Munich

I left Budapest by train headed for Munich. It was a long train trip of around seven hours and in hindsight, I wouldn’t do it this way again. I would’ve flown from Budapest to Munich, and then Munich home.

I managed to find my carriage but to get the bike up into the train, I had to unload it and even unloaded, it was still a challenge. I managed to hang the bike and store my luggage. 

We were only a few stops in when I realised I was in somebody else’s seat. Apparently, despite booking my ticket six months in advance, including the bike, the place number and the window related to the bike and not me! You actually have to book a separate seat for yourself. These are only released three months beforehand, so they weren’t available when I booked my ticket six months in advance nor was I aware of this requirement. I spent the first three hours with a combination of standing and sitting on the floor. It’s quite an interesting strategy by German and Hungarian train operators where they sell tickets but actually don’t sell seats to align with those tickets. This means that the aisles are absolutely full of people. They’re sitting anywhere including outside the toilet, on the steps at the door,  between carriages, anywhere they can fit. I can’t imagine what an emergency breaking situation would do. I managed to make it to Munich and it was quite a disaster trying to get off the train. I had another couple of Hungarian cyclists helping me and also a lovely German lady by the name of Beatrice. It was absolutely chaotic with people literally pushing me over to try and get on the train. Despite the train not going to leave without them, there was this sense of panic from everybody. 

I made it to my hotel and set off to find some dinner. I’d done some research to find some gluten-free options and found a great place with some gluten-free German food. I’ve done a full day of sightseeing today, as much as you can do in one day. I’m heading to the airport tomorrow by train. I need to pack the bike and will leave it at left luggage. I have an airport hotel booked for tomorrow night with my flight home scheduled for Wednesday. 

Budapest - last day

Today was my last day in Budapest with my train scheduled early Sunday morning to take me to Munich. 

I used today to do one last sightseeing walk (9km), one more GF lunch and beer, and then focussed on cleaning. 

Australia is very strict with regard to bringing the bike and gear back into the country, so I wanted to ensure everything was clean. I’d already cleaned the bike the day before I headed into Budapest, but I still needed to clean the tent, panniers, groundsheet, and my shoes. The paths being a mixture of surfaces, left the bike and gear absolutely filthy. 

I will cycle the short distance to the train station early in the morning knowing that I will need to unload the bike because I have to hang it in the allocated carriage space. It’s never easy as these trains can be tricky to board with steep steps. Fingers crossed, things go smoothly. 

Budapest and Szentendre

Another 23km on very tired feet over the past couple of days. I wanted to see Szentendre, a lovely town with cobbled streets, art vendors and sellers of items that are unique to Hungary. It sits on the Danube bend and if you’re cycling on the opposite bank, it’s not ideal to crossover and back again, so I missed seeing it on my way into Budapest. Instead, on a local’s advice, I took the train. I had a lovely morning and managed to cross a couple of gift purchases off my list! 

On the advice of a friend, I visited the New York Cafe, self identified as the most beautiful cafe in the world. I must admit, the building is absolutely stunning, albeit reflected in the menu pricing. I had a lovely visit and am so glad I went.

I then went to see the Dohany Street Synagogue, the largest in Europe and the second largest in the world. I didn’t go inside as the amount of people waiting was incredible even though I was there for opening time. I also saw the Parliament building, the brass shoes on the banks of the Danube, Liberty Square, Heroes Square and Vajdahunyad Castle and a whole lot more. I also managed a coffee with Christine before she started her long journey back to Perpignan. All in all, a massive day! 

Budapest

A couple of days exploring Budapest. There is so much to see here. I also caught up with Christine from Perpignan, who I met along the Danube cycle path a few days ago. I’ve walked 25km over the two days, caught countless trams, used the metro and had a bus ride!