Dunedin Day in Budapest

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It's a grey, cold Dunedin winter's day here in Budapest but Dick and Su are warm aboard the good ship Expressions while Lynette and Terry have taken a bus tour around the city with other passengers.

Lynette and Terry took 31 hours to get here on Monday after be diverted to Heathrow before transferring on an extra fight to Budapest because of a Lufthansa pilot strike. However, after settling into the hotel they managed to join Su and Dick on a riverside walk before catching up on some much-needed sleep. Tuesday was a sightseeing day and as Wednesday morning before boarding the Avalon Waterways ship. And what a ship. It is just 11 months old, has 166 passengers and 44 crew, has marble bathrooms, big glass windows everywhere, stunning art and floral arrangements, and would you believe it, when we returned to our suites after dinner last night not only were the lights on dim, our beds turned down and chocolates on the pillows, but the tv was on an open fire scene with gentle music flowing from the speakers. Stunning.

Avalon certainly does things beautifully...the NZ flag is in the foyer and a NZ news sheet of current affairs is printed for us.

Last night was a 4 course dinner and breakfast had so many options it was like a Valentines smorgasbord although tastefully presented and high quality.

This afternoon we take a tour to the Mediterranean-style village of Szentendre. Despite it being a national holiday here in Hungary the village will be open. Tonight we have a formal dinner so it's out with skirts for Su and Lynette, and shirts for the men rather than polos or jumpers. We cast off before dinner ad head to Bratislava where we overnight.

We will be sorry to leave Budapest - it was a quiet oasis after Istanbul and the ornate work on the buildings keeps one's eyes looking up. Terry and Dick have been examining things like stairwell handrail engineering, admiring a Bentley sports convertible worth about NZ$300,000, admiring the clever layout of the Expression, and the engineering behind the ship's operation.

The Boutique Zara hotel was perfectly placed by the river, adjacent to great restaurants and the big market. All four of us highly recommend it.

Wages must be low here because apart from designer clothing stores, things are not at all expensive. A Hungarian Goulash meal for 4 cost just NZ$28 including drinks. Coffee is NZ$2.50. Su bought a stylish black leather hat for just NZ$60 - the leather is very fine and supple. It was hard to hold on to it during one walk that took them over the Elizabeth Bridge where the wind was about 26 knots, according to Terry.

The bowl of fresh fruit in the room has a kiwifruit in it but it probably didn't come from home.

More news after tomorrow's excursions.

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