Long journey well worth the effort

While I was on the plane, Nik and Gail worked diligently to configure a plan for Nik and me to meet up. Amsterdam is about 4 hours from Paderborn and Nik was prepared to drive to the airport to pick me up. That clearing wasn't the best option since he had been up all night trying to figure this thing out and he would have to cross a country border, plus he had never driven in Germany before. I got off the plane and quickly checked my email. They had sent me an itinerary of what I was supposed to do. First check for luggage... not there. So, I filed a missing baggage claim. Second get a bus pass with one transfer and then Nik would meet me in Germany at the Duisburg stop where I was to get off. Duisburg is about an hour and a half from Paderborn. The one thing Gail and Nik both said to me when I talked to them, was whatever I do, DO NOT fall asleep. They did not want me to miss my stops. I kind of laughed at both of them and said I would for sure not do that. I was way to excited to be here. I got the pass, got on the train and soon transfered to the new train. Since this is my first time in Europe and I have been to South America and Thailand before, this place seemed like a breeze. I get on the new train and guess what... fell asleep. YIKES! I had not had much sleep and it was finally catching up to me. The problem is, if I messed up on any of the plan then it would make it really hard for Nik and I to find each other. We had no way of getting a hold of one another, unless we are both on Skype at the same time. Luckily, I don't think I was asleep to long, because I startled myself out of sleep and quickly decided I was wide awake again. Sleep had to wait, besides the view from the train was spectacular and I wanted to take it all in.

2 hours later I arrive at my stop. It has been a month since I have seen Nik and I was a little nervous. I knew everything would be right back to where we left it, but I still had those butterflies of nervous anticipation in my belly. I get off the train, looked around, then walked around the terminal and didn't see him anywhere. I quickly realized how big this train station is and I could easily miss him. I walked to the entrance of my terminal and thought for a second, "He isn't here, so I should go find him." But my gut tells me not to move, to stay put right where I was. I stand there for a few minutes. Each minute getting a little more worried. I scan all the people around me, looking and looking for that familiar face. Then, about 30 feet away, I recognize his plaid shirt. It was Nik! He was walking with a security guard in my direction. They were trying to find me. I run towards him. When I am about 10 feet away, he turns and sees me, smiles, then grabs me for a hug and big kiss. We hugged for a long time and instantly I felt like he has never been gone. Awwww! How sweet! We finally found each other and I made it. What an incredible feeling. After all that I had been through to get here, instantly it was well worth it.

He had borrowed his roommates car, so we had the job of getting ourselves back to Paderborn. Obviously everything is in German on the roadways, so after getting a little bit lost, we found our way to his new town. We didn't even care about being lost, we were together, that was all that mattered. Driving 170 km on the autobahn is a trip. It is the norm around here and I think Nik had fun driving the little Honda.