I took a solo trip to Germany for an extra unity day parkrun. To get the Platinum Obsessive challenge based in the UK you need to do all the parkruns available here and an extra one abroad.
I had worked out that if I went to Germany for Unity Day parkrun, not only could I achieve my Platinum Obsessive, but I could also achieve my Cowell by the end of 2025! Not forgetting that I would also get an additional flag!
This was initially meant to be a trip with my husband and when he couldn’t go I didn’t believe I would cope on my own so it nearly didn’t happen. Our son is really good at this sort of thing (plus can speak German), but he declined my invitation to come with me.
About Extra Special parkrun Days
Each year there are two days where teams can choose to hold a parkrun on another day. One is New Year’s Day (January 1st) in all countries, with the other being a “Special Day” for each country.
- Christmas Day – Australia, France (when parkruns took place), Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
- Canada Day – Canada
- Ascension Day – Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden
- Greenery Day – Japan
- Malaysia Day – Malaysia
- Whit Monday – Netherlands
- Boxing Day – Poland
- Singapore Day – Singapore
- Freedom Day – South Africa
- Thanks Giving – America
Germany parkrun Extra Day is on Unity Day
In Germany, that day is October 3rd – the Day of German Unity. The previous extra days were either during exam periods or too far. This just left Boxing Day in Poland, and I was worried that I wouldn’t make that either.
Parkrun Tourist Community
You may know if you’ve read previous posts about how great the parkrun Tourist Community is. Well they have all manner of groups to help with these Extra Special parkrun Days, and so Germany Unity parkrun Day was no exception.
I went on and posted in a group explaining that I am AuDHD and had no plan. That I had just booked flights to Berlin (and what times they were). So anxious about my abilities to do it alone, I had literally booked to go the night before and travel back the next night. Most people had took advantage of the fact that Unity Day fell on the Friday so it was easy to do the double (Friday/Saturday) parkruns.
Mauerweg parkrun, Berlin, Germany
Next I worked out that Mauerweg parkrun was the closest to the airport. Then a wonderful lady called Deb message me to help. Telling me where she was going to that parkrun, where she was staying, and even that she was returning back to the airport on the Friday. So I booked the same hotel as her. She even attended to Abbey Park parkrun for Cowfest East so we could meet beforehand!
The Journey the Evening before Unity Day in Germany
My husband drove me to the airport. Costing £7 to literally drop me off! Once there I went through security quickly. Thankfully my son lent me his sunflower lanyard and I think this helped a lot. Next, I found a lovely group of parkrunners from Barry Island who I sat with. Then when boarding I saw Deb Airey. Next as I sat down Angharad said hello to me by name – we have met twice before. More and more people were familiar, which made it feel much safer.
When I got off through border control (which now there’s machines to scan your passport, take your photo and finger prints and still send you to a queue!!) I followed the signs for the train station.
Arriving in Berlin, Germany
You need to activate the 24-Stunden-Karte ABC ticket on the BVG app before you travel. Deb had said she’d had trouble doing it on the app and to buy a paper ticket. Well first I couldn’t even find where you got the train. Completely missing the bit where you go down the stairs and ending up outside! I wanted to do know where this was before activating my ticket.
One of the parkrunners took me to Wendy (one of the Barry lot) to help me as they were getting the bus. But their bus was going no-where near my hotel.
Finding the Train Station
Eventually I found the train station and even knew which train I wanted. But I couldn’t get the app to work. Next I tried the ticket machines. Even thinking I have figured out how to select the ticket I wanted. But I just couldn’t seem to buy one!!
The person I asked for help either did not understand me or want to help. My biggest fear was perhaps my lack of German and now I believed that it was a place where hardly anyone speaks English!!
Airey Airways
Meanwhile, a group of Airey Airways lot heading to the Colditz Castle had been waiting at the airport since 4pm, as there had been a problem with their coach, had been checking I was okay. As I wandered backwards and forwards in my bright yellow coat. They were really helpful and showed me how to book an Uber.
Now I have never booked an Uber before but it was explained to me how to do it. That once you activated that you wanted the fare it would send you the details of the driver and number plate. As it was going to cost around £50 (instead of the £11.07 for the ABC ticket, which would cover me until I got back to the airport), I wanted to make sure I knew where I’d be being picked up from.
The “Uber” Drivers
Again the Uber app has photos and instructions. But it was late and I just wasn’t “getting” them. Then this guy with “Uber” written on his car starts trying to get me to get in! Earlier, in the airport, I had heard loads of warnings about not getting in the wrong cars.
He started just speaking to me in words I couldn’t understand, insisting I was getting in his car. Because he could be “clear” enough for that. Next another “taxi” pulls up, this one with no markings. The first man tells me (in clear English) that this one is English. He is no help because he is also just telling me to get in the car!!!! It was really frightening and I literally just walked off into the night!
Trying to Walk
Google maps then tells me it’s like a 5 hour walk to the hotel. At this point I am thinking it’s better than what’s happening currently! But obviously it isn’t long until there’s just no path where Google is suggesting I walk. It is dark and I am actually starting to feel a little bit cold. Note I was the only one travelling in my shorts!
Finally Getting Somewhere
So I have an absolute meltdown and call my husband. Crying. So scared at this point. Feeling like a complete and utter failure. We reason that I just need to go back to the airport. Least it’s got lights and there are people around. In fact one of the parkrunners stopped me and told me to message when I was safely on a bus or train.
But on the way I somehow manage to finally buy an ABC ticket! Looking on Google maps it didn’t seem to say I could get a train and was recommending the Flexi bus. I didn’t even know if my ticket covered it!
So I looked at the train timetable and it was said I could wait until twenty to one and get this train. The train that it had said earlier would take me. Thinking well at least if I get on I’ll have experienced a bit of Berlin that’s not in the airport!
My Husband’s Help
Sending my husband the details of what I was doing and asking him if it went anywhere near my hotel. He sent me a screenshot and told me where I needed to change for a bus. But it wasn’t a bus it was the underground (which I had worked out).
The train was warm and had somewhere to charge my phone. Luckily my battery pack worked or I would have had no charge!
When it arrived it said not to get on. I heard this when I jumped on and got off. It looked like a lady on there woke someone up and cleared the train. Whilst I was waiting I saw a couple get on and so I did too. She was the only other woman I saw the whole time. There seem to be a lot of single men – especially when we got to where Oktoberfest was happening.
The ticket lady did come round. A man didn’t have a ticket but she pointed out of the train telling him he could buy one. He never did get back on but there didn’t seem to be a fine. That’s when I learnt that you have to make the barcode bigger for her to scan it.
The Underground in Germany
The underground I had to leave the station and find it. Outside the signs just disappeared and again I was just so frustrated. But then I saw a couple of men walking briskly from the station. They reminded me of people in London, in such a hurry and decided that they must be off to the underground. Besides what harm would it do to follow them!
Yay indeed they were! Once off the underground I followed signs to the exit it said I needed. Then there was a 14 minute walk according to Google but I lost my signal. Fortunately I turned right and the hotel was not 14 minutes away but literally around the corner! Thanks again to Deb who had sent me photos of the hotel including the bear!
Late Entry
It was 2am before I arrived and thankfully there was a nice man on reception. He spoke fantastic English (despite telling me he could only do a little bit). It was a lovely place and when I reached my bed found two packs of Haribo minis on the pillows!
I have previously travelled to Corsica alone too.
That sounds so stressful! Well done for navigating it all.