One of the reasons I decided I wanted to go to Prague was to see Andre Rieu. I booked the tickets and then didn’t book the flight tickets right away as I wanted a friend to come along with me. I managed to convince him and then I found the flight times and an Airbnb for us to stay in.
The flight out was the first of the day and the flight back was the last of the day. I booked these after I got back from Barcelona and circumstances meant my friend that was going to come with me couldn’t go – also the Airbnb host cancelled on us too.
I had to do some inward searching as to whether I wanted to go or not. I thought I could get a refund on the tickets to the concert but it turns out that I couldn’t. I asked another friend for advice on what I should do. I needed to know whether I should still go for the entire length, cut it short or just not go at all. His advice was just to go as planned.
I took that on board and changed my flights to ones where I could get to and from Stansted airport without it costing more than the flight.
I am glad I went. It was a good trip, was tinged with sadness and was also a valuable life lesson for me. My next trip alone won’t be for 8 days though – that is way too long for a trip alone on the continent. I did try and keep myself busy most of the time – I think I did a good job for the most part.
I decided that, even though I was in Prague in 2016, I would see Prague this time as if I was there for the first time. This was so I could see it through the eyes of my friends and get more pictures. I think I did a pretty good job too. I saw a lot more than I did last time and that was a culmination of being fitter and also searching out things to do. My picture count for 2016 was 186 and for this trip was just over 1600!
When I got to Prague I headed straight to the hostel to check in as I was tired and wanted to get my case in the room so I didn’t have to drag it around anymore. The trip to the hostel was straightforward until I got to the point where they were doing track work on the tramlines and I freaked out a little. Google to the rescue though and I found a tram straight to the hostel.
I got there and I was the only one in the 6-bed dorm for most of the time. It was awesome. Once there, I had a look for some tours to do and I found a tour to Kutna Hora and the Bone Chapel for the next afternoon and a Tour to Terezin for the Friday morning. I promptly booked those.
After I had done that, I went to the tram and went for a wander around Prague just to get my bearings.
I also realised that I didn’t pack everything I needed to. I forgot a belt for my jeans so it was shorts every day – even when it was cold and rainy. I didn’t pack enough lens solution so I had to use the solution for 2 days in a row every time – shhh, don’t tell my optometrist!
All in all though, it was a good trip and I am glad I was convinced to go.
[private]The part of the trip that was tinged with sadness was getting beat up on the tram and having to speak to the police and having to seek medical help later in the evening because of going dizzy. The only person I wanted to speak to at that point was Jason, so I sent him a message on Snapchat and asked him to read it when he was alone in bed as I didn’t want to sour his night – especially it being his birthday eve. He messaged me back later and said I could call him. I did and told him what happened and told him I was safe at that moment in time as I was back at the hostel. The next day I went tram surfing as I wasn’t going to let it beat me. He called me once I got off the tram (he couldn’t have timed it better) and I was just crying down the phone to him and he was really sweet and said it had bugged him all night that he couldn’t have done anything. I apologised for crying down the phone and he was again really sweet and told me I shouldn’t worry about it and not to apologise for it. He also sent me the sweetest snap and that made me feel a bit better. I don’t know what it is about him, but he is just the nicest guy I have ever known! See the post here where I talk about him! I am glad he wasn’t there as I wouldn’t have wanted him to get into trouble. He is the best friend I have or ever have had or ever will have!
I had an issue on the Sunday night too. I was ready to leave McDonald’s and a group of Czech youths were around me and talking and pointing and my anxiety was heightened like nothing else. I tried to call Jason but he didn’t answer and said he couldn’t call me like we had planned. I started to overthink and sent some messages I probably shouldn’t have sent. It turns out the youths were looking for a phone charger but I wasn’t to know this.
The reason I wanted to speak with him was to walk me to the hostel because of this anxiety. I told him this the next day and he apologised and I told him he didn’t need to as I didn’t stress the urgency of the situation and if he didn’t know then he couldn’t do anything about it.
I tried to call him later that evening at the hostel and sent a message saying it wasn’t a 999 situation but more a 111 and he said he was gonna be mad if it wasn’t. I didn’t want to tell him how bad it was – it definitely was a 111 situation. I was starting to feel like I did as a kid and I was losing control and all I wanted to do was hit myself in the head and bash my head against a wall – that was the only way, as a kid, I knew how to control the demons. I think I told him it really was a 111 situation at some point – if not, this is a surprise to him and I am expecting to be chastised! This is how good of a friend he is – he hates it when I get like this and just wants me to be 100% better! For someone so young, he deals with my mental illness really well and I have nothing but admiration for him for it as he seems to deal with it better than I do at times! I love this guy to bits and words can’t describe how much I appreciate him and how much I appreciate his friendship. He won’t ever know just how much either!
I did say to Jason once I was in Prague that these 8 days without seeing each other would be the longest in a row that we haven’t seen each other since our Hong Kong trip. It was a weird feeling for both of us. It was really nice to hear him say it too as I don’t always appreciate that he feels the same about our friendship (I know, he has given me no reason to think otherwise either!) and I know it doesn’t always have to be said but I am a words of affirmation guy. It really was nice to be able to talk to him every day though. I make no apologies for the soppy shite either![/private]
I am not going to go into the history of Prague in this post, I just want to show it from my view point so it will be what I did and my pictures.
All said and done, I am glad I went to Prague and experienced more than I did last time.
I was glad to go there and put on fresh eyes for my friends so they could experience Prague vicariously through me.
I can definitely feel a couple more trips to Prague coming on.
The plane ride back home was not so fun. So full of turbulence. It was not at all good. From the video below you can see how bad it was! This was me holding the phone steady and the turbulence was knocking my hands back and forth!
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I have never been so glad to be back on home soil as I was this trip. 8 days is definitely too long to go away as a solo traveller!