day 20: somebody, call the ambulance!

Okay, I was exaggerating. There was way less drama.

I twisted my right foot last evening at the Old Jewish Quarter. I was coming out of a bar and did not see the uneven ground.

For those of you who are wondering (I can so read your minds), I had only two drinks and was extremely sober! Might I also add that it was a really graceful fall; Jerrain thought I just bent down to pick up something.

The optimistic (and lazy) me did not bother icing the area when I got back. So it was no surprise that I woke up this morning to find a numb right foot which I could not even stand on. Any weight would cause me to bounce back to the other foot in pain.

I was rushed to the A&E department of Szpital Uniwersytecki w Krakowia, a hospital ten minutes drive away. Anne Asenko, a young Polish lady doctor who could speak English, sent me on my way after examining two x-ray images of my swollen right foot. "There is no broken bone, just rest your foot and you will be walking in one to two weeks," she assured me. Only other instruction was to not run after the night train I needed to catch tonight for Vienna. After that, I was released back into the streets of Krakow!

We had to pick up the muscle relief cream Dr Asenko prescribed from a pharmacy ten minutes away by taxi. And after grabbing an overpriced umbrella off the Old Town Market Square, I was (almost) back on my feet - at a crawling speed of 1 kilometre per hour - and ready for lunch.

• Location: Krakow, Poland
• Cost: 40 zl return taxi ride to hospital, 20 zl umbrella turn walking stick, 25 zl lunch, 20 zl muscle relief cream, A&E medical expenses unknown (will be billed to Singapore)
• Highlight: Sitting on the wheelchair at the hospital.

day 9: sleepless and homeless in paris

Yes, you heard me right. Just as we recovered with a nice relaxing afternoon in the park, we were thrown into another situation.

We arrived in Paris France only to be turned away by the hotel which we had made a reservation with! It was a long weekend so all hostels and hotels we subsequently called (rather frantically) were full.

With backpacks pulling down on our shoulders, we walked two metro stations from Hotel De Ville to Bastille in search for two beds for the night. Fortunately Norie was with us and she could quickly dodge in and out of hotel lobbies to ask. But we kept hearing 'Complet' which is a French word I have now learnt to dread.

After about two hours (it was already close to midnight), we came to terms with the fact that we had to stop the search and think of alternatives. There were not many options. We settled into Hippopotamus for dinner and stayed till they closed at 3am. Fortunately, we found a bar (pictured above) across the road which was open till 7am.

I could hardly stay awake. Jerrain took a quick nap while Norie and I caught up and chatted about nothing and everything.

Although we were completely exhausted, we figured we needed to make good use of the remaining 12 hours before we move on to Brussels. So we dragged ourselves to Gare du Nord train station and deposited our bags for €7.50.

We had prata with beef and mutton curry for breakfast before heading to the Louvre. While Jerrain went in to say hi to Mona Lisa, Norie and I caught up on some much needed sleep in the park.

Location: Paris France
Cost: €14 medium rare steak and chocolate mousse dessert at Hippopotamus, €7 tea at Bastille cafe, €7.50 locker at Paris Gare du Nord station, €2.80 orange juice
Highlight: Staying out and up the entire night and feeling thankful to have Jerrain and Norie there with me

day 3: five minutes too late

Jerrain's heart stopped twice today. It was our first (and second) misadventure. It is a little early if you ask me, considering it is just day three.

We were five minutes too late for our bus to Coventry. Jerrain thought the guy behind the counter was pulling our legs. But no, he was as serious as the rest of Europe is about keeping time.

I, rather reluctantly, went to get us new tickets. Fortunately, there was another bus leaving in two hours, giving us time for some needed lunch to calm our nerves and replenish all that we have burnt from sprinting 400 metres with our 1.5 kilograms backpack.

Just as our heartbeat returned to a regular rhythm, we realised - fifteen minutes before departure - that the ticket was for one adult! Sounds 'drama-mama', but picture me running across the coach interchange to the ticket counter to snatch up the last seat left on the bus.

Serene, whom we were supposed to meet, was delayed in Toronto due to the volcanic ashes. Fortunately, her university friend, Nicholas, came to pick us up from the coach station. So, Jerrain and I are now safe in Coventry. Finally.

• Location: London & Coventry, Britain
• Cost: £6 bus, £4 mutton curry lunch, £18 last-minute coach ticket to Coventry
• Highlight: Missing a coach ride for the first time in my life
• Other activities for the day: Portobello Market, sent a few postcards, drinks at White Horse Lemington Spa