Tuesday 2nd October 2018
Good morning I think, I woke at 3am and finished yesterday’s blog before heading out for another early morning run. Usually I find running a struggle but I have so enjoyed the views, photo opportunities and the different routes each day, albeit because I have taken a wrong turn. I am definitely missing my navigator, as always my sense of direction is lacking. Thank goodness for mobile phones, Google maps and unlimited data. The first days run, from memory I thought I was heading to the Charles Bridge but ended up at Wenceslas Square in the New Town instead and then after several wrong turns finally made it o the bridge. Today I made it to the Charles Bridge and all the way to St Nicholas Church before taking a few wrong turns on the way back. Not lost this time just taking an alternate route unknowingly. Hehehe! Almost lost as usual. It was an exhilarating run in the very brisk early morning sunrise in a very beautiful city.

As I headed back to the apartment I stopped to buy some bread, challenging as I only had 50CZK on me and I wasn’t sure how they wrote their numbers. So in a patisserie with a sales lady who spoke no English, I tried to ask if I had enough money to purchase a bread roll as the cost was 9,90CZK. Luckily I did. Back to the apartment to pack for our travel day today. We are on our way to Chemnitz to Benny’s house today by train.

Would have loved to head back to the Old Town and get a photo with Mum but erred on the side of time and her health, instead we sat down on the lounge and waited for our taxi. The driver was a lovely man who gave us a little insight into the Czech Republic. It was very interesting. On arriving at the station, we went in to try and work out their train system. With a few questions from our fellow travellers we worked out where to go, we just didn’t know which end of the platform to go to for 2nd class passengers. Getting on with our luggage was a struggle but we eventually found unreserved seats on our 2nd attempt. My advice to anyone doing the trains is less luggage. Two suitcases plus 2 onboard and a pillow bag is way too much. Thankfully I will be down one bag when I get to Ben’s.

Well train number one from Prague to Dresden went well. On alighting at Dresden I read the paper timetable and found what I thought was our train to Chemnitz, unfortunately I made a mistake and we got on the wrong train, right direction just an hour short of our destination. Oops! With some help from the ticket checker we got off the train at Tharandt as it was terminating and with help from a fellow passenger, train guard and then Benny, we finally got on the right train and were on our way again.

Benny met us at the train station and organised our taxi. He conversed with the taxi driver in German all the way to his place. It was really great to see him so comfortable in Germany. He headed off to work about 5pm. Mum loves his home and is very proud of him.

We definitely did too much yesterday, along with the long haul flight, she has fallen asleep at 4.30pm whilst we did the shopping and gave an interesting reason for it, made me chuckle.  “The reason I fell asleep is that my pen didn’t work”. Love her to bits. We were planning a big day to Berlin on Thursday but have decided a few quiet days with Ben before Rome is a better idea. We had a lovely home cooked meal, the first since we left home.