First Stop on First Solo Backpacking Trip: Prague, Czech Republic

So here we are, the morning after Groezrock Festival ends. I wake up in Geel, Belgium at 5:00 am to the sound of church bells outside my window. I am ready to go and get started on my trip.

Today is by far the worst travel day of my trip, but it needs to happen to get me situated where I want to be. I am going from Geel to Brussels Midi. From Brussels to Frankfurt. From Frankfurt to Nurnberg. From Nurnberg to Prague. It’s fifteen hours of traveling. In addition to that, it includes a bus ride. For some reason, the bus ride intimidates me. I don’t know why. I’m like that even back home in New York.

I wake up and walk to the Geel train station to start my long day. At Brussels Midi, I grab some breakfast and figure out where I am going. It is at this point while standing on the train platform, that I realize my ticket actually has information on it that I didn’t know it had. You know, because the ticket is in German and I do not speak German. It turns out that on the ticket is the car number and seat number. I knew I had made a seat reservation but I did not know how to read the ticket. I asked a conductor for help and he pointed this out to me on my ticket. He also showed me how to tell where each car is going to be when the train pulls in. From this day forward, I now know that I can use Google translator to figure out my pre-purchased train tickets and find this information. Easy, peasy!

Train to Frankfurt:

I slept through most of the ride, with my cell phone alarm set so I didn’t pass my stop. I had printed out complete train schedule, showing every intermediate stop and then wrote it in my diary every morning. This way, at any point when we stopped, I could look and see how many more stops we had. It was just nice having that extra assurance I was on the right train going to the right place. This was a great idea that I’m proud to have thought of.

I transferred at Frankfurt for the train to Nurnberg. I pass out again and slept most of the way through it.

The train portion of this trip ends at Nurnberg. Next we begin the bus portion.

I got so lost looking for the bus to Prague. I had about an hour to find it and I spent about half of it completely lost. Turns out the bus is right where I exited the train station and began looking for it. Only it wasn’t there when I exited. You know, because I was an hour early. So I just kept walking around the damn train station for a ridiculously long amount of time looking for it. Ahhhhhhh.

At least I got to see the Schmuck store?

The bus was really nice and comfortable, unlike the buses I am used to back home. They also sell snacks and drinks on the bus. You can push a button and the bus attendant will come over to take your order.

Getting off in Prague, this is where I should have gotten scared, But thanks to my over planning, there simply wasn’t any way for me to get lost. I bought a three day transit pass, good on all buses, trains and trams. You are supposed to pay extra to bring luggage, but it turns out that is only for single rides. The luggage charge is included in the three day pass. Before you take your first trip, you need to validate your ticket. If I hadn’t read that you are supposed to do this, I never would have known.

I took the subway and got out where I needed to transfer for the tram. There appeared to be three tram stops at this one intersection, each one with multiple tram lines. I thought I found the one I needed but I was so confused as it was supposed to be heading towards Levskeho but the sign said “Kourini Zakazano”

I ended up just sitting there for a little while pretending to be soaking in the view of the Vltava river (which wasn’t all just pretending). Then some drunken dudes came and began yelling “Kublov” which ruled because Kublov just so happened to be my stop. Now I was sure which tram was the correct one. When I got off, I saw the same sign saying “Koureni Zakazano” I Googled and discovered it wasn’t the stop name or train line direction, it said “no smoking” in Czech. OH. Okay.

Botel Racek – I was so excited to sleep on a boat in Prague.

The Botel Racek website had crystal clear directions on how to walk from the tram stop. I love them for this. It was about a four block walk. I can not even begin to explain how completely freeeeeeeeeeeeee it feels to be a 40 year old woman solo in PRAGUE and knowing you got yourself here by yourself and you are completely freeeeeeeeeee.

I walked in and the guy at the desk said my name before I did and offered “You are the last to check in tonight”. He gives me my super heavy room key and off I go to my botel room that I have been just dying to stay in. I walk in to discover it’s tiny and hot. I open the window to get some air in and a million mosquitoes fly inside. They would do well to put up screens on the windows.

The room is tiny, but it is supposed to be. It’s a boat!

I get ready for bed and decide to head out to smoke a cigarette before bed. This is where I realize I lost my room key. I am panicking now. I can’t find my key. All I want is a cigarette and bed. I can’t leave my room because I can’t lock it because I don’t have a key. This goes on for about an hour. I tear the room apart. I pull the mattresses off both beds. I empty my suitcase. I cry. I emailed a friend of mine, crying. I call the front desk; he comes and tries to help me. No key.

My moment of being a proud independent woman is gone. I am not independent. I need a baby sitter. I finally just give up and go smoke without locking my door and come back and pass out. It’s been the worlds longest travel day. I woke up on less hours of sleep than beers I had drank and travelled fifteen hours. I feel so stupid that I got myself all the way here and cant find my freaking key. Way to start off a trip.

Morning comes; I need to find my key. I dump my suitcase out onto the bed for the bazillionth time and there is the key. Right fucking there. Ah relief!

However now, my plans of being up at sunrise and walking across the Charles Bridge before all the tourists are up are dead. I still had a few more days to do this, but every morning I woke up, it was either raining or going to rain. So I had to eventually settle for a rainy afternoon where I found myself cursing out people who would not let me have just one second to take a picture of the St. John Nepomuk statue without them getting in it.

My interest in St. John Nepomuk is that he was sentenced to death for refusing to repeat the confession Queen Johanna had made, to her husband, King Wenceslaus. He was drowned for refusing to give it up. I live in a world where any bit of information, regardless of whether it’s true or not, is blasted all over the internet the second it happens (or when it doesn’t happen). I salute you St. John.

Prague is a beautiful city. I spent days just taking the trams around and gawking at everything. My absolute favorite moment of the trip was: I took the funicular up to Petrin Hill to go see Prague’s version of the Eiffel Tower (named “Rozhledna”).

It was drizzling out as it had been most of my time here (except for the times it stormed rain, of course). I started to walk down Petrin Hill and it began POURING. I took shelter under a tree and got soaked through. Once it died back down to just a drizzle, I began making my way down. I was so scared of falling since the steps were all wet. There are parts where you walk and there is nothing to hold onto. I spotted a bench up ahead and that was my goal line. Trying so hard to not slip and fall, must make that bench, ack I’m going to fall and die….ah BENCH I MADE IT TO THE BENCH LOOK AT MEEEEEEEEEEE I AM ON THE BENCH!!!!

I sit down completely relieved to be alive. I look up and holy crap – there is a RAINBOW OVER PRAGUE. This is the most beautiful thing I had ever seen in my life. I sat there for a long time just admiring it. Every person who passed commented on “This is so beautiful!” I KNOW!!!