The sun was shining and calling us to get out and make the best of the day. Because of the 9C temperature expected today, I chose to wear 40 denier stockings under black jeans, my short sleeve green tunic with a singlet top underneath and my new green coat with the hood removed ( although I should have kept it on because at times we experienced a cold wind while we were walking). Sneakers were the best choice due to all the walking we eventually did. So to begin in Berlin, we walked to a small cafe where I tried some Gozleme.

Then we rode a train from Treptower Park to Ostkreuz where we boarded another train to Frankfurt am Oder, a town on the border of Poland. (this is another town called Frankfurt but it is on the Oder river, whereas the large city of Frankfurt is on the Main river further south west). Scott knew how to get the tickets using the machine on the platform as I would struggle to follow the prompts.

The train was very clean and new. It was well designed with lovely staircases that were easy to manage on the double decker carriages. I love how they announce the next station and whether you will alight from right or left of the carriage. The countryside was very rural with lots of woodlands and fields with windmills. The trip took an hour.

Once in Frankfurt am Oder the architecture was somewhat austere and I noticed a lot of Fast food outlets like Burger King, Subway and of course McDonalds! Scott knew the way to some authentic Polish cuisine across the border in Slubice in an area called Polenmarkt.

My watch kept losing a small pin that attached the band to the watch. Scott speaks German well so we went into a jewellers in Frankfurt am Oder and she agreed to repair it and we would collect it on our way back to catch the train.

You can walk (or drive) across this bridge and then you are leaving Germany and entering Poland. This is the first time I have walked between countries. There were many cars queued up in both directions, some being stopped and searched by people with Hi Vis vests that said ‘Zoll’ on them. They were choosing random cars that were crossing the border from Poland to Germany and thoroughly checking out all areas in the car and boot. Once across the bridge we headed to the right along a raised footpath. It looked like it was designed to deal with the flood plain if the river ever flooded.

I think a lot of German people come over the border because products in Poland can be cheaper. We walked along the riverbank for over 2 kilometres from the bridge to the area called Polenmarkt. This was a collection of buildings that sold trinkets, knock off designer clothes, small goods and Fireworks among some of the offerings.

The restaurant looked like the inside of a timber cabin and was fully decked out with timber furniture. When the Polish waitress approached us, Scott enquired about her choice of language – English or German … she preferred German. The menu was also in Polish and German. We ordered a Zurek soup each which were served in a cob rye bread loaf and packed full of Polish sausages and half a boiled egg. The soup can be described as a fermented rye sour soup. It was the best!!!!!!

After the soup we ordered Bigos (cabbage fried with polish meats) which also came in a bread cob and the Ruski Pierogi – cheese and potato filled dumplings. The pierogi were ok but we agreed that our homemade ones are better. There were many patrons here for a meal. We enjoyed a Zywiec beer each with our meal.

We then walked through the markets to check out the wares, there was a liquor stall that stocked Zybrowka white vodka in a glass jug of around 2 litres …. Pity that it was too heavy to carry back to Germany .

We then tracked back to Germany, the border checking was still being conducted with cars but at no time were we asked for our identification while we were walking. There were a lot of people walking back from Germany to Poland and I sensed that maybe a shift had finished somewhere and these were workers returning home. We collected my watch which cost 10€ ($17AUD) for the repair.

Once back at the Hauptbahnhof we just missed one train and had to wait another 40 minutes for the next. We grabbed a coffee in a nice little coffee shop and then went up the platform to await the train. It was much cooler up here!

There was a train at the platform that all of a sudden was terminated at the station so people had to alight. There was an announcement that the train we were waiting for was delayed because of a ‘police incident’. So a train finally arrived at the opposite platform and there was no information about it but we all just got on and anticipated that this would become the train to Berlin. It did! So this took about an hour travelling west to get to Ostkreuz station, Berlin and then one stop to Treptower Park station. It was now dark and we still had the 1 kilometre walk to Scott’s apartment. For dinner we finished the left overs from lunch. Just as good as before.

We could hear, and sometimes see fireworks being let off in random places. Even at 3 am in the morning there were still people letting them off.

So this was the end of a long day of much walking with many new experiences.

◦ Guten Nacht.

Today is the day that I see my baby since January 2020, just before COVID changed the way we lived.

I started the day with breakfast at the Flemings Hotel by ordering bacon and scrambled eggs. I grabbed a small seeded roll and asked for a milk coffee. The bacon was super crispy … perfection!

I then spent my time packing and preparing for the next leg of my journey.

Windows in Europe are designed to keep the heat in by using double glass panes. They are also designed to open fully or with the top ajar. I made a video to demonstrate how to use the windows…. Something that took me a while to master.

The ICE800 train from Munich had a platform change which I managed to navigate by following the crowd. After travelling light for my adventures for the last 2 days, this time I had to take my luggage with me.

I found wagon 6 and by the time I found seat 24, someone was sitting in 23 already, so I kept moving on until I could get to the restaurant/catering carriage. I got the last free table. Woohoo!! I was also able to store my luggage near me which was peace of mind. This was a good decision to get a seat in the catering car because when I went to use the amenities later I had to walk past a queue of people who were waiting to order food and drinks. By having a seat in the restaurant, the staff come to you.

The restaurant wasn’t open at first so I regretted not bringing a water bottle with me. Staff for the restaurant finally alighted at Nuremberg much to my relief! Also the carraige got very crowded and I had a man sit opposite me on the spare seat. The other seats were all taken. A staff member made the rounds and took orders. I chose the Currywurst and a Riesling.

The countryside was very green. No sign of snow, only sunshine.

The weather was still quite warm with a high of 12C expected. I noticed that many farms had solar panels as well as the occasional windmill.

The train finally arrived in Berlin Hauptbahnhof and there was my baby!

We then took the S Bahn, local train to Treptower Park station.

Scott lives in Bouchestrasse near a canal. He welcomed me with a bottle of Piper-Heidsieck which was very nice and appreciated. After settling in we walked to the restaurant for dinner while being surrounded by people lighting fireworks in random places. The restaurant was called the Breuster bar and the oysters were salty and fresh. Our mains were very modern cuisine.

It was lovely to walk around this part of Berlin after so many hours on the train. The best part was that I got to spend time with my baby boy 🥰

Guten Nacht

Why Augsburg? Mum has a lovely photo of her first holy communion taken on the steps of a building in Augsburg. When I noticed how close the town was to Munich, I put it on my list of places to explore. It is also close to Dachau but I won’t be visiting there today.

I use the Trainline app to book the train tickets around Germany. It is easy to use and I only booked my tickets for today at 1am. I chose to travel on the ICE (regional train) in first class so I can have a window seat guaranteed.

For some reason my iPhone drains its battery quicker when I am overseas, even in airplane mode (which is highly recommended to save excessive drainage) I bought myself a Zip Zap portable charger which is designed and distributed by an Australian University student.

I noticed yesterday that my iPhone was low after I finished my blog on the train. So I got an extra 3 hours power by using the Zip Zap before I started to get worried about the low life again because my return ticket was on there. I guess that’s a good reason to print a paper copy as a backup if you can. I walked past a store in Salzburg that seemed to have mobile accessories. It was called LiBRO. The female assistant spoke very good English and she said that they had 1 powerbank left but it was quite bulky. Because of my anxiety to ensure that I could access my ticket I decided that the 37.99€ Euro price was worth it. But I also had to buy a charging cable for the iPhone to connect to the new powerbank. (which I did not carry with me but now realise that when you are travelling always have one handy because there are many places where you might be able to plug into). The assistant found me a charging cable for 14.99€ which I was happy to purchase and the total cost came to 53€ or about $84AUD. Worth it for peace of mind! Back on the train, I realised that the powerbank had solar cells for recharging too …. Cool!

Luggage and packing tips – always check the dimensions of the carry on for each airline. I bought a really cool gym bag from David Jones Miranda Westfield that I intended to use to travel to Iceland with my son next week. I dropped into mum’s and proudly showed her my new purchase … only to have her question me about whether the dimensions were acceptable for a carry on. (Go figure …. She hasn’t travelled since the 90,s … bless her sharp cognitive function!) A few measurements later I realised that it was too big for Icelandic Air carry on. So back to Westfields to find the correct bag which I finally found at Myer. I also started packing my main bag a few days before departure. Each day I would then rationalise my outfits and cull! I ended up with 17 kilo in my main bag. Important because I will have to lug the bag around myself on trains and planes! I don’t pack for just in case anymore but I pack what I know that I’ll wear and if I need anything else, I’ll buy it!

For information about travelling independently the Rome2Rio website is very informative and highly recommended. I have found that I am often directed to the site in Google to answer questions I may have when planning my trips.

This morning I remembered that breakfast was included in the price of my room so I decided to check it out. The range of foods on offer in the buffet were extensive. Eggs done any way with ham or bacon was also on offer. I ordered the scrambled eggs with ham and added a croissant. I had a little taste of the cured fish and blue cheese…. It was enough. The young waiter told me that he could not go to Australia because of all the spiders and snakes. 😆🙄

Europeans are amazing, there was a family at breakfast who were speaking in a language that I did not recognise… maybe Croatian or similar but they easily communicated with the waiter in English, which was not his original language either.

It was also not a problem to bring some extra milk and another bottle of bubble water to my room from the restaurant.

I decided that I needed the Europe coat today as there was a chill in the air. I walked to Munich Hauptbahnhof and easily found my platform and where to stand for my carriage. There were less people out and about this morning compared to yesterday

The ICE train to Augsburg was very clean and spacious plus the wifi worked. I was in a very comfortable single row seat for the short journey. This train was ultimately on its way to Hamburg.

As usual, I had no idea where to go so I just started walking and observing the architecture that eventually led me to the older part of town. Augsburg isn’t a touristy town but has plenty of shopping and a TK MAXX.

There was a cold wind blowing at times today so the choice to wear my euro coat was a blessing!

I took lots of photos of the buildings and landmarks hoping that mum might recognise some from her time here in 1945.

They’re doing major upgrades to the roads and buildings around Augsburg hauptbahnhof which will lift the look of the town. You can also gauge how touristy a town is by the amount of English speaking staff.

I stopped for a bite at Peter Panes! The wait staff here were attentive but clearly not as good with English as they are in Munich. The loaded fries were ok but I mainly stopped in here because it was next to the hauptbahnhof.

So a little bit of stress because when I arrived I walked into the shopping centre straight from the platform that train had stopped at. So I did not look to see if there were other platforms. I realised that I had to get to platform 4 but there was no obvious way to do it. I asked a lady if she knew and she explained that I had to go underground. The station is having major renovations so the escalators were cordoned off because they were being built. So I just thought to keep walking until I found a sign to platforms 4-12 where they were accessed by stairs leading down into a walkway and up to platform 4. Phew! Made it with enough time to figure out that I had to stand in area A for my carriage. There was wifi here so I could work on the blog during the trip. They also were giving out complimentary DB chocolates!

A photo would not show how I could see the Alps on the horizon but it was awesome to see them in the distance. Windmills also dotted the landscape as Germany is committed to using green energy.

Once back in Munich I changed my black euro coat for the new one I accidentally bought at TKMAXX in Augsburg.

I then took off to explore Munich! Of all places to lose my sense of direction! I walked the sleazy parts, found an old cathedral only to find out that Marienplatz was back where I started from. I walked back and then decided that I had seen enough of Munich and I went to find some dinner and then go to the hotel to post my blog.

The Da Vinci Ristorante is down the road from my hotel so I thought it was as good as anything and very convenient after a long day of walking.

I am looking forward to the degustations that I will have with Scott in Berlin.

I chose the chicken schnitzel with a glass of white wine. It was ok but not the best that I have had. It was served with chips and salad but it needed a sauce or gravy. It was also disappointing to have no wifi which is unusual in my experience. When I went to pay the bill, it was the first restaurant that asked for cash since I have been here. When I paid by card he was also the first to mention a tip and that is what they do in Germany…. I declined… no wifi and cash expectation after COVID? Fail! I would not recommend this place if you are in Munich.

While walking around Munich I realised that I had chosen well for the area and hotel location.

I go to Berlin tomorrow and see my baby!! I am very excited to see him and spend some quality time together. I get to see his place in Berlin. He lives in an area that I have not explored in my previous visits to the city.

Guten Nacht

Well, all Europe is on holidays so the amount of people out and about is amazing!

I bought my ticket online last night for a Railjet train to Salzburg (it actually goes all the way to Budapest!). The return trip cost 💲275AUD for first class for an E ticket which is the only one accepted on this train.

The trip takes 1 1/2 hours each way and I allowed myself 4 hours to explore Saltzburg. Face masks are compulsory.

I am blessed that it is a beautiful sunny day with an expected temperature of 9C. I have not taken my Europe coat for this day trip but I am warm enough so far. If I get cold I will buy something to keep me warm. Everywhere indoors is heated anyway.

When I finally found my seat, a woman was very settled in it! I showed her my ticket and she moved to another seat .. then I noticed that she had to move again for someone else… scammer?

The train was quiet and my first class seat was spacious and comfortable. I was in the single side and the other side of the carriage had 2 seats together.

There are lots of people with luggage – some with huge bags. I guess that will be me on Thursday but for today it is lovely to travel unencumbered.

In the first class carriage, you can order food and drinks from an attendant who comes to your seat. I ordered a cappuccino but got a weird little coffee and a bottle of water 🙄He didn’t ask for payment until I finished the coffee. I gave the water back and paid around 3€ for the coffee.

As we approached the Alps, they were breathtaking although photos from the train do not do them justice. There was great internet on this train so I posted another blog while taking in the scenery.

Saltzburg HBF (Hauptbahnhof- train station) was full of people and I found my way out and onto the streets. I wasn’t sure where I was going but sort of followed the people.

The only snow that I had seen so far was on the alps as I travelled to Saltzburg. It was quite warm so my decision to wear 120 denier tights, a high necked t-shirt, my denim dress and a red cardi didn’t disappoint. I also brought my Uniqlo grey light puffer jacket and a grey scarf for added warmth, if needed and it was enough.

I managed to find the Mirabell Gardens, by instinct, where they filmed the scenes for the song DoReMe in the Sound of Music. There were many people taking photos. I then wandered to the bridge of locks which was part of the area that Mozart grew up in.

It was time to have something to eat. I found a traditional looking restaurant, called Sternbrau which obviously caters to tourists by serving authentic Austrian food. Luckily I was one of the first there because by the time I left, the place was full with a queue outside.

I chose a Dunkel bier (dark beer), a beef broth with cheese dumpling and a boiled beef dish with potatoes and horseradish (recommended by the waiter as a traditional Salzburg meal). It was good but there was a lot of beef that I could not finish. The waiter said that I hardly had any and sort of thought that I didn’t like it …. I reassured him but I felt that he thought it was wasteful. When I paid, he asked if there was something wrong with it again…. I think he was worried because I took a lot of photos of the food and menu, that I was going to critic the food.

I love that there were the obligatory dogs under people’s tables while they ate. I managed to sneak a photo of one.

Unlike me, I ordered a local dessert recommended by an old school friend who used to work in Saltzburg. It’s called a Salzburg Nockerl – described as an egg soufflé with raspberry sauce.

When another waiter put the dish in front of me, he said something in Austrian and walked away…. He was warning me that the bowl was very hot …. which I found out a second later when I touched it. It actually looks more like a pavlova but tastes like a soufflé.

People hang their coats and scarves on allocated places indoors. I can’t get used to leaving my coat so far away … but I noticed that others also placed theirs on the back of their chairs.

I was making my way to the Hohensalzburg Fortress when I stumbled upon the Salzburg Cathedral and the Christmas markets. Of course I had to have a Gluwein while I walked around, in some cases there were so many people that it was a challenge to get around them. The Gluwein was served in a ceramic mug and cost me 8.50€. When I returned the mug I got a 4€ refund. The stalls were many and varied, not as good as Frankfurt or Riga but probably I would rank them in 3rd place. There were many food and Christmas trinket stalls. I then realised that I was in the Aldstadt (old town) and wandered past old buildings with many designer shops.

With an hour left before I had to board my train I relied on my sense of direction and retraced my steps to the Hauptbahnhof. My train was a little late which gave me time to investigate where I should be on the platform to board my carriage. I did ask some staff and I was able to be in the right spot at the very beginning of the platform. The platforms are divided into sections A, B, C, etc. then there is a board that displays where your carriage will be for your train.

I was in seat 91 this time which put me going backwards but I could enjoy the scenery. The conductor asked to see tickets once the train is on its way. Mine were on my phone with a QR code that was scanned and confirmed. At no time did I have to use my passport to change countries – Germany to Austria and return.

Frustratingly, I could not access the wifi on this train. So after writing my notes it was time to sit back and enjoy the German countryside and the snow covered Alps as we moved along.

Trains are a good way to travel in Europe as they are fast, comfortable and you do not have to go through the screening procedures like in an airport. It was even better because I had no luggage today … so I looked like a local (until I spoke 😆).

I bought some supplies in the SPAR supermarket in the Salzburg Hauptbahnhof. My dinner of a pumpernickel sandwich with salami and cheese cost 2.39€ (about $3:80AUD) …. I also bought a bottle of Stolichnaya vodka 40% proof which cost around $27AUD.

My jet lag is better than I thought, I think because I used the melatonin tablets recommended by the doctor last night and I slept fairly well throughout the night with some broken moments but ultimately waking at around 7am.

I plan to do the same tonight, sleep when the locals sleep and wake up refreshed. Ha ha, as I write about this, I just saw an advertisement for Melatonin on the German television.

Tomorrow I plan to visit Augsburg and explore Marienplatz in Munich.

Guten Nacht.

Christmas Day and Boxing Day merged as I travelled across the globe in an east direction. The time zones wind back so even though I had travelled for 28 hours, it was still the morning of Boxing Day when I arrived in Munich.

The trains are well sign posted and announcements are in English and German at the platforms and on the trains. The escalators go in both directions depending on who gets on it first.

The Flemings hotel is on Bayerstrasse in the heart of Munich directly opposite the Munich Hauptbahnhof which is the main central station that is a terminal for regional fast trains (ICE trains) and the S Bahn lines (local trains). The trains are clean but there is an abundance of graffiti around the stations and railway lines.

I bought a ticket at the ticket machine at the airport but no one checked it and there are no ticket checking booths at the stations when the trip is finished. I guess that they must do random checks.

The Flemings Hotel staff have been very efficient and accommodating. They speak English so it is easy to communicate. When I noticed that there was a blockout curtain missing in my first room (311) ….and you will see in the photos why this was a concern in regard to the showers. The hotel manager found me another room which had all its curtains. The hotel is clean although a little jaded.

The room comes with a mini bar of beer and non alcoholic drinks and a complimentary bottle of bubble water ( what we call Soda water). This is important to know because the Germans watch American TV and to them ‘Soda’ is a soft drink. I saw in the reviews that the complimentary water was not stocked up daily so when I saw the cleaning carts I intended to ask for another bottle, but there was no one around, so I took one from the cart. Later when I saw the male cleaners, I tried to explain that I had helped myself but it was soon evident that they did not speak English, hence I had to revert to my high school German 😁. It was not a problem for me to help myself but I forgot the word for ‘bottle’ and caused some confusion.

When I asked for a gin and Soda with dinner, the waiter thought that I had asked for a gin and tonic. I explained that I wanted gin and bubble water. He was then confused about the ‘Soda’ and was pouring a separate drink. Little nuances like this can make interesting experiences.

The hotel comes with complimentary toiletries and the bathroom is very spacious … and see through 😂. The toilet is not, thank goodness 😅 I had a similar but smaller room in the Z Hotel in Shoreditch, London in 2015. See through bathrooms must be a European thing 😂 but I have stayed at Salt in Kingscliff, NSW, Australia where they have shutters between the bathroom and main room.

All rooms are heated so there is no need for winter pyjamas.

So Boxing Day finished with an early meal at the hotel restaurant, a rewriting of the blog after accidentally deleting over an hour’s worth of writing in the afternoon 🤬 and an attempt at getting a good night’s sleep to adjust the body clock.

Guten Nacht

After Michele dropped me at the start of the International Departures Terminal, the check in gate for United airlines was all the way at the other end …. At least I got a good walk in before the long flight. There was no queue at the H section where United Airlines are and I was able to check in my bag immediately. The lovely attendant changed my window seat to one that did not have anyone beside me 20 rows closer to the front of the plane …. I think that is a benefit of travelling alone, they can move you easily.

Once bagless, customs was pretty quick. I did get scanned in the machine and then had a minor pat down….all good!

So into the terminal for my first Bloody Mary of the trip looking out over the Sydney cityscape.

I spent the next hour writing the blog and doing some shopping. I bought my obligatory ‘Sleeping pill’ a small bottle of Grey Goose vodka. I also bought the Buttery cape 666 Tasmanian vodka to give to Scott. They sealed the big bottle but let the small one go in my bag.

I then had a last glass of bubbles at K kitchen by Mike. Deb and I ate there when we went to Auckland and Michele and I have eaten there too, I decided that I would wait to eat on the plane as all the options were too much after I had 2 pierogi at mum’s this morning. The glass of bubbles cost $32!!!!! Apparently a Xmas surcharge, but whatever 🙄. 

My new seat was near the wing but since the trip is across the Pacific Ocean, there wasn’t a need to look at a view.

So, the upgrade to a seat nearer the front of the plane put me right near the rainbow Jewish family with heaps of loud kids. My birthday ‘noise cancelling’ earbuds were an absolute blessing 😳 Thank you Scott!

Another snag…..we had to wait for over an hour to get refuelled and on our way. We were offered cups of water which was a relief as I didn’t think to bring any onto the plane.

We were given a snack and drinks once we were in the air. I ordered the Bloody Mary mix with Vodka. You have to link a card or PayPal to your United Airlines App to pay for spirits. (Wine and beer are free). I did this twice but it never registered at their end, although I had proof that I had completed it …. So they were lovely each flight and just gave me the mini bottles. A meal followed about 40 minutes later.

Dinner was pasta or chicken or vego. I chose the chicken and it was ok. The salad was fresh and I’ll give the TimTam to Scott 😂.

The blinds were closed after the meal for about 4 hours and the lights dimmed. At 10pm Aus time we were given a snack.. another TimTam and a small roll with cucumber and a creamy turkey filling.

The lady in the aisle seat was a lovely young American indigenous woman. She activated the tv on the centre chair with the flight maps and we could track where we were all the time while watching our personal screens and having some space.

Breakfast was served about an hour and a half from our destination. It consisted of fresh fruit (watermelon, pineapple and apples), a cinnamon muffin plus an omelette with a small sausage, baked beans and spinach. No TimTams this time 😆

The San Francisco customs border was quick and another bag check was ok except they had to test my Cape 666 vodka (and I just realised that I could have put it into my checked luggage – you have to collect the bags and then drop them off at another spot). My bag was the first off the carousel so I moved through the airport quickly. We looked like we were the only flight that arrived around that time so the airport was not busy at all.

$91USD for 2 small bottles of wine and a small clam chowder! But the San Francisco chowder is tasty except for some chewy pieces. The small portion was too big and I could only finish half of the serving.

While waiting for my next flight I noticed a lot of Polish speakers and met a NZ guy who grew up in Maroubra and is married to a Polish woman. All 3 of their boys are dual citizens.

Boarding the flight is well organised with United. When you check in they place you in a group from 1-5. They call each group so queues are shorter.

Once on the San Francisco to Munich leg, the announcements were in English and Deutsche. The plane was full so no empty seat between. At least it’s a shorter flight! Luckily I have a window seat for the trek across the USA.

America is vast with lots of snow and mountains. We Flew over California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan then Ontario, Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada before crossing over the UK AND THE Netherlands.

Generous wine pours and free vodka . No complaints about United. Snack was turkey and cheese roll.

Crossing Ireland and England was basically clear but soon as we crossed the English Channel a thick cloud hid the features of mainland Europe .

The food on the flights was more than enough and the service was always efficient and accommodating.

The landing at Munich airport was very smooth. The airport is easy to navigate and I followed the signs to the Sbahn which will take me to the central station Munich for 13€ ($21AUD) where my hotel is opposite the station. So far, so good.

It’s 9 degrees but it feels warmer than that. The thick clouds have not reached Munich yet but rain is expected this afternoon. I only need my grey light puffer and found my woollen scarf too hot with my green tunic, yoga pants and black sneakers.

So, it’s time to work off my jet lag. I will try to sleep through the night to adjust. My hotel room is comfortable and has a small eatery and bar attached. I did not realise that all the shops are closed on Boxing Day … so shopping will have to wait.

Gluten Nacht 😘