1:00 am: My train arrived in Salsburg at 11 pm and I was supposed to get on the train for Slovenia at midnight but now it is delayed and won't be coming until 2 am. Gaaaaah! This train station is beyond sketchy. Because it's the middle of the night, the interior is closed so I'm waiting out here in the cold for my train. It's completely deserted except for two or three people. If there was one place where I was going to be murdered on this trip, this is it.
6:30 am: Finally arrived in Ljubljana!! My train came at 2 and I haven't slept yet because of my paranoia that I was going to sleep past my stop. I am exhausted. Unfortunately I can't get into my hostel room until two so I've dropped my bags off and am about to do some exploring. This place is definitely not as Westernized as everywhere else in Europe I've been to.
10:00 am: Is it time to go yet? Ljubljana is BORING! There really is not much to see or do at all. The guidebooks really exaggerate the sights here because they really aren't that great. It is Sunday so that might explain why no one is around but perhaps I'm just not used to a small city. The place definitely has charm. The bridges with dragons on them and the castle and old buidlings is what I expected from eastern Europe but for a solo traveler its really boring. And its definitely harder to meet people here because not as many english travelers come here. Apparently Slovenia isn't a hotspot for tourism yet. There's a town named Postonja about an hour away where you can go cave exploring so since I've pretty much seen all of Ljubljana in 4 hours, I think i'll go check it out.
4:30 pm: The cave was actually pretty cool! I guess this wasn't a wasted destination since not many people can say they took a train ride and walking tour through a huge cave. The travel guide failed to mention that the cave is a 30 min walk from the train station. With very few English signs and very few locals who speak english it was quite the adventure but I found it (Ps I think i was the only person there without blond hair and pastey skin). Anyway, the cave was beautiful although unfortunately photos were prohibited. The train ride through the train would definietly not have passed safety guidelines in N. America. I'm a whopping 5'6, and I had to duck a few times to avoid getting hit by stalactites (or are they stalagmites? I can't remember which ones come down from the ceiling). It was gorgeous though. At the end of the walking tour they had a tank full of these crazy white rare salamanders that I've seen on Planet Earth. Seeing them was definitely the highlight of the day. I've walked back to the main train station now to get back to Ljubljana and of course the next train isn't for another 2 hours. Tanning time! Apparently long waits at deserted train stations is the theme of the trip.
10:00 pm: got back to the hostel at 8 and checked in. I'm staying in a huge room with 12 matresses on the floor (no bed frames). I would not recommend it but it's apparently the only good hostel in town. I can't say that I reccomend Ljubljana in general. But I did say that I wanted to go somewhere atypical and that not many people see so I'm happy for the experience. This place does liven up at night and the city looks really pretty and charming all lit up. the million statues all over the place are all creepily dimly lit. I just wandered and enjoyed it. This place probably wouldn't have been so boring if i wasn't alone. this is the first time in my two Europe experiences that I've felt lonely in my travels. usually I meet people no problem but English is not common at all here. I'm heading to bed no since I need to be up at 5 am. Can't wait to leave and go to Budapest!
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