Prosecutor 1: When was the first time you met IRL?
brokep: We don't use the expression IRL. We say AFK. But that's another issue.
Prosecutor 2: Got to know each other IRL? What is that?
Prosecutor 1: In Real Life.
brokep: We don't like that expression. We say AFK - Away From Keyboard. We think that the Internet is for real.
Isn't that great? Why do some people insist that online relationships are somehow less real than physical relationships?
As part of our recent grand Interrail journey, I wanted to see how many people from social networks I could meet AFK. In the glory days of Twitter, I'm sure I'd've found a friend in every one-horse town. But the fractured nature of networking made it a bit of challenge.
Just before arriving in a new country, I sent out messages saying "Hey, I'm arriving in XYZ tomorrow. Anyone want to meet for a beer?" And, to my surprise and delight, many people did!
In half of the countries we went to, we met new friends. Sometimes for a quick drink, sometimes for dinner, and sometimes for a little exploring of a city. We even got invited to a local geek meet-up. It was lovely. We got tips on how to use the public transport system, which restaurants were tourist traps, and introduced to new beers.
It is nice to put faces to names. It's fun to meet a random friend and chat nonsense with them. And it is reassuring to know that there are people around the world who'll take a risk and meet a weary traveller.
Now, there are some obvious caveats to this story. We only met in well populated areas. I'm a tall bloke with a loud voice. Some light background stalking made sure the people we met weren't too crazy. We didn't get drunk. If you do this - I suggest taking all the normal precautions when meeting strangers. But, in the end, everything was fine.
Sometimes you want to go where at least one person knows your name.
Interrail were having a sale on their month-long first class tickets. So Liz and I decided to do a "Grand Tour" - running around and seeing a dozen European cities.
There are lots of companies which will sell you a pre-designed package Interrailing tour - but we decided to tread our own path. We spent a few weeks poring over maps and rail planners, scouring booking.com for hotels, and working out where we would stop for laundry!
This is a practical look at our itinerary, how we booked the journeys, and the travel snags we faced. If you think you can do better, please write your own blog post.
The Eurostar itself is the most civilised way to travel. Get on train in city centre, a few hours later get off train in a foreign city centre.
The pre-travel experience isn't great. St Pancras is, sadly, dangerously overcrowded. Tried to get into the Premium lounge but even with 1st class tickets we were rebuffed. We also had the wrong sort of Amex for access.
Also annoyingly, there are only limited 1st class seats available for Interrail passengers. So our choice was 1st class with a change in Brussels or standard direct. We went direct so we didn't have to faff with a change. The seating in modern Eurostar trains is fairly spacious.
Our first attempt at buying reservations. Annoyingly, the Interrail app punts you out to their website. Even more annoyingly, they cheekily add a booking fee - we found out later that DB's website (which has an English version) is fee free.
There's also no ability to select your seats with the Interrail website.
Again, a painless journey. The vegan currywurst was more than adequate for train food. The police passed through the train at one point checking passports - so useful to keep your papers close to hand.
WiFi was free and had a bunch of entertainment services if you get bored of looking out the window.
Frankfurt station has a 1st class lounge - but not for Interrail passengers. Thankfully the main station has plenty of seating.
The night before departure, the Interrail app said seat reservations weren't necessary, but the DB website recommended them. Reservations were easy in the DB site and it let us pick our seats - only 6 were showing as available. We got on and the train was packed, so it was certainly worth the few Euro for a reservation.
No police checks but, on departing Basel's Swiss station, the guard checked passports.
A quick hop over to visit a castle. No barrier checks at Zurich's station. It is quite large, so worth leaving a few extra minutes to walk all the way down to the platforms.
Incredibly roomy 1st class on the upper deck.
We walked all the way to a minor station, hopped on a train back to the city.
After walking for an hour to a little bar where we met some friends, we found another little station to take us home. We didn't even have time to climb the stairs before we were back!
The various benefits of the Interrail ticket aren't always obvious. We went on a lake cruise and were pleasantly surprised to discover that we got 50% off the 1st class tickets. We sat in the sunshine and took in the surrounding glamour.
This was one of our anchor journeys. 10 weeks before departure, we booked a private sleeper compartment.
We arrived at the station an hour early and had a slightly nervous wait for the train to appear on the departure board. Confusingly, there were two sleepers listed in the app, with subtly different routes but the same departure and arrival times.
Turns out, the train splits, with half going to Prague and the rest elsewhere. The train arrived about 15 minutes before departure, which was a little unnerving!
The private carriage had four free bottles of mineral water and some slippers, which was a nice touch.
Beer and wine was available to buy. There was a vegetarian breakfast, but nothing vegan other than a bread roll and a bottle of fruit juice.
Sleep was possible, although the starting and stopping of the train is quite disturbing.
No border checks. So we stepped off into the city centre.
Annoyingly the Interrail app doesn't let you select seats, so it is always a hop off to the provider's website to select from a seating map. I wouldn't mind, but Interrail have the temerity to charge an inflated price for seat reservations plus a booking fee.
I found it was cheapest to book reservations directly on CD.cz - note that they have shitty customer service for when things go wrong.
For example, our 1st class carriage was cancelled! We received an email after we had boarded changing us to 2nd class. Not ideal but we eventually battled through the crowds to get to our seats. Well, somewhere close to our seats.
No border inspection, but the ticket checker wanted to make sure our IDs matched our tickets.
WiFi was a bit rubbish, kept disappearing, but I was eventually able to submit a refund request for our seat reservations.
A 10 minute delay in departure led to a 20 minute delay in arrival, but the 1st class carriage was available. We each got a free bottle of water. No toilet paper or hand driers in the loos. No passport checks at the border.
Graz station also has a 1st class lounge. Our Interrail tickets didn't work on the automatic scanner, but the ÖBB agent took pity on us and opened the door. Plenty of snacks and drinks available.
One of the few journeys where we couldn't choose our seats when reserving. As a result, we were assigned to seats at opposite ends of the only 1st class carriage. Luckily, it wasn't very full so we grabbed two free seats next to each other.
No WiFi on the train, which was odd. That said, the quality of WiFi has been highly variable on these journeys.
The dining car was cute but cash only. The only vegan thing on the menu was a salad.
Train was old and rickety, came in a few minutes late.
Long wait at the border and a couple of ticket checks - but no passport inspection.
Train arrived on time, but no 1st class compartments. A fair few disgruntled Interraillers. No WiFi on the fairly decrepit train. But the 2nd class carriage had little compartments of 6 seats, so it wasn't too bad.
No power sockets, so glad I had my big battery with me. No air con, although the windows could be dragged open. No food or drink that I could see either. Primitive toilets.
Tickets were checked once we were over the border, but no passport control.
Czech railways, who sold us the 1st class reservation, refused a refund because we couldn't prove there was no 1st class! They refused to check with the train operator. So I filed a credit card dispute.
Like other cities, there's a 24 and 72 hour pass for unlimited rides. We got the Zagreb Card which also came with entry to a bunch of museums.
Trams were plentiful. No need to show your ticket unless an inspector appears. Stops were announced in Croatian and English. Some trams were clean and modern, others ancient and filthy.
Another "tent-pole" journey booked weeks in advance. We managed to get a private berth for two - but without a toilet / washing facilities.
Zagreb station has left-luggage lockers which were big enough for our massive packs.
Train arrived 40 minutes early. Unfortunately, there was a problem without our coach so, after much shunting, a new one was procured. Rather than a 2 person berth, we got a 6 person couchette - albeit all to ourselves.
No WiFi, but plenty of phone signal along the line. One toilet didn't have soap, the other had no paper. Choose wisely!
At 0415 we crossed the border to Germany. Whereupon the police boarded, knocked loudly on our door, and demanded to see our passports.
I'll be honest, it wasn't the best quality sleep I've ever had! Breakfast was a pre-packaged chocolate croissant. No vegan option, but we did get some bottled water.
Given the reservation was over €200, we were somewhat underwhelmed!
Find a machine at the U-Bahn, select English, pay a few € for a day pass. As with every other country there are no ticket barriers and you don't have to present your ticket to the driver.
Cheeky little day-trip on our last full day. Trains every 10 minutes. 1st class available on the way out, but not the way back. But, for a 13 minute journey on a clean and modern train, it was hardly noticeable.
The trip I'd been dreading. Given Deutsche Bahn's reputation for poor timekeeping, I was worried we'd miss our connection in Paris.
We reserved the seats before we started the whole adventure as Interrail said they were selling quickly. Fair enough for a peak time morning service and, indeed, the train was crammed.
The TGV 9576 was a bit shabby. Even in 1st class some seats were torn and there were mystery stains on the ceiling. The luggage rack had just about enough space for everyone's bags.
The Interrail app was pretty good at keeping us informed of the likely arrival times. Although it thought the train would arrive late into Stuttgart instead it came early and departed on time. It also said there could be mandatory bag inspections and to allow an extra 20 minutes for boarding. That didn't happen though; we just strolled straight on.
On train WiFi worked once the train departed. There were some locally hosted podcasts, movies, train information, and food ordering.
Literally the only vegan option was grated carrot. Bienvenue en France!
Some of the toilets had no paper so, just like China, remember to carry your own!
Much like the journey out, this was booked months in advance. That allowed us to get first class seats for the journey back.
A quick walk in the rain from Garre L'Est to Nord. The standard route takes you up a flight of stairs, which isn't ideal with luggage. The walkway between the stations isn’t yet complete. Luckily there is an alternative route.
The Eurostar terminal only lets you in 2 hours before departure. The lounge is only for Premier Mega Extra Special customers, so we sat in the main station.
Once on the train the "Plus" seats aren't noticeably more comfortable than the standard seats although they are a bit larger.
Departure was on time. As we were travelling in "Plus", we got a complimentary meal. There wasn't a vegan option, so I spooned the yogurt off my salad bowl. The cabin crew found me some margarine for my bread. Wine was nice!
Train arrived perfectly on time. But disembarking was delayed because of another train on the opposite platform.
The Interrail Android app has a nifty little summary of all the journeys you've taken.I'm not sure if that time accounts for delays (probably not) - but the rest seems accurate.
Two Democrat politicians and their spouses in Minnesota shot this morning by an assassin dressed like a cop. The attack spanned at least two locations. Four people were shot, two died. All had multiple gun shot wounds.
"Minnesota state senator John Hoffman in Champlin and Minnesota state representative Melissa Hortman in Brooklyn Park were reportedly shot in their homes."
I was raised to believe the United States of America does not negotiate with terrorists, this message was reinforced to me by the Department of Homeland security and TSA every time I have traveled for more than two decades.
Has Trump called in the national guard to protect Democrat politicians from being murdered in their homes? No? More likely to pardon the gunmen. Probably already had.
Several stocks could soon be due for pullbacks after seeing sizable gains this week, according to a widely-used technical indicator. Stocks took a hit Friday
The cartoon that came in from the cold: For George Orwell, there was nothing pro-American about Animal Farm. The CIA, however, had other ideas. theguardian.com/culture/2003/m…
For George Orwell, there was nothing pro-American about Animal Farm. The CIA, however, had other ideas. Karl Cohen tells the remarkable story of how US intelligence secretly funded a landmark British movie.
Specifically, I'm on the Gold Star service, using bilevel carriages rebuilt by Colorado Railcar from Chicago commuter gallery cars to have domes (and an open deck!) on top and a dining room below. #trains #alaska
As part of a painful but vital repatriation process, Ukraine reportedly received another 1,200 bodies of fallen soldiers from Russia
The return is part of an agreement brokered in Istanbul, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War announced euromaidanpress.com/2025/06/14…
Ukraine receives 1,200 more fallen soldiers' bodies under Istanbul agreement. Forensic teams begin identification process to return dignity to defenders.
Reporting from #NoKings protest in Concord NC. 30 minutes until showtime and hundreds already here along an incredibly busy highway. Message will get out today.
Already sending people to overflow across the street. Over a quarter mile of protesters. Many cars honking in support. That sense of joy again, just like last time. Guy is giving away flags. Friends groups are meeting up
Will get a bunch of sign pics. They are always so great.
Scenes from #NoKings in Concord NC. Unbelievable turnout. People are still sharing joy on Discord, planning to meet again.
Most of these people could have traveled a short distance to the massive event in Charlotte, but they chose to attend an event deeper into red country. And they were rewarded with a huge amount of support from the drivers passing by.
Fascism feeds on fear, but these protesters were brave.
That's what I was telling the kids protesting alongside me today: it's even more important that the people who *don't* agree with us see us today, than it is for the people who do. We were in a very conservative red area.
So I have always used these basic, cheap nylon guitar straps (the oldest is from the 90s and still works just fine) but now I need something that's wider and doesn't slip because my fairly new guitar is a bit neck heavy. But I want a vegan friendly strap, so leather/suede is not an option. Any recommendations for vegan "leather" straps for electric guitars, and something that ships from within the EU?
Maracaibo Brown Guitar Strap: Like the streets of Maracaibo, this strap bursts with light, color, and joy. This strap isn’t for those who want to go unnoticed. The woven texture gives the Maracaibo a handmade touch. Is your guitar or bass plain and..
Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan's Dangal is the highest-grossing Indian film, having earned ₹2,000 crore at the global box office. A significant portion of the
Nahost-Liveblog: ++ Atomgespräche zwischen USA und Iran abgesagt ++
Laut dem omanischen Außenminister werden die Gespräche zwischen den USA und dem Iran über das iranische Atomprogramm am Sonntag nicht stattfinden. Bundesaußenminister Wadephul fordert Israel und den Iran auf zu deeskalieren.
Israel hat offenbar erneut die iranische Hauptstadt Teheran angegriffen. Mehrere Medien berichten von Explosionen im Zentrum der Stadt. Bei den Angriffen vom Freitag sind laut iranischen Angaben 78 Menschen getötet worden.
SRES277 A resolution supporting the designation of June as Fidelity Month for the purpose of rededicating the United States to the values of faith, family, and patriotism.
Listen to the official audio for Kenny G’s single “Moonlight” off his album ‘New Standards’.Stay up to date with Kenny G’s latest video by subscribing to his...
From 7 October 2024, the Palestinian resistance brought the national question back to the fore, exposing nearly every contradiction in the international syst...
I'm not sure if that time accounts for delays (probably not) - but the rest seems accurate.
ticho
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