the end of the road

It was hard to get up this morning because it was so comfortable sleeping. It was time to make breakfast with whatever we had left in the cooler. We cooked up the last of the Nathan’s hot dogs and mixed them in the scrambled eggs, brewed a pot of coffee, toasted some bread on the gas grill, and poured a glass of orange juice. It was a meal fit for a king.

Today we headed home via Table Rock Lake, MO. It was another day of winding around roads (I almost got car sick) and forcing the car to make it up steep elevations. We arrived at Table Rock around 1 p.m.—just in time for lunch. I had prepared tuna before we packed up camp, so we devoured that with crackers, finished the milk, last apple, and the praline candy we bought in Charleston which got soaked in the cooler (it was meant as a gift, but was too disgusting to present to anyone.)

As we were picnicking, we noticed a great bike trail around part of the lake. Well, it was our last day and we needed to get our legs moving after riding in a car for so long. Even though it was in the 90s with high humidity, the ride was what we needed. It was about 5 miles and wound around a small part of the lake. We loaded them up again and headed for Branson (only a few miles away.)

We only drove through this crazy town. Neither of us have been there and felt that just looking at all the Vegas-like signs and buildings, we got the gist of the city. That’s all we needed. Now it was time to haul our cargo home to Topeka. We arrived home around 8 p.m.

I think the part I enjoy most about camping is the challenge of being organized in chaos and being ready for anything. Neither Chris nor I feel like we are ready to be back in our own beds. We are really enjoying this trip together. Sure, there’s lots of laundry to do and unpacking the tent again to make sure it is all dried out, but we have seen a lot of country in these 2,800 miles. I think next time we do a big road trip we will head to the Northwest--I hear they have lots of rain there too!

always room for one more at the table

Our journey is drawing to a close, but not without more adventure. We drove nine hours today...through Birmingham AL, Tupelo MS, Memphis TN and numerous little towns during our last couple hours on 2-lane roads. The landscape changed from hilly to flat to very hilly. We ended our day at Blanchard Springs Caverns campground in north central Arkansas.

Once again we found this place by Googling and once again it didn’t disappoint. It’s managed by the National Forest Service so it was rustic yet well designed. Each campsite was remote enough to feel like we had the place to ourselves but there were clean restrooms and running water within a short walk . We got in right at dusk but we are really good at setting up quickly. While Chris set up the tent and unloaded the equipment, I started supper.

We ate a “traditional” camp meal—spaghetti! It’s actually a simple meal and easy to clean up. This time we had some guests join us. Chris suddenly stopped and told me not to move. About 10 feet away, heading toward us was a little skunk. He must have heard it was Italian night. Then after supper, I was doing the dishes and Chris had gone to the restroom. I thought it was him coming back, making a lot of rustling noise, when I looked over at the trash bag we had hanging on the clothes line. There was a large raccoon reaching into it. With a little shriek and a “get away from that,” he scurried off, only to revisit us later as we were in our tent playing cards. We watched him try to get into my camping supplies in a large Rubbermaid container (the food supplies were in the car). He raised the lid and started rummaging when we yelled out. It was his last chance to grab something, so he snatched a bag of paper cups. I don’t know what he was going to do with that, unless he was having a keg party or something! We put everything back in the car and went to bed.

Even though it was pretty humid, we slept so soundly until the thunderstorm rolled through in the middle of the night. Not much rain, just a nice reminder of being in the great outdoors.

a long day's journey into night

The crows (I think they are following us) woke us up early, so we got up for breakfast. Since the weather was perfect (finally no rain), we could enjoy a leisurely breakfast of pancakes and eggs under the towering pines. The squirrels stayed close, but didn’t beg.

When we drove to the campground yesterday, our little 4-cylender Hyundai struggled with some of the steep climbs. We mentioned that this would be a tough ride on the bikes. Well, we really wanted to get some more riding in, so we ventured on a short ride from the campground to the hotel and back. It was only 3 miles, but one of the toughest climbs we’ve encountered. One stretch was ¾ of a mile with a 5 percent grade. We both made it (I wasn’t going to give up) and so did our lungs! It was a great ride, through beautiful scenery.

Packing up in dry weather is a lot faster so we were on the road in good time for a very long drive today to the town of Fifty-Six, Ark., in the Ozark National Forest. I think we will put on almost 500 miles. This will be our last night of camping—I wish we had another day!

southern hospitality

So far this trip has not disappointed. After leaving Charleston, we headed south to Savannah, Ga. This is one place neither of us have ever been to and is considered one of the 10 cities in America that should be visited...so we did.

Not knowing where to begin with only three hours to spend, we went to the Visitors’ Center. There on the bulletin board, almost unnoticeable, was a photo-copied map that showed a bike route around 15 of the 22 “Squares” that Savannah is built around. Each Square is like a beautiful little park, some with monuments, some with fountains, but all with huge trees draped in hanging moss. Around each Square are amazing southern homes, enormous churches and quaint shops. We also rode through Forsyth Park that looks like something out of “Gone with the Wind” or “Forrest Gump.”

This was the best way to see the heart of the city in a very short time.
We parked our bikes near the City Market area and enjoyed wings and beer at “Wild Wings Café” (not to be confused with Buffalo Wild Wings.) We had just enough time to wander through a few shops in the market, loading up on souvenirs for friends and family back home. Back on our bikes we completed the loop ending back at the Visitors’ Center where our car was parked. The city of Savannah did not disappoint us—we liked it as well, if not better, than Charleston because of its quaintness, charm and simplicity. We will go back someday.

Then it was back on the road for a 5-hour drive to Cheaha State Park in the Talladega National Forest, Alabama. We found this camp site by just Googling for an area somewhere an hour west of Atlanta. This has to be one of Alabama’s best kept secrets. What a great place to enjoy the great outdoors. Besides great camping for all kinds of campers, there is a hotel, restaurant and store all on the top of Cheaha Mountain—Alabama’s highest point (2,407 feet). The view was almost like the Smokies and since it isn’t well known, it was so peaceful.

We set up camp and enjoyed a great Nathan’s Hot Dog meal, campfire and Jiffy Pop. The deer and squirrels kept a watchful eye on us, but other than that it was like we had the place to ourselves. If you are ever in northeastern Alabama, it’s worth the winding drive to this area.

chucktown rocks

We packed up...again (at least we didn't have camping equipment this time) and made our way south to Charleston. The heavy clouds began to break up by the time we rolled into town turning into a glorious day.

We found our B&B, but we couldn't check in until 5 p.m., so we had four hours to get on our bikes and ride around the downtown Charleston area. What a great way to see a lot of area in a short amount of time. We rode all along the Charleston Harbor, enjoying the view on all sides (water on one, amazing southern homes on the other). We then found a place to park our bikes and walked all along the outside and inside of Market Street. If you haven't been there, it's a five block long street with open-air buildings that once were the site slaves were sold, but now house hundreds of vendors inside, and many quaint shops, art galleries and restaurants outside. It's an amazing site. We enjoyed poking our heads into many little shops and galleries, but then felt the need to get back on our bikes and see more of the area.

It was getting close to 5:00 and time to see the Ashley Inn Bed & Breakfast. The Innkeeper was waiting and showed us around the 6-bedroom southern home. Our room is lovely with direct access to the second-floor veranda. We enjoyed wine and snacks as we decided where to eat seafood. We chose the Charleston Crab House. It was a good choice.

We sat out on the rooftop and shared crab cakes then broiled mahi mahi, shrimp and sea scallops, finally ending with key lime pie. Everything was fabulous!

We continued walking around the area, then drove even farther out before returning to our B&B to play a couple games of cribbage and "Rebecca's Rummy" on the veranda. Breakfast tomorrow is served at 8:00, so it's a good night's sleep before heading to Savannah.

roasting the fatted pig

Patrick Meyer graduated from West Florence High School today. He looked less than thrilled to sit through the commencement of almost 400 graduates, but it went very fast. He was in the top 15% of his class and is heading off to the College of Charleston to major in biology this fall. He hopes to someday be an orthopedic surgeon--but who knows.

Then it was time for all of us (Laurie's family and the Meyer clan) to prepare for the grand festivities this evening. A friend of Laurie's gave, as a graduation gift, a pig that he barbecued all day. It was served Carolina style, after it was done, he flipped the split hog over and pulled the pork away from the skin. Then he poured gallons of their style of sauce--a vinegar based sauce that was fabulous. We just grabbed a fork and pulled off from the pig, all the pork we wanted. Mouthwatering!

Beside pork, there was so much food and drink. It was a grand event. Lots and lots of neighbors and friends of Patrick's came. To keep all the children busy, they had a 25 foot tall inflatable slide in their front yard. Patrick works for the business that rents them, so he got it for free. Chris tried it too and has war wounds to prove it.

The sky cleared this night for the first time since we left Topeka. This was a night we should have been camping, but we retired to our motel room and will leave for Charleston tomorrow.

living like a king

On Friday, we got to see how one of the wealthiest families in our nation's history lived. After packing up our soggy tent and belongings at the cozy, little campground near Ashville (we are getting the packing down to about an hour now), we wound our way through the beautiful tree saturated mountains to Biltmore Estates.

If you've been to Europe and seen some of the gothic-style architecture, this was America's closest thing to a royal palace. Instead of describing it to you, check out their Web site: www.biltmore.com. It was a fabulous day. Not only the tour of the enormous mansion, but the gardens and grounds were breathtaking. Take 140 Central Parks, and you get the size of the Vanderbilt's property in the mountains. The designer of Central Park was the designer of these grounds. We wanted to ride our bikes around the area on their great trails, but we ran out of time. It was on to Florence to see the Meyers for Patrick's high school graduation on Saturday.

We arrived in Florence at the best time--meal time! Cevyn and Laurie treated the crowd (I think there were 14 of us) to genuine Southern hospitality with a shrimp (and more) boil. Outside they filled huge pots with boiling seasoned water and filled them with potatoes, polish sausage, corn on the cob, and shrimp. Then poured the cooked pile of food onto a foil-covered table. We just grabbed what we wanted and ate to fullness. It was wonderful.

As we sat out in Cevyn's "man cave" (screened porch), we listened to the rain again. It was great to catch up with everyone. Laurie's family was busy in the kitchen and I knew I would bog down the well-oiled machine, so I played "Mary" and just listened and socialized.

We are in a motel for the next couple of nights, so no unpacking in the rain. As much as I love the outdoors, I am looking forward to a bathroom 15 feet away.

rain, rain, go away...

The best part about camping, for Chris and me, is the breakfast. I love all the camping gadgets and organizing it all. This morning, we decided to have pancakes, eggs and juice/coffee. Chris fired up the old campstove and I mixed up the batter. He also got to try out his new percolator coffee pot. What a great way to start the day. The rain finally let up, but the high trees above us showered their wet leaves as a light wind shook them. It was hardly noticeable. A pair of deer joined us for a while as we finished our meal.

The plan for the day was to ride the 11 mile loop through Cade’s Cove on our bikes. If we would were here one day earlier, we could have ridden the loop without motorized vehicles, but this morning we had to share the road. At first it was very frustrating—tailing behind the slowest moving cars or Harleys (they are loud and louder), but finally we passed the cars (bikes usually don’t do that, but the drivers would stop at every wild creature they saw—you see one deer, you’ve seen them all!) We did get to see four black bears walking through the meadow—that stopped all traffic for the photo op.

The ride was awesome—a lot of coasting, but when you go down, you have to go up at some point. There were a few very steep, winding hills, but we geared down and made the climb. I love my new bike for its ease of riding on so many types of roads.

We packed up and spent the rest of the day driving through the Smokies and the Blue Ridge Parkway. The scenery was breathtaking. We stopped for a light lunch under a canopy of trees and listened to the babbling of Laurel Creek. Fly fishermen dotted the streams and tourists stopped to capture the moment. It was a great day to appreciate all that America has to offer.

Tonight we are camping near Ashville NC. Our campground is back woodsy like—Chris thinks he hears banjos in the distance. It was once again RAINING when we got here so we had to set up in the wetness. But, the screen tent was a life-saver (good thing we make happy mistakes) and I made burgers, fried potatoes and pork n’ beans. It always tastes better with the sound of the rushing river in the background. We should sleep well tonight. Tomorrow we will tour the Biltmore Estate before arriving in Florence SC to see Cevyn & Laurie and boys.

you can only be so prepared

If I could rate our adventure today on a scale from 1 to 10, it would be in double digits. Our drive to the Great Smoky Mountains was very uneventful—we drove 525 miles, cruising through Paducah KY, Nashville TN, and finally to the GSM National Park. We made good time, despite losing an hour to Eastern Daylight Time.

The campground at Cade’s Cove was lovely. Our spot was C-7, complete with a fire ring, picnic table and tent pad. It was time to finally unload the car and get set up so I could cook our first camp meal. As we started to pull out all the camping gear, including the tent, cookstove, lantern, etc, we started to feel the exhilaration of camping in God’s beautiful world. It was time to set up the tent first. I unrolled the tent and just stood there staring at it as Chris came over to figure out why I wasn’t putting it up. Then he realized it too…it was not our camping tent, but our screened-in tent for the picnic table! *$#()$%^* (actually, laughing was all we could do, it was pretty funny and we will never forget it!)

What were we to do? Our brand new tent must have gotten put up on the shelf in the garage and we grabbed the wrong tent—their cases look a lot alike. It was now 7 p.m. and we hadn’t eaten AND we didn’t have a place to sleep. Thank goodness for the Garmin GPS that we borrowed from the Theimers. We plugged in “Wal-Mart” (that’s where we got our last, unused tent) to see where the closest one was. Only 28 miles to Maryville TN to the nearest Wal-Mart, but in the mountains it took Chris 45 minutes one way.

Sure enough, they had the same tent we have on our garage shelf for the same price ($49). So Chris picked it up and then stood in the Express Checkout for 15 minutes behind the four women, each with more than 10 items. Finally, two hours later, he arrived back at the campsite. All this while, I set up the screen tent and began cooking the chicken/veggie foil dinner. It was getting dark and ominous. Then the heavens unloaded buckets of water on me. I’m so glad we accidentally packed the screen tent—it was the only thing to protect me and we could eat in a drier setting.

We ate and listened to the monsoon on the other side of the thin screen, praying for it to stop so we could finally set up the sleeping tent. At about 10:30 p.m. the rain let up enough for us to get set up. It’s kind of difficult to put together a 10’x13’ tent in the dark with oversized ponchos on, but with a few re-dos, we erected the structure, blew up the air mattress, made the bed and prepared for sleep. It was a beautiful night—the clouds opened up again with another deluge, but this time we stayed dry.

Morning greeted us with an alarm clock of a large crow perched above our tent, cawing until we emerged from our cocoon. Another day begins…

the smell of elephants fills the air

The rain from Kansas has moved into St Louis, but just a gentle drizzle. Chris & I took a bike ride around Forest Park (about 5.5 miles) this morning. It was beautiful and and great bike-friendly trail. Yes, the smell of elephants did fill the air near the zoo, it would have been fun to stop but we are on a schedule today.

Soon it is off to the Great Smoky Mountains to camp tonight. Drizzle is in the forcast, but as long as we don't get the storm we encountered yesterday, it's all good.

It is hard to say good bye to Kendra, Karl and June, but we will see them again in July. They were great hosts.

On the road again...

So the Meyers are travelling again. We have been anticipating this trip for weeks (or months). The car has been packed for 3 days, the bikes are tied securely to the back of the little Hyundai, and Chris and I have mapped the route on-line, on paper and on GPS. Nothing can stop us now!

Our day began at the crack of dawn. We were up, gathering last minute items, checking the packing list and securing the house for our 9 day adventure to South Carolina and back. It was good we bought the largest cooler--all the wonderful food for camping takes up lots of space.

The drive to St. Louis was non-eventful until 10 minutes from our destination. The sky grew black and the large raindrops began splattering the windshield, then the heavens let loose. There was hail, tree branches and rain (like being in a carwash). Luckily it lasted for the last 10 minutes before we came to Kendra, Karl and June's house in Clayton, Missouri.

We are so excited to see the Fays, especially baby June. We ate at the Schlafly Bottleworks--a great local brewery and eatery. We enjoyed the beautiful St Louis weather after the storm. Then it was a wonderful evening of strolling about around the Lutheran seminary.

June is the highlight of the day. She is a beautiful, easy-tempered 4-month-old with gorgeous curly eyelashes. It is so fun to see Kendra and Karl enjoy their family. We discovered that Kendra is the same age that I was when I first got to know her (she was 7). Wow--such history.

Tomorrow it's the Great Smoky Mountains.

home at last, home at last

It was a long journey getting here, but I finally walked into my home at 3:00 this afternoon. We were delayed only an hour this morning in Atlanta due to fog, but the pilot put it into overdrive and got us to KCI in an 1 hour 40 min (normally at 2 hours 15 min). I couldn't believe the emotion that came over me when I saw Chris waiting at the airport. I missed him.

All the luggage made it too, which is always a relief. Unfortunately, I still brought a memory of the trip home with me...during the week, I had been having some pain in my right index finger that probably started with a hangnail or something. Well, it was getting infected and progressively got worse in the last 36 hours. My finger tip swelled to the point of bursting (but there was no open sore) and the pain was becoming unbearable. I got an appointment with my doctor today and it was pretty bad.

I won't go into the details, but I am now on 2 antibiotics and will have to get it x-rayed on Friday to make sure the infection didn't go into the bone. At least the pressure is relieved and I'm not in as much pain.

Now, on to the reflective part of my trip. What did I learn from traveling abroad? More than I can pinpoint right now. It did make me appreciate some things in America, but it also made me wish that we, as Americans, can be more earth-friendly, healthier eaters, better walkers, and more gentle. I loved meeting so many young people from around the world and listening to their views of how life is in their world. I know I will go back to living my life the same way, but I do hope that I can take time to reflect on this adventure every once in a while and know that I grew just a little.

Thanks to all who kept up with my daily rambles, so now I don't have to retell it all over again! Until the next time I stray from Topeka...

so close, but yet so far

Yesterday was one of those days. It seems like eons ago, that we got up at 5 a.m. to catch a shuttle to the Stuttgart airport. At that point everything was looking good. We got our boarding passes, my luggage was under the weight restriction, all our paperwork was in order to leave Germany.

As the seating at the gate was overflowing into the next area and boarding was getting ready to take place, the Delta worker announced over the loudspeaker that our plane was having some mechanical problems and they would report back in an hour. A low groan came from the crowd, but an hour was till within our 3-hour layover time we had in Atlanta.

The hour passed and this time the captain came out and announced that there was a fuel leak on the plane and the mechanical crew was working on it, it should be about another hour..."we apologize for the delay."

Surprisingly the crowd was fairly patient, what could they do? Fixing the fuel leak was a strong enough argument for patience. Finally after three hours, we were able to board, but that put our flight out of the rotation for runway usage, so another hour on the ground in the plane (I took a sleeping pill, so I got some shut eye) before we left the beautiful land of Germany.

The flight west is a lot longer than east (not sure, maybe flight route or headwinds) but it took more than 10 hours to land in the states, but the journey didn't end there.

Of course we missed our connecting flight to KCI, but getting through customs was stressful enough. Nothing moves fast in the world of the CBP. I didn't check my watch, but I would suspect it took us 2 hours, including the rescheduling of our flight home.

Nothing was available last night for us (one in our group did get on a late flight), and at first I was scheduled to go out at 1:30pm today with Shalyn and Lana at 10:50 a.m. That really made me sad, but with the persistance of the Delta employee, she found a back door way to get me on that 10:50 flight. So armed with hotel and meal vouchers, we were determined to make the best of it, knowing at least we would get a good night's rest.

My body is on a different time schedule yet so I was up early this morning and thought a little blogging would pass the time. I am so ready to see Chris and sleep in my own bed tonight. One last post when I make it home safely...

the last supper

With no restaurants within walking distance, we decided to eat at the hotel restaurant. It was also an excuse to use up our euros instead of trying to get them converted back in the States.

It was a wonderful meal. I finally had my kraut and sausage. The plate was artistically arranged with a pile of mashed potatoes layered with six sausages in a radial pattern, then the kraut placed on top. One of the best meals so far. Of course I also had to get some dessert of apfel (apple) strudel with cinnemon ice cream. All washed down with a dunkel bier.

We had nice quiet evening, reflecting how much we have done in such a short time. This was only a taste of Europe, but I know that when the opportunity comes along again, I will be back to see more of it. There will be some culture shock going back to the U.S. and I'm not looking forward to the jetlag this week, but it is worth it.

My next blog will be from the other side of the ocean.

one step closer to home

We are on our last leg in Germany before we flight out early tomorrow. It started with a repacking of our suitcases to make sure we could haul it to the train station. I know mine weighs at least 65 pounds. Finally we got our ticket to Stuttgart and boarded the fast train. For the first leg to Ulm, we realized we were sitting in a reserved seat, but the nice conductor found other seats for us. Then in Stuttgart's main station, we had to figure out where the local trains left to take us to the airport, we had only 9 minutes, but we made it with 3 minutes to spare.

Shalyn found us a nice airport hotel...verz chic and modern, but we aren't close to anything, so I think we we hang out in the room tonight and watch German\American movies.

Shalyn and Lana are getting a little giddy as the end of the trip draws close--a combination of knowing we are going home and exhaustion. I'm turning into the mother! Anyway, I am looking forward to seeing everyone and sharing my chocolate. Aufwiederzan (I don't have my German dictionary to figure out the spelling! I'm also typing on a European keyboard and the z's and y's are switched!)

a 'doner' is worth a thousand words

The night was coming fast and the three of us were ready for peace and quiet. Since there was not a delivery place for supper, we thought that this would be a great time for a "doner" (the e has the dots over them). This is the most popular fast food in Germany (even more popular than brats!) It is actually a Turkish food, almost like a gyro. Sebastian always talked about them (he pronouced it as duna) and that was the one food he missed the most.

I have to say that it is fabulous. But I do think it is not so good for you and I'm not sure of the sanitary-ness of it (the server was a lot on the greasy, fat, hairy and hurley-like)--but he was friendly and served it with a toothy smile.

Tonight was the first time this whole trip that we stayed in our hotel room for the evening--reading, blogging, re-packing (I think I can get it all home!) It was nice, but unfortunately, Shalyn is in the beginning stages of a cold so she has been sneezing and sniffling. We went to a pharmacy (they only have drugs there--not like our drug stores with everything else). All medications were behind the counter and you had to ask the pharmacist for them.

Guten nacht.

Spend a day in Munich and get run over by people

(Left) This is us at the Hofbrauhaus...a nice gentleman from three tables away noticed we were trying to take a picture of ourselves and graciously offered his service. (Right) And of course, here is another picture of me with beer in Germany. This was at the market area where they had all these little venders. We ate it outside and were frozen to our seats by the time we finished.

It was agreed by the three of us that we were really glad we had a week to get used to a foreign country staying in a fairly small town, because Munich is crazy!

We did some research online to figure out what to do today and came up with the best plan of walking all around the City Center (which is the heart of Munich). Our hotel is only a few blocks away, so after a nice breakfast (but not as nice as in Friedrichsafen), we were braced for a day of exploration.

Armed with a city map, we made our way to Marienplatz which is bordered by beautiful kirches (churches). It was hard to fathom the age of these places, and how they had to be restored after WWII. There was so much to see, you can link to the Wikipedia page to read about the places. It was sooo cold, though. We had our scarves, hats, gloves and winter coats but were still chilled to the bone. The beer didn't help, but the brat did!

After a while of exploring the historical side of the city, we found our way to the Hofbrauhaus. It was a site to behold, and packed. Amazingly we found a little table for the 3 of us, ordered our beer (not the liter size), and watched people and waitresses. It also was a good place to warm up.

Finally we hit the streets with the fabulous shopping. It was like every expensive and inexpensive store ever created, all jammed into one huge area. What amazed us more was the mobs of people. On a chilly day in March, thousands of people descended into this area. I would hate to see what it was like in the summer. Even the stores were packed with people. If you are claustrophobic, this was not the place to be. I got all my souvenier shopping done (except I can't find German coffee beans for Chris, unless I went to Starbucks--which WON'T happen).

We are resting after a long day and will adventure out again to find our evening meal. Tomorrow we will check out a little more of the city then make our way to Stuttgart. I am so glad we got to experience both the small town life and big city world. As much as I am enjoying this trip, I am starting to feel the Topeka is calling me back...there's no place like home.

over the river and through the woods...to munich

This is my team, Maike and Steffen, as we worked on our project. Sidebar: They were in complete amazement that I was 44 years old--when I was showing them my family on Facebook, they were trying to figure out if I had kids when I was 10! I guess I didn't stick as the old one too badly.

Spring school at Zeppelin University is over. Our class was told at the last minute that our 10 minute presentations had to be cut down to about 5 minutes because the director of marketing at ZU had only 35 minutes total to hear 7 groups present on social media. The entire class did an awesome job and there were some great suggestions for the use of social media. And, surprisingly, Tim Goebel (the director) really changed his view on its use. He finally realized that to be an "innovative, unique and interactive" school that they claim to be, they need to be using social networking tools in their recruiting. That was a huge change from last Monday when we first met him. It was great to see it work!

Then we ate our last meal at ZU (it was a wonderful salmon in a pastry) where I had a great conversation with a student from Denmark. He told me that young adults get paid $700 a month to GO to college(which is also free for them). And he was blown away how much we had to pay to just do our week class in Germany! But then he went on to say that the wealthiest Danes pay 75% in income tax and the lowest rate is 45%. He was really for socialism, but was very interested in how the U.S. opperates. I really had to go back to my 6th grade civics class to tell about the electoral college, checks-and-balances, etc. It was a stimulating conversation to say the least!

Then it was back to Hotel Traube to say farewell to a wonderful accomodation. Packing our suitcases were a little more difficult with the shopping that happened this week and I think my suitcase weighs more than 60 lbs. plus a backpack coming in at 20 lbs! When it is time for the plane, I will use my duffel bag to get my suitcase under the restricted weight.

We were thrilled to find out that our train ticket to Munich was only €41 for all 3 of us (Shalyn, Lana and myself). I guess up to 5 people can ride for that price as a group rate. So on the train we went, hoisting our luggage wherever we went (I have bruises to prove it). First to Lindau which is a beautiful spot on Lake Constance in the mountains. There was a lot of snow, it reminded me of Minnesota (I wanted to cross-country ski). Then we met a young man (we guessed him from 16-21) who helped us figure out the train in Lindau, and he joined our ticket (since 5 could ride) so our ride was even cheaper per person. That was a really long ride (2.5 hours) but on a fast train through beautiful country. I do have to say the trains are the best way to travel, and it's unfortunate that the States don't have a great system.

Shalyn did a great job getting a hotel near the city center (but on the street with the strip clubs--like Vegas!) We made a wrong turn out of the train station so this kind gentleman with no English, tried his hardest through gesture to point us in the totally opposite direction on the other side of the tracks! We have developed such strong muscles hauling our luggage, but we made it.

We wandered the streets tonight (it is very cold) and found a modern German restaurant that the hotel clerk recommended. I had some pasta and off course a dunkel bier. Tomorrow we will really see the town and go to the Hofbrau Haus. Time for a good night sleep.


a view of the Alps from the train window as it whizzed by

all work deserves some play

Today was a total work day in class. Well, almost. Dr. Barb had us do some "observation" of social media as homework today. That meant that we were to go to City Center (Stadtbahnhoff) and watch people, and if we just happenend to find a store that looked fun, we could do a little shopping too.

We found a huge apotheke (drug store) that had the cheap, but good chocolate, so we stocked up! Then we found a wonderful little jewelry store that strictly had all kinds of semi-precious stones. I bought myself and Katie a bernstein pendant (amber). It was fun, trying to communicate with the shop owner who only knew a couple English words.

Then back to class to work with our team all afternoon. We are ready for our presentation tomorrow and I am very pleased with our work. I think it will be more about the process of the presentation than the actual results of Zeppelin University accepting our suggestions of using social media in their marketing strategy.

Our evening ended with a great American/Greek/Mexican restaurant in Germany. We heard from the ZU students that it is great, so we went. It was great, but mostly American, so we had hamburgers and fries (German style). Mine had zucchini and cheese. It was great. They served us a shot of ouzo. That went down smoothly!

Time for bed again. Tomorrow we leave this town and head to Munich for a couple days. EVERYONE says, "You have to go to the Hofbrau Haus." So that is on our list.

another day, another adventure

This has been quite a full day. As usual we enjoyed our delicious hotel breakfast but today we had the option of eating a wonderful bread pudding with apples and raisins. And of course, all the other wonderful other foods that I am getting used to.

Then, as mentioned in my previous post, class was busy and productive. Friday is presentation day and my team has worked very hard. Then the fun really began. We made plans with our whole group (minus James, the only guy) to take the "Kataraman" (ferry) to Constance. Half of the group rode with Nikola (not sure if that is spelled right) in her car to the port, the rest of us went with Karolin (from Hamburg) on the bus to get to the port. That's when the adventure started.

The bus was late, we had 1 minute from bus drop off to get to the port, buy our ticket and get in the ferry...and 2 blocks to run. And run we did, but many of us had our heavy bookbags with laptops to drag along. It was a busy street with cobble stones, but thank goodness for Karolin and her ability to talk to the ferry conductor in their native tongue, asking to hold the boat. It worked and it was so worth the effort.

Konstanz is a beautiful old city, full of life and shopping! I did buy my German shoes that were even on sale (they are very European but I like 'em!), special chocolate, some gifts and a child's book on German words (for a grandchild someday!!) After the traditional shops, they took us to a modern mall. Malls are malls, but the stores were still fun to wander through. The video below was a street performer who just happened to remind us of Kansas.

It was so great getting to know Karolin. She shared lots of information about Germany and her studies. She is also an expert on excellent teas and someday when I ever get to Hamburg, I will try to look up her family business. She promises to teach me the right way to enjoy tea!

Back to the hotel, a little swimming in the hotel pool and then homework. I'm ready to crawl under my down comforter and get a good night's rest.

there's no "i" in teamwork

Class has been really great. We continued to study more on public relations and the new way of using it in this world of technology. I really hope to use some of these strategies at Faith Lutheran Church in a way that can reach outside our walls. Whether Zeppelin University embraces these concepts or not, the students here will take this knowledge into their professions--they can't help it!

We are heading to the ferry soon to go to Constance. I guess it is still part of Germany, so no Switzerland yet (bummer).

Hagnauer Winzerhaus

After spending time with my team on our group project about how to promote Zeppelin University with the use of social media, almost all the students went on a field trip. We went west of Friedrichshafen to an area of vineyards called Hagnau. This part of Germany makes wines with a shorter growing season (no rieslings).

We took a tour of the vaults then enjoyed an hour and a half wine tasting session, starting with semi-dry yet fruity whites then moving to some reds. My favorite was the Spatlase (which is my favorite in America too). I added to my limited wine knowledge, plus I had to buy a bottle to bring back to the States.

We are all getting tired sooner, so a "quick" run to the local pub/restaurant for some "gulaschsuppe" (beefy soup) and of course another beer (what else is there?) Then we are getting to bed early tonight.

I do have to say that it is such a treat to meet so many people from Europe. Tonight I was talking with a girl named Nikolai (originally from Austria) about the culture and how they are similar/different. She was so helpful in understanding what to expect from the more rural area of Friedrichsafen to the Munich area we will experience on Saturday. Even in small countries, there are dramatic differences in the people and culture.

I asked some students if there are many non-traditional students in Germany and they said that most my age go back to school for their Masters and those who want a bachelors are usually in their 60s. I thought that was interesting. I have not felt any judgment or awkwardness in the age gap--everyone has been so gracious (they even like my "oldies" music!)

Tomorrow we are planning on taking the ferry across Lake Constance to the town of Konstanz (Constance), Switzerland. I'm looking forward to adding another stamp to my passport!

Marketing Zeppelin raise questions

Class this morning was very lively. We are working on a PR stategy for the university here so we heard from the director of marketing for ZU. Very interesting. For a school that is only 5 years old (and it is also a private university), and cutting edge in education, using social media is very scary for them. We had great discussion with the students (both ZU and others), that it would be more detrimental to NOT use social media.

German institutes of higher education have not ever marketed themselves to recruit students (it was also free), but now that is changing. Students now have to pay (although still a fraction of U.S. students) and institutions are starting to brand themselves. Our two cultures are still very different but the students in both are seeing the need for change.

Social media is scary for those who want to control the outcome, so change comes hard. Our project is for each group (I'm working with Steffen from Hamburg and Maike from Zeppelin Univ) to come up with a PR strategy involving at least two kinds of social media. It will be a great learning process.

This afternoon we are going on a wine tasting trip to a vineyard. This is sponsored by ZU. I'm excited to try the local wines.

meersburg or bust

It was a great afternoon in Meeersburg. We took the bus to the really old part of town where the oldest castle (the first fortress to be shot upon by a canon) had open tours. Luckily they had a brochure in English so we knew what we were looking at. All these relics from the Middle Ages with no ropes or anything to keep the people away (that wouldn't happen in the States.) It was surreal, almost like DisneyWorld!

We ate at an awesome little restaurant and I had Jagerschnitzel (or something like that).

It was a fun evening but three German men were trying a little too hard to get to be our friends. We think we may end up on some sort of German "Facebook" somewhere! It's good to be in large groups! It's early to bed tonight because we have homework due tomorrow. It feels like we have been here for longer than a couple of days!

Now an official Zeppelin student

School was fun...yes truly fun! My class is on social media (Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc). This was one key way Obama won his election and we looked at how it actually worked. It's a new world in communication and these strategies work in so many elements I'm coming to the reality that this can work in the church environment too, but I do realize that change comes s l o w l y. (But I will still keep at it.)

Our class room is cool--overlooks the lake and today we see the sun, even though it is crisp outside. I am really appreciating the view of international students. We are all in the learning process together. Education=good...complacency=bad.

I do have to say, that listening to the students with their German accent reminds me of Sebastian and how much that short time impacted our lives (I miss you Seb!). I hope to connect with Stefi today--she was an exchange student from Friedrichsafen at Topeka West a couple years ago and we really enjoyed getting to know her.

Not sure of our plans after school today, maybe Meersburg...

Zeppelins are not just for flight

Tonight was really great...students from more than 40 countries are represented this week at Zeppelin University. We learned about what to expect this week and it ended with a great jazz band and wine and beer in the school lobby. I think Washburn needs to try something like that!! (BTW--Zeppelin beer is excellent...a darker beer that is really smooth.)

The school is just one building but really modern. Spiral staircases are very popular in Europe (saves space). They gave us a tour of their art in the school that is inspired by their strong emphasis of business. Actually, I was having trouble finding the art in it (very different).

Our evening meal was very locally flavored--it's literal translation means "mouth bag." It was very good. We also had a hot potato salad and carmalized onions. That was enough to fill me for the day!

Well, tomorrow is a full day, so I better get into my nice toasty bed (with the feather comforter).

Sontag in Friedrichsafen

This photo is from the top of this huge observation tower that overlooks the lake and the city--but it was windy and cold!

We got a taste of the town today. We figured out the bus routes and the euros--not so hard. I am still amazed at how much I can figure out in German (way easier than Spanish--must have been passed along in my genes!)

We went down to Lake Constance and took lots of pictures of the Alps across the way (Austria to the southeast and Switzerland to the southwest). We also found the coolest children's playground that would never be found in the States. You're never too young to play.

We met up with our teacher, Dr. Barb DeSanto, and she has been to this area frequently so now we know where we want to go when the shops open. I can't wait to go shopping (I'm making my list of who to buy for, so send me a request!) We also stopped at the Zeppelin Museum but will go back when we have more time. It's still pretty chilly but invigorating. I'm prepared though (my mother taught me well.) The people have been so helpful and kind. A smile goes a long way :)

This afternoon we have orientation with Zeppelin University and learn about the rest of the week in class. So far we have met students from Ohio, Italy and Latvia. There will be lots more international students when we meet tonight. It all makes the world seem that much smaller.

breakfast of champions

So Dad said that German breakfasts are amazing and after experiencing one, I can heartily agree!

The hotel serves breakfast from 7-10 every morning so we were thinking more like a continental meal. Well it is like a restaurant with a huge buffet of all kinds of meats, cheeses, eggs, breads, fruits, breads, cereals, breads...

I think I made the hostess think that all Americans are stupid, though. I didn't realize that SHE would serve the coffee and I was helping myself. Oh well, the coffee was really good and the cream was direct from the cow (or almost!)

Tomorrow I will be brave and try the soft boiled egg.

We are going the check out the town today and figure out the bus system. It's cool and overcast with 50% chance of rain. I'm bringing my umbrella.

I have lived a full life

Ever since Sebastian came to stay with us, he always talked about "Tuner" pizza. Well, now I can say that I have eaten and LOVED tuna pizza.

We walked randomly around the town tonight to find a place to eat. People recommended Bahnhof restaurant, but it was packed so we found a little pizzeria. Luckily Shalyn grabbed my German dictionary before we set out and we could figure out what was on the menu. I ordered the tuna pizza with onions--amazing (but they don't cut it--just one big pizza pie!) Lana got the tortellini and Shalyn got a really spicy but delicious speghetti. And of course, the 1/2 liter of Dunkel Wiezen (wheat) beer.

It was a great night and now we are all ready to crash. It's 9 p.m. in Germany and only 3 p.m. in Topeka. I'm settling in for a long winter's nap. Guten Nacht!

Finally to our destination

After a long afternoon and being up more than 24 hours (not much sleep on the plane), we made it to our wonderful hotel. It is on Lake Constance, but the skies are overcast so we can barely see the Alps. I even noticed a Zeppelin flying over the lake.

I am rooming with Shalyn and Lana (Lana is on the cot). It's really nice and contemporary. We just got back from the pool were (well it's Europe) most everyone had suits. Actually they all did, but the children. Lana checked out the sauna and was greeted by a European "moon." Oops--we decided to wait on that for another time.

I guess the hotel has free wine and beer later on, so when in Rome (or Germany...)

It's not all fun and games, we do have to go to class on Monday.

On the train to Friedrichsafen (via Ulm)

Riding the trains are a great way to get around—it’s quiet, fast and cheap. The trains run through the cities and the country so we are seeing everything from factories, to homes, to vineyards (lots of vineyards straight up the steep hills).

I got my first 100 euros in the ATM—it’s like Monopoly money—so colorful! I am glad that the exchange rate is so much better—about $1.25 to the 1 euro. I bought my first amazing sandwich—the bread was great and it had fresh mozerella cheese and tomatoes. Wundabar!

I’m amazed at how much of the rules of the German language I remember from Seb, Jacob and Dad, but I still don’t know what they mean. I do have a little dictionary to check it out. The culture shock isn’t too bad yet.

And yes, we had to change trains in Ulm--the sister city to New Ulm, MN. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see much of the town or the postoffice. But I can say I've been there!

Stuttgart airport - 8:30 am (local time)

(This was written at the airport but I couldn't post until we got to Friedrichshafen)

The night was long, the plane was full, but we made it safely to Germany. It was the most beautiful sight coming into Stuttgart. The hilly mountains, covered with dark pines, were cut into by small villages of red-roofed houses in cream, gold and white. The low clouds nestled in the ravines. It was out of a picture book.

As we approached Stuttgart, the houses and apartment buildings increased, then the factories with their smoke stacks poking through the clouds.

The airport is quiet, the people are quiet—a nice change from America. We are waiting for the other group of WU students coming from their connecting flight from London. Then it’s on to the train heading to Friedrichshafen.

I do have to say that I had a very enjoyable time watching people. My favorite thing was all the really cool boots that the women are wearing. And I love boots! I think I will have to buy me a pair sometime this trip. The European fashion is great—skinny jeans, boots, leather, black…chic.

the smell of onion rings is killin' me

Same old story, hurry up and wait. We are sitting in the airport waiting for another hour to catch the flight to Atlanta, then on to Stuttgart.

Everything has been a piece of cake so far...checked in online, self-serve luggage check-in, everything in place. Traveling is so much easier than it used to be, even though there are so many more precautions and restrictions.

Chris was a wonderful chaffeur of three women. Shalyn Marsh and Lana Kraus are also students at Washburn that I have been enjoying getting to know. So there we were, all scrunched in the Elantra with the suitcases barely fitting in the trunk. (Sidebar--Lana and I have exactly the same suitcase, so I had to tie a ribbon on mine so I could identify mine.)

The smell of the onion rings from the guy sitting across from me is making my stomach hurt. The two eggs for breakfast have already worn off. Guess that bag of trail mix is calling my name.

I better sign off for now. Atlanta is my next stop.

the night before the dawn

My suitcase is packed with some room to spare. My backpack has all the essentials for a long flight. My clothes are laid out for tomorrow's journey. I'm ready to go.

If you would have asked me 10 years ago to go by myself (without Chris or a close family member), I would have shrank in my shoes and said no. But life is funny. The new paths we take, the experiences that lead us to better (and sometimes worse) places all cause us to grow. And that is what I have done these past few years...grow.

It started with the epiphany moment (thanks to Pastor Pete) when I suddenly realized that it was time for me to go back to school. Three years later, with only seven weeks left in my undergrad life, I begin to get reflective.

Heading to Germany with mostly strangers (Shalyn and Lana are becoming good friends, but a generation seperates us) is a huge step. But I'm not panicking, my breathing is still normal, my heart beats slowly. I'm ready.

Pray for me as I step outside my comfort zone. Pray for the group as they encounter frustrations.

Here I go...