Preparations. Waiting. Flying.

The past few weeks have been filled with lots of preparations. On one hand, we had to make the motorhome seaworthy and pack our things for the next 4 weeks. Honestly, this was the most difficult task because for over 2 years we have always had everything with us. From the toilet to the sock. Sleeping, eating, washing wherever we want and "have to". Now we needed clothes for the next few weeks, both for winter and summer, as well as toys. The luggage should be as small as possible. It wouldn't have mattered for the flight to New York, but the onward flight from New York to Mexico was low budget and everything had to be booked separately. Therefore, we wanted to check in only one piece of luggage. In the end, we actually traveled with a backpack of clothes, a backpack for our documents, laptop, etc., and a small suitcase full of toys.

On November 15, 2021, we dropped off our motorhome in Bremerhaven. It was a strange feeling because suddenly we were homeless. The plan was for the motorhome to arrive at the port of Veracruz (Mexico) around December 6, 2021. We spent the days leading up to our departure in Hamburg with my (Caro) sister and her husband. We were allowed to stay in the motorhome for those days. We were a bit restless. We felt like checking where our home was every 15 minutes - thanks to Marine Traffic. We didn't want to wait any longer. Now it was time to go. Especially since the COVID situation was getting worse and we were worried that we wouldn't be able to leave, because our goal was to spend a few days in New York before Mexico.

Originally, our plan was quite different. We had rented a motorhome in the USA for April 2022 and wanted to travel around the country for 3 months. We were advised against traveling earlier - too cold and the borders were closed due to COVID and no one knew when they would reopen. From the beginning, we wanted to do the trip with our motorhome, but shipping it for 3 months in the USA was too much effort for us. To get a longer visa, we would have had to jump through hoops, and we didn't want to do that. So we booked the above-mentioned trip through a travel company that specializes in North America trips in the summer of 2021.

Plans are made to change them. During our 2-month tour of Sweden (August - October), we thought about where we wanted to spend the winter. After the last winter in Germany, it was clear - not in Germany. Greece or Portugal were our favorites. But then everything changed - through social media, we became aware that entry into the USA via Mexico was possible at any time despite COVID. In Mexico, it's warm in the winter. So we considered starting in Mexico and then traveling on to the States. That would make shipping make sense, because in Mexico, it's easier (with luck) to get a 6-month visa. We asked our travel company if we could change the booked trip. This was possible without any additional costs and very easy. So that we wouldn't waste the down payment we had already made and keep our travel expenses to Mexico low, we rebooked - one-way to New York, including a hotel. So we only needed to organize our onward journey to Mexico. In the end, we paid the same for everything as if we had flown directly to Mexico. Except for the costs in New York. But that's another topic. A big topic.

Finally, the day came, December 2, 2021. The day before, we spent preparing, packing, and testing. We had dinner with our family and set the alarm for 3:50 am. Early arrival at the airport was recommended - the USA and also COVID made the check-in process longer, they said.

We didn't really sleep during the night. W. suddenly realized in the middle of the night that she didn't want to sleep where she was lying. In the end, W. and I (Caro) were lying on the floor trying to fall asleep for 2 hours. We managed to fall asleep at 2:00 am and then the alarm went off. Now it was time to go.

My (Caro) sister drove us to the airport. The check-in process was no more complicated or slower than usual, so we quickly went through everything. We watched the planes and had a picnic. W. had never flown before. She is a true camper. The advantages of flying with a child seem very attractive. We were always warmly welcomed and given priority in everything. We really liked that. It ended as soon as we landed in New York.

W. handled both flights very well. I (Caro) hate flying and was very nervous. Everything changed when W. suddenly started laughing heartily - during takeoff. It was very contagious, and I suddenly felt relaxed. We had two more flights ahead of us. From Hamburg to Frankfurt and then on to New York. It went very well. W. even got to look into the cockpit when disembarking in Frankfurt. Although she was completely overwhelmed by the situation.

When we arrived at the airport in Frankfurt, we had to move to the next gate. There were already a lot of people waiting. We found a seat and had our last sandwiches for breakfast. We still had about 2 hours until the departure, but the line at the boarding counter kept getting longer. We wondered what and why this was happening. Document check. Of course, there are numerous forms to fill out and carry with you for entry into the USA. Mathias stood in line for us. A few minutes later, an official came over to W. and me with our passports in hand. At first, I thought, "Oh no, Mathias, did you lose our passports?" ... but no. The official just wanted to do a face recognition check because we were supposed to join the line. But there was no problem. We filled out another form and then it was almost time to go. W. and I strolled through the departure lounge and watched animals on a big screen when we were approached by officers, "Are you traveling to New York?" ... "Um, yes" ... "Great, then please come with us." Boarding began and W. and I were supposed to board the plane before everyone else. We got Mathias and our luggage and just like that, we were already in our seats. The plane wasn't necessarily bigger, but much longer. So we walked for a while to our seats.

W.'s highlight on this flight was the movie that awaited her, so she couldn't wait for it to start. Well, that was not meant to be. We took off from Frankfurt with over 45 minutes of delay. A passenger had suddenly decided not to fly and this meant that all the luggage had to be unloaded again so that the corresponding luggage would not fly either. But now W. wasn't in a good mood anymore. Hungry. Tired. Unfulfilled wish. Before she could "eat us", we took off. Now there were 8 1/2 hours of flight ahead of us and it dragged on. Soooo long. We watched a movie, had eaten. Now we needed to catch up on some sleep. After throwing a tantrum and throwing things under the seat, W. finally fell asleep. At first, I (Caro) also fell asleep. But I couldn't sit anymore, so I stood up. That gave W. more space and she actually slept for 2 hours. When she woke up, there were ONLY 2 hours left of the flight. Mathias and I were as pale as two white reindeer with mega red eyes. By now, we had been on our feet for over 15 hours. Finally, it was time to descend. We looked out the window, W. at the TV, and searched for the skyline or at least something big. And? Nothing! The approach to New York was unspectacular. But we had made it with a delay of 1 hour. It didn't matter to us because we didn't have to continue our journey.

We put on our 5-layer clothing, took our backpacks and belongings, and got off. Finally there.

We didn't go far and joined the hundreds of other people in line for customs. 1 1/2 hours! W. was done. We were too. No more entertainment. It just didn't move forward. Arguments from all directions in the family. Finally, just before it was our turn, an official pulled us out of line. But then it took a little longer. The customs officer was very nice and tried to handle things quickly. 100 fingerprint scans later, we were outside. We took our luggage, went to the restroom, and had a drink because now it was time for the final sprint - using public transportation - to the hotel. Yeah!

Out of the airport, into the train station. Jamaica, that's what the train was called, was already waiting for us. It took us to the subway. We hadn't been able to buy a ticket so far, but then... the next huge line in front of the machines. We had looked up in advance what ticket we needed and how it worked. But our brains? They had shut down. So first Mathias stood in front of the machine for about 20 minutes, only to give up in the end. Now it was my turn in front of the machine. I couldn't even get to it because everyone else was somehow faster. Now came my chance and I bravely approached the machine. Did I buy tickets? No! A woman behind me saw that I was struggling and asked if she could help. YES. Thanks to her help, we now had a ticket. It was time to go.

We had to change trains three times. The connections were great. We could get off and immediately board the next train - destination 96th St. Upper East Side. Here we asked someone again which exit we should take. This person also kindly helped us and welcomed us to New York.

About 500 meters behind the Kitty and Doggi Spa, we reached our hotel. We got something to drink and checked in.

We fell asleep at 8 p.m., completely exhausted - we had been on our feet for almost 24 hours. Hello New York. Good night New York.