TRAVELLING WITH ADRIENNE

Most of My Days Are Diamonds

For which I’m so grateful

Today was not one of those diamond days

I whispered goodbye to Danuta in Wrocław and things started to go downhill from then. My voice disappeared completely and my cough sounded as if I had smoked a pack of cigarettes. My nose started to bleed just to add a little extra fun.

I had booked my stay in Budapest for the same dates as my nights in Krakow! My own fault – I’ve only been booking the next place as I go. I managed to sort that one out by begging.

The train ride was uneventful. There were only two other people at the far end of my carriage.

I was familiar with the Krakow station so reserved my seat to Budapest and walked out to the Bolt drop-off spot and called a Bolt. What the? I know it’s peak hour but 1100pln sounds a lot. I checked Uber — only slightly less. My plan was to drop my four bags to my booked hostel in the Town Square, then go out to Chilli Hostel to pick up my suitcase. I wasn’t going to pay that kind of money so I hopped on a tram and made it to the Chilli Hostel but not without injury — shoulder again!

Collected my suitcase, and let it drop down the stairs one step at a time, and sat out on the footpath to wait until peak hour was over. I retrieved my glasses and read the destination, bloody hell, Bolt had selected Holy Trinity Square in some town in Slovakia which was why it was over 1000pln. Why it would do that I have no idea. I had selected Holy Trinity Square for previous rides in Krakow…

I selected the correct one and the Bolt driver dropped me to Embassy Street. I’m not quite sure but about a kilometre away from my intended destination. “Just walk straight down there,” he pointed down the street. I had no intention of teetering around cobblestoned streets with my big suitcase and all my backpacks and a walking stick. Was he insane? I only gave him 3 stars.

I called another Bolt which took me within 50 metres of Greg and Tom’s Beer Hostel. I climbed two flights of stairs only to be told I couldn’t stay.

I was too old. By this stage, I really did feel old. She said they had age restrictions and I thought that meant no under 18s but in actual fact no one over 40 is allowed either. I didn’t quite make the cutoff. I was too tired to argue but I did mention I had stayed at hostels all over Europe and had never come across this rule — in fact, I was usually the one up late partying!

To her credit, she helped me locate another hostel not too far away, and helped me down to the footpath with my luggage. Googlemaps of course took me the long way but I eventually made it, slightly more exhausted then before. I was supposed to have a bed in a twin room with a private bathroom at the Sky Hostel, but I got a bed in a 6 bed mixed dorm. Beggars can’t be choosers so I dumped my gear on the bed, grabbed my phone and charger and headed down to the gelati bar on the corner.

I ordered a focaccia which was so stale it was inedible and a vanilla milk shake and treated myself to a double gelato — rum and pineapple. This new hostel is not five star — it’s probably not even been rated yet — there’s a handwritten sign on a piece of paper at the door. On the plus side, the gelati bar is only a few steps away as is a supermarket. You gotta take the pros with the cons.

When I arrive back at he Sky Hostel, the receptionist who has no English shows me her phone. “ We are sorry we can’t have you tonight as we are overbooked. You can have a twin room with a private bathroom as the Ametyst Hostel.”

I have no idea where the Ametyst Hostel is but at least it had a sign on the door and my Bolt driver dropped me right in front and carried all my luggage to the footpath. I tipped him generously. I hobble up the stairs, the receptionist speaks English, and he runs down to bring my suitcase up.

I am shown to a 4 bunk room but it’s all mine but I have to pay an extra 330pln for the convenience. My private toilet is just outside my room and I have a key to access it, but if you think I’m fiddling around with a key in the middle of the night, you’re very much mistaken. And the public showers are way down the hall. But on the third attempt, I have a bed.

At least I am not sleeping on the street and at no stage did I cry. I think I was simply too exhausted for tears.