05.58 ”Alea iacta est” said Caesar before he went on towards Rome after crossing Rubicon. Nothing much to say, feeling tired, now it begins. Dressed, ate breakfast and walking, to the train station in Sundsvall. It finally starts.

07.50 After a brisk, refreshing walk, we arrived at the station. The first, but not last one this year. It is a sunny day and windy too.

11.45 We are now at Arlanda airport and have been here for about half an hour already. We have looked around and also had lunch.

16.28 After dinner and a chat with a guy, who is on his way to Teheran, we changed some money and checked in for our flights and our luggage. Christer’s backpack got a special treatment but we go as normal passengers. We are now at the departure gate with a few people around us.

17.43 Now, we are up, up and away. Onboard, right now we are filling in a paper regarding SARS, the drinks trolley is on its' way and then dinner of potato salad and roast beef.

18.56 We are about to land in the first country on this trip, which is Czech Republic.

CZECH REPUBLIC

21.21 Sitting in room #21 at Elf at Husirska 11 in Prague. We arrived here from the airport, where we had bought a 24-hours card. From there we went by bus and tram, walked a bit, got here, went up a wooden staircase and in here. The room costs 420 koruna/person and has hallucinating wall paintings. We live near the railroad and can hear trains pass by.

Monday 16th of June "From baua to pivo"

07.00 Morning has broken and I am tired. In a few hours we will go to Pardubice. But I have slept well

09.04 We had a simple breakfast, cheese sandwich and coffee. Most of our things are packed and in a while we will head for the station.

09.54 Inside the train compartment with a ticket for Pardubice (130 koruna). Now our trip has really begun.

10.23 We are a bit tired as our train passes through a forest. It feels great to be on the move again.

11.03 Right now the train is standing still. We can hear a cuckoo bird and some other birds from outside.

13.27 We are now in Pardubice. In room #406 at Arnošt at Arnošta z Pardubice 676. We heard about this place and some others from a German speaking girl at the tourist information. An old gentleman showed us in as we got here. We can hear trains pass by outside.

Pardubice

15.47 We have walked around, bought postcards and seen the square and the castle. Now we are having a dark Krusovice at the square. All is well and it is close to 30°C in the shade.

16.34 Sitting on a bench in the Castle Park, not far from here runs Elbe. The birds are singing and it is calm and nice. We are getting hungry and I just found a four leaf clover.

Pardubice

17.21 We just finished ordering food and drink. As soon as the beer arrive I will go and get some money. It just did so just now.

17.34 Back at the table 400 koruna richer/poorer.

18.25 The food here at Bazalka is delicious, meat with potatoes and vegetables, with this beer and after that coffee. Price around 8 US dollars. A little kid at the table next to us talked like the little child he is, saying something that sounded like Bauva several times. The only time he spoke properly was when the beer arrived. He smiled and said Pivo that’s what beer is called in this country.

19.45 Back after a stroll and some shopping at Tesco. We now have some evening drink, breakfast, some food for tomorrow. Now time to relax.

Tuesday 17th of June "Long day’s journey into joy"

06.40 I got up and had a shower. All the shower had to offer was cold water. Now it will be breakfast before we head for Žilina in Slovakia.

07.09 The breakfast is eaten and the backpacks are filled. Christer had a shower while I was packing mine. It was during that time that we had a power failure and now we walk in darkness.

08.26 We are sitting on the train toward Žilina. I just had my ticket stamped by the conductor. Now will follow some hours of travelling, I wonder if they serve coffee here?

09.46 I’ve slept a little and went to get me some coffee, it was a success. Each time I was about to drink some of it the train bumped and the small zip became a big one. The landscape becomes hillier and small streams run here and there. We can see people along the streams, people who are fishing on this sunny day.

11.05 We are leaving the station in Hranice Na Morave about fifteen minutes late. There is no reason to panic; we´ve got a lot of travelling left. It is around halftime now.

11.31 The last ten minutes we´ve been standing still. A meeting train came and left and we remained here. I wonder why we are not leaving.

11.37 We are moving again and I am about to have some lunch.

13.11 Our train has taken us back to Ceský Têšin (4/8 in the journal of 2002). I hope it will be smoother this year. In fact we are already moving.

13.37 At first I got no stamp in my passport from the Czech customs officer. Then I got two from the Slovak. One dated yesterday and one today. It remains around 30-35 minutes of the trip to Žilina.

SLOVAKIA

14.53 We’ve checked in at Hotel Polom in Žilina. We stay here for 600 koruna/night and person in room 110. A decent room with a railway station view. Now we´ll take a walk around the city and have some food and beer.

The railway station in Žilina

16.44 We are sitting next to a church with a view over the Hlinkovo Square with a beautiful fountain. We are checking how much money we´ve got. Soon we will head for the more central parts to fill up with energy. We are being watched from above by Cyril and Methodius, the gentlemen who brought Christianity to this part of Europe. Well at least it´s the statues of them.

Christer in front of the statue of the elderly gentlemen Cyril and Methodius.

17.12 We are now by the fountain on the Mariánské square. Here everything is calm and peaceful. The only catch is the fact that we are getting hungry. Shall we carry on enjoying or finding a place to eat?

17.42 We have ordered food and beverage at a place that we don’t know the name of. We will have soup and meat. Who knows, it might be coffee to crown it all.

18.35 We are back at Hlinkovo Square after a tasteful dinner, grilled meat mushrooms, vegetables and mustard sauce. Before the meal I had garlic soup and after it coffee. Christer had chicken soup and pork with sauce. The cost for this was around $7 each and it seemed that the beer was on the house, I can’t find it on the bill. The name of the palce is by the way Gazdrovský Hostinec and is situated on Horny val 37.

19.05 We’ve just got us a beer each. I have a Popper, tasty. Christer has a Rezané pivo, light top dark bottom. Cost $0.60 each. We are sitting out on the Hlinkovo square.

19.16 A man just ”borrowed” two chairs from our table. It seems as he has left his car keys as deposit. Behind us a live band is rehearsing.

20.06 We returned the keys, went to Tesco, bought beer and breakfast before we returned to the hotel. We are now back in our room. The square was filled with soccer fans in green and yellow jerseys.

22.19 We are getting tired. We will sleep in tomorrow and it is ever so welcome. People are cheering outside, I wonder why.

22.40 The sport on our TV has given us the answer to the cheering. Žilina´s football (soccer) team have just won the Slovak league.

Wednesday 18th of June "Strength-gathering day"

07.30 I have woken up, let out unnecessary fluids and are about to sleep again.

08.40 I just woke up again. It is time to hit the shower.

11.38 We are resting on a bench. We have bought tickets for 48 koruna for tomorrow’s trip to Trnava. Our next mission will be to find some postcards and have lunch.

12.42 We are sitting outside Tesco where we have bought postcards and batteries for my travel radio.

Hlinkovo Square in Žilina with the Tesco supermarket in the background.

13.21 We are on the Mariánské Square. We have just ordered food and beer. We are dining at Royal Café.

14.04 The food was delicious. We have written postcards and I am about to order coffee.

15.43 After searching and finding his (by the cleaning staff moved) shower gel Christer has glued his loose soles on the shoes. The glue also ended up on my hands and feet and the floor.

18.07 A short stop at an internet café before we head into the central parts for dinner.

18.39 We have returned to the Mariánské Square. We are sitting by the peaceful fountain.

19.35 At Pizzeria Piccolo.

19.54 The pizzas arrived and my phone rang. It was my mother. The pizza was great.

22.08 We taste the beers we bought and relax before going to sleep. Tomorrow we will head for Trnava. I just remembered, I drank a Pallatiner on the Square as well.