A Train, A Delay, and A Flammkuchen: My Journey to Strasbourg

France for my birthday, how cool would that be. About a month or so into the trip I realized the perfect time to go to Strasbourg would be my birthday weekend. So I started making plans mainly figuring out since it would be a four and half hour journey and I needed to schedule it around classes. The plan was to leave at 10 am and arrive 3 – 3:30. But this wouldn’t be an interesting blog post if everything went according to plan.

 

The following is a series of texts I sent my parents as I made my way to France. The purpose was to give them updates as I traveled alone, but I got bored so decided to have some fun with it, turning it into a whole retelling of my day.

 

The first text was at 3:11 pm on March 21st (it was around 7 am for my family).

Welcome to my journey to Strasbourg. Currently on an S-bahn to Karlsruhe. Outside is the middle of nowhere Germany.

 

3:29 pm

To catch everyone up the journey began at 10:08 when I left my house and got halfway to the bus station when I realized I left my watch charger and comb in my room. So I went back because my competition with mom is too important. Then I missed my first bus but luckily planned extra time and the train was delayed. I made it to Bonn Hbf with plenty of time to get my train to Köln Hbf. Once I made it [to Köln] my next train was delayed which would result in a 2 hour wait in Mannheim. But before I needed to figure out that I had to wait 30 minutes for my train to Mannheim. During the wait I got myself some crackers and hummus (definitely not the best hummus but I’ve been craving it recently). My train finally arrived almost 30 minutes delayed. I managed to get a seat and it was a 1.5 hour ride to Mannheim. Now’s where it gets interesting. While on the train the next train I was planning on taking gets delayed so now it’s only 10 minutes in Mannheim [the connection was possible]. But if that was the end, this would be a very boring story, so a little while later my phone buzzes informing me that I will no longer be able to make my connection because the train is now less delayed. But wait, about 20 minutes before I get off the train another buzz. The connection is now possible. Plus I was arriving at the platform next to my departing platform. As I am getting off the train expecting a few minute wait. The dreaded buzz of my phone. There are line closures, your train is now delayed 60 minutes. So I decided to take a little walk around to see if there was anything to do. (There is not much near the train station). On my walk, the train gets delayed again and again. It is about 2pm now and the train isn’t supposed to come till 3:15. Being bored and my back hurting I decided to click around the DB app, and find a S-bahn train that can get me to Karlsruhe which is closer to my final destination. It takes me a minute to find the right platform but once I do the train is right there waiting. You are now fully caught up on my journey. Which I’m calling The Final Day as a Teen.

The saga of The Final Day as Teen continues. I made it to Karlsruhe and walked the entire train station and made it on the regional train to Offenburg. (Only the fast trains are affected by the line closures).

 

3:45 pm

I am off to Offenburg ETA 4:26. 

 

4:37 pm

I still have the train I was planning to take from Mannheim saved and I just checked the times for that one. It left Mannheim at 3:36 and is supposed to get to Offenburg at 4:40. The train from Offenburg leaves every half hour so if I had stayed in Mannheim I would get to Strasbourg at least 30 minutes later. Also the train is on the move! Next stop FRANCE 🇫🇷!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7:20pm

Another update: After making it to Strasbourg I walked around a bit until 6 when I went to the Airbnb. There I met another person who was staying in the same apartment. And we went up to the place and got a tour. I chilled for a bit then took a walk to Le Meteor to get dinner.

The restaurant was a very decorated brewery and I was seated at a table on the side of a truck. It was such a cool restaurant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Written By: Melissa