I was awoken with a start by Sara this morning, feeling as though I had only just gotten to sleep. Our stop was approaching and we had to get the passengers organized to get off. In our limited space we managed to do this. We got off the train and raced up the platform, then Sara went off to buy the tickets and told the group to follow me to the platform.

Only when I was on the platform at the top of the escalators, did I realize how stunningly beautiful this place was. I could see cute colourful little villages nestled in amazing snow capped mountains. I smelled the free fresh air and marveled at the fact that, spending two days in this wonderful place, was part of my job.

We got on the electric train and headed a few stops down the line to the town of Novy Smokovec, where we would be staying at a place called Vesna Pension. I met the owner, Stano, who is very nice. It is a small family run place, much more like what I was used to with Fez.

After getting organized, I decided to ride the electric train around the mountain towns. I decided on the end of the line first and headed off to Lomnica. Once there I set about finding the funicular up into the mountains, so that I could tell the passengers where it was for next time. I managed with no difficulty, well finding it anyway, the hilly area up to it was another story.

I got back to the train station, intent on going and having a look at Poprad, but the next train wasn't for two hours. I decided to have an early lunch in a nearby pub. I had Hungarian Goulash and a coke, which only set me back four Euros and was a really nice meal.

I hoped on the train back down to Poprad and had a walk around there for a bit. Not much there really, just a little city with a high street.

After Poprad I went to the other end of the line a place called Strbske Pleso where there was supposed to be a lake with boats on it. I hiked around the station for bit, finding a snowed under basketball court and a smaller frozen lake, but though that this couldn't possibly be it.

I was tired from my train ride last night and could barely keep my eyes open, but I thought, oh well, in for a penny in for a pound and proceeded to hike up the mountain. I found a stunning view point along the way and sat there for a while, breathing in the fresh air, I managed to get back up and keep going a little way more before stumbling across the lake.

It was a beautiful site, surrounded by pine trees, completely frozen over and of course with the beautiful snow capped mountains in the background.

I climbed down from the lake and then got back on the train and headed back to the hotel, just in time to meet the group for dinner. We went out and had pizza at this amazing pizza place. After dinner we walked back to the hotel, almost in the pitch black.