so last night ended up quite a bit different than i had invisioned it, as i was planning on just sitting around, trying to get caught up in my journal. turns out, that right after i got done typing, i was waiting for the guy to burn my pictures to cd (more on that in a bit), and along stroll (its a SMALL TOWN) this nice couple from california that i had met on the train on the way into hallstatt.. we get to talking for quite some time, while each of them checks email and what not. then they head off, as my cd is STILL not done. it finally finishes, and i'm on my way back to the homestead to get my journal, and i meet them again. (i said it was small).. they invite me to dinner, which sounded lovely, as my idea of dinner for the evening was the fresh alp sring water, seeing how the caves that day had pretty bankrupted me for the day (worth it!).. aanywho, we end up at this fine (and cheap) restaurant, with the most fantastic view. right on the lake. that view never got old! and there, we had a wonderful little pasta dinner. twas quite nice. at one point, a brass band on a long boat floated by, and seranaded the restaurant. only in austria. the city (err, town) was also SOOOO much more alive.. the night before when the japanese fellows and i had gone out for drinks, we got kicked out at like 9. NOBODY had been out.. this night there were people EVERYWHERE, and it was a welcome sight.
so, an early train ride, part of it with the californians, and then they head west and i head east towards vienna.. a nice train ride with a friendly old austrian couple (after we figured out that it was scorching hot in our compartment because the HEAT was on... turned it off and the ac on, and viola! comfort!)...
i took a chance on being able to stay at wombats, THE hostel in vienna, without a reservation. one would think i would have learned my lesson by now or something, cause well... i couldn't. booked solid. and no amount of pleading and complaining about how hot it was, and how far from the train station i had walked would convince them otherwise. they were nice enough to give me a map though. so off i head, to another place, which luckily (or maybe not), has an "overflow" room for people just like me who don't fancy reservations... we'll see how this one goes.. i also made the mistake of paying for all 3 nights in advance, rather than paying day by day.. how bad can it be.. honestly... AND, there's a kitchen, which i haven't had in quite some time.. it'll be nice to be able to eat pasta for every waking meal again for the next few days.. haha.
and with that, i went out wondering, as i usually do upon arrival in a strange city. no agenda, just wondering.. especially when i have as much time as i do here. 3 days at least. i really have no agenda or schedule after this, so it really doesn't matter. budapest will be my next stop, but other than that, i really just don't know..
um, i had planned to get some pictures up tonight, seeing how i was able to burn them to cd (which makes it a billion times easier for me to get them up)... buuuut, its getting late and i need to get to the grocery store before it closes... sooo, that can wait until tomorrow.. mmmmmm, pasta is calling mine name...