European Getaway - Day 16 - Prague to Berlin

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Day 16 - Prague to Berlin

I wake up this morning and have the customary bag pack. I seem to have lost my access card, which is annoying and I end up throwing all my stuff everywhere in an effort to find it, I eventually do. I head for breakfast and go for the basic option, toast as opposed to paying a bit for sausage and eggs.

We jump on the coach and I’m pretty excited as we are heading to Berlin, the place I’ve been looking forward to most on this trip. Nothing much to note about the coach journey today, I think we may have watched the Vegas film again, but I opted for my IPod, I think I may have had a debate about the most cockney song ever, and sang bits of Kate Nash with Annaliese and Mel, and the Streets to my friends at the back of the bus.

Our day stop today is in the town of Dresden. On the way in Jess gives us the usual description of the history of the town. Dresden is a town which was bombed heavily during the second world war, and apparently unnecessarily as it was bombed by the British just to show the Russians how tough Britain was. Jess continues her story and I can’t help but feel that she is being quite biased against Britain in this story and that we were the bad guys. I feel a bit offended being the only Brit on the coach, I know there is no defence for bombing innocent people, but it was a war, the Germans bombed Britain so I don’t think we can be seen as the bad guys when we bombed Germany, especially given our trip to Mauthausen the other day.....Rant over.

We are given a pre-prepared packed lunch, which contains two ham rolls, which both contain mayo, which I don’t like, but only notice after I’ve eaten one of them. We have a look around the pretty town which has a monument to all those killed by the evil British and a lovely view from the bridge over the river. It is a pleasant stop. We also spot an Australian restaurant called Ayres Rock, clearly I take a photo of the nearest Australian, who happens to be Trent. They even serve Fosters, although this is a common misconception as Australians don’t drink Fosters, in fact rumours are that any Fosters in Australia is usually imported from the UK. Another myth about Australians is that they don’t actually say, ‘Throw another shrimp on the barbie’, as they would refer to them as prawns.

Anyhow before we depart I found out there’s a rumour around the bus that I fancy someone on the trip, however it isn’t the person I actually fancy....I dunno how this rumour started but I am usually on top of all coach gossip, as and when it occurs, I feel a bit behind when the gossip is about me. This leaves me intrigued for the rest of the coach journey.

We arrive in Berlin in the late afternoon, and are given a driving tour before we arrive at our hostel. We stop first at the East Side Gallery, which is a permanent artwork of painted sections of the Berlin wall. Some of the pictures are famous, such as the kissing men, others are quite political based and others quite arty. We then head around the city and see the huge TV tower, Unter den Linden, Checkpoint Charlie, the holocaust memorial, the Topography of Terror and then we head towards the most iconic structure in Berlin, the Brandenburg Gate, however the road is closed, apparently today is the anniversary of German reunification and there is a party near the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag, this is annoying as Phil then gets slightly lost and then we head up a street with a bridge we cannot pass under and we have to pull a 3 point turn in a narrow street, which Phil does superbly.

We eventually end up at out hostel and it is busy as there are other topdeck groups also there. I am rooming with Vince, Chin and Simon. The room seems fairly nice.

We head up to the bar, which is on the top floor and has a roof terrace, the views over Berlin are amazing. We get there for opening and it is happy hour, a jug of beer (3 pints) costs €5, this is great, we get one to share between the 3 of us (as Chin doesn’t drink) and we have a good old chat, we meet an American dude, who’s enjoying a bit of weed. We have another jug and then head down for dinner. At the bar they charge us a deposit of €1 for a pint glass, which we get back when we return the glass, however they have a competition where you can throw 50cent coins into a bucket high up on the bar and if you get it in, you win a shot of vodka. If not they keep your coin, Vince throws his deposit and gets it in, therefore earning a shot, well done Vince.

Dinner is pea soup followed by the old classic of stew meat, potatoes and red cabbage. I avoid the cabbage but the meat is quite tasty. We finish dinner at approx 7:55. I know the next jug of beer is my round and that happy hour ends at 8, therefore I sprint for the lift and get to the bar just before 8. I buy my jug and Vince buys another 2, I can see me getting a bit drunk tonight.

Most of our group arrive in the bar and everyone is having fun, they have a colouring in competition where you can colour in and make a German car, and win a prize, a few of our people have a go. Lauren (with Simon) puts the catch phrase ‘I Fookin Love it’ on hers, Phil puts Irish shamrock on his and I have a brief go with a St Georges cross, but cannot be bothered to cut it out. The winner is Ryan who covers his with the word flange...lol.

Over the night I become increasingly drunk and although I remember everything, I did some really stupid things. Firstly I offer to take a photo of Kristeen, Sam, Kayene and Jodie, however have the camera the wrong way around and ask where the screen is. It’s a good job I didn’t take a photo or else the flash would have startled me. After the revelation earlier today about me fancying someone, who isn’t the person I actually fancy I also tell like half the people on the trip who I do actually fancy, I dunno if the drink made me tell everyone but now it’s out in the open, apart from I haven’t told the lady herself. I have a deep and meaningful chat with Lance and Yvette, a couple from NZ who I have grown fond of over the trip. They both try to give me encouragement to tell she who must not be named that I like her but I get all embarrassed and chicken out. I must admit I am absolutely useless with women, I’m 24 but have the romance skills of a 14 year old.

I must admit thought, despite being slightly drunk, I really enjoyed tonight, I let my hair down, was a bit crazy and really enjoyed spending time with the people I have grown to love over the past few weeks.

After the night we head to the kebab shop around the corner. I have a quite tasty chicken kebab with all the salad. A lot of people opt for the falafel, which apparently is really tasty. Afterward we head back to the hostel.

That night I threw up 3 times, the first brought back the familiar sight of the kebab I had eaten just a few hours earlier. I must note that I don’t drink at all back home, and have only drank in consideration for the beginning of this trip.

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