New Adventures

We were up at 6:00. It was destined to be a long day. The last items were packed away and the final lists checked off. After a single cup of tea and some breakfast, we waited for the driver to arrive. (Last year, he had phoned to confirm details the night before - this year we had heard nothing and were a little anxious, but he turned up 10 minutes ahead of schedule).

We climbed into the luxury 8-seater and he informed us we would be picking up another couple on the way to the airport. We set off and Google guided us through the countryside across to Borden for the other couple. Then it was up the A3 and M25 to Heathrow. We were soon checked in and met up with Jane and Trevor airside. We had about an hour to kill, so grabbed a coffee and then, on the way to the gate, some sandwiches and a drink for the flight. At the gate, we met with Carole and Ian, so the whole gang was back together.

The flight was uneventful and we were landing in Frankfurt an hour and ten minutes after take-off. The airport was almost empty and we had no trouble collecting our bags and finding our way to the meeting point where, after a few minutes, we were ushered onto our buses. The journey to Mainz seemed to hit every bit of traffic available and it took longer to get to Mainz than it had to fly to Frankfurt. We were soon offloaded and embarked on the Spirit of the Rhine, which will be our home for the next week. We went straight to the lounge to grab a long drink, while the staff took care of our luggage.

We all gathered for a safety briefing and then went for dinner. Before we started, I tried to call Zoe but she had just heard that Ellie had fallen and hurt herself, so was heading for the park. She called us back once Ellie had been rescued and they were back home. Ellie had a few scrapes on her leg and was feeling sorry for herself. A call with Nana made all the difference (sometimes Grandpa won’t do). The food was very good and whilst the rest of the gang went for a Pork Loin Wellington, I was more adventurous and had Wolf Fish with Black Noodles. I had no idea what Wolf fish was, but it turned out to be delicious and had a nice firm texture.

We chatted until 22:00 and then wandered up on deck to get some air before bed. It was so peaceful and still pleasantly warm. A perfect end to a long day.