7 to 24 hours: 4 bus travels, 4 stories

With my challenge to travel continental Europe only by ground transportation, long distance coach rides were one of the options. Here are 4 stories from this year. 

7h: Munich to Milan (Flixbus)

We left on time an about 1.5h into the trip, the driver stopped for a toilet break. After 15 min we were all back on the bus and headed south. As we neared the boarder, a police car ordered us to follow them. Asked how many passengers he had, the Italian driver answered and confirmed all were on board. Only to be corrected. The police told the driver he forgot one passenger at the rest area and another police car would deliver him soon. While we were waiting, the police used the time to check IDs. 

Sunshine & flowers upon arrival in Milan

15h (real 16h): Munich to Sarajevo/ Sarajevo to Munich (Flixbus/ Globus)

My longest bus travel so far. I arrived at the bus stop and there were 3 buses next to each other going to Sarajevo. Main differences: quality of the bus and operating company under the umbrella of Flixbus. Unfortunately, I had the worst bus and all seats were occupied. We stopped every 2-3 h for a rest room and snack break. Long waiting times at the borders of Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina: 50+ people get off, IDs/ passports are checked, we hop back on, drive across the border and repeat on the other side. We made good progress till then. In Bosnia, we stopped everywhere to let passengers disembark. Two stops before the end we had to switch buses which did not seem logical. Most annoying about the trip was the high number of smokers (about 30) who inhaled 2-3 cigarettes at every stop and then exhaled smoker’s breath into the bus. 

One of the better buses - not mine :-(

boarder river - Sava

Next time - this will be my bus

bus station in Bosnia-Herzegowina

16h (real nearly 18h): Bordeaux to Lisbon (Flixbus/ IberoCoach)

Supposed to be a direct connection, I arrived at the bus stop and found out my name was on a list of a different bus and I would have to change. After 3-4h into the trip, passengers started to rebel as the driver said we should all use the onboard toilet and he would not stop for a toilet and snack break. After more protests he stopped at the mediocre place for just 10 minutes. 

Somewhere in Spain we stopped, got tickets for our next bus and a voucher for a croissant and a hot drink. 15 min later I sat on the next bus heading in direction of Portugal. Couple of hours later at a break I came across my booked bus but still could not find out why I am on a different one. Finally about 100 minutes later than planned, I arrived in Lisbon. 

1158 - the bus I took

1150 (the one in the middle) - the one I booked

24h: Lisbon to Paris (Blablabus)

Arriving at Lisbon Oriente bus station, I saw a lot of Flix buses (green), RedeExpress (blue) and local/ regional buses in yellow. To find my BlablaBus took asking around and waiting. I found some other travelers also waiting for the same bus and they guarded my luggage while I went to find a bathroom. Underneath the bus station, there is a big hall and people were sleeping here with several blankets and their suitcases. Not sure if they were travellers, refugees or homeless. One of them directed me to the next toilet. 

When I returned the bus arrived - a MAN Lion’s Coach that had seen already some trips (some cracks in the windshield, not clean anymore in the corners). BlablaBus sent me an email with my seat number - 6A - only there was no such number in the bus - 6C&D were across from the middle exit. In the end, I found a double seat in the second row where I stayed the whole trip. The drivers were nice and helped me with the crutches. 

Although a longer the trip then from Bordeaux to Lisbon, we stopped less often - only in Madrid, San Sebastian, Bayonne and Bordeaux. We stopped three times for meal and bathroom breaks plus twice the police came aboard to make a passport check, first the Spanish, later the French. All in all this trip was more pleasant and we arrived nearly on time.

Red is the colour of BlablaBus

Top 7 tips for Bus Travel

#1 Choose a direct connection - the less stops, the better

#2 Have toilet paper/ tissues in your pockets (the bus stops are not always adequately outfitted)

#3 Bring food & water 

#4 Bring a neck pillow, a pillow below your lower back and a blanket

#5 Have your charging cable and plug ready 

#6 Use earphones 

#7 Reserve a seat (sometimes you can even reserve a free seat next to you)

Budapest: twice in 8 months

Recently, I made two trips to Hungary. In May 2022, I arrived from Zagreb in Croatia on the way to Bucharest in Romania. In January 2023, the AAE team has chosen the city for our planning weekend. 

View on the Danube River

On the first trip I explored the city: walking up the castle hill to Matthias Church, taking a bath in the Gellert baths and meeting local alumni for a breakfast. 

Matthias Church

Thanks to the book "1000 Places to see before you die" I learned about the Gellert Bath and several other bathing institutions in the city. Housed in an Art Deco style building, the bath offers several different tempered pools. Also outside, they have a big pool for swimming and hot baths for relaxing.

Gellert Bath 

In the morning, I met Csé and Jude to talk about opening AIESEC Alumni Hungary which seemed to have gathered interest of lately. 

I also took the train to Szentendre and walked the picturesque streets of the little town at the Danube river that attracted a lot of artists and boasts with museums.

Danube 

Szentendre

In January, we spent most of our time indoors working on our strategy. In the evenings we explored different restaurants: first night we had a nice Italian dinner at Ape Regina. Saturday evening, we wanted to feel the splendour of grand Budapest and went to the Ritz Carlton hotel. There we had an expensive and delicious dinner with pricey wine. 

Ape Regina

AAE discussions

Ritz Carlton

Sunday before we left, Kate and I walked by the Danube river and went to my favourite Coffee House: Gerbeaud where I enjoyed a tea and a piece of the Royal Chocolate cake. It was so good that I got another piece for the travel. 

Royal Chocolate Cake

Crispy caramel wafer, hazelnut praline, white chocolate, dark chocolate mousse dusted with cocoa powder

Cyprus: South & North

Mid 2022 after reading a book of a German woman who travelled all countries recognized by the United Nations 🇺🇳 , I made a list of the countries I travelled and all though it’s quiet a list I’m far from having travelled the world. My next thought was to check which countries I haven’t yet seen in Europe and to complete those by mid-2025: Albania 🇦🇱, Bosnia-Herzegovina 🇧🇦, Kosovo 🇽🇰, Montenegro 🇲🇪, Moldova 🇲🇩, Iceland 🇮🇸, Cyprus 🇨🇾 and Kazakhstan 🇰🇿 were on the list. 

For the first 6 months nothing much happened except working on some plans. To get a start on the list I travelled to Cyprus for the last week of 2022. I rented a car and first drove to Paphos, where I visited the ruins of an old city from Byzantine, Greek and Roman times. 

Paphos

In the afternoon I visited the baths of Aphrodite.

Nearby Aphrodite's bath

Holy Monastery of Saint Neophytos the Recluse

The next day I started off with an early visit to the Tombs of the Kings. Although nearly all of the people buried in the cemetery were rich commoners instead of royals, large treasures were spent on their last resting place. 

A trip to the east brought me the ancient city of Kourion on a cliff above the sea. Several building ruins have been excavated. Among them a theater, public baths, a gymnasium and Roman houses. Nearby is also a stadium in which different sports‘ competitions were held. 

Amphitheatre at Kourion

I left the seaside to check for snow on Mount Olympus. Arriving in Troodos - a mountain village at the foot of the mountain - I could attest to lower temperature and clouds blocking the view but as far as I could see no snow was yet to be seen and also the ski lifts were not working. I continued to the Kykkos Monastery which was very quietly and serenely sitting in the mountains. 

Kykkos Monastery 

Further inside the island sits Lefkosia/ Nikosia - the divided capital. It’s the capital of the Republic of Cyprus 🇨🇾 and the capital of the Northern Republic of Cyprus since 1974 when Turkey invaded the island to support northern independent movement. Both parts are divided by a green zone that is guarded by the each side’s military and patrolled by the United Nations. There are a couple of boarder crossings that can be used: one walks past the Ledra Palace - a former 5 star hotel and now the UN quarters, the other is only for pedestrians and goes down the Ledra Street on the south and emerges in a bazaar in the north. It felt a bit strange crossing. 

Symbol of the fortified walls of Lefkosia

Old town

Borders in a divided city

Street art in Lefkosia

Ledra Street near the border crossing

My second day, I crossed the boarder into Nikosia to pick up a rental car on the north side. I drove around the Northern part of the island.

 

The first place I visited was the ruins of an old castle (could have stared in The Game of Thrones) on a hill. It was quite spread out and long dresses must have been a nightmare going up and down the stairs and ways. 

St. Hilarion Kalesi/ Castle

St. Hilarion Kalesi/ Castle

Next I went to Girne Castle by the sea that is very massive and surrounded by high and thick walls.

Girne Castle

Very beautiful was the Bellapais Abbey - an old gothic abbey on a hill. Across the road is the tree of idleness and a juice bar with freshly pressed orange juice - delicious. 

Bellapais Abbey

Tree of Idleness & Juice Bar

From here, I went east to the seaside. There rests the ancient city of Salamis with ruins of houses, baths, roads, theatres and more.

Ancient city of Salamis 

Further to the South lies Famagusta/ Gazimaguza - a region with a ghost town that was abandoned in 1974 with the partition of the island. In the inhabited part, there are great buildings and ruins from several hundred years ago. One of those is the Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque that more than 550 years ago was a church. Today, it has a minaret and is an active mosque.

Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque

Famagusta

Church of St. George of the Greeks 

Strolling through the streets of Famagusta, I also passed the bazaar and had some early dinner before I drove back to Lefkosia/ Nikosia and returned the car. The rental company gave me a ride to the pedestrian boarder crossing. 

I returned the following day to explore the bazaar and do some shopping.

On my final day, I visited Omodos, another picturesque village in the Troodos mountains and strolled the serene alleys. I bought some fruits for lunch and then headed for the airport.