We are leaving our home

August 23, 2022

On August 23, 2022, we started our journey into adventure. With little luggage, the children and I traveled by train from Angermünde to Minden to grandma and grandpa.

Our good friend Doreen took us to the train station. The farewell was sad, tearful and full of anticipation at the same time. Because on the one hand, we left behind good friends and family, and on the other hand, a new chapter began for us.

Waldi came later with the car and all the luggage, and of course our beloved Hippie.

We spent the remaining days with grandma and grandpa before finally going to Costa Rica on September 1, 2022.

September 1, 2022

It was September 1, 2022 and we were all excited. Our flight from Frankfurt Main to Costa Rica was about to begin, a direct flight to San José. It was the first flight for our children and such a long one. Our brother-in-law had driven us from Minden to Frankfurt, a four-hour car ride.

Arriving at the airport, everything was loud and hectic, lots of people and a lot to do. The first thing we had to do was find out where we could drop off our dog, Hippie. It took a while to find the counter where we could drop off Hippie and our suitcases. Especially Hippie required additional forms, a quick check-up of Hippie and an inspection of the transport box.

Then it was time: we had everything taken care of and Hippie was taken to the plane. Now we had four hours left until our flight started. We exchanged euros for dollars, got coffee and candy for the children, and went through check-in. Traveling as a family with a toddler had the advantage that we could bypass the long lines.

We were now just before boarding when the announcement came that our flight was delayed by an hour. Everyone was thinking about Hippie, who had to spend another hour alone on the plane.

Finally on the plane, we found our seats and settled in for the long flight. I had Pepe on my lap, Amelie sat next to me, and behind us were Thabo and Waldemar. Amelie held my hand very tightly, but as soon as we were in the air and the adventure began, she slowly relaxed.

Pepe cried a lot for the first two hours, especially during takeoff, but then he walked around a lot in the plane. There was no relaxation for mom. After about seven hours, Pepe finally fell asleep on my lap. I did too, but not for long.

When we were over San Jose, we wondered why the plane kept circling in the sky. Then came the news: due to heavy rain, storm, and thunderstorms, we were unable to land.

So we had to fly to Panama to refuel, a distance of almost 700 km. Landing in Panama, the plane was refueled and we flew back. It took a total of three additional hours before we finally landed in San Jose - after about 16.5 hours of flight time.

Finally, we had reached our destination and our new life or adventure in Costa Rica could begin. We were all relieved that Hippie had survived the long journey well. The start was not easy, but we were ready for whatever awaited us in our new home.