Happy New Year!

So, it seems that 2008 is well and truly over and 2009 has taken over. I saw in the New Year in a restaurant in Budapest with an Australian family I had befriended at the hostel. They had been living in Seattle for a year or so due to work, and were travelling back to Australia via several other places. Basically they're doing what I'm doing, but allowing more time in each place visited and also going further afield than Europe. I had been at a complete loose end about what to do. As I previously mentioned I'm not that bothered about New Year anyway, but I did want to do something. I had intended to stay out andfind some people in the centre to hang about with, but then I decided that I probably wouldn't be too thrilled when it came to travelling back. So, I bought a microwavable lasagna (more about that in a minute...yes, really) and made my way back to the hostel. A plan formed in my head to stay at the hostel until about 23:30 then go to one of the numerous bars on the street, but this began looking less enticing once I went into the dorm to find two newcomers, arrived that morning, snuggled up in one of the beds doing a conjoined twins impression (joined at the mouth, of course). In the kitchen I was asked if I would like to join the family at the restaurant, and I gratefully accepted.

I didn't eat as a) I didn't have enough money and b) I'd already had my gourmet lasagna. However, the food looked delicious and if I wasn't on such a tight budget I'd probably have gone to the cash machine and joined the eating. The star turn was the DJ. I've heard some bad mixing in my time, but this guy took the cake (the whole cake, no doubt...he was also about 30 stone). He was playing the most bizarre mix of songs, before launching into an early 90s kick. The music itself wasn't bad at all, but his fading and effects were horrific. I was thoroughly enjoying the music, but the best bit was when some of the other guests began dancing. In terms of skill, they were somewhere between Russians (Moscow folk - think of the Friday nights in Vokzal) and drunken dads at weddings. One guy in particular had a VERY interesting method of moving his hands during dancing. I tried to get some video...we'll see if it turns out OK in a couple of weeks.

Anyway, midnight arrived, and we stood up and watched a choir singing the National Anthem on the TV before popping open the champagne, drinking it, then going back to the hostel.

...street cars tearing up the sky...

So. When I finished writing yesterday I went to the bus station and was going to book the next part of my journey. Unfortunately the office had already closed, so I made a mental note of the opening times for today and then set off to explore. I got the metro back to the stop near the hostel, and then walked to the big indoor market. I had a look around and enjoyed the smells of food, the chatter of various languages, and the various souvenir stalls. I then got my obligatory fridge magnet and set off for the town. I walked towards the brodge, and got on a tram. I stayed on it for quite a while before seeing a magical sign. It was a sign I wasn't expecting. I was filled with a hope that was almost euphoric, a hope that was like a second Christmas. What was this magical sign? What riches were promised to me? The sign was for...

...drum roll...

=TESCO=

!!!

YES!!! Tesco is in Hungary!!! And, there's not only one, either. There was the Tesco express which I ended up going to (well, had to, didn't I?) but there's also a giant Tesco just round the corner which I didn't see, but I was assured it was huge. So, yes. I was excited.

Once I'd got over the excitement of that discovery, I jumped back on a tram and ended up at another shopping park with an Aachan and dozens of other shops. I then went on another tram and travelled through the city, saw some things, and took some pictures. It got pretty cold, but I didn't really notice. Eventually I ended up back at the hostel and so on and so forth.

Oh yes - an amusing incident which I forgot to mention. I was getting the metro on my way back from the bus station yesterday. Two guys walk up to me and one of them starts asking me a question. I'm trying to explain that I don't speak the language, so he then makes the most hilarious hand gesture and says simply - "Bingo bongo". I laughed, laughed and laughed, then walked away, fast. I understood...