The first thing that I learned is to check, re-check, and check again any information I find on the internet, preferably by talking to a living person who actually knows what it is he or she is talking about. While examining Germany’s national rail web site, I thought that I had located the perfect train to take from Frankfurt to Munich. It left at 1:30 in the morning, which gave us plenty of time to get to the train station after we arrived at 10:30 in the evening. According to the site, we would be in Munich by 6:30, no problem. Well, upon arriving at the train station at 1:00, we discovered that there was no train to Munich. In fact, there were no trains at all since the station was closed. The only way we were technically allowed to stay in there is if we had tickets, which we had yet to purchase, but the security officers were nice enough not to kick us on to the street. (This was solely based on the fact that two of us in the group were women.) Because the web site that I had searched did not include any of this information whatsoever, we ended up spending the night on the cold, hard floor of the Frankfurt train station, constantly looking over our shoulders for any potential thieves or beggars. It was not perhaps the most comfortable way to spend our first night in Germany, but it sure makes for an interesting story.
Also, I will be sure to research the place in which I am planning on staying. Before I book any accommodations in the future, I will make sure that I know something, anything about the surrounding area. We learned this the hard way on our last day in Germany. Again, we were in Frankfurt, and again we were near the train station. I had found a hostel that was supposed to be directly located across from the train station, which seemed perfect at the time since we had to catch a bus from there at 3:45 in the morning. What I had failed to learn was that this hostel was right in the middle of what is known as Frankfurt’s red-light district. We had trouble finding the hostel at first because we did not really expect it to be located in a building stuck in between a lingerie shop and the World of Sex. I was rather shocked by this discovery, but proceeded up the stairs to reception. It was a big mistake ever to walk in there. Everything about the place exuded a certain sleaziness that just made my stomach churn. After deciding that there was no way in the world we were staying here, we demanded a refund and put as much distance between us and the place as possible, even coming to the decision that we would spend the night in the airport rather than that revolting place. Luckily, we found another place to stay for about the same price of the hostel, so we did not have to repeat the little ordeal we went through in the train station.
There were a few more minor problems during our trip, but these two topped them all. I learned a lot about patience, humility, and a bit of spontaneity as a result of them, so I think that it was actually a good thing that they happened. Still, I would never want them to happen again, and perhaps if my mistakes can help prevent someone else from learning these lessons the hard way, that will be good too. In a few years, I will find these things to be absolutely hilarious and who knows, maybe it will be a story to share with my children one day. I would not trade this experience for anything in the world.
