Another reconstruction from notes and pictures. Sarah, who has just turned 16, accompanies us on this trip.
April 6 and 7, 1996
We leave for the airport very early, 5 AM! John’s dad is with us. At least we know that he has a place to wait until his plane leaves around noon. Our first flight is from SFO to JFK. It is uneventful although John is angry about being seated on the bulkhead. Luckily Sarah has a new seat much closer to us. (This is in the days before she traveled business class with us. We stowed her away in coach.) After the layover at JFK we are delayed on the ground due to someone checking baggage but not on the plane. The flight is long but smooth. There is a good crab cake dinner. I watch the movie, American President, which is not bad.
April 7, 1996
We arrive in Frankfurt around 9 AM. We get the rental car which John upgrades because Anita has gotten the wrong car. (This is one of many booking problems by Anita) The upgraded car is a BMW500 series. John has visions of driving very fast. He does at least 150km on the Autobahn. We arrive in Stuttgart and are very tired. It is Easter Sunday and families are arriving at the Hotel Movenpick for a fancy dinner. We are crashed in the lobby looking worse for the wear while we try to straighten out the booking problem at the hotel.
Anita has booked us 2 rooms in error. (This in the days when we were trying to save money by all staying in the same room.) We get that straightened out. We are happy with the room. We take a long nap and then have dinner in the hotel. Sarah and I order fettuccini with salmon. John has sauteed sole with French fries. The meal is fine. We are avoiding eating beef due to mad cow disease.