Budapest World Championships Notebook - Day One

In Budapest

A salute to the dancing queen of Kenyan athletics, Mary Moraa

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Star athletes like to entertain their fans with pre-race rituals and off-the-track antics. Nobody has done this better than Usain Bolt with his signature celebration “To di World” (To The World). Former world 3,000m steeplechase champion Ezekial Kemboi wowed fans with “Kemboi dance” and now Commonwealth Games 800m champion Mary Moraa has taken over the mantle with characteristic jig at the end of her races. I showed up for an interview at Ibis Hotel in Budapest where Team Kenya is residing and the security officers let me in with a reminder: “Say hi to the dancing queen of Kenyan athletics” in reference to Moraa.

In Budapest, pay in cash if you have some Forints or Euros

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Hungarian Forint (abbreviated HUF) is the currency in use in Hungary. When you visit shopping malls, eateries and barber shops, you pay for goods and services either in Hungarian Florints, or using your credit card.

One American dollar is equivalent to 355 Hungarian Forints, and one Hungarian Forint is equivalent to just under 50 cents (Sh0.41). The Forint was formerly divided into 100 fillér coins, the government has withdrawn fillér coins from circulation. Because Hungary is a member of the European Union, people can also pay for goods and services in Euros.

Taxi aplenty here and all have yellow registration plates

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Budapest is served by local and foreign taxy hailing services, and they are many! It is common to see yellow Bolt taxis on the streets of Budapest. Taxis have yellow registration plates, as opposed to the white background on registration plate used by other vehicles. A client can choose from Főtaxi, Taxi 4, 6X6 Taxi, City Taxi, Budapest Taxi, TaxiPlus, Tele 5 Taxi, Elit Taxi, Bolt (Taxify), and Taxim. A commuter pays a basic fee of 700 Hungarian Forints, and an additional 300 HUF for every kilometre travelled, and a waiting fee of 75HUF per minute.