I was actually all packed and ready to go last night at a more than reasonable time. It really wasn’t all that hard: traveling clothes are easy and I had already figured out what I wanted for knitting projects. Then I remembered that this trip was northern across the Atlantic and didn’t need snorkel gear or beach wear. So out came some items and in went the umbrella, rain jacket and a variety of items for layering.
This morning, when the weather looked like rain I traded sandals for hiking shoes which meant I needed socks and perhaps the umbrella? Nah, and closed the suitcase for the third time.
The train trip was enjoyable featuring a change in Mannheim, a reserved seat, a wonderful young (and tall) man who boosted my suitcase up to the rack and only 26 minutes of delay. Hotel is another story. It is clean and basic with flaky internet. Did I mention the fact that there are no lifts? Wasn’t in the info on the booking site. My suitcase is sitting in solitary splendour in their luggage room since I was not about to carry it up two flights, long flights of stairs.
I’m across the street from the main train station and about 2km from the HafenCity port. I walked it today to check out the route noticing that there are escalators at both the U-Bahn station on mine and the ports end. If the weather is good I will walk, if not? Well public transportation is only 20 meters away. One of the Aida ships docked today; sailing out at 1800 with a crowd there to watch. None of the people with whom I spoke knew anyone on the ship. They just thought it was good fun to watch a sail away.
Check in is at 1100 – I asked! So am going to attempt sleep if the drunks in the next room chooses to shut up for a few minutes. I am not interested in thanking the idiot who thought giving the a room with a balavony was a brilliant idea …..
