Easy

...so I found a hostel, bumped into people on the same Octoberfest tour and in a few minutes Clint Heine and the rest will be here. Couldn´t be easier!

Am I lost again?

No! actually I´m not lost I don´t know a thing about Munich, haven´t got a map and don´t have a reservation anywhere. So I can´t be lost Hah!! .... thou I did forget that Munich is a big city and it´s helpful to know where your bus is going to land and what area you need to find. After being dropped of with the poles on the outskirts of zone 2, I struggled but eventually figured out where I was and caught the tube into "city centre". Unfortunately "city centre" in this case seems to mean knightsbridge rather than Oxford or Regent Street.

neverfear I know where I´m going now and all I´ll have to do is find a bed for one night. Given Octoberfest this won´t be easy but I guess I´ve just got trust good ol human greed!

Why do people keep talking when I'm trying to sleep!!

Two nights ago one the dorm buddies (English guy) comes home (6:30), shakes his mate untill he wakes up and desparately whispers " ... that girl, she's going to kill me"- shakes his mate again - "no seriously mate she wants to murder me, she's waiting outside!!". He seems to have complete conviction about this and given the time I assume this man is suffering from some kind of drug induced paranoia..... So I'm awake now and ask him what happened.

Basically he meets this American/Irish girl outside a famous tourist club, named Prozac, walks her back to the hostel to continue drinking with some some Aussies. The Aussies inform him ".... no seriously mate she crazy, run a mile, we're not trying to be funny here". All of sudden I remember that actually the Aussies did report a quite insane girl of this description from 2 nights prior. The story goes on that the English guy did actually runaway from her but only after she threatened to attack one of the guys with a bottle. The English guy told her to shut up and not talk like that and she replied "..oh, oh no, no don't worry , I 'm going to finish it first!". The English guy hid from her for 2 hours before returning to his room only to find her waiting outside!! ..... and she was still there 1 hour later when I let some French people in. I think the English guy was actually mostly safe but he was terrified and the girl apparently lives in Krakow but maybe she should go back home.

.... On a brighter note I leave Krakow today though I'll miss it. It was a highlight of my trip and I can recomend it to anyone, it will be a lot more expensive in a few years. Think Prague but cheaper and less tacky. Next stop Munich it'll be the longest bus trip so far, 14 hours.

Grassy knoll

So, I went for a walk yesterday to get my bearings and came across this thing. I think it has some historic / political significance, but I couldn't figure it out and actually I think I prefer it as a just because.

Krakow it's nice!

It was good to leave Budapest, something about the shopkeepers there, they don't trust anyone and everyone is looking to making sure no-one gets anything for free or at least make sure they get a margin. The least hospitable commerce of any place. But they've got nice very nice thermal pools, which I enjoyed while waiting for my train to Krakow.

Have just arrived in Krakow this morning. First impressions are very good, it's reasonably cheap but unlike many places is also clean, professional and offers a lot of choice in all purchases i.e. easy to relax .

Of course after too many weeks in Balkens I'm looking foward to the famed nightlife in Krakow. The local poison is of course wodka (yes vodka), often flavoured and fast gaining a reputation to rival Scandinavian and Russian brands.... of course we know where the best vodka comes from.

.... but they are cheap!

Now, I've traveled a lot on Eastern European trains during last 2 months, last night I came about 10 hours from Sarjevo to Budapest and tonight I'll do it again to Krakow. I think I've got them sussed.... So, given that they are cheap, often comfortable, sometimes the only transport and did I mention cheap (yes grab your fake ISIC card!) here's my advice:

1) First get supplies , food, water, beer and a book.

2) When you see the train arriving eye up the crowd for size. The question here is will they all fit in the carrages? Also look for any old local women.

Note: There is no seat allocation and tickets are open for 3 months. So no one knows if everyone will fit in. However, they do split up the carrages and reconect them to different trains. So ask which carrage your is.

3) At the first opportunity rush onto the train. (Do not climb in behind the old women, use the other door). When you get to a cabin hold it while any friends arrive.

Note: All cabins can hold 6 people but sleep only 3, some only 2.

4a) Best case scanario:Now you've got some territory, make it home, close the doors, pull the curtains, fold out any 'beds' and lay on them. This will encourage roomless people to look elsewhere. It sounds harsh but you can always give up a seat later if people aren't seated and you'll thank me at 3 in the morning.

4b) Worst case scanario: In spite of your best efforts the train is full, an old lady is in the process of removing a young man from his seat (admittedly if it was the tube in London he would have volunteered 5 minutes ago but then again old women in London don't push in like this!). So you and your bag are going to be spending several hours in the isle, mostly standing, ....this is where the beer comes in handy. If your lucky some seats will clear later.

5) Lastly, tickets will be checked at all major stops and borders. Passport checks obviously come in 2's, this side and that side. It's tempting to turn your light back off after the first check but wait out both and the ticket check. The border patrols don't have any bed side manner, they just open your door, turn your light on and bark "Passport!!"

If all goes well you will feel almost half human in the morning.

"Going foward ...."

Ahh my favorate piece of meeting stupid meeting phrases, hmmm glad I'm not working.

So ... I'll be leaving for Krakow tonight. I'll be passing through Budapest, so if I get a chance I'll tell you all about what's happening there.

One more day ...

K, well camera's got one more day (possibly 2) then I'm ditching it! It's been good to relax for a bit in one place but now am ready to go. ...Thou what's all this about Hungary ah? I kinda need to go through Budapest.

Mostar

It's been raining almost non-stop, there's lots of tourists, you've gota keep an eye out for rampant overcharging (i.e. check the bill) and yes the bridge is very high! Heading back to Sarajevo tomorrow, if my camera's arrived I'll heading up to Budapest and then North to either Slovakia or Poland.

The price of ....

Well I've had a request for practical information that might help someone traveling in the region. Sooo.... how about prices, as I know it can be deciding factor. In Bosnia a KM is about 1 NZD and 0.5 euro.

* Bread (White unsliced) 0. 60 KM
* Cheap accomadation 20 KM
* Kebap or similar 3 KM
* Domatia rakia 300ml (useally plum brandy) 2 KM
* Beer 1L (convenience store) 3 KM
* Train trip Sarajevo - Mostar 10 KM
* Taxi per Km (flagfall 1KM, bag 1 KM) 0.5 KM
* Movie 6 KM
* Internet 2 KM
* English, Novel 20-30 KM

A lot of the accomadation cost is agency comissions so, apparently it is quite possible to find a room through an agency and then negotiate a much cheaper rate.

Rakia is the general word for straight distilled spirts. In Croatia it's Grapa (grape brandy), Serbia, Bosnia, Montinegro it's Slivavitca (plum brandy) and in Greece and Turkey it's actually Ouzo. In the Balkins (i.e not Greece and Turkey) especially near the coast a little (30 mL) is drunk in the morning and in the evening (to help sleep).

Fruit and veg is cheap and very tasty but you need to buy your own cos resturants pretty much only sell massive portions of grilled meatand shopska salad.

Am in Mostar at the moment.

Waiting for the post .....

Looking for ways waste time and spend it wisely I bit the bullet and started to learning to touch type. AMAZING, seriously all that premature RSI I used to get has pretty much gone. Very, very strange though every now and then you catch your fingers working when your brain isn't!!

NB. Pic isn't from Bosnia but is my new profile pic.

Also been catching up on politics (really), nz radio (playing lippy brit lady soverign???), waiting for the post, sorting next years plans (prob Auck uni) and of course setting the world to rights over coffee.

In case you haven't seen it this clip is a giggle.

Vindicated!!!

So, this morning a wake up and quickly hurry down to the Chinese Embassy to see about getting a visa. This is trip number two, first time round I found out they're only open mornings Tuesday and Thursday. This time I'm told I need a letter of invitation. Sooo... I was so angry , thinking I would noticed a requirement like that. I check the internet and sure enough Type L tourist visa does not require a letter of invitation!!! rghhh Maybe I'll do it London sounds easy there, just let them tick the boxs and give them a photo and 20 pounds.

Bosnian pyramids?

Well yesterday I decided to get out of the city and see the latest Bosnian tourist attraction .....prymids???


....and yes it is a 'hoax' (99% sure) but check out the entrepreneurship and flash website (compared to the train Bosnian timetables website). And talking to the Visoko locals, they assure me tourism has taken off.

Ohh and check out Pandora's Box it's very cool.

Least we forget ...... we're all victims

Sitting talking to the coffee guy the other day I remarked that, it's important to know your history. He pretty much replied "... only if your a stupid person!!" and "...the people here are so stupid you know". He didn't mean that history (as in books) was stupid but that the practice of remembrance is.

Every ethnic group in the Balkins has a story about how they're victims. The scarrs and tales of war are all around (and the people relish them) bombed buildings in the middle of Belgrade, Sarajevo roses in Bosnia and tales of the heroic masscare of Serbs in Kosovo 600 years ago. Now, during the 90's (some) Serbs, Croats and Albanians all start running around claiming that they're being being victimised. Heroic national defenders emerge and egged on by people ('innocent' civilians) and politicians a series of wars develop and well over 100 000 people die. So the 'stupid people' my friend talks about are the vicarious victims who united in their rightous victimhood supported patriotic leaders and turned a blind eye to attrocites.

Now views like those from my coffee buddy are common ..... but only one on one, you wouldn't mention them public, the (vicarious) victims and their stories are sacred, taboo open to remembarence but not questioning in polite conversation .... unless your some unpatriotic enemy of the state.

All this reminded me of attending ANZAC day in Gallipoli last year, a light and sound spectacular taking pilgrims on an emotional journey, explaining Aussie nationhood. The experience was topped off by John Howard explaining how the ANZAC spirit lives on in current conflicts, endless rousing choruses of "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie ...." and flags dripping off people everwhere you looked. I was quickly reminded two weeks later that not everyone sees the event the same way when a young Turk remarked off hand "We f*kd your Grandpa".

Next post not politics, I promise.

Sheep good, horse bad

Waiting for my camera to find it's way back to me and the Chinese Embassy to open looks like I'll be in Sarajevo for a while ..... So I find a cheap net cafe, listen to some NZ music (90's punk ?? from Hamiltron - city of the future) and catch up on the news.

News of the Day: Won't someone think of the Horses? Republicans and their sympathisers use their precious time to pass a Bill recognising that eating horse is Un-american and illegal. Well as long they can still eat sheep!

P.S I'm making a to read list, so if you got a suggestion let me know!!

Bush sends rudeboys to bootcamp

Sarajevo recently hosted it's annual film festival, winner was "Road To Guantanamo ", which I popped along to watch. It's the story of 3 British men (the Tipton Three) captured in Afghanistan and taken to Guantanamo bay before being released in 2004.

Interestingly enough no ticking bombs were discovered and several "confessions" of guilt were made. But, unlike other instances of torture there was of course no "torture".

Whether or not the story is true it's certainly plausible and their decisions understandable.

Talking to officials

2 interesting conversations with officals:

(1) Today , Sarajevo after being taken to the Kontroler's (i.e. the ticket cheaker) english speaking friend conveniently 2 stops down.

Kontroler: Your ticket is not valid
Me: I put the card in the machine, your machine is broken
Kontroler: Not valid, no registration
Me: Why would I buy a ticket and not validate it?
Kontroler: Not valid ticket, you must buy new ticket price 25KM (about 25NZD)
Me: No
Kontroler: Show me passport
Me: No, you take me to the station
Kontroler: See, he is Kontroller (shows me ID), show me passport.
Me: No, you take me to the Police. Policija
Kontroler: Where you going.
Me: Post Office
Kontroller: Ok (and leaves)

Hmmmmm makes me sound tough eh, except actually I think my ticket didn't validate because I put it in the wrong way opps. I'll never kmow whether I was being given a shakedown or just escaped a fine for stupidity by being a pain in the neck!!

(2) A few weeks ago, Albania after me and friend wandered down a beachside path finding a gate and a funny man with a gun lurking in the shadows.

Me: Do you speak english?
Funny man gets friend.
English speaking guard: Yes
Me: Is this a hotel?
Guard: This is the residence of the President of Albania.
Me: ummm ok ( feeling just a bit stupid)

The Hostel Mafia

After a bit more Sun in Croatia I've said goodbye to Andi and am all by myself again, now in Sarajevo. I'm hoping to get some cheap accommodation here and maybe stay awhile, read a book, practice my Serbian, do my Laundry etc.... But it's here that my plan might come unstuck.

It seems that Sarajevo is home to one of those hostel mafias. The Mafia makes sure it gets lots of customers by having lots of signs, a website and lots of touts. Everyone uses them because they feel safe when they see lots of people with backpacks and signs in English. As a result there are no little old ladies offering sobe (i.e. guesthouses , pensions) and the hostel supplies crap service at inflated prices!! I actually have a suspicion that this particular Mafia used to arrange sobe (from looking at their signs) but then decided to cut out the competition, as you do.

It's a real pity because sobe a pretty much always very clean, have a TV, fridge and sometimes cooking facilities and a helpful host plying you with coffee. So today I'm hunting a room.

P.S RIP Steve, he was annoying, I often wished the Croc wouldcatch the end of his finger but it's sad to see him go.