I am writing this on a night train from Budapest to Split through the plains of northeast Croatia.

I had to say goodbye to my good friend Jeremy this afternoon and hoped that everything would fall inline for the next few weeks. When it came time to say goodbye, I realized that there was nothing to say. We had talked with and slept next to each other for the past week without a break. I only thought, "he already knows everything".. I wished him the best and reminded that he has a great relationship with his woman from Slovakia that he lives with in Prague. It's too bad we live 9 time zones apart.

The trains can be so different. When I got on this one, I found first class and a cabin with one person, an old lady. When I stepped in, the old bat muttered under her bat breathe in her bat toungue. I stepped back out and tried to see if it was reserved. I then asked in engrish, "is this reserved?" she then just put her hand over her bat eyes trying to ignore me. I took my seat, because I thought she was trying to keep it for herself. Later she just lflew away and eft.

Then a sweet lady came in sat down and watched Mamma Mia. We ended up talking for a few hours about films, places, engrish, and she wanted to know more about Obama! She gave me the traditional goodbye cheek kisses, which I am still getting used to, and got then off.

Finally, I was joined by a haggered Hungarian and his cold tall boy. Sobberly he then proceeded to plow through a few crosswords in no time. He left as quietly as he was the whole time.

Later in the night we stopped at the Hungary/Croatia border and I got my passport checked four times and my bags searched. Luckily i had already had my few kilos out the window. Eek!

Now I am writing emails because I have had my fill of hanging my head out the window and letting the moist air go by. Riding is like getting a distorted sped up very of the area. The train lights cast a glow on the wheat and you get a smell of the area mixed with the trains exhaust. You can see the foreign cars and their passengers wait for the train to pass, the small town life, signs with words you know and most that you don't, bars, houses and gardens.

I am getting excited for the island of Korcula in the Adriatic Sea. It is supposed to have crystal clear waters, giant stone walls, marble roads, wines galore, stubbornly high unemployment and people who can eat others share of fish. Perhaps I can sarcastically introduce them to the music of paradise, I have few Jimmy Buffett albums on my iPod... just a little changes in latitude...