It is a testament to how much I love Europe that I put up with flying to come here every year. Flying, and all its surrounding activity, is almost never fun – more of a necessary evil – especially if you want to visit continents other than your own.

Today’s flight from Newark was no exception. Start with the long, slow security line at Newark – worse than Philly? Yes. I think this was about the slowest moving line I’ve been in. They had one TSA agent looking at passports. On a Friday afternoon, in a major airport…

I was apparently booked on a senior citizen’s flight – the solid majority of passengers were seniors – those my age and younger were a definite minority. Of course I’ll take seniors over screaming babies, but seniors have their own distinct issues and when they’re traveling in large groups…oy vey. I have an absolute abhorrence of groups in general, but I think traveling groups can be especially obnoxious.

But the worst part of today’s flight was the unlucky circumstance of sitting next to an oversized woman. Trust me when I tell you that I’m being very kind with that description. When speaking to her mother, who accompanied her on the flight, she referred to herself as “the larger daughter.” I’ve sat next to oversized people before but never with today’s issue. I sat next to a big man on the last leg of my return flight from HI in April. Though I was worried about it prior to takeoff (even commenting on FB about it), he did a remarkable job of keeping to his own seat space. The woman on today’s flight did not… could not. Her oversized thighs protruded at least 2.5 inches into what was clearly my seat. Try spending 8 hours feeling squished into your aisle seat! I knew my fate as soon as she sat down because it was obvious that she was not going to keep her body in her seat’s space. Kind of ironic, isn’t it? I paid extra money to get the seat in Economy Plus (extra leg room) only to be squished from the side, rather annoyingly, for the entire flight. But I managed my claustrophobic tendencies just enough to make it through the flight. I spent a good deal of time standing up in the back of the plane, not enough, but as much as I could.

With arrival in Berlin, things got immediately better and not only because I was free of that woman’s thighs. Passport control went quickly and smoothly (I’d expect nothing less in Germany) and my big, bright, orange suitcase came out in the first wave of luggage – always exciting. My driver was waiting for me as I exited baggage claim, holding an iPad with “Mrs. Measler” on it. (Yes, the Germans have married me off – the hotel, the car, everywhere I go I’m Mrs. Measler. Clearly “Mrs. Measler” is my mother but she’s not here and I’m not her so I’ll live with it.) The driver was quite handsome and the car was a spotless Mercedes. There’s something to be said about a country where Mercedes is the standard – just has more of a ring to it, and the accompanying cache as well, than Ford or Chevrolet. Oops, is that un-American of me? My fondness for Europe is showing.

Arriving at my hotel, I was expecting a wait to get into my room – it was only 8:30 a.m. here, but no, the room was ready. Wonderful! I can relax and unwind, get my bearings and get ready for the football match later today. I love the Germans – they are so efficient.

Before heading up to my room I spoke to the concierge about the day trip I’m planning for Tuesday. He’s helping me with my transportations needs. Updates to come!

That’s all for now – must get ready for today’s “adventure” – getting to the Hertha Berlin match and back via public transportation. I’m not a huge fan of public transportation back home and being in a foreign country adds a bit of a twist. Still, I’ll have to figure it out or else I’ll be wandering lost around Berlin for the day. I’ll report back when I’ve successfully found my back to the hotel. Auf Wiedersehn!