Paris.and.London.in.24h.

After a 5 hour train ride through some awesome French countryside and some nice little villages, I made it to Paris. It was definately refreshing to be able to understand the signs and what people were saying around me. Lucky for me, Paris Est train station was under construction. So it wasn't until a walk through the station, across the street, past the taxis, around the corner, that I finally made it au metro parisien.

I got to my friend Geoffroy's (met him in Budapest) appartment and our Japanese friend Takuro was staying too. The three of us walked around for a bit, I picked up a good baguette sandwhich and we walked to le tour Eiffel. Conveniently Geoffroy lives really close. Took the steps up the tower which was pretty cool, and pretty funny watching Geo do it like a zombie 'cause he's so afraid of heights. After we checked out the new Jean Nouvelle building nearby- musee du quai branly. A really cool building that has a living green wall and a couryard space that really frames a view of the eiffel tower. We were there in the evening so we got to see the tackiest attraction of Paris- the eiffel tower with sparkling lights on the hour.

Then we picked up some french dessert for snack-moelleux for me, and headed out to student party with cheap kronenbourg and to a small pub later. Had a good crepe off the street with cheese mushroom ham and egg on the way home for a late supper, and crashed for the night. (or rather for a few hours before my early train.)

I was up to catch the first metro at 6am and went to the train station to get my Eurostar train into London. It was really strange- like being at an airport. They take your ticket, then put you through french customs (where i finally had the passport checked), UK customs (visa ok'd) and then security. And you wait in a big waiting room with shops and stuff waiting for the gate for your train to open. strange but cool. It was a direct train. Left Paris in the dark so didn't get to see much, then a lot of the ride through the chunnel, then into london it was all covered with fog- so not really a scenic 2.5 hr journey, but a good chance to catch some sleep.

My old boss Andrew (a Londoner) met me at Waterloo station, which was just starting to be a zoo because of all the cancelled flights. He took me on a tour for a few hours of South Bankside which is a really cool area- millenium bridge, the Tate modern, across the river to St. Peter's, a cool market and some ugly foster buildings then a few nice theatres. We had a good chat over a Pint of ale then I was off to the station again for 1300.

Made it there, and took a suburban trainline to meet my cousin Nina in Derby (they say it like Darby). Had a good bite to eat at her place and a little catch up, then Shane got home, we packed the car, and headed north to the Highlands of Scotland.

So I'm here now in Tain for Christmas, enjoying some quiet time and no travelling till after christmas. Not sure about new years yet.

Cheers.

Like.the.Germans.Do

No more Budapest, no more:
-signs I can't read
-good hungarian sausage
-cheap groceries
-0.5L beers for less than a dollar
-riots and tear gas
-did i say no more cheap beer!?
-school for 8 months
-GYROS! had enough for a lifetime anyway
-cheap rent for big appartments
-Palinka, Unicum bad wine
-great times with students from 50 countries at the same time


But since then...
Got to enjoy a fast Austrian/Swiss train with some luxury seating and damn nice stations compared to eastern europe. (i guess this is where the wealth factor comes in...these trains ain't cheap!). Surprisingly there's really no border control from austria onward. All i have is a stamp saying I left Hungary, and nothing through till the UK. Finally got to practice my french for real on the train in Switzerland, and met a couple of swiss guys that were also looking to snowboard- but of course there's still no snow anywhere around here. I got in to Basel at 730 on Sunday morning, and got picked up by some family I met only once when I was 3 and drove into the small town of Minzen. I guess I was the guy with the biggest backpack so pretty easy to spot.

Had a good German breakfast complete with a coffee of course, eggs, tomato,meat and cheese. Even some LAUGEN BUNS (I was supposed to mention that one for you Auntie Trish). The same morning took a ride in the car into France, the german-french province Alsace. We went to a small town called Colmar- really really old, and they had a good christmas market going on. Enjoyed some biere de noel and a typical alsacian pastry/pizza kind of thing... flau.something. Later on, met up with my 'schwip schwap' cousins as they like to call them (family of family kind of thing) and tasted a few different bottles of a few different german brew. Then got taken out to this awesome authentic german restaurant and had Geschnetzel mit Spatzle. mmmmmmm. Officially one of my new favourite meals.

Then hung out at my cousin's pad and had fun with some german expressions over some more Pils. Apparently the germans can down the beer, but once the Irish Whiskey was out... they were soon ready for bed. Shame.

The next day my cousin Jason took me in to see Basel. Took a... hmmm... romantic? 2 minute boat ride across the Rein and walked around a while. You can really see the wealth in switzerland. Didn't even buy a coffee 'cause they were so expensive. Got back into germany and had my first Currywarst (yeah that's a curry sausage- strange but good- and they love them!).Then had a quiet one with some good pizza and sampled a few bavarian brew chillin in with the fam.

Tuesday was my last day there, and my Aunt Angie took me in to see Reinfeldon. We walked across from Germany to Switzerland, which was kinda of wierd. I took a pit stop in the middle of two, where there's a really small park/island that sits on the rein. I can officially say I've relieved myself in the middle of Germany and Switzerland! yay. Had some awesome home cooking for supper and then one last night out at the pub.

Made my way to the station at 7 in the morning and transferred trains in Basel. I was off to Paris.

Goodbye.Budapest.Hello.World.

So it's been a while since the last one.

Was pretty busy the last few weeks in budapest wrapping things up. School finals, last time hanging with friends and crossing off things on the 'to see and do' list. Not to mention getting stuff together to hopefully get a job in London, UK. (yup currently unemployed)

Leaving Budapest was a hard one. You really get to know a city after a while, and even though my first impressions were kinda dissapointing, I ended up really loving it. I met a ton of new people and made some friends from all over the world, some I've become really close with, and definately plan on visiting over the next year.

We had a big goodbye party at our flat on the 14th. From 3pm. That was awesome to hang with everyone one last time. Not to mention that it went until 3am- definately a good time complete with Forralt Bor, bad hungarian wine, cheap beer, and of course of champagne.

Friday night les filles francaises cooked up a good meal of keicsche, chicken and mushrooms and some good bread and pastes for a whole group of 25. An awesome little Esramus christmas.

Then it was time for all the tough goodbye's and see-you-soon's.

Ended up taking me a lot longer to pack than before- Making 3 bags into 2. and most of it into my backpack. Ended up being one heavy bag!

My Bus left from Budapest in the afternoon, and one last long goodbye later it was so long Budapest, Hello World, and off to Vienna to catch a train into Germany. Of course one of Alan's trips wouldn't be complete without the bus breaking down on the way. So we waited a half hour for another bus to show and finally made it. Then it was a nice 4hr wait at the station for the train, and mad dash in Zurich to change trains. Got on the train and it left as I stepped on- close call!

The Germany/France/UK story to come.