Madrid - what a rip off.

Well being totally unused to holidays having only really been to Pontins and on backpacking breaks I totally underestimated how busy Madrid was going to be at this time of year. I've been here for a few hours now and have just had to go online to make reservations to stay in what seems like a reasonable hostal which is pretty central - it's called the 'Mad Hostal', if that gives any indication of what the place is going to be like. I'm not sure that it's a good idea to stay the whole time in Madrid, I think it's pretty expensive here - not that I'm planning on eating everyday. The flight was good. I'd fly Iberia again, not that I can tell any difference between airlines. The passage through the airport was effortless apart from the fact that I've broken my camera which I was planning on using extensively while I was in Madrid. Oh, shite.... I'll just have to remember what the place is like.

Other than seeing some of the best art galleries in the world in the next couple of days, I don't know what I am going to do while I'm here. The plazas are raved about in my guide book and I've wandered through about a dozen today on the way from hostal to hostal, some were breathtaking and others, well they really lacked atmosphere. Gone are the days where the choice of hotel was between a place that cost two pounds a night or three at the most. I miss central america being so tight fisted. I do at least feel relaxed knowing I've got a reservation in place and that I can at least rest assured that I can get my head down tonight and then move on from Cat's Hostel to the Mad Hostal - feel I should have been doing this on an inter-railing trip when I was about 19 at the oldest, but I guess I can manage for the time being.