It was
lonely around. I took number 110 bus to Olsdorf station. Then I got on U-bahn
(underground) to Landungsbruecke station. I had already booked one bed at youth
hostel on website, but some trouble happened. One was It took much time to find
main entrance of youth hostel, Jugendherberge Auf dem Stintfang. The youth was top of the hill and it
was dark around. I went in different way at first but it was a trivial thing.
Next trouble was
bigger.
Word: Jugendherberge
@"Jugendherberge" is a German word and means "Youth
Hostel". A short word is "JH". You can see the word on a
flag. "JH" can be often seen on the map.
24:00 I arrived at YH.
When I had booked a bed on website one week before, I received a Email that I had to
arrive at YH by 18:00. My flight was 22:40 at Hamburg airport and then I asked
by Email if I
can check in at midnight. However there was no response before my departure and
I had worry my stay in YH. As I had worried, a trouble happened. They hadn't received my answer mail. They said I should
have reached by 18:00 and there was no vacancy bed. But it was fortunate that
they have a copy of email which had sent to me, which proved my reservation and
finally I
got one bed at emergency room. Though there was no lock, I was only one in the
room and slept well.
A very long day (31 hours a day) was over.
May 30, 2001
7:00 I got up.
The first morning in Germany became a very nice morning. After taking
breakfast, I walked around the building. Flesh air, green trees, and calm
street. Everything was what was not in Tokyo. I got sure that nice to come to
Germany, though I felt a little chilly.
A view from open space
Back of YH
Entrance of YH
9:00 check out
After I checked out, I went to Hamburg Hauptbahnhof (main station).
Hamburg Haubtbahnhof is a big station. There are 14 lines and many shops are in
the station. Ticket office has large area. I spoken to a officer in English and
he was able to speak English. I was asked my age. There is a reduced ticket for
people under 26 in DB (Deutsche Bahn). The price from Hamburg to Kiel was 24.00
DM. (Normal price is 30 DM.) Then I went down to platform. The announce was of
course all in German. Although I learned German by myself in Japan, I couldn't
understand anything. Only I could is to read the sign. and the sign said, "Nicht
einsteigen." (Don't get on.) "What? I cannot get on? though the
train for Kiel has already arrived at the station." However, some people
were getting on. Then I followed them and asked a elder lady. "Ist Dieser
zug nach Kiel?" That was my first conversation in German. I worried my
pronunciation at fiirst but it went well. Kiel city where I would stay for two
months was coming near.
