Germany, here we come. Two days and counting... Thanks Everyone!
 

In a little more than 48 hours we will be leaving on our much anticipated, and very well planned, whirlwind tour of Germany. I know we will have a great time (despite the German Rail strikes that started last week) because of the wealth of information that I have culled from this website.

My husband, B.J., and I first stumbled onto Fodor's during the spring of 2004 looking for information about Germany. B.J. was three months into an 11 month recuperation period from spinal fusion, and planning for future travel seemed to help his depression - gave him something to look forward to.

Not only were we amazed at the amount and variety of information that strangers were willing to share, we quickly found enjoyment sharing our travel adventures and advice with others, likewise.

Then came March 11, 2004 - the horrible train bombings in Madrid. Several threads on the board were looking for a woman who lived in Madrid, Maribel, who hadn't surfaced on the board yet that day. We were all relieved when she finally reported that she was okay.

It was then that I knew the Fodor's board was more than a question and answer forum, but a real community of caring individuals that I felt honored to be a part of.

Flash forward to 2007... over three years of planning, with help from dozens of individuals, too numerous to thank each one individually.

So, to everyone who has given us their advice or opinion about our travels, we will raise a glass of beer (or wine) to you in a toast of thanks as we drink our way across Germany.

Here's our itinerary in a nutshell. All travel is by public transport:

Fly JFK to Frankfurt
Cochem - 2 nights
St. Goar - 2 nights
Ittlingen - 1 night
Rothenburg - 2 nights
Bamberg - 2 nights
Munich - 3 nights
Mittenwald - 1 night
Hohenschwangau - 1 night
Munich - 1 night
Fly Munich to JFK

I'll be sure to post a trip report when we return. Thanks again for all your help. Beers for everyone...

Peace, Robyn :)>-

Have a great trip!

What a kind email! I have fond memories or several weeklong vacations to Germany with my husband and son. Just recently, after vacationing in Italy & France for several years, my husband expressed a desire to return to Germany. I hope you have a wonderful time - hope your husband's recovery is coming along smoothly - please post a detailed trip report upon your safe return!

Have a great time on your trip. I love Germany and have spent much time there, beginning with five years in the 60's when I worked for Dept. of Defence in Heidelberg.

Your post reminds me of the trip my beloved younger sister and I took in 1997. She had had a terrible time with breast cancer and reconstructive surgery, and I told her that if she LIVED, I'd underwrite a trip to Germany for her. She had spent a year there with me when she was 21 and said it was the best year of her life. She'd wanted to go back but had never been able to afford it.

We did go, with me paying about 3/4 of the costs. It took me a long time to pay off that trip, but I've always been glad that we did it. She died unexpectedly of a coronary occlusion about a year later.

Robyn, have a great trip. Maybe you can do Bad Wimpfen on your next trip!

P.S. Hopefully, you plan to visit Burg Eltz while in Cochem. It is truly wonderful!

Thank you, everyone, for your responses.

quokka - Did you ever catch my follow-up to my plans for visiting Oberöwisheim? ("Looking for Larry or Quokka" thread)? This is one of our most anticipated days, and I really want to thank you for your help with the planning.

bettyk - We plan on hiking up to Burg Eltz one of the days that we are in Cochem. And we hope to stop in Bad Wimpfen, for the Pig Museum, on our way to Rothenburg from Ittlingen.

That is, if the trains run according to schedule.

dorkmom & Peg - My husband has also had two kidney stone surgeries, and a hyper parathyroid removed, since his spinal fusion. Planning our trip to Germany is one of the things that gave him reason to get up in the morning. (It's a bi*ch getting old... but travel gives us something to look forward to.) I hope you have the opportunity to visit Germany again in the future.

Off to bed for me, before I drop... Robyn :)>-

Have a great time, Robyn. I have really enjoyed each of our 5 trips to Germany (the most recent just a month ago!) Your planning will definitely pay off. Take notes and report back!

Robyn - I did! I wish you a great trip 'back to the roots'.

Have a great trip! We will be stopping off in Munich in June as part of our "european vacation"! Make sure to write a trip report when you get back!