Day 00: Leaving for Berlin

By

Day 00: From Rochester NY to Berlin, Germany

DateJan 2nd - 3rd, 2024
Total All Caminos: 2000 miles

Planes: $ 1300
Total Planes /
Travel Insurance: 		$ 1470
Buses / Trains / Taxis: $ 5
Total Buses / Trains / Taxis: $ 5
Food: $ 5 + $26
Total Food: $ 31

Meaningful Moment

Having Deb walk with me at the airport terminal while I complete my check in and TSA screening.

Random Thought of the Day

Air travel can be challenging.

I had purchased a seat assignment for the Newark to Berlin flight, but that apparently got canceled somehow because I have to see a gate agent when I get to Newark.

According to the agent in Rochester, that typically happens when they change planes or for some reason need to change seating assignments.

I do wonder if the issues with completing the online check-in, and the mismatching names between the passport and the traveler's name, have something to do with this.

Regardless, the gate agent quickly and efficiently reassigned me to see 30B which is better than where I was sitting.

The little hassle over the seating worked on my advantage. I got moved further forward in the plane, and I have more legroom now 🙂

Next stop is Berlin and then I start walking the Leipzig.

On the Road / Notable memories

Before leaving for the airport

Gimli, Cosi and I on a downtown bird watch, just chilling out before final preparations to leave for the airport


Court Street, dam, downtown Rochester



Genesee River looking south from the Court Street bridge


In the air

Breaking through the clouds over Rochester into a blue sky


And coming into Newark with lower Manhattan off the plane's left side

Arrived Germany


Had no problems getting through passport control. I even used my German with the immigrations police, and he was surprised when I said that I was here to hike from Berlin to Leipzig. He even made a motion with his fingers, walking motion with his fingers, to make sure that my German lol was in fact saying I was hiking between the two cities.

Been asking for directions from people, and interacting, e.g. by asking how much the city tram costs, etc.

My next stop is the main train station in Berlin. The Protestant mission / hostel where I'll be sleeping for two nights is nearby.

Itinerary

11:15 a.m. Leave home.
11:30 a.m. Arrive airport.
12:00 p.m. Through TSA checkpoint.
1:40 p.m. Leave Rochester.
2:40 p.m. Arrive Newark airport.
5:50 p.m. Leave Newark.
8:00 a.m. Arrived Berlin
8:45 a.m. Leaving the airport via the rapid transit S9 line to the main train station.




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Day 06 : Cheat Day

By
Image
Day 06: From Treuenbrietzen to Wittenberg  Date Jan 8, 2024 ( Monday ) Total This Camino: 59 miles. Total 2024 Caminos: 59 miles Total All Caminos: 2059 miles Lodging:  Marta's @ $68 Total Lodging: $ 392 Planes: $ 1300 Total Planes / Travel Insurance: $ 1470 Buses / Trains / Taxis: $ 19 Total Buses / Trains / Taxis: $ 63 Food: $ 23 Total Food: $ 178 Meaningful Moment Patience and persistence pay off. Pixel 8 Pro phone problem The camera was not recording location data into the JPG file. So when I went back to review my photos from the previous 5 days, there's no indication of where I was when I took the photo. To solve the problem I had to disable the camera app, re-enable the camera app and then review the settings.  I found one setting that said something about not allowing other apps access to the camera location. When I initially configured the camera, I remember turning that off, but that was the reason that my images had no location da
Read more

Carrying Memories of Old Friends

By
Image
A More Common Occurrence These Days Date Dec 21, 2023  (Thursday) Total This Camino: 0 miles. Total 2024 Caminos: 0 miles Total All Caminos: 2000 miles Planes: $ 1300 Total Planes / Travel Insurance: $ 1470 Meaningful Moment The other day I received an email that another person of significance to my life had crossed the final bridge. I don't know how to phrase it.  It brought both a smile and a regret to the fore. I smiled because I instantly remembered the best of the person, and regret because I realized that I will not build another common memory with them. In the last twelve months, I have attended four memorial services for U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary members with whom I served. (Mike B, John B, Bob C & now Ann P). These were good people who graced my life with shared experiences supporting the boating public through Boating Education or direct support through Boatcrew Search & Rescue or camaraderie as a Flotilla Staff Officer & in Leadership po
Read more

Day 07 : Wittenberg Exploration

By
Image
Day 07:  Wittenberg Exploration Date Jan 9, 2024 ( Tuesday ) Total This Camino: 59 miles. Total 2024 Caminos: 59 miles Total All Caminos: 2059 miles Lodging: Marta's @ $68 Total Lodging: $ 460 Planes: $ 1300 Total Planes / Travel Insurance: $ 1470 Buses / Trains / Taxis: $ 19 Total Buses / Trains / Taxis: $ 63 Food: $ 22 Total Food: $ 200 Meaningful Moment Katholische Kirche Sankt Marien In an interesting contrast with Spanish churches, there is a distinctive absence of iconography.  In truth, the difference is much more complicated. Many of the Lutheran churches have a Catholic basis and so they have the iconography. That suggests this particular Catholic church is much newer, whatever that means, and it's styling is in the more sparse Protestant style. The interior styling is so much simpler. Removal of icons and relics and other items of what would be considered idolatry is very common in Protestant churches, but the distinction between th
Read more