well i’m on my way…

The train to Copenhagen was two hours late, while I waited, a drunk man started talking to me, and what do you know-hes from Turkey!!  I avoided talking to him and chatted with an English girl waiting for the same train, except she was going to Berlin-it split somewhere in the middle of the night.  The longer and longer we waited, I began wishing that I was Berlin-bound as well, since after I booked my ticket I learned that my friend Ryan had just arrived there, and was really digging the vibe.

I got on the train, found my cabin, only to learn that it was full already and people were sprawled out all over the seats and floor.  I found a cabin at the end of the car that only had two people in it and curled up in a ball and tried to sleep.  I awoke what I thought was hours later to see the sun rise.  I learned it was four am, and that we werent even out of Germany.  I hadnt realized Germany was that north in some places to see so many hours of sunlight…

I started chatting with people in my cabin once it was a decent hour.  We were all young, early to mid twenties I guessed, and we got on well.  The guy in the cabin had done a six month trip in South America about a year ago, and of all the questions he could have asked, he asked me if I was getting bored.  Im not sure bored is the right word, but tired sure as hell is.  I explained to him that Im just really indecisive about what I want, where I want to go.  He felt my pain, and told me how he would see things, feel numb to them at the time, but now when he looks back, he realizes that his experience was amazing, and that he did have a wonderful time, even though at some times he was exhausted.  That was very reassuring.

I arrived in Copenhagen and wandered around the train station.  I needed money so I found an ATM machine.  After I put my card in, the screen went black.  After waiting a minute, I asked the woman waiting behind me if she knew what was going on.  A trainstation employee was exiting a door right next to the ATM and the woman asked her, who started speaking to me in Danish.  I asked ‘English?’ and thankfully she spoke perfectly, ‘Two other people have lost their cards in there today…’  I explained to her that I was traveling and this was my only way of getting money.  She offered me her phone to call, but the number was on the card that was in the machine.  Miraculously, the machine started making noises and spit out my card.  I grabbed it, said ‘Tak, Thank you,’ and hurried away.  I found the WC, locked myself in a stall, and silenty cried. 

After I composed myself, I found an ATM that was working and took out some money.  I left the building and tried to find an information center.  I was booked into a 32 bed dorm room and I was not about to share a room with 31 other people in the mood I was in.  I inquired about a bus to Berlin and found it left daily-but 2 hours previously.  They told me of another company, but I had to go to the building which was at address 20 on ‘this street’, while running his hand diagonally across the two streets crossing in front of the building we were in.  I walked in a huge circle, finding address 20 of both streets, but not finding what I was looking for.  I started crying again, left my sunglasses on, and walked back to the train staion.  All I could think to myself was how tired I was…

At the train station I got online and clicked on easyjet.com.  There was a flight leaving Copenhagen in three hours for Berlin.  I booked it without hesitation and got on the train.  I looked at the people on the train, decided that most of the men were very attractive, looked at the sights, and knew Id be back.  Not sure when, but I will definately be back.  When I have more money to spend, more time, and heaps more energy.

I arrived in Berlin, found the train to the main part of town, and found a hostel near there in my guidebook.  Exhausted as I was I walked there, booked a room for a night, went online to email Ryan, showered, and went directly to bed.  I didnt sleep well that night, dreaming of seeing my friend.  I knew that a friendly face was what I needed most, after some decent sleep.

I woke up and checked my email.  Ryan had written back and he was at A&O Hostel not far from where I was staying.   I checked out and hurried for the train-wanting to get there as soon as possible.  There was a line for the ticket machine and the train was there.  This was my third time in Germany, and after all the trains Ive taken, Ive never been asked to show my ticket, so I just hopped on.  Of course, once the doors closed, a man said something in German, took an ID badge out of his hoodie, and the people on the train started taking out their tickets.  Crap.  I claimed ignorance, but that didnt work.  I was issued a 40 Euro ticket, which Im wondering if I really need to pay. 

I got to the hostel and waited for Ryan.  I wasnt about to book until I knew how long he was staying.  I surfed the net until I saw him enter the lobby, where I jumped up and gave him a huge hug, which he returned tenfold.  I thought I would cry upon seeing him, but I didnt.  After only a few hours with him walking around Berlin, I felt as if a huge weight had lifted off my shoulders.

This entry was posted on Saturday, June 6th, 2009 at 9:32 am and is filed under Europe. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.