After yesterday's pretty disastrous spending, the diplomatic budget was reigned in today.
A 10k run along the Danube ensured I saw lots in the morning for free and my 24 hour travel card got me to the station, via the impressive Hofburg Palace area of Vienna.
Ticket to Budapest was €22 (prebooked, would have been a whole €26 had I just turned up).
Spending in Budapest:
- Ticket to Bratislava and Prague: 2,134 ft
- 2 large red wines at wine festival on Castle Hill: 1,200 ft
- Splash out on beer and wine on balcony: 1,600 ft
- Goulash and beer near Kalvin Ter: Partner paid, but roughly same as the drinks bought at tourist trap
- Use of WC: 160 ft
Leaving me enough change from 6,000 ft to buy some bottled water (given toxic sludge disaster, probably best to avoid Hungarian tap water) and breakfast on Day 14.
Think this works out at roughly £30... not bad for a day of diplomacy. And did I mention the weather's amazing?
Showing posts with label vienna. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vienna. Show all posts
Saturday, 9 October 2010
Friday, 8 October 2010
Day 12: The idiot strikes again
I have a love hate relationship with travelling. I love it, it conspires to bring out the worst in me.
Given that city breaks in the UK or Europe are an important bit of my life, it was only right that I attempt one during my cuts programme.
And just like the Government, I'm finding it tricky to find savings in my diplomatic budget!
My attempt was honourable... I selected a mini tour of East Europe (cheaper than usual haunts in Scandinavia by a significant percentage) and chose train over flying once I got to Vienna.
It was getting there that was the problem.
Flights (BA there, Whizz back from Prague) were chosen on a total cost (ie including full cost of getting to airport and check in fees, which ruled out Ryanair). So far so good... Some savings there.
But the bit of travelling which brings out the worst is packing... Or more accurately stuffing things into a bag and then realising too late I don't have something and having an unnecessary spend at the airport.
This time only stayed for 2 beers at a leaving do the night before, got home early and packed. Then went to bed early...
I woke up at 2am with one of those 'shit I forgot something' starts. My passport. "Should I get out of bed and put in my bag" I thought. "No," said my sleepy brain.
Up at 4... Get showered and get on bus to tube all going well, was set to get the cheap stopping train from Paddington when I realised... Shit I'd forgotten my passport.
Cursing the lazy part of myself that had slept rather than packing it, I spent £30 on a return taxi trip to Kentish Town. Arriving to make the 625am Heathrow Express (£22), my journey to the airport which was supposed to cost a tenner, cost five times that. But at least I made my plane so didn't have to spend another £300 changing my flights (given my partner was already waiting for me in Vienna, cancelling wasn't an option, unless I wanted a diplomatic crisis on my hands!
I'm an idiot... Will now have to find a way to make those savings from elsewhere in my planned diplomatic expenses...
Given that city breaks in the UK or Europe are an important bit of my life, it was only right that I attempt one during my cuts programme.
And just like the Government, I'm finding it tricky to find savings in my diplomatic budget!
My attempt was honourable... I selected a mini tour of East Europe (cheaper than usual haunts in Scandinavia by a significant percentage) and chose train over flying once I got to Vienna.
It was getting there that was the problem.
Flights (BA there, Whizz back from Prague) were chosen on a total cost (ie including full cost of getting to airport and check in fees, which ruled out Ryanair). So far so good... Some savings there.
But the bit of travelling which brings out the worst is packing... Or more accurately stuffing things into a bag and then realising too late I don't have something and having an unnecessary spend at the airport.
This time only stayed for 2 beers at a leaving do the night before, got home early and packed. Then went to bed early...
I woke up at 2am with one of those 'shit I forgot something' starts. My passport. "Should I get out of bed and put in my bag" I thought. "No," said my sleepy brain.
Up at 4... Get showered and get on bus to tube all going well, was set to get the cheap stopping train from Paddington when I realised... Shit I'd forgotten my passport.
Cursing the lazy part of myself that had slept rather than packing it, I spent £30 on a return taxi trip to Kentish Town. Arriving to make the 625am Heathrow Express (£22), my journey to the airport which was supposed to cost a tenner, cost five times that. But at least I made my plane so didn't have to spend another £300 changing my flights (given my partner was already waiting for me in Vienna, cancelling wasn't an option, unless I wanted a diplomatic crisis on my hands!
I'm an idiot... Will now have to find a way to make those savings from elsewhere in my planned diplomatic expenses...
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