Can we ever just have an easy travel experience!?

November 10, Katie and I ventured to Berlin. We flew out of Heathrow (the airport we first arrived at) and it was quite funny to be back there remembering the first day we arrived. I would say that this time we were far more prepared, and carrying less luggage. Thank god. So we accidentally got there 4 hours early, but no big deal better early than late right. Heathrow is huge though so there was tons to do..and eat. After devouring a huge lunch we plopped ourselves in those random two massage chairs you have to pay a pound for to make work. Yes we were those people. We figured being there so early we would have no struggles at all, except for the struggle we both woke up with that morning, due to it being Sarah’s birthday the night before. Unfortunately our flight had a delay. Great, we will just spend another hour in this massage chair. A few of the airports here have some really weird systems. They don’t tell you your gate number until like 10-15 minutes before your flight boards..not helpful. And since ours was now delayed we were all messed up. I asked the lady for the second time if they had a gate number yet and she gave me one so Katie and I started walking there…until we saw our gate number and the words “boarding” next to it on a sign, then we started running. We got there…with time to spare…they weren’t boarding..that was a rude lie. Well we finally got on the plane, but only to sit on the runway for 45 minutes. Oh, and this flight was only to Munich, we had to catch our connecting flight to Berlin…which by now we realized there was no way we were making. When we landed one of the flight attendants announced that all passengers on Flt 245(our flight to Berlin) have been rebooked to an early morning flight because we missed it. I wanted to cry. There was noooo way I was going through this stay in an airport thing again. Best part…our cell phones don’t work once we leave England so I had no way of reaching Rainer and Val (aunt and uncle who we were staying with) who were picking us up to let them know what was going on. As we were exiting the plane I asked the flight attendant what the heck I’m supposed to do…his advice, “run to gate G28 you might make that flight” great. I wore my running boots. Not. So we see a sign with an H1 on it….we have a long way to go (alphabet in descending order). So we began running, full on running. My body had no idea what was going on because I have not ran like in god knows how long. Okay so we had to turn it into a fast walk for a few huff and puff breaks. Then some nice man heard us complaining and told us gate G was downstairs. Thanks man. So we looked for some stairs. We saw doors…that potentially could have been stairs but as we looked at the sign on the door. GERMAN! Helloooo language barrier. Having no idea what that word said and seeing a whole lot of red…we decided that meant do not open so we continued high tailing it to G28, when of course, Katie has a near face to floor experience, and literally had to hurdle some mans suit case. Funniest thing I’ve ever seen. At least I can always count on Katie’s clumsiness to lighten the mood. Finally, we made it to the ticket counter at G28 with bright red faces, a little out of breath..fine a lot out of breath, and a running cramp…or 3. I basically just threw my ticket at the lady and mumbled something about a connecting flight. She read my face which screamed please help I’m lost I want to cry and I’m American, and apparently that did it for her cause she granted us with fantastic news that she can put both of us on the next flight right now! She took us off that early morning flight (damn straight you take us off that early morning flight) and we boarding our new flight immediately! Only problem is, Rainer and Val have no idea where we are, what flight we are on, and if we are even getting in tonight! Such a struggle. So we get on the plane, and Katie tells this man that he is in her seat. Hey man, get out of my friends seat we’ve had a rough day, I want to get moving and mostly I want to go sit in my seat so I can eat this chocolate chip cookie in my bag because all that running really worked up an appetite. But of course there is another struggle...it’s me and Katie. So this man is totally confused, and then pulls out his ticket and it’s the same as Katie’s…same seat. PERFECT. So I go to my seat and have no idea what is going on up there with Katie but I can tell by the look on her face she is utterly confused…and then I realize its because the man and the flight attendant are babbling German back and forth oh boy, kind of forgot about this different language thing. Well at that point I didn’t know what went down, but I double checked to make sure it was Katie who got the seat, and thankfully she did. How have I written so much and not even gotten to Berlin yet!

ICE BAR

We went to the Ice Bar in London as well. The Ice Bar is kept at below 5 degrees all year round. Everything inside this room is made of crystal clear ice...the tables, the actual bar, the chairs, even the glasses you drink out of! You are only allowed into the ice bar for a 40 minute time slot and you are given 'designer' cape with hood and gloves attached. It was such a fun experience. At first it didn't seem that cold because the cloaks they gave us did keep the warmth in pretty good. However, by the end of our 40 minutes i was more than happy to step outside near the heated lamps!! The bartenders were basically in full out winter wear with hat & gloves etc. I don't know how they can work in those conditions! it was crazy, so much fun!

Wax Museum

Katie Sarah and I went to Madame Tusaudds wax museum in London! It was the first wax museum i've ever been to, it was so cool, some of the wax figures looked justtt like the person. There were soo many rooms and so many people walking around so there were real people and wax people everyyyywhere, it was creepy. We had to wait in short line a lot of times to get a picture with some of the celebrities. Rihanna was like one of the longest lines...they LOVE Rihanna over here. She is playing 10+ concerts in the UK and they are almost ALL sold out! At the end of the wax museum there was a haunted house type thing which was hilarious because Sarah was absolutely freaking out not wanting to go in. But of course Katie and I dragged her in haha. <3 haunted houses.

Audrey Hepburn is my absolute favorite <3 i love her