Another Visit

Two weeks from today, I will be traveling to Germany again to visit Emilee. I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to visit her again this summer, especially since she is home all alone. Alan is on a deployment to Qatar for six months. Poor guy, he's been out of Germany more than he's been in. (Sorry you won't be with us, Alan!) Last summer Olivia traveled with me, but.....she has club soccer this summer, a soccer camp, but she also doesn't want to travel now because she hopes to return to Germany when it's snowing. Can't say that I blame her!

Much to our delight, Emilee came home for Benjamin's high school graduation! She will return to Kaiserslautern next week, then I'll go there on the 15th. Whoo hoo! I only wish Lee and the rest of the family could travel with me. Maybe someday..... For now, we go in "shifts". Olivia and I visited last summer, then Luke and Lee visited at Christmas. Brrr!

Where will Emilee and I travel this year? Some ideas: Berlin, for sure; Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands.... don't know about Luxembourg;) Germany; Italy... I'll be ordering Eurailpasses tomorrow. We have decided on Eurailpasses for a couple reasons: spontaneity, ease of use, ability to see the countryside as we travel, and we can even save on a hotel by taking some night trains. We'll also be able to save on local transportation with a Eurailpass. I know I LOVED the freedom of the eurailpass years ago....Hope it doesn't disappoint this time! (I also hope I am much wiser and better equipped to prevent being gassed- ether- and robbed this time.... You'd think that would scare me away....)

Going Abroad After 25 Years

Twenty five years ago when Lee and I traveled to Europe, we saw and met people from all walks of life and from countless countries. One couple that stuck in my mind was a young couple that was backpacking with their two children. At that time, I formed a dream in my mind that one day we would return to Europe and backpack with our children. I wanted to be the type of spirited parent that wouldn't let having children change my way of living and traveling. Ha! Here I am, twenty five years later, finally fulfilling my dream....Well, at least partway. Olivia and I will be traveling to Germany to see Emilee and Alan on July 1st. The full dream would've been traveling with all the kids, but...Reality sets in and the price of gas and the state of our economy makes traveling hard for even one, let alone a family. So, "the girls" will travel to Germany and from there, we will go to Paris for an overnight trip, to London for three nights, and then a day trip to Munich/Dachau. (Yea, that's kind of a grim thought, but I want for Emilee and Olivia to see it with their own eyes.) ...............Fifteen more days!