Tuesday, 11:47 am
When I got to my seat at the back of the the international sas flight to Copenhagen an attendant was standing in my spot. She said my seat had been changed to the back right row instead of the back middle, but that I had the row to myself. It was fantastic. I was able to lay down across the seats and sleep most of the flight. The only issue was the assholes in the aisle across who were loud and wouldn't shut up, but I put in some ear plugs and with the multiple seat pillows and my neck pillow I was about as comfortable as you can get in a plane. Even better, it was an extremely smooth flight with no turbulence that I noticed. We arrived about 5 min ahead of schedule.
I made the transition through Copenhagen Airport without much difficulty. Only had to show the customs agent my return ticket, so needed to get on WiFi while she waited. Fortunately I was the last person in line and had time. I was disappointed, though, in both airports and flights, how almost no one of any nationality wore masks despite rampant coughing.
The second flight was a tiny plane. My neighbour was a yakker but thankfully yakked at the people across the aisle, so I put my earbuds in and ignored him.
Düsseldorf airport was easy as usual except for the slightly chilly and crowded ride from the plane to the building. I collected my luggage and took the sky train to the s train terminal, but it took me a long while to figure out the best route to my bnb since it gave me so many options and connections and times that were later than I liked. I ended up waiting a while in the platform just to travel a few stops and catch the - - 707. It was difficult to interpret the symbol on maps. It looked like a train but had rails on top and bottom and wasn't the usual train symbol, so I wasn't sure what I was looking for. I followed walking directions down the road and saw a bus stop but no 707 so wasn't sure where to go. A woman came walking up a walking path with her dog and asked me if I needed help, first in German than English. I showed her my phone and where I was trying to go and she told me to take the walking path and go left at the bottom. Her English was slight but she smiled a lot and was super nice. When I thanked her she patted me on the arm.
I took the path and it forked at the bottom but I stayed left and sure enough it opened out onto a station that I couldn't see at all from above. I found the one I needed and only had to go a few stops and then walk a short way to my flat. I did have a bit of trouble when I arrived because I hadn't received any directions from the host. The listing had a code that I tried on the key box but it didn't work. There was a buzzer and some names but I didn't know who, if anyone, I should buzz.
There was no porch light or street light near so I was glad for the flashlight on my phone. Fortunately my uk sim worked so I called the host and she answered. It was apparently her flat because she came to the door. She seemed a bit uncomfortable with English and didn't smile but was otherwise friendly. She took me up a steep and shallow set of stairs and offered to carry my suitcase. I tried to demure but she took it in the second flight and then of course remarked about its weight. She asked if I had gold in it, to which I said I wished. She asked if I had questions, told me when checkout was and left me alone.
The flat was nice. The sloped ceiling made it a little difficult to move around without bumping my head, but it had a lot of sky lights. Happily I didn't get rained on during my walk but it drizzled briefly after I arrived. It was unfortunate that there was no hot plate but I found a fork and decent sized bowl and heated water in the electric kettle and made passable ramen. The room was a bit cold (dad would have hated it) and the radiator didn't seem to come on when I turned the knobs to heat, but there was a really high sided bathtub so I drew a bath and soaked with my book for a good while.
There were two twin beds so I stole the comforter from the spare to increase my insulation and layers. I also kept my hoodie and pajama pants on and I was really comfortable. The mattress was great and one of the two pillows was a little firmer than those flat feather filled things that you commonly get here. I fell asleep almost immediately but I jerked awake almost exactly 3 hours later. I was way too hot then, it felt like the heat had finally come on, so I stripped off the clothes and cracked the window above me. I also put down the shades because the moon was bright. I tossed for maybe an hour but finally got back to sleep and slept soundly until my alarm went off, so much so that I really didn't want to get up.
Dragged myself to the shower, though. It was one of those with a handheld on the wall low by the bath and nothing higher so you have to let the water hit your midsection or hold it. No shower curtain either so it was a little awkward but manageable. Finished in half an hour and had time to make a quick cup of coffee and order my train ticket and put things back where they'd been (I'd moved the standing lantern lamp beside the bed since there was no proper bedlight).
Little trouble getting to the train because one of my connections was cancelled but I made it in time still because the main ice train was also delayed. Wrote this journal on trains and waiting on platforms. Presently waiting for the ice 1020 which should come in about 20 minutes if the 726 gets out of the way and the 1020 doesn't keep getting delayed. I have a feeling this will be a continuing trend.
Edit: They delayed again and changed the platform last minute. I hate it when they do that. It's too easy to miss when you don't know the language and they've already been apologising endlessly for the delays. I only noticed because other people reacted and started leaving.
Edit 2: I waited on the platform for the 1020 and all should have been well but they no longer posted the time of arrival, just said the original time 40 Plus. It moved up to the top spot on the board, though and a train arrived which had to be it, but it didn't say on it anywhere what train it was. There was no digital sign on it like on others. I tried to ask an attendant but he was signaling something and all but ignored me then only gave my ticket a cursory glance and told me it was a regional ticket. Maybe my ticket only showed him to regional part of my trip but he was clearly wrong. He blocked me from boarding, though and my train disappeared from the board as it left. I went to Information and showed her the same code in the db app. She asked what kind of train it was and I had to load the details to show her the ice train, so obviously that code said nothing of use. She directed me to the ice 200 that was departing within minutes and said I could use the same ticket. I ran back to platform 17, which I think is where I started, and sure enough now this one is delayed.
Edit 3: Stupidly the ice 200 scheduled for 1:34 was bumped down on the board with an updated time of 1:49 while the top billed train on the board was scheduled for 1:52. The clock ticked over to 1:45 with the wrong train still on the platform and no update. I went downstairs to double check the board down there and it still said platform 17, so I went back up - carrying my luggage on the stairs both ways so as not to waste time waiting on the lift. Then as I stared at the board I watched it change to platform 5. The clock said 1:49 which was the posted departure time so everyone ran. Seems like they always move them to the farthest platform at literally departure time. Now my ear is doing that thing it apparently does where it breathes through my ear when I'm dehydrated and my heart is pumping. This kind of service must give people heart attacks.
So we ran to platform 5 and thankfully the train was there with the digital readout confirming its identity. And then we sat on the platform for at least ten more minutes with the on board clock still quoting the erroneous 1:49 departure time. At least I managed to get a comfortable seat with a fold down table, plenty of space, and a clear view of the digital schedule, that also doesn't appear to be reserved. I'm sitting backwards but oh well. I've made this trip before, and for some reason I don't see the German landscape with the same affection as in the uk. Is it different, or is it me? The only thing that pisses me off is that I had a reserved seat in an enclosed area on the missed train. That I shouldn't have missed if I'd never asked that guy. But I'm glad they only charge about 5 euros. Probably because of things like this.
The clock finally updated. Looks like we'll get to Münster around 3:23 if there aren't more delays. (Edit: they've nixed Essen from the scheduled stops so now it's 3:04, but it's also showing re42 from platform 8. Is that just an alternate route or will they kick us off? Idk. Edit II: They didn't kick us off at Druisburg and now Essen is back on the list... But Münster us still there so I think I'm okay. Those other times appear to be for local trains unrelated to ice, so I'm not sure when I'll get in but I know it's not far. Edit III: Münster next stop. Arriving 4:12.) This should be such an easy trip if they could get their shit together. I thought the Germans could do it, if anyone, but the Japanese still seem to have the edge.