Adventures of NaDave: Dave Germany: 36-42 (Furniture, Autobahn, & Relay Run)

So the last time we chatted was all the way back in June! I had finally moved into my own apartment, and had a place to my own. I was without internet, and relying on my cell phone as a mobile hotspot (or sitting on the street outside the PhD Flat...ha!). I couldn't do anything data intensive (videos, video chat, etc) bc my pre-paid phone plan only had 500 MB. (Since my internet wasn't going to be installed for 3 more weeks, I did end up having to buy more data inorder to stay connected to the outside world, but it wasn't as affordable).

So Week 6 in Germany actually went along pretty smoothly. I was chugging along at work with the several projects that I had been brought into. I was quickly swept up into the team and put on 8 projects. Some I was put in charge of, and some I was just helping out. But either way, my days began to fly by at work. And I had a lot of variety (soccer cleats, shoes, fabrics for shirts, etc), so I was being challenged on every front.

But the big news of the week was that I was moving furniture into my apartment on Tuesday night. I had connected with a Polish guy, about my age, who was leaving adidas. He was moving out of his apartment and selling all of his stuff. So using the help of my boss (Paul) and his van, we moved everything in two trips (but up & down a flight of stairs each time).

It was great...I got a kitchen table & 2 chairs, desk, coffee table, couch, 3 end tables, standup closet...and also kitchen stuff! Dishes, silverware, cooking utencils...I was living high on the hog (in comparison to before). The apartment was finally starting to look like to real place! Watch out Germany!

Then on Friday I had another first...Paul told me that an important part from a customer needed to be urgently picked up. And that required an hour each way on the Autobahn! As the low man on the totem pole, I had to say to yes, so I got the company car (an automatic thankfully for me) and headed an hour south of Nuremburg.

Driving on the Autobahn was awesome. Around cities, it is just like an American Highway because of all the traffic, but out in the country...oh baby! Cars are flying around like crazy. I don't my exact top speed, but I did get the speedometer over 200 km/hr at one point (boo yah!!)

(and I also secretly took the car to the local IKEA and "Home Depot". I was able to finally pick up lamps, light bulbs, window curtains, a bed pillow, and a fan. gotta be opportunistic when you can!)

and then at the end of the week, was July 4th. What to do in Germany to celebrate America's independence? Why not a 150km overnight relay run with 4 other people, and 5 other teams?

That's right, The Frankenweg 150 km. I was asked, and said yeah why not. 5 engineers from our office teamed up inan old school VW van, headed an hour north on the evening of July 3, then ran back to Nuremburg overnight and into the morning of July 4th. Each person ran 5 legs, about 6km each (so 30 km total). It went along the Frankenweg Trail system in Bavaria (Franken meaning "Franconia), and was quite pretty at times. My craziest leg was running at 4am through a dense forest with only a headlamp and a gps. When I ended, the sun was coming up, and I was running through a field. I couldn't stop thinking that thus is what several WWII soldiers must have seen, as they trudged through German forests and fields. Pretty neat.

The weather was great overnight, but crazy hot during the day. Our team came in last place, but we were greeted with beers and ribs in the Nuremberg old city (great 4th of July meal!). It was an exhausting day, but a great day. I had a few injuries, but what can you expect. I was happy, as I was finally doing fun things. I got back to my aparment around 6pm, unpacked all my things, and then slept like a log.

And week 7 was going to be even better. I had finally planned my 1st trip. I was going to Austria & Munich to visit some good friends on their honeymoon.