Going Home

Day 162 of our trip. We wake early to watch the ship approach its berth in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. 

The route tracker confirms that we have returned. 

We breakfast one last time, leave the ship one last time, and say goodbye. 

A bus brings us to the airport. During our 4+ hour flight to Berlin, I amuse myself by comparing the flight experience to travel by ship. 

- No internet connection while underway. 

- The airplane jostles in turbulent air (Announcement: “Fasten your seatbelt!”) just as the ship does in turbulent water.  (Announcement: “Always grip a handrail!”)

- The captain comes on the intercom to point out interesting sights. “Paris and the Seine is below us on the left”.  I must remember: does left mean port or starboard. 

Thoughts of our return home also run through my head:

- Will we be able to sleep tonight without the gentle rocking of our bed?

- We have talked about our first meal at home: Eve has agreed to prepare her fabulous chicken soup. 

- What does going home mean? We have spent the last 5 months living on the ship. Tonight we will sleep in our bed, which does have some history with us. But the apartment is new. We moved in only two months before debarking on the cruise. Is it home?  Will it feel weird tonight not to be on the ship?

The flight arrives in Berlin without delay at 6 pm. We collect our bags and head to the train platform. 

On the train, we realize we have eaten nothing since breakfast.  Reaching Brandenburg, we stop at a local restaurant a short distance from our apartment for a welcome home treat:  Schnitzel and Spargel!

To our utter astonishment, the restaurant serves us the identical brand of mineral water, in the identical bottle, as we have consumed for the last 5 months on the ship! They were so unique, or so I thought, that I even packed two empty bottles in my baggage, as a souvenir!  I guess the fates are not quite ready to let us end the cruise!

Shortly before 10 pm, we arrive home. Our cruise, and the blog, have come to an end.