2009 Winter Holiday 2 : Belgium --- Brussel - Leuven - Berlaar

After the long journey for this Wizzair flight, I am finally on the land of Belgium. It's a chilly morning. We bought the tickets for the shuttle bus from the Brussel Charleroi Airport-Brussel Nord, 13Euro single-way/return 22Euro (valid for 3 months, I think). It took about an hour. In Brussel Nord, we bought a GoPass, 46Euro (for youths under 26 years old, and valid for a year). Time-table for the rails can be checked online through http://www.b-rail.be/

Berlaar --- a small town

As previous post had mentioned, I am fortunate to have found hosts in all the cities that I am visiting. The first host is a family of 5, in Berlaar, Antwerp. We have to catch train to Leuven and switch to Berlaar. I was rather excited, or should I say rather nervous. But not as worried, because this family had hosted 2 friends of mine before this, at least I know it is safe. But it's my first time staying in stranger's house, so still I am...

When we just reached the station, a Belgian guy approached and introduced himself. I was initially stunned. But soon, I am back to myself, recalled of his picture that I have seen online. We went to his house. They are a very sweet family. At the same time, there are other 2 surfers like us, a Canadian single mother and her 7-month-old baby girl, Jasmine.

The Welcome note

We were very delighted to see the printed copy of Malaysian flag and our names on it, stating "Selamat Datang Jacklyn Goh and Oi Ling". That was so sweet. It was rather good weather. After resting for a moment, we took a small walk to the centre of Berlaar.

The sky is getting cloudier then. And that was when my newly bought umbrella came in handy, hehe. Belgium has not been snowing for 12 years of winter. But rain is just a very common visitor, even during the summer. We took a long walk down the street. Found GB Carrefour, LiDl, and a few more supermarkets. Berlaar itself is a small town, people there are generally friendly.

Belgium rainy weather

Saint Peter's Church in Berlaar
We then head back and had a nice Belgian dinner with the family. Belgian fries with different sauces (I think I like Cocktail :P), salad, carrot. The 3 kids are amazing. Though we don't understand each other language-wise, we played. Yeah, they speak Flemish. The kids showed me pictures, we danced and played. They are so cute!!!

After the kids were sent off to bed, the parents introduced us to their traditional game --- Sjoelbak. It was an interesting game. I am very happy for having the opportunity to play that, hehe. And I think I scored fairly well :P.

Sjoelbak board game
The next day we headed to Brussels for a daytrip (next post). And then we have to rush back to Berlaar, because we have to cook a dinner for the family with the Canadian mum. We missed the train by just several minutes, and darn! We were late for like 30-40minute from the original plan! Fortunate enough, the eldest son had a game at school, otherwise these early-bed kids would have to be hungry for a while.

We had prepared a vegetarian meat, some Chinese flour frying pieces, rice. Canadian baked some oat cake. It was a nice meal. And that was the first time I was exposed to using the dishwasher.

The stay there was sweet and nice. Experiencing the Belgian life with Belgian family was a whole new something for me.

2009 Winter Holiday 1 : Simferopol-Kiev-Krakow

It has been a nice trip. Yes, I will try to write out as much as I can, to help future Ukraine travellers, especially CSMU students, haha (As though a lot of people will read my blog). May or may not be useful, but hope budget travellers like me can get some idea about travelling from/within Ukraine. It's tough!!! It's a long piece, I know...

The journey for Belgium starts from 10th January 2009. It has been planned just after my O&G exam, 6th January 2009. The original plan as mentioned was to head for Egypt, so we actually had 2 tickets in hand, Simferopol-Kiev (10.01.09, 1225-1355), Kiev-Simferopol (25.01.09, 1915-2045). So, the problem started as we decided not to go to Egypt. We either burned the tickets or find a new destination, or perhaps rampage Kiev for 14 days.

Lucky enough, Wizzair (the ONLY budget airflights linked with our "outcasted"Eastern Europe --- Ukraine) and Ryanair, offered good affordable flights that coincides with my winter holiday!!! Yippie! Otherwise we may have been the "moled" people in Kiev for 14days! Therefore, within a day, a new route was finalized and booked, 07.01.09

So, off we flew to Kiev on the 10.01.09. Just before the trip, I bought an umbrella, 80uah, which comes in very handy (till later). The journey to Kiev Boryspol Airport wasn't that bad (except that the hand-pulled luggage was damaged after we collected it), we reached and took an airport bus to Kiev central. The cost is 25uah. Have 3 stations, 1st is Metro Kharkivska (20uah), 2nd forget, 3rd Central Vakzal (main metro and train station).

We then encountered another problem --- how to get from Kiev-Krakow. We students always know about Lvov-Krakow, but rarely we travel from Kiev to Krakow. And information about Ukraine, anything of it is like knowing what happened in ice-age, it's just such an alienated part of earth. However, we managed to get a very limited information about Kiev-Krakow before that. And bet most of you don't know that Eurolines actually do "pass-into" Ukraine. ( Well, I did took once from Prague to Lvov by an international bus company under Eurolines, somewhere in Jan/Feb 2008).

By accident, we came across a webpage saying about Dachna Bus Station (http://www.gokiev.info/buses.php), bus that travels to Poland. We carried the luggages and asked around, even the locals didn't know about this station. Until I asked a Marshrut driver who initially also doesn't know about it and recalled that yes, there are such station with international buses. So from Central Vakzal, we took the metro and bus to reach there. But much of our surprise, it doesn't even look like a bus station, but more like an old, dirty, neglected piece of one-storey building that was dark (maybe need to save electric because still owing Russia $, haha). We asked the counter for tickets to Krakow. Sigh, no tickets till Wednesday!

Losing hope, we decided to get a hostel in Kiev. Fortunately we have a handy list of back-up plans. Afterall, we have 2-days till our flights on Monday, and Kiev-Krakow takes about a day. So, we found Hostelukraine Kiev Backpackers (HostelWorld), from 8euro/night as of 09.01.09. But when we reached there after some long walking, we were told by the administrator there is no choices but only 17Euro/night. Thinking that we have no choices left, we each paid 217.45uah (1Euro=12.8uah, when that time was like 1=12)

Before the trip, we came across this web page (http://www.intercity.pl/?page=home_page) that shows several Kiev-Krakow trains per day , but in real fact there is only one daily, 2042-1548 (811uah). But information for trains within Poland is accurate. So, where is the problem? Ok, back to the trip! We were left with 1.5 hours before 8.42pm if we travelled on the train of 10.01.09-11.01.09. We decided to take 10.01.09 instead of the train on 11.01.09-12.01.09 which we need to rush for the 13.01.09 morning flight. We headed back to the hostel, and left. The hostel owner initially didn't want to refund even a single bit, but in the end he returned 50%. I know, it's our fault, but come on, we were just there for less than 1 hour!!! Meaning we paid 8.5Euro each for the less-than-an-hour.

Snow in Krakow

Finally, on 11.01.09---15.50, we stepped on the soil of Poland. It's a cold day. Heading for the Hocus Pocus Hostel, we paid 12Euro per person. This is what we called HOSTEL, if compared to the bad impression of Kiev's. And much unexpectedly, that time was just like Oi Ling and I with an Irish guy. Haha! So, basically we had it all for ourselves. Newly opened (1.5years), clean, helpful staffs, strategic location, with breakfast and free luggage room, what else do we have to complain?

Kebab Store in Krakow

The 2 of us went for a Kebab that night, and managed to experience a live-concert, Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity (to buy specialised medical equipment for cardiac surgery for the Centre of Children's Health), at the Market Square, just in front of the Cloth Hall. I enjoyed it although it is of Polish songs. But it's amazing!

Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity

12.01.09, it's time for us to check out the WizzAir take off Airport. The Wizzair Shuttle bus will take off from Krakow Glowny Bus Station, 50Zl per head. We didn't book in advance, so we have to take a rail to Katowice (12Zl/person). Then from railway station as we took the stairs down, we asked for the bus station, and a samaritan lead us to it. It's very close, ask and walk only. It takes approximately 50 minutes to get from Katowice to Pyrzowice Airport by the bus. The ticket (per person) costs 20 Zl (5.5 EUR) one way, and we just need to pay directly to the driver. In short, without WizzAir Shuttle Bus, we spent a total of 32Zl/person from Krakow to Pyrzowice Airport.

P/S : Timetable --- http://www.katowice-airport.com/eng/index.html?page=dojazdy,2 , Katowice Railway Station.

At Katowice, we met an interesting American female writer, Virginia Konchan. Had a long nice chat with her. And of course, I hope she is now in her studio enjoying in her warm cozy room. (www.virginiakonchan.com)

Virginia Konchan (Middle)

Flight on 13.01.09, Katowice-Brussels Chareloi, 0610 - 0810, was great. We saw how the airplane was defrozed before taking off. To be on time on plane is by itself wonderful. I looked forward to arriving in Belgium......

Pryzowice Airport

CouchSurfing

Yes, a sudden change of plan! The initial Egypt trip has sunk to the bottom of the ocean bed. Maybe not destined for Egypt. Twice, it has been twice that the Egypt trip has been cancelled. Last year, from the original Egypt plan to Prague, Hungary, Vienna. This year, again from Egypt plan switched to Belgium and Wroclaw.

On the Wednesday, we (Oi Ling and I) decided to go for Belgium, booked all the tickets needed. Though we still have a little problem from Kiev to enter Poland. The transport, route is not totally confirmed yet. But, by God's protection, I know we will be fine.

There is an interesting something that I would like to share---CouchSurfing (www.couchsurfing.com). Yes, some of you may know, some may not. I didn't have a chance to really experienced it last summer. But within 2 days, after many request, I was given my first chance to experienced my first ever CS trip.

I don't know what it will be like, good/bad, scary/wonderful...Yet to be known. Yes, of course there will be risk. It's all not guaranteed. Even that after reading their profiles, feeling safe, it doesn't mean that it is really safe. Both the host and surfers are at risk! How would you know that your host is 100% good? And how would the host know that their surfers aren't robbers/kidnappers...?

But that doesn't stop me from wanting to experiencing it. Driving bears risk too. However a careful driver you may be, however slow that you may drive (20 km/hour?), are you sure that there will not be a reckless driver to bump into your car? It's a whole unpredictable thing!

When my friends know about me requesting a couch, many advised me to watch "Taken", "Hostels"...I haven't watch them though, but I think I know the story. I am very thankful for their concerns. And yet I am still requesting.

Yes, there is risk. And I really don't know how much can I trust. I don't know whether or not I will come back in whole. I don't know what sort of experiences I will be having. I don't know what exactly I would or should do in case of trouble. But I will pray.

For those who are trying CS or maybe trying CS, always prepare a second alternative. Although being offered a couch, if you don't feel comfortable, leave. Always prepare a list of hostels for emergency cases. Maybe you couldn't make it or maybe the host has a sudden change of plan. Always leave some details to your families and friends about new friends that you will meet and have meet. Let them know. For a true genuine CS Members would never mind that and would always understand.

I think this would be the last post until I am back from the winter holidays. Will share more after my trip. Hope that you too can experience a wonderful something. And friends, thank you for all your care, I really appreciate them. I will try my very best to take care (Although most of the time I can't, haha.)

Till then! *Wink*