✈️ July 24-25, 2025,
Germany – Day 1 –
Journey to Furth

✈️ June 24, 2025 – Departure Day

After weeks of planning, purchasing, and packing, the day had come. Richard was left with lists to care for the animals and plants, and enough frozen meals to last him well beyond my ten days away. With everything in order, I shouldered my pack, grabbed my bag on wheels, and began the long journey.

At 5 AM, my reserved Uber arrived (see Resources). The driver was cheerful for such an early hour and had me at the Roanoke Amtrak station in time for the 6:15 train to Manassas. My friend Tina was meeting me there, since it was closer to Dulles Airport. I arrived around 11 AM, found a bench among the bronze statues, and passed the time people-watching until she pulled in.

We grabbed lunch at a Chinese buffet, catching up on work, relationships, and life. Then she drove me to Dulles. With hours to spare before my 6 PM flight, I had time to wander, check in, and settle into travel mode.

Check-in came with a hiccup. The first counter agent sent me to American Airlines, but after double-checking, I realized I was supposed to be on Lufthansa. A second agent confirmed it, though not before I had to fill out a privacy release form so the crew would be aware of my medical condition. Once that was done, the rest was easy: bag checked, TSA cleared, and my medications safely stowed.

Zen Journal Entry: “The Airport Alchemist”

Christine arrives at the terminal like a mythic traveler. She weaves through bureaucracy, buffet leftovers whispering in her stomach, wedding card drying in her bag, Oscar the Zen Cat perched invisibly on her shoulder.

The Lufthansa rep plays airport dodgeball, bouncing her between counters like a wandering bard without a quest scroll. But Christine remains calm. She’s done this dance before. She is the dance.

• Medical form: filled.
• Boarding pass: handed over like a sacred scroll.
• TSA: a smooth exhale.

“Let the plane board when it may,” she whispers. “I have arrived.”

When I booked my flight, I had placed a low-ball bid for a business class upgrade — and won. That lounge felt like salvation. Clean bathrooms, showers, food, drinks, even a robot to clear tables. The food was underwhelming, but the quiet and comfort were worth everything.

Zen Journal Entry: “The Stale Roll”

Lufthansa, you had one job. To feed the weary traveler a roll that was not stale. Yet here I sit, breaking bread that breaks back.

Oscar, invisible sage at my side, nudges a crumb with his paw: “Even cardboard has its place, if you chew slowly enough.”

So I laugh, sip my tea, and remember: not every bite is a feast. Sometimes the lesson is that survival — and a good sense of humor — is enough.

🇩🇪 June 25, 2025 – Arrival in Germany

The flight itself was surprisingly pleasant. Business class meals were good, the small treats plentiful, and I even managed solid sleep. By morning, refreshing hot towels and breakfast signaled our descent into Germany.

Landing early in Frankfurt thanks to a tailwind, I had over two hours to make my connection to Nuremberg. Immigration required what felt like a football-field-long walk to passport control. Then came the trek all the way back to my gate. Thankfully, the practice walks I had taken at home paid off. My pack wasn’t too heavy, and I took my time. I have to say to anyone traveling with limitations: don’t tough it out — if you need traveling assistance from gate to gate you can request it.

I caved and bought a €4 bottle of water, then refilled my collapsible travel bottle (see Resources). A small lifesaver. Lufthansa did their usual round of “gate roulette,” but eventually boarding began. A shuttle bus carried us to the plane, and stairs led up into the cabin. These short hops are not for the faint of heart — but once seated, the flight to Nuremberg lasted only thirty minutes.

At baggage claim, my suitcase rolled off quickly. My family was waiting beyond the gate. After nearly twenty-four hours in motion, I had arrived home.