I knew that Berlin would spoil me for the polski life, and I was right! Got myself a little bit turned around with the train because I was engrossed in a book...

and I looked up in time to see a sign for Szczein, so I got off the train to a rather rustic looking platform, which I discovered, as the train was pulling away, was actually one of the rural Szczein stations (Szczein Gumience) and NOT Szczein Glowny (glowny = hauptbahnhof in polski). Fortunately, the polizei who had checked my passport had also gotten off there and so I talked with them auf Deutsch and they helped me figure out that another train would be along in 40 minutes. So I hung out for a bit, kind of enjoying the sunshine and the birds. An old man tried to talk me, discovered I spoke no Polish, and spoke to me in German instead. That was nice. Gosh, I love German! Thank goodness I speak something besides English.

So I waited and took that next train to Szczein Glowny. Of course, in the interim I had missed my Abschluss (transfer) to the Gdansk train. And even the Glowny station was a tad disappointing after the megaplex Reise Zentrums of Berlin...no information buro, no maps, but, thank heaven, a schedule which I was able to read even though it was in Polish. Reading the schedule and looking at my map, I figured out that there was another train (the only other one of the day) leaving in a little over an hour. Figured out that peron = platform, tor = track. So just a little bit of culture shock there, because nothing was in any language other than Polish.

Other than a bit of a headache and having a full bladder (no obvious bathrooms at Szczein Glowny either, and I was a bit hesitant to explore), the train ride across Poland was beautiful. Really, absolutely beautiful countryside. Saw three storks (Poland's famous bird) and fields after fields of red poppies and yellow mustard. Was able to pick up how to pronounce hello and goodbye just from listening to people.

Got to Gdansk and got off at the RIGHT station, and here there was an information kiosk, a McDonalds, etc. My bladder was so full that I ran to the WC and begged the lady attendant to let me in even though I didn't have any zlotych. Gave her a euro instead, which I think was probably a good deal for her, since the euro = 5+ zloytch. Grabbed a BigMac (see, Amy, I surrender under the burden of being hungry and speaking no Polish....the golden arches always wins in the end). Then, because I was tired and it was getting late, I took a taxi to the hostel. The taxi driver spoke German also, and overcharged me, I think, based on the posted rates inside the taxi, but it was within limits (I asked him how much before I got in).

So, tucked in at the hostel okay. Lots of english-speakers and german-speakers here...nice girl from England in my room, also met a Canadian and a German couple. The English girl went to Marlbork today and had nothing but good to say about that trip...looking forward to exploring. Was looking at the map also and I think that Oma/Opa's street isn't far from my hostel. Ursula said it was near the KranTor, which is just a few streets down from me. More updates to come...but for now, gute Nacht!