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*Chapter 40*

Travel

 
 
Max had of course to help me to the car where, Mand and I took the back seat whilst Max took the spare front spot.

“Good evening?” Dad enquired as we bounced out of the courtyard.

“Not bad,” I allowed.

“Good.”

I’m not sure if he was really listening or asking by reflex.

“Oh, your mother wanted me to remind you to come home straight away tomorrow, you need to pack, there won’t be time on Friday.

“It sounds like an exciting trip, Herr Bond,” Max offered.

“Busy, Max, busy.”

Well that killed that conversation! The Mercedes doesn’t roll about as much as Gloria’s Porsche, the road down to Ahrbrück still however managing to shake us around more than a bit. Once on the valley road though Dad put his foot down and we were through Altenahr and turning into the Schloss less than thirty minutes after leaving Mart’s place.

 
 
“Thanks for the lift, Herr Bond,” Max noted as he climbed out, “nice to meet you, Amanda, see you tomorrow, Gab, tschuss.”

“Goodnight,” Mand offered.

“Byee,” I added as he closed the door.

Dad waited until he was at the door then swung around to depart for the last couple of kilometres back to Burg Bond.

“I’ve never met anyone who lives in a castle before,” Mand mentioned.

“Well technically it’s not a castle as such, a schloss can be like a country house through to a defended house, you know with a moat and stuff?”

“Looked like a castle to me.”

“Well I guess the walls are quite high,” I admitted.

“Maybe you can take Amanda up to show her around after Japan,” Dad suggested.

“Maybe,” I allowed although why I would have access was beyond me.
 
 

Of course talk at school the next morning was largely about the party, well what else? Well actually the ‘else’ was me and Max, it was a party okay, people dance, it’s a big part of what you do. My protestations of denial fell on deaf ears; let them believe what they want.

The other subject, apart from history and English, under discussion was who was doing what next week. I trumped everyone else with Japan but I was feeling a bit like a spare part as the others discussed shopping trips, going for coffee with Anna and Claud’s memorial service. The last really hurt, I felt cheated that I wouldn’t be there next Monday, that the others would have something I didn’t, a final memory of Claudia.

 
 
I also missed out on the coffee stop in Ahrweiler after school, I didn’t dare being under strict instructions to go straight home.

“That you, Gaby?” Mum’s voice enquired as I stomped up from the garage.

“In person.”

“Washing down here as soon as, there’s a load in should be just about done.”

“Wasn’t running when I came in.” I noted.

“Get on then!” she chivvied.

“Yes, Mum.” I sighed.

 
 
Somehow I collected enough stuff that needed washing for two loads plus a stack of more delicate hand wash stuff – no way are those €40 Wolford strumpf going in the machine! Apparently Mand was out in Dortmund with Dad, which meant there weren’t any distractions as I did my laundry. Even so it was after four when the second load went in the drier, I thought I was supposed to be packing?

“Do you know what you are taking?”

“Bike kit?”

“Obviously, we’ll put all that in one case, we’ll struggle to get all the bags in the car as it is. Make sure you have enough underwear, posh frock and you’ll need some off the bike stuff.”

“How posh?”

“Nothing you’re gonna show me up with, I’ve already warned your sister.”

Looks like the new frock will get a second outing.

“’Kay.”

“We’re going out to eat when your Dad gets back so get a move on, use the blue case, I’ve left it on my bed.”

“Yes, Mum.”

 
 
The blue dress in the end didn’t make the cut, the case isn’t that big and if I took the Biba I’d barely get anything else in. bulk ruled out a couple of other options, I eventually settled on a slip dress that when rolled up barely took any space. Most of my underwear was still drying so I gathered my bike kit together and took that downstairs to be packed.

“You finished?” Mum enquired as I put my stuff by the kit bag.

“Just need my undies from the drier.”

“Got your camera? Passport?”

“I’ll put them in my bag tomorrow.”

“Tonight, we’ll be leaving for the hotel as soon as you get home from school.”

 
 
The others arrived just then, Dad having picked Jules up on the way back.

“We all packed?” Dad asked.

“Getting there,” Mum allowed.

“Let me get changed and we’ll go eat.”
 
 

School on Friday seemed to drag forever but eventually it was over.

“See you a week Monday then, Gab,” Steff noted when we got back to Dernau.

“Tuesday,” I corrected, “we get there before we leave but it’s like a full day coming back.”

“That sucks,” Brid put in.

“Not many, wish I was gonna be here Monday,” I lamented.

“‘S’not your fault,” Pia observed.

“I still feel bad.”

“Just make sure you win in Japon, Deutschland rules!” Con cheered.

“Yeah.”

“Have a good trip, Gab,” Pia grinned.

“I’ll try, tschuss!”

 
 
At the house I arrived to find Dad playing musical cases in the car with Mum not helping by being there.

“In and change,” she directed.

I didn’t need a second prompt.

“So how long they been playing with the cases?” I asked the others when I got upstairs.

“Twenty minutes,” Jules supplied.

“They were all in once,” Mand noted, “then your Mum wanted to check in one of the bags for something.”

“I’d best get ready, she’ll be in a mood.”
 
 

“Passports?” Mum queried thirty minutes later.

We each waved the necessary document for her to see.

“I’ve got yours luv,” Dad noted.

“Let’s go then.”

“‘Bout time,” Jules mumbled.

 
 
Guess who ended up in the middle? Okay no prizes there; at least it’s not too far from here down to Frankfurt. The weirdest thing is going on a cycling trip without a bike, it just doesn’t seem right. But we’re on our way, Mum’s traveled a fair bit, I’ve been to the States with Jules somehow though this feels more of an adventure.

I think Mand is excited, it’s difficult to tell as she’s not saying much, it must be difficult for her what with leaving home, getting dumped into a different culture and now haring off literally halfway around the world.

“You okay, Mand?”

“I guess.”

“Wonder what sort of plane we’re going on?”

“A big one?”

“Well I know that, we went on a Jumbo when we went to the States a couple of years ago, I think Lufthansa have got some of those new Airbus thingies.”

“Nice for them.”

I’ve got a feeling she doesn’t want to talk.

 
 
We’re not staying in Frankfurt of course, that’d be plain daft, Dad’s got us booked into a hotel a couple of miles from the Airport. They have their own shuttle bus so once we’ve unloaded, Dad’ll take the car and park it for the week and we’ll catch the bus in the morning. Well that’s the plan.

We made good time to our accommodation, after some debate Dad had booked a triple and a double, I get to bunk with Jules and Mand, I hope she’s okay with that. It was nearly eight by the time Dad got back from dropping the car off, one less thing to do in the morning, so anyway we ate at the hotel, not that anyone seemed that hungry. Even the rents seemed quite wired and by mutual consent we all retired quite early.

 
 
“George!” Dad called across the concourse.

Our leader had the others all in tow and headed toward the ‘English’ party, i.e. us, were waiting.

“Everything okay?” George asked.

“Smooth as clockwork.”

“The English, she looks a bit peaky?”

“She was quiet last night, we’ll keep an eye on her.”

“Okay everyone,” George addressed the assembled throng, “let’s get checked in and through security then we should have time for coffee before boarding.”

I’m sure most of you know the form for flying these days, flying within Europe is fairly straight forward, go farther afield and there might be some extra hoops to jump. The Lufthansa people were very efficient at check in and apart from having to show the security people Mum and my World’s medals (the Japanese are apparently keen to do some photo stuff with us and the gongs) we were through heading toward our gate before nine.

As promised we stopped off for coffee, our flight was called as we finished up so it was time to use the facilities then along to the gate. We joined the queue of expectant travelers and waited our turn to board our transport. Our seat allocation meant that Mand and I were sat with Anja, Jules was with the rents in the row behind, the others were across the aisle in the central bank of seats.

“Neat eh?”

“I guess,” Mand allowed.

“What’s up, you’ve been quiet all morning.”

“I, I’m scared of flying,” she admitted.

“Why didn’t you say?”

“I thought I could brave it out but I’m petrified, Gab. When I came last weekend it wasn’t too bad but this is like ten hours.”

“Well I’m here this time, you’ll be fine.”

In what seemed no time we were taxiing out to the runway, bye Germany, when we touch down we will be in Japan.

Maddy Bell © 29.12.2014