Ralf

Thank you, Sir! I have initiated contact.

Should read "click-fit laminate flooring"

A friend of mine in (the north of) Berlin needs click-fit vinyl flooring installed in the ground floor hallway. Can anyone recommend a good handyman in Berlin? The material is already supplied. TIA!

Well it has been a while since I lived there, and there have probably been some developments since then, and I didn’t want to belittle anyone‘s place of abode. I just got the feeling that it wasn’t like living in Munich or Bavaria, just very neutral.  It does have a very good infrastructure, the lake is nice, wide open spaces for running and generally family friendly, not to mention relatively affordable. However, I was much happier living in the city direct.

I lived in Messestadt for a while and would not recommend moving there. While it does have good infrastructure, it's pretty soulless and just plain ugly as it was built from scratch on the former airfield. Friends who lived there longer and eventually moved out also complained about noise pollution and crime.

The easiest and most red tape-free way to go shooting would probably be to take a trip to Poland. Just google „Shooting ranges in Poland“

Growing up in the 70s in a small, sleepy village some 50 kilometers northwest of New York City, I was often tormented by a bully named Albert. He lived about five minutes' walking distance from our house with his three older siblings and divorced father in a blood-red Dutch colonial-style house built in the 1920s. He used to beat me up on a regular occasion and never had I wished ill will as intensely on someone as I did on him. However, my sister was actually good friends with his oldest sister and even slept over at their place sometimes. Anyway, one day I’m walking back home from school and see a gaggle of people outside Albert‘s house. Coming closer, I find out the people outside are reporters and curious locals. What had happened was that, during the night, Albert‘s father had slaughtered all four of his children with a knife before blowing his own brains out with a shotgun (google "Girardi murders"). I don’t know if this counts as a "strange thing that happened to me", but, looking back, was very creepy indeed. Be careful what you wish for...

There are (or at least were) no speed limits outside the towns. The difference on "Mad Sunday" was that the roads were no longer two way on that day, but both lanes went in one direction, so that it really was akin to a race for anybody and everyone, hence "Mad Sunday".

Just shower in the evenings and down a couple pints of Bushy's beer 

You could possibly rent the gear there, but you'd have to get in touch with the provider though. I believe policies vary from shop shop. Of course space during the race weeks in June is all booked out well in advance (we in fact booked the ferries and lodging a year in advance), but July ought to be much more relaxed and doable.

Well it's been a while since I was there and we were there primarily for the races, which are a real thrill. Of course being able to ride the course yourself without any speed limits outside of the towns is quite an experience too, but caution is also advised.   However, off the top of my head I would suggest: The night life in Douglas, enjoying the many pubs (Bushy's) Castletown and Peel Castle  The Snaefell Mountain Railway Port of Ayre Lighthouse

The Hull to Rotterdam leg was also very nice because it's overnight and we were able to enjoy a pint or two in the evening before turning in and getting some sleep before the long ride back in the morning. If money's no object, conceivable would also be flying into Douglas, but then you'd definitely have to rent a vehicle, preferably a motorcycle  

A bunch of friends and I rode our motorcycles from Stuttgart to the IoM for the TT races in June '95 and '96. Especially the first year we went was a lot of fun. We rode up to Ostende in two days (stayed overnight at friend's house midway in Bonn) and took the ferry over to Dover. Then spent a couple of days in London before going up to Fleetwood, which is north of Liverpool. From there we took a ferry to Douglas. We spent a week on the IoM at a homestay before taking the ferry back to Liverpool and then riding over to Hull, and from there sailing to Rotterdam. Once in Holland, we rode back down to Stuttgart in one stretch (was a long day!).   It was a great time and we met a lot of cool people. The first year it also only rained once during the entire time. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of lunatics attending the races each year too, so fatalities among the visitors as well as the racers themselves are inevitable. However, I believe things in July should be much tamer.   I would definitely recommend going there once. There is a fair amount to do for a week's stay, especially if some sort of event is being held. And driving with the car from Berlin to the Isle of Man should not be a problem, you would just need to map out a route and determine an ideal ferry crossing. Go for it!