Things I learned on the sleeper train to Germany (from Dylan)

Got this funny email from Dylan. He's on his way to Germany with Toby (hopefully he will have surgery and return better, but we don't know yet). Because my initial post today was not particularly funny, I thought I would share Dylan's perspective again:

-Three-year-old boys can sleep 7 hours on a sleeper train without any problems

- I am not a three-year-old boy.

- Airlines and Rail Services all get their pillows from the same place.

-You REALLY do not want to share a sleeping compartment with a stranger. In theory you could fit three but Toby was claustrophobic the minute he got in the "middle" bunk. I could not fit my head in this bunk (seriously).

-You will develop a deep sense of paranoia that you are missing your stop. My paranoia kept me from sleeping, and when I did sleep, I dreamed about missing my stop - which caused me to wake up again.

- I am no longer 16 and cannot jump onto the top bunk with one short hop... I need to use the ladder like any other old person.

-Do not place your three-year-old on the top bunk, you'll just end up sleeping even less and eventually (after that third or fourth abrupt stop) you're going to trade places anyway because your wife will kill you if you injure your son while taking him to the hospital.

-European train conductors are more paranoid than I am. The lady was very nice when she took my tickets ( first time they have ever taken my tickets, I got them back in the morning so it was as if she was just holding them for me) and gave me a three minute lecture (all in Polish of course) about how I need to lock both the chain and the deadbolt of my door... Then the paranoia goes up as I imagine the gangs that must rove through these cars that will knock down the door with a chain and tie up everyone inside, but who will steer clear of those who use the chain and the dead bolt. The doors are paper thin, why don't the just cut through with a plastic knife from the galley if they really want in?

- 15 starts and stops at various stations across Poland and Germany will not wake a sleeping three-year-old; the mere thought of cracking open the window so I can see the stop so we don't miss it will however get him right out of bed.

-Having your kid dressed in pajamas at 11:30 at night is adorable - same kid dressed in the same pajamas in a train station at 1:00 the following afternoon is apparently child neglect.

-The free water they serve in "first class" is soda water, this is important to know because when you take that first drink expecting flat water, you may inadvertently think someone is trying to poison you.

-8 minutes is not nearly enough time to learn the German S-Bahn rail system, even though the people who sell the tickets seem to think it is.

-If you sit in First Class on the German trains with one kid who is semi-quiet, apparently no one will ever question you.

(Scroll down for today's post from Kylie:).