23rd July 2001

Guten tag everybody!!

As you can tell, I'm sounding very German, nearly fluent, no actually I can only say yes, no, thanks, excuse me, sorry (very handy) and do you speak English (even more handy).

My trip started when I left last wed and flew to Amsterdam. Three chicks from Adelaide who we met in London met us there and took us around, we had fun camping and putting up our tents (aughgh), got to love having no mattress or pillow and the only luxury you have is a cold shower! They also took me to a very strange coffee shop, they are a little different from the ones back home.....

Then they drove us to Berlin. Had so much fun having a road trip across Germany and it only took one day!! Then once in Berlin, most of our crew had met up, all together there were about 15 of us who managed to even find the same camping ground-very impressive!! On Saturday we went to the love parade with 800,000 others, crazy people dancing in the streets wearing ridiculous costumes- it was very difficult for me to fit in!

Also did a walking tour of Berlin, the history is absolutely amazing. It doesn't affect you until your tour guide allows you all to sit on a patch of grass and then casually mentions you are sitting above Hitler's bunker- that certainly freaked me out!! He also stood us in a spot between the inner and outer walls where you would have been shot down immediately if you had been standing there 12 years ago.

I have two more days here and then I leave for Prague and try and work out the currency and language on the bus trip there!!

Anyway must go and look at Berlin's parliament.

Hope all are well and insanely jealous!! hehehehe!!!

love Katie

ps German sausage is yum!!

pps German computer keyboards here have swapped letters y and z- very annozing!!!