day-one in Berlin

goooood morning!

Arose at 8am feeling pretty good. Think it was partially due to the solid sleep brought-on care of a Zanex (a friend's farewell-Melbourne present for me). When it came to lights-out time last night, that did the job... Even if fellow dorm-mates had been rustling plastic bags or screaming out drunkenly at 2 in the morning, I was thoroughly oblivious. As a result, feeling pretty in-sync with the immediate world.

Managed to hunt-down a push-bike today. Bit of a chunky beast, rather than a sleek machine - but it goes, and it didn't cost me the world. Now I'm free to roam the streets - just have to keep in mind which side of the road they cruise down here!

space-age apartments in Kreuzberg, alongside a DIY hostel?

 Had a few language-barrier moments... busting-out my pocket-sized English/German dictionary in a department store, while trying to find a bike chain (all the while, freaking-out that someone is outside stealing my recently-purchased, disguised-to-look-locked-while-actually-being-unlocked bike).


Don't feel like I've really got to know Berlin as-yet. Still sorting out the logistics of it all - and probably spending too much time in Mitte to get the real Berlin-vibe (as that's where the hostel is).




footnote: for anyone else looking to buy a second-hand bike, I got mine from Der Altladen, (Bürknerstrasse, 23, Kreuzberg). I'm sure you can find cheaper rides at the fleamarkets, but I didn't know when/where they were happening (and was keen to get a set of wheels quickly).