Having spent almost three months Camping in Europe in 2001, we have always dreamed of doing it again.  It takes a fair amount of preparation and planning for a trip like that but, most of all, it takes time.  Time we haven’t had for the last fourteen years.  It’s that pesky “working every day so you can eat” kind of thing that kept getting in the way.  Well, on January 6th I solved the problem.  I retired!  

We drove the 500 miles to Travis AFB for the promise of 65 tentative seats on a KC-10 refueling plane heading for Ramstein AFB, Germany.  After a long drive and a great chicken dinner at Pea Soup Anderson’s, we arrived and settled into our room at the Travis Lodge.  We checked with the passenger terminal and, Great News, the flight still looks good.  A few hours later, bad news, plane is broken.  The promise of another flight the next day brings more disappointment.  They aren’t taking any passengers.  Patience, we tell ourselves, and head back to our room.  

We decide to change our tactics.  We jump on a C-17 headed to McChord AFB, WA where a flight to Germany is promised.  Wednesday dawns in Washington and Eureka!  40 seats to Germany and we are selected.  I’m writing this sitting in a jump seat on a C-17 about two hours out from our landing at Ramstein.

  Soon we’ll pick up our rental car and head to our room to get some much needed rest.