Hello,

I sit here in a side something off the main Berlin train station on the way to a parking garage, this latino guy is walking by and across from me is this couple from Denmark, what a trip this has been as we are quickly approaching the beloved 72 hour travel mark, indeed. I just woke up with my head on the cold concrete, truth be told, I am not sure since I’ve had such a pleasant care free sleep, I was even dreaming as strangers and support staff alike walked by, probably judging, $!@#$#ers. I think it’s like 4 am right now, but I am probably wrong.

So yeah, life is good over here, ever been to Germany during a world cup match where they lose? I’m glad I look German as the vibe went from “hooray” to “FML” really really quickly. Before we get to that lets catch up as lots to say, you wanna know what goes down on a trip around the world? Of course you do, that’s why you come here… I will say, when I don’t know a language I usually talk Spanish, eh not tonight.

So I leave my Russian lady friend at the metro. Lots of Gypsies in Paris, they ask if you speak English, I just tell them “Non” in French and am on my way. I make my way to the waitin area as my camera died with the lens still open, I was freaking as I bought it 2 days ago in Lagos, no way my camera luck can be this bad, it all worked out. I have finally had enough of European beggars, they now get the same treatment their Asian brothers do.

While fixing it, I slept on the table while this older woman had “an eye on my stuff”. Was woken up as she notified me she was leaving for the train, I tried to sit up but something was weird, I propped myself up and pushed myself off the table and onto my feet, I immediately collapsed onto the ground, knees first. Considering I have worse knees then (insert someone with horrific knees) I didn’t even feel it, everyone looked at me like wtf, no one was more shocked than yours truly. I then propped myself up and tried to stand again, fell right over, began aggressively hitting my legs and slowly regaining feeling. I guess I had cut circulation off the way I was sleeping and was out so hard I didn’t even feel it.

I now know what it’s like to have NOTHING in your legs, first off without your legs to prop you up, it’s really hard to lift yourself with just your arms, I wish that sensation on no one and have a better understanding of what people in wheelchairs have to put up with, when you can’t walk, even a few steps is a few miles. If you have legs, a dream and a few bucks, you can do whatever you want in life.

Get on the train, what a pimp train. It’s just myself and this elder German lady, not only was it fist class, it was one of the cabins, a “quiet room” for 6 people, just the 2 of us. We made comments about how the meal was horrible and laughed at random conversation as we sped through the French countryside towards Berlin. I will note that the train was quite full and the support staff was seriously over worked and seriously grumpy, chicken and the egg people…

Get to the stop, can’t remember how to spell it so we’ll just not mention it. Anyways, as soon as I get off, I see this Lebanese dude who speaks English, conversation ensues. Turns out the train has changed tracks and is no longer an ICE but some old dumper. Had I not been with him, 100% missed train. It’s weird, I know more Spanish than German, they may as well be talking Gibberish to my untrained ears.

Get on the train and look for a seat in first class, the first class was a bit of a joke and it had no dinner or anything, just 3.10E coffee and tea, WEAK. Luckily the tea wasn’t but whatever. I find this one cabin as it looked “interesting”. An attractive blonde lady and this gent in the corner caught my eye as possibly cool people to pass time with, the other 2 in the cabin were different, one looked weird, the other looked just straight up vanilla lame.

Turns out the weirdo and lame dude left and shortly after we were in a cool conversation. Shortly after the guy left and it was just myself and the blonde lady. She owns a high fashion store and is in Berlin for Bread and Butter and a few other fashion buying shows. Minutes later this gent comes in and turns out he trains detectives or something of that nature in Afghanistan, Pakistan and that type of stuff, real secret agent. The 6 hour train went by fast as for most of the time, there was lively conversation.

I should be able to get a refund as I paid for an ICE train aka the “real shiz” but what what happened was it broke down so we were on this clunker, I knew it was too good to be true, sigh. That said, my train is at 8:36 and supposedly there is a train on … Let’s get to that.

I walk around the station and in no time run into these two Danish dudes (not the ones across from me now) a simple, you know where storage is leads to us storing our stuff and hitting the town. This was about the time the game ended and no better time to see Berlin for the first time. Everyone and their dog and cat and mother were out and about donned in German colors supporting their team. Also, everywhere you went you could smell beer and sometimes, yes, vomit.

We hit the streets before realizing that we needed to take a sub way, they had a hostel booked and said I could sleep on their floor (what gents!). This was their 1st night on the scene, no way a hostel is letting anyone let alone a guy like me sleep on the floor without paying. I bought my subway ticket then asked a police officer what time the trains stop, 1am… No way I’m going to get “trapped” somewhere.

When traveling alone, you need to keep your options open, that is the secret to having a good time and avoiding harms way… Gave my ticket to this random guy and made his minute, hahah.

I digress.

So as I’m about to get on train I just say peace out, hit up a McDonald’s, walk around ab it, find a warm place that isn’t too far from the centre of the station and pass out. Now as I said there are 2 Danes sleeping across from me and here I am, blogging in notepad listening to some electronic beats in my head phones, wouldn’t have it any other way really.

Anyways ran into a gent who is going to Prague as well but at 6:36 so I checked with information and I should be able to just “jump on it, jump on it” and we’ll see. This will give me more time to get to my destination. I told the person via facebook I was coming but never gave a time or date. I should have invested in an aircard ages ago (ya ya I know Mike) but for some reason my laptop battery has started working again so I think this computer has some legs left in it, wtf am I talking about, then again I am blogging on some cold concrete in a German train station where I just woke up from what could only be called a pleasant sleep. I also probably should of written the persons phone number down, hmmm.

Get this, I went in for some antibiotics and they said “You need a prescription”. SHABL will NEVER live anywhere that you need a Doctors note to buy drugs. If I have the signs, I know I need the pills, it is that simple. Why go through some Marxist health care system so someone can tell me “if you’re still sick in a few days come back”. Ehhhh I’ve been sick for a week! *CO….U….G…H”

From sleeping on the streets to comfy 1st class coaches, SHABL is a polar website. When “Hank the Tank” is about, fire bombs of fiat currency are shot at unsuspecting bar staff with tips that would make bank tellers tear, when “Hank” is in the shop and Frugal Frank is on the scene, suddenly a wasted 5er is reason for reflection. Oh the humanity but I’d have it no other way. Most spend their lives in a straight line, I’d rather a little volatility in my diet, thank you.

Hey, so ya passed out after this, woke up, Danes gone, didn’t even wake me up, then again we weren’t friends, just people confident each other wouldn’t jack each other. I’m on the 6:36 train after filing a claim to get back some $$$ for the lackluster train yesterday, why I am blogging from the train?

I bought an Olympus Camera which is a total piece of garbage, twice now it just dies when the battery isn’t gone, most alarming, it dies with the lens open which opens it up for damage. So it dies as I’m trying to get picturs of this awesome landscape, I go to check for plugs, not working, so I get an old canon to see if it works, works, the dining cart guy hates his life, seriously. He comes over and says I told you not to use these plug (they are in the corner of dining cart totally away from the dining room section) and as I say I am just testing he says “shut up” so I told him, what? He says “shut up” we exchange words and I leave with him yelling at me, interesting guy to have working in the rip off of a dining cart serving breakfast. Remember, when stuff like that happens, don’t take it personally, it’s THEM, not you.

I see an opportunity.

Now, I’m in Prague, a ticket to Krakow is 40E, same price as that flight from Barcelona… It’s a 7 hour journey which will make this an 80 hour trip, oh well add it as another notch of experience… Just fly people, this has been intense.

Whatever, peace out.

Flick of the cap,

P.S: If you fear the uknown DO NOT attempt these trips, if you embrace it, sell everything you own and sail away, yesterday, before you get married or make some other massive mistake.

P.P.S:Frugality and fist fulls of fiat currency go hand in hand. Only the nouveau rich and people in debt throw money around like it doesn’t matter. That said, liquid lubrication releases the tighest grip from even the mightiest of misers.