One Too Many Times

It was a long, strange trip I just returned from. It started out too good to be true - it involved my wife and I with four of her friends leaving from Ft. Myers International Airport to a short layover in Charlotte and from there next stop Frankfort, Germany. It all went too smoothly; I should have been suspicious because of the short 45-minute layover in Charlotte. I travel internationally a lot and over the years, by trial and error, I have finally had my traveling show act together, such as my watch, money clip and belt already in my carry-on. I also learned that having a TSA pass and the new global entry is a must when coming back to the U.S. (unless you enjoy waiting in the endless lines before you go through security and helplessly watch folks eyeing your valuables while they sit unattended in a gray tray while you undergo a full body frisk?). So many people never have their act together when going through security hence the long lines. Now some brutal truth - always avoid the line with wheelchairs and baby carriages in front of you. I missed a flight once because of my poor line choice.

It was an uneventful nine-hour flight to Frankfurt but that all changed while disembarking when we were informed that our luggage from the originating Ft. Myers American Airlines flight did not accompany us to Germany! Whaaaat?

Now five of us have no luggage and we all traveled light, only one of our friends did strictly carry-on (one smart lady!). Many hours later, after filling out lost luggage forms and trying to trace the whereabouts, we learned most bags went to London, England, except my one bag that was apparently afraid to leave the country - it wound up in Austin, Texas. Swell! All these years, I never had a lost bag. We were told it could take several days to recover them. I figured kiss them all goodbye because we were spending the next three days in Munich and then flying to Spain. They will never catch up with us. It gets better… it was a national religious holiday in Germany (on a Thursday???). Absolutely nothing was open to buy simple necessities and that included all convenience stores and gas stations! 

Okay, time’s a wasting; we could all sit here in the Frankfurt airport parking lot and complain about the hand we were dealt. Only my strategy is onward Christian soldiers - we are losing light here and there are rooms waiting for us in a very nice Munich hotel. We leased a VW van and loaded all six of us, including the single carry-on bag.

My wife was born in Germany and is a real veteran driving on the famous high-speed German Autobahn. (My first experience driving with her on the Autobahn I nicknamed her “Andrea Andretti”!) Needless to say, the 245 miles between the two cities flew by in no time when you are averaging 90 plus miles per hour and still constantly being passed by those who drive 100 mph plus. It’s not all pedal to the metal all the time - there are speed restrictions when you near big cities because of congestion. You can fly down the road once again when you hit the open countryside. I personally find it a bit unnerving driving that fast; you need eyes behind your head keeping a look out for really, really fast drivers that come up behind you in the blink of an eye.

There are driving laws in Germany we should consider here in the States, first and foremost, acquiring a driver’s license is not easy. Classes, I’m told, can cost as much as $2,400 and take months to get your license. You fail, you start the process and cost all over again. You not only have to prove you can drive according to strict rules and regulations but also professionally. First Aid is included in the classes - you can’t just ignore an accident if you witness one. By law, you must assist the injured or face harsh consequences. Another common-sense law is you never pass on the right or drive slowly in the far-left lane - you will be fined heavily for “endangering the public” and even ticketed for being irresponsible, like running out of gas on a major Autobahn. Rigid auto inspections are mandatory; no clunkers are allowed on the German Autobahn, unlike our Interstate 75, where you always see missing car parts on the road or in the breakdown lane.

We arrived in Munich in one piece and a few more gray hairs. Our hotel was a typical Bavarian inn and it was only a minute walk to the famous Hofbräuhaus (a centuries-old beer hall). Now I’m in heaven - brats, beer and huge pretzels.

Then it happened. To my amazement, three days later and only hours before we had to catch our flight to Spain, lo and behold, there in the lobby was every missing piece of our luggage. You never saw five happier campers. It all became a reality because a very sweet and relentless lady from British Airways made it all happen. Buying all new clothes in Europe was not part of our plan, besides I can’t imagine myself in leather Lederhosen.

It’s a short flight over the Alps to Mallorca, Spain, my other island paradise designation for over twenty-one years, and now our friends can see why we love it here. 

Our time spent in Mallorca was peaceful and relaxing; it rarely rains except this trip. One glorious morning we rented a boat - the Mediterranean water here is a cool deep ink blue and so clear in many coves you can see thirty feet to the bottom with soaring sheer cliffs hundreds of feet high that surround you. We finished the afternoon savoring the local cuisine, fabulous seafood paella with fresh bread and a delicious garlic aioli dip and a couple of bottles of the native cava. One huge reason I love Mallorca is the food but most importantly, you can live like a rock star for a fraction of what it costs to splurge at home on the rock, or most anywhere in the states, especially now that the dollar and the euro are close to equal value. Why more Americans have not discovered this slice of heaven, I will never understand. I feel sorry for the cruisers just being dropped off at the capital city of Palma for a few hours and having to re-board the boat; that is like staying in Key West for only a few hours…disappointing. You won’t get to enjoy the over one hundred and twenty-five beaches (many are only reached by boat), the food, wine and the culture. It’s a wonderland of sights, hiking, biking and all nautical activities; you would not believe the size of the yachts that fill the marinas here.

Moral of this story is travel light, my friends - one carry-on if possible. If you must travel with luggage, I suggest you tag them with GPS finders. Most airlines will not raise a finger when they, in fact, lose your stuff. You will know where in the world they are - they just don’t have the people to handle your individual dilemma even with your name and address and phone number on the bag tag… once is too many times!