|
|
Around the World in 80 Ways
Member 80 Ways Tim's around-the-world trip has him breaking transportation boundaries and checking a handful of dream destinations off his list. So far, his travels have taken him aboard a hovercraft, a seven-seater "conference bike," and a dump truck.
Inspired by his work with autistic children, University College London student 80 Ways Tim set out to circle the globe with his friend Thom, using 80 different methods of transportation to raise money for charity. Here, we catch up with them in Berlin for the second of three features highlighting their trip.
From Around the World in 80 Ways
We almost got a ride in a police car and an ambulance today—not as another transport method to tick off our list, but rather as the result of a phone call to German emergency services.
Our plan for the day was to see what novelty modes of transport we could pick up, so when we noticed a playground featuring monkey bars, we knew that fit the bill. An hour or so later, we were still playing in the sunshine, swinging on bars and climbing around the frame. Thom entertained himself by walking backwards and forwards along two large metal bars, trying not to lose balance as he turned around.
Unfortunately, Thom failed.
He cracked his side on the bar and clutched his ribs, gasping for air. I have to admit that I was trying not to laugh. Here was Thom, running—no, galloping—around a Berlin playground, groaning like a sea lion! But a minute went past, and he was still gasping. He ran to his phone and frantically started to punch buttons. He managed to dial 110 (emergency services) and handed me the phone.
"Sprechen ze English?" I asked.
"Nein," came the reply.
Panic set in. I grabbed the nearest passerby and explained, through hand signals and wide eyes, that we needed an ambulance. Moments later, a police car screeched into the park and two policemen ran toward the playground at full tilt. Thom flagged them down, and they reluctantly stopped. "Wo ist das Kind?!” ("Where is the child?!"), they were shouting. Thom explained, now regaining his breath, that there was no child. They replied that the firemen and paramedics were on their way.
We exchanged a look of fear and tried to explain that we had phoned because Thom couldn't breathe. Whether or not they got the message, they soon left and cancelled the ambulance… but Thom was not all right. Luckily, there was a hospital just around the corner, so we decided to head there.
"This never would have happened if we had our E-111 forms," Thom noted en route.
My mum had hassled me constantly to pick up my E-111 (European insurance form) before we left, but I never got it. Of course, we still had international health insurance that would cover us, and it might even be possible to make a claim retrospectively, but we still maintained that the event took place solely to give our parents an "I told you so" opportunity.
After paying 100 euros for medical treatment, Thom's x-ray revealed no broken bones, and the doctor assured us that his spleen had not been ruptured. We hobbled back to the hostel, x-rays in hand, and spent the last few hours relaxing before embarking on a 36-hour bus ride that would no doubt prove pure bliss for Thom's battered body.
To read more about the Around the World in 80 Ways project, please visit www.80ways.co.uk.
