OK Ive finally got to an Internet cafe. Its currently Day 3 so let me try to fill you in on the past couple of days. This keyboard seems to be missing some puncuation keys which anyone who works with me, and knows how picky I am about correct punctuation, will probably find quite ironic.
I had my first meeting with the rest of the group at 6pm on Saturday in the Hotel in Budapest. My flight should have gotten me there about 4 but it was delayed, and I ended up bursting through the hotel doors at literally 5.55. I found it quite funny as someone with a reputation for always being late that I managed to time a trip from Tooting to Budapest so perfectly.
My biggest worry was that I had packed too much and although I have more than the others on the holiday, its not too bad.
The orientation meeting was daunting, lots to learn and lots of new people to meet! I only met 6 of the other travellers that night though as the other 5 had joined this trip straight from another and had come from Vienna, including a couple on their honeymoon. Cute.
Everyone is really nice, and every bit as diverse as I thought, huge age range, but a couple of things in common.
Firstly, *everyone* is from Australia or New Zealand! I am the only European!! Secondly, everyone is a pretty experienced traveller, some of the people here have been on over a dozen trips with this company, across Asia, South America and Europe. Its amazing, I really do feel really *young* here. Not in age but in experience. It has been such an eye opener!
Thirdly, some hadn’t even heard of PlayStation! And nobody in the group has one. Some hadn’t even seen one. Culture shock!
Saturday night we spent in a cute restaurant in Budapest, and I stuffed my face which I needed after the long trip. Afterwards, about 10 we just headed back to the Hotel as everyone was tired.
Following morning we were leaving at midday so I headed out early to catch some sights. When I say early, I meant to leave about 8 but I got almost no sleep due to a partying German stag group shouting and screaming and banging (on doors) most of the night. So in fact I got out at 10. I had a nice walk didnt see a huge amount but cross the river and walked around the Parliament building. As is normal for me, I only wore a tshirt and the weather in Hungary had been pretty bad. So just as I got to the furthest point of my walk, it started raining.
Budapest was really just the joining point for the trip rather than a section of the holiday itself but it was nice to see and Id really like to come back, especially to see a bit more of the nightlife.
When I got back to the hotel, I met the others from the previous trip and we headed off for the train station for the train to Novi Sad in Serbia.