And so the Journey Begins- Day 1-2: 01/09/06-02/09/06
Guess wad? I have had the longest time of travel in my life! It took me a total of slightly more than 24 hours to get from Trondheim to Berlin. I almost didn't make it to the airport too becoz I assumed that Oslo Gardermoen Airport (International Airport) is the same as Oslo Torp Sandejord (Budget Airlines, mainly Ryanair) until I asked my flatmate, Aasmund 1 hour before I left for the Trondheim Train Station.
Boarded the 11.05pm train from Trondheim Central Station to Oslo Central Station. The whole journey took about 7 hours and I arrived around 7am. Then I had quite a cheap (in Norweigian terms) breakfast from 33 Kroners (About 8 Sing Dollars) that consoisted of coffee and a waffle. Then I sat around and waited for 9.15am for the bus (140 Kroners) from the Bus Terminal to the Airport which took around 1hr 45mins. If I remember correctly, I arrived around 11am, had quite an expensive lunch (120 NOK) and waited for the flight to Berlin Airport at around 1.30pm. Suprisingly, the flight arrived ahead of time and I arrived at 3.10pm instead of 3.20pm. Nevertheless, I waited till around 3.45pm or so for my luggage before I headed out to take another bus (went to the wrong bus stop somemore) to Frankfurt Central Station (The bus took another 1hr45mins I think). Reached Frankfurt Central Station at around 6pm and I actually used my "Eurail Norway Pass" to get a reservation ticket for the Intercity Express Train bound for Berlin Hauptbanhof (meaning Central Station) at 6.15pm.
Guess wad again? The officer at the counter actually din realise my mistake and issued me the reservation ticket. I reached the platform for boarding the train at 6.15pm, I saw the train and I din actually realise that that's the train bound for Berlin. I saw no one boarding the train lor. LOL! The train left and I waited till the next train arrived before I found out that I was supposed to board that train. Urrgh.... I headed back to the counter to get my reservatiuon changed for the next train at 7pm. Heng I kena the same officer and he issued me a new reservation ticket. I was quite puzzled by the cheesy piece of paper that was supposed to be the train ticket and I called to ask Melvin about it and he confirmed that it was a cheesy piece of paper.
But anyway, it wasn't such a bad thing that I missed the train coz I had cheap and good dinner- Duck noodles for 6 EUR. Wah.... I never had duck in Norway lor. Den by a chance of luck, a helpful Chinese lady saw me looking for the correct carriage area at the platform and told me that it's free seating in 2nd class and asked if I dun mind seating next to her and chatting through the journey. Of course I din mind.... Halfway through the chatting the train conductor came and asked for my ticket. I showed him the reservation ticket and he shouted aggresively that that's not the ticket. OMG OMG OMG.... I tried my luck again and showed him my Eurail Norway Pass with help from the Chinese.... Whew... Lucky once again. He din notice that it's for Norway and let me pass.... wah.... I can't imagine if I'm fined for that lor. The train ticket cost like 98 EUR already.
Approaching Berlin, I called Melvin and he told me that they've juz arrived and found a youth hostel. He asked me to stop at the Berlin Zoo station (which was far from the Hauptbanhof station. The Chinese lady offered to drive me to the Zoo Station. So nice of her.... And so I arrived at the Zoo Station at 0020hrs. Melvin and Shengwei came to receive me and brought me to the Hostel whereby we were to spend 2 nights. It was a shared room with 3 other ppl- one American guy, Tom; one Irish gal, Anita, and a Chinese Man, Mr Chen. Din really feel comfortable spending 2 nights with strangers. Urrgh... But never mind, so long I lock up my stuff properly.
To my horror, the bed which I'm sleeping in had very dirty and smelly covers. URRGH!!! I had to lay my sleeping bag on top of it. And the moment I pressed my hand on the bed, I touched something sticky and slimy. Awwwwwwwwwwwww......... Ewwwwww........... Sianz. Decided to go to bed at 1am after settling a couple of emails. Thus concludes the end of my long and solitary journey towards Berlin.
Boarded the 11.05pm train from Trondheim Central Station to Oslo Central Station. The whole journey took about 7 hours and I arrived around 7am. Then I had quite a cheap (in Norweigian terms) breakfast from 33 Kroners (About 8 Sing Dollars) that consoisted of coffee and a waffle. Then I sat around and waited for 9.15am for the bus (140 Kroners) from the Bus Terminal to the Airport which took around 1hr 45mins. If I remember correctly, I arrived around 11am, had quite an expensive lunch (120 NOK) and waited for the flight to Berlin Airport at around 1.30pm. Suprisingly, the flight arrived ahead of time and I arrived at 3.10pm instead of 3.20pm. Nevertheless, I waited till around 3.45pm or so for my luggage before I headed out to take another bus (went to the wrong bus stop somemore) to Frankfurt Central Station (The bus took another 1hr45mins I think). Reached Frankfurt Central Station at around 6pm and I actually used my "Eurail Norway Pass" to get a reservation ticket for the Intercity Express Train bound for Berlin Hauptbanhof (meaning Central Station) at 6.15pm.
Guess wad again? The officer at the counter actually din realise my mistake and issued me the reservation ticket. I reached the platform for boarding the train at 6.15pm, I saw the train and I din actually realise that that's the train bound for Berlin. I saw no one boarding the train lor. LOL! The train left and I waited till the next train arrived before I found out that I was supposed to board that train. Urrgh.... I headed back to the counter to get my reservatiuon changed for the next train at 7pm. Heng I kena the same officer and he issued me a new reservation ticket. I was quite puzzled by the cheesy piece of paper that was supposed to be the train ticket and I called to ask Melvin about it and he confirmed that it was a cheesy piece of paper.
But anyway, it wasn't such a bad thing that I missed the train coz I had cheap and good dinner- Duck noodles for 6 EUR. Wah.... I never had duck in Norway lor. Den by a chance of luck, a helpful Chinese lady saw me looking for the correct carriage area at the platform and told me that it's free seating in 2nd class and asked if I dun mind seating next to her and chatting through the journey. Of course I din mind.... Halfway through the chatting the train conductor came and asked for my ticket. I showed him the reservation ticket and he shouted aggresively that that's not the ticket. OMG OMG OMG.... I tried my luck again and showed him my Eurail Norway Pass with help from the Chinese.... Whew... Lucky once again. He din notice that it's for Norway and let me pass.... wah.... I can't imagine if I'm fined for that lor. The train ticket cost like 98 EUR already.
Approaching Berlin, I called Melvin and he told me that they've juz arrived and found a youth hostel. He asked me to stop at the Berlin Zoo station (which was far from the Hauptbanhof station. The Chinese lady offered to drive me to the Zoo Station. So nice of her.... And so I arrived at the Zoo Station at 0020hrs. Melvin and Shengwei came to receive me and brought me to the Hostel whereby we were to spend 2 nights. It was a shared room with 3 other ppl- one American guy, Tom; one Irish gal, Anita, and a Chinese Man, Mr Chen. Din really feel comfortable spending 2 nights with strangers. Urrgh... But never mind, so long I lock up my stuff properly.
To my horror, the bed which I'm sleeping in had very dirty and smelly covers. URRGH!!! I had to lay my sleeping bag on top of it. And the moment I pressed my hand on the bed, I touched something sticky and slimy. Awwwwwwwwwwwww......... Ewwwwww........... Sianz. Decided to go to bed at 1am after settling a couple of emails. Thus concludes the end of my long and solitary journey towards Berlin.
posted by Iceman JQ at
8:12 PM
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