Finally, after a whole month of attending various authorities both physically and electronically, it’s now my turn of SEP! Well, I was quite depressed since my SEP to Japan was cancelled. Not quite looking forward towards the alternative in Germany though, since I know neither Germany nor Munich other than FC Bayern Munich. Anyway, SEP is always the better and more interesting option than delaying my degree. Thus I’m on my way there now.
Today is even more depressing than any other, since we can’t even manage to get ourselves a confirmed accommodation in Munich. A landlord called Esther wanted our money of €1780 and then €890 before we even reached Munich. Another named Jimmy wanted €850 to his mother in London. They are really suspicious but I was desperate enough to nearly get into their tricks. Thanks to Mr. Grassl, I hold my decision and we were led to a temporary solution of staying in a hotel first, before getting a confirmed place to live. Well, not to forget YC’s effort in halting us, thank you (if you ever read this).
And so with this kind of are-we-going-to-suffer mind I got to Changi Airport with my luggage (packed for Japan actually). Got some Euros and we started our flight.
Boeing777-300ER is really not bad (watched お兄ちゃんの花火 onboard XD). 8 hours later we arrived at Dubai for transiting. I must say Dubai International Airport is really H.U.G.E. Well, at least it’s very long. Heavily decorated with luxuries and was impressive in the first sight, but soon after realising that their hygiene and maintenance are not so good after all, it lost some points from me.
Garden in Dubai International Airport, not one but two!
Donation bin. You can find this almost everywhere in the airport, and none of them are empty!
Rolex clock. It's everywhere too!
And around 1630hrs Dubai time (2030hrs SG/MY), our flight to Munich began. Boeing777-200 this time, well the seats are slightly broader but the entertainment system is really outdated. I’m a bit sorry to see YC for being so bored and feeling unwell (too cold) during both flights though…
And we are in Munich after 6 hours! Around 2048hrs already but it’s still bright with 8oC outside! Before we enter the checkpoint YC was wondering why we don’t need to fill in any embarkation card or anything alike. Anyway the officers are really friendly! Wow, if I were to compare, Malaysia’s officers are emotionless, Singapore’s officers are serious but friendly enough, and Germany’s officers are just purely friendly! They welcomed us whole-heartedly and chat with us happily! Oh, the embarkation card is not needed, or maybe there’s nothing like that in Europe, just a visa is sufficient (I think this is why it took so long).
For some reason we forgot to take a photo in the airport! Soon we got onto a taxi to go to our hotel. Again, the Egyptian driver (in Munich for 20 years) is very friendly too! He chatted with us along the way, introduced many places for us to visit and taught us quite a lot of useful German words! Well although I can’t remember a single word he had taught but he’s just nice! We promised him to call him to fetch us to airport again for our return; I guess we can do it!
Along the way - Bayern Munich Stadium
40 minutes from the airport we reached our hotel. Now here’s something special: The hotel reception is only until 2100hrs, but we arrived around 2200hrs, to allow us to go in the room key is dropped into a key box at the front door, we just input a password and we can get our key! Hmm, it’s not special right? But we can just run away early in the morning! Yet they still allow this to happen. Of course, we didn’t do it since we are going to stay 3 days there. Soon after we entered the hotel we were stunned, lights are all switched off, old wooden spiral stairs with extraordinary quietness, a bit scary after all. And this is our room:
A 5-beds room instead! For €25 per pax.
For a moment the idea of staying here for 3 months instead popped out among us, since it’s very nice and extremely close to our university (just cross the road). But we gave up that idea since it’s really expensive to do it that way.
What’s next? Of course, sleep!
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