Playing Twister in Riga

Saying my goodbyes to Tallinn as I bought my bus ticket to Latvia I was sure over the next 2 years of living in this part of the world I would be back in Estonia for some fun. Boarding the bus I took my seat and was surprised to see a coffee machine sitting across from me. Obviously this bus ride wasn’t going to be all bad after all.

Setting off for Riga I sat back and watched as the countryside passed by my window. I was missing the clatter of the train I had become so accustomed to but this wasn’t working out too bad as I sipped my hot chocolate. Eventually succumbing to boredom I dragged my macbook out of its pouch and prepared to watch a movie until Latvia came into view.

Now everybody loves to discover free wifi as they travel around but I got the shock of my life when my macbook jumped to life when it found a wireless network in range. I looked out the window and all I could see was trees so you can imagine my joy of finding the signal was actually coming from the bus. That’s it folks the lovely guys of Eurolines LUX Express provide wifi for your enjoyment.

Passing on the movie I tweeted and facebooked my way from Tallinn to Riga while enjoying the hot chocolate coming from the coffee machine. It was just as well too because by the time the bus pulled up into Riga it was raining, and nothing like the warm weather I’d just left behind.

Making the dash from the bus stop to my hostel I was in luck and only took one wrong turn before landing on the door step. This hostel was to be my first real party hostel. Normally I have booked the smaller places with more charm than shock and awe, but having extended my stay in Estonia I was down to limited choices come booking time.

Checking into my room that was full of english stag party participants by the look of their mess I was hoping that as the weekend was ending so would their debauchery. Not wanting to face them just yet I made for the streets with my camera hoping to grab a few snaps of the town and get myself some food.

Unfortunately i wasn’t outside more than 30 minutes before the heavens opened up again and I found myself rushing for cover and the safety of my hostel. So what do you do when its too wet to explore and the hostel has a bar… you make friends of course.

Finding some irish folk resting up in the common room after having been out go karting and shooting AK47’s all day I knew I’d found my drinking buddies for the night. We laughed and drank our way into the night which lead to a 3am run for what we thought was food but turned into be a joke on me and one of the others. Come 4am we were playing drunk twister which isn’t easy when your sober let alone when your rather inebriated.

Eventually when half of the guys couldn’t stay awake any longer and we could see the light beginning to peak in through the window we called an end to the party and rolled off to bed. Tomorrow they were off back to Ireland and I would be exploring the town and finding some new friends to laugh with.