November 11
It began with a night bus trip from Paris to Cologne, Germany at 23h30 on November 10, and arrived the next morning at 5h30. It was crazy because it was too early and the sky was still dark. I wandered in the stores in the stations and then went out to visit the Kölner Dom, the biggest and well-known Gothic-style cathedral in Germany. Then I walked along the Rhine river, wandering along the street, took the U-Bahn train, which had no barrier so anyone could get on the metro without paying anything. I later found out that one would get fined 40€ if the inspector happen to be there.
Exhausted and fed up with the cold, I took a rest in the Starbucks in the Köln hauptbahnof (Cologne central station) for the hour and at the same time recharge my cellphone. Everyone was wearing costume and prepare for the carneval. My friend on Couchsurfing was waitnng at the Alter Wastal. Tanya put some rouge on my face to make me look more carnivalish. It was five of us at the beginning. We stayed the whole morning at the Würst stand. The smoke and the smell was so tantalizing that I bought one after all even a Currywurst would cost me like 3.5€. However, it was not what I imagined. It was only German sausage with ketchup and curry powder.
Later on Talia felt very tired and fed up with the coldness, we went to Tabea's dormitory at Postestrasse. It was a cozy flat with shared kitchen and toilets outside. I got to talk to a German girl who speaks really fluent French. It was really nice when I got the chance to talk in French in another country.
Later on Talia felt very tired and fed up with the coldness, we went to Tabea's dormitory at Postestrasse. It was a cozy flat with shared kitchen and toilets outside. I got to talk to a German girl who speaks really fluent French. It was really nice when I got the chance to talk in French in another country.
At night I took a bus to Nelly's Fleckhaus. Because her tenant was away for the Carneval, so there was a whole flat available for me. Ralph has made some pancake and Cornellia made some soup I had a delicious dinner with them and talked a lot. Even though it was raining, the wind blowing, I was staying in the cosy room of their house.
November 12
November 12
The next morning I made a fried rice in Nelly's kitchen and we had a long and nice conversation together. She told me about her hosting experience, her tenants and her students. She is running tutoring German language program along with hosting.
Ralph dropped me at the road to do the hitchhiking. I waited for forty minutes in the wind and cold until the first one stopped to take me. I was really lucky because he was really friendly and dropped me . The next stop was in the gas station. I asked several people in the parking lot, even though. It was really interesting that I met another couple who did the hitchhiking. I was lucky that I found the second ride within ten minutes. The third stop I waited longer because it rained and many people just declined when I made the request. I met the Dutch hitchhikers again and they told me that they are actually doing hitchhiking to Prague to win a prize. Luckily a truck driver permitted to give me a ride. This is my first time ever to ride on a truck.
Vischuk was my host in Berlin. He has spent nine year in Portugal and started to work as an apprentice in a computer store after high school. He is a friendly and easy going German guy, similar age as I do. He plays some music as well. He has a good voice and talent to write the lyrics and music. You can be friend with him easily, he is willing to share and to express and sharing his life. His friend Raffie showed me about his projects and the videos on Youtube and fervently explained the techniques of the music.
The next day Vischuk was sick and stayed at his house for the whole day. It was raining outside. I went to the center alone and took the pictures. It was a pity that he can join my trip, or it would be more interesting to have a local friend to show me around the places. It was so cold so that I did not feel really good when walking on the street.
November 14
Finnally I made a covoiturage trip from Berlin to Paris, an exhausting 12-hour car ride. It was the cheapest and safest way I could find since either a single trip by train or plane will cost more than 100€. The driver was late for nearly one hour in the first place. Then he is not really polite. He put the music loud and we hardly talked.
Ralph dropped me at the road to do the hitchhiking. I waited for forty minutes in the wind and cold until the first one stopped to take me. I was really lucky because he was really friendly and dropped me . The next stop was in the gas station. I asked several people in the parking lot, even though. It was really interesting that I met another couple who did the hitchhiking. I was lucky that I found the second ride within ten minutes. The third stop I waited longer because it rained and many people just declined when I made the request. I met the Dutch hitchhikers again and they told me that they are actually doing hitchhiking to Prague to win a prize. Luckily a truck driver permitted to give me a ride. This is my first time ever to ride on a truck.
Vischuk was my host in Berlin. He has spent nine year in Portugal and started to work as an apprentice in a computer store after high school. He is a friendly and easy going German guy, similar age as I do. He plays some music as well. He has a good voice and talent to write the lyrics and music. You can be friend with him easily, he is willing to share and to express and sharing his life. His friend Raffie showed me about his projects and the videos on Youtube and fervently explained the techniques of the music.
The next day Vischuk was sick and stayed at his house for the whole day. It was raining outside. I went to the center alone and took the pictures. It was a pity that he can join my trip, or it would be more interesting to have a local friend to show me around the places. It was so cold so that I did not feel really good when walking on the street.
November 14
Finnally I made a covoiturage trip from Berlin to Paris, an exhausting 12-hour car ride. It was the cheapest and safest way I could find since either a single trip by train or plane will cost more than 100€. The driver was late for nearly one hour in the first place. Then he is not really polite. He put the music loud and we hardly talked.
