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Published: September 6th 2009
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The Ranch
Welcome to the Ranch in Rothenbrug, Germany Time to Leave the Ranch
Somewhere I got confused! Put the wrong date on the last entry. But we’re back to August 24.
This is the trip none of us is looking forward to. Sure, we’re all excited about getting to Greece - but it’s the “getting” there that is leaving us less than anxious to start the trip.
Last night we packed up -- two huge canopies, equipment, moved benches and tables back where we found them, deconstructed the teepee David and Will put up on Thursday or Friday. Who can remember?
And we packed our stuff, took showers and made arrangements to get an early breakfast. You remember -- bread, cheese lunch meat, butter, jelly, coffee and scrambled eggs. We were excited the first time we saw the eggs. One day they served poached eggs. But even scrambled eggs lost some of its allure -- people were threatening to scavenge around the farms in the area for a chicken, alive or dead.
And they’re off ….
Eight people in a van. Two people are tiny. Six are not. The tiny people are in the front, one driving, one riding shotgun. The not-tiny people
Horses
There are many beautiful horses at the Ranch. are sitting three to a bench seat in two rows. We’re excited about visiting Greece, but not so excited about the process of getting there. Trailer in tow, we head southeast. But remember, I told you about our eating challenges. Mixing those who “live to eat” with those who “eat to live” can be challenging, especially when the “eat to live” are in charge of driving.
The “no eating in the car” rule flew right out the window. The food mutiny was loud (chomp, chomp) and defiant. We grabbed any opportunity to purchase snack food. Good thing because Tdom Bah promised lunch in Salsburg, Austria and we never saw the exit sign. Now we’re in the mountains -- no chance for food. Stomachs growled .. Or was that grumbling?
In the beautiful countryside of Austria, we found a restaurant right off the highway. It was obviously a tourist destination -- food was expensive, but we’ve figured out we have to stuff ourselves just in case we don’t stop for another six hours. And now we’re about to drive through countries were we don’t want to tarry -- Serbia, Croatia, Yugoslavia.
I suppose we could say we got
Main Street
Check your guns before you step foot into this town. off easy at the borders -- not much more than having to answer to our names as a stern looking border patrol compared our passport pictures to our sleepy, wary faces. Several times we were asked what the trailer held, and at least two times Tdom Bah had to open it. Could be that the border patrol thought about going through it, but after seeing how much stuff was packed, stacked, smooshed into that trailer, the prospect of spending several hours unpacking likely seemed a daunting task and was quickly dismissed.
At one border, Yugoslavia I think, they asked for vehicle and trailer registration and insurance. Tdom Bah couldn’t get them to understand the papers he had for the trailer included insurance, and he was forced to pay for temporary insurance. Racket? Who knows.
I’m not sure when Monday ended and Tuesday started in this tale. One of those days, I do recall it being daylight, a bee/hornet/wasp -- a creature with a stinger -- and by the commotion it stirred in Wil, Johnny and David, one might think it was a giant -- really big -- stinging insect right out of a Japanese monster flick. Demon Bee
Rooms
Every room is designed to look like a commerical building, on the outside. Inside it is very stark. Attacks Vans Driven by Tiny People and Not So Tiny Passengers. Something like that.
“Kill it. Obliterate it.” That came from Johnny as he scooted as far away as possible from the killer bee. That started a round of hysterical giggles. Wil and Lee try to squish it with our precious paper napkins (they are hard to find in Europe) as it struggles to work its way past Mariah’s window to the small opening and freedom. Mariah calmly tells them to leave it alone and it will go out the window. It did try, but European drivers are fast, fast drivers and the poor thing kept getting blown back into the car. I get worried that Lee will succeed and perhaps in an attempt to kill it, only wound it making it fall into my lap angry at the world. If the monster flying, stinging giant bee/wasp/hornet is mad, not dead, and decides to take it out on me, I will not be a happy camper. I get in the melee by denouncing this way of getting rid of our problem. Lee gave up and several minutes later the creature left to a round of applause and deep sighs.
Saloon
This is where we ate every day. Did I tell you that Wil, Johnny, and David kept me, Lee and Mariah in stitches with their antics -- most of the time. I’m not sure how funny Tdom Bah and Jackie think they are, but we sure can amuse ourselves.
Veria, Greece. We have arrived. Our hosts are Demetrius and Sophia and their young son Christos, relatives and an assorted collection of animals.
We tromp into the house. Yet another invasion by the eight of us. They are friends of Tdom Bah and graciously offered up their house as a place to stay while we’re in Greece.
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