Exchange highlights

10:21 PM

Brief Summary of My Exchange Travels and some Highlights

1. Flight Delay

We had accumulated a 38hr flight delay to my greatest disbelief until now even though it has been a year. It seems like a dream. The free stay and free flow food at Hotel Jen Tanglin was indeed a memorable experience and I managed to get closer with my travel mates since I am not acquainted to them yet. We even got a substitute flight with SQ instead of Etihad which we booked. So from a transfer flight we got upgraded to a direct flight to Switzerland.

2. Arrived at Switzerland

They left their baggages in Switzerland since they are coming here for exchange, I am the only loner going to Poland. I should have left my baggage there…if I had knew that I will lose my passport the very next day.

3. Austria – The land for aspiring musicians

And so I lost my passport and Lynn lost her Laptop. Together, our first mission in Austria was to make a police report. We were directed to make a report at the magistrate, where the lost and found is. So I am secretly glad that I have someone with me ( she lost her macbook), and no words could describe the horror I felt when I lost my passport right at the beginning of my 6 month exchange in Europe. Our initial plans were already wrecked by the flight delay. I was faced with the dilemma of deciding between waiting by myself in Austria for 2 or 3 weeks for my replacement passport or gambling my luck away by YOLOing and travel around without a passport. My friends were all with me and they encouraged me to follow the remaining itinerary. I love them seriously.

SGrean we met I am glad that Sze’s musician friend ( I am impressed with her life story and her determination) who is studying in Austria also made a nice offer for me to stay at her place if I wanted to wait in Austria. But all my money has been placed in booking accomodations and transport for the rest of the pre travel. Im glad I followed through my decision. I wouldn’t say I made the right or wrong choice but I enjoyed the consequences of what I chose.

Attractions

- So we went to watch a classical concert where many people dressed up as Mozart and the Meininger Hostel was a great place with friendly staff.

- The 4d time travel museum was quite impressive despite looking quite rundown on the outside ( suddenly I remember the horses strutting about on the roads)

Food that I remember is the Fish And Chips diagonally acrossed the concert hall and there was a mini commotion by drunkards while we were eating . And Max was flirting with the ladyboss.

4. Budapest – Where all the asians eastern Europe is living at

I was really glad that I passed Budapest despite having my documents checked and they let me pass. Thank you friends for sitting all around me so that I get surrounded by Singaporeans and not look suspicious. The most memorable part of Budapest is the Airbnb which I/Jamie found, It was great despite the fact that 8 of us had to ration the hot water in the connecting toilet between the two rooms. There is a mart run by 2 chinese right beside the Airbnb. We had fun dotaing at night and we went grocery shopping to cook dinner and breakfast. We also walked the entire place without taking public transport at all. Extra credits to MapsMe offline functions. Did I mention that I was the only one with internet connection hahah.

Attractions

The most memorable one is the Miniversum where everything is really damn small and cute. Unfortunately, my dayima came so I couldn’t go to the famous bath. Szechenyi? I went to the zoo right opposite the bath house with Jamie and still had fun. We also went to Heroes Square and saw some cool mobile drinking vehicle where everyone cycle while they drink.

Sgrean we met

Someone recognised their SMU friend in the bath ( seriously???) and so the group went for dinner. I remember that it was difficult finding a place for all 10 of us so we ended up at some pasta place.

Food

I honestly dun remember any food iconic to represent Budapest because we cooked at Airbnb, but I did mention the pasta place above which was near this huge Huawei Building and also I ate chicken that was super untasty in the zoo. I repeat. I ate chicken at a zoo.

OH BUT I did eat A LOT of icecream. There was this flower icecream that was really delicious. Perhaps it was also due to the hot weather which makes us crave for icecream all the time. Icecream in Europe is really cheap and good. I really enjoyed eating new flavours of ice cream all the time with just 1 euro.

5. Krakow – A peaceful place to chill and realise that history is alive in people’s hearts

It is funny how I am travelling to Poland for just 3 days when I am coming here for Exchange. The Airbnb here is EVEN MORE AMAZING. Jarek our host who looks like a scientist due to his hairstyle, is really the most enthusiastic host ever. There is a Booking.com award in one of the bedrooms. Because of these hosts, I really thank Airbnb for making my exchange amazing. The host also helped us to liaise for 2 cars to bring us to the concentration camp site as well as salt mine.

Attractions

Concentration Camp is the place where I feel really sad especially when I saw that room filled with the hair of the victims. I remembered the moment when the tour guide reprimanded two tourists for smoking and not respecting the place. Even though I was really hungry during the tour, I felt that it was disrespectful to the souls in the area to happily munch on a bread, so I didn’t. I also remember a scene whereby the tour was mentioning how the people were so despaired and crammed into a room where they spent their remaining days living in hell , but a baby tourist was happily running about at that moment. I thought to myself, times have changed indeed, and fortunately.

The Salt Mine was also one of the highlights because the tour guide was extremely humorous and I am amazed at the entire structure of the mine. How on earth did they built the place? We learned that we should not whistle in the mine and in the event if we have no light source, we should follow the direction opposite to the airflow.

The Wawel ? castle and the dragon that spits out fire every 15 mins really is quite interesting if you like castles and dragons that is. Very instastoryable.

Food

The restaurant with the chicken logo. It is a good place to start off trying Polish food and their mushroom soup is one of the better ones I tried. We all shared the meat platter and it was a huge portion, I remember Terence had to go to the washroom to clear his bowels in order to continue.

The Pasjo café below our Airbnb really have the BEST BREAKFAST I had in the entire Europe exchange. The café have a nice ambience as well.

Coming up after another eternity later…

6. Prague

7. Swiss and solo trip

8. Poland

9. Sweden

10. UK