Citizen Wausau

No Sleep till Berlin.

by Grinning Soul on May 13th, 2009

So, what do you do when you are planning a road trip to visit your brother in Florida and then you check out a common flight booking website to check the cost of flying there instead;  knowing that you would be selling out all sense of adventure by flying instead of road-tripping, you then, ever so whimsically with almost certain disappointment in your heart, check the cost of airfare to Berlin Germany where an old friend is currently living, only to find that you can get a round-trip flight for $395?  There was I was, stricken with guilt that I would not be seeing my brother who does deserve a family visit, but I discovered the cheap airfare on a Monday, alerted my friend in Berlin and got a response on Tuesday, purchased my ticket on Wednesday, got my passport photo on Thursday and applied for my passport on a Friday.

I leave for Berlin in a week.  I will be there for one full week.  This is my first trip abroad.

Something has gotten into me lately, or maybe it is just me finding my true self again, either way, I have been feeling fantastic.  I came to some serious realizations right around my birthday and clarity over-swept the dusty cobwebs that were my previous goals, my fruitless dreams.  Living in my immediate space and time took over living for and in the light of the future I imagined.  Even back in January, I don’t think I would have been in the right mental framework to take an unplanned, unfunded trip to Germany.

I wish I could take more time and had more money, I would travel all of Europe but I am not complaining.  This is going to be exactly what I need and good traveling practice.  My friend who is over there even said that she might not be around at the time of my visit but offered me her flat at no charge.  I was mentally preparing for a trip to a foreign land, a big city all alone.  Turns out she will be around for about half my stay which is glorious because she is an amazing person and exhudes a warm, positive energy that is highly contagious.  She was home visiting in March and just spending a little time with her really set me on the right course.  What an impact, what an amazing person.

I will have one week to get to know Berlin with maybe a day-trip to Dresden.  From just a couple photos, I am mesmerized by Dresden.  I hope I can make it there.

I have been living as cheap as possible for the last month and I am tired of being frugal and not being able to enjoy the daily things like grabbing dinner and a beer at The Red Eye with a friend.  I have been missing out on some really great shows because I can’t swing a cover charge right now.  A little part of me can’t wait to have a great Berlin experience but come home to some idea of normalcy.  I miss my friends.  I miss being able to bring a well crafted dish to pass to my friends cook out.  And wine, I miss wine!  I also paused my ballroom dance lessons for the month.  All I have purchased this last month besides maybe 20.00 on one night out is food because it is the only thing I can justify buying (oh, and a Berlin travel guide) but my boredom has put me into this state of perpetual eating!  I had to go to the store to buy a lot of fruits and veggies because my appetite has been insatiable.  I don’t mean to sound ungrateful at all.  I am a very fortunate person.  I guess it simply means that I am happy with my life.  I have befriended some really remarkable people here in Wausau and I miss them because my wild hair has forced me into hermitage.

My only hope for this adventure is that it gives me the knowledge and confidence to travel more.  It is a big deal for me, not the destination so much as the personal milestone I have reached.  I have known quite a few that have traveled much more than I and I am in awe of them and envious only of their broader perspective. 

I hope to blog about my travels upon my return and maybe while there.  We will see!