Train from Prague to Budapest

We were keen to get to the train station nice and early for our 9.35 am departure from Prague. Having been told not to pay more than 200 CZ and to hop from one taxi to another (they're reputedly not the most honest), we were quoted from 250 to 350. A couple of homeless men were very happy to receive our left-over supplies and chowed down immediately on the ham and cheese and sweet things that Sabina had purchased for us in an attempt to apologise for Tomas' initial email.  (Tomas is certainly punching above his weight.)

The train trip was delightful, around an eight hour journey in all.  We met a couple on the platform, Janet and Dennis, from Canada, who were looking a little anxious. We were fortunate a bloke offered us assistance; we assumed he worked for the company, he had an official looking lanyard hanging around his neck with the word "porter" on it, however, no ... he works for himself! We were keen to rid ourselves of some Czech money so he benefited nicely.  He helped us put our luggage up (actually he did it all himself!) onto the luggage racks above someone else's head (John's is too big and heavy to have it sitting above ours) and we were off.  Another couple, Helen and Ken, joined in and it turns out they're from Surrey Hills back home ... and they're on our cruise. 

At around 2 pm we found signs indicating we were going through Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. The scenery was gorgeous, very lush green vegetation but the buildings, like many areas around train lines were very run down and dilapidated and had the ever present scourge of graffiti and tagging.

It seemed each couple had similar ideas regarding lunch - although there is a "dining car" attached to the train, we had each bought rolls with some sort of filling in them, however, Dennis had also brought along a lovely bottle of Australian red.  After filtering some plastic cups from the dining car he poured each of us a small glass to enjoy with our paninis (yes, they use the same term for rolls as the Italians).

The money: $64 AUD = 1,000 Czech = 9,150 huf (what the Hungarians call their forint). It's all a bit confusing really, thankfully John is keeping on top of it.  (It goes along the lines of drop off the last two digits then divide the reminder by two, and that basically give the AUD equivalent.)

The train station is very old and grubby but the windows are quite gorgeous.

Janet and Dennis were keen to catch up for dinner last night (and as John had lent them 5,000 forint he was keen to catch up with them too.  We found a pub and had some good Hungarian food - again they love comfort food like the Czechs - heavy and rich but I'm sure it's all recommended by their National Heart Foundation.

After blogging last night I got to bed around midnight - John went for a late night walk and got home around the bewitching hour.  A great night's sleep between beautiful crisp white sheets saw us wake at 9 am!  So a quick brekky and we're off to explore and maybe find those famous baths.