I am filling in my globe with all of the countries, territories and regions I have visited. With the addition of Russia this week, I have made it to 77 countries. I only count a country if I have left the airport. So while, I have transited through Doha and Johannesburg airports, I do not include Qatar and South South Africa in my tally. I have been to about two thirds of the countries in both Asia and Europe and exactly half of all the nations in the Oceania region of the planet. African exploration…
Hungary
Tag Archives for Hungary.
Europe’s LCC Wizz is 14 -plans to keep on Wizzing!
I have been fascinated with Wizzair for over a decade. They have been aiming for dominance of European skies from their Hungarian base. Celebrating their 14th birthday this month, they now operate 80 aircraft from 19 bases in ten countries across Central and Eastern Europe flying to a massive 140 cities in 50 countries. They have now flown 100 million people. For most of its history, Wizzair reportedly lost money. So much so that in 2009, they were voted by Bookmaker Paddy Power as the next airline likely to go bust. Interesting that both airlines Wizz were…
The European Peace Walk (EPW)
It is 100 years since World War One. One means of commemoration is the opening of a 550-kilometre (323 mile) trans-national walkway through 6 European countries. The EPW will start in Vienna, the walk moves into Bratislava. It then proceeds along the Danube into Hungary, then Croatia and into Slovenia‘s famous wine region before heading downhill to end at the Mediterranean Sea at Trieste, Italy. On the morning of Monday 28th of July 2014, a group of 50 walkers will set about walking the full trail. it will take them 23 days to arrive in Trieste in Italy. Every day for 2 weeks, 50 new PeaceWalkers will leave Vienna for…
Eastern Europe Airline Update
Following on from last week’s post about Czech air, the ex European bloc airlines have not fared well since the dissolution of the former Soviet states. In Slovakia, Slovak Airlines closed in 2007, SkyEurope 2009 and Air Slovakia in 2010 Last year, Malev, the airline of nearby Hungary collapsed and WizzAir has made continuous losses since launching in 2003 Poland’s LOT is in financial difficulties Bosnia and Herzegovina B&H Airlines was grounded briefly last month Romanian government owned TAROM has had five years of losses Croatia Airlines has lost money almost every year since commencement in 1989 and was unable to…
Beautiful Budapest
I first visited Budapest exactly twenty years to the day of my most recent visit. Communism had been gone for only three years and Budapest was ditching the old Socialist restrictions and emerging as a great city. Scarily, on this trip in 2012, -the agent who checked me into my hotel this trip had not even been born when I made my first visit. Today, Budapest is definitely part of a free market economy. I have now been to Budapest five times since my first starry eyed visit and this city remains one of my all time…
Medical Tourism in Hungary
I have joined the world of medical tourism, getting some major dental work done this week in Hungary. There are few accurate figures estimates on how many people are travelling to countries other than their own for health care procedures but it is thought to be in the millions. The most common procedures are dentistry and cosmetic surgery but eye care is also popular and some people opt to travel overseas for major surgical procedures because of pricing. The top countries for medical tourists are: Brazil, Costa Rica, Hungary, India, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Turkey. It is estimated that in 2011, between 70 and 80 thousand people travelled to Hungary for dental treatment generating revenues…
Fish Soup in Baja, Hungarian
Type “Baja” into Google and you get the resort area of Mexico and not this ancient Hungarian city. Baja is approximately 140 Km south of Budapest, sitting at at the confluence of the Danube and one of its tributaries the Sugovica. The town has been settled since the Iron Age and has had town status for over 300 years. It was a major trading centre then manufacturing centre. It has been ruled over by the Turks, Austrians, Serbs and now Hungarians. Yet until a few months ago, I had never heard of it. Baja holds an annual…
Slow Train in Hungary
Two weeks ago, I blogged about my High Speed ICE experience. Today’s Trip Report is a little of a contrast. A much more slower trip from Budapest, the capital of Hungary to Baja, a small city south of Budapest. Booking: 3 out of 10 MAV Start has the most complex train booking system I have ever experienced. The site also froze a few times. It does provide all of the fare and train options on the one screen so you can see which train has the cheapest seats and make up your mind easily about tickets. Eventually,…
Tuesday Trip Report: My last Malév flight
With the collapse of Malév this seems like the only time to post about my last Malev flight in July 2009 – 2.5 years ago from Rome to Budapest. Booking: 10 out of 10 My ticket was actually booked in conjunction with a Cathay Pacific fare (Malév were part of the One World alliance). I travelled to Budapest from Australia via Hong Kong and Roma. From my visits to Malév ‘s website, I found it to be streamlined, straightforward and effective. Check In: 7 out of 10 Signposting for the Malév check in at Rome’s Leonardo Da…
Malév Over Budapest
In doing some research about failed Hungarian carrier Malév, I came across this amazing video. On August 20, 2006 a Malév 737 followed by a Sky Europe plane flew at a low altitude over Budapest, Hungary. This ten minute video has some stunning view of this beautiful city. The two planes then flew side by side. I assume it was done for the sixtieth anniversay of the founding of the successor to Malév. Ironically, both airlines are gone now.
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