Getting Setup in Germany

I need a phone and regular internet access. The phone is less crucial, but helpful since I have a handful of people here I'd like to contact; most of them from my time in India, and of course, my hostess.

I am, I admit it, far too fond of the interwebs. I love my email, writing this absurd blog, and playing kakuro. The phone thing is easy. Nasim had already bought me a SIM card. I just have to recharge it. As it it, I've only received one phone call, and no texts. The internet thing is slightly trickier. I suppose the US has these surf sticks, but I think more homes simply have internet access. It is apparently very common in Germany to have a surf-stick with a SIM card that gives internet access through the cell phone towers. It's kind of brilliant actually, especially for a traveler spending any significant time in one country. I only paid €19 for the stick, and I got 5 days free access. After that, it's just buying data. I think there is a monthly plan for something like €25. That's great, because I can surf on the trains now, go to coffee shop, wherever. If I need to look up something while traveling, I don't need to find someone with a smart phone, I've got my actual computer.

The rub comes in getting the Surf Stick. As you may be well aware, Germany is extremely organized and most people are either no nonsense or low nonsense when it comes to money or property or any sort of economic or security matter. In order to get a surf stick, this poor sale's guy had to fill out an inordinate amount of red tape which included filling out at least two pages worth of info on my passport, visa (luckily I don't need one in Germany), who sold me the device, the contract, etc... It took quite a while, in fact nearly half an hour just to hand me a surf stick and send me to the cashier. Yeesh. That's ok, I got it, and I'm online now.

I don't have a railpass or even a eurail pass, but I think it might be a good idea to get one for the month of august. It seems several big trips are coming up.