From Auckland to Bratislava in under 48 hours

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Dobra dan from Trencin, northern Slovakia!

What a tiring but exciting 96 hours it has been since leaving Auckland.....


Firstly, it was an early start for a 9am flight from Auckland to Seoul on Monday September 7th. Now I had doubts booking with a cheaper airline back in january (befor fares really went low and lower again), but I have to say they were very good on service and food, if the antiquity of the airplanes leaves a little wanting......... In contrast to Air NZ's transtasman service, it was lighter on the entertainment facilities but considerably better in the polite Asian style service and food stakes. Of course including rice!

But it was a long haul to Seoul and we all looked a bit weary thereafter, ready to jump into the 25m lap pool, sauna, or tuck into a gorgreous buffet of 5 star hotel standards. It was worth flying Korean Air just for the food and hotel at the end of it!! I was indeed in heaven..... and well and truly primed for another 10+ hour stint on an aircraft and an additional 7 hours back in time zones, this time to Vienna. The stopover was enforced (hence the included hotel and meals) and lasted no more than 16hours, but enough to get a taste of the outskirts of Seoul life at Incheon airport.

Vienna airport immigration was highly efficient and hassle free. It took only 15 mins to clear the plane and exit with baggage in tow, this time remembering to collect ALL one items of my baggage (personal joke..). Then it was onto the bus to Bratislava, not realising i had to buy a ticket beforehand. I was surprised to hear the driver say "one euro" when he meant for the lugage handled (typical procedure here) and not the ticket cost, which was a measly 6 euros. I paid after the trip and we parted with a smile. But how to reach City Hostel? That is where I made friendly with a local blonde haired beauty who took my hand and helped me buy ticket required and stand in the correct place. I eventually got there, with excellent internet instructions, and made good use of the bed and shower for my first night in a foreign land.

I woke the enxt day to brilliant sunshine and hazy Euro skies, abruptly at 6am (kiwi/ Asianic time!). This made perfect timing for an early morning stroll to the Dunaj (Danube) riverside, old town attractions, Bratislava castle and as well as getting lost in the suburbs above the town. A plan to reach Zlaty Piesky (7km from town, leisure area by lake) did not avail, despite paying for the tram ticket my instinct told me to slow down as the respiratory health was not so good (and to worsen, sorry to catrastrophise!!)

I made it to the 1410 train and departed for Trencin that afternoon. Plans to check in to the 'Pension In' at 129/ 26 Zamarovce (road) did not go well. It became stinking hot, and after much ado and walking with 16kg on my back, getting turned in circles by directions of the locals (who do not know their small village area!!) I resorted to paying double for a 3rd floor room with ensuite at Pension Svorad. Still affordable at 27euros but felt silly at not finding the other place (which did not have credit card details anyway). The Pension SVorad is right next to the 'gymnaticum' which means that ping/pong etc etc sounds hit against the walls of the toilet in the late morning, and chair shuffling ad nauseum in the early morning. Still I did not mind being on 6am Asianic waking time again!!

Much was happenning in the Centrum here, some ladies dancing Egyptian style, many people hanging out people watching me and me watching them young canoodlers kissing embracing eating icecream meandering.............could look very messy if done all at once and hence was quite eclectic in a 'European tourist square' type of way! But my legs gave way and needed an incredibly good sleep to revive them. Too much energy and crammed trains for one day....

Today was another stunner to start and I got up to walk to castle, forest (Lesopark Brezina) at 7.30am, if getting a wee bit lost on return down through the forest. I stumbled on the rear of the castle which had been partly eroded and quite untouched by tourists. There was a broken fence I decided npt to hop over - excitement was getting too much, and I determined it best to return to the pension for check out at 10am. After a bit of brekkie in the town square (muesli, what else!!) I decided my cellulitic leg was not healing itself (infective exzema starting again, bugger!!!!), nor were the Coldrex I bought in Bratislava yesterday helping the cough...then the haemoptysis did it proper this morning from too much coughing....so I went to a Slovensko doctor! To cut long story short, Sonya was very astute (and economical and thorough with her time) at helping me diagnose the issue at hand, and in Dr Downey's (dermatologist in Auckland) advice she approved - more antibiotics and a tincture to paint my skin with (like bathing with yellow paint, only this is clear, hooorah!!). It was a circus of folks waiting for their Ortopedic consults or Dermatoligika treatments (many clinics like this in Trencin). This saved a long taxi ride to the outskirts for anotehr 'klinika' and took an hour out of today, for peace of mind. To put an end to it, I went for my second medicine to the Ave Maria pharmacia, just like the song. I have visions of Priscilla Queen of the desert already......

Well I am onto Poprad (capital of Tatras region) soon possible on another 4 abreast and 8 to a compartment crowded (but cheap!) train, and have plans to be in Tatranska Lomnica by night fall for at least 2 days of doctor prescibed rest (!). I struck it off so well with Sonya and her English speaking daughter translator we exchanged email and my web blog (this) and an offer of catching up in NZ someday. They in turn assured me to be safe and watch out for pcikpockets, not go leaving any bags like I may do. How caring beyond the cause of consult duties!!

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Photos

IN Heaven
25m lap pool at hyatt regency, Seoul