Frankfurt - 22-Jul-2006
Absolutely amazing weather. That sums up Germany. Or perhaps it's just that we've had such bad weather in Hobart recently?
Anyway, as predicted I had no sleep at all the night before I left. That meant that I did get plenty of sleep on the three legs to Germany.
Air China? Pretty ordinary. I was tempted by the food but I was mostly disappointed. And well, a plane full of Chinese can be a bit trying. They can tend to talk pretty loudly and the bloke next to me seemed to be using something in the seat-pocket as a spitoon. I tried not to look too closely though.
It turned out Shanghai to Peking was a domestic flight and I did't have a visa. But it seems they expect that now and again and give you a free one on the spot - but it does take them about 15 minutes.
Immigration out at Peking took ages. If it's like that during the Olympics they'll be queueing up right back to the Great Wall.
Plane to Germany had a bit of a cattle wagon feel to it. Seats were five abreast in the middle. I'd hate to be sitting in the middle of one of them.
Deathly silence on the train to Berlin. Children are quickly shooshed if they get even a bit worked up. Beautiful light falling on the countryside. It's just struck me that it was six a.m. when I arrived - and probably daylight saving time. Could mean that it could get pretty hot later on in the day.
The concept of just hopping on to one of these trains and heading off to some strange destination basically anywhere in Europe is dizzying. And yet Germans come to Australia and think it's great - well they also watch Eurovision...
Berlin
Bloody oath, they're confident of their trains. At Berlin Ostbahnhof I made my connection by 2 minutes and about the same in Berlin-Lichtenberg. You wouldn't want to dawdle.
Train to Poznan is the Warsaw Express but so far it hasn't gone very fast. Very long carriage on a very hot day and packed with people. The person sitting next to me doesn't seem to speak Esperanto.
Anyway, as predicted I had no sleep at all the night before I left. That meant that I did get plenty of sleep on the three legs to Germany.
Air China? Pretty ordinary. I was tempted by the food but I was mostly disappointed. And well, a plane full of Chinese can be a bit trying. They can tend to talk pretty loudly and the bloke next to me seemed to be using something in the seat-pocket as a spitoon. I tried not to look too closely though.
It turned out Shanghai to Peking was a domestic flight and I did't have a visa. But it seems they expect that now and again and give you a free one on the spot - but it does take them about 15 minutes.
Immigration out at Peking took ages. If it's like that during the Olympics they'll be queueing up right back to the Great Wall.
Plane to Germany had a bit of a cattle wagon feel to it. Seats were five abreast in the middle. I'd hate to be sitting in the middle of one of them.
Deathly silence on the train to Berlin. Children are quickly shooshed if they get even a bit worked up. Beautiful light falling on the countryside. It's just struck me that it was six a.m. when I arrived - and probably daylight saving time. Could mean that it could get pretty hot later on in the day.
The concept of just hopping on to one of these trains and heading off to some strange destination basically anywhere in Europe is dizzying. And yet Germans come to Australia and think it's great - well they also watch Eurovision...
Berlin
Bloody oath, they're confident of their trains. At Berlin Ostbahnhof I made my connection by 2 minutes and about the same in Berlin-Lichtenberg. You wouldn't want to dawdle.
Train to Poznan is the Warsaw Express but so far it hasn't gone very fast. Very long carriage on a very hot day and packed with people. The person sitting next to me doesn't seem to speak Esperanto.
posted by Budz at 9:19 AM
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