My journey Summer 2008

Tour the Europe in 15 days.. Here is my roughly complete tour of ours.

Excited cute liltle faces. With my travelmate, Nanim, student from Glasgow.

Day 1: 15 July 2008 Cardiff-Bristol-Berlin
At noon about 12pm, we reached at Cardiff Central Station to catch a train to Bristol International Airport because our flight will be at 5.55pm to Berlin. Our flight delayed for about 15 minutes luckily the flight going so well and we safely arrived at the Berlin Schonefeld about 9pm. At the immigression, the police checked my passport for a long damn time, I totally have no idea what was going on, what I could saw that the police checked so detail at at the passport particular with the magnifying glass, uv light, etc..even he took my passport and put aside at my face luckily the counter is glass built) to compare my beautiful face with the picture of mine..He never say a word to me which it was a relieved to me so that I don't have to answer typical ridicilous questions everytime I travelled before. We then directly took the S-Bahn underground to check in our hostel Ju-Li at Osdorfer Strasse and relaxing in our room about 11.30pm that night.

In front of Berlin Gate

Day 2: 16 July 2008 Berlin
We had our big luxurious english breakfast which had been provided by the hostel. Afterwards, we get ready to start exploring Berlin city. We first took a day ticket which cost us 6.10 euro and by the S-Bahn underground, we heading towards to Potsdamer Platz station. It is said to be the busiest city in Berlin, there got Sony Center, Legoland, Bundesrat, Marriot hotel, Berliner Philharmonie and a lot of sky craper buildings in the area. Then we walked to the Berlin Gate or Brandenburger Tor about 30 minutes walking distance while taking pictures, a short visit to a shop and another, buying sevenirs, chit chat, looking at the map..(actually this will take about 10 minutes walk if you are not tourist I guess). By a distance, you can see a big gate that situated in the middle of the high way. It was a big relieved when you can see by your own pair eyes the gate that had been history when it separated between Berlin east and west. Beside the gate there is a memorial park that invented by Sony, named Holocaust. We then straight to the Parliament building which close to the gate. We qued for about 2 hours to get into the Parliament until we get wet because of the raining. But it worthed when we got inside the building. After taking pictures in the Parliament, in the heavy rain, we quickly went to the Haupbanhof Train Station to fetch underground and heading to halal restaurant Misir Carsisi given by our trusted friend, Ajim. While we had a delicious LunDin (Lunch+Dinner) at the restaurant, we met an old lady whom can speak english fluently and told us direction to Charlie Checkpoint. Guess what, we walked for about 1 hour to the Charlie Checkpoint and it was so far as we thought it would be like a short distance when we look at the map. Then we walked again to take a look the remaining of the Berlin wall at the Charlie Checkpoint area. After posing and taking a lot of pictures, we walked and reached to the train station Potsdamer Platz station. It just about 8pm and we planned to see the Berlin Television Tower situated nearby at the Alexander Platz station. We did not go up to the tower because its not like the Eiffel Tower that you are so eager to feel with. (I was so excited like crazy when I can went to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower which the most amazing part that you could not miss when you visit Paris of course!) Ok, get back to the Berlin Tower (mind you I never visit Kuala Lumpur Tower even though it was in my hometown), after posing in front at the camera with the tower in scenery night light, we then decided to get rest back to our hostel.

Day 3: 17 July 2008 Berlin
In the early morning(well, actually it was about noon I guess), after taking breakfast, as usual we bought one day ticket, (the best thing about the public transportation in europe is that, you have to purchase the ticket at the machine and validate it by yourself. There was no conductor to sell the ticket inside the train and if you are lucky enough, you maybe travel by free, but I want to remind here, be honest or you will get fine by the inspector you get caught by them) Wow, thats a lot of information and inputs to those who are planning to travel in europe...Enough bubbling I guess, well then we went to my favourite place, Hard Rock Cafe Berlin which is situated out of the circuit of the city but still it was a busy place with building everywhere named Kurfurstendamm. After bought one t-shirt at hard Rock Cafe, which cost me about 25euros, several sevenirs cost 15euros, we then took U-bahn train to Olympia-Stadion which is the Berlin
Olympic Stadium and had a lot of posed with the beautiful stadium (for me, its look like Stadium Melawati Shah Alam but who knows rite?) About an hour later, we directly went to the Schloss Charlottenburg and Museen Charlottenburg which is known as Charlotte Palace. It was a nice and beautiful palace with beautiful big garden behind the place itself. Then we went to Friedrichstrasse station and Unter den Linden, which is the most elegant and famous avenue along the Berlin gate until the Television Tower. We walked along the street started from the Berlin Gate, to the Holocaust Memorial, British Embassy, Madame Tussauds, Story of Berlin, University, MuseumInsel or Museum Island which is has 3 parts of museum along the river maybe thats why it called Museum Island. After that, we continue to the Berlin Dom or Cathederal, Gallery, and to the Television Tower. About 7pm, we decided to go to the same restaurant to have dinner, chicken kebab with rice and salate. It costs us about 5euro per meal without drink. After having a luxurious dinner, we then get back to our hostel earlier than
yesterday after a tragedy happened to us, which is our train did not show up until 11.30pm and all of us who want to go same direction stucked and we have to wait about 30minutes until the correct train showed up. Thank god.

Day 4: 18 July 2008 Berlin-Prague
Its our last day in Berlin, we wake up earlier than before and had breakfast, checked out about 9am to catch our train to Prague at 10.46am at Haupbanhof Berlin or Berlin Central Railway Station. Along the way to Prague especially when you reached at the border of the Czech Republic, it was most beautiful scenery I ever saw in my life with the mountains, river, and the beautiful houses along the railway and what I remembered most is that between the two peak of the mountains there was a bridge that combined them and when we look at the bridge in the middle, I wonder how they built the bridge long time ago. We arrived at Prague train station about 2.45pm and quickly we search our next hostel in Praha 6 by the metro. About 4pm we managed to check in and relax in our room and getting ready to find any halal restaurant for dinner. Unfortunately, when we asked the receptionist, she told us the lebanese restaurant situated in the city, Praha 1. So then we decided to went nearest groceries shop and bought some juices and bread for dinner. Back to our room, we asked the receptionist lady for hot water and we just ate instant noodle that night. Poor us. I bet whenever I start travelling, I will loose a few kilos back to the country..hehehe..trust me, you just ate once a day and you will be very hungry if you are travelling in a very tight budget. We then watched movie inside my laptop and went to bed early that day after a very long journey early in the morning from Berlin.

with the Astronomical Clock in Prague Old Town

Day 5: 19 July 2008 Prague
Again we woke up late, opppss..about noon, we bought a day ticket which cost us 100Ck, before we started our journey, we bought a single ticket to Vienna with Eurolines cost about 536Ck.Then,we stopped at the Muzeum metro station and went to the Prague National Gallery. It was a beautiful building which situated in front of the square and you can see a very nice square along the big street. After spent a few moment in the gallery, we then searching for the Lebanese Kebab restaurant which is situated nearby the gallery. It was easy to found the basement restaurant and I had a kebab and rice meal with coke while Nanim had a rice with
aubergine cooked with meat in chilli sauce and coke as well. A few minutes later, we head towards the Opera house and along the square to the Astronomical Clock. After taking few pictures about the clock that most people talk about which in the Old City of Prague, we then walked until we arrived at Charles Bridge and cross the bridge to take a look at the other side of the town, which had a Prague Castle and few buildings in the area. After taking a long walk, we
decided to take a tram to take a look the city area by tram. We just hop on and hop off to make use of the ticket that we bought for that day. Then we stopped at a Kebab stall for our dinner and went to Tesco to buy drinks and breads. We took the tram No 20 and return to our hostel, Hostel Orlik. There was a funny thing happened when we just hop on the tram No 20, which we had no idea where it will go, suddenly the tram passing by at our hostel which was the last station so we waited, and got back the same tram and returned to the city back. So now we know which tram we need to take to our hostel rather by the metro station.

Day 6: 20 July 2008 Prague
We directly took a tram to Prague Castle and we climb the stairs to the top of the hill in the sunny day. Thanks to the receptionist lady who gave us the easiest way and short climbing to the castle. After that we walked down to the Charles Bridge, Old Town, Astronomical Clock, back to the square and National Gallery. We had our dinner at the same place, Lebanese Kebab with the same meal which cost me about 125Ck. Then we head back to our hostel and get ready for a new
trip in Vienna.

Day 7: 21 July 2008 Prague-Vienna
Our bus was at 8am so we checked out earlier that day. After a long journey that took about 4 hours, we arrived at Vienna Bus Station, Edberg then directly took underground to Westbanhouf for a lunch. Afterward we check in to our hostel and rest for the next day journey around Vienna.

in Konzerthaus, Vienna

Day 8: 22 July 2008 Vienna
We woke up late and directly to the nearest restaurant for a lunch. We started our journey from the Schwedenplatz meaning from the riverbank into the city along Rotenturmstrasse, got a lot of shops and I bought a nightgown from H&M. Then we found Stephansdom and nearby the Cathedral there was Mozarthaus and we walked again until we found Hofburg Palace
which the place that currently used for Spanish Riding School, Museum fur Volkerkunde, Royal chapel (Vienna Boys Choir). After the weather became so cold and windy, we took a break in Starbucks and had a venti size, yummy Java Chip Frapucino (weird huh taking cold drink in the middle of cold and windy weather, but I can't help myself!) As all of you knew about Mozart that
originally from Austria, so there were a lot of summer concerts that played Mozart songs so we were seduced by the handsome and charming man from the team of the Konzerthaus to watch them next evening. Ticket cost us: 19euro for student price.

Day 9: 23 July 2008 Vienna
It was raining all day and we just went out for lunch. Chilling and relaxing.
6pm- Went out and directly to the Konzerthaus which is about 30 minutes walking distance. Took picture in front of the
Parliament,and the ring area.
8pm- Concert started. Got soprano singer as well.
10pm- Concert finished. Went for a night walk and had a late dinner at McDonalds.
12am- Back to room and sleep tight.

Day 10: 24 July 2008 Vienna-Bratislava

in front of Bratislava Castle

Day 11: 25 July 2008 Bratislava
We arrived on the day 10 at Bratislava about 3pm. We went to the old town, Bratislava Castle and enjoying the scenic
of this country.

Day 12: 26 July 2008 Brastilava-Budapest
We took Student Agency bus to Budapest depart about 10.45am. Arrived at Nepgleti Bus Station about 2pm and we directly searching for our hostel located nearby with tram Kiraly Utca. We met the hostel owner, Joseph who can speak Malay. We rest and get ready to explore Budapest tomorrow.

a Cindarella in front of her castle

Day 13: 27 July 2008 Budapest
We conquered Buda area. We bought 3 days public transportation ticket costs us 3400Ft. First we climb to Buda Castle, and Citadela which you can view the whole city of Budapest, Chain Bridge.

Heroes Square

Day 14: 28 July 2008 Budapest
We decided to go to Pest area starting from Heroes Square, National Agriculture Museum, Medicinal Bath, Deak Ter, Fashion Street, Central Market looking some sevenirs, Chain Bridge, St Basilica and Parliament. We walked along the Pest riverbank and witness the sun set at Buda area. It was a beautiful night scene and we could not really forget for the whole our life.

Enjoy the beautiful sunset at Budapest

Sunset at Buda area on Chain Bridge

Nightview with Chain Bridge and Buda Castle. Far from left hand was Citadela up on the moutain

Day 15: 29 July 2008 Budapest-Bristol
Last day journey during summer holiday. Can't wait to went back home but our flight was at 10.05pm, so we went around West End Shopping complex area and I bought a MNG blouse. We then decided to go back to Central Market for our last minute sevenir shopping for friends and relatives. We almost missed our flight because the train to the Ferihegy Airport make a very
short time stopping at the station. We just want to open the train door and realized that the train already moving. The worst part was that, the next stop took 30 minutes and we were so scared that we couldn't make in time. Luckily, after asking the train women at the next stop, she told us the correct train. We quickly ran to the airport because the time was already 8.45pm. Our flight arrived at Bristol International Airport about 12midnight and we stayed there until 4.20am to fetch the bus to the Bristol Temple Mead rail station. About 6am, we then depart from Bristol to Cardiff Central and arrived home safely about 8am today.

Well, thats it for my journey around Eastern and Central Europe during Summer Holiday 2008 that took us about 15 days to conquered 5 country, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary. There were a lot of things that we'd learned during ur journey and we got so many experiences and hard time that taught us to be proud of being ourselve and being humble in Almighty creations.