Germany holiday part 1

So... the flight over: Benedikt had a business class ticket cos part of his trip was for work and I had a measly ecomomy ticket. We weren’t able to get an upgrade but we did manage to get me into the lounges. In Nairobi it meant a 10usd bribe (no surprises there). Benedikt was impressed and chuffed that the dodgy little Kenyan version of a lounge stocked Tanqueray gin... so we proceeded in drinking the entire bottle between us. Well, one or two went to a friend that we bumped into-Pontos. He was travelling to Berlin to run his first marathon. So I made him even more scared :-)
We had a 3 hour stop over in Dubai (in India :-)) where the very nice lady let me into the business class lounge – what a bonus because the airport was just chaos. SOoooooooo many people running in every direction non stop. There we had a little snooze and some yummy breakfast.
One thing we both liked on the aeroplanes was the ability to watch, on our little screens, the view from the planes’ forward downward facing cameras. It made landing and taking off much more interesting.
So on arrival in Germany I was immediately impressed:
- First of all the airport was clean, spacious, organised and FAST moving. No one walked slowly. YAY – I hate foot shufflers. We got our rental car and in 5 mins we were out of there.
- All the bins everywhere (airports, streets, houses) are separated into the different rubbish categories. And so many cars are eco friendly. Africa has lots to catch up on.
- There are little sealed glass rooms everywhere too for the smokers... so all those stinky puffing people look like caged animals!
- All the bike and walking paths that are EVERYWHERE. It seemed cyclists, pedestrians and drivers never have to share a road ever. Bikers and walkers use the paths next to the roads, or the networks of paths that take them through parks, and next to rivers etc. And cars are on the road. Only. (I was trying to find a train station in the beginning and walked on the road for a bit – I got some funny looks and some beeps)
- The roads and the driving. WOW WOW WOW!! I guess it all made an ever bigger impression after coming from Kenya... but boy the driving is really of a high quality in Deutschland. NO ONE hogs the fast lane. NO ONE pushes in anywhere. Everyone uses their flickers and stops at red lights -behind the line. There are NO old cars or dodgy overloaded vehicles. The trucks STAY IN THE SLOW LANE. Have you ever?!! Amazing I tell you!
- Going 220km/per hour on the autobahn. We did this several times. It was a real novelty in the beginning but it felt so normal by the end of the holiday. The system makes so much sense.
- I was really impressed with just how pretty it all is. Germany is SERIOUSLY green. And just PROPVOL of trees. Trees are everywhere, tall and green, either in forests or just lining the roads. And there were so many green fields everywhere. And beautiful houses. There is a big English influence on the houses so I guess thats why I liked them so much.
We drove from Frankfurt airport to Uffenheim where Benedikt’s parents live. And we passed lots of tudor style little villages with houses close to the road, quaint little stores with plenty of flowers outside... wooden shutters everywhere, cobblestone lanes branching off, plenty of farmyards with barns and tractors etc. I felt like I was driving through English countryside! Benedikt argued that its all German style. Ja whatever!
- Adidas!!! Our first stop was at the adidas outlet store. Hee hee!! I loved it! I could have spent hours there.... my eyes were on stalks. I didn’t too badly though: I got running shoes, hiking shoes, 2 shirts, one gym top, socks, and 2 pairs of shorts
- Then the quality of life in Germany is just so good. You are encouraged to live an outdoor lifestyle, to walk from A to B and to enjoy your surroundings... its so easy to take your kids out for a walk in the park or to go for a run or a ride. And its just SOooooooooooo UBER safe there. People are never scared of being hijacked or by walking alone. So safety and health. Check. 2 very important aspects of life.
We spent our first night at Benedikt’s parents house which was great. They have a really pretty, neat and efficient home and Benedikt’s mum made us a really nice meal. Lots of veggies for me! I had met his parents once before and since then my german has improved... so communication was a lot easier this time round.
We had had LOADS of online orders delivered to their house in the preceding weeks.... so our 3 empty suitcases that we went over with were immediately stuffed full. Within hours of our arrival!

The next morning we left at 8am to drive to Italy. So we drove through Austria and then stopped in Bozen, Italy for some shopping.I had been unable to find a dress here in Nairobi (not surprisingly) and we knew we'd find something nice in EyeTaly... which we did. It took a few hours though...

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