We woke the next morning and packed our bags. Before we checked out, we had breakfast in the hotel lobby dining room. When we finished, we brought our bags down from our room and checked out. When Jeff and I paid for our room, the lady at the desk asked me if we wanted her to call a cab to pick us up. She said Harald had ordered a cab, but we would need a second one. She told me I could pay for the cab along with my hotel bill. Ok, that sounds good.
When I got outside with my luggage, the first cab was already there. Harald told me to put my luggage into the back. So I did. Then he told me we all had to squeeze into that cab. Wait, I called a second cab! "We don't need one," Harald said. But I already paid for a second one and we couldn't all fit into this tiny cab, anyway.
Apparently, Harald asked for a minivan, instead of a regular cab, thinking we would all be able to fit. Well, there was enough room for all of our luggage, but there was only room for three passengers. The minivans in Germany are so small they shouldn't be called minivans! Harald said they would meet us at the airport, so Joyce, Marty and Harald left in the first cab.
A few minutes later, the second cab showed up to take the rest of us. On the way, I mentioned to Jerry that our luggage was not with us. "No problem. When we check our bags, if they ask me if my luggage has been with me the entire time since I packed it, I'll say, 'yes, it has', Jerry said. That sounded good to me.
So when we arrived, Joyce, Marty and Harald were standing at the curb with all of the luggage. Great! Now time to check our bags. Marty went to the British Air check-in, while the rest of us went to US Airways. Because Harald had frequent flyer miles, he went to the line to Business Class, so he could upgrade his ticket. Jeff, the Carneys and I went to the economy class. After checking our luggage, we all got back together, but where was Jeff? We looked all around, but he was nowhere to be found. He vanished in thin air! Oh well, he's a big boy and knows how to get on an airplane. So, we proceeded to go through security to the terminal.
Once we went through security, I found a store and bought some last minute presents to give my kids. Better late than never! Of course, however, I had to pay a premium in the high-priced airport stores.
Then, in order to get to our gate, we had to go through another security check. This time they had us take off our shoes and they scanned them separately. Ok, I'm glad they have good security checks!
Then I met up with the Carneys and Harald, who were already there. Then we finally saw Jeff coming through security. Where was he all of this time?
Apparently, Jeff did not hear the conversation Jerry and I had in the cab on the way to the airport, because when they asked him if his luggage had been with him the entire time since he packed it, he gave the wrong answer! Jeff said they took him aside and into a back room where they searched his entire bag! Jeff said, "I'm a lawyer, I have to answer truthfully." Since when do lawyers answer truthfully! Oh well, if Jeff feels better letting people search through his dirty underwear, more power to him!
So anyway, this time, Jeff and I decided to get our seats reassigned so we could sit together on the flight back. After standing in the wrong line once, we finally got that accomplished. Great, now I won't have to sit next to someone who won't talk to me for eight hours!
The flight back was a little more comfortable. The service was a little bit better, too. I think they served more food and drinks than was served on the flight out.
Before we landed, they passed out customs declaration cards. The cards asked what we were bringing back into the country. One of the items was food. Jeff reminded me that we were bringing back chocolate that we bought at the museum in Cologne. At first I said I wasn't going to declare it. But Jeff suggested it would be bad if they happened to search our bags and find it in there. After Jeff's episode in the Frankfurt airport, I got a little paranoid, so I decided to declare it. But, then I was nervous about that, too.
The landing was smooth and when the time came, we went to get our luggage. As always, it seemed to take forever for our luggage to show up. I can't understand why it takes so long. But when it finally came, we headed to the customs counter where we had to turn in our cards. I handed them the card and said I didn't know whether the chocolate should be declared or not. The guy said, "No problem. People bring that home all the time." That was a relief.
The last thing to do was to find my wife. Jeff was catching a ride home with us and the Carneys were going back in their van with Harald. We walked through the doors to the lobby and there was my family all lined up with balloons and a big sign that read, "Welcome home Daddy and Mr. Jeff!" Now that was some greeting!
Next, An After thought!
