I have a theory - the true test of a couple is the ability to travel with each other - let's face it, road trips can either make or break a relationship. I actually love travelling with Tom, while we occasionally struggle over the day to day issues of domestic life, we always seem to get our act together when we hit the road.
90% of the time Tom is a street smart, road warrior - the other 10% of the time he seems to channel Chevy Chase - making our life seem more like a "Vacation" movie. Case in point, our recent trip to Germany. I should have known Tom was heading for a CCE (Chevy Chase Episode) - in hindsight all of the signs were a harbinger of things to come. It started in London; he somehow made a local call that ended up costing 18 pounds, and while crossing the street he looked the wrong way and if I hadn't grabbed the back of his jacket, he would have ended up as road kill. At Napoleon's Tomb in Paris he couldn't figure out how to use the automated teller and ended up buying 12 tickets instead of 2. Anyway, you get the general idea of where things were going.
By the time we reached Germany, well, he was in full blown CC mode. It started when we checked into our uber-cool hotel room, in which the bathroom (adjacent to the living room) had glass walls. Have I mentioned that in addition to being a germaphobe, Tom has serious issues with privacy? This post modern configuration just about sent him over the edge and also meant that anytime he wanted to brush his teeth or do his business, I was sent to get ice.
Things really got crazy when I was reading a guidebook, wondering out loud if Salzburg was the home of the Vontrapp family. Instead of hearing "Sound of Music", Tom somehow got the crazy idea that it was my personal dream to visit the "Cinderella" castle. Before I could figure out who was on first, Tom had rented a car, determined to find the perfect German castle.
It didn't take long for us to get lost, which meant we stopped numerous times to ask the locals for directions to the "Cinderella" castle. The problem is, in Germany there are hundreds and hundreds of castles, which resulted in everyone we talked to sending us in a different direction. Did I also mention that in Germany people drive really, really fast?
Driving on the Autobahn was mayhem, and on the way to the Bavarian Alps, we somehow ended up in Austria. I mean, we weren't just lost, we were in the wrong country!
The final straw was when Tom got a ticket for speeding - which in Germany is damn near next to impossible - but as the police officer explained, we were in Austria now.
To make a long story short, what was supposed to be a 3 hour round-trip from Munich took 10 hours, and by the time we made it to the castle (8.00pm) it had been closed for 4 hours. Tom had a look of sheer determination as he drove past the un-manned security gate, on a "pedestrian only" path, up the mountain, towards the castle .
Somehow, we ended up alone, on the front steps of the castle. It's a miracle we didn't get arrested - but it was rather romantic. We kissed on the steps of the Neuschwanstein Castle, and then started the long drive back to Munich.
90% of the time Tom is a street smart, road warrior - the other 10% of the time he seems to channel Chevy Chase - making our life seem more like a "Vacation" movie. Case in point, our recent trip to Germany. I should have known Tom was heading for a CCE (Chevy Chase Episode) - in hindsight all of the signs were a harbinger of things to come. It started in London; he somehow made a local call that ended up costing 18 pounds, and while crossing the street he looked the wrong way and if I hadn't grabbed the back of his jacket, he would have ended up as road kill. At Napoleon's Tomb in Paris he couldn't figure out how to use the automated teller and ended up buying 12 tickets instead of 2. Anyway, you get the general idea of where things were going.
By the time we reached Germany, well, he was in full blown CC mode. It started when we checked into our uber-cool hotel room, in which the bathroom (adjacent to the living room) had glass walls. Have I mentioned that in addition to being a germaphobe, Tom has serious issues with privacy? This post modern configuration just about sent him over the edge and also meant that anytime he wanted to brush his teeth or do his business, I was sent to get ice.
Things really got crazy when I was reading a guidebook, wondering out loud if Salzburg was the home of the Vontrapp family. Instead of hearing "Sound of Music", Tom somehow got the crazy idea that it was my personal dream to visit the "Cinderella" castle. Before I could figure out who was on first, Tom had rented a car, determined to find the perfect German castle.
It didn't take long for us to get lost, which meant we stopped numerous times to ask the locals for directions to the "Cinderella" castle. The problem is, in Germany there are hundreds and hundreds of castles, which resulted in everyone we talked to sending us in a different direction. Did I also mention that in Germany people drive really, really fast?
Driving on the Autobahn was mayhem, and on the way to the Bavarian Alps, we somehow ended up in Austria. I mean, we weren't just lost, we were in the wrong country!
The final straw was when Tom got a ticket for speeding - which in Germany is damn near next to impossible - but as the police officer explained, we were in Austria now.
To make a long story short, what was supposed to be a 3 hour round-trip from Munich took 10 hours, and by the time we made it to the castle (8.00pm) it had been closed for 4 hours. Tom had a look of sheer determination as he drove past the un-manned security gate, on a "pedestrian only" path, up the mountain, towards the castle .
Somehow, we ended up alone, on the front steps of the castle. It's a miracle we didn't get arrested - but it was rather romantic. We kissed on the steps of the Neuschwanstein Castle, and then started the long drive back to Munich.
3 comments:
Oh dear.
Middle Cat has regaled me with stories about Tom's struggles with currency conversion in China. Hope that wasn't too much of a problem this time around.
PK
Oh Mika - I love this story. You really were Cinderella in the arms of your prince on the steps of a beautiful castle. The long way round is always the best way round. Hugs to Tom - I will forever think of him as CC.
Ha!Ha! So, Tom has issues with privacy and you take his picture through those glass walls and post it on your blog!!!! Love it!!
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