Berlin : Round Two

To get from Munich to Berlin, I tried out something that is pretty huge in Germany. It is known as ‘rideshare’ and it is basically organized hitchhiking. There is a website where people advertise that they are driving from Munich to Berlin (for example) of a certain date and at a certain time, and they have spare seats available for (eg) 30 euro. You contact the driver and let him know you wish to get a lift and meet him and the arranged time and off you go. Considering the train from Munich to Berlin was 70 euro, this is a pretty sweet deal.

So I was driven to Berlin by a middle aged man named Jochen. He had lived in Berlin since 1972 and vividly remembered the Berlin wall coming down and going out and being part of the celebrations at that time. He drove at an average speed of about 170kmh, and it seemed that the lines that separated lanes on the Autobahn were merely for decoration, as were his indicators. However, we got to Berlin in about 5 hours, which for 600km is a pretty good effort.

Jochen dropped me off in the west of the city and I needed to get to the east. I jumped on the subway, and just got a short trip ticket, being as during the five days I was in Berlin previously, I had never been asked to produce a valid ticket. Not once. As is Murphy’s Law, about 5 stations along, a ticket inspector comes along, sees my ticket and asks me to get off the train. He then explains that a short trip ticket is for a maximum of 3 stops and he is going to fine me 40 euro. I was then forces to use my superior brain, stunning him with logic and argument, and while he put up a bit of a fight, he ended up letting me go with just buying another, and this time correct, ticket. Taylor 1 – Berlin 0.

It was then a long irritating train journey to Ostkreuz and then a fair walk with a suitcase that is quickly falling apart, til I got to Paula’s house. Her kooky flatmates let me in to her place, which reminds me a lot of the Broome street house I used to live in. Full of artsy people, messy, but with plenty of soul. Even though it could do with some form of floor covering and a coat of paint, it seems to be quite the bohemian place to live.