12 days down, 79 to go...

So there is good news, but I'm going to save that for the end to leave you on a more cheerful note. In writing this blog, I figure that it's a wholly unbalanced endeavour if everything I tell you about is the good stuff and none of the crap that goes with a trip like this. Today I've been feeling quite lonely. I was chatting with my Mum and Dad earlier and saying how much I realised I have changed in the 10 years since I did my last trip and how different my life has been in the recent years pre-dating my career break in the things I've done, the salary I've earnt and the lifestyle I've led, which is making the transition that much more difficult than it was 10 years ago. I'm also traveling in a very different place. Last time, everywhere I went, other than Japan, English was either the first or second language and there were just no issues. I hadn't realised quite how difficult and isolating it would be to be in a country where my kind of trip isn't really catered for. There are so few hostels in Hungary I don't really get to meet people and I don't understand the language on menus to be able to easily eat out, and it's hard, it's really hard. When it's described as a language barrier, it's unbelievable how accurate that description is.
Today, whilst I was trying to figure out how to get to the next place I'm staying, I discovered that it goes by two different names, and frankly, based on the reviews I found on the other websites for it you couldn't pay me enough to stay there. So I've cancelled and rebooked for somewhere else. It's meant losing £40 in cancellation fees but worth it to not get the bed bugs the people on the other websites have written about (I realise I could end up getting them at the new place but we'll ignore that for now!). Looking at Romania, the whole accommodation thing appears to be less of an issue; there are hostels in about 75% of the places I'm planning to go. But right now, I'm not sure if I can face more than another week or so in Hungary and so I'm looking at casting the net wider for 2-3 weeks and seeing a but more of Europe before picking up again in Romania mid-October. Will let you know what I decide.
On a more positive note, whilst I again don't get to meet people in the place I'm currently staying, I had success getting a train and then a local bus here as the station was nearly 3 km away from the Panzio (guesthouse) I'm staying in, which is lovely and very worthy of the high score it has achieved on booking.com. The train went through a really beautiful forest to get here and now I'm in Veszprem, which unfortunately the guidebooks don't tell you closes down from midday on a Saturday for the weekend, and I'm here... yep, from Saturday afternoon to Monday morning! Fortunately I did the sight-seeing of the major attraction of the castle district yesterday afternoon when I arrived, because last night we had the most almighty thunderstorm and the rain has continued for most of today. Below are some of the pictures I took yesterday.
Also, my feet are properly on the mend now. I did just go out for a bit to get some fresh air during a break in the storms and hardly any pain from my heels. My left shin where I walked into the bed frame last night is another story... Don't, just don't. Seriously you have to laugh because you'd cry if you didn't (I speak from experience).
The wifi is also fab here and so I have been bingeing on Netflix (thank you Helene) and I treated myself to a bottle of wine as there were glasses in the room I could drink from and it wasn't half bad for £2.25!
Tomorrow, rather than in my original plan to go to Badacsonytomaj, I'm now off to Topolca (which autocorrect keeps wanting to change to Tapioca) where they have some amazing caves apparently. I'll let you know when I've seen them.

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