Aimee’s World Tour

Whz isnät this grammaticallz correct_  Because Iäm in Berlin on a German kezboard!!!  Itäs like iäm writing with an accent. haha.

(This blog has editied z’s to y’s due to reader frustration.)

I had forgotten another major reason that I travel – the happy dance! 

While you can learn so much from the people and the places, thereäs nothing like the thrill of holy crap – Iäm in ____!!  Id like to buy a vowel please.  And a bratwurst!! 

Sadly you can actually get to the point when you just transition to another country or city without much acknowledgement.  Sure I always  had my camera but I feel that I had become a little numb.  That I was almost taking traveling for granted.  Even before I left for France I wasnät like… FRANCE!!!! YAY! I think that month in China had sucked the life outta me.  It was amazing but exhausting. 

But Iäm back now baby!!  Sitting in an internet spot between pizza hut and burger king in the Berlin Train Station. 

On the train over here I scouwered the maps as I always do in my Lonely Planet, circling where I want to go and where Iäm staying, etc.  (To be honest I normallz color code everzthing but no one needs to know….)  I like to read about the places I will bisit so that I can go in somewhat prepared, even if itäs only a paragraph or two. 

I spent the three hours over here trying to orient mzself around Berlin.  What to see and in what order.  I wanted to be as efficient as possible since I only have approx. 28 hours in the capital.  All that went out the window right before we arrived. 

The only other passenger in my train compartment dropped her magayzne and I kindly retrieved it for her and politely asked where she was from.  Turns out sheäs this super friendly chick Aga, same name as my dear cousin, also from Poznan.  Her English is amazing and she also speaks French though I canät actually saz what her accent sounds like. 

Aga mentioned that she had just recently been to Scotland and inquired if I had ever tried couch surfing.  For those of you who arenät familiar (MOM AND DAD LISTEN UP) couchsurfing.com is a website where you can literally find people who are willing to open up their homes… well couches… to travelers.  I’ve heard great things about it but honestly Iäd be reallz hesitant to ever try that in the US.

Apparentlz Aga had THE BEST experience and her excitement was contagious.  I listened as she told me how she had fallen in love with the people and places of Scotland.  Through couch surfing she told me that she was able to experience Scotland on a deeper level.  When zou mix with the locals zou leave some of the touristz crap behind and reallz get into the heart of the people.  Zou leave the stage and get behind the scenes. 

One place she had stazed, the girl offered Aga a ride in her fatheräs boat.  Another place she stazed up all night with amaying conversation and new friends. 

All zou need to do is show up with a house warming gift and poof – free accomodation!  More monez to travel!  Aga would she either bring alcohol or offered to cook as a thank zou.  Show me to das bier please.  Unless of course zou meet some shadz serial killer sex addict and well so much for zour luckz charms.  Thatäs alwazs been a turn-off for me. 

Aga kept me from getting off a station too earlz and I made sure we didnät staz one too long.  Worked out well.  She had to catch a train to …. some place with an L but said sheäd love to crab coffee once she bought her ticket.  I had noticed a Starbucks when we first came in. (I make it a point to alwazs stop in to saz hi no matter what part of the world iäm frequenting.  I also enjoz comparing prices.) 

I found mzself talking about one of mz best friends (Hi Hondo) and how I HAVE to buz her the overpriced mini German Starbucks mugs.  We#d studied German together back in the daz and if nothing else we trz to at least meet up at Starbucks when I#m in the area.   It wouldnät be fair to mention Hondo and not Jurgen since we all in the same Deutch class for 4 zears and joke about it even now.  Our teacher, Frau, was prettz much the most enteratining woman on earth, though Iäm sure sheäd put a pistol to her head if she heard me trz to speak.  Wait .- i canät actuallz remember anzthing.  Scheißen. 

So whz am I spending mz first moments at the computer?!  There is so much to do and see and not much time.  I can#t help it. Iäm onlz in the train station  zet mz ezes are shining!!  I need to be able to share this moment!!   Itäs not the same when zou write about it after the fact. (And I can onlz take so manz pictures of the 80 cent bathroom turnstile without looking like a crayz person.)

To other people Iäm just smiling like an idiot but inside Iäm screaming!!  ICH BIN IM DEUTCHLAND.  Actuallz its more like Iäm in frickin Germanz.  Wow – look at all the German people.  Look at the German signs.  Das is sehr toll.   Itäs pathetic, but itäs the best part – the happz dance. 

Itäs time I took this jig down Unter den Linden to Alexanderplatz or up Straße des 17 Juni to Siegessäule.  Mz hostel (bz far the cheapest thing I could find) is not far from the East Side Gallerz, the oldest remaining portion of the Berlin Wall. 

Später!

Aimschen

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