Notes from a Neurodivergent Mind

 Hi all, Endurance-that's the main theme of the day, today. It's something that is often employed in a sporting sense, and you can see why. Whilst I can't proclaim to have partaken in any sporting event today, you can see why sportspeople have to push themselves to their limits, which is obviously an enduring task. Well picture the image, I made my "spa debut" (an apt anagram of Budapest) today, and consequently found myself in a sauna- well not just one, but several of them- something that I'd never done before. Now I could withstand most of them, but there was one- that was so warm....it made my nose sting. An endurance, I know! I gave myself 5 minutes to sit it through, but halfway in, I wanted to throw in the towel. But! My imaginary sporting coach encouraged me to stay put, and think of the things I could achieve if I spent a further 2 1/2 minutes in a hot room. Reader, I'm pleased to say that the mission was a success, and it helped shape my attitude...

 Hi all- I think it's safe to say that it's been a tale of two halves today. We'll go in chronological order, so that we will finish on where I am at now. When I arrived in Budapest last night, I was struck by the excitement of being somewhere I've wanted to go to for years, and that in itself, was enough to pique my interest come this morning. Waking up and realising that I was a 5 minute walk away from the city's main food hall led me to have some lovely "kifli"- a croissant-like pastry with a poppy seed filling. Whilst devouring my kifli, I took some Rescue Remedy to try and prevent the nerves and anxiety from previous days from being so prevalent- something I'd neglected to do beforehand. I proceeded to the wondrous St. Stephen's Basilica, where I took the lift up to the terrace (instead of ascending 340-odd steps according to Google!) For those that know me, I have a big fear of heights-be it being on a plane or up a big building. It simultane...

 Hi all, I begin this piece from Bratislava Central Station, awaiting my delayed train to Budapest, city number 4 of the trip. Travelling- it all has its ups and downs but I've got to say, having started my "30 countries before 30" ambition (albeit probably prematurely) at the beginning of the year, the phrase "quality over quantity" really rings true on th is trip I've been doing. 18 nights, (excluding two stopovers if we're being pedantic), in 9 countries, all of which I have never visited before. It all sounds a bit like a condensed version of Race Across The World- and to be honest, the stress of getting from one place to another within a set amount of time does feel comparable with what I'm experiencing now- even with pre-booked accommodation and flights! Because in hindsight, I haven't really given myself much time to rest, because it's go, go go! The need to make the most of seeing countries I've never visited versus trying to not ...