Train from Plzen

Train to the border with Germany (one hopes). A young lady payed for my fair unexpectedly, as I was about to be disembarked against my will. I'd played my fumbling with language and Eurocents and was about to be ejected from the vehicle when her good samaritan heart leaped to my rescue.

I'll need to play the bumbling tourist until I reach my destination I fear. I get the impression that other passengers would rather see me ejected, so I must play it well until the swell calms down.

I've hitched/hiked so far in the last couple of weeks, I must take much better care of my heavily abused lower appendages, lest the blisters and pre-sores begin to fest to an impossible degree.

I may hike through the night until I reach Germany where I hopefully could take advantage of thier 24 hour train services.

*I was unable to hike to the border, but I had a fantastic view of the Milky Way galaxy from the northern hemisphere; a sight I had not known before and one that I am happy to have experienced.

Berlin

Berlin:

Sleeping under the stars, drinking cheap liquor and wearing wholes through my shoes. A true hobo lifestyle. My days are my own while I await certain days on which I have non-obligatory appointments. It didn't take me long to discover and take advantage of the lack of securiy infrastructure in the supermarketsy so my food and wine were sorted. I'd also located a secure and quiet place for the night in an out of the waz corner of Tiergarten. I managed to acuire a trendy pair of sunglasses to soften the appearance of my scruffy beard and unruly hair. It manages the trick, and also creates a bit of confusion amongst people as to how to regard me. Am I a bum or a scruffy looking artist? Oh it's easy to asses people by thier appearance but not always with the accuracy that is assumed.

Berlin is an easy city in which to live without money. But I have to leave soon and find something new.

* Somebody else had also discovered my space, and had made quite a home, having lived in Berlin while working and studying for an undidisclosed number of years. We had thorough and deep conversations, and exchanged knowledge and experiences of living homeless in Berlin.

Gadding Europe. Short Stories. Amsterdam.

I arrived in Amsterdam with no plan. Upon exiting the airport I surmised the best or perhaps moste convenient entry into the city consisted of hopping onto a bus and heading for the centre of town from whence I could reflect and consider my options from a more convenient point. On the bus I met a frightened lady who asked me of all people where I could purchase a ticket for the bus trip. I replied I had no idea and that she should sit back and enjoy the ride. She smiled and resltessly settled in for the journey. Other passengers accompanying us where 3 large europeans who appeared to be of the age for military service. Loud lads whose prescence dominated the bus, they obviously had a cameraderie which had lasted either a long time or through some tough situations. Fortunately they departed shortly after they had arrived.
The young lady, after a nervous glance in my direction, approached the bus driver with the question she previously put to me and purchased her ticket for the ride.
And so I had arrived in Amsterdam Centrum.
My first thoughts turned to where I would be sleeping.
Having no contacts in this city, I was on my own and relying on my meagre store of wits to get me through my time. I firstly resolved that if all else failed I would resort to the charity of christians and crash in a church aisle until somebody noticed me and either kicked me out abruptly or offered me assistance in the form of at least information about where the nearest shelter could be located. This never came to pass, as I soon realised that the churches I located where more centres for tourism than places of worship.
After sitting and contemplating over a cigarette, I strolled through the city to get my bearings as well as a feel for the life of the citizenry.