Travel Update – Part 2

I finally found where I need to go to buy my ticket for the train to the main station.  I realize that the train that I want is coming in about 5 minutes and I need to hustle, so once one becomes available I hop on, buy my ticket, and head down with all of my luggage down the escalator.  Did I mention that this luggage is really frickin’ heavy?  I mean the escalator wasn’t bad, but do you think they have any train cars that are flush with the platform?  Not that I could see.  So then I had to pull the bags up into the train with me.  Um Yea…that didn’t work out so great, but with the help of a kind stranger I was able to get my bag into the train car.  I didn’t try to get into any of the seating areas and just stood with it in the entrance/exit area for the 12-14 minute ride to the station.

Then I had to get off, but that was easy I just pulled it and it dropped and made loud noises, but nothing broke, so I carried on to the escalator.  A note for any travelers out there, if you have heavy bags, put them in front of you when you go down an escalator, and behind you when you go up, that way the weight isn’t resting entirely on you during the entire escalator ride.

I finally found my platform and sat down.  Don’t I look exhausted?  I was exhausted even if I don’t look it.

This is the Zürich main train station – platform 17.  Lovely, right?

There’s a cute little museum across the street, and huge bike parking area, under that enormous yellow sign.  I wish I had taken more pictures of the awesome European cars while I was there, but there will be plenty of time for that this year.  Rest assured, there are some awesome tiny little cars here – not just smart cars either.

When the train came, I had to find my assigned seat (I reserved a seat, just in case).  I got there and again, with the help of a kind stranger, was able to get all of my bags into the train.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a good place to put all of my bags.  I eventually got three of my bags above me and my biggest bag right in front of me (meaning I had no leg room) in my seat.  Then I enjoyed the beautiful countryside.  There are no pictures of this, but it was beautiful with the abundance of small farms and personal plots of garden space.  Since it was the end of the harvest season a lot of fields had already been tilled, or were left to waste.  I think the saddest sight were the numerous sunflower fields that had run their course and died off.  I saw field upon field of dark brown sunflowers with their “heads” bowed, as though they were mourning a great loss.

I had a few hours on the train, so I rested a bit, but realized that I needed to keep an eye on the clock because I had to change trains, and my connection time was only 4 minutes.  This would not have been a problem if my connecting train had been on the other side of the same platform, but it was on another platform, and I had to rush, with my over 140 lbs of light weight equipment down a flight of stairs, up a flight of stairs and into the train.  I know that the Germans are known for their efficiency, but really?  I mean, seriously? 4 Minutes?

I managed it by putting my military duffle bag on my back, and carrying my backpack.  Once at the bottom of the stairs I took the duffle and the backpack up, rushed back down to get the smaller of my two bags, and finally rushed down to get the larger bag.  From there I took two at a time onto the train, and voila, I was on the train with no time to spare.  It was a little one car train so everyone got to watch the crazy American woman with her bags.  I’m sure it was a lot of fun to watch.

Once I arrived in Tübingen I had to go down another flight of stairs, then up one more flight to get to the main part of the station.  They have these awesome little conveyor belts that you can put your luggage on and they automatically detect that your luggage is there, so it will follow you down the stairs, then they have another set that will bring your bags up the stairs.  Awesome except that they weren’t working.  Hahahahahahah!!!!  This time I had two nice strangers who helped me get my bags down and up the stairs.  Who says that Germans aren’t friendly?!?

At this point I had about an hour and a half before the office where I could pay my deposit for my room would be open, so I took my time getting change for the lockers, finding the lockers, wedging my three heavy bags into the lockers and getting a cab to the building.  I was in no mood to figure out the bus system and I was totally willing to pay the money to have someone drive me there.

On the way there I saw the enormous amount of construction going on in Tübingen right now.  I also noticed that the place I had to go was waaaaay up on a hill that would have been a total bitch to try to climb.  The other thing I noticed, which was fortuitous, were two banks.  I hadn’t gotten all of my money changed over in Zürich, so I still needed to get the money for my deposit, and those banks were a short walk away.  I made it back to the building to find two other people waiting to spend some time in the chaos that is the Wohnheimverwaltung (organized chaos, but chaos none the less).  Eventually there were about 20 people waiting outside when they finally opened the doors at 1:30.

And there ends the second installment of our grand first two days.  Tune in for the third installment on the Wohnheimverwaltung, the Hausmeister, and finding my way around.