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July 04 The Chronicles of Luke A Curtain Chapter 2FROM LONDON TO BERLIN AND THEN TO POLAND IF I GET IN
Wednesday May 24
After an emotional departure from Tullamarine airport where I was Farewelled by Mum, Dad and Nana I took my first flight of my misadventure; A Qantas Flight to Sydney. I thought It would be a good way to ease into things.
For this flight I was lucky enough to be seated next to a Russian Jew. He was a hell of a nice guy with a cracking good goatie. The gentleman in question was flying to Moscow to meet his wife-to-be.
We talked about travelling, religion, politics and so on. He told me of his love of King David and why he thought Moses would never make a good golfer.
I quizzed him on this to which he replied 'Because he spends so much time in the sand'
Funny guy!
Another emotional farewell (This time at Sydney Airport), I was now ready for 25 hours of uninterrupted Glen A Baker. (His choice of tunes soothes even the savage beast).
As it turned out Glen A didn't get a look in as I ended up sitting next to 3 awesome people. Ben 25 from NZ, Andy 26 from Sydney, and Theresa from Norway who just happened to be celebrating her 27th birthday.
Opportunities to celebrate someone's birthday on an international flight don't come around that often, so the four of us spent the trip getting drunk, playing cards and making the most of British Airways' hospitality. We did break the drinking up briefly with a compulsory viewing of Joaquin Phoenix in 'Walk the Line'. That Resse Witherspoon is so delightful.
Thursday May 25
Arriving at Heathrow Airport at approximately 7.00am, sporting jet lag and a hangover I set off to my accomodation for the Next couple of Nights. Veronica and Max a lovely couple (friends of my mum) were putting me up until I set off for Berlin. I initially had some difficulties getting through customs as I had no fixed address in London, but because I had my Passport stamped with 'Australian Charm' the authorities had no option but to let me through.
After freshening up, Veronica took me on a tour of Old London Town. I checked out Piccadilly Circus, Eros, Trafalgar Square, The London Eye, and my personal favourite, 'Big Ben'. He certainly is one huge unit.
Mid afternoon I was shattered and went home for a 'Steve' Kip and was later served up a traditional English dinner of Bangers and Mash with a can of Foster's.
The next day I was to have two interviews
Friday May 26
I head off for the city at about 10am sporting 5 day growth and carrying 5.6 litres of Jet Lag.
On my way to the train station two guys in a Ford Focus pull up beside me, wind down their window, and offer me the latest in Hewlett Packard, Laptop technology. Although they insist that their prices are crazy, I opt not to make the purchase and continue on my way.
The interviews go well, although I am absolutely shattered for the second one, and the interviewer comments on my Craig David designer growth.
I have dinner plans with Veronica & Max et al, but first I decide to catch up with Michelle (Friend from Geelong) and some of her work colleagues in a Bar at Fulham.
It was a great little place and the barman was nice enough to Explain that a 'Chelsea Smile' wasn't a South London Cocktail as I had first thought, but rather a form of cosmetic surgery. Go figure!
The night goes on, we drink more pints, get served free cocktails, and a patron of the pub offers me cocaine on 6 separate occassions. It's a friendly gesture but I decline as I am more than happy with the Tappas on offer.
The night gets away from me and I don't quite make it back to Veronica and Max's
Saturday May 27
I wake up Hungover and tired, and have to make a round trip back to Veronica and Max's via all the places I left things behind the night before.
By the time I get back I have enough time to freshen up change clothes before making my way to Luton Airport for my flight to Berlin.
I arrive in the German capital at about 11.00pm. From there I have to take two connecting trains to my Accomodation (where my Travel companion Athony, AKA Meza is waiting).
I was lucky enough to be staying in East Berlin which meant the train stations I was getting on and off at hadn't had any maintenance work done on them since WW2, and being late on a Saturday night I got to meet an element of Berlin that I hadn't read about in my travel guide.
Well I arrived at the Hostel safely, caught up with Meza and we talked about old times. I unpacked my gear and then realised that some of my things were missing. Not to worry I thought, I will give my travel insurance a run.
Sunday May 28
I wake up ready to sink my teeth into some German Culture.
But first things first, I go down stairs to make the most of the free breakfast on offer. This excites me no-end as I have never stayed at a Hostel before. And Generator Hostel doesn't dissapoint. I grab cereal, orange juice, some ham and cheese rolls and at the end of the servery there are a basket of eggs. I think 'You Beauty!' I can cook my self some sunny side up action. I walk around with my tray for about 5 minutes looking for somewhere to cook my eggs, but there was nothing doing. So I decide to sit down and eat the rest of my breakfast and hopefully get some clues from the other patrons on where I can fry up my feast.
I polish off the rest of my food and still have no leads on where to self-cook. I have no other option but to throw my eggs out, feeling a little unfulfilled.
I head back up stairs to our room where Meza quizzes me about the breakfast. I tell him that it was great but I couldn't find anywhere to cook my eggs. He then explains to me that the reason for that is that are 'Hard-Boiled Eggs'.
It turned out to be a great day though. Meza and I go on a guided tour of Berlin. We see Check-Point Charlie, The Berlin Wall, Hitler's Bunker, The Reichstag, The Brandenburg Gate and even the window of the hotel that Michael Jackson dangled his baby from. Meza and I meet a couple of cool people. Jamie from Vancouver and Davo from Sydney
All in all a pretty decent city
Monday May 29
Today Meza and I venture out to the Streets of Berlin unguided.
Highlights include; Seeing Locals rip tourists off with their illegal games; Taking in the views of the city from a giant soccer ball; and paying money to go to the toilet. All of a sudden pissing up against a tree in the park didn't seem that dodgy
I am also told I need to get a police report if I want to make a claim on my Travel Insurance.
So I make an unsuccessful attempt with the local authorities to get such a report and the reason for being rejected is that I can't prove that my belongings were stolen. Fair enough.
Later that night Meza and I catch up with Davo and Jamie. We head out to a German Kareoke Bar.
Two things become clear to me on this evening. 1 Germans can't sing, but 2. they can drink from the age of 12.
I thought it was about time to throw my hat into the ring with the Kareoke, so I got up and sang 'Proud Mary' made popular by Creedence Clear Water Revival. I belted out each lyric with unrivaled talent, the crowd was singing back up vocals and I was cutting dance moves that the original 'sex machine', James Brown himself would be proud of.
Needless to say I took out first prize, scored a perfect 100 points, and was rewarded with free beer for the night and the admiration of all.
It was awesome, guys wanted to be me and girls wanted to be with me.
Tuesday May 30 Anthony and I spend the morning with Madeline our room mate before heading to the train station to catch the 12.42pm train to Warsaw (Approximately a 6 hour trip). Obviously it wasn't the right technique to convince this Train driver though. He gave me a look of digust, a look worthy of someone who had jus slept with his grandmother. My head dropped into my hands as I couldn't believe what had just happened. Meza had all my gear, my train ticket, everything except my wallet and the clothes on my back. I look up to take one final glance at the train as it pulled out of the station, and I see Meza on board, shaking his head in disgust and pointing to the watch on his wrist. I was stuck in Berlin..........
Meza took the liberty of making my journal entry for that day; he wrote Dear diary, it is official, I am a dickhead! I left Meza who needed to go to the bathroom of the train station and went for a piss. I took 45 minutes and the train didn't wait! What's going on? Meza had to carry all my stuff to another country while I figured out how to get there. Cracker of a trip so far!
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