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Well it's been a crazy journey and it's almost over. 8 more days before I have to head back to the good ole U.S. of A. Last week I went glacier snowboarding in the Alps. Since there was only snow at the top of the mountain they didn't have any chair lifts open and only had this crazy contraption that you put between your legs to pull yourself up. It looked quite easy for the skiers as they were able to face forward but I had to ride sideways on my board and I had a very hard time staying straight. I fell off in the middle of the mountain almost every time. So, needless to say I have many MANY bruises. It was totally worth it though. I hadn't ridden in about 2 years and flying down the peak looking to the beautiful alps must be one of the highligts of my trip.
After snowboarding I went with the girl who was working at my hostel to her hometown just outside Graz. We made a daytrip to Slovenia as well. Good times, good times.
On Friday night I went to the train station in Zell Am See to get a ticket for Holland. I told the guy that I wanted a ticket to the first stop in the NL. He sold me a ticket to a town that I had never heard of but I figured it was no big deal. My train left Austria at 7 pm that night. When we got to Munich I got on the train for Amsterdam, found a seat and was about to start sleeping when the conductor comes to look at my ticket. He then asks for my reservation. 'Reservation?? I paid ?134 for this ticket and you say I need a reservation?' So he informs me that without a reservation I have to go to the back of the train and get off in Koblenz and catch a train there to Holland while this one goes to the exact same place. I was quite annoyed but I figured it would be okay. At 4 am we made it to Koblenz so I got off and started looking for my next train. I ended up having to ask a conductor for help because I couldn't seem to find the name of the town on my ticket on the boards ANYWHERE. So tells me which train to get on and where my next change will be to get to Holland. I proceed to get on this nice ICE train and when the conductor comes to stamp my ticket he tells me its not vaild for ICE trains and tells me I need a supplement. I told him that I had no money and that I had paid ?134 for this ticket and shouldn't be required to pay more than that esp. since the guy working at the station told me to get on this train. He ended up charging me 3 euros and made me get off in Cologne. When I got there I went to the info desk, showed them my ticket and asked then which train I should get on. I guess they didn't really look at it because they directed me to another ICE train. Luckily I checked before I got on so I could avoid any more "supplement" charges. I then went to a different info desk and asked them the same thing. The guys directed me to platform 5 and I started getting worried when I saw the train. It was a bit s***ty looking, like one they hadn't sold off to eastern europe yet... But, I got on. After watching small German villages one after another roll by we finally arrived in my stop. Was I in holland?? Nope, I was in a tiny German town where no one spoke english. After a verbal wrestling match with the info guy I figured out that I needed to take a bus to Holland. My bus driver didn't speak English but did understand that I needed to get to Holland and he didn't make me pay. The first time I smiled since I got to Germany.
After 17 hours in transport I finally arrived in Amsterdam. I was so tired and REALLY needed a nice bed and good shower. Well my tent in the Amsterdam forest doesn't really provide that but it's cheap and adventurous.
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