruna left over. I'll try not to overwithdraw as much in Slovakia or Poland - which will probably be cheaper still. We had a good look around Brno - saw the very impressive cathedral (though no pictures were allowed) and the castle (where we went up the lookout tower - which we subsequently gave the award for best "air conditioning" due to the nice breeze)*. After much searching, we also found the Soviet war memorial and a memorial to the two world wars which also had the dates of the Cold War on as a kind of "third war." As ever, we plunged ourselves into the local cuisine by having a McDonalds yesterday evening. While eating our chips, we also noticed that some of the trams had adverts for "casino abbas" - perhaps a rival to Abbas Taxis?!?** The hostel was interesting - probably the most basic so far as it was a school gym that was made into a hostel during the holidays in order to bring in extra money. The showers were also communal - hence we showered in swimming shorts - and the toilet became rather blocked, which we blamed on someone sharing our dorm. However, the place did have internet access - which we used well, although the hostel let themselves down a little with the quality of the breakfast. Still - looking forward to Vienna - at least one of us (Pranav) can speak the language, although according to the BBC, temperatures will peak at 41°C!
* After we left every city, we did a summary of our thoughts on Iain's video camera, and gave out "awards" for various things in the city.
** Inside joke!
Saturday 21st July 2007 - Day 7 - 10:38
En route from Vienna to Bratislava
Personally, with the exception of the shopping in the city centre (and perhaps the film festival), I failed to see the charm of Vienna* - though this could be due to the oppressive head we encountered - yesterday was around 40°C. Nevertheless, we saw plenty of sights - the Austrian parliament, the town hall (where the film festival was taking place), plenty of pretty museums and churches/cathedrals (many of which were under renovation), Strauss' "Beautiful Blue Danube" and Will's three "mystery boxes"** - the imperial palace, the composers' graves and the Prata wheel (where I got my Austrian flag). The evening activities were somewhat different - a circular ride to nowhere on the U-bahn, and watching a recording of a rather nice concert at the film festival. Vienna was by far the most expensive place so far - my supply of Euros is dwindling - so I need to try not to overwithdraw in the 6 other currencies that we're about to use. The hostel was very good overall - though their policy of checkout before 10am/checkin after 2pm and charging 75 cents extra for an orange juice at breakfast didn't impress me. As there were 5 of us in a 6 bed dorm, we had a roomate whom we nicknamed Jose (as we thought he was Portuguese - though we never found out his real name). As today is 21st July, the 7th Harry Potter book has just been released, and Mitch, Iain and Pranav spotted a copy (in English) on sale at Vienna Sudbanhof station. How frustrating! I can't wait until Hannah brings copies along to Krakow now...
* Looking back, I heartily disagree with this now!
** Will picked 3 places for us to visit, not telling us what they were until we got there.
En route from Vienna to Bratislava
Personally, with the exception of the shopping in the city centre (and perhaps the film festival), I failed to see the charm of Vienna* - though this could be due to the oppressive head we encountered - yesterday was around 40°C. Nevertheless, we saw plenty of sights - the Austrian parliament, the town hall (where the film festival was taking place), plenty of pretty museums and churches/cathedrals (many of which were under renovation), Strauss' "Beautiful Blue Danube" and Will's three "mystery boxes"** - the imperial palace, the composers' graves and the Prata wheel (where I got my Austrian flag). The evening activities were somewhat different - a circular ride to nowhere on the U-bahn, and watching a recording of a rather nice concert at the film festival. Vienna was by far the most expensive place so far - my supply of Euros is dwindling - so I need to try not to overwithdraw in the 6 other currencies that we're about to use. The hostel was very good overall - though their policy of checkout before 10am/checkin after 2pm and charging 75 cents extra for an orange juice at breakfast didn't impress me. As there were 5 of us in a 6 bed dorm, we had a roomate whom we nicknamed Jose (as we thought he was Portuguese - though we never found out his real name). As today is 21st July, the 7th Harry Potter book has just been released, and Mitch, Iain and Pranav spotted a copy (in English) on sale at Vienna Sudbanhof station. How frustrating! I can't wait until Hannah brings copies along to Krakow now...
* Looking back, I heartily disagree with this now!
** Will picked 3 places for us to visit, not telling us what they were until we got there.
Sunday 22nd July 2007 - Day 8 - 08:55
En route from Bratislava to Krakow
Currently doing the second of three legs on this mammoth nine hour train journey - we had to get up at 4am to catch the 05:55 train. The first leg wasn't brilliant either - most people had reservations (though they weren't marked by their respective seats), meaning that we had to move seats twice*. Bratislava itself was very small - the road from the train station was practically deserted and very badly maintained (though we did take the long way around due to the small size of Will's map). However, the old town was very pleasant (we also at there at "the Dubliner" - an Irish pub - where I had fish and chips) - though the so called main square was tiny - and home to three foreign embassies! We also visited the castle which gave some lovely views of the city (though there were loads of concrete communist flats visible over the river), and of course, we visited Tesco not once, but twice! The hostel was interesting - the corridors were very Soviet but the room was very modern. However, the room pretty much boiled over during the night, and due to a fault with the automatic bathroom light, we all took showers in strobe lighting this morning.** Pranav also dared to take the lift instead of using the stairs - and was duly rewarded when it stopped to let him off halfway between the ground and first floors! Again, we're worried that we may have overwithdrawn on Koruna - since I have 1500 to get rid of when we get to Tatranska Lomnica. Finally, the award for best air conditioning in Bratislava goes to Tesco (although to be fair, we didn't go to many other places). Hopefully Krakow will have more to offer...
* Three times, actually.
** Something I'll never forget as long as I live!
En route from Bratislava to Krakow
Currently doing the second of three legs on this mammoth nine hour train journey - we had to get up at 4am to catch the 05:55 train. The first leg wasn't brilliant either - most people had reservations (though they weren't marked by their respective seats), meaning that we had to move seats twice*. Bratislava itself was very small - the road from the train station was practically deserted and very badly maintained (though we did take the long way around due to the small size of Will's map). However, the old town was very pleasant (we also at there at "the Dubliner" - an Irish pub - where I had fish and chips) - though the so called main square was tiny - and home to three foreign embassies! We also visited the castle which gave some lovely views of the city (though there were loads of concrete communist flats visible over the river), and of course, we visited Tesco not once, but twice! The hostel was interesting - the corridors were very Soviet but the room was very modern. However, the room pretty much boiled over during the night, and due to a fault with the automatic bathroom light, we all took showers in strobe lighting this morning.** Pranav also dared to take the lift instead of using the stairs - and was duly rewarded when it stopped to let him off halfway between the ground and first floors! Again, we're worried that we may have overwithdrawn on Koruna - since I have 1500 to get rid of when we get to Tatranska Lomnica. Finally, the award for best air conditioning in Bratislava goes to Tesco (although to be fair, we didn't go to many other places). Hopefully Krakow will have more to offer...
* Three times, actually.
** Something I'll never forget as long as I live!
Tuesday 24th July 2007 - Day 10
En route from Krakow to Tatranska Lomnica via Auschwitz
Actually, the date above is a lie due to the fact that Hannah has joined us - hence I have spent all of my time on train journeys reading the new Harry Potter book!* But Karkow - very pretty city, lovely main square with lots of churches, which, as we discovered, were lavishly decorated on the inside. The first night saw us eating Italian again (to the disgust of some!) and also had us watching a one-night music festival in the main square (most of the performances were around Polish Eurovision standard)**. The following day we did the salt mine just outside the city - very expensive but worth it - 14°C in the shafts compared to the (relatively cool) 30°C or so outside. We walked about 3km in the mine (though that was just 1% of it) and went around 120m underground. Visited the castle in the afternoon (though we could only find the exit to the "Dragon's cave" - which had a sculptured dragon breathing real fire), and then trekked out to the airport to pick up Hannah in the evening (and, of course, to pick up the polo shirts and Harry Potter). With much fretting about train times, we visited Auschwitz as we left Poland, which was incredibly more moving than any history lesson (though I did question the accuracy/simplicity of the text in the Polish exhibit). The hostel in Poland was very good - very informal, free internet access and nice dorms (in contrast with the look of the building) whom we shared with an American we nicknamed "Chuck". In fact, the place was so informal that they did not insist on upfront payment or using passports as deposits. The train journey that the title of this entry suggests I'm on was our most difficult yet - 5 changes - but amazingly, every train except the penultimate one was on time (thankfully!), and the last one waited up for us. However, we did get a small surprise when our journey briefly had us back in the Czech Republic when en route to the Slovakian Tatra mountains!***
* I think I wrote this in Budapest.
** i.e. not very good!
*** We had no idea this was the case until we realised we were the only ones to get off the train when it terminated, and were then taken into a room where importantly dressed men asked to see our passports. Personally I thought it was something worse at first!
En route from Krakow to Tatranska Lomnica via Auschwitz
Actually, the date above is a lie due to the fact that Hannah has joined us - hence I have spent all of my time on train journeys reading the new Harry Potter book!* But Karkow - very pretty city, lovely main square with lots of churches, which, as we discovered, were lavishly decorated on the inside. The first night saw us eating Italian again (to the disgust of some!) and also had us watching a one-night music festival in the main square (most of the performances were around Polish Eurovision standard)**. The following day we did the salt mine just outside the city - very expensive but worth it - 14°C in the shafts compared to the (relatively cool) 30°C or so outside. We walked about 3km in the mine (though that was just 1% of it) and went around 120m underground. Visited the castle in the afternoon (though we could only find the exit to the "Dragon's cave" - which had a sculptured dragon breathing real fire), and then trekked out to the airport to pick up Hannah in the evening (and, of course, to pick up the polo shirts and Harry Potter). With much fretting about train times, we visited Auschwitz as we left Poland, which was incredibly more moving than any history lesson (though I did question the accuracy/simplicity of the text in the Polish exhibit). The hostel in Poland was very good - very informal, free internet access and nice dorms (in contrast with the look of the building) whom we shared with an American we nicknamed "Chuck". In fact, the place was so informal that they did not insist on upfront payment or using passports as deposits. The train journey that the title of this entry suggests I'm on was our most difficult yet - 5 changes - but amazingly, every train except the penultimate one was on time (thankfully!), and the last one waited up for us. However, we did get a small surprise when our journey briefly had us back in the Czech Republic when en route to the Slovakian Tatra mountains!***
* I think I wrote this in Budapest.
** i.e. not very good!
*** We had no idea this was the case until we realised we were the only ones to get off the train when it terminated, and were then taken into a room where importantly dressed men asked to see our passports. Personally I thought it was something worse at first!
Wednesday 25th July 2007 - Day 11
En route from Tatranska Lomnica to Budapest
Ok, so I'm already in Budapest rather than "en route" since I spent the journey finishing Harry Potter. But the journey was eventful. First train - fine. Second one was replaced by an overcrowded (and I do mean overcrowded) bus, which got in very late. In the rush to catch the third train (which was also late, thankfully), we ran through the station, where I slipped and fell over and sprained my wrist* - which Hannah kindly bandaged up. Fortunately, the fourth train (the final one) was also late, which allowed us to get to our destination before 05:00 the next morning (which would have been the alternative). But anyway - Tatranska Lomnica was lovely - very different from what we've had so far since it was a village in the mountains as opposed to a large foreign city. We only had half a day to explore the place, but we walked part way up one of the mountains for a view, decided not to go on the cable car due to lack of funds, and then, after looking at practically every other restaurant in the village, decided to eat at the one at our hotel (yes - that's hotel, not hostel) where I got a spaghetti bolognese saturated with cheese (ugh!!) The hotel was very good (but being used to hostels, I would say that) since it had a TV and jacuzzi (although the shower only had two temperature settings - scalding hot and freezing cold - with no middle ground). However, we did also get faced with a 600 Koruna fine when we broke one of the sofa beds. So all in all, despite injuring myself twice (the other time being when I fell into a ditch on the side of the road), Tatranska Lomnica was a lovely change (which was probably most noticeable in the colder temperatures and the presence of rain!) Based on the trouble the Hungarians have us with Iain's interrail ticket** (which has scared me more that Pranav's passport trouble entering Poland***), Hungary has a lot to live up to...
* While wearing what were later nicknamed my "sandals of death" due to my propensity to fall over wearing them. I've still got them, too.
** The inspector claimed the hologram on Iain's wasn't valid, so took a €30 "fine".
*** Polish border guards are, sadly, a little racist.
En route from Tatranska Lomnica to Budapest
Ok, so I'm already in Budapest rather than "en route" since I spent the journey finishing Harry Potter. But the journey was eventful. First train - fine. Second one was replaced by an overcrowded (and I do mean overcrowded) bus, which got in very late. In the rush to catch the third train (which was also late, thankfully), we ran through the station, where I slipped and fell over and sprained my wrist* - which Hannah kindly bandaged up. Fortunately, the fourth train (the final one) was also late, which allowed us to get to our destination before 05:00 the next morning (which would have been the alternative). But anyway - Tatranska Lomnica was lovely - very different from what we've had so far since it was a village in the mountains as opposed to a large foreign city. We only had half a day to explore the place, but we walked part way up one of the mountains for a view, decided not to go on the cable car due to lack of funds, and then, after looking at practically every other restaurant in the village, decided to eat at the one at our hotel (yes - that's hotel, not hostel) where I got a spaghetti bolognese saturated with cheese (ugh!!) The hotel was very good (but being used to hostels, I would say that) since it had a TV and jacuzzi (although the shower only had two temperature settings - scalding hot and freezing cold - with no middle ground). However, we did also get faced with a 600 Koruna fine when we broke one of the sofa beds. So all in all, despite injuring myself twice (the other time being when I fell into a ditch on the side of the road), Tatranska Lomnica was a lovely change (which was probably most noticeable in the colder temperatures and the presence of rain!) Based on the trouble the Hungarians have us with Iain's interrail ticket** (which has scared me more that Pranav's passport trouble entering Poland***), Hungary has a lot to live up to...
* While wearing what were later nicknamed my "sandals of death" due to my propensity to fall over wearing them. I've still got them, too.
** The inspector claimed the hologram on Iain's wasn't valid, so took a €30 "fine".
*** Polish border guards are, sadly, a little racist.
Friday 27th July 2007 - Day 13 - 17:09
En route from Budapest to Timisoara
The train I'm currently sitting on isn't compartmentalised (which disappointed me, considering that its a long distance one which we had to make a reservation for) and the guard had some trouble understanding our tickets, but that excluded, Hungary and Budapest has probably been my favourite place so far. The city was beautiful - the Royal Palace, the Chain Bridge (which we walked across), Elizabeth Bridge and the Hungarian parliament were all wonderful structures, and the panoramic view from St Stephen's Basilica was well worth the 500 forint (~£1.40) we paid for it. With that and the large square with the semi circular monument (which I forge the name of)* done, however, Budapest had little more to offer in terms of sights (hence why we wondered around the market and played cards outside parliament this morning). The food we ate was as varied and as un-local as ever - a Subway for lunch yesterday, a (delicious and cheap) Chinese/Oriental type place for dinner (which was called the Budda), and a Burger King for lunch today (where I didn't eat - but that was probably due to lack of local currency as opposed to not wanting a burger or chips). The hostel was generally very good (allowing for the shower trying to scald me yesterday morning and the lack of working internet access), since although we slept in a dorm, each bunk bed was in a separate "compartment", thereby allowing for some privacy. The weather was also rather nice, since yesterday it was cool enough to make it comfortable to walk around without sweating too much, though it seems to have warmed up again today. And, knowing where we're heading, I'd be surprised if tomorrow is any better...
*As I've now discovered, it was the Millenniary monument.
En route from Budapest to Timisoara
The train I'm currently sitting on isn't compartmentalised (which disappointed me, considering that its a long distance one which we had to make a reservation for) and the guard had some trouble understanding our tickets, but that excluded, Hungary and Budapest has probably been my favourite place so far. The city was beautiful - the Royal Palace, the Chain Bridge (which we walked across), Elizabeth Bridge and the Hungarian parliament were all wonderful structures, and the panoramic view from St Stephen's Basilica was well worth the 500 forint (~£1.40) we paid for it. With that and the large square with the semi circular monument (which I forge the name of)* done, however, Budapest had little more to offer in terms of sights (hence why we wondered around the market and played cards outside parliament this morning). The food we ate was as varied and as un-local as ever - a Subway for lunch yesterday, a (delicious and cheap) Chinese/Oriental type place for dinner (which was called the Budda), and a Burger King for lunch today (where I didn't eat - but that was probably due to lack of local currency as opposed to not wanting a burger or chips). The hostel was generally very good (allowing for the shower trying to scald me yesterday morning and the lack of working internet access), since although we slept in a dorm, each bunk bed was in a separate "compartment", thereby allowing for some privacy. The weather was also rather nice, since yesterday it was cool enough to make it comfortable to walk around without sweating too much, though it seems to have warmed up again today. And, knowing where we're heading, I'd be surprised if tomorrow is any better...
*As I've now discovered, it was the Millenniary monument.
Sunday 29th July 2007 - Day 15 - 08:50
En route from Timisoara to Belgrade
Timisoara was basically dull, to sum it up in a word. The city wasn't exactly prepared for tourists, as shown by the amount of information available in the tourist office. We arrived late on Friday in a city that felt somewhat unsafe and looked like a dump.* Fortunately, the hotel was opposite the train station, meaning we didn't have to venture too far in the dark. The following morning, we headed into the centre (without a map) and within a few hours we felt we had done all Timisoara had to offer - the impressive (Orthodox) cathedral, the main square, the flower clock (which was 55 minutes fast)** and the shopping mall. So, bored out of our minds, we went to the park, had a nap in the bandstand, and played a few games of cards. We also came across a skateboarding/cycling/BMX festival/competition type thing, where the commentary was practically in English. After stocking up on food, we went out to find a restaurant called "Dracula" (chosen by Hannah), only to walk for miles and discover the place didn't actually exist (damn tourist information leaflets!) So (surprise, surprise), we went to to an Italian in the main square, and then for an ice cream afterwards, before turning in early for this morning's train journey. Hotel was ok - two stars (demoted from three, according to the room keys) - but it had all we needed including a fan and a mini-fridge. The strength of the sun and heat proved rather oppressive at times, and yet again, I overwithdrew on local currency - I have 100 leu left over*** (about £20 - £25) - since I didn't realise how little there would be to buy. I just hope that Belgrade is a little better - on the upside, it's a capital city, but then again, it's only 8 years or so since the Americans (and NATO) bombed it for all it was worth...
* Ok, so I may have been exaggerating a little, but the smell was the first thing that hit you, and it wasn't exactly pleasant!
** No idea why - but no, we didn't forget to put our watches forward when crossing into Romania.
*** One thing I also noticed about Romania is how most shops are very unwilling to accept notes above 10 leu!
En route from Timisoara to Belgrade
Timisoara was basically dull, to sum it up in a word. The city wasn't exactly prepared for tourists, as shown by the amount of information available in the tourist office. We arrived late on Friday in a city that felt somewhat unsafe and looked like a dump.* Fortunately, the hotel was opposite the train station, meaning we didn't have to venture too far in the dark. The following morning, we headed into the centre (without a map) and within a few hours we felt we had done all Timisoara had to offer - the impressive (Orthodox) cathedral, the main square, the flower clock (which was 55 minutes fast)** and the shopping mall. So, bored out of our minds, we went to the park, had a nap in the bandstand, and played a few games of cards. We also came across a skateboarding/cycling/BMX festival/competition type thing, where the commentary was practically in English. After stocking up on food, we went out to find a restaurant called "Dracula" (chosen by Hannah), only to walk for miles and discover the place didn't actually exist (damn tourist information leaflets!) So (surprise, surprise), we went to to an Italian in the main square, and then for an ice cream afterwards, before turning in early for this morning's train journey. Hotel was ok - two stars (demoted from three, according to the room keys) - but it had all we needed including a fan and a mini-fridge. The strength of the sun and heat proved rather oppressive at times, and yet again, I overwithdrew on local currency - I have 100 leu left over*** (about £20 - £25) - since I didn't realise how little there would be to buy. I just hope that Belgrade is a little better - on the upside, it's a capital city, but then again, it's only 8 years or so since the Americans (and NATO) bombed it for all it was worth...
* Ok, so I may have been exaggerating a little, but the smell was the first thing that hit you, and it wasn't exactly pleasant!
** No idea why - but no, we didn't forget to put our watches forward when crossing into Romania.
*** One thing I also noticed about Romania is how most shops are very unwilling to accept notes above 10 leu!
Tuesday 31st July 2007 - Day 17 - 13:21
En route from Belgrade to Zagreb
Serbia was somewhat crazy (with so many places closed on a Monday)* and relatively difficult to enter (since passport control requested to know where we were going), but Belgrade was a very nice city considering that it was subject to NATO precision bombing just 8 years ago (though, I admit, the smuggling we witnessed on the train coming into Belgrade didn't exactly fill me with confidence). On arrival, we visited the Orthodox cathedral that they started building in 1939 (and still haven't finished), did some laundry (with more success than in Vienna), and explored the old town and saw the Serbian parliament. We also visited the castle (by far the most impressive so far on the tour), the Danube shoreline (where it was very windy), a suburban Belgrade market (where I'm convinced I was talked out of 100 dinar) and then we visited the old town again. Food largely consisted of pasta and snacks - Hannah, Mike and Will did some pasta on the first night, and we had a rather interesting restaurant experience on the second night, with me having a meal which came late, and when we complained, I was given extra cheese! Hostel was quite good overall, quite informal, it had a kitchen with a fridge (quite rare) and free internet access. However, they did try to chuck us out when we arrived back on the middle day (thinking we had only booked one night), but Will had the booking confirmation e-mail to prove them wrong. We also left a comment on their wall** to remind them of what they tried to do!! Weather started to change on the middle day as it both clouded over and cooled down, and it was raining when we walked to the station this morning (causing me to slip over and ruin this lunchtime's baguette)***. Managed to overwithdraw on currency again - I have about 1250 Serbian Dinar left, but fortunately I only have one more currency to mess up on before we hit the Eurozone again...
* As I've since learnt, this is standard practice with a lot of attractions on the continent.
** Not as in a Facebook-style wall, they had paper pinned up on which visitors left comments about their stay.
*** The "sandals of death" strike again!
En route from Belgrade to Zagreb
Serbia was somewhat crazy (with so many places closed on a Monday)* and relatively difficult to enter (since passport control requested to know where we were going), but Belgrade was a very nice city considering that it was subject to NATO precision bombing just 8 years ago (though, I admit, the smuggling we witnessed on the train coming into Belgrade didn't exactly fill me with confidence). On arrival, we visited the Orthodox cathedral that they started building in 1939 (and still haven't finished), did some laundry (with more success than in Vienna), and explored the old town and saw the Serbian parliament. We also visited the castle (by far the most impressive so far on the tour), the Danube shoreline (where it was very windy), a suburban Belgrade market (where I'm convinced I was talked out of 100 dinar) and then we visited the old town again. Food largely consisted of pasta and snacks - Hannah, Mike and Will did some pasta on the first night, and we had a rather interesting restaurant experience on the second night, with me having a meal which came late, and when we complained, I was given extra cheese! Hostel was quite good overall, quite informal, it had a kitchen with a fridge (quite rare) and free internet access. However, they did try to chuck us out when we arrived back on the middle day (thinking we had only booked one night), but Will had the booking confirmation e-mail to prove them wrong. We also left a comment on their wall** to remind them of what they tried to do!! Weather started to change on the middle day as it both clouded over and cooled down, and it was raining when we walked to the station this morning (causing me to slip over and ruin this lunchtime's baguette)***. Managed to overwithdraw on currency again - I have about 1250 Serbian Dinar left, but fortunately I only have one more currency to mess up on before we hit the Eurozone again...
* As I've since learnt, this is standard practice with a lot of attractions on the continent.
** Not as in a Facebook-style wall, they had paper pinned up on which visitors left comments about their stay.
*** The "sandals of death" strike again!
Wednesday 1st August 2007 - Day 18 - 09:56
En route from Zagreb to Ljubljana
Zagreb was a lot more pretty and had a lot more charm than the two cities we visited before it, but it also felt rather small (though this could be due to the fact that we only had an evening to explore the place following yesterday's marathon 7 hour train journey). Our walk around the place basically saw us walking through the old town (which had a distinct lack of Croatian flags on sale - to my disappointment)*, and seeing a few churches, a park, a few (rather strange) statues and the Croatian parliament. Yet again, we ate at an Italian (I suspect this may become even more usual when we hit Italy) and for breakfast, we had croissants, half of which we fed to the birds in the park. For once, all of us (including me) managed not to overwithdraw on currency, although the cash machine screwed us all over somewhat by giving us 200 Kuna notes which the small souvenir shops were unwilling to accept. However, I'll probably remember Zagreb for it's hostel - probably the worst so far - since the bunk beds had to protection to stop you falling out, and the showers on all 4 floors that we checked were in a foul condition (in terms of cleanliness) and would only give cold water no matter how far you turned the hot tap.** Still, things should get better now - we've completed the most "dodgy" part of the tour, and today we're heading back into the European Union and the Eurozone (though Pranav will no doubt disagree with me on the latter)***. At least it means that I have less chance of overwithdrawing on currency, though...
* I tried to collect a flag as a souvenir from each country we visited.
** Zagreb Central Youth Hostel. Don't go there, ever. Seriously.
*** Just for Pranav's information, the Wikipedia Eurozone article does have Slovenia listed!
En route from Zagreb to Ljubljana
Zagreb was a lot more pretty and had a lot more charm than the two cities we visited before it, but it also felt rather small (though this could be due to the fact that we only had an evening to explore the place following yesterday's marathon 7 hour train journey). Our walk around the place basically saw us walking through the old town (which had a distinct lack of Croatian flags on sale - to my disappointment)*, and seeing a few churches, a park, a few (rather strange) statues and the Croatian parliament. Yet again, we ate at an Italian (I suspect this may become even more usual when we hit Italy) and for breakfast, we had croissants, half of which we fed to the birds in the park. For once, all of us (including me) managed not to overwithdraw on currency, although the cash machine screwed us all over somewhat by giving us 200 Kuna notes which the small souvenir shops were unwilling to accept. However, I'll probably remember Zagreb for it's hostel - probably the worst so far - since the bunk beds had to protection to stop you falling out, and the showers on all 4 floors that we checked were in a foul condition (in terms of cleanliness) and would only give cold water no matter how far you turned the hot tap.** Still, things should get better now - we've completed the most "dodgy" part of the tour, and today we're heading back into the European Union and the Eurozone (though Pranav will no doubt disagree with me on the latter)***. At least it means that I have less chance of overwithdrawing on currency, though...
* I tried to collect a flag as a souvenir from each country we visited.
** Zagreb Central Youth Hostel. Don't go there, ever. Seriously.
*** Just for Pranav's information, the Wikipedia Eurozone article does have Slovenia listed!
Thursday 2nd August 2007 - Day 19 - 10:39
En route from Ljubljana to Venice
Ljubljana was a very pretty city - more so than Zagreb - to the extent that you would question whether it used to be part of Yugoslavia. The journey there was also probably my favourite so far - once we left Croatia, there were lovely mountains either side of us covered in trees, with a river following the railway line right up to Ljubljana itself. When we arrived in the city, we inadvertently went to the wrong hostel, not realising that Alibi Hostels had more than one hostel in the area. When we made it to the correct one, we headed for the castle, which gave a fantastic view of the (rather small) city from the tower. On the way down from the castle, we took the funicular railway (a lot of emphasis was put on the first three letters) which Iain caught on camera. We then had a wander around the old town and the river, and also visited the cathedral. We ate out at another Italian-ish restaurant (though I avoided the pasta for once and had some turkey with potatoes). The hostel (in my opinion) was rather substandard due to the €21.50 we paid - only to have to queue for the showers (which had no hot water) and not be able to make use of the internet access as it was so busy. Being able to use Euros again has been nice, though, and the cash machine gave me €200 in €20 notes, rather than as a single bill*. However, I need to economise a little more after blowing around €55 in less than 24 hours. Knowing where we're going, it may not be that easy...
* We got screwed over in Vienna with cash machines issuing ridiculously high-denomination bills.
En route from Ljubljana to Venice
Ljubljana was a very pretty city - more so than Zagreb - to the extent that you would question whether it used to be part of Yugoslavia. The journey there was also probably my favourite so far - once we left Croatia, there were lovely mountains either side of us covered in trees, with a river following the railway line right up to Ljubljana itself. When we arrived in the city, we inadvertently went to the wrong hostel, not realising that Alibi Hostels had more than one hostel in the area. When we made it to the correct one, we headed for the castle, which gave a fantastic view of the (rather small) city from the tower. On the way down from the castle, we took the funicular railway (a lot of emphasis was put on the first three letters) which Iain caught on camera. We then had a wander around the old town and the river, and also visited the cathedral. We ate out at another Italian-ish restaurant (though I avoided the pasta for once and had some turkey with potatoes). The hostel (in my opinion) was rather substandard due to the €21.50 we paid - only to have to queue for the showers (which had no hot water) and not be able to make use of the internet access as it was so busy. Being able to use Euros again has been nice, though, and the cash machine gave me €200 in €20 notes, rather than as a single bill*. However, I need to economise a little more after blowing around €55 in less than 24 hours. Knowing where we're going, it may not be that easy...
* We got screwed over in Vienna with cash machines issuing ridiculously high-denomination bills.
Saturday 4th August 2007 - Day 21 - 09:23
En route from Venice to Florence
Although it's only been two days, it feels like ages since there were just six of us on the trip*. Despite all the texts and calls that were made beforehand, we met up at Mestre station without any problems. From there, Emma and Simon led us back to the hostel, and after getting everyone to wear their polo shirts**, we set out for the island of Venice. The island was exactly like all the pictures you see of the place – canal (small and large) with arched bridges over them, small, narrow streets, and lots of pretty churches (though many charged for entrance). After rather a long wander around the place, we settled to eat an Italian meal (what else!?) where I found and ate a cheese-free pizza for the first time in years. The following day saw us wandering around Venice again (though this time, part of it was done in the rain – hence we stopped at a supermarket to eat and take cover). We also visited the main square (where we had great fun feeding the pigeons), and then wandered to the only green part of the island where we found Mitch's terrapin pond. Dinner was much more basic than the previous night – sandwiches from the supermarket that we ate on a pier – though I fell waist deep into the canal when trying to clean my knife!*** The hostel/hotel we stayed in was good by the standards so far – only faults were the lack of pressure in the shower and the charge for using the Internet. Weather in Venice was quite pleasant (apart from the rain) as it was cool enough to walk around without sweating too much. And despite the price of everything on the island, I only spent €80 in two days after my €55 in Slovenia. Just need to keep that going now – though it may get harder with the cost of all the train reservations/supplements in Italy…
* Four more joined us at Venice.
** Specially made for the trip - another great souvenir!
*** Not my brightest moment, negotiating algae-covered steps...
En route from Venice to Florence
Although it's only been two days, it feels like ages since there were just six of us on the trip*. Despite all the texts and calls that were made beforehand, we met up at Mestre station without any problems. From there, Emma and Simon led us back to the hostel, and after getting everyone to wear their polo shirts**, we set out for the island of Venice. The island was exactly like all the pictures you see of the place – canal (small and large) with arched bridges over them, small, narrow streets, and lots of pretty churches (though many charged for entrance). After rather a long wander around the place, we settled to eat an Italian meal (what else!?) where I found and ate a cheese-free pizza for the first time in years. The following day saw us wandering around Venice again (though this time, part of it was done in the rain – hence we stopped at a supermarket to eat and take cover). We also visited the main square (where we had great fun feeding the pigeons), and then wandered to the only green part of the island where we found Mitch's terrapin pond. Dinner was much more basic than the previous night – sandwiches from the supermarket that we ate on a pier – though I fell waist deep into the canal when trying to clean my knife!*** The hostel/hotel we stayed in was good by the standards so far – only faults were the lack of pressure in the shower and the charge for using the Internet. Weather in Venice was quite pleasant (apart from the rain) as it was cool enough to walk around without sweating too much. And despite the price of everything on the island, I only spent €80 in two days after my €55 in Slovenia. Just need to keep that going now – though it may get harder with the cost of all the train reservations/supplements in Italy…
* Four more joined us at Venice.
** Specially made for the trip - another great souvenir!
*** Not my brightest moment, negotiating algae-covered steps...
Sunday 5th August 2007 - Day 22 - 13:07
En route from Florence to Rome
Florence has (to my surprise) been one of my favourite cities so far – there weren't a huge number of different sights, but the general feel and atmosphere of the place was something I liked. After waiting around a lot due to problems with train reservations and buses, we checked into a rather nice (though not very central) hostel and headed for the centre. The most impressive sight was Il Duomo, with its coloured façade and tall (and separate)* bell tower. We also the Ponte Vecchio bridge (which was stacked with jewellery shops) and a few more churches before settling in the main square to eat in front of the town hall with its huge tower and strange clock. The meal was reasonably cheap (though we didn't tip due to the €1.50 cover charge), though the size of the portions meant we went hunting for ice cream afterwards (and we found a place that did lovely big ones for just €1.50). This morning just saw us wander around a few more churches and streets before stocking up for the train journey. The hostel we stayed in was quite good by the standards so far – decently sized rooms, hot showers (though there was a lack of light) and breakfast included in the price (though the quality left something to be desired). The name of the place 7 santi (7 saints) – also gave some clue as to what the place was – it felt like a converted hospital but the fact that it was right next to a church suggests that it might once have been a monastery. The weather (as predicted) heated up in Florence, which in some ways makes me glad that after today, we only have 3 more days of travelling before we hit Nice!
* I'm a bellringer, hence why I took note of that!
En route from Florence to Rome
Florence has (to my surprise) been one of my favourite cities so far – there weren't a huge number of different sights, but the general feel and atmosphere of the place was something I liked. After waiting around a lot due to problems with train reservations and buses, we checked into a rather nice (though not very central) hostel and headed for the centre. The most impressive sight was Il Duomo, with its coloured façade and tall (and separate)* bell tower. We also the Ponte Vecchio bridge (which was stacked with jewellery shops) and a few more churches before settling in the main square to eat in front of the town hall with its huge tower and strange clock. The meal was reasonably cheap (though we didn't tip due to the €1.50 cover charge), though the size of the portions meant we went hunting for ice cream afterwards (and we found a place that did lovely big ones for just €1.50). This morning just saw us wander around a few more churches and streets before stocking up for the train journey. The hostel we stayed in was quite good by the standards so far – decently sized rooms, hot showers (though there was a lack of light) and breakfast included in the price (though the quality left something to be desired). The name of the place 7 santi (7 saints) – also gave some clue as to what the place was – it felt like a converted hospital but the fact that it was right next to a church suggests that it might once have been a monastery. The weather (as predicted) heated up in Florence, which in some ways makes me glad that after today, we only have 3 more days of travelling before we hit Nice!
* I'm a bellringer, hence why I took note of that!
Thursday 7th August 2007 - Day 24 - 11:10
En route from Rome to Pisa
Due to the cost of reserving some Italian trains, we're now on what Will was christened a "regional zug"*, which is taking a rather scenic route. Personally, I didn't find Rome all that spectacular – thought that could be due to the amount of impressive places we've already visited than the city itself. On our first day, besides numerous churches, we saw the Trevi Fountain and the fairly impressive Pantheon (impressive because of its age), before settling to eat a supermarket lunch in front of the Vittoriano building. On the second morning, we headed towards the Colleseum (though it was hard to fully appreciate due to its sheer size)** and the Roman Forum. From there, we walked the long walk to the Vatican (via the Pantheon and a small castle). I was somewhat displeased at having to hide my Swiss Army Knife*** in order to get into St Peter's (even though it didn't get stolen), although the view from the top of the dome was worth it (and the €5 that we paid for it). After browsing a market, we also saw the Spanish Steps before eating another supermarket lunch by the Vittoriano building. Somehow, the meal gave me a stomach upset that lasted all night – which was only aggravated by our hotel locking us out as we hadn't yet paid for the rooms. The hotel (the Alessandro Palace) wasn't particularly impressive considering the €64 we paid for it – the dorms were small, breakfast was unimpressive, and only having en-suite rooms made showering in the morning even slower. Fortunately, we only have on night of that left before we arrive in Nice!
* Actually the correct term, I was surprised to learn.
** We were too cheapskate to pay to go inside.
*** ...in St Peter's Square!
En route from Rome to Pisa
Due to the cost of reserving some Italian trains, we're now on what Will was christened a "regional zug"*, which is taking a rather scenic route. Personally, I didn't find Rome all that spectacular – thought that could be due to the amount of impressive places we've already visited than the city itself. On our first day, besides numerous churches, we saw the Trevi Fountain and the fairly impressive Pantheon (impressive because of its age), before settling to eat a supermarket lunch in front of the Vittoriano building. On the second morning, we headed towards the Colleseum (though it was hard to fully appreciate due to its sheer size)** and the Roman Forum. From there, we walked the long walk to the Vatican (via the Pantheon and a small castle). I was somewhat displeased at having to hide my Swiss Army Knife*** in order to get into St Peter's (even though it didn't get stolen), although the view from the top of the dome was worth it (and the €5 that we paid for it). After browsing a market, we also saw the Spanish Steps before eating another supermarket lunch by the Vittoriano building. Somehow, the meal gave me a stomach upset that lasted all night – which was only aggravated by our hotel locking us out as we hadn't yet paid for the rooms. The hotel (the Alessandro Palace) wasn't particularly impressive considering the €64 we paid for it – the dorms were small, breakfast was unimpressive, and only having en-suite rooms made showering in the morning even slower. Fortunately, we only have on night of that left before we arrive in Nice!
* Actually the correct term, I was surprised to learn.
** We were too cheapskate to pay to go inside.
*** ...in St Peter's Square!
Wednesday 8th August 2007 - Day 25 - 09:04
En route from Pisa to Genoa
Pisa has just one major sight. It's a bell tower. And it leans. Apart from the tower and the church, Pisa had very little to offer. When we arrived, we had a wander around the city, the only things of note being the river (and the view down it) and the pedal powered buggies that lots of tourists were using. We then got to the tower (and its mass of souvenir stalls which didn't sell a single Italian flag!), paid €2 to see inside the church, decided that was all there was to do, and went to eat out to celebrate Pranav's birthday. We then spent a memorable evening in the grounds of the leaning tower, where we played cards, wink murder, zip zap boing, splat bang and duck duck goose, the last three of which prompted people to say a few swear words rather loudly when they made a mistake. We also successfully took a picture of a 10-person pyramid* – with me on top, since Emma was unable to climb up three rows of people. We then went back to the hotel, which was, in my opinion, the best so far - €20 for a large room with a TV and air conditioning that actually worked, and a reasonably clean bathroom/shower the next morning. Rising at 6:30am this morning nearly killed some of the new recruits on the trip, but hopefully Genoa (and Nice) will be worth it…
* Another inside joke thing!
En route from Pisa to Genoa
Pisa has just one major sight. It's a bell tower. And it leans. Apart from the tower and the church, Pisa had very little to offer. When we arrived, we had a wander around the city, the only things of note being the river (and the view down it) and the pedal powered buggies that lots of tourists were using. We then got to the tower (and its mass of souvenir stalls which didn't sell a single Italian flag!), paid €2 to see inside the church, decided that was all there was to do, and went to eat out to celebrate Pranav's birthday. We then spent a memorable evening in the grounds of the leaning tower, where we played cards, wink murder, zip zap boing, splat bang and duck duck goose, the last three of which prompted people to say a few swear words rather loudly when they made a mistake. We also successfully took a picture of a 10-person pyramid* – with me on top, since Emma was unable to climb up three rows of people. We then went back to the hotel, which was, in my opinion, the best so far - €20 for a large room with a TV and air conditioning that actually worked, and a reasonably clean bathroom/shower the next morning. Rising at 6:30am this morning nearly killed some of the new recruits on the trip, but hopefully Genoa (and Nice) will be worth it…
* Another inside joke thing!
Wednesday 8th August 2007 - Day 25 - 18:59
En route from Genoa to Nice
Around 10 minutes ago, we crossed the border to arrive in what is (almost) the final country on this tour. And unlike all the other one we crossed, a few things struck me about it. Firstly, it was clearly marked, as the actual border was a river, and had Italian and French flags on either side. Second was the immediate change in language on the signs on wither side – there was no "intermediate" phase – it was either all Italian or all French. And finally – they didn't check out passports – the train went straight from the Italian border station (Ventimiglia) and happily stopped at the first French one.* The three or so hours we spent in Genoa earlier were nothing to particularly write home about – except for the fact that there was a massive storm when we got off at Genoa station. We did the usual – visited a few churches (including one at which we didn't realised that there was a funeral!) and saw the main square (with an impressive fountain) before stocking up for the journey and finishing with a nice walk along the port waterfront. There was some drama as we left Genoa, though, as for the first time, we managed to catch the wrong train – but since the correct one was following behind us, we just had to change at an extra station in order to rectify our mistake. Still – Hannah's parent's have kindly prepared a welcome meal at the house**, and have stocked us up with supplies so there's nothing more to sat other than that Nice awaits!
* I've since learned all about the Schengen agreement.
** The last week was spent at a house owned by Hannah's family in the south of France.
En route from Genoa to Nice
Around 10 minutes ago, we crossed the border to arrive in what is (almost) the final country on this tour. And unlike all the other one we crossed, a few things struck me about it. Firstly, it was clearly marked, as the actual border was a river, and had Italian and French flags on either side. Second was the immediate change in language on the signs on wither side – there was no "intermediate" phase – it was either all Italian or all French. And finally – they didn't check out passports – the train went straight from the Italian border station (Ventimiglia) and happily stopped at the first French one.* The three or so hours we spent in Genoa earlier were nothing to particularly write home about – except for the fact that there was a massive storm when we got off at Genoa station. We did the usual – visited a few churches (including one at which we didn't realised that there was a funeral!) and saw the main square (with an impressive fountain) before stocking up for the journey and finishing with a nice walk along the port waterfront. There was some drama as we left Genoa, though, as for the first time, we managed to catch the wrong train – but since the correct one was following behind us, we just had to change at an extra station in order to rectify our mistake. Still – Hannah's parent's have kindly prepared a welcome meal at the house**, and have stocked us up with supplies so there's nothing more to sat other than that Nice awaits!
* I've since learned all about the Schengen agreement.
** The last week was spent at a house owned by Hannah's family in the south of France.
Friday 10th August 2007 - Day 27 - 18:48
At Hannah's house
The past two days have been wonderfully relaxing compared to taking trains all over Europe. We arrived at Hannah's house at around 9pm on Wednesday to a meal bought for us by Hannah's parents. Despite Hannah's attempts to play down the house, the place is very impressive – it can sleep 8, has 2 bathrooms and an extra toilet, along with a kitchen, dining area and a nice-sized living room. David and Becky arrived a little earlier than we expected due to some confusion over flight times*. Yesterday morning Will, Hannah, Iain, Lexi and Mitch went shopping for food, and came back with the car absolutely stuffed such that Iain and Will couldn't get out! In the afternoon, we (eventually) took the train down to Cannes (we missed the first one by 30 seconds) to the beach, which was rather crowded but fun all the same. We also had a walk down on the docks, admiring the luxury yachts and cars, before coming back to the house to be treated to Lexi's cooking of spaghetti. This morning we planned to go down to the campsite river, but problems with buses meant we had to postpone the trip, so Iain and I went into the local village to find an ATM and get some inflatables. We eventually made it to the river this afternoon, where we all plunged in by jumping off rocks around 2m high, and the rest of the group also proceeded to cover themselves in clay from the clay pit.** All great fun – now we're back at the house, there's another evening meal to look forward to!
* 12 of us now!
** i.e. everyone but me!
At Hannah's house
The past two days have been wonderfully relaxing compared to taking trains all over Europe. We arrived at Hannah's house at around 9pm on Wednesday to a meal bought for us by Hannah's parents. Despite Hannah's attempts to play down the house, the place is very impressive – it can sleep 8, has 2 bathrooms and an extra toilet, along with a kitchen, dining area and a nice-sized living room. David and Becky arrived a little earlier than we expected due to some confusion over flight times*. Yesterday morning Will, Hannah, Iain, Lexi and Mitch went shopping for food, and came back with the car absolutely stuffed such that Iain and Will couldn't get out! In the afternoon, we (eventually) took the train down to Cannes (we missed the first one by 30 seconds) to the beach, which was rather crowded but fun all the same. We also had a walk down on the docks, admiring the luxury yachts and cars, before coming back to the house to be treated to Lexi's cooking of spaghetti. This morning we planned to go down to the campsite river, but problems with buses meant we had to postpone the trip, so Iain and I went into the local village to find an ATM and get some inflatables. We eventually made it to the river this afternoon, where we all plunged in by jumping off rocks around 2m high, and the rest of the group also proceeded to cover themselves in clay from the clay pit.** All great fun – now we're back at the house, there's another evening meal to look forward to!
* 12 of us now!
** i.e. everyone but me!
Saturday 11th August 2007 - Day 28 - 23:44
At Hannah's house
Wow – we've now hit the milestone of 4 weeks away. Easily the longest time I've ever been away from home. Scary. This morning saw us go off to the beach at Antibes – less crowded than Cannes – but with the added hazard of jellyfish – as Will found out to his cost. While the others continued swimming and sunbathing, Pranav and I headed into the old town in order to get presents for Will, Hannah, Iain, Lexi and Hannah's parents – and to my delight, everyone else has agreed to contribute towards the cost, and Pranav and I have planned how we want to present the gifts. The 12 of us then traipsed around the old town together before heading back to the station. The journey home was eventful. The train was 25 minutes late to start, and then decided it didn't want to go directly to Grasse, forcing us to change at Cannes. From there, we got a free ride to the bus station, and then a ride back with a rather dodgy taxi man* (who packed us in 6 at a time for a total of 100 Euros). From there on, this evening has been pretty quiet (at least compared to last night, when a fair amount was drunk!) – although we've just discovered that the local buses don't run on Sundays, which has shot our plans. My thoughts are now turning towards going home, though – only a few days away – it'll be so different from the past 4 weeks…
* He wasn't a taxi man, just a local looking for some quick money. He did get us home, though!
At Hannah's house
Wow – we've now hit the milestone of 4 weeks away. Easily the longest time I've ever been away from home. Scary. This morning saw us go off to the beach at Antibes – less crowded than Cannes – but with the added hazard of jellyfish – as Will found out to his cost. While the others continued swimming and sunbathing, Pranav and I headed into the old town in order to get presents for Will, Hannah, Iain, Lexi and Hannah's parents – and to my delight, everyone else has agreed to contribute towards the cost, and Pranav and I have planned how we want to present the gifts. The 12 of us then traipsed around the old town together before heading back to the station. The journey home was eventful. The train was 25 minutes late to start, and then decided it didn't want to go directly to Grasse, forcing us to change at Cannes. From there, we got a free ride to the bus station, and then a ride back with a rather dodgy taxi man* (who packed us in 6 at a time for a total of 100 Euros). From there on, this evening has been pretty quiet (at least compared to last night, when a fair amount was drunk!) – although we've just discovered that the local buses don't run on Sundays, which has shot our plans. My thoughts are now turning towards going home, though – only a few days away – it'll be so different from the past 4 weeks…
* He wasn't a taxi man, just a local looking for some quick money. He did get us home, though!
Tuesday 14th August 2007 - Day 31 - 23:18
En route from Nice to Liverpool
The last few days have been relatively uneventful compared to the rest of those in Grasse due to problems with the buses. They didn’t run on Sundays, which forced us to spend all of Sunday at the house (though we did go out food shopping). So we lazed around the pool, battling over the lilo and watching the Lion King. Lexi cooked stuffed peppers for us for dinner, and we spent the evening watching the shooting stars while most members of the group engaged in a discussion about urnial etiquette (how that came up in conversation I don’t know!) Monday was the long promised day trip to Monaco – had to get up early, but it was worth it. The train station was very impressive, and we spent the morning admiring the boats, cars, and the casino. Pranav also managed to get his debit card swallowed at the KB bank, which amused us all*. The afternoon saw 9 of us going up to the castle, which gave a good view of the principality, even though I personally didn’t regard it as all that scenic. As planned, we then took the train back to Cannes, for a final trip to the beach and meal out (for about 10 Euros – not bad for the south of France). Back at the house, Pranav and I presented the group’s presents to Dr and Mrs Cliffe, Lexi, Iain, Hannah and Will, which went down very well, and then, as Mitch had promised we could, we burnt his hat to celebrate the end of the holiday**. Tuesday – our final day – also didn’t go to plan, since the bus that would have taken us to Gordon ignored us and drove straight past, forcing us to spend another day inside. Lexi and Fred were picked up in the afternoon, and the group then split once more in order to get to the airport. The original six caught the train (and had to backtrack in order to get to the right stop!), before we all (eventually) met at the airport. Which brings me to the flight now. To be going home feels strange, as the last 31 days have been so different to anything I’ve done before. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing people at home again, though given the choice, I’d probably choose to continue travelling...
* Inside joke again, but irony beyond belief there...
** His hat had irritated us so much during the holiday that it had to be done!!
En route from Nice to Liverpool
The last few days have been relatively uneventful compared to the rest of those in Grasse due to problems with the buses. They didn’t run on Sundays, which forced us to spend all of Sunday at the house (though we did go out food shopping). So we lazed around the pool, battling over the lilo and watching the Lion King. Lexi cooked stuffed peppers for us for dinner, and we spent the evening watching the shooting stars while most members of the group engaged in a discussion about urnial etiquette (how that came up in conversation I don’t know!) Monday was the long promised day trip to Monaco – had to get up early, but it was worth it. The train station was very impressive, and we spent the morning admiring the boats, cars, and the casino. Pranav also managed to get his debit card swallowed at the KB bank, which amused us all*. The afternoon saw 9 of us going up to the castle, which gave a good view of the principality, even though I personally didn’t regard it as all that scenic. As planned, we then took the train back to Cannes, for a final trip to the beach and meal out (for about 10 Euros – not bad for the south of France). Back at the house, Pranav and I presented the group’s presents to Dr and Mrs Cliffe, Lexi, Iain, Hannah and Will, which went down very well, and then, as Mitch had promised we could, we burnt his hat to celebrate the end of the holiday**. Tuesday – our final day – also didn’t go to plan, since the bus that would have taken us to Gordon ignored us and drove straight past, forcing us to spend another day inside. Lexi and Fred were picked up in the afternoon, and the group then split once more in order to get to the airport. The original six caught the train (and had to backtrack in order to get to the right stop!), before we all (eventually) met at the airport. Which brings me to the flight now. To be going home feels strange, as the last 31 days have been so different to anything I’ve done before. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing people at home again, though given the choice, I’d probably choose to continue travelling...
* Inside joke again, but irony beyond belief there...
** His hat had irritated us so much during the holiday that it had to be done!!
