Disclaimer: I acknowledge that this is not an official Department of State publication, and that the views and information presented are my own and do not represent the Fulbright U.S. Student Program or the Department of State or the Fulbright Foundation in Greece.

Sunday, January 10, 2016

Day 1: Adventure Awaits...

Day: 1
Countries: 1   Cities: 1
Budapest, Hungary
Adventure Awaits…

Sunday 20 December 2015

So here we are. The day we start our grand-adventure-Christmas-trip-of-a-lifetime. Thank goodness our flight was 6:30 pm and not 6:30 am. I would not have been ready if it had. I was barely ready for our evening flight as it was.

Got up and going a little after 9 though it was probably slower going than I should have been. Worked on Christmas cards/postcards, talked to people, said goodbye to people, packed, talked to Gracie, adjusted packing, worked some more on Xmas cards, ate a quick lunch—felt the time crunch of our 4 o’clock goal to leave the apt quickly approaching—straightened my hair, got dressed, scrambled to get everything together and tidied up.

We did leave the house at 4. So it wasn't bad. The only thing I didn't do was finish the cards for immediate family but I just finished those on the plane and will just have to find somewhere to mail them once we land. The only thing I think I forgot to pack is a pillowcase but if that's the only thing I forgot to pack I'm okay with that.

We cabbed to the airport, checked in, made it through security, waited at the gate for a bit. Then it was time to board. Had some trouble squeezing my backpack in the compartment which made me a bit flustered and extra warm. But I'm fine now and it worked out.  With one last extra shove for good measure, it all fit.

Finished writing those Christmas cards. And just finished catching up on writing about the last few days, just as we are descending to land in Budapest.

It's day 1! Our crazy-amazing-Christmas-adventure-trip-of-a-lifetime has officially begun! So thankful for this incredible opportunity. God, send your angels. Here we go!! Weeeeee!!!!

~

(a little bit later)
Back in our hostel for the night. It was a little hard to find but we made it. It's just tucked up and away off one of the walking streets. Bunk beds and lots of locks to the actual place and the girl at reception was nice. It's a little warm in here now but that's better than the cold we could feel reaching under our scarves as we walked over here.   

To get here, to this hostel in Budapest from which I am currently (was then currently) writing: We got off the plane and made our way though the airport, to the public bus, to the metro.

When we came up the stairs from the metro and stepped out for the first time in the cold air of the city, the first city of our trip, we were greeted with a beautiful sight.


Just right away. Breathtaking. Big, beautiful, old, stone buildings. Christmas lights.  Absolutely everywhere you look.  Sidewalks and streets you can actually walk on—a real treat.  Very nice.

For dinner, we went to this little, family-owned restaurant about a mile and a turn away that the hostel person recommended. We almost didn't find it, but just as we were turning down a block in search of a new place, we saw the sign for the restaurant we were searching for.  And I didn’t write the name of it down like I should have and now I can’t remember it! Shoot.  Something that started with a B I think…. Anyway.  Chicken paprika with dumplings that reminded me of the shapes kind of Kraft macaroni and cheese my sister and I would eat by the box when we were kids. And really decently priced too.

The weather outside is chilly and musty but really not too bad. Maybe it's just that the layers I brought are paying off.  But the weather isn't freezing yet, thank goodness, touch wood (one of the teachers I work with said that phrase instead of “knock on wood”, so we’ll just throw that in there for a little flavor).

Okay I think that's about it for now. Tired eyes are closing fast…Ok. But seriously now. Bed needs to happen. It's almost 1:30am Athens time and 12:30 here. Past my bedtime. Day 1 down. 20 to go… Adventure awaits!

~

Other sights from the first night in Budapest:












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