There seems to be a problem with the last few photos I’ve uploaded. I’m also unable to add any new ones.

I’m checking into it so bear with me.

After a couple of very relaxing days in the small city of Olomouc in the Czech Republic, I’ve just arrived in Vienna to spend a few days with Bernd but have just realized there’s a problem with the last Inter Rail ticket I bought in Copenhagen.

It was supposed to be the last ticket I needed to finish this trip. I paid 500 Euros for an All Zone “Global” pass which lasts for 30 days. You can’t buy one for any fewer days. But the stupid woman who sold me the ticket typed the wrong expiration date. It says it expires on Thursday this week. Have just spend 30 minutes with the sales office at Westbahnhof to see if they can correct the expiration date but there’s absolutely nothing they can do. The only authorities I can take it up with (I think) are the ones in Denmark.

I’m now wrestling with the option of leaving Vienna immediately (not go climbing) and rushing through three countries in five days–which I think may be even more than I’m capable of right now–or biting the bullet and buying a one zone ticket on Friday, which will give me 16 days to finish. To buy individual train tickets will be even more costly.

Bugger it! I’m so close to the end and thought things would be simple from here onwards. But obviously not.

Had planned to go to another “W” in Poland tomorrow, Wroclaw (pronounced “Vrotswaaf”), but today changed my mind. Since my “O” place in Slovenia didn’t really rock my world, I’m going to visit another one in Czech Republic.

Olomouc (pronounced “Olomots”) is a five hour train ride from Warsaw. The city lies beside the Morava River in central Moravia and is the fifth largest city in the Czech Republic.

It’s also in the direction of Vienna. Am going to attempt a more difficult climb and spend a couple of days with “Barefoot” before heading to France for X

Was only planning on staying in Warsaw for one night to fulfill another letter but I’ve been very pleasantly surprised by this place. My expectations weren’t high. I’ve heard from most people is that the capital of Poland as not a place to stay, that it’s ugly, depressing, and the people are awful.

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It’s taken me awhile to get with the program, but I might just be getting with the whole hostel program. Am staying at another great one now in Warsaw.

Oki Doki Hostel (www.okidoki.pl) is wonderful, especially the three-bed room that I’m in. Centrally located and the staff get a 10-plus for their help and advice.

Bus trip started off well. Someone sat in my reserved seat.

“The people at the back took our seats,” they said when I showed them my ticket. Well, that’s all bloody fine and dandy but what about my seat?

“There’s a seat behind us,” an American said from across the aisle.

“But the bus is full, so what happens when the person who has that seat reserved gets on?” I said. Why can’t people just stick to their designated places? It makes life so much easier.

“Well, I guess, ” the American said, “Your pretty little self will just have to deal with it then, won’t you?” Oh, that wasn’t patronizing, was it? I felt like punching the little shit but instead awkwardly squeezed into the available spot.

“I guess your pretty little self will just have to deal with it then…”

As the bus pulled away from the city over the bridge, a full moon rested low in the sky. The obnoxious little twat sitting in front of me joined the moon and pushed back his seat, right into my lap. I was a prisoner in a confined space and had little to look forward to for the next twelve hours except to plan my fantasy attack on the little fucker.

Perhaps a cheese wire cutter over the headrest and pulled tight around his scrawny ass neck would do the trick….. Dream on, Vic. You’ve not got any wire and the cheese and crackers in your bag just won’t cut it.

The guy was lucky. This time. Next time I’ll show him exactly what’s what…

I walked into my room at Riga Old Town Hostel the other morning to find a very bright, perky and talkative Bostonian schoolteacher.

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Finally managed to become part of the hostel crowd yesterday and got absolutely wankered back at Riga Old Town Hostel. Hoorah!! Paid a visit to the Skyline Bar for a view over the city but felt just a little to grungy looking. The pompous bartender obviously felt the same and didn’t break a smile once.

Couldn’t get a bus to Warsaw until tonight (I leave in about 30 minutes). Only got a 12 hour trip to look forward to but it did mean that I was able to make a day trip out to the beach at Jurmala today with Lisa, a Bostonian I shared a room with.

Excellent day overall. Am now looking forward to moving on.

I caught yet another bus (3 hours) to Ventspils, home to 50,000 Latvians, and arrived right in the middle of the Ventspils Annual City Festival, which takes place during the first weekend of August, and celebrates the city’s founding date of 1290.

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Each year during the Ventspils Festival, a competition is held to find the best flower “carpet.” To vote for their favorite, people drop stones into plastic buckets placed next to each work of art.

Hhhmmmm….. sounds like that would be easy enough to fix…

Anyway, this year’s winner is the last one shown here.