Posted on September 29, 2008 by Hails
I got you something to fix your brain, said Riho, a genuinely helpful and sincere expression on his face.
Unaware that my brain was in fact broken, I accepted his gift with some surprise. It was a book of puzzles intended to develop logical thinking, and he presented it to me with a pleased smile, telling [...]
Filed under: confusion, conversations, exercise, logic, mental health, pain | 3 Comments »
Posted on September 26, 2008 by Hails
It’s good to be back in Tallinn.
The absence of blog posts this week is an indication of how exhausted I’ve been - finally being able to lie down in a comfortable bed, cook healthy meals in a familiar kitchen, and lounge around in pyjamas all day reading and chatting and sleeping has been a real [...]
Filed under: Estonia, blogging, bus, flying, happy, time out, tiredness, travel | 4 Comments »
Posted on September 22, 2008 by Hails
Hey Hayley! screams the irritatingly enthusiastic message from Facebook. Now you can throw a spaghetti cat at your friends!
Isn’t that marvellous?
I have been up since the early hours, on train after bus after train and all but strip-searched at the airport by a possible witch (with PMS). I have been shaken around inside one [...]
Filed under: airport, anger, cold turkey, complaining, decisions, mental health, rage, rant, smoking, tiredness, travel | 8 Comments »
Posted on September 20, 2008 by Hails
Blimey, Sweden is expensive.
I don’t mean that Sweden itself is expensive, obviously. That would be crazy money (especially for a struggling freelance writer), and I’ve no idea how you’d go about it anyway, or even if it’s possible to buy a Nordic country privately. I’ll check on Ebay when I have a better internet connection; [...]
Filed under: Sweden, complaining, food, pain, sheer silliness | 6 Comments »
Posted on September 18, 2008 by Hails
An hour. A whole sodding hour I spent packing and repacking my bag before I left Vienna to catch my flight from Bratislava. I really don’t understand how I have exactly the same amount of stuff before every flight, and yet each time it seems to take up more and more space in my bag [...]
Filed under: airport, anger, flying, packing, tiredness, travel | 4 Comments »
Posted on September 17, 2008 by Hails
Ah. I didn’t know Vienna was the self-proclaimed Coffee Capital. Marvellous.
Following my fourth delightful caffiene treat of the day, I strolled happily through the Museum Quartier. I was stopped by a woman in her thirties, who looked exremely distressed. She was babbling frantically in German and rummaging in her bag with the jumpiness of someone [...]
Filed under: coffee, conversations, decisions, smoking, stress | 6 Comments »
Posted on September 16, 2008 by Hails
I’m suffering from a severe case of haven’t-got-a-clue-where-I-am-itis, which means that the first few minutes upon waking up in the morning are becoming increasingly confused and disorientated. It’s a new ailment to me, since for much of my life it was a safe bet that when I opened my eyes I would be in Ballymena, [...]
Filed under: England, Holland, Hungary, airport, confusion, conversations, flying, foreign languages, friends, hostels, normality, time out, tiredness, trams, travel | 6 Comments »
Posted on September 15, 2008 by Hails
I’ve always been fascinated by the history of Hungary, after studying the 1956 revolution at school, many moons ago.
I was very excited, then, to actually be in Budapest and have the opportunity to see round the House of Terror – a step-by-step journey through Hungary’s history of Soviet occupation and ethnic cleansing. Sure, it doesn’t [...]
Filed under: Fear, Hungary, contemplation, freak-out, unexpected | 3 Comments »
Posted on September 14, 2008 by Hails
Having had the hostel dorm to myself for two nights, I was last night joined by an Englishman called Dave. Hooray! Conversation that did not necessitate sign language! We went for a few beers and exchanged travel stories at the bar – but not before I’d attempted to find out from the barman if there [...]
Filed under: Hungary, confusion, conversations, foreign languages, hostels, how embarrassing, travel | 7 Comments »
Posted on September 13, 2008 by Hails
Do you see the lengths I go to for you people? Today, I climbed up to a little dot up in the clouds, at the top of a series of very large hills. The dot would turn out to be the Lookout Tower, from which, I had been informed by Nice Hostel Man, I would [...]
Filed under: Hungary, conversations, foreign languages, kids, scenery, tourists | No Comments »