An Exerpt from the Travel Journal

February 13, 2006

Three trains and fifteen hours after leaving Amsterdam we finally arrive in Budapest. After disembarking the train we quickly find a map on the wall which we stare at for a while and then all look around at our surroundings with confused expressions. While contemplating how to purchase tickets for the metro with no Hungarian currency, we are approached by a kind lady who works there who can somehow tell we don't know what we're doing - goodness knows what gave it away. Although none of us speak Hungarian and she didn't appear to speak English, she eventually conveyed to us that we can ride the metro for free, but we have to run because it's leaving in two minutes. We make our way to the fastest, steepest escalator I've ever been on and run down to meet the subway and get on just in time.

All seems to be going well, we know where we are and where we're going and got off at the appropriate stop. Unfortunately, upon reaching the top of the escalator we are promptly stopped by the Budapest Metro Police who demand to see our tickets which, alas, we do not have. The nice lady, as it turns out, was not actually so nice and minutes after arriving in Budapest we had been scammed. The cost of a metro ticket - 1EURO. Fine each payed for riding without a ticket - 11EURO.

Budapest - 1: Us - 0.

Ashley