Prague
Friday 29th July
Our least favourite bus rep proved how useless she really is by blocking the doorway making people queue in the rain outside (off course it was raining as we should really have been packing up the tent). A delay of 30 minutes turned out to be down to a dirty stop out who had left her passport at ‘friends’ house – no-one believed that and thanks to facebook the whole network of travellers heard the story by lunchtime.
We were put in the nursery by the looks of the paintings and artwork, cooking was done 4 floors up in the home economics classroom and we learnt a lot while trying out communal cooking that night. Firstly, the Spanish Armada showed us how not to do it (cooking for 12 and all insisting on eating their feast in the small kitchen then not clearing up), secondly we learnt the phrase ‘doesn’t even know how to boil a kettle’ can be true requiring us to make some 18 year old boy’s instant noodles for them.
Saturday 30th July
Our daily goals are simple these days, today’s was to find out what was taking over Alex’s body, now spreading and completely covering all limbs, torso, neck, back but thankfully not her nice-ish face. So we did the very thing everyone tries to avoid, visiting public hospitals in foreign non-English speaking countries. Skilfully navigating Prague’s tram network we got to a hospital for foreigners, perfect apart from them very quickly telling us that they don’t do dermatology, which would be fine if it were a skin issue rather than a symptom of a disease. Leaving this hospital wasn’t so bad, as on the way in there was a Dr in a white coat, socks & sandals and looking a little crazy sitting at a raining pickup point having a smoke, god knows what his specialty is. So we headed to the biggest and best hospital Prague has, however on the weekend, you have to arrive in an ambulance to be seen. After Alex got the shits with this attitude and demanded to talk to a Dr, it became clear that in fact I had been, it was at this moment the battle began. Team Australian Dr’s Vs. Prague’s Practioner’s, photos went up on facebook and the challenge diagnose first was on! Special mention to Brad and Kellie for querying Rubella, closest to the money for sure. It was at this point we only started hanging out near males so no damage could be done to any foetuses.
Giving up for the day, we hopped across town to change hostels and although in rooms at different ends of the building, we were on the same floor. Naturally heading to the bar, we found that Alex was rooming with the non-couple Jesse and James, this was only found out due to the Chinese laundry arrangement they had in the room with their washing and Alex recognising it in conversation. Some googling later we’d helped them find some gay clubs to hit that night, one called ‘Friends’ providing a delightful sing-along for everyone, however due to illness we declined to go with them, despite being pseudo lesbians. We did agree to meet tomorrow to hold rest day as a group (travelling gets tiring especially when a rash is taking control of your body).
Sunday 31st July
Agreeing to meet at 12.01, as Jesse doesn’t function until lunchtime) was a huge fail as Jesse-James (just to re-iterate: the non-couple!) were hung-over to the max. Alex, convinced it was a Monday, took off at the speed of light to a pharmacist before finding it was still Sunday so still no medical help available. Instead we tried out the healing powers of vodka and the pool in the basement which looks heated but in fact could well have been at 0 degrees.
The vodka got us through the cold and the lifeguard ring provided entertainment for the afternoon until the aussie known as Ken Doll and friends appeared. Accidental plans were made for happy hour – at 25 crowns/1 euro for beer we couldn’t argue – unfortunately mojitos soon followed and some neo-Nazi’s from Dresden signalled time to stumble up stairs to go to bed. We decided at midnight and steaming drunk it would be a prime time to pitch the tent in room 217 to air it out ready for the drunken London girls to fall over it a few hours later.
Monday 1st August
Finally we touristed! Early start to go for a free walking tour with a local Czech named Karel, or Brad as we preferred, started after we found the starbucks meet point then got deafened by the other guide Kate who likes to yell. Not the most informative tour but entertainment factor was still high. Jesse’s love for Brad/Karel was lost when he announced he had a child in the most inappropriate way (my consolation for WW2 is that my son will not have to fight in it).
Determined to take in the sights we trekked to the castle – while we were struggling up the steps we were overtaken by a family carrying their relative in a wheelchair: we would just like to put it out there that this is not something we would be willing to do! We will probably leave you at the bottom with an ice-cream and collect you after.
Unfortunately we stood at an old tram stop when trying to get home so had to wave as the first one went past before finding the real stop. Sickness had now spread to the whole group so kilos of fruit was bought before attempting to have an early night – unfortunately interrupted by the first banking crisis. We hoped a hearty Czech dinner would overcome the illness - best soup had in a long time.
Finally back in our rooms room 217 were disturbed further by a wasp which impressively led to 30 minutes of arguing over whether to keep windows open or not, then a pillow fight leading to beads all over the floor before sleep could start.
Tuesday 2nd August
Time to tour again – this time to Kutna Hora (which somehow got renamed cunts and whores during the last few days – you get funny looks if you ask to go here). Karel was not available today so new guide Colin escorted us in true dad style onto the train to Kutna Hora to the bone chapel where we all agreed we will get married, then to a cathedral and more statues (after a billion of these it is hard to get excited about them now). We learnt that you really can tourist in whatever clothes you want when we saw a girl wearing a lycra dress that didn’t quite cover her arse.
Returning to the hostel meant a room change for Bex into the room next door where Eastern Europeans were playing classical piano music. Unable to stay in there we headed to the bar with only enough money for 1 beer each yet somehow managed several more but finally diagnosed the rash with a bit of googling: Scarlett Fever.
No comments:
Post a Comment