How I Survived 72 Hours Awake in Berlin's Club Scene
Berghain wasn't even the craziest part. Here's what really happens when you follow the techno from Friday to Monday.
How I Survived 72 Hours Awake in Berlin's Club Scene
I'm not proud of this. But I'm not ashamed either.
Friday, 11 PM: It Begins
The bouncer at Berghain looked at me for approximately seven seconds. Those seven seconds contained my entire life story, my fashion choices, my energy, my worthiness. Then he nodded.
I was in.
Saturday, 6 AM: The Sun Means Nothing
Inside Berghain, time doesn't exist. There are no windows. There are no clocks. There is only the bass, the darkness, and the collective energy of 1,500 people who have all silently agreed that the outside world can wait.
I danced until my legs hurt. Then I danced more.
Sunday, 2 PM: The Migration
The thing about Berlin is that when one party ends, another begins. I followed a group of Italians to an "after" in Kreuzberg—someone's industrial loft space with a sound system that cost more than my car.
Monday, 9 AM: The Return
I finally slept at 11 AM Monday. 72 hours. The longest I'd ever been awake.
Was it worth it? I met people from 14 countries. I heard DJs I'll follow for life. I experienced a level of musical immersion that doesn't exist anywhere else on Earth.
Berlin doesn't just have nightlife. Berlin is nightlife.
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Pro Tips:
Book your Berlin trip: Start with a Thursday arrival, leave Tuesday.
