Last day. Very sad. All knackered sitting in our hostel cafe waiting to leave for the airport. Cry.

So since Budapest we decided to go and explore Prague, Berlin and Amsterdam.

For absolutely no reason, I decided I didn’t like Prague when we arrived. Think I was tired, just very very tired. I had the best sleep of my life after that. The second day was class. We did a ‘free’ walking tour- lots of history in the city. Notably, Beer is cheaper than water.

Loved Berlin. Awesome Edinburgh fringe style Sunday where there is lots of street performers and anyone can sing Karaoke. I thought about it. Nice market too with lots of independent designers. People made Berlin. Millie even got given a free beer. Probably because he was fed up of us faffing with our Euros.

And yeah Amsterdam has also been tres fun. Obviously picked the hottest day ever to cycle but lots of nice parks to stop and read and eat stroopwaffles. Very funky shops too.

Home time.

Budapest.

In a room of 14. Can hear someone clipping their toe nails. Reflection: it was then clicking their bag shut.

Really fun meeting lots of people.

For example, this morning just brushing my teeth,a bit worse for wear, and by the time the 2 minutes is up I’ve had a frothy conversation with a nice man who’s given me a recommendation of a very cool ruin bar.

Went on pub crAwl last night. Saw Daisy in Budapest !!!

Texting your friends is a god send in hostel room. And very funny.

BUdda is very gooda

Trying to find the 74.

Ticket machine doesn’t work- we’ve paid for them though. We are getting them.

The ticket man helps and I use google translate- he makes them magically appear after he sticks his hand the whole way up the machine.

CANNOT FIND THE 74.

It’s not a metro, it’s a tram.

We wander to find it. It’s hot.

We ask a bus tour man and it’s literally right next to us and there ready to go- we run.

The bus driver could literally not give too tosses if we have our tickets. After all that I’m going to show him anyway.

To the baths we go. Buzzing.

It’s our last day in Split before we head to Budapest. Here’s a few updates on what we’ve been up to and random things I’ve written. It’s not been much to be honest.

The little boy next to us is unbelievably cute and curious. He has spotted ‘giant big fish’ in the sea and told each family member individually. To which they have responded “really?”, each getting a little less enthusiastic each time.

I’m secretly waiting for him to ask me and I’ll be super dooper interested.

We went to split for the afternoon/evening. Left at like 3 to try and avoid the heat. We did not avoid the heat. Had some lovely drinks in le shade. It’s very busy in Split but some really nice building in the old town.

Apparently it’s where bits of game of thrones was set-not seen it but there sure was enough people dressed in costumes that made me believe it.

The Kastela beach is looovely. Would 10/10 recommend if you’re looking for a quieter vibe and chill. It’s so easy to get to split on the bus.

Cheese and crisps sandwiches have been the main fuel.

Lunch has fast become our favourite part of the day.

I was asked today for a recommendation on where to eat and what. There is a nice beach bar/restaurant which I was able to recommend but again, the only thing I could recommend was the Pizza.

I swear I did have salad for dinner last night mum AND an apple for breakfast.

Excited to pick up the pace.

So these chilly bottles are class for so many reasons and I’ve been totally rubbing in how my water stays cold compared to everyone else’s in the sun.

But again. This has bitten me in the bottom. Planned to put it in the fridge for the whole night and was shocked when C took it out said that won’t make a difference if the water is not cold in the bottle. STOP BEING ANNOYINGLY SMART. I’m very tired right now and enjoying watching random Croatian adverts squished up on the sofa with C and Mildred. Don’t know why on earth I am tired considering our day has consisted of eat, sleep, swim, repeat. But we are all feeling it.

We may have no hot water here for showers but still the water from the tap does not get that cold- why.

We go on.

Life is pretty sweeeeet.

Here’s some stuff I wrote on our Journey from Zagreb to split.

Just saw a sign for the sauce we used in our pasta last night. Apparently it’s actually a spread. Adapt. Overcome. Improvise. On reflection, we did think it looked quite lumpy. Still delicious

Not much going on at the moment and I’m loving it.

It’s very chill.

Turns out, we are not actually in Split. Thank god for Uber’s and thank god Croatia is a lot cheaper than home. We are just outside split in Kastela.

Very peaceful.

We will be chilling and reading and working on our tans.

C was watching a video about Ariana grande and her partner and I can’t get “we haven’t seen the pig in 3 months” out my head. Not a clue why but i KEEP saying it at the detriment of C’s sanity. Millie’s too soon I’m sure.

£6 for pizza (that old Croatian delicacy, I’m sure) and wine. I love Croatia.

We haven’t seen the pig in three months.

Peace and love xxxxx

Zagreb.

Museum of broken relationships-

Taking the hard and making it beautiful.

I imagine it would be tough coming here if in a relationship with issues. I applaud the couples here.

Some very interesting stories about relationships and why they ended- friends/family/partners.

There is eurodam here lol. Can’t escape.

My theory. The bathroom door here is meant to be broken.

Come back so happy to tell C about my discovery. She managed to lock it. I’m not convinced she did/ I’m stubborn. And very happy with this arty interpretation of my incapabilities.

We also had a very cheap and good beer on the streets of Zagreb. The man who poured our pints said it was an attempt to revamp the city. Everyone does look very happy. A bit of sun does wonders.

The Italian mountains are so beautiful. I remember when I used to think the mountains would fall on us when we drove through them when I was younger lol. I’m so happy rn they probably could and I wouldn’t mind.

There is a little town below the mountains. I want a house there.

OH MY mountains my biffy Clyro just came on. So many signs on this trip.

Think I just saw the tallest man ever. I was hitting my head of stuff of the bus so I’d hate to think how he managed.

Smile at a women in the chemist in Villach, hauptbanhof. See a water fountain in the shop and think class. Go and and see if she will fill our water up. She says no. I go back and say she was mean and then Mildred points out there is literally a free water tap infront of me. No wonder she said no. Silly me.

Read books outside station.

Mildred and Cs go and get some dinner before the train.

I like getting the texts saying we are all in all the different countries.

I’ve let Mildred and C pick my dinner tonight. I’m intrigued to see what they bring back. Update: a solid choice was made and cheap.

There is a drunk man with a sausage dog. We avoid the drunk man but I stroke the sausage dog. He’s just walks so happily eeeek. The little bum wiggle.

This is a cool train. It feels like I’m that girl from the Durrells when she goes to Europe and sits with lots of people from different countries. Excepts its only the 3 of us in the carriage and I want it to stay that way right now.

The carriage feels quite bitey. Lots of ankle slapping.

Leche bled. It smells so fresh. And so calm.

Hostel is very chill. Sharing a room with a couple others.

“If something is good, tell your friends. If something isn’t right, tell us, so we can fix it.” Good house rules.

In Venezia and we sit for a bit.

Whats the code for boats. Do they drive on the right or left?

Very busy for a place we have never heard of.

Friday weekend away?

This has been tough. We can’t find where our connection is meant to be. People have not been that willing to help. We go to the train ticket desk. He’s so so helpful and we are very thankful. Again this is why speaking another language is amazing and I want to learn. So I can be as helpful as this man was.

OBB. Bus all the way there. The guy explains that a lot of people don’t help as they don’t speak English and I’m glad he did that. Need to be patient. We don’t speak any Italian after all.

Get some supplies as it absolutely roasting and it costs exactly €10. My last physical Euro’s. It’s meant to be! Also got some breadsticks we took from the restaurant last night ehehe.

HAHAHA We Have just realised we are in Venice.

So this has been a fun day. Waited for an hour. Check with the guy if it’s the right bus. It is yay. Wait in the shade. 10 mins till bus leaves. Shit. We need a reservation and of course it’s only cash. And I spent my last €10 on biscuits. Sprint to find an atm. 2 mins to spare. Boom. Pay for all our tickets and we are on. And actually seeing VENICE. For like 2 mins but still.

It’s very nice to sit. Only 1 other person on bus.

So lessons learnt:

Always have cash and don’t spend on biscuits until you know you don’t need to reserve a seat.

Question if perhaps, Venezia, is Venice.

Using the rail planner app doesn’t always make it clear that you are getting a bus.

Ask people for help. Don’t give up after the first person says no.

Chow Italia, to Austria we go.

Listen to uno by Rex Orange County. Sooo good and the beat is class.

Carrefour home-brand croissants are fuelling us. There is a ridiculous amount of plastic packaging on them. Sadly, we are on a budget.

Hope it’s not raining in Verona.

Thinking bout you by frank ocean will also be a good holiday song.

I never like to get the end of a song though, usually skip.

Lucky, looked on air b&b app and found a very nice looking house in Verona for €25 each. It’s described as a “rare find”.

My thoughts are now becoming more comfortable in my own head.

This next train from Parma does natta feela very safio.

Got like 5 mins till the next train. It’s a small station which is good. We start walking and realise not a clue what platform. Check board. Classic it’s the one we’ve just come from. This is all very fun. Going to Mantoma. It’s veeeeery hot. We look around and it literally could have been only 1 of 3 platforms lol. STAND BEHIND THE LINE. It does not smell good on this train.

Bug. Heck -flying bug.

20 min till next train. We are hungry. I go and explore Mantova to find food. We’ve only been away for 6 days ! I find some pizza thing and foccia for lunch. Only €5 for it all. Man is very nice. Grazie. We share all the stuff around. You can tell what Mildred had as she nibbles like a rabbit.

We have to put the bags on the seats as there is no rack. I normally hate doing that but c’est la vie.

If anyone is reading this and has gone to the places we are going please let me know as we are clueless. Fun to explore on your own but also nice to hear what others think.

I love the end of love on top by Beyoncé when she just keeps going up the scale higher and higher.

Verona is VERY rainy right now but it’s quite nice to nap too. And not feel you are missing out on things.

Apparently the balcony from Romeo and Juielette was built after the film was made. Bit weird.

Lots of swimwear shops. Where they swimming? The manky river?

Very romantic. Saw the Romeo and Juliette balcony. Feels all very commercial to be honest. Still spend €4 euros on a tacky pen though. Wrote a note and stick it to the wall with gum. I feel good for doing it.

Everyone looks very put together. We don’t.

Even a girl in crocks looks cool here.

L’arena di verona. Winter Olympics 2026.

Bikes need indicators.

This was the best meal I’ve had in a while purely because of the Italian waiters.

Natalie recommended us a restaurant and said if we say her name we get free Prosecco. There is no doubt we are going. They are so sarcastic it’s amazing. I feel the Italians have my humour. They have giving us free drinks, joked that the police have called us by putting the phone to Mildred’s ear and told us we can only pay by cash when that’s just not the case. They are amazing. We tip and leave. Very happy.

Watching C shot the limoncello is amazing.

Ristorante pizzeria- a must go in our eyes if you come to Verona.

So many sausage dogs!!!!