Well, we're here in fabulous Deutschland!

The airport in Toronto was a breeze to go through . We arrived 3 hours early, not so we would have plenty of time to get through check-in and security, rather so we would get through in time to watch the Germany/Algiers world cup match. We found a bar near the duty free shops so I could watch the game while Connie checked out the duty free. At the half we made our way to the gate area. Luckily there was another bar nearby where I could continue to watch the game. Unfortunately Germany was unable to seal the deal during regular time and they went into extra time, which was two 15 minute halves. After about 10 minutes through the first half, Connie informed me that they had started boarding and were letting those requiring assistance on board, so she went through the gate. They had just gone through 5 minutes of the second half when Germany scored, which was just in time as they were already almost done with loading the plane. I reluctantly boarded, but luckily I was able to continue to watch the game on my Android as I waited on the boarding bridge in what was a pretty long line up. Of course, I had to hold it high so that others could watch the game as well. One of the stewardesses saw I had the game on and asked me in German to yell out if anyone scored. By the time I got settled into my seat Germany had won 2-1 and there was much rejoicing on this Lufthanze flight to Frankfurt.

Once in Frankfurt we went to the baggage area to gather our gear. Damn this is a big airport! It took us almost 30 minutes just to get to the baggage area . All our gear appeared safe and sound including the bike box. Everything in hand, we made our way to the car rental places to get our car for the holiday...another 15 minute walk. We rented from Sixt, which was the cheapest ones to rent from...guess why...they park their cars furthest away. It took us another 20 minute route march to get to where the car was parked. By now we'd walked half way to Stuttgart...who needs a car! Of course, they didn't have the model we wanted, which was a VW Passat Combi (station wagon), so they gave us a Peugeot (Piss-joe) MPV. What a piece of junk! The window was so large that the sun glare made the dash appear in white across the inside of the window and we couldn't see anything. We arrived in Stuttgart and promptly looked for another Sixt office to trade the car in for something better. The search proved a challenge, but we finally found one that would give us a nice Audi A4 S-model wagon with a diesel. Now that's more like it, sporty and great seats yet cheap to run!

We made our way to Hanno and Isa's (my cousins) place where we would be staying for a day before starting the tour. Of course my first activity was to unpack and reassemble the bike, which had not sustained any wear from the flight. After that I went to a nearby cycling shop to pick up some supplies for trip...power gels, drink mixes, CO2 cartridges to fill flats, inner tubes, etc. By the time I got back it was dinner time and we had a nice quiet evening out on the deck and ate a meal of BBQ'ed meat, bread and salad. Of course I also started the hydrating process...beer...then the jet lag started to creep in and I called it a night. Connie wandered to bed a few hours later.