I started travelling again a week ago. The plan was to start in Prague, then make my way through Slovakia, Hungary and circle back through Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia and Austria then heading back to Prague from where I'll fly back to London for a night. Then I'm working a weekend in the Republic of Ireland and spending a week after that travelling the green country. Then it's back to London for a couple of nights again before flying to Rome for a week, after which I'm going to Amsterdam to meet with some friends I made whilst trekking in the Himalayas, who have invited me to join them at Opera there (seeing Don Giovanni) after which they've suggested we ride around the countryside, eat great food and drink great wine. Yes... life can be tough.
Usually utilising youth hostels and pensions, this time round I've decided to use the hosting program of which I'm a member. So for the last six nights I've stayed at the houses of people who open up their homes to other travellers.
So far I've had some really great experiences. In the Czech Republic I stayed with a girl who speaks five languages; in Bratislava, Slovakia I stayed with a guy who has a MASSIVE, hairy, South American spider as a pet and in Hungary I stayed with a really cool lady who took me to great Jazz clubs in Budapest. I stayed a coupleof nights in Prague, a night in Slovakia and three nights in Budapest. I've gotta say... I really loved Hungary.
I just arrived in Serbia a few hours ago and unfortunately I've had to check into a hotel tonight as nobody was able to host me tonight. I've had offers for the two nights that follow though, so I'll see what happens.
I'm going to keep this brief. It's 1.30am and I'm in an internet cafe in central Belgrade, and a gang of internet-gaming nerds are getting hyperactive and over-excited whilst playing their linked "killing" game. I've got a few stories to tell, but I'll save them for another time. Hopefully soon. Thanks to all who have been on my lazy ass to keep this site updated. You know who you are.