Goulash makes me hungry for more. Calories who cares. I’ll walk them off or tell off the taxi driver when he/she misses my flight to Rome and no Buddha- Pest hack will ever get my goal. To-Kay to your face to face adventures.
A wonderful experience. My fear is that one day Uber will truly take over the world and end the gut-wrenching excitement of getting in a foreign cab. They are little badges of honor, better than passport stamps. I got scammed in Naples and learned. Avoided throwing up from car sickness in Beijing. Got left on the highway in Paris by a driver who got lost. All fun stories, like this one. I hope your bag was able to be cleaned :)
Bryan, as a side note, it took me a while to understand that the practice of bartering the price (of virtually anything) varied in cultures and countries. Some almost preferred it and others were simply, the price....is the price, haha.
In Zambia, I’ve fronted gas money to undercapitalized tax drivers. If they must untwist a wire to open the boot for your luggage, expect to make a pre-journey loan.
"meals in this comfortable, palatial, but now slightly seedy, spa-hotel are served with copious amounts of pleasant condescension by a large cadre of impeccable, formal waiters attired in smart blue jackets."
This really sets the tone. I admire you for your solo travels. Really enjoyed reading this one again, Sharron.
I deeply desire to read ALL of your writings! You touch me every time.
Sometime I'll send the true tale of getting off a cruise ship with my parents in Russia--a similar, almost worse, maybe far worse misadventure that still teaches me how language can be a barrier, but also a blessing.
Ah - the heart of an adventuress! That Heartburn Special sounds good. Taxi guy had it coming. Goodbye Budapest, hello next stop. Enjoyed this, Sharron!
Oh the journeys you have had, Sharron! And adventures! I would have probably just out and out bawled in public, had I had this experience with a taxi driver. You live, you learn, and you enrich your life. Amazing, and entertaining piece!
It's gotten to the point where a trip to the grocery store can be a dangerous safari into the jungle. Loved this story. And you're not the only one who has raised the hackles of taxi drivers-desk clerks-waiters. I leave a trail of wreckage wherever I go.
Budapest was a tough city to warm up to on a May sojourn. Gotham City vibes. Dark and damp - the architecture never allowing sunlight to hit certain streets.
Thank you, John. I, too, found Budapest a bit scary and oppressive - especially outside of the designated tourist zones. But... it might have been just a bad couple of days. You never know. I thank you for coming over here to read at 🌿Leaves and for your comment.
Many of us travelling in Europe, have no problem with Languages. If you know one basic Latin language or Anglo-Saxon language, you’re okay. I understand your frustration with Hungarian😉
Yes! That is it exactly, Yael French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese -- even German are "guessable". Not the Magyar! No clue at all. I might as well have been on Mars.
Yes, expected that second lob to be a problem! To be an observer on that sidewalk would have been a Kodak moment! Tooo funny, Sharron! You have a gift with international encounters!
Oh Sharron, this was brilliant - but I really feel for you with the spilled Tokaj and the taxi driver!
Your story has in a way reminded me of when I once polluted an entire carriage on the Eurostar by spilling most of an open bottle of Chanel No. 5 Eau de Parfum. I'd hurled my bag carelessly onto the luggage rack, and the stopper in what had been an extremely expensive Christmas present from someone significant lost all contact with the neck of its bottle. Had it been Eau de Toilette it would have a) not spilled, as it the top of the bottle would have been a spray affair and b) not smelled SOOOOOOOO very strong. Oh, and c) a marginally less expensive waste.
Oh this is SO funny -- in hindsight. I. know EXACTLY what that perfume smells like -- I can smell it right this minute clear as day. Such an expensive loss, such embarrassing evidence that lingered, and lingered and lingered. I hope you could change seats or better yet, carriages... Thanks for this story.
Klingon ok. Thankfully no Gaahk.
Ha ha ha!
Goulash makes me hungry for more. Calories who cares. I’ll walk them off or tell off the taxi driver when he/she misses my flight to Rome and no Buddha- Pest hack will ever get my goal. To-Kay to your face to face adventures.
Time to pack that suitcase, Richard!
Another classic travel story, Sharron, just wonderful. Miss Marple came to mind....
Thanks , Linda. It was probably one of my craziest adventures, possibly because of lack of knowledge of the language.
A wonderful experience. My fear is that one day Uber will truly take over the world and end the gut-wrenching excitement of getting in a foreign cab. They are little badges of honor, better than passport stamps. I got scammed in Naples and learned. Avoided throwing up from car sickness in Beijing. Got left on the highway in Paris by a driver who got lost. All fun stories, like this one. I hope your bag was able to be cleaned :)
Bryan, as a side note, it took me a while to understand that the practice of bartering the price (of virtually anything) varied in cultures and countries. Some almost preferred it and others were simply, the price....is the price, haha.
Oh totally...I almost offended someone in Marrakech by once agreeing to pay full price 😅
In Zambia, I’ve fronted gas money to undercapitalized tax drivers. If they must untwist a wire to open the boot for your luggage, expect to make a pre-journey loan.
We could sit around for hours and exchange bizarre travel stories ( Switter calls it misery travel.). It is always so funny in hindsight.
"meals in this comfortable, palatial, but now slightly seedy, spa-hotel are served with copious amounts of pleasant condescension by a large cadre of impeccable, formal waiters attired in smart blue jackets."
This really sets the tone. I admire you for your solo travels. Really enjoyed reading this one again, Sharron.
Ah... give me Italy or Scotland any day. Hungary, not so much.
I deeply desire to read ALL of your writings! You touch me every time.
Sometime I'll send the true tale of getting off a cruise ship with my parents in Russia--a similar, almost worse, maybe far worse misadventure that still teaches me how language can be a barrier, but also a blessing.
Thank you, Jill. You are very sweet. By all means post your cruise ship story on your substack. I will read it for sure.
Ah - the heart of an adventuress! That Heartburn Special sounds good. Taxi guy had it coming. Goodbye Budapest, hello next stop. Enjoyed this, Sharron!
Entire menus of meals classified as "tickets on the coronary express". I made that cab driver REALLY mad, and was glad to get on down the road...
Oh the journeys you have had, Sharron! And adventures! I would have probably just out and out bawled in public, had I had this experience with a taxi driver. You live, you learn, and you enrich your life. Amazing, and entertaining piece!
Thanks, sweet girl!
It's gotten to the point where a trip to the grocery store can be a dangerous safari into the jungle. Loved this story. And you're not the only one who has raised the hackles of taxi drivers-desk clerks-waiters. I leave a trail of wreckage wherever I go.
Hah. Guilty as charged.
I believe that about you. You are such a hooligan.
A traveler after my own heart. I love getting into messy situations like the one you described.
Pro tip: learn enough police German to shout them down. Nothing else works as well.
I will try that.
Budapest was a tough city to warm up to on a May sojourn. Gotham City vibes. Dark and damp - the architecture never allowing sunlight to hit certain streets.
Truly enjoyed your vignette. Safe travels.
Thank you, John. I, too, found Budapest a bit scary and oppressive - especially outside of the designated tourist zones. But... it might have been just a bad couple of days. You never know. I thank you for coming over here to read at 🌿Leaves and for your comment.
Many of us travelling in Europe, have no problem with Languages. If you know one basic Latin language or Anglo-Saxon language, you’re okay. I understand your frustration with Hungarian😉
Yes! That is it exactly, Yael French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese -- even German are "guessable". Not the Magyar! No clue at all. I might as well have been on Mars.
Yes, expected that second lob to be a problem! To be an observer on that sidewalk would have been a Kodak moment! Tooo funny, Sharron! You have a gift with international encounters!
Thanks! Lots of ups and downs, but AlWAYS memorable.
Oh Sharron, this was brilliant - but I really feel for you with the spilled Tokaj and the taxi driver!
Your story has in a way reminded me of when I once polluted an entire carriage on the Eurostar by spilling most of an open bottle of Chanel No. 5 Eau de Parfum. I'd hurled my bag carelessly onto the luggage rack, and the stopper in what had been an extremely expensive Christmas present from someone significant lost all contact with the neck of its bottle. Had it been Eau de Toilette it would have a) not spilled, as it the top of the bottle would have been a spray affair and b) not smelled SOOOOOOOO very strong. Oh, and c) a marginally less expensive waste.
I wasn't popular. Still, nobody fined me!
Oh this is SO funny -- in hindsight. I. know EXACTLY what that perfume smells like -- I can smell it right this minute clear as day. Such an expensive loss, such embarrassing evidence that lingered, and lingered and lingered. I hope you could change seats or better yet, carriages... Thanks for this story.
In all honesty I just sat there and pretended to know nothing about it. I probably fooled nobody! 🤣
Innocent until. proven guilty, my friend.