Day 16 Budapest to Belgrade
Early start, Lyn walked with me to the bus stop to catch the 6.39 bus to the Keleti Station. Had a great time with Lyn, but now time to move on. The train to Belgrade doesn’t have a restaurant car so I made a roll and bought a cake last night and put in Lyns fridge, so this morning I made a flask of tea so that I had enough provisions for the journey, except I left the roll and cake in the fridge - doh!!!
At the station, bought another roll and cake to take on the train. Went to the advised platform to get on the train and thought there must have been a mistake; me and this Swedish guy walked to the train together and both stopped, checked our tickets and looked on puzzled! The train was very old (not in a good way) and covered in graffiti. The Swedish guy checked the carriage number and proclaimed this to be our train - oh dear.
The journey was very long and the train very slow - over 11 hours and we were held at the Serbian border for over an hour whilst they checked passports. We then moved on a station and then were held for another 45 minutes whilst they checked passports again - I have no idea why!
The scenary through the graffiti covered windows was very rural, this part of Europe they grow lots of corn interspersed with grape vines. The landscape is very flat.
Tried desperately hard not to have to go to the loo on the train but after 9 hours had to give in - it was a case of one hand on the das no lock and try not to breathe.
Thankfully, I was being met at Belgrade station by the owners of my accommodation; I had text Ivan to let him know the train was running behind schedule but he had been keeping an eye on the internet as apparently that train never ran to time. Anyway, he and his wife Dacha met me, lovely couple; he is a giant of a man, ex-professional basketball player and she a very petite Scandinavian blond, looks like a model.
I’ve got a room in a shared apartment that they own and rent out. The outside of the building is awful, steel door, then concrete inner with 1969 small lift which only hold 2 people and drops 6 inches when you step inside. Dacha assures me that its very reliable and safe though. Anyway get into the apartment and its great, they have modernised it and my room looks like a good quality hotel room with an ensuite shower etc. There are shared kitchen facilities and an outside balcony that overlooks a lovely little garden and house. This is another place where I have multiple keys - 3 this time (outside metal door, apartment door and room door).
Ivan assures me the area is very safe at night and they have very little trouble in Belgrade as the police are very swift to act on any street crime.
I’m in walking distance of all the main sights so tomorrow is explore day.
At the station, bought another roll and cake to take on the train. Went to the advised platform to get on the train and thought there must have been a mistake; me and this Swedish guy walked to the train together and both stopped, checked our tickets and looked on puzzled! The train was very old (not in a good way) and covered in graffiti. The Swedish guy checked the carriage number and proclaimed this to be our train - oh dear.
The journey was very long and the train very slow - over 11 hours and we were held at the Serbian border for over an hour whilst they checked passports. We then moved on a station and then were held for another 45 minutes whilst they checked passports again - I have no idea why!
The scenary through the graffiti covered windows was very rural, this part of Europe they grow lots of corn interspersed with grape vines. The landscape is very flat.
Thankfully, I was being met at Belgrade station by the owners of my accommodation; I had text Ivan to let him know the train was running behind schedule but he had been keeping an eye on the internet as apparently that train never ran to time. Anyway, he and his wife Dacha met me, lovely couple; he is a giant of a man, ex-professional basketball player and she a very petite Scandinavian blond, looks like a model.
I’ve got a room in a shared apartment that they own and rent out. The outside of the building is awful, steel door, then concrete inner with 1969 small lift which only hold 2 people and drops 6 inches when you step inside. Dacha assures me that its very reliable and safe though. Anyway get into the apartment and its great, they have modernised it and my room looks like a good quality hotel room with an ensuite shower etc. There are shared kitchen facilities and an outside balcony that overlooks a lovely little garden and house. This is another place where I have multiple keys - 3 this time (outside metal door, apartment door and room door).
Ivan assures me the area is very safe at night and they have very little trouble in Belgrade as the police are very swift to act on any street crime.
I’m in walking distance of all the main sights so tomorrow is explore day.
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