Schönefeld

Time to start the journey home, and just like the way here, it’s not direct. First step is a 3 hour train ride to Berlin’s “new” airport. I’d booked the direct train to avoid risks of missed connections and it was packed. I was one of the first to scramble on board and found a seat just after the bike storage area. With suitcase stored behind my seat I at least had some room.

As we depart I hear a conductor making a commotion behind me (in German). I look and he is pointing to my bag. I say “mine, ich nein sprechen die deutsch“. He continues a tirade in German that I have no idea what he is in about. I get up (presuming all this fuss means he wants my bag moved) and grab my bag while he still talks in German at me. I reiterate that I don’t speak German and he says “emergency procedures - must be clear”.

I lol on the inside as to get to said fire extinguisher you’d have to get past the bikes first. Yet as a law abiding person I move my bag and instead now occupy 2 seats. A younger lady manages to sit in where my bag now sits by having her legs in the aisle. As we depart there are now 3 people blocking access to that fire extinguisher. The train is now so full that the inspector can’t ever get back to this part of the train.

The DB app says my train will be late due to slow passengers disembarking the full train. Umm maybe chuck on another carriage love. I settle in with some musicals for the now 3.5hr ride to Berlin. I love seeing all the solar farms and wind towers as I travel along. Why we don’t have this at home when we have so much sun is beyond me (yep I’m a green energy fan).

Arriving at the airport it’s almost time to leave Europe. One more stop in Amsterdam before I arrive in London for the night. Hopefully my bag makes this connection, but I have an AirTag in it now to track its progress.Read more