Traveling Extravaganza

Yesterday was one of the craziest traveling experiences for us to date.


We spent the day relaxing and enjoying last hours in the beautiful town of Hausach where Christoph's family lives. He worked while I did some laundry, packed up, cleaned up...the small things. We enjoyed lunch with his mom and sister and then finished up the packing...


We soon realized we have WAY too much stuff. We somehow had to get my 60 lb rolling suitcase, his suitcase, three backpacks, a board of wood, and two bikes to the train station and all the way to his apartment and then my things to the family's home 30 minutes outside of Karlsruhe where I am staying. 


I told him he was completely crazy to think we could do it, and he knew it, but the man inside of him wanted to try it anyways. We called his cousin for a ride to the station, no answer. We called his roommate for a ride from the station in Karlsruhe, no answer. 





All the stuff...minus bikes

We quickly said goodbye to his mom and loaded up. He carried the backpack, 60 lb suitcase, and board of wood on the back of his bike to the station while I had his suitcase and my backpacks on mine. We were a sight to see. Nearly there we realized we would probably miss the train and he left me on the side of the road with my bike and the big suitcase while he quickly took the other bike and wood to the next spot out of the road so we could get the suitcase through. We are biking & running all the way to the train, he yells for two guys to help me carry the huge suitcase while he carries the bike up the cement steps to the platform. Why didn't I pack lighter?


We make it to the top and into the cab finally with three loads of stuff and sit down. Sweating. Breathing hard. We made it!


Not hardly 10 minutes pass before we realize we don't have enough cash to buy our tickets (we obviously didn't have time to buy them before). We sit there laughing, hoping the train ticket man will either have a credit card swiper or be nice enough to throw us out instead of charging us the 80 € we owed for being on the train without a ticket. We are still laughing.


Christoph kindly asks the woman across from us if she could spare 10 € so we could stay in the train. She laughed too and I think really asked herself who in the world are these people? She agreed, slightly hesitantly, but trusting Christoph would pay her back. The train man came back and of course he only can take mastercard (which neither of us have) so we have to borrow the 10 € and we are safe. Still sweating, breathing hard, laughing.


We are both about to pass out in exhausted and decide to move to the upstairs cab with all our junk besides the bike. It felt like a million eyes watching us as we lugged everything up probably asking themselves why we are so crazy. Oh well, we made it. And we both just sat, nearly sleeping, for the rest of the ride.


We nearly arrive at Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof and start lugging everything back down and get my bike. The train stops and we start dragging everything back out again and luckily someone stepped in and helped CJ carry the heavy bag over the opening in the step. We were nearly there. We headed towards the lift and waiting as it came up and down with others before us. A family came in front with 2 kids, a stroller, two huge-full packs and another suitcase. We thought wow, they are crazier than we are! Doing that with precious cargo. They went down before us. Now it was our turn. We shoved in alongside a Bahn employee and a mother with two kids. Not seconds after the door closes the youngest of her kid runs to the button and presses the alarm instead of the down arrow. Oh yes, the adventure just got better. We reach the bottom but the doors remain closed until someone can come and assess the situation. It seems like hours as we waiting with sweat running down our backs and so much stuff to carry. Finally someone came and the situation was explained and we were set free from the glass box. 


Now on to our next train ride to CJ's apartment. We lugged everything to the platform and then took my bike to get his bike from the other side of the station where had left it and then rode back with both. Now we were back to two bikes, three backpacks, and this giant suitcase and wood piece. The ride was short and we got out a few meters out from his apartment. We locked up the bikes and then began the three story climb to his apartment. He enlisted his roommate to carry the 60 lb bag, the rest we managed. Whew we made it! A short rest and a little unpacking and then we were off to the Lidel to get food for dinner with our bikes. We came back, made a quick meal, looked up the train times and headed off to the Hiebert's home in Blankenloch. Now again with two bikes, my giant bag, and two backpacks...but at least we had lost the other suitcase and wood board. Still we looked like crazy people. We got everything on and then tried to relax for the 25 minute ride. Once we arrived CJ pretty easily found our way from the station to their home and this time we had really finally made it, well me at least! We met Vera, the mother, and drank some water as we talked over a few things before going to bed. We made up my room and said our goodbyes and he headed back off to Karlsruhe to finally get some much needed sleep! 


And so the day came to an end and I'm sure both our heads hit the pillow with a thud and we were out. Finally...sleep. I'm sure we will have many more adventures to come. And I will hopefully have many more stories to come.


P.S. The part about getting stuck in the elevator was a little stretch. The little boy his the button, but we didn't get stuck :)

Comments

  1. Hahahah cracking up picturing all this! Leave it to you and Christoph...you would. Love it. Glad you made it safely. Skype date please!!! Praying and missing you.

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