Summer Travels

Well, it has been a while. A packed summer of travel since Ryan and Hayley completed their academic year at the Swiss International School (SIS).

On a side issue, as it was travel time my body decided to be sick once more. I now gained an unfortunate infection which it made me walk in a fashion that would have impressed John Cleese from his efforts in a well-known Monty Python skit. Investigation of the infection involved antibiotics as expected. However, what was most unexpected was a visit to the local hospital at the insistence of the emergency care specialist. Furthermore, when visiting said hospital that the emergency room medical staff tried to insist on me hanging out with them for a further 5 days. Not so quick! I retorted. While a nice comfy bed for 5 days and lounging around being waited on day and night sounds rather relaxing, it conflicted somewhat with our travel schedule to the US not 2 days later. After some negotiation they agreed that I could go as long as I visited some medical facility of my choosing once in the US. So there it was, swelling included, I was free to board a Lufthansa premium economy seat. They did not insist that I should travel in business class, sadly!

Immediately leaving the school grounds we headed to the airport flying separately just like the Royals but for different reasons, bound for US destinations. On this occasion it was due to traveling with Pepper who had to go via Seattle and could not go direct with the majority of the Goddard clan to Portland. It was with a quick toss of a weighted coin who flew with the kids or the dog. I got the dog. For me it was Lufthansa flights after a car drive to Zurich; Zurich to Frankfurt; Frankfurt to Seattle; rental car drive with Pepper to Portland. Andi traveled with kids from Basel to Munich; Munich to Vancouver BC; Vancouver BC to Portland Oregon.

I arrived first after my drive with Pepper in the rental car from Seattle via Peets Coffee and Tea and a brief visit to the Apple store in Portland for some travel goodies, we hooked up at Portland airport to reunite the team. From there we headed to Jill and Jeff's place 40 minutes south from the airport.

One night stay at Jill and Jeffs, continue from Portland to Bend. This is where the travel schedule really hit full flow. After a couple of nights we took off with drive to Missoula Montana to catch up with some of Andi's relatives. We spent the US independence day holiday at Andi's uncle Spike's vacation home on Flathead lake. Here we got to play on the water and watch fireworks in the evening.

From there we had the main event: a century birthday party for Andi's grandma a further 3 hours drive across Montana in Great Falls. An upcoming separate post will be added for this event, so watch out for that.

After this monumental occasion it was drive back to Missoula and then onto Bend. On the return we pass through Coeur d'Alene where the Gafke's have a vacation home.

Gavin Gafke, Ryan's best buddy hosted Ryan for a few days in Coeur d'Alene where they got to catch up and this was immediately followed with a week in Bend.

Summer would not be complete without the exciting world of kids camps and this year would prove no exception to that unwritten rule.

Gavin, Ryan and Hayley hit the water sports camp for the week and had a blast on many of the waterways around Bend. After Gavin flew home more camps followed: soccer for Hayley, survival in the wild for Ryan.

After those it was a return to Portland for the kids for Camp Beans thanks to Jill and Jeff they went to the movies, Portland zoo visiting the Red Pandas amongst other hangouts with Jeff's relatives and kids. During this time, I went to Palo Alto for a week for work and Andi headed to Bend.

Phew! Then we headed home to Basel to begin our second year of Swiss life. It was short-lived as we had one more short return trip to the US for Andi's niece Jaimie's Wedding to Todd! Another post to follow with the many details of that wonderful occasion. Stay tuned!

Once more returning to Switzerland we began in the same manner that the previous one finished with Andi traveling for work and me running kids and dog all around Switzerland and the neighboring countries! Alas, to quote a character from a favorite kids movie, Toy Story, our adventures continue, "To infinity and beyond!"