Leaving Budapest

I was woke up at 8.30 by the maid trying to come in and change the sheets. Now that's what I call over eager, as check out was not until midday.

I did try to go into the city centre for a relaxing durational Thai massage, however it was like Belfast's Ghost Bus, the website and map said that it existed, but you could not find it even standing right outside ( apparently ).

I managed to find a phone number for a Hungarian massage place, but they were even worse as the directions were a complete work of fabrication. I phoned them up standing right outside where the flier said it was, only to be given a completely new address in another part of town and was told that I would need to book in plenty of advance. So no chance for me to make a flying visit before my flight then!

So other than wandering around for a few hours to kill time I didn't do anything constructive other than go back to the hotel and chill.

With perfect luck I managed to find the only cold morning in Hungary this summer to try and sun bathe for an hour or so after that failure decided to go for the compulsory McDonald and then go to the airport.

The McDonald's was an above average burger and fries but the store let themselves down sadly due to the fact that they have no milk shakes of any flavour. I mean, what's going on ... only time in twenty countries that has ever happened to me.

The buses and tubes all have travel cards for unlimited travel at a cheap rate or a tiny slip of paper with a silvery metallic embossing for 185 Florins (about 70 pence) for a single journey.

The trip to the airport was quick and painless, managed to check in automatically with a display machine inside the main lounge and then had to spend a hour going through security. I had a few doubts about taking my luggage as hand luggage on the return trip but it was all perfectly ok.

For some reason they only had a single scanner working which was what caused the huge delay. And there was not a queue but just a ever tightening mob trying to get through.

Shared the flight back with an American pilot on exchange with the RAF, along with one of his four children. And yes, they do all seem to have that overly funny short haircut, ha ha. We played Uno with a twin pack of cards for the entire flight, it was well chilling.

Had a heart stopping few moments where I thought I was going to miss my last train home, until I remembered to put my clock back an hour ( on my phone as I don't wear a watch or any jewelry ) and then breathed a sigh of relief as I now had plenty of time.