Trip Report: Canberra to Berlin - with a few stops along the way!

[Mattg]

AB6542 Stuttgart - Berlin (Tegel)
Airbus A320 | D-ABFZ
Departure time: 18:00 (17:55)
Arrival time: 19:15 (19:05)



The flight to Berlin was short and pleasant. Nothing more, nothing less. I have flown airberlin before and they have had consistently good, efficient but not over-the-top service.

The flight was less than half full and the first three or four rows were deserted. I had row 3 to myself. No wonder the flight was so cheap...


Looking across at an empty row 3. As you can see the legroom is pretty standard but enough for comfort.



The flight pushed back a little early and took off at 6pm on the dot. There was no in-flight entertainment other than some magazines but a drink and a snack was served. As always on airberlin a choice of something "süß oder salzig" (sweet or salty) was offered. The sweet choice was a chocolate biscuit and the latter a bag of chips.

The cabin crew were professional and polite - nothing more, nothing less.


Somewhere over central Germany

Only 55 minutes after we took off we had touched down in the wonderful city of Berlin, but we parked at a remote bay and needed to be bussed to the baggage claim area. We lost just about all the time we made up in flight in the process.

Despite the oneworld priority tag on my suitcase it was one of the last off, so that was a bit of a fail...


My experience on Monday with airberlin was pretty much exactly the same as every other. In my opinion they are consistently and predictably professional, punctual and get the job done. It's all very German.

I will probably be using airberlin again quite a bit over the next few months for a few reasons. Firstly, being based in Berlin I am going to want to see more of Europe. Secondly, airberlin often have some good deals with €78 return flights between Berlin and European destinations. (And unlike the many budget airlines in Europe, that includes a checked bag, snack, drink etc.) And thirdly, as a oneworld member airline I should be able to not only use the lounges, but earn Qantas points and status credits with them - and I could use all the status credits I can get at the moment if I'm to requalify for gold. For this flight I got a measly 81 points, but at least I did also get 10 status credits.

 

[Mattg]

After 13 days, travelling through 12 cities in 6 countries, I had finally arrived in Berlin! One adventure had come to an end, but another was about to begin.

I could have probably come straight to Berlin if I really wanted to, but hey, sometimes the journey is just as exciting as the destination, and this was certainly the case for me.

Thanks to great circle mapper, here's the direct route:


...And the one I took:

 

[Mattg]

I've now been in Berlin for almost a week and I'm falling in love with this amazing city more and more every day. At the moment I'm searching for a permanent place to live, and once I've got that I'll begin to look for a job. As I think I mentioned at the beginning of this trip report, my dream job is to be a tour guide in Berlin. But at the end of the day, I'm just happy to be here.

I'll be here in Berlin until the day after Australia Day next year. This next six/seven months should be one of the most exciting times of my life, I really can't wait!

I will keep this thread updated if there are any solid updates regarding finding a place to live or a job.

In the meantime, I will post some photos below. I will also begin another thread in the "Destination Guide" Forum with a more thorough collection of some of my tips on things to see and do in Berlin, as well as local gems I discover during my time here. I'll put a link on this thread once I get started on that.

If anyone happens to be visiting Berlin in the next six months (or would like an excuse to!) I would be more than happy to meet up for a drink in one of Berlin's many thousands of cool bars and/or show you around this wonderful city. Simply send me a private message.

Finally, I think it's time to update my location in my profile...

 

[Mattg]

Here are some of my favourite photos from my wanderings around Berlin over the past week:

The Berlin Dom, with the Ferhsehturm (TV Tower) on Alexanderplatz in the background


East Side Gallery


Checkpoint Charlie


Tempelhof - once an airport, now a massive public park. And the runways, taxiways etc. are still there.


Memorial to victims of the Berlin Wall on Bernauer Straße

 

[Mattg]

The Brandenburg Gate - with no tourists around whatsoever! (Because it was pouring rain and everyone was taking cover in the S-Bahn station...)


The gate on a normal day


One of the many colourful bears in random places around the city - Berlin's mascot


A courtyard covered in street art which is home to several hip cafes, shops and also a museum remembering the work of Otto Weidt, who saved many lives during WWII.


Another example of street art/protest on the U-Bahn (subway) - can you spot which sticker is the odd one out?

 

[Mattg]

Finally, I think I must talk about the Weltmeisterschaft (World Cup)! Unless you've been living under a rock or have absolutely no interest in football, you are probably aware that Germany won the World Cup last night. I consider myself very lucky to have been in Berlin for this as the atmosphere was incredible!

I was also in Berlin for the semi-final between Germany and Brazil last Tuesday. I watched with some friends from my hostel at a bar, and before we'd even arrived (about 12 minutes in) we could tell that Germany had already scored as the cars in the streets all began honking their horns for no reason! And after the unprecedented 7-1 victory, it only got crazier from there!

Of course, Tuesday night was nothing compared to last night. A German friend of mine (who I actually met in China, of all places) was coming to Berlin to watch and celebrate the game on the Fanmeile (fan mile) which runs between the Brandenburg Gate and the Victory Column on the Straße des 17. Juni. This is the main public viewing area in the centre of Berlin where hundreds of thousands of fans went to watch the game. I don't know exactly how many people were there but one figure I heard was a quarter of a million! If you saw Germans celebrating in Berlin on the TV, you probably saw the Fanmeile.

Well, I was one of those 250,000 and I'm so glad I got to experience it! We had to get there many hours early as they stopped letting in people as soon as the area was full, but it was well worth the wait. Once the sun went down and the game got started, the atmosphere was absolutely electric.
Translation: To Fan Mile, from 16/6/14 until 13/7/14, on the Street of the 17th of June, -no fireworks, -no flares, -no glass bottles.

Before the game started there was even a concert with a couple of rather famous singers in Germany, such as Adel Tawil (who I happen to be a big fan of).



As it got closer to the end and no-one had scored everyone was getting pretty nervous, but Germany came through in the end. After the game finished at around midnight German time, the whole city turned into a giant party zone. Thankfully there weren't as many fireworks as there were on New Years Eve, but the atmosphere was very similar. It was a great place to be! (Unless you were trying to sleep...)
And this was the Berlin Hauptbahnhof (main station) at 1.15am this morning:

The party continued on into the night, but I think the music and fireworks mostly stopped by around sunrise. (I was asleep by that point...)

 

[Joshua]

There's a good chance we have crossed paths a few times in the last month... I flew out on MH a little earlier and was in KL the same time. Also I've passed through Berlin several times this year - was around the fan mile only a few days ago! I'm also spending a year living in Europe evaluating where I plan to stay for the next few. Will be in Munich in a fortnight, if I get time in Berlin will send you a PM. You've made me wonder whether I should similarly post much of my travel for the year but would take a bit to go back and through!

 

[Mattg]

There's a good chance we have crossed paths a few times in the last month... I flew out on MH a little earlier and was in KL the same time. Also I've passed through Berlin several times this year - was around the fan mile only a few days ago! I'm also spending a year living in Europe evaluating where I plan to stay for the next few. Will be in Munich in a fortnight, if I get time in Berlin will send you a PM. You've made me wonder whether I should similarly post much of my travel for the year but would take a bit to go back and through!

It sounds like we definitely might have crossed paths!

I enjoy writing and sharing my experiences so I guess you could say that for me this blog is a bit of a hobby, but don't underestimate the amount of time and effort required. It definitely takes more than 5 minutes to put a post together in the level of detail I try to! But if you have the time and energy, I'd say go for it.

Do let me know if you make it back to Berlin.

 

[Joshua]

It sounds like we definitely might have crossed paths!

I enjoy writing and sharing my experiences so I guess you could say that for me this blog is a bit of a hobby, but don't underestimate the amount of time and effort required. It definitely takes more than 5 minutes to put a post together in the level of detail I try to! But if you have the time and energy, I'd say go for it.

Do let me know if you make it back to Berlin.

Oh I do enjoy writing too but I finished my thesis a month after I got here, so after writing 18 hours a day for 2-3 months I needed a break haha

I have written a lot already or at least have notes but haven't published anything; every time I get close I'm on another trip or focused on other non travel blogging.

The MH experience appears spot on. A friend manages MH ground ops at ADL, out station staff are quite good. Last time I departed yield management had been heavily overselling Y for the whole week and ground staff were fishing for paid upgrades before resorting to op-ups (while desperately hoping for no shows!)

If you're planning any travel around Europe I have figured out a few tips and tricks while I am here and happy to share. Prices are terrible otherwise, even Ryan, Wizz and Norwegian are breathtaking at times.

I'm catching up with a friend in Munich ironically, so maybe Berlin before or after that.

Thanks for the Beijing photos, takes me back to my earliest travels where I lived off Wangfujing for a while. Hope to return sometime.

 

[ellen10]

Loving the photos Mattg.
I was last in Berlin, when young, in 1982. Very different city now, would love to go back.
The world cup experience would have been fantastic.

 

[BVT]

Great TR, I hope Berlin is working out for you.

The images of the Great Wall instantly bought back pain to my legs - and the(happy) memory of climbing many, many steep stairs, but as you say, all worth it, especially when there are beer vendors in random places, just when you are thirsty!

Happy trails.

 

[Katie]

View attachment 31844
The Brandenburg Gate - with no tourists around whatsoever! (Because it was pouring rain and everyone was taking cover in the S-Bahn station...)
View attachment 31848
One of the many colourful bears in random places around the city - Berlin's mascot

When I first went to Berlin, our tour bus was able to drive under the Brandenburger Tor. And those buildings to the sides weren't there!

On another trip, I think in 2003, a series of bears were in a circle near the Brandenburger Tor. They were decorated for all/many countries of the world. Brilliant.

Ich liebe Bärlin.

 

[Demon_fan]

Well done on the additional entries to your TR.

Have absolutely loved it.

I only spent 3 nights in Berlin back in 2012, and to this date it's still my most favourite city. So very jealous that you're living there at the moment.

 

[JessicaTam]

I have really enjoyed your trip to Berlin.Thank for sharing and please keep up with the updates if you move around.

I liked the STR BA lounge as we (two of us) were the only ones there for about an hour or so. The service was quite personalised - including the chat to the attendant whose son in law was from AU. I hope you had no trouble getting access, because I spent five minutes at the door explaining why QF status members could enter. I was very patient.

 

[Mattg]

I liked the STR BA lounge as we (two of us) were the only ones there for about an hour or so. The service was quite personalised - including the chat to the attendant whose son in law was from AU. I hope you had no trouble getting access, because I spent five minutes at the door explaining why QF status members could enter. I was very patient.

I would agree about the personalised service. Actually I didn't have any trouble getting in, but the man on the desk did hold onto my BP for 5 minutes to fill out some paperwork or something. I overheard him commenting to his colleague that it was rare to see a QF sapphire there or something.

Perhaps I should thank you for educating the staff there.

 

[JessicaTam]

I don't think that they had seen a QF member flying AB wanting to use a BA lounge before. They referred it upstairs and a senior staff member came and found the relevant section of a folder under the desk to see if we could access the lounge.

As I said, I was very patient.

 

[jastel]

I liked Berlin and will go back for a more detailed look next year hopefully.

The Reichstag, Pergamon Museum and others need more investigating.

I did 2 walking tours, they left from Hackescher market (sp?) and were only 10 euros or something, I did the Berlin general one and the next day a Sachenhausen Camp one.
They were very well done and one of the guides was an Aussie and one a Canadian. With the easy public transport and a map walking is probably the best way to see things.

It is an interesting city with the old/poor East side and the modern/rich West side, plenty of history, not all good but they acknowledge it.

 

[Mattg]

I liked Berlin and will go back for a more detailed look next year hopefully.

The Reichstag, Pergamon Museum and others need more investigating.

I did 2 walking tours, they left from Hackescher market (sp?) and were only 10 euros or something, I did the Berlin general one and the next day a Sachenhausen Camp one.
They were very well done and one of the guides was an Aussie and one a Canadian. With the easy public transport and a map walking is probably the best way to see things.

I know which one you are talking about. They are not the company I'm looking at working with but I did one of their tours last week with a British guide and it was very good.

It is an interesting city with the old/poor East side and the modern/rich West side, plenty of history, not all good but they acknowledge it.

I totally agree, I have a keen interest in history and I think that this is something which makes Berlin particularly special. The history is recent enough that there is evidence of it everywhere, and the contrast between what used to be the east and west sides is so clear it's astounding. And as you say, although most Berliners aren't proud of their history, they are willing to admit that it happened. There are memorials all over the city for the various victims of the naz_ regime, and also victims of the divided Berlin, among others.

 

[OATEK]

Thanks Mattg, you have got me fired up for my visit to Paris and Berlin next April. We have booked a few nights of luxury at the Adlon, next to the Brandenburg Gate. Love going out late at night when it is fairly quiet, and the street performers in their US/Russian etc uniforms have gone home to bed.

 

[Mattg]

Thanks Mattg, you have got me fired up for my visit to Paris and Berlin next April. We have booked a few nights of luxury at the Adlon, next to the Brandenburg Gate. Love going out late at night when it is fairly quiet, and the street performers in their US/Russian etc uniforms have gone home to bed.

I am incredibly jealous!! Have fun