From Missing Baggage to Made It

This is a guitarboard. It consists of a gentley packed guitar with
extra blankets for protection and a longboard strapped to it.

14:26, Thursday, 1 Maerz, 2012 - If anyone wishes to find me I'm at (+47.681071,+9174841). That's a GPS coordinate and google maps can help you place that. I made it all in one piece and I have all my stuff that I packed. Having said that, last minute packing tends to make it easy to forget things and I can think of at least one thing I'd like to have. Hey look at my friend "die Maus"!

Die Maus! GruB dich, wie geht's!

The weather is beautiful, and Helsinki has some competition here. Things are beautiful here.

Mein Fruhstueck (my breakfast).

10:13, Freitag, 2 Maerz, 2012 - Today, like yesterday, the morning started off foggy with dew on the ground. I woke up at 0800 without an alarm, a good sign. First things, I made breakfast which consisted of Speisequark, a banana, cinnamon, and coffee for an appetizer and then pork steak and onions sauteed in brautwein, a type of cooking wine. It felt hearty. I bought these things yesterday afternoon. I'm taking every opportunity to practice my German, this blog aside, so I walked to an old part of town to get my groceries at nice local Lebenmittelsgeschaeft.

Das Lebensmittelgeschaeft (grocery store)!
Aktion = good price!

Much of my afternoon consisted of searching for haupthausen Teller, or general home dishes. Everywhere I looked either they didn't sell pots and pans or it was outrageously expensive. I ended up buying a pan for 17.99 euros, a mokka maker for 7.99 euros (espresso coffee beans for 3.99 euros), and plate and cup for 4.97 euros.

In the process I met two guys from Sweden, who don't know German very well either, and we had a grand time drinking beer and walking around the Altstadt (oldtown).

So altogether the last day has been great! Things weren't so smooth but one day before, when I left Canada.

British Airlines: So smooth even the babies sleep.

Let me take you back to Tuesday morning. I woke up around 0700, quite excited, yet still unpacked. As a student I naturally work better under last minute pressure so things started flying together, almost magically, at once. In the space of five hours I managed to write two letters to OSAP asking for more money, and reassuring them that I am indeed a poor student, I packed all my belongings, and reasoned out all my last minute affairs. Perspiring slightly, and confident in the completeness of my packing, I loaded myself, backpack, and guitarboard into the car.

Off we drove to the airport, und so fing mein Flueg nach Deutschland an (and so began my flight to Germany)! Arriving at the airport, a nice one and a half hours later, I open the trunk of the car only to realize that my suitcase is missing! All 31.8kg, gone!

Uh oh is right, Josh you fool!

Uh oh! Name calling almost broke amongst the family but keeping cool heads we made quick decisions. Dad's going home at once to get the bags. Can he make it there and back in two hours? Did I mention we had left the house a little later than we planned and arrived at the airport at 15:15, my flight being at 18:30. Anyway, dad left because all we could do was either try or give up.

Meanwhile, my mom and I made our way inside to talk to British Airlines. Long story short, we must have had some feng shui going for us because in the end I was able to squeeze my way onto the 21:20 flight, even though the flight was booked full. Ironically, it worked out for the best because leaving the house late I wouldn't have been able to go out for dinner with my parents one last time. Switching flights made this possible.

Cheers mom! See you in August!

British Airlines: I like their service and I'd fly again with them. Lots of leg room, food was on par with normal in-flight food, and they served drinks four times over the course of the flight. Das steht mir gut (That's good with me)! Layover was three hours in London and I finally arrived in Zurich ahead of schedule at 15:50, 29 Februar, 2012. Happy Leap year all! And happy birthday aunt Lisa!

Luggage arriving. Thanks so much dad. It would suck to
miss Germany. Actually, I pretty much had all the necessities
for life with me. Guitar and music would have provided.

After landing in Zurich (spelled Zuerich in German), I got my true backpack out of my luggage and swapped it for the school bag I had used for carry on. I visited the info desk and got my first taste of the local dialect. I was schocked to find that my one and a half years of German class was nearly useless when faced with this accent. Their words seemed to be spaced differently and they made sounds for letters that weren't there! I think the long air travel and lack of sleep made things worse.

Train to Konstanz fro Zurich.
Utilizing reflection.

I pondered my options: stay in a Jungenherberge (youth hostal) in Zurich, stay in a hotel closer to the airport, travel to Kreuzlingen to a B & B where the owners actually may be off skiing in the Alps, travel to a tiny village to a B & B owned by a friend of the information desk lady's friend, or just take the train to Konstanz and look for something there. The Jungenherberge in Zurich was farthest from the airport and would have been 45 CHF (Swissfranks), or about 38.5 euros, plus transportation. Hotels were at least 80 CHF, or 68 euros. Villages and B & B's would have been fun but I wasn't feeling it at the moment. I decided to just head to Konstanz and look around there. It was 20:00, 1 Maerz, 2012 at this point. FYI free wifi is hard to find here but McDonalds always supplies it free for about 30 minutes.

McBeer and energy bar.

Train to Konstanz from Zurich was 27 euros. I'm sure it would be cheaper if I got the fare as a student but the option wasn't there. Arriving in Konstanz I met some beautiful sights, der Bodensee (lake Constance) for one. It was warm and the sky was clear. Firstly, I awkwardly made my way over to McDonalds carrying about 50kg of cargo. There I enojyed a lovely McBeer for 2.70 euros, and energy bar. From the crowd I saw in there I think McDonalds is considered a hangout for students.

My and Lars before we part ways, for
now at least.

From there I found that I should take the line 4 Bus to a Jungenherberge. But the bus was taking much too long so I took a taxi costing 10 euros. Konstanz's Jungenherberge is very cool for many reasons. Firstly, it's a massive tower placed on a hill and from the top you can probably see hundred of kilometres. I got a room on the first floor however with a guy named Lars from Belgium. He bikes everywhere and currently he is heading to Austria to visit some friends. He had some awesome stories and after a fittful sleep (the energy bar was too energizing) I had a plentiful and wonderful breakfast: bread, nutella, oatmeal with fruit and chocolate, yogurt, coffee, fruit, cheese, and meat. I needed the bug meal as I now had to walk and try to locate my residence.

My guitarboard!

Konstanz is a hilly place. I must have walked up twenty hills on my journey. But going down was easy. That's right, I rode my guitar board down hills dragging my suitcase behind me. I startled quite a few healthy Germans who were out for a morning run or walk as I zoomed past luge style. Laughing the whole while of course!

After what felt like hours, though it was only one and a half, I found my room. And my friend die Maus. I waited around for the Hausmeister (Housemaster or guy who maintains order around the residence). And you know the rest: groceries, met some Swedes, went out for dinner and looked for cutlery. Did I mention that things are beautiful here?