02:50…in the morning…when it is still dark….We had no choice. That was the only flight to Frankfurt.

We had booked a hotel in Yerevan close to the airport and attempted to snatch a couple hours sleep until we had to get to the airport by 12:30am. OK we were delusional. The alarm went. We were dressed and out the door in less than five minutes. We trundled towards the entrance of the hotel where we assumed the transfer car would meet us. The Russian woman who ran the hotel called to us. ‘Where are you going?’ We explained we had organised (with her) to have the transfer to the airport. I think she had the time wrong. We were directed to sit in the ‘restaurant’, a three table covered patio, and wait. She called someone, I suspect her husband, who stumbled out of the room opposite and offered us a seat in his car, a very nice BMW. Obviously business was doing well. Arriving at the airport just minutes later I realised I had left the painting at the hotel!

After all this time!! Buggar!! Fortunately it was so close, the husband drove me back to retrieve it while Sue took the luggage and worked out where we would have to go. Exhaused, we settled in for the four and a half hour flight to Frankfurt.

The paperwork said Terminal 2. We were in T1. We found the bus, then the car rental place where we were promptly told that our pick up was T1. T2 was much smaller but he could offer us an upgrade at no extra cost- a larger car – electric. Having never driven an EV I was hesitant but he reassured me and as I was very susceptible to reassurance I took him at his word and we accepted the car.

We got out of the airport and found the first parking area, parked the car, reclined the seats and both promptly fell asleep. 

After about half an hour we had had enough and proceeded south. We had a delicious meal in a beer garden and then made our way to the hotel which was previously a convent.

The building and grounds were beautiful. Later we wandered around Mosbach admiring the beautiful buildings.

Sue had organised to meet up with ‘family’. Well, a few generations removed but DNA connections. It was just delightful. Melanie had bought her mother and two sons to meet Sue and they all nattered on like they had known each other forever. This was our purpose- for Sue to make this connection and it was perfect.

We had a few hours to visit locations Sue had found in her family search and return the car around four. It didn’t quite work out this way. Finding recharge stations is a challenge in rural Germany. Eventually we did way out in a carpark behind a service station in the middle of nowhere, only to discover that while the Hertz man said it would take fifteen minutes, this station 150Kw would take 40. So we settled in. We were going to be a little late but not too bad.

Then there was the traffic. Then there was the roadworks. Then there was the misinterpretation of the GPS and a serious deviation.…and then we were seriously late!!!!

Our hosts Gregor and Ursula had initially organised a lunch for us….then a dinner out at a restaurant. As it eventuated we had a delightful meal in their garden. Gregor cooked and we enjoyed.

I was finally able to give my gift of the painting to them and was very pleased it was all in one piece.

We had heard the German train system was in disarray…so not German. As a result Sue and I decided to go to the station the following day and check. Sue’s ticket was ‘Impossible!! That train has been cancelled.’ Fortunately the DB man fixed everything and issued her with new tickets. I wanted to check mine too and was reassured that it was only a minute different.

We wandered the streets of Frankfurt visiting Zeil and the New Old Town and met up with Ursula and Gregor for lunch in the stunning Old Opera area. The food was fabulous.

Later we were to have an afternoon with Thomas and Marcella and then dinner at Lohrberg-Schanke, a tavern set in a lovely garden on top of a small hill with views over Frankfurt. Thomas and Marcella treated us to some serious Frankfurter fair. Sue had Original Frankfurt Green Sauce with Green Sauce and I had ‘Frankfurter Schnitzel’- breaded pork schnitzel with original Frankfurt green sauce served with roasted potatoes. It was delicious but absolutely enormous. Despite neither of us being able to complete our meal we were impressed when after what appeared to be an enormous meal of roast meat, Thomas was able to complete ours too. They were wonderful company and we felt so comfortable and special.

Ursula, Gregor and Louisa had made us feel so welcome and I was sad that we didn’t have more time but very glad I had made the effort to catch up with these wonderful people after twelve years.

I should have checked more carefully. I just didn’t see it. As it happens I just can’t believe my luck. Although my train was to leave an hour later, I decided to head into the station with Sue. We happened upon Reiner, who had his e-bike and was on his way to visit his mother. We got talking about bikes and riding and settled into a very convivial conversation. Sue checked her ticket with him and all was good. For reasons I cannot even imagine I also asked if my ticket was OK. Well it probably was but he pointed out that my ticket was from Frankenthal not Frankfurt!! Oops! That town was more than an hour away! He volunteered to help me. Sue and I said our goodbyes and Reiner and I headed for DB Reservations. What an amazing human. I will be forever grateful to him. I paid the extra and the ticket was reissued. All that and plenty of time as well as the added advantage of not having to change trains!!! I can’t believe my luck.