Chronically Lost in Berlin

It is time to talk about a major issue in our lives. Maybe this isn't confession time, but it is something that has been bothering Jack for some time now.

Sure...sure. I know everyone may be thinking that Jack is living the life as he sits in his little backpack carrier which somewhat resembles the Indian Elephant carriages that hunting parties used to use (especially when we whip out that nifty roof). Yup, all the Germans are in awe and wonder, but Jack is like a slave driver and expects constant movement on the trains and buses. If he isn't moving forward, then the person carrying him must start doing a wee jig or start walking in circles.

Jack in his carrier

Jack overall has been a good sport about traveling but it is only a matter of time (about 2 hrs) before he decides that he needs freedom from his royal privileges of riding and needs to self discover on his own. If, in these pivotal would-be self discovery moments, the caravan slaves looses their way and are in an environment less than suitable for Jack's royal highness, then in the words of Jenn, someone has a little "come apart". A come apart is much more focused and determined than a simple conniption fit, it's also much more intense than the average simper. Simply put, it is where all-together nice things go out the window.

Sometimes, maybe often, we get ourselves all turned around and Saturday was a great example of that. We headed to a cool spy museum in Berlin, but we only knew the general direction. This ended up getting us all sorts of lost in the middle of a rainstorm. Back and forth, here a U-turn, there a U-turn. By time we got there we realized we couldn't go in because we needed to head to a church activity. Feet throbbing and shoulders burning, and Jack hollering to get out, it was a major come apart for both of us.

Found the DDR museum after 3 hrs. Jack gave up

Now Germany, with its wonderful transit system, should have gotten us to the ward party on time. An hour into our journey and "should have" turned into "could have" and Dr. Jekyll on my back was turning into his own little Mr. Hyde. It is always the perfect combination of milk withdrawals and not getting his wiggles and jiggles out. He was literally screaming and tearing my hair out and while tears were streaming down my face when I realized that the train we were on was having "technical difficulties" and everyone was ordered off.

Jenn thinks African music fixes everything for me -- She may be right.

Jenn and I had walked a mile or two just to get to this train station and now we were having to walk another two to the next one as the exact train we needed had been discontinued. I suggested following the tracks as they logically lead trains to the next station. Jenn had her own plans of following google maps (she should have listened to me since it was going to be fathers day the next day anyway). Unfortunately she didn't and we walked FOREVER! We trudged along in the drizzly weather until we saw the next station. WHAT A RELIEF! I noticed a rainbow flag above it and crowds of people forming and I joked to Jenn "looks like we are going right through the middle of a Gay parade". While I thought I was being funny, I noticed floats and all sorts of interesting things going on around us. Needless to say, it was not our scene.

Everyone ordered off the train - again

At the end of it all, we made it in time to help put the food away. We did get there in time to see the Bishop and his lovely family which made it all worth it. But I'll be honest, while the German transit can be pretty dang efficient, there are times that having a car would be helpful.