Budapest

I had to go to Budapest for a couple of days to get my bank card.They still have my UK address and wont post overseas. I think you can change the address on the internet but I also locked myself out of that! One problem at a time.


Got the direct train to Budapest from Kormend so there was no faffing about changing trains anywhere (as I well remember from  my trip to the UK by train). I got to the hotel a bit earlier than checking in time but the bloke manning the desk told me I could leave my stuff in the luggage room. He also wanted to give me a map and a list of sights to visit. I told him I've been before and then went off to get something to eat.

Its a bit of a tradition to eat something in the Caladonia, run by a bloke who used to drink in my local back home! Had a nice meal and a British beer and went back to the hotel.

I went to the bank fairly early. As this was Budapest I asked the teller if she could speak English. Since she said only a little I went on to describe my problems in Hungarian. I was quite pleased with this and managed to get my new card and new address sorted. I got let down by the internet problem as I needed a magic telephone PIN and the only way was via an automatic call centre. The Hungarian was way beyond mine so the girl went off to find some to translate the phone message to me!

Got there in the end. Celebrated my new card by spending some money on Guiness.