I left Budapest when it was still dark out, headed for Zagreb, Croatia. My time in Zagreb was really to visit Plitvice National Park. I had gone back and forth so many times between staying in Zagreb and staying at Plitvice. Staying in Zagreb meant it was easier to leave once my Croatia stay was over. Staying at Plitvice meant it was easier to get to the park. In the end, I opted to stay in Zagreb.
I boarded the train at Keleti Station and found my seat. Someone was sitting in it. I try and show him my ticket and he will not acknowledge me. Fine, I’ll just sit across from you. His body language told me my presence annoyed him. Well feel free to move…out of my seat….
My train was one of those trains that had cabins with six seats in each cabin. I don’t like these trains. I don’t like facing someone, being locked in a cabin with a stranger. Well okay you aren’t LOCKED inside a cabin with a stranger, but that’s what it feels like. I had just really wanted to sleep for the bulk of my six hour trip, but having this person directly facing me inside a locked cabin (okay again, not LOCKED) made it awkward.
At some point, the train stopped and a very menacing man in a uniform came and barked at us in a language I did not understand. Turns out we were crossing into Croatia and needed to show our passports. Yay! Croatia stamp in my passport!