Wednesday 5 September 2012

I thought today might be quite an emotional day as I met together with our beautiful friends Dave and Simea and their cute little daughters in Weil am Rhein.

Getting to their place proved to be a bit of a challenge (and in the back of my mind I am saying to myself  'I don't always want to be a strong and brave person!!')  Read on .......

I left home at 9am and caught the train to Stetten.  I waited for the connecting train to Weil am Rhein.  I heard an announcement in German and panicked a little bit.  So I got on the train that was going to Loerrach and I found someone that spoke a little English.  "No, she said, you need to get off and go to the other platform"  (I knew this already).  So then I got on the train that said "To Weil am Rhein" and when it was arriving at Stetten (back to where I started!!) there was an announcement in German!!  Everyone got off the train and so did I!!  So...... what to do.  I spoke a little German to a lady and she was telling me there was no problem.  But I felt there was!!  

I thought, I could get a taxi but I did not have Dave's address OR phone number.  I only knew how to get there from the train station.   Grrrrrr.  Silly me.  Fancy not having his phone number.

So I decided to walk to the bus stop and saw the bus went to Weil am Rhein. I asked a lady what was going on and sort of worked out there were bridge works on the line!!  I thought that if I got to Weil am Rhein I could work my way back along the train tracks to the train station I needed!!  Needless to say I was very clever and arrived at Dave and Simea's home, but 1 hour late.  I was only slightly emotional.  Nothing that a good hug seeing old friends couldn't fix (and a cup of coffee).  We had a precious time together, but all too short.

I was picked up from their place by one of Roger's good friends Andreas.  Andreas was one of Roger's train buddies and they had some good times together.  Andreas has looked after Roger's model train layout and he discussed this a little bit with me.  (The layout has gone to a good home, which I am so pleased about).  He also mentioned that he still had Roger's trains and would I like them.  I didn't realise the impact this would have on me once I received them and got them home.  I burst into tears and had a good long cry on Christine's shoulder.  Now to get them back to Australia!!

I had a happy time with Andreas, Constanze and David and I was treated to a very yummy BBQ lunch which we were able to eat outside surrounded by very green German countryside.  A picture indeed.

Needless to say I now need to calm down and try and get some sleep.  I seem to be experiencing so many emotions whilst here in Basel, which is very natural I am sure.