Hungary.

Or starved of emotion?

It’s well known if a person, or even an animal isn’t shown love, they can’t display love. Nor emotion.

Our drive of around 150 miles down from Bratislava was a joy. The sun was shining, the music was good, mainly Dr Hook this time! We stopped for a picnic under the flight path of Vienna’s’ airport, while we sat in the hot sun eating cheese and melon, we watched the planes as they brought hundreds of excited travellers to their new destination. Our destination is where we are at any particular time, what’s the rush??

We soon crossed another frontier, our ninth so far on this trip, and we were in Hungary.

I had to go to the first filling station to buy a vignette, a form of permission, and at a price, to drive on a countries road.

The village idiot with scarlet cheeks, looked out his window and gurned, “Bus?” I tried to explain and He gurned, “Technish?” I went out to get the log book wondering how the fekk he would understand what was written! Still I was in no hurry and he was getting paid mega Hungarian Forints to be officious. Looking forward to really pissing him off I returned and the other garage attendant beckoned me over. I flashed my documentation. This officious clampit had me sorted in no time, and I went on my way, asking if the HR department understood customer service!

Still, the app “Co-pilot” and I can’t praise it enough for its thoroughness, got us to where we needed to be. Almost in the centre of Budapest, a city of two million residents and nearly as many monuments to one thing or another. Painless navigating on some pretty woeful roads.

Before I continue, I have to qualify the opening statement. Do you understand dear reader, how years of communism, socialism, and jackboot politics, the emotional impact it would have on people?

So, Budapest. Our first night was a bit tense. We caught the tram into town, with no Hungarian Forints. I’d read that senior citizens of the EU did not have to pay to use public transport so we winged it. Although we had a map, we’d no plan. Mistake 1. Once again we found ourselves temporarily misplaced. No big issue for us, we didn’t know our address, and we didn’t know where we were.

Never mind, lets just sight see and then worry.

Feeling hungry, we called into a fast food place for a snack. Mistake 2. The blonde school girl from Little Britain served us. Holy God, can this be allowed. All the food was portioned out, then micro waved, then thrown at you. We were laughing so much we just accepted it, would be a lot more careful next time.

We got back to base without too much hassle and I’m fed up writing and I’m sure you’re fed up reading so this episode will be continued……….