day 17: stowaway to krakow

The train conductor came by. He motioned to us to draw the cabin door and window curtains which we had earlier drawn so we could watch the shadows of the passing trees.

He reminded us to keep quiet before handing me a thick chain and lock. We had to chain our cabin door in addition to the two locks already latched.

This was my first night train in Europe. I felt like a stowaway. But stuffed in my right jeans pocket is the €27 train ticket, so I am legal.

I had a good nine hours of sleep before the loud abrupt knock on our door. I am in Krakow Poland!

• Location: Prague, Czech Republic
• Highlight: Instant noodles with sausages, home-cooked by Jerrain.
• Cost: 55 czk hot chocolate, 62 czk groceries for instant noodles and sausages dinner and snacks for night train, 45 czk ice cream.

day 16: i ate peter rabbit

I could not resist the roasted home-bred rabbit with garlic, cabbage, bacon on the menu. Going at 210 czk (approximately €8.40), this traditional Czech dish can be found in most restaurants beside beef or deer goulash.

After letting Jerrain have a bite to taste, I finished the 300-gram meaty plate which came with sauerkraut on the side. It tasted like chicken breast, while the more tender parts had a duck-like texture. It went perfectly with the sauerkraut, red wine and brown bread.

A hearty dinner at Starmomacek Rearaurant near the Old Town Square was a spledid way to end a full day of sight-seeing. We joined the Sandemans New Prague Free tour. Our guide, Colin who was from Scotland, showed us the Astronomical Clock, Statue of Jan Hus, St Nicholas Church, Old Jewish Quarter, Wenceslas Square, House of the Black Madonna and told us lots of stories!!

Jerrain and I spent the rest of the afternoon getting lost in Prague Castle and taking loads of photos.

• Location: Prague, Czech Republic
• Cost: 45 czk hot chocolate, €5 tip for Colin from the New Europe Prague tour, 90 czk soup and hot chocolate, 270 czk traditional Czech dinner
• Highlight: Roasted rabbit
• Hostel: Prague Square Hostel right around the corner of the Old Town Square - Definitely one of our least favourite hostels on this trip. Bathrooms are not only shared, but gender neutral. The bathing cubicles do not have locks so anyone can open the plastic door or peep over the wall while you bathe. Only saving grace is my bed! A ladder in the room leads to a two-metre wide platform above the door, enough for a mattress and some space for my stuff.
• Health: After a day or two of sore throat, I now have a cough. Hope it will go away soon.

day 15: rail relax

I am starting to really enjoy these long relaxing inter-country rail journeys.

Today, Jerrain and I left Berlin for Prague. Setting off at 10.37am, I had five hours on my hand to spare before our arrival into Prague-Hlavni nadrazi at 3.27pm.

What did I get up to?

• 10.37am: Finished my half-eaten breakfast, ham sandwich from Kamps@
• 11.00am: Read about Sheba leading a rebellion against King David which eventually led to his death, and how Joab killed Amasa, in Chapter 20 of 2 Samuel (the bible)
• 11.30am: Listened to the sermon 'How could God send to hell' by Paul Clarke
• 12.00nn: Fell asleep
• 12.30pm: Still napping, by this time I looked really unglam, mouth opened and drooling
• 1.30pm: Read up on Prague, Krakow, and Vienna and snacked on chocolate waffle, honey cashew nuts, and cheese croissant
• 2.30pm: Gazed out of the window - mountain and river running by on our left, and trees and occasional houses on our right
• 2.40pm: Fiddle around with my stuff, took out my iPhone to blog

Location: Berlin Germany and Prague Czech Republic
Cost: €5.60 sandwich and juice for breakfast, €2.30 bread to go for the ride, €17 five bed mixed dorm
Train: Berlin hbf to Praha 5 hours