I successfully swindled the Continental system by backing a huge "personal item" and carryon on luggage and only checking in one 50lb bag. When I got to the gate, the flight attendant almost laughed,
"You have two items, you will need to check one of those"
"But they said I could have two items when I checked in? Look, this giant bag is my personal item, this extra bag is just my lunch, food can't count as--"
"Don't worry, its free, just give me whichever bag you want to check in"
"Oh okay" (under my breath "perfect!!")
So I strolled onto the plane, feeling pretty triumphant for that very tiny victory, and happy to not have to carry all of my awkward luggage. Once on the plane I was so anxious to take dramomine and fall asleep that I tried to take it without water: BAD IDEA. Of course I had dumped all my water at the security check, and I figured it wouldn't be that bad. Definitely something a sleep deprived person would stupidly attempt! It totally dissolved on my tongue, tasted awful, and before I could climb over the woman sitting next to me my entire mouth was numb. I rushed to the back of the plane and got a glass of water to wash down what was left. Okay, so tiny victories accompanied by epic defeats! Despite the awful taste and lack of sensation I could care less, I'd sleep through it. And sure enough, I was fast asleep before we left the runway. My flight was from LAX to NY and NY to Berlin, and over the course of those 18 hours dramomine was definitely my best friend. Despite the sleep inducers, plane travel is an uncomfortable affair, and I arrived in Berlin very sore and very dazed. But it was 8am and I had a hostel to find! and one giant roller bag, a duffel, and a backpack to slough with me through the streets of Berlin.
I took the right bus, the right train, and after getting off the train and climbing down too many stairs I found myself in the back lot of a car washing station. I made my way to the main street, and took in my first impression of the city that would be my home for the next four months. And, not going to lie, it was a pretty shabby first impression--Berlin was, as far as I could tell, positively ugly. Huge streets, lots of cars, 1970s architecture big apartment blocks that looked like any nondescript area of Los Angeles. Not only was Berlin less than attractive, I was totally lost.
My directions said "Cross the street at the light"
What street? which light? there were intersections on the left and right, each seemed so incredibly far away. So I just started walking and tried to ask the few other people on the street for help, but when I asked people for directions they did NOT speak English.I kept thinking how before I left, so many people had told me:
"Everyone speaks English in Germany! Don't worry!"
Where were all these English speakers!?! apparently not at this S-bahn stop, probably only in the touristy areas. So I just started walking (in the wrong direction for 10 minutes). Okay, I was lost, being a globetrotter and speaking some French and a little Italian would not help fix the fact that I did not have a map or coherent directions of the city I was in. So I wandered into a Gas Station, and the teller who spoke a tiny bit of English helped me with a map he had. I was actually really close, just lost. So, finally, I had some sort of directions to my hostel. I tried every which way to roll my awkward luggage and was ready to give up when this tiny old German woman, with glasses that made her big concerned eyes even more bright, approached me, smiled, and said,
"Mach dir keine Sorgen! Sie sind ganz nah! Die Herberge liegt nur 200 Meter entfernt! Neben dem grünen Gebäude dort drüben,siehst du?"
I understood Herberge (hostel), 200 meter, and grunen (green), and I looked over and saw where she was pointing, it was my hostel!!
I replied, "Danke danke!"
Within 10 minutes I was in the beautiful lobby of my hostel/home for the next five days. Thanks to the awesome recommendation of my roommate Alexis, I was not in the dirt cheap classic European hostel I had almost booked, but in a Singer 109, a slightly more expensive (still only 12euro a night?!) and immensely better hostel--literally felt like a hotel.
http://www.singer109.com/index.php?l=en
I couldn't check in until 4 (it was only 11am) so after putting my luggage in the storage room I did the only sensible thing: I went to the hostel cafe, ordered a cappuccino, and FINALLY sat down and relaxed. Breakfast was still being served so I made myself a bowl of granola, yogurt and honey. I knew I still had to find an apartment, buy a phone, email family, but for now it was nice to just sit back and nourish my longing for caffeine and food (yes, I'm pretty much addicted to both).
That brings me pretty much to the morning of day 1... and the end of my transatlantic journey. So much has happened in the past few days it has almost become a blur, and despite the rough beginnings it definitely got better! More stories to come!
