Adventure Awaits!!

Greetings one and all!  Welcome to my new blog.  For those of you who don't know me, I am a Christian children/family/youthworker who is about to embark on living and working in the big city.  I've been in very rural locations for the past five years so this is going to be a massive cultural shock for me but bring it on.  

I have always said that I didn't want to work with children and that I would never work, nor live, in the city.  Ta dah!  Here I am, doing exactly those things and loving it.  Who says God doesn't have a sense of humour?  

So, first adventure to share with you, my trip to Germany for a friend's wedding!!

It is sad to admit, but I have never flown in a 'real' plane before.  I say 'real', I flew off the island where I was living a few years ago, though I would hardly call it a plane.  It had propellers and as it was my first ever flight and I was on my own, my confidence was not inspired when I saw one propeller frantically whirling around giving it its all and showing off whilst its counterpart, on my side of the plane, was thinking about doing just one rotation.  It was clearly asleep and not in any mood to spin or make the plane fly.  It continued at its leisurely pace whilst the plane was pootling up the runway.  I say pootling as in truth, the plane was not hurtling forward at high speed to thrust us up into the sky.  More it was just taking its time to throw us into the sea for a paddle.  I felt like the Flintstone's and I was sure that I could have run faster.  By some miracle the plane did take off and we all survived but it wasn't the best experience of flying, so I now class this flight to Germany as my first proper flight.  

Thankfully RAF boy had agreed to fly with me and arranged the flights which I was grateful for as I had no clue where I was going or what I was doing.  As we boarded the plane and sat down I discovered RAF boy had booked me a window seat and I was very excited.  Before we took off, he was explaining to me how the wings would grow and change shape. The different noises to expect and what they meant.  That it was a good day for flying, etc.  He knew that by giving me as much information as possible I'd stay calm.  He needn't have worried though as I was so excited.  He laughed at me because I was literally bouncing around.  I smacked my head off the window because I was trying to see out of it better which caused him to roar with laughter.  Apparently he's never flown with anyone so excited or happy before and it was a novelty for him.  

I loved the whole experience.  The taking off and being thrust back into your seat.  Watching the wings change shape. Banking to the right so that I could see the patchwork of fields below me.  Flying over the channel and watching the ferries coming in and out of Dover (one of my old haunting spots), looking over the villages and towns of Germany and marvelling over how different and beautiful they looked.  Flying above the clouds, the sheer beauty of them.  It reminded me of some scenes from Spirited Away.  It was just awesome and I haven't grinned that much in years.  Even the dry, weird cheese sandwich which they gave me on board didn't bother me.  Poor RAF boy had me keep tapping him and showing him different things.  As you may have guessed, he's in the RAF and therefore used to flying and has seen all this before but to me, it was brand new, it was beautiful and I wanted to share it and I'm so glad I got to share it with him.   

We touched down in Germany and now for the second part of the journey, find the car hire place.  RAF boy had hired a car to drive us down to the town where our friend's wedding was to be.  We found the car with no difficulty and between us, worked out how to make the Sat Nav speak in English.  We then realised that neither of us had driven on main roads on the wrong side before.  Not going to lie to you, I was terrified about doing it first.  You see, I want to live and have no desire to die.  Putting me behind the wheel in a country where there is no speed limit on the autobahn and where they drive on the opposite side to me, well that's just asking for trouble.  Thankfully, RAF boy stepped up, my knight in tarnished armour.  He got us out of the town, down the autobahn and to the town of Ulm, where we were staying, in one piece.  No person, vehicle or animal was harmed during the driving of the RAF boy.  His nerves, however, were slightly frayed haha.  It didn't help that as we were driving down the autobahn we both realised that neither of us had bothered to read up on the German highway code, duh!  That night, much research was done and a better understanding of the road signs was to be had.  

FOOD!  On our first night in Ulm we decided to wander around and see what restaurants we could find.  It was beautiful wandering around at night and we found a wee restaurant down an alley.  We walked in and realised that we couldn't communicate at all with them but thankfully, they spoke a little English.  We had no idea what we ordered but when it came, it was amazing!  I had chicken which actually had a really lovely, rich flavour; gravy and what seemed to be macaroni.  RAF boy had meat which he thinks was venison with what seemed to be macaroni cheese and gravy.  It sounds like it shouldn't work but it was soooo good and so tasty.  I have to say,  that is what I loved about being in Germany.  Going to a new restaurant every night, not knowing what I was ordering and discovering new and delicious food.  

Anyway, enough of the talk of food otherwise I'll end up drooling.  Day two in Germany, LEGOLAND!

What can I say?  I was never into Lego.  I never saw the point of it.  To me, it was just plastic bricks.  How wrong I was.  I have been educated into the awesomeness of Lego.  I have been bought a Lego campervan, Wall-e and the Christmas villages but I shall tell you more about them some other time.  Lets just say that I have come to love Lego and Legoland was brilliant.  It was a beautiful sunny day and so much to see and do.  In true geek mode though, what were my three favourite parts of Legoland?  It was getting a free Legoland brick, the Star Wars section and the Sealife centre.  Check it out.  

Oh yeah, I had my geek mode on.  I should explain that I'm not a massive Star Wars fan but look at the pictures!  Star Wars characters and scenes made out of Lego.  Small plastic bricks.  Very cool.  Legoland Atlantis - underwater, sharks, stingrays, starfish, seahorses, octopus, what more could a girl want?  It was so much fun.  I got to touch a starfish, yay.  It felt very different to how I expected it to.  I don't know why, but for some reason I expected them to feel soft and squishy.  Instead, their skin felt tough and leathery.  

Then there were the towns that made me want to go and visit them for real.  

I could go on and on about Legoland but I shall resist.  It was a beautiful day, the Lego models were amazing and I would highly recommend going.  My plan is to now visit all the Legoland's in the world.  

That evening we met with friends and The Bride and The Groom.  For those of you who have seen Kill Bill, yes, I have chosen to give my friend the nickname The Bride, for not only was she the bride-to-be but I have no doubt that if you annoy her, she will draw out her Samurai sword and attack you.  So the evening was much merriment.  I ate the biggest pizza I have ever seen.  When I say big, I mean this thing was nearly 2 feet in diameter.  It did not fit on the plate.  It wasn't just massive, it was mahoosive.  It could easily have fed three people.  At this point I should say something like, I couldn't manage it all; I was very ladylike in my portions etc but the truth is, I stuffed all of it!  My excuse?  I'm very tall and have to fill my tootsies ;-p  Many at the table were in awe of me, especially when I mocked those that couldn't finish their pizza's.  I then did a brilliant finale to the meal.  I gave RAF boy the rest of my beer as I didn't want it, put my coat on and with one swift movement, got the coat on my arms and knocked the beer that RAF boy was holding all over him.  He stared.  He didn't know whether to laugh or cry.  You could see his thought processes "It's funny, she's so bloody clumsy but it's my beer.  How the hell did she do it?  Hahaha, but my beer, sob, but hahaha, but sob".  The war raged until The Bride announced he could get another beer in the next place.  All was not lost.  He laughed and looked at me, "How?"  "I'm very tall and cannot possibly know the location of all my limbs at all times" I retorted.  "Fair point well presented.  Maybe just leave your coat on or off in the next place eh?" came the cheeky response.  

Day three was the day of the wedding.  The Bride and The Groom had the ceremony in Wiblingen Monastery in the library.  

Look how beautiful it is!  It was an absolutely stunning venue and The Bride was extremely gorgeous.  The Groom was handsome as well but let's be honest, The Bride was radiant.  The ceremony was lovely though poor RAF boy was burning up slightly.  He's not good in holy places and starts to get a bit warm haha.  Anyway, after the ceremony in this beautiful place, there were the photos in the courtyard and then onto the reception.  The reception was brilliant.  Instead of a champagne reception, The Bride and The Groom had organised a milkshake and cupcake reception.  The hazelnut milkshake was soooo good.  Then onto the food.  The table settings were excellent; place names were Stormtroopers holding name cards; the placemats were old records with the menu stuck in the middle; there was a dress up corner where The Bride and The Groom had placed props and set up an iPad to take pictures.  These pictures could then either be broadcast up on the wall or printed and placed in a photo album for The Bride and The Groom later.  I don't know what to say other than this was the best wedding that I have ever been to.  Everything was fantastic, everything was fun, the food was amazing, the wedding cake was the Death Star, there was spaghetti ice cream.  The whole wedding was incredible and definitely set the bar very high for other weddings.  

Should mention one incident though at the wedding.  The drinks had been flowing and after the food and spaghetti ice cream and some more fluids, it was time for the cake to be brought out.  Everyone gathered out on the balcony.  I was stood near the fire pit (where they had been doing the meat earlier which was out of this world) to keep warm.  RAF boy comes over to join me, pint in his hand.  He has failed to notice the fire pit.  He takes a mouthful of beer, people come out onto the balcony and he steps back.  He looks around, nods, grins, takes another mouthful.  Again, people come out and he steps back.  I'm getting concerned now as he's getting very close to the fire pit.  A third time this scenario is repeated with one difference.  As RAF boy goes to step back, I grab him and prevent him falling into the fire pit.  He looks and raises his eyebrows.  "Ah, that explains it.  I wondered why my ass was getting warmer every time I took a mouthful of beer".  He grins and turns his attention to the Death Star cake that is being wheeled out.  I shake my head in disbelief.  They let him work on planes, oh dear.  I grin and queue for cake.  

Day Four - wedding day recovery.  Needless to say, I didn't get to bed until the early hours of the morning and was rudely awoken in morning hours to join everyone for the wedding breakfast.  I get showered and dressed and wander down the beautiful marble steps of the hotel, trying not to groan with every step as every muscle aches and screams for more sleep.  I hasten to add here that I'm not hungover.  Well, not an alcoholic hangover anyway.  I was only drinking Coke Cola the night before so I had a sugar and caffine hangover.  I gingerly made my way to the table and croaked to the lovely lady that I desperately needed a cup of tea.  The Bride was sat chatting, still looking radiant.  The rest of us, well we wouldn't have been out of place in a zombie film.  The groans, dark, sunken eyes, pale complexions.  We all sadly realised that our youthful days had gone.  That we were now of an age where we couldn't go out and burn the midnight oil and wake up refreshed and raring to go on only two hours sleep.  Well all of us except The Bride (who was feeling tired) and RAF boy, who was merrily tucking into his breakfast and laughing at all the oldies who were suffering.  I believe he would have been cheerfully stabbed with many forks that morning, if any of us had had the energy to move.  

Later that day was a trip to Ulm Minster.  A beautiful, massive church.  



You could go up the spire (steeple) and get a wonderful panoramic view of Ulm and the mountains.  You only had to climb something like 768 steps, piece of cake.  Of course, for views like that, fantastic photographic opportunity, you know I didn't do it.  I had trouble climbing the one step into the minster itself there was no way I could manage ten, let alone 768!

After the minster was more fantastic food, a look around the market and then onto a shop that sells clothing that I love.  It was in this shop that my new travelling buddy was bought for me.  You see, my Staffie is my travelling buddy and we love nothing more than road tripping together.  However, he can't go abroad as he doesn't have his passport and he prefers to stay with his nanny and grandad where he gets spoilt rotten.  So RAF boy bought me a travelling buddy to take with me on my trips abroad.  Here he is -

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Hubert Von Scarem!  Hubert (pronounced 

Hoo-bert) is my new travelling pal and as you can see, he loves travelling.

Ready for a day exploring Ulm

At the fisherman's quarters

Overlooking the Danube 

Check out the pretty house

Taking pictures with RAF boy

 

Headed for the airport

Hubert's first
flight





We flew back on Day Five after more exploring of Ulm.  It was raining on our return to the UK, what a surprise.  Poor RAF boy had to put up with me hitting him out of excitement.  He had told me to watch what happens to the engine when we land, how they use it to brake.  I stared at it and as we landed I saw the flaps lift up.  I started slapping RAF boy's thigh.  "Look!  Look!  The flaps are up!  Look!"  He laughed and dutifully looked and made appropriate noises until I realised.  "You've seen it before" I said sheepishly.  "Let's look at the facts.  I told you about it and I work with aeroplanes, I might have seen it before, possibly, but not definitely".  He grins and laughs.  Apparently flying with me is an experience.  

So, this is my first of many adventures.  Germany was incredible and I'm planning on going back.  Also on the list is Paris, Finland,New York, Norway, California, Italy, Switzerland, Vietnam, China, Russia, Lapland, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand and so many more places.  Might help though if I learn a bit of the languages and definitely learn the highway codes!  

Heartfelt thanks to The Bride and The Groom for inviting me to their wedding and RAF boy....well, thanks doesn't cover it.  He got me there and back, kept me alive and out of trouble and gave me the best holiday I've ever had.  

Join me for more adventures :)