Ghosts on the Train

Currently on a near-8-hour train from Budapest to Innsbruck. Passing through the Austrian countryside has been lovely. I’m keen for the mountain that will start cropping up soon, too. So, in that sense, I’m quite content. The trickiest section of our train travel has been seamlessly thus far. Direct. Comfortable seats. Lovely views.

The day didn’t start with quite such a positive outlook though. For myriad reasons, I had perhaps the worst sleep I can remember. One being that I couldn’t stop vomiting. Another huge culprit being the emergency evacuation alarm that got set off in our hostel at precisely 3am. It all seemed a little fake. Was this just a very realistic dream? It appeared so. Just as everyone went back to sleep, we had to leave! Checking out a 5am without any alarms needed might be a first. It was eerie. I felt ghostly. Physically, too. After brilliant weather (again), we then stepped out, backpacks on, into a dark, rainy morning. Alas, we made it.

Alas, that has passed now. On the flip-side, we can both be very grateful that the first three hours until Vienna were quiet, calm, and dark. Conducive for catching up on sleep. Appreciative that we made it on the train to begin with. That we’re holding up okay.

I’m reading a really enjoyable book at the moment, too. It sold quite well a few years ago, so you’ve probably seen it—Thursday Murder Club. I wanted some fiction. A lighter, but well-written novel in opposition to the dense Homo Deus. It has fit that bill perfectly since spotting it on my grandparents’ bookshelf. A recently emerged highlight for me has simply just been reading before bed again. In hostels particularly, I look forward to it.

Anyway, talk soon! I can never really do things justice here, so you’ll just have it hear more about it all when I get home (soon)!