Budapest eins

 18 October Friday 

So.....I'll start with what the ideal plan WAS this morning:

Kimber and I got up at 6:45 and were out the door at 7:20.  We met everybody (9 others) at the train station at 7:40, and boarded our train at 7:45, and the train departed at 7:56.

Here's what actually happened:

I woke up at 7:00, and Kimber was already up making breakfast.  I made a quick egg and sat with her while she skyped her boyfriend.  I ate quickly and got changed and packed my last minute morning items, and I was ready to go to 7:22.  I said over and over "Kimber, you ready??" enough to wake up poor Caelyn, who was not coming on this trip.  I stood at Kimber's door while she finished up skyping her boyfriend grabbing a few last minute things, meanwhile checking my watch...7:25....7:30...7:35..."Kimber we really should go...we are going to be lucky if we make the train."  She had in her head I think that I was talking about the meeting time of 7:40, so she kept thinking we had time, I guess.  

7:40.  

"KIMBER we have to GO, we are going to miss this train."  

She just didn't say anything, and finally walks out with me.  We rush out the three doors opening and locking as we go to the elevator.  

When we get in the elevator, it is 7:41 and I'm saying "Ok...we are going to have to run the whole way."  She said, "Yeah, well, we DO have till 7:56 till the train actually leaves." 

...........

"YEAH, that's in just over ten minutes...we are going to run."

We got off the elevator and I just started running as fast as I could with my heavy backpack.  It usually takes over 5 minutes to walk to our subway station, then we get down to the red line (U1), and could wait for up to 5 minutes (they come every 5), then make an exchange to the U3 which would take a couple minutes going up a few escalators and such.  Then another up to 5 minutes of waiting, then 5 stops to get to the train station, where you have to go up a couple flights of stairs to a big board where all the trains are listed, and you have to look at this electronic sign (just like at the airport) and find out which platform your train is on.  Once you find that, you find the corresponding number and follow it for a few fights of stairs and twists and turns, and then you're on the platform, and you have to find the train and the second class compartments.  THAT is the process of getting to the train.

Here is what happened: (KATIE WILL LOVE THIS)

I ran as fast as I could with my heavy backpack.  Kimber is behind me about half a block, eating?  I don't know why because she had all her breakfast made before I got up!  I was too tired to comprehend all of this so I just kept running.  I raced down into the subway station, and RAN down two escalators muttering "entschuldigung" to everybody in my way (excuse me) (horrible word).  Before I reached the bottom of the last escalator I could see people walking quickly towards an approaching subway, even though I couldn't actually see it yet.  I jumped down stairs even faster and ran straight into the doors of the subway.  Kimber was nowhere to be seen!!!  I stood inside the doors staring hopefully out...waiting...

The doors shut.  Then I saw her come down from the escalator....and I just waved at her.

7:46.

I took one stop to the U3, we rarely make this exchange..we have maybe done it once or twice.  We never ride the U3 line.  I follow the signs, got turned around the wrong way for a few seconds, realized my mistake, ran back, turned a corner, ran up some stairs, and FOUND the right side of the U3 and THAT subway was just pulling in!!  WHEW, I ran right onto it.

7:48.

I was pacing inside the subway.  I had 5 stops to make.  I figured each stop is around 2 minutes, maybe less.  10 minutes was not enough time!!  From stop to stop I'm checking my iPhone time (more exact than my watch).... 7:50... 7:52.... I was praying over and over, and thinking "I am NOT missing this train...I am going to freaking Budapest with everybody."  Somehow I made it to Westbanhof (train station) at 7:53 WHAT (magic, Katie).

Before I got off, I asked the lady standing by me if she spoke English.  She said a little.  I asked her if she possibly knew already which way (right or left) I would go to get upstairs to the S-bahns (trains...confusing sorry).  She said she wasn't sure...but when we started slowing, she got my attention and pointed to the escalator with the blue S above, and said, "over there!"  I got all set to go, opened that sliding door so quick, and started SPRINTING for that escalator.

I ran up like four escalators past so many people....flashback: I had surgery on my feet in May, and haven't run for realsies since April.  Not only are my legs WEAK, but my feet hurt really bad when I do run.  Good thing I couldn't even notice because of my determination to make this train!!  I already paid 57 Euros for this dang thing.

I got up finally to the train station, and I found the electronic screen.

7:54 (the minutes are going so slow)

I try to calm my adrenaline enough to read the dang sign and find "BUDAPEST".  I finally do, and see that it is on platform 2.  The departure has a blue flashing dot by it because it is ABOUT TO LEAVE.

I look all over for some signs.  Platforms 1-11 up this escalator.  I run up, and I ended up running up three MORE escalators...the last one I physically could not run.  My legs were burning hahaha.  I got to the top and saw no signs.  Must have been 7:55.  I grab a random lady and say "platform two??????" and she points across the station and I see the sign!!  I ran ran ran....got to an automatic opening door...it seemed to take forever to open.  I step into the platform where 1-4 are.

LUCKLY I hear, "CLAIRE!!!!!!!!!"  Monika and Mara were standing outside the train on the far end waving me down!  I could see the conductor standing outside at the front of the train.  I ran over...and he let me on the very front in first class, the train got moving, and I walked through all the cars to the back to second class.  I had to stop and cough...I honestly thought I was going to throw up.  Mara and Monika met me.  "Is Kimber coming...??" - no.  I sat down with everybody, took off all my top layers of warm clothes I no longer needed, I drank my whole water bottle...and I had to catch my breath for a few minutes before I could tell them what happened.

It was honestly a miracle that I made it.  And I was pretty angry...but oh well.

Wow.

*takes a deep breath*

So we rode the train for 3 hours and got to Budapest at 11!  Guess what, new language, new MONEY....we had to find an ATM, orient ourselves on a map, figure out where our hostel was, and get going.  We all pulled out 15,000 Florents.  1 Ft = 300 Euro (or 200 $$$s) So this was like, $75.  At least the weather was PERFECT!  We had to walk for 30 minutes to our hostel, then we got food.  The walk was great....new city, new language!  New everything.  Great weather.

This is what we saw when we got to our hostel...just a printed paper taped on a door!....legit right?  Yikes.  Good thing it was AWESOME.  We were nextdoor to the "yolo" hostel haha.  We had 9 girls and 2 boys.  Three rooms: one with 6 girls, one with 3, and one with the 2 boys.

Our hostel man asked us if we were Muslim as a joke because there were only two boys with many wives.  We thought that was ironic...because it was the same Mormon joke but he didn't know we were Mormon...it was funny to us.  Then later walking around town he passed us on his bike!! And he yelled out "hey ladies!!"  Hahahah.

(MO)

amy took this

(MO)

(MO) - my feet hurt really bad

FOOD:  was cheap.  We got Lángos, which is like a navajo taco pretty much.  I got mine "Mexican" style with chili beans, meat, sour cream, corn, and cheese.  SO GOOD and HUGE, and cost 700 Ft I think.  So cheap!!  I also got a crepe after...they called them Pancakes I think, for only 150 Ft!  THAT IS SO CHEAP and it was SO GOOD....I got peach jam, and it was homemade and delicious.  I wanted more.

(MO)

We continued our walk toward the Chain Bridge over to the old cities with Castle Hill...on the way passing food stands, churches, and shops of course.

(MO)

So I guess Kimber went to the train station after she missed it and saw that there was another train in an hour....so she took it, and Rachel called her on her Austrian phone (not in Austria, so it probably cost a TON...) to figure out where to meet...and we met up with her over here sometime).

This is the CHAIN BRIDGE.  Sooo cool.  The view was awesome, and the clouds?  Wow.  So our hostel is on the "Buda" side of town, and we walked over to the "Pest" side, where all the old stuff is.

The old town hill was full of views, the castle, shops, old old churches, shops....same thing I just listed before but old I guess?

(MO)

(MO)

Jordan loves free Wi-Fi hahaha 

(MO)

cutie Moni

These structures are the old fisherman's hangout.  It was beautiful to walk around...honestly like a mini castle that would be in a kids' playground haha.

(MO)

the Parlaiment building across the river in "Pest"

(MO)

(MO)

(MO)

The above 2 photos ^^ are of the remains of St. Mary's church.  It was all destroyed but you can see the outline in stone...the bell tower was rebuilt.  So cool!

It was getting pretty dark (as you can see in previous photos), and we started making our way back to the Danube to cross.  When we came out from around the tall buildings and saw the river and city lights...I almost lost my mind.  The city at night..!!  IT WAS BREATHTAKING!!!  At one point we were directly across from the Parliament building, and Moni had to pee so we got to wait for her sitting on this wall staring at this beautiful glowing structure across the river.  JUST WOW.  Hard to take photos of the beauty but...a full moon too?  Really, Heavenly Father is amazing.

We got back to the hostel at 7:45 for Dinner!  The man made it for us!  I still don't know his name..I don't know if I ever did.  But I have no clue what this was...!!  But there were some potatoes and sausage maybe..?  I hated the first bite...but I ended up eating two plates of it, and drinking like three bottles of water.  Steph spilled some on her pants and the man told her to put salt on it hahahaha he wouldn't let her move.

We started changing and getting settled in our rooms, and the hostel man was like, "What are you guys doing? Aren't you going out...? It's a weekend in Budapest! Go out to some clubs!"  And we said we don't drink and he didn't believe us, and he said just go get soda...and we said we were tired and wanted to get up early...etc.  We told him we were Mormon and he said he had heard of it and he knew of some Croatian basketball player who went to BYU or something maybe.  He was Croatian.  So we just ended up hanging out in the room for a bit...and got to bed by 11 which is so nice and early!!

(MO)