Go East, go to hell diet, go and die liver, go to picture perfect paradise

Budapest from the Citadel

Day 1 and I was already asking myself WHY have I decided to come on a TRAINING TRIP as a freebie?! WHY?? I had already done the compulsory heap of study about everything Eastern European and now I was about to deal with having to spiel up on the microphone 3 or 4 times everyday about anything from the group’s itinerary for Krakow to the history of the Balkan Wars (brain fry I tell you) and the dreaded “fact finding” in each city we would visit – prices, opening times, public transport etc etc - which made me want to scream at times – especially when dealing with a hangover from a hangover and 6 other strong personalities all existing in constant close proximity and no such thing as alone time

So why? The GOOD TIMES! Definitely made up for the above. Training trip is a time for all the suppliers to impress the new guides and for us to research all the products we sell to passengers (read LOTS of free stuff!). In Krakow we were met in front of St Mary’s Basilica in the Old Town Square by a representative from the nightclub we take groups to, show to a VIP room and encouraged to sample as many different types of exceptional Polish vodka as we dared. Certainly made the bike tour around the city the next morning intersting!

Slovenia

In the Polish mountain village of Zakopane we were taken high up into the Tatra mountains in a cable car where we could see over the other side to Slovakia, where the next day a new supplier showed the group just how much fun it was to power through the countryside in an old tank, formerly used by the Yugoslav army

Relaxing in the thermal baths in Budapest where the water is the temperature of the most perfect bath you have ever had, steam rises from the surface and you can get massages or have a super hot sauna was definitely a highlight

White water rafting in Slovenia

Driving into the Austrian countryside just outside of Salzburg to a Schnapps farm and watching the sunset over the Bavarian Alps (Germany is only a few km’s away), feasting on ribs and sampling many different schnapps (this is purely for research purposes obviously), then all of us dancing in the aisle of the coach with the music pumping the whole way home

 

SLOVENIA. This country is BEAUTIFUL. We stayed in Bled, a 10 minute walk down to the lake with the island and church in the middle (google it, its stunning) and went on a full day adventure through the nearby national park – masses of snow up the top, then the bluest, clearest lakes and rivers I have ever seen – and I went white water rafting, I was terrified but it was brilliant

Croatia - Plitvice National Park

Then into Croatia – the Plitvice National Park was also stunning – waterfalls and green/blue lakes all through – so peaceful and naturally beautiful. Finishing up with the most delicious meal (black cuttlefish risotto) while watching the sunset on the waterfront on the island of Pag was the perfect end to a crazy two weeks

GO EAST!