Vicarious Travel Blog, Days 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13: Thomas and his girlfriend are leaving my hometown tomorrow morning for Munich. For the past 6 days they have enjoyed beautiful weather, a backyard pool, amazing food and the loving company of my family in Germany. From what I’m hearing, their stay with my mom and my sister’s family was absolutely outstanding, and as a first impression for Thomas’s girlfriend, that’s all I can really hope for.

Getting to Germany on the 10th of May was a bit of an undertaking. They had bought a Ryanair ticket from London Stansted to Frankfurt Hahn - which is an hour East from the main airport in Frankfurt, which means it took them further away from their destination in Bruchsal. Luckily, my sister found out about it and told them that they should change their flight to Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden, which is a lot closer. In the end, changing the flight did cost a bit more than expected, but mom and aunt took over, because picking them up 200 km away would have probably cost more at a time when fuel is more expensive than wine.

Everything worked out well, and they arrived in the house where I spent my childhood and youth safe and sound. My sister’s family was thrilled to have them, and they did the obligatory sight seeing in the area, with occasional stops in favourite restaurants. The weather was outstanding, and the company even better. I wish I would have been there too, but I know that if I had come, they wouldn’t have had time to get to know each other better.

After a 4-year absence, this is the first time Thomas went to Germany without me, a bilingual mother who overshadows everyone and everything. The first time my family could really get to know Thomas as an adult and an independent person. I am happy to report that they absolutely love him and the man he has become. The overbearing mother rests her case.