The Trip
Scales are very useful. They let expatriates-to-be know how overweight their bags are, which helps to avoid the astronomical charges airlines levy if bags are overweight. Three bags - each no more (and no less) than 70 pounds - are loaded in my car. My carry-ons are carefully packed with momentos and valuables. A fourth bag is in the car as well, ready to be transferred to my dad, who plans on visiting in the springtime. I'm not as weighed down as Dan was when he moved in September, but I certainly have plenty of goods. It is our life that we are moving, after all!
I arrive at the airport with my dad. I get checked in, and we say our good-byes. Good-byes have been strange. When I lived in Birmingham, Alabama and most of our family were still hundreds of miles away, good-byes seemed much harder. Then, it seemed we were limited by available vacation time. Now (for me, at least) that limitation is lifted, and it seems as if I'll have more time with family. We'll see how that pans out, though, when I'm in the remote recesses of Macedonia or Lithuania! (Mom, that one's for you :-) )
I'm on the plane. I don't sleep. I watch movies. I get excited. I get nervous. I think about how good it will be to be with Dan again. I wonder what on earth I'm doing. I pray and I read my Bible. I think about the fact that I don't have a return ticket. I pray some more!
Layover in Frankfurt. It's early morning. Stores and restaurants are closed. I'm in Germany! In only a few hours I'll be "home". I freshen up in the WC. I board the plane to Amsterdam.
There's Dan! Peering above the privacy glass, it's him! He directs me to get a luggage cart. How did he know I would need one? My luggage comes. I walk through customs. Were they laughing at me and my stuff??? I'm with Dan.
Now comes the hard part. We don't own a car. The Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam is 2 trains and a 20 minute walk away from our apartment in Rotterdam. Dan's done this before (three times - twice alone), so he comes prepared. Our heavy-duty luggage cart and multiple bungee cords will come in handy again. I imagine him doing this with all of his belongings when he arrived in September. I imagine him managing the luggage and two cats when he flew back just a few weeks ago. I'm glad it wasn't me!
We get loaded up and "hop" on the train. So far so good. The transfer is fine, too. Someone offered to help with our bags. And he didn't run away with them! The walk, though. Oh, that was brutal. Cold. Windy. I'd been up for 19 hours. Why'd I pack so much anyway?
But we make it. We're home.
VERY IMPORTANT NOTE - NO TRAVEL PROBLEMS. Readers: this will be VERY important, if my past travel record is any indication.
I arrive at the airport with my dad. I get checked in, and we say our good-byes. Good-byes have been strange. When I lived in Birmingham, Alabama and most of our family were still hundreds of miles away, good-byes seemed much harder. Then, it seemed we were limited by available vacation time. Now (for me, at least) that limitation is lifted, and it seems as if I'll have more time with family. We'll see how that pans out, though, when I'm in the remote recesses of Macedonia or Lithuania! (Mom, that one's for you :-) )
I'm on the plane. I don't sleep. I watch movies. I get excited. I get nervous. I think about how good it will be to be with Dan again. I wonder what on earth I'm doing. I pray and I read my Bible. I think about the fact that I don't have a return ticket. I pray some more!
Layover in Frankfurt. It's early morning. Stores and restaurants are closed. I'm in Germany! In only a few hours I'll be "home". I freshen up in the WC. I board the plane to Amsterdam.
There's Dan! Peering above the privacy glass, it's him! He directs me to get a luggage cart. How did he know I would need one? My luggage comes. I walk through customs. Were they laughing at me and my stuff??? I'm with Dan.
Now comes the hard part. We don't own a car. The Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam is 2 trains and a 20 minute walk away from our apartment in Rotterdam. Dan's done this before (three times - twice alone), so he comes prepared. Our heavy-duty luggage cart and multiple bungee cords will come in handy again. I imagine him doing this with all of his belongings when he arrived in September. I imagine him managing the luggage and two cats when he flew back just a few weeks ago. I'm glad it wasn't me!
We get loaded up and "hop" on the train. So far so good. The transfer is fine, too. Someone offered to help with our bags. And he didn't run away with them! The walk, though. Oh, that was brutal. Cold. Windy. I'd been up for 19 hours. Why'd I pack so much anyway?
But we make it. We're home.
VERY IMPORTANT NOTE - NO TRAVEL PROBLEMS. Readers: this will be VERY important, if my past travel record is any indication.
posted by Beth at 9:12 PM
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