Eating our way through Hungary

The speaker begins by clarifying the current situation of their vlog. They've left Australia and landed in Europe, specifically Budapest, to find a new boat. They are currently jet-lagged and exploring Budapest. The speaker also announces the beginning of a motor vlog, as they have seemingly secured a yacht, though details are being kept under wraps for now. Before starting the episode, a brief interaction reveals the other person is playing a game and encourages viewers to subscribe to the channel to see when the speaker can finally say "we" instead of "me," implying a long journey. The main goal for this episode is to head to Budapest Harley-Davidson to try and hire a motorbike for a week. The ambitious plan is to see how far they can get into Ukraine, aiming for Kiev, where bombing has been occurring. Danny Hayes, the speaker, introduces himself, recounting his journey. One year prior, he bought his first boat, a Lagoon 42, after selling his real estate business of 22 years. With virtually no experience, he attempted to sail to the Bahamas but crashed the yacht within three months, leading to five months of repairs. Initially planning to sail alone, he has since met someone special. He mentions that he has done a couple of Sydney to Hobarts, which the other person quickly clarifies as being "just for YouTube," implying it's not entirely accurate. They left Australia three months ago and reached the Solomon Islands, but Danny had a change of heart, deciding the Lagoon 42 wasn't fast enough. He returned to Australia and bought a faster yacht, which is not in Australia yet. This means he has to sell the current yacht and then pick up the new one, indicating the journey continues. The duo then heads to Budapest's famous market hall, Bashar Cho, arriving early at 7:30 a.m. to avoid crowds. The speaker notes the surreal proximity of Ukraine's border, only 300 km away, and his intention to ride there, crossing the border despite the ongoing war. The other person expresses concern about him going to Ukraine alone, which leads to a playful exchange about the speaker cutting her off and her comparing him to a "little rabbit" because he doesn't let her speak. They continue their morning tour of Hungary, but most places are still closed due to the early hour and their jet lag. They decide to return to the market later for food. Upon returning, they find the food area busy with massive lines. They decide to try "stuffed cabbage," a Hungarian dish, which the other person describes as one of her absolute favorites. The speaker also tries Hungarian sausage, despite saying he wouldn't eat sausage, and finds it very nice, even for someone generally not a fan of sausage or mustard. Later, around 3:00 p.m., they are feeling the effects of jet lag and plan to go to bed to wake up at midnight and reset their day. The speaker humorously notes his raccoon hat makes him look "crazier" and that he's developing a European accent. Their goal for the day is to stay awake until 7:00 p.m. The next day, they are still battling jet lag, having lasted until 6:00 or 6:30 p.m. the previous night and waking up around 2:00 or 2:30 a.m. They are heading to the Széchenyi Thermal Spa after breakfast. The speaker compliments the other person's appearance, while she points out he looks sleepy and is wearing shorts in 4-degree weather, identifying him as Australian. At the Széchenyi Thermal Spa, they find their "cabana," which the speaker likens to a "jail cell" or a "Russian asylum center for the criminally insane" due to its appearance, while the other person explains it's a treatment place. Inside, the thermal pools are beautiful and packed despite the 6 or 7-degree Celsius temperature. The speaker reflects on the odds of being in such a place at this time. After the spa, they return to the hotel, having eaten themselves into another food coma. It's 1:00 p.m., and they aim to stay awake for another eight hours to combat jet lag. The speaker observes that Budapest is a beautiful city focused on food, making him feel "fatter." They decide to go for a walk and get some "langos," another Hungarian dish. The speaker then climbs Liberty Bridge, reflecting on doing one thing every day that scares you. He notes that Budapest rivals Melbourne in its cleanliness and well-maintained infrastructure, particularly the bridges. However, the other person reveals that despite the beautiful appearance, the government is "corrupt as hell," and Hungary is one of Europe's poorest countries. She explains that the current prime minister allegedly diverts EU funds meant for public services to himself, his family, and close friends. The tender process for infrastructure, for example, is rigged. The average income is about 25,000 AUD, but this average is skewed by a massive gap between very poor and very rich people. There's an upcoming government election in about a week, and the current government has been in power for 16 years. The other person, who is from Hungary, returned specifically to vote to ensure her vote is counted, as votes cast from abroad have been "accidentally forgotten" in previous years. Hungary is a landlocked country with a population of about 10 million, bordering Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, and Slovakia. The speaker notes that Budapest is not cheap, with coffee costing $5-8 AUD and breakfast $20-40 AUD per person in nice spots, though cheaper options exist. Hungary is famous for the Rubik's Cube, invented by Ernő Rubik. The other person initially struggles to remember his first name but eventually recalls it's Ernő. She also explains that she left Hungary after university because the government tried to force graduates who received free education to stay in the country for five years to "repay" it, which she found unjust. The speaker tries langos again, describing it as one of the best things he's ever eaten, comparing it to a lighter, creamier cheese and bacon roll. He admits to overeating to the point of feeling sick, describing it as a "fat bulimic" disorder. He confirms Eva's claims about Hungary's corruption, having Googled it and finding it is the most corrupt country in the EU regarding transparency with its money. He fears the current leader will remain in power, leading to more young people leaving the country. The population has decreased from over 10 million to 9.5 million, with many young people in their 20s and 30s emigrating. He describes langos as having a slightly salty, donut-like taste with cream cheese and sour cream. Finally, they revisit the goal of hiring a Harley-Davidson to ride into Ukraine. The speaker mentions not seeing any Harley-Davidsons in Hungary yet. At the dealership, he tries to get permission to take a hired bike into Ukraine, which initially looks 50/50. They offer a Road King but say no to taking it into Ukraine. The speaker then offers a 30,000 euro deposit to buy the bike outright to take it into Ukraine, trying "everything." He aims to ride a Harley-Davidson through Ukraine without dying and tries to leverage his YouTube channel for a collaboration, fearing he might sound like a "wanker." Despite emailing and calling the dealership multiple times without response, they are now there in person. Good news arrives: they have been given permission to enter Ukraine with the bike, provided a larger deposit is left due to concerns about the bike not returning. In exchange, they will film the store and business. They also need to extend the daily kilometer limit from 300 to potentially 500-600.