No Bad Weather

They say in Germany (and most of Europe for that matter), “there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes”. We could learn a lot from this saying in Australia, particularly over our winters. It doesn’t matter how cold or wet it is in Germany they don’t let it stop them from going out and enjoying life (even outdoor activities). As soon as the weather drops below 20 degrees celsius in Australia we seem to immediately go into hibernation. It really comes down to the fact that many Australians don’t dress appropriately for cold weather, we seem to be unhappy if we’re not in shorts, t-shirt and thongs. It’s been refreshing to see a European winter and how life goes on here. Perhaps winters in Australia don’t have to be so dull and grey.

Public Holidays in Germany

Everyone loves a day off for a public holiday. In Australia the public holidays vary from state to state, with the extent to what businesses close depending on the state. In Victoria there are very few days when all the shops (including supermarkets) completely shut. We had been told that Germany takes their public holidays far more seriously (think 1980’s Adelaide). If you are travelling around Germany over Christmas you really need to take this into account. Over the 25th and 26th of December you will find only a few restaurants open and reduced public transport. The usual fast food options are available at the stations but that is about it. From a sightseeing perspective you will be limited to viewing everything from the outside as everything will be closed (on a side note virtually all museums in Germany are closed on Mondays so keep that in mind when planning your visit).

If you find yourself in Munich over Christmas (as we did), with some planning you can get by and if you get stuck just head to the Hofbräuhaus, it’s open 365 days a year from 11am till midnight. You can get great food and plenty of beer with a great atmosphere to keep you fed and entertained.

Long Haul

There’s no avoiding the torture of long haul travel but there are a couple of items that will help relieve the pain. I’m by no means an expert, I was lucky enough to find a few pointers on the interweb and found they made my experience that little bit more pleasant. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list but it’s a few simple items that you can carry and don’t take up much space if you’re travelling light.

Noise cancelling headphones

I can’t stress enough how much of a game changer these are. Whilst a decent pair will set you back $400+ (I love the Bose QuiteComfort but the Sony WH-1000XM3 are also excellent) you can pick up a reasonable pair on Amazon for under $100 these days. Being able to reduce the ambient noise of babies, talking and jet engines will help you sleep better or even watch a movie in peace and quiet. Don’t forget to make sure they have an airplane adapter with them.

Earplugs

Some carriers give you them (Qatar Airlines does) but they are generally rubbish. If you want to reduce noise but not wear headphones then these will help.

Eye mask

Trying to sleep in a dimly lit cabin or whilst it’s daylight will be easier with these. We got a complementary set from Qatar Airlines but they’re pretty average. There are some decent versions on Amazon. The pair that came with Rachel’s neck pillow are actually very good.

Neck pillow

Yes, you get a pillow on the plane but again they’re not much chop. A memory foam neck pillow will be far more comfortable and they pack down pretty small.

Inflatable cushion

If you’re like me and have a boney arse or just find any seat uncomfortable then an inflatable cushion is the way to go. My Klymit V Seat rolls up into the size of a small chocolate bar when not in use.

Small toiletry bag

Put some basics in it. Lip balm, face wipes, deodorant, panadol/nurofen (be careful with medication restrictions), toothbrush and toothpaste. It’s amazing how these simple items will leave you feeling much more human after a 14 hour flight.

I’m sure there’s plenty more you can add but I’d consider these the core essentials. I’m curious to here if anyone has other suggestions?

Berlin 100 Bus

A tourists friend in Berlin.

One of the biggest issues navigating any city as a tourist is finding transport options that will help you navigate an unfamiliar city. Berlin has a fantastic public transport system with a combination of U and S Bahns, buses and trams. There’s not many places you can’t get to using public transport and a short walk. Of course few things in life are free and public transport in Berlin is not one of them. Having said that, it’s not very expensive with 24hr tickets starting at €8.80 allowing you to travel most places in Berlin using as many trips as you wish over a 24hr period. We opted for the Berlin WelcomeCard, for €52 you get unlimited travel for 72hrs and free entry to the museums on Museum Island (a highly recommended UNESCO world heritage listed site with five museums and the Berlin Cathedral located on it).

Part of Berlins extensive public transport network is the 100 Bus. Running between Alexanderplatz and Berlin Zoologischer Garten (Berlin Zoo), the route takes you to within walking distance to many of Berlins most famous sites. On one bus you can see the Reichstag, Brandenburg Tor, Museumsinsel, Schloss Bellevue and Siegessäule to name a few (think of any Berlin landmark you’ve ever seen a picture of and this bus will take you within walking distance of it). You can use it like a cheap hop on hop off tour bus of the city. For those who like shopping it will even take you past Berlins largest shopping centres. With buses every couple of minutes you don’t have to wait long for one to pick you up. You currently still need to wear a P2 mask on public transport in Berlin so don’t forget to keep one handy. Over Christmas this bus will also take you past four Christmas markets with plenty of Glühwein to keep you warm on a cold winters day.

Travel Camera

Ever since I switched to Fujifilm with my X-T2 I’ve loved every minute of using it. The camera feels like you’re using an old film SLR with all the advantages of a modern digital mirrorless camera. Being an interchangeable lens camera that was also waterproof with the compactness of modern mirrorless made it ideal for all situations including travel. As I learnt more about the Fujifilm system I discovered the X100 series of cameras. This line of cameras really appealed to my love of rangefinder and older fixed lens 35mm film cameras.

I was lucky enough to pickup this X100F (F for fourth generation) at a reasonable price a while back. Fortunately I obtained it before certain Tiktok users declared the X100 cameras the must have camera of 2022. This sudden rise in popularity for a camera that is up to ten years old depending on the model has seen the prices skyrocket recently. The camera has a fixed 23mm (34.5mm full frame equivalent) lens with a respectable f2.0 aperture and 24.3MP sensor. When combined with the incredible Fujifilm processing is able to produce some truly amazing results (of course the photographer has a lot to do with it as well). It has the exact same sensor and processor as my X-T2, the ability to match the “look” of the images between my cameras was another reason I went for this particular model. With other features including hybrid EVF/OVF viewfinder, legendary Fujifilm film simulations and built in neutral density filter, this camera really is one of the best compact digital cameras around today. Obviously being a fixed lens prime it really does rely on me being able to obtain my composition by moving around and it’s not ideal when you want to be able zoom in on objects a long distance away. Another drawback is the lack of weather sealing like that found in my X-T2, as I’ve yet to use that camera in really rainy conditions (or dusty for that matter) it shouldn’t be a major concern.

Whilst I was seriously tempted to take my weather sealed, twin card slot and joy to use X-T2 with a much more flexible zoom lens, I wasn’t happy with the size and weight of that setup (even if it is compact by modern digital camera standards). I’m really excited to be using my little X100F to document our journey through Europe. The plan is from time to time for me to post up on this site a selection of the images I take on our travels. Under the menu you’ll find links to galleries for each of the countries we’ll be visiting, the countries are in chronological order so you’ll be able to follow us on our adventure.

P.S. Do you think I was pushing my luck by taking the photo of my X100F with my X-T2?

One Week To Go

When you’ve spent so much time planning and waiting for a trip, the reality of its impending arrival can be difficult to accept. With cancellations and drastic changes it can be easy believe that perhaps it was never going to happen. Yet, here we are on the verge of the greatest journey our little family has ever undertaken.

It’s with nervous excitement we finish our preparations. Attempting to pack for a destination we have never been, whilst keeping the rest of our lives on course. There still seems like so much to do before we leave our home and travel half way around the world to another hemisphere but we will be ready. It’s nearly time to go and that is a truly wonderful thing.