avalon_abroad

  Hello. I realized I am really not very god at this blogging thing. I think it may take several posts to get caught up... which made me just put it off longer so now it will be a project to get up to speed. Ah well. Here goes.

So lots has happened... I had a terrific trip to Budapest and Krakow. The train ride there was interesting at times, especially considering that the train ride involved a bus.... I guess when we bought our ticket they forgot to tell us that there was rail-work being done that day that would interfere with our trip. So we got on the train and rode a few stops and then they told us, in german, that everyone had to get off the train and onto a bus that looked as though it had transported refugees across many borders or taken prisoners to reeducation camps or something of the sort. Turns out our suspicious about the quality of the bus were justified, because after only a short time the bus broke down and another bus, more closely resembling an efficient mode of transportation, was sent and we did finally end up at a train station to continue our journey. So we asked the information kiosk on the platform which train we were supposed to get on. They didn't speak English or German. Luckily a nice woman walking by who spoke both German an Hungarian stopped to help us out. So we showed our tickets and asked which train to take and, thanks to the new found communication, were quickly told that this train station had no trains that went to the destination on our ticket. So we bought train tickets and took trains that did not actually go where the tickets said they would. Only in Austria. 

We did eventually make it, though we had to take a bus from our train station to the other train station in order to find our Hostel. The Hostel was really nice and cozy and our group soon made themselves right at home. We took over the place and quickly had games and activities organized for ourselves and the other occupants.  This groups ability to make everyone feel welcome is astounding at times. They just kind of leech people in and make them have fun. Budapest was beautiful and very scenic. We went to the labyrinth there which was interesting, although they have obviously modified it for the "benefit" of tourists. Then we went to Buda castle which was beautiful (pictures on FB) and walked around the city. Our first attempt at eating out in Hungary was an interesting ordeal. The 9 of us went for pizza which only took about 3 hours, half of which was just paying. The Hungarian currency is terribly confusing and dinner for 9 cost something like 33,000 Hungarian whatevers and we only had the huge bills that the currency changers had seen fit to give us. So splitting everything was crazy and people kept putting in 200 instead of 2000 or vice versa and it was a little insane. And the waitress was no help at all and was very rude and awkward and kept telling us we had to leave a certain tip that didnt add up right and an hour and a half later we all left feeling a little confused. After that we went to a lovely restaurant called Paprika which I highly recommend to anyone Budapest bound. It was nice and traditional with a wait-staff that is pleasant and helpful and accommodating , even to a party of 9 foreigners who cant even say "Hello" in Hungarian. They have a menu that closely resembles a novel, full of the most delicious sounding things. We ate there our last two nights. The main highlight of Budapest was the Baths. They have many bath houses all of which are beautiful and old and historic. The one we went to looked like something out of a fairytale and had outdoor baths in an inner courtyard that was stunning. Statues and balconies and crystal blue water and all. Another thing to be sure not to miss when in Budapest.

Then we headed to Krakow. Poland was breathtakingly beautiful. Krakow was clean and warm and the people were friendly. We went to Auschwitz, which was unforgettable. There isn't really anything to say about it that you haven't heard, you know the basic story, but being there makes it much more real. No one should be nearby and not take the trip to see it. The trip to and from Krakow was mush less arduous than that to Budapest and our time there also went much more smoothly. Which unfortunately means there is less to say... however I did like Krakow better overall. Altogether it was a very nice trip and I think provided enough information for this update. I will try my best to get caught up in the days to come so check back!

 So my clothes did finally dry, although it took up to three days depending on the material and thickness and humidity. But, They are all dry now, which probably means it is time to do more laundry. The last few days have been rather eventful, us Grazians have been running around like crazy trying to get a few different things in order. 

1. Drew's Birthday Party.
               Our friend Drew (it just started pouring, by the way...) is having a birthday this monday. HOWEVER, this saturday night there is an 80's party at the club that had the 90's party. But this time we have costumes. Well, we got costumes which was the first order of business.  This was complicated by the fact that my bike ist kaput. So I had to take a bus to meet everyone. I was still sick and it was cold and rainy, but I ventured into the Stadt despite all of this. My phone died on the bus ride. I was supposed to meet the friends at Hauptplatz. I got to Hauptplatz and waited for a little over 30 minutes in the rain before giving up and going home, only to find out that they had decided to go to McDonalds rather than waiting where we said to meet. Ah well, such is life. My other friend Erin and I ventured out on our own later and eventually we all got together and eventually, I even forgave them. But at the end of the day we have some pretty awsome 80's stuff. Pictures will follow on facebook. By the way, do you guys think I should put pictures on here also, or can everyone just look on facebook?

2. Travel. The second order of business is planning for the week break that we all have between the end of our German course and the beginning of School. We had a pow-wow last night and no one left until we had it figured out (or so we thought). We are going to Krakow, Poland and Budapest, Hungary. So today we had to run a serious of errands in order to get prepared for our trip. First we all need passport sized photos to get our student-travel-discount-card from the train station. So we went on a quest for photos. Afterwards we took 30 minutes to decide where to go to lunch. I can only imagine what its going to be like traveling all together, but I am ecited to find out regaurdless. Then I had to say good bye and head back to Uni because I had a meeting with my history advisor. So i go to meet him and it turns out he is out of town for a week. And decided it would be funny to schedule appointments for busy, easily influenced exchange students during this week. Such is Austria. So back across town to meet up at the trainstation where we spend nearly an hour trying to decide where to go first and what time we should leave, etc, etc, etc. We did however come away with 8 6:00 am tickets to Budapest. In the meantime, 4 of us have broken something on our bikes which leads to....

3. Bike Fixing. Between the four of us we had three broken lights, two broken baskets, one missing bell, one missing PEDAL, three missing reflectors and a bike whos chain was no longer attached. And a faulty kick-stand. And the kitchen sink. AND two other girls had already gotten their bikes fixed. Anyway, the place closes at 17:00 (after having opened at 14:00, thats right, they are open for three hours) and we spent so long at the train station that we pulled up around 16:58 bikes in tow. Because they are unridable. The nice (sketchy, or as the australians say "dodgy") bike shop owner and his helpers spent thee next 45 minutes fixing our many ailments. I am thrilled to say that the bikes are good as... well as they can get seeing as they are most likely stolen and 20 years old. 

So onto the last order of business, which is maybe getting some sleep someetime this semester. I wanted to write first so here it is. Oh yeah, also I want to tell you about my park. Well, our park I guess seeing as Emma and Sam found it and we all basically moved in. It is the nicesest park I have ever seen with toys for all ages, dogs, unicycles, and probably a fairytale prince or two. I put pictures on facebook, and I hope you all can imagine just how great it is. Our own little green peice of heaven. Yeah, so thats it, thats what I have been up to so far. Hopefully more exciting things will happen before I leave the country on an 8 DAY JAUNT THROUGH EASTERN EUROPE!!!!! Because they will certainly happen after. Everyone should leave a trace that they have been here, otherwise I feel as though I am writting for Hansel. (My hamster. Who apreciates it nonetheless.)

Avalon