The fate of a traveller

We arrived in Budapest around 9pm last night and the Auntie was beyond finished. I have been to Hungary 25 years ago, I arrived the day after the last Russian soldier left, their first day of independence and freedom. Then I stayed in Budapest for $1, for 2 full weeks, amidst huge celebrations.

The Budapest station is one of the most beautiful Victorian stations in the world, with a glass dome and flower baskets hanging every where.

The taxi driver wants to charge us €15, and our hostel is around the corner! I refuse, the Israeli taxi driver says there is no bus or metro there and now, because of my attitude he will charge me €30. I say I will rather walk than take abuse from anybody! Are they crazy? (in Eastern Europe all taxi drivers are from elsewhere, Morocco, Pakistan, Israel, you name it! And their is no legislation around their rude, unacceptable and abusive behavior! We learn quickly that the only taxi to take is the radio taxi that is ordered from the hotel!)

I ask the bus driver and he says: Metro downstairs 2nd stop. We go down 2 sets of very fast escalators and suddenly I realize, this is one of mom's fears! She hates Metros and it stresses her out completely. Every time we have to catch the metro she complains about the stairs or something, I then ask her: did something happen to you at a Metro station? Yes, she says, in Chile, she once got caught in a Metro door. Shame, the level of anxiety she has to go through every time she has to get onto the Metro. I now understand and I say: you go before me and I come after you.

It turns out that the metro is free for pensioners and I have to pay around half a Euro! Taxis are such a rip off!

A Hungarian lady starts talking to us and says that she came to SA last year and absolutely loved it but that Jozi was 'grillerig' dangerous!

At our stop we schlep two blocks down to the Red Bus hostel, I book in, but, the only triple room they have is one with two beds up to a mezzanine, with a dangerous staircase. I take it because if I have to find other accommodation now, mom will have a fit!

Now for managing the ablutions! Mom can definitely not descend those stairs in the night. I find a washing basket but luckily mom did not need it. We slept well and now dad has gone to find us some breakfast and mom is still sleeping!

When you travel the way we do you cannot predict much and you have to go with the flow! Ma sê: ek kan nie glo ons moet betaal om so te sukkel nie! Pa sê: dis gelukkig a 'cheap' gesukkel!
The hostel is so clean and tidy and the bathroom is fantastic! And today they are moving us to a roomy triple room! At €8 a night, the biggest bargain ever!

Ma sê: ek is nou so gatvol vir trappe, as ek by my huis kom trek ek sommer in die onderste gedeelte in.

Ma sê: Anni, jy is by uitstek 'n 'world traveller'! Jy vat geen kak van kabouters nie!