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OH HAI
I know I should have posted this on monday night and i know there is no excuse for my naughty naughty behaviour but I am not going to lie: I couldn't be bothered.
Anyway, A whole lot has happened in the past 8 days (as expected). Last week ran away from me like Usain Bolt on superjuice, and so much great stuff happened too! The rest of the week was actually a pretty normal routine: grouchily heave myself out of bed at 6, shovel down some choco muesli morning style, and run out the door 3 minutes before the tram departs the station located about 4 minutes jogging time from home. Hmmm. The one major difference was that on Wednesday and Thursday there were big practice exams, which, being intellectually talented as I am I was not required to attend (Ok so maybe it was because I already finished school but shhhh). Friday was even better - Moritz had a 6 hour exam - Thus giving me the day off! So while I was sleeping in and enjoying a run up the local hill of doom and destiny, Moritz was busy writing the SIX HOUR test of doom. And destiny. Ok: Just DOOM.
Soooooo. During my ludicrously leisurely Friday I received a Facebook email from one of Moritz's friends Jula (who I had met right at the start of my stay here), inviting me to drop by her place that night for a cocktail party she was hosting! She explicitly mentioned that while Moritz couldn't come until about 8:30, I should make my way over at about 6:30 because she thinks i'm a bit of a cool cat. Then I found out that she lives in WEST KARLSRUHE. Thats right. Westside.
I live in the South.
Karlsruhe is big.
So in order to achieve this mean feat with the efficiency and flair of a New Zealand exchange student, I checked the KVV (Karlsruhe Transport) website - which duly provided me with a selection of possible routes to the "dicktail party" as it were. I chose the simplest one - involving two trams, a short walk, and a bus ride. Little did I know that this was to be the most harrowing and directionally devilish trip I have ever made in Karlsruhe so far. So at about 5:30 I set off on my first tram, departing the local tram station with joy in my step and a humongous Nick trademark smile. The novelty of taking my first big intra-karlsruhe tram trip had thoroughly worn off after 10 minutes sitting on a bench in the dark in the center of Karlsruhe's Marktplatz, waiting for a tram that would take me to a stop which I had conveniently forgotten the name of! So I hopped on the number six with a sigh of relief and began a brain hurricane - attempting to remember the name of the stop at which I had to so desperately disembark. Well I remembered. When the tram pulled into the stop.
This meant me running down the tram at full pace and causing a number of peaceful commuters to become rather ruffled by the sonic boom that succeeded my great escape. Now that I had made it to the formidable bus transfer stage I had to find the bus stop, and the connecting bus - number 60. In order to achieve this mighty goal I went in the complete opposite direction, then after finding no buses (nor stops) of any kind, I travelled back to the tram stop and found my bus in a parking spot which had previously been obscured by a tram traveling in the opposite direction to my own. The remaining journey was spent in a dark bus hoping that I pressed the red "STOP" button at the right stage. I did. The bus driver, however, managed to drop me off at the stop round the corner from where Jula was going to meet me. But after some nervous searching I triumphantly arrived at the correct stop and declared myself the NAVIGATION KING. Well actually no, Jula managed to find me, I am nothing but a navigational prince. Oh well.
Anyway the cocktail party went well and I was assigned the role of DJ, whipping out the blues and disco style music at the perfect moment and thus causing a smorgasbord of hilarious dance moves to be produced in the middle of Jula's lounge. OH YEAH DJKNICK IN DA HAUS.
On Saturday came the visit of the mighty Peter Mekhail - who it turns out had been secretly living in a town very close by until I used my ninja skills to hunt him down over Facebook. We met at the hauptbahnhof at 11:30 and from there trammed back to Charly's house where I was staying for the weekend and ate a brunch (managing to down a whole litre of orange juice within 10 minutes). We then headed into town and I checked out a hotel which has potential to host the fam if they come and visit in July this year! The receptionist didn't speak english, but at this point I discovered just how good at German this Peter dude was. He did the explaining and questioning and I decided we could stay friends. Then. At a loss for what to do. We began the adventure of the three coins!!!!!
Peter had introduced me to a game he himself had invented to kill spare time waiting for friends in London, involving the flipping of three coins to determine where to turn at the next crossroads. We took a detour away from the Marktplatz and towards the Natural History Museum, visited a mall where Peter tried on everything in one shop and then bought nothing, bought a packet of toffee and some fruit and enjoyed a mobile feast in the mall. We then ended up involuntarily dragged four tram stations down the road to a Pizziera which was situated ABOVE the road, so you could watch trams and cars pass beneath you as you ate. This inspired ravenous hunger (even though we had snacked no more than 5 minutes earlier), and we decided to catch the next tram back to Muhlburger Tor, in order to eat and arrange transport for Peter that night (he planned the way there but not back!). Charly (my host dad if anyone is wondering) invited Peter to stay for dinner and was very kind in hosting him while he arranged things over the internet. I then dropped the big P.M. off at the local tram station, safely headed back to the hauptbahnhof. That night was the NBA Slam Dunk Contest - which Blake Griffin deservedly won, and we very much enjoyed.
The next morning was a very casual sleep in till about 11 and a mighty brunch which I am becoming pleasantly accustomed to during weekends at Charly's! I then met my first pair of Host Grandparents! They live in the flat next to Charly's and Anton and I watched a game of football (Karlsruhe vs. Frankfurt) which Karlsruhe deservedly won! We celebrated with some AMAZING apple cake and then I popped next door for a Jamie Oliver inspired meal which my host dad had crafted out of a HUGE side of steak and some YUMMY wild mushrooms. I had been thoroughly looking forward to a Rotary meeting for students in Karlsruhe at a mexican restaurant called Enchiladas that night, and as soon as I had filled up on mushroom steak heaven I headed into town, walking along Karlsruhe's old streets in a flurry of fresh snow! My first snowstorm in Germany infact! I was a little bit guttered when I scoured the restaurant in search for the one ring to rule them all and came out empty handed, but to add insult to serious injury the Rotary peeps weren't even there! I had been stood up - Mexicana stylesszz.
So back to school it was. AND BOY IT WAS THE BEST MONDAY EVER. When I woke up I was greeted by a winter wonderland outside. I was like a little boy playing in the snow. I even recorded my entire school day for the viewing pleasure of the masses, and will be publishing the premiere of "A Day in Karlsruhe (ft. Snow)" sometime in the near future.
Today was a pretty rough start hearing about the 6.3 magnitude tragedy in christchurch but people have been really supportive and nice about it - even my music teacher asked if everything was ok! Which it certainly isn't but at least my friends and family are safe for now. For all of those struggling in this difficult time: Kia Kaha. My prayers are with every single soul present in Christchurch. And may the many poor people who lost their lives rest in peace.
Well I think that is about all for this week. Ima hungus as so I might hit the kitchen for dinner.
xxxx
Nick the Mighty.
- comments
Joel Dear Nic, You aren't mighty Yours sincerely, Joel
James Well, his writting skills are certainly mighty...
Nick the Mighty (Writer) Why thank you kind James, The gods shall look kindly upon you for the week ahead. Chur. x
Santa dude you live in the east - d-side for life!!!