I officially commenced the next chapter of my life as I sat aboard the flight from Riga to Berlin. I made the connection in Riga incredibly quickly, despite a very strong and biting cold wind that swept across the tarmac. To settle my nerves, I enjoyed a gin and tonic whilst listening to a playlist that felt absolutely perfect for the moment. A smile finally reappeared on my face after some emotionally challenging moments. I found it deeply difficult to say goodbye to everyone, and there were even some individuals whom I did not manage to see before my departure. The entire experience felt exactly like a scene from a movie, and everything seemed entirely surreal—as though it were merely another dream, which was about to start 4500km (around 2800 miles) away from my country, my friends and my family.
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A Rude Awakening and Security Absurdities
The illusion of dreaming was quickly shattered whenever the aircraft experienced intense turbulence. During the descent to Berlin, the plane shook violently, and I was abruptly awakened from a very sweet sleep by the sound of passengers screaming.
Furthermore, I endured a familiar routine earlier at Vilnius Airport, where it has practically become a personal tradition for me to be thoroughly searched. I was ordered to remove my shoes and was subsequently subjected to a full-body pat-down. I felt it was a pity that a tub of vaseline was not hidden in my pocket this time to make the situation more amusing as it happened awhile ago when I was flying and it made the officer really mad when my friends started laughing after I pulled out a lip balm. It is highly likely that my spectacles triggered the metal detector, as I wore no other metallic objects. The entire process felt like complete nonsense. Additionally, I was instructed to unpack my entire backpack, though it was fortunate that I had not packed any underwear in that particular bag. The security staff requested the inspection simply because my backpack contained a vast collection of cables and chargers, which of course I absolutely needed for a year living abroad! A guy behind me had an old alarm clock, which border patrol found even more suspicious, but it was just a simple antique brass alarm clock. On a more positive note, I successfully achieved priority boarding as I was the very first person to step onto the aircraft.
Fascinating Secrets of the German Capital
Upon arriving, I spent some time exploring the vast urban landscape, which naturally got me thinking about the incredible history of this city. For instance, many visitors do not realise that Berlin is actually nine times larger in geographical area than Paris, offering an immense amount of space to explore. Similarly, the city boasts a deeply unique transport quirk: it is home to the world’s oldest and largest network of public trams, which has been operational since 1865. Furthermore, beneath the bustling modern streets lies a hidden world, as approximately 40% of the city’s underground structures consist of historic bunkers, tunnels, and deserted subway stations left behind from the twentieth century.
Guided by Destiny to Friedrichstraße
I experienced a minor detour shortly after landing, as I became slightly lost after boarding the wrong bus. Consequently, I disembarked at Friedrichstraße, which turned out to be a wonderful stroke of luck. It was precisely the location where I had purchased a pair of gloves during my previous trip, and I had promised myself that I would buy a matching winter hat there whenever I next visited Berlin. I felt as though destiny itself had intervened to guide me straight back to that very shop.
Next stop on my journey to La Palma was Madrid.