Poland-> Hungary; cheap travel beetwen

There are couples ways to get to Budapest from Poland. I would like to share these information cause I did travel to Hungary often and I haven't found these information before in many places on internet.
So, the most comfortable and the cheapest way is to travel by 'orangebus' company, which will take you from Krakow to Budapest for around 16€ = 5000 HUF= 70 Polish ZL. Travel take no more than 7 hours, during travel you can watch movies (dubbed Hungarian; subtitled in English) and drink free hot chocolate/cappuccino/coffee. Nowadays buses go five times a week and you always have to buy ticket little earlier cause it can happened that bus will be full.
The other way is to travel by train from Katowice (which is closer than if you would travel from Krakow). If you planed your trip much time before you shouldn't have a problem with buying ticket in promotion price - 29€. It's a reasonable price, even more that it includes place reservation and if you pay 10€ extra (so 39€ together) you can get a couchette and sleep all the way. Train leaves at early morning or at night and goes around 8 hours form Katowice, so you can have a big sleep. To get a tickiet in a promotional price you have to buy it at least week before travel (if you are lucky you can get it even some days before travel but remember that number of cheap tickets it's limited).
Problems with travel starts when you can't get or the bus or the cheap ticket for a train. There is no discount for the students so PKP from Katowice to Budapest want you to pay 340 ZL (around 80€)!!! This is because they count kilometers in another way if you travel threw other countries. There is no logical reason why you should pay this money. You can instead:
1. Buy a tickiet till polish border (Zebrzydowice) it's around 10 ZL (2,5€)
2. Later buy ticket for Czech part (form Bohumin where train stops for around one hour). This tickiet cost around 240Korons, but if you buy it together with someone (1,2,3,4 persons together) it's way cheaper, so it's worth to ask at the train if someone is going to Budapest and doesn't have a tickiet as well.
3. You buy a ticket for a Slovakian part, officially it cost around 11€, but if you will give to the ticket inspector 5€ without asking for a paper ticket he will be happy;)
4. Last - Hungarian part is the most expensive cause in Hungary it's not just an express train but an InterCity. However it's more than 3000 HUF but form my experience you can try a similar trick as in the Slovakian part - so try to not give more then 1000HUF without expectations for a paper ticket.
So, finally you will pay even less than a cheap ticket (29€) but there are some minuses of this kind of traveling like: you need to have with you couple currencies (Czech, Slovakian,Hungarian) and you wont have a perfect sleep while you have to handle buying the ticket during travel.


Hope, that you found these information useful, and please, if you found also some cheap/fast way to travel from Poland to Hungary share it with us!

Lecce - "The Florence of the South"

You can find it in Apulia, south Italy, on the top of the Italian shoe. Lecce is one of the most important city of a region, but as many well known cites Lecce is not situated ashore. Threw ages inhabitants of the city were changing, first mention is telling about Troians, it was also under control of Roman Empire and  Ostrogots.
City is called "The Florence of the South" because of very precious buildings which are coming from Baroque times, around XVI/XVII century.
One of the biggest "must see" in Lecce is Chiesa di Santa Croce (Church of the Saint Cross). Built between 14th /16th century church has very richly decorated facade and big rose window. It can be easy overlook because nowadays its located in one of the narrows streets which is outgoing form the mains square. You can easily spend some time by admire this piece of art.

Near by you can find ancient roman theater which is compose into square, what is uncommon procedure. It was found on the beginning of 20th century while constructing new building for a bank.  During winter above this square you can see special little lamps imitating snowing. It brings unforgettable atmosphere to this city.
All the old town was separated by walls from modern city. Till today just some part of them survived but you can still get inside by one of the gates. Inside you will find several churches, which deserve for attention (San Mateo, Santa Chiara, Chiesa del Gesu).
You can also find there huge medieval castle inside which is situated touristic information.
Prices are not so high and it's possible to get there by train. From the train station it's a 10 minutes walk to the city center. I do recommend this city but there is not much to hide that good memories about the great places are always 'upgraded' when you see them with a great persons;)

Philosophy of Travel

Why to travel, Ladies and Gentlemen?

What can we and what we will reach, get to know during traveling? Will we change, will we change the world by traveling?

Before answering all these questions, we should define the expression 'traveling'. Instead of giving a single definition, I'd like to give two, in many ways different definitions.

First: Traveling inside ourselves. Getting to know ourselves.
Second: Traveling in the outer world. Getting to know the world.

In my opinion the the ways correspond. Let's imagine a situation. A person who lives the whole life within four walls, without any social or intellectual contacts. What kind of chance does he have to get to know the outer world? None. Simple.
But let's look further - what chance does this person have to get to know himself/herself? Slim. Not more, we can agree on that.
Regarding one important aspect of human life - is being social. Less or more - we are who we are seen to be (recommended reading: Kurt Vonnegut - Mother Night). Many times the only way having some information about ourselves is to look upon ourselves by other's eyes. Our antihero within the four walls will never have the feeling that something he does or thinks is good or bad. Well, if we are courageous enough to try - during traveling in different places - we will realize who we are from a way bigger aspect than we would have ever expected. Reconsider is the key word of traveling. We will have to reconsider our financial status, our social contact's acting, our norm system, our values and if we had - our ways of thinking about good and evil.

My recommendation - be brave. Be courageous. Step up, and look down to yourself. Disillusion is followed by clear head clear view and strong hand that helps you to act.