My ride to the airport got stuck at the office, so I decided to arrive 3 hours early, which ended up being 2 hours early. I was glad I had time to pack, which I left to the last minute! I was sure I had forgotten something.
The airport was almost deserted. I was shocked to have less than 10 minutes to check in and get to security. As I awaited my boarding, I was ashamed to admit I was looking around the waiting area to see who I would like or hate to get stuck next to for 8 hours. No one intrigued me enough to make me think, “They would be a good travel companion,” but I saw three people who needed two seats each and thought, “Please, God, no.” It reminded me of my last flight, where I had twice my weight right next to me. She declined my processed meal, gleefully taking it after her skinny-as-a-rail husband gave hers.
We boarded on time, and I played a game as people came toward me, stopped, and went into a seat around me. Goodie, I have two seats to myself; maybe not. This continued, and I realized I would be alone! I had a window seat, and the one next to me was comfortable. So, I started to sprawl out and prepare to enjoy the flight.
The first leg of the flight was uneventful. I chose “The Boy in Striped Pajamas” on demand. The ending was unexpected! It’s an independent film worth a look. I slept a little on the plane, taking a prescription sleeping pill after the meal. I dozed for two hours but woke from constant beeps when people called for help. Sometimes, it was simple, like not knowing how to turn on the light. I wonder if I’m becoming less patient or if the intelligence gap is widening.
We arrived 30 minutes early in Amsterdam, extending my 50-minute connecting flight to 80 minutes. My connecting flight was on the other side of the airport, and it was a long way to hustle with little sleep. As I was about one-third of the way, I realized I had forgotten my laptop in my tote. I ran back, but it was still there. What an airhead!
I arrived without any issues. We waited for a while, and boarding started 20 minutes late. Well, I don’t want to call it boarding, because we were put on a bus and carted across the runways to a plane in the middle of nowhere in the darkness. We sat on the bus, looking at the aircraft, for another 10 minutes before being told that the ice made walking to the plane difficult and that we had to board slowly. So we did. It was like the Texans driving in a snowstorm. Some people had no idea what to do on ice. It took another 20 minutes to put less than 30 people on the puddle-jumper-sized plane.
Then we sat and sat and sat. The first de-icing took a while, as the pilot informed us that we had lost our spot on the flight schedule and the control tower needed to find a place for us. Another 15 minutes before we moved. Then the most confusing thing happened. I had never thought taxiing on the runway could take 15 minutes or more, but it did! We just kept moving along at about 20 mph, crossed two interstate highways, and finally, there was a runway. I looked out the window and couldn’t see the airport. Wow!
We circled Munich for 10 minutes after arriving late, but finally landed. I expected customs to be challenging, but it was surprisingly simple. I walked to the baggage carousel, got my luggage, and left. Jordan almost got lost, but we managed to catch the train.
Germany reminded me of North Dakota: many farms and abandoned junk. What surprised me was the graffiti on the farms and the lack of it in the towns. Did it seem odd? Perhaps they leave it at the farms and have a graffiti patrol in the city.
We dropped off my belongings at Jordan’s place and headed to Ulm, Germany. It’s a charming village with a church unlike any other I’ve encountered. This church is known as the Munster, Germany’s second-largest Gothic church, second only to the Cologne Cathedral. Construction commenced in 1377 and concluded in 1890, spanning an astonishing 413 years! It’s been a Protestant place of worship since 1530. The choir stalls from the 15th century are magnificent, adorned with numerous carved figures. The tower stands as the tallest church tower in the world, reaching a height of 161.53 meters and boasting 768 steps. Although I didn’t get to climb it, the prospect of such a challenging stair workout was intriguing. The tower’s exterior exuded an aura of fascination.
We also took a stroll along the Dona River, which was undergoing a fascinating transformation. The riverbank was a blend of different architectural styles. Additionally, we came across the redevelopment of a property downtown. The construction materials, including steel beams and brick, were surprisingly dated, with some estimated to be only 100 years old. The reason behind this demolition remained a mystery to us.
After a day of exploring Ulm, we returned to Munich by train (a two-hour journey). Upon our arrival, we headed to the grocery store and then home. Exhausted, I decided to make my bed on the floor and get some rest. I had taken Klomazimpam to help me sleep. However, Jordan woke me several times as I was snoring, which slightly concerned me. I feared that I might have a recurrence of my sleep apnea, an issue that plagued me when I weighed over 250 pounds. Fortunately, when I was in the 230s, sleep apnea never bothered me.
We slept until 11 AM, which was unusual for me. It was 2 AM back home. We spent the day at the BMW museum, which was fantastic. Afterward, we ate at a student pub called Die Bierstube, where Jordan said it’s common. The beer is the priority, followed by the food. I had a tasty rice/chicken dish called Feuertopf. We left the restaurant and headed downtown to Munich, where a protest was underway with numerous police officers present. We didn’t stay long and left early for Stuttgart.
I woke up at 5 AM and returned home at 10 PM. I did some chores, showered, and headed to the train station. The Stuttgart train ride was over 4 hours with transfers. We met a friend of Jordan’s and went to a restaurant where Jordan ordered me a Doener, which is like Gyro meat but dry and less tasty. We’ve been here for three days and haven’t found a great brat, despite Germany’s reputation for them.
We met Christiana at about 1:30 PM and toured the town before revisiting the BMW Museum. I’m a bit tired of auto history, so tomorrow we’ll avoid auto-related activities. We left Stuttgart at 8 PM and returned to Jordan’s place at 12:30 AM. I’m tired, but I wanted to post about our first three days while I have access. I walked at least 4-5 miles each day, but I didn’t run.
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