Heading Home

The return trip was fairly uneventful. Packing the night before had been a breeze - definitely not the most organized of packing jobs, but everything fit and to our surprise, eveyone was under the airline weight limit! We stood in the usual security and passport lines, but the mood was light hearted, and we were eager to be on our way home.

Most were able to evade the dreaded "security wand." A few weren't so lucky and got an up close and personal lesson on how to say "stand like this" and "turn around" in German! All checked in, and hoping that our bags would all the way through to Newark, we entered our first terminal of the day.

The trip home required two flights - a short hop from Berlin back to Munich, then the long haul from Munich to Newark. Take off to Newark was delayed because of the maintenance crew strike. Waiting so long for take off could have been a real irritation, but we had too much fun watching our own personal tvs on the backs of the chairs in front of us.

We were lucky to have a special guest traveling companion on the plane, so before we knew it, we were in the air on the way home. I’ve never watched so many movies in one sitting! Professor Snapes was really into it too.

Eight hours certainly is a long flight! Some slept, others hardly at all. I was happy to be going home, looking forward to see my family and friends again. But I knew that I would miss Germany and the rich experiences I had there. It was a truly fantastic trip, an unforgettable experience.

It was near midnight as the bus pulled in to the Simon and Jude parking lot. Maybe there will be time for just one story and a few presents. Then again, I wonder if Mom and Dad can wait until morning?

Thanks everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!