Heidelberg Express
Fussen,
Germany
Sunday, May 18, 2008
We wake up early enjoy breakfast together, I pack then we all go our separate ways. Issy catches her train, and for me, its time to see the castle and then leave for my next destination. Im out of the house by 10am and fully packed, I head into town and go to the castle. I decide to purchase a funicular ticket that takes me to the top of the mountain, stopping at the Castle on the way. At the castle I see that a student ticket is half the price of an adults and since I had passed for a student yesterday I try my luck, bingo, bongo, bango, I get my student ticket, that will be a glass of wine later in the trip.
The castle is deceptively large, from down by the river it looks huge, once there its not so big, there are no ornate rooms to view, just the shell of a once magnificant castle and the views are spectacular. Everywhere you turn there is another picture postcard view and I am snap happy.
I hope onto the funicular to the next station, take a snap and then quickly join the queue for the old fashioned funicular that takes you to the next stop on top of the mountain. It is a timber carriage and it creaks the whole way it is amazing that it gets us there and doesn't come crashing down during the trip. The view is nice and its great to be surrounded by wilderness again, its so green and lush and it is dotted by wildflowers.
I walk through the old town again before heading back to Moritz house. On the way back another sign catches my eye. It is on the side of the Body Shop, how appropriate it reads "Fahtgasse" yes I know toilet humor wins every time. I purchase Moritz a book on Mountain Biking as a thank you
Once back at Moritz's I log onto the internet to check train times and to get a name of a youth hostel in Fussen. We say our goodbyes, its been a great couple of days. I take my obligitory photo of my host on their couch and get him to put his feet up to show how tall he really is.
I get to the station and print off my train connections its 4 trains and 4 hours 48 minutes to my next destination. Yes I know I am not really travelling around these countries in any particular order but hey it not really all that planned now is it?
The first two changes go without a hitch, running no more than 2 minutes late and getting all my connections. The next stop I am not so sure about, right train number, right platform but it doesn't say that the train is stopping at the station I need to do a change at. I run up and down the platform looking for a guard and ask a few people they say yes they think it stops there but they are not sure. The train whistle blows and I jump on, hey nothing ventured, nothing gained. I plant my bags in first class and look for a train timetable or plan. Since it is a regional train there doesnt seem to be any. I ask a girl if it stops at the station and she points to another board, and it takes me 10 minutes to locate the station where we left and then some of the other stations we will be stopping at which are in the right direction but still not sure. I go back and sit at my seat, feeling slightly uneasy, it is a 45 minute trip and if it is in the wrong direction it means it will be after 11pm when I get into Fussen if there is a train running at all.
Finally I see the conductor and he informs me yes it does stop there and its in 2 stations. I feel better. I change at the platform and there is almost an hour to wait for the next train. When I board I speak to an Australian woman and her son who are staying at the same Youth Hostel and we head off with an old American guy in tow to the Youth Hostel. Its now dark and raining and we head down the hill.
After 20 minutes of walking when the information said it was a 10 minute walk we decide to ask someone at a hotel. We are walking in the wrong direction, so its back up the hill with backpack now starting to hurt in the rain to ask another few people the right way. We get lost a couple of times but make it to the Youth Hostel just after 10.30pm. I am tired.
There are three girls in the hostel two Japanese (this means trouble) and a Mexican. I get the only top bunk, probably flashing my arse when I climb the ladder but not really caring. Its been a long day.
I put my things in the locker but don't pay the 2 euro fee to lock it. I put my laptop and handbag in bed with me, put on my eyemask and earplugs and wait..... sleep comes but then so does what is predicted.
