Off to airport shortly so just a quick summary of my favourite times and last days in Germany... Quiz night at the Irish pup - the night when Sabine, Pia and I decided to go to quiz night. Helped along by a couple (give or take 5 or so) gin and tonics we clearly had fantastic general knowledge. We may have come 16th (eg last) but I think we did a great job considering the other teams were on average double our age... The same night when we (actually Sabine a...

Yet another great German invention - mitfahrgelenheit (check out that spelling Alice!). Its a ride share website so you can get in touch with people going the same way as you. Its good for the traveller as its cheaper and you meet people. Good for the driver as he/she gets help with petrol costs and someone to chat to. And I think good for the environment as less people drive themselves as its so easy to find someone who is going. So far I have travelled to Amste...

I had the scariest haircut of my entire life on Friday. And considering I once let Alice and Sarah cut my hair that is saying a lot! Pia and I decided that it was about time to get a haircut, particularly as mine was back to the self dreading stage. Our first stop was at a really nice looking place. Yes they could fit one of us in but it was going to cost 50 euros, something that a budget traveller really doesn't have to spare. So we moved one. We then found 'C...

I think Germany is a country that grows on you the more time you spend here. Well for me, it was never one of those places i dreamed about visiting. But the longer I spend here and the more I see the more I like it. From the great German inventions - a bike that you can drink beer and cycle around town on to the hilarious sounding words (I personally love the ones that are really about 3 words joined together to make foreigners sounds like they are about 5 and tr...

Hallo Deutschland! Have been in Germany since thursdy and so far am loving it! Have been so lucky to be shown around the city by Sabine and Pia, two sisters who I came to Kerikeri in 2005.  Köln (Cologne if you can't master the Ö sound) is a really nice old city with Europe's biggest cathedral - its huge! My friends flat is very central and everything is so easy to reach by bike, its great. Found a gym that does the same classes as back home but much ...