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I've become quite the celebrity on Instagram lately, don't you know! My account is so popular it's got to the stage I can message a girl from a destination I plan to visit, and an invitation to meet could well be on the cards. While planning this trip to Europe one girl has been corresponding regularly for several months. She has been unfailingly polite, positive, and enthusiastic about meeting up in Europe. She lives in Budapest, and it's been ten years since my last visit so I organised to fly in to meet her at the start of my adventure. My friends and family at home have been aghast at the idea of meeting a foreign girl from the internet, and there have been plenty of jokes flying around about being trussed up and gagged in the boot of an Eastern European gangster's car! I assured my dearest ones I would be sensible, book my own accommodation, and meet in a public place. After all, what could go wrong? We have been chatting online and over the phone for months and she is clearly a good person. The story continues in a moment...
To bring you up to speed I
flew in to Paris with Qatar Airways to commence this trip. I had the pleasure of meeting a Parisian friend I haven't seen for ten years, since we used to hang out back in Sydney. We had a great catch up over a drink and a delicious meal in one of the world's great cities, and my friend was quickly recruited to the sceptics group about the impending meeting with my internet dream girl. But it will be fine I assured her, and we parted company until next time. I had an early afternoon flight from Beauvais airport with Ryanair, and was not sufficiently diligent in organising a print out of my e-ticket. I scored the airfare via the internet and not direct through Ryanair, and they had the temerity to charge me 45 euros just to print the ticket so I could check in. What a complete rip off and a scam, that was almost the same price as the flight and I was not happy with the situation. I asked if they would consider waiving the fee as I booked through farecompare in Australia and not through the website direct, but as you can imagine I was soon
reaching in to my pocket.
The flight was a breeze and the passengers were out of the plane and through the airport in no time. It's almost like a taxi or bus ride with these budget airlines, and amazingly efficient. I made my way to the Hive hostel in the heart of Budapest and checked in to begin a week's stay in this beautiful city. I chatted over the phone with my dream girl, and we planned to meet for coffee the next day. There are some great lads in the dorm room, and before long I was getting in to the swing of hostel life. The first night was nice and relaxed, and next morning my dream girl became a reality. There I was sitting opposite her chatting over a coffee, and my inner voice started screaming at me to run, just run! I could not believe the situation, as this person next to me was a complete stranger, and didn't look anything like the photos she'd been posting for months, not even an older version of that person. What did she expect when we finally met, that I would just shrug my shoulders and get on with
it despite her living a fantasy life online? I said it was nice to meet you and best of luck, but it was time to head off and explore the city.
The hostel crew and staff found my story interesting, and thought they would cheer me up by inviting me to a night cruise on the Danube river. What an excellent idea, and I was quickly recruited to the cause. The boat was heaving with young tourists mad for a party and downing unlimited drinks, but I took the time to concentrate on some night shots of the city from the boat. Budapest is one of the most spectacular cities in the world, and cruising the Danube at night gives a beautiful view of the buildings lit up on the river. We enjoyed an awesome cruise, and afterwards they herded us to a club where the party kicked on till all hours. I think you get the picture of hostel life in Budapest, and it struck me that young people party almost with a sense of desperation! I guess I was like that once, but it seems a lifetime ago and it's all a bit unseemly.
I did
a couple of walking tours with my Aussie mate from the hostel, and they are highly recommended. The first gave the history of the Nazi and Communist eras, and an insight into the suffering of the Hungarian people during a large part of the 20th century. By taking the wrong side in both world wars two thirds of Hungarian territory was taken away, and there are millions of Hungarians living in other European countries as a result of the borders being redrawn. The second tour takes in the famous sites of the capital, and is packed with wonderful attractions. Participants will enjoy St Stephen's Basilica, the Main Square, the Drawbridge, Buda Castle, the Parliament, the Citadel, what a tour and what a beautiful city! I headed out by myself one morning to visit the House of Terror museum, which chronicles the brutality of life during the Nazi and Communist eras, It's an informative and thought provoking experience and stirs up powerful emotions in visitors. I also visited the memorial to the victims of the 1956 uprising, where unarmed citizens were mown down by the Soviets marking a dark period in the life of the city.
And of course I
was dragged out by the young crowd to indulge in assorted shenanigans. This included a pub crawl that was loads of fun. Budapest is famous for it's ruin bars, where second world war era buildings have been turned into heaving pubs and clubs. There is a standout club called Instant that has so many dance floors and nooks and crannies, you are bound to lose your friends sooner or later. The biggest event in Budapest is the Saturday night spa party but by then I'd had enough of trying to keep up with the hostel crowd. I decided to bail out and the staff organised a refund, and instead I hung out at the hostel bar to the music of a happening DJ. My friends told me it was an unforgettable experience, so if you're young come to Budapest to get wild and crazy and leap in the water at the spa party in your swimmers!
My week in this beautiful city has been memorable for several reasons, and although my internet dream girl didn't live up to expectations I'm thrilled to visit Budapest again after ten years. My memories of the city have been rekindled and as I
wrote in a blog back in 2006, basically all of you should be here now!
Its not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness" Charles Spurgeon
As I continue my travels, until next time it's signing off for now.
Tom
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Shelley and Scott
Michele Hutchinson and Scott Maberley
Finally back on the road
Good to see you travelling again and partying hard. Haven't been to Budapest yet but after your blog we feel we need to get there. Where's the before and after photos of your girlfriend??? I think we all need to do "spot the difference".