WE ARRIVED SAFE AND SOUND IN COPENHAGEN, DENMARK!

Wednesday-Thursday, August 5-6, 2026
Clarion Suites-Airport Hotel
Copenhagen, Denmark
70F and sunny!

 

Aren't clouds interesting?

Erie County's Landfill--the tallest "hill" in

Erie County

Wednesday morning at about 10 a.m., Friend Ann generously picked us up to go to the Erie Airport.  And just like that, off we soared, Erie to Charlotte to London to Copenhagen. I can’t sleep on a plane, but TK caught a few Zzz’s.  That said, we have been awake now for 30 hours straight and are still sort of functioning.  Denmark is on Central European Summer Time, so we are now six hours ahead of Erie time.

 Every flight was on time, and quite smooth with very little turbulence. We could not complain about any portion of the trip. We had long layovers and I ended up starting and finishing Connelly’s Daylight and started Button Club Friend Judy Sharer’s Secrets in Room 4.  I also read a couple magazines and did crossword puzzles.   This year I purchased a “neck light” so that I could read in the dark without using the overhead light to disturb seatmates. TK made fun of me, but I think it is the best travel gadget!

 

All of our luggage arrived with us!  At Heathrow, we had to go through security again, and the TSA people really inspected my laptop. I was afraid of a repeat of what happened in the Frankfort, Germany Airport in 2024 when TSA claimed my laptop had some sort of explosive traces on it. At that time Derek, our guide and German teacher at Collegiate Academy straightened things out—for all I know he told them I was an old lady and how on earth would I have access to such things.  But, after a thorough inspection at Heathrow, TSA gave my laptop back, thank goodness!

There is a new requirement to travel in Europe, the Entry and Exit System (EES), used in 29 countries. We were fingerprinted and photographed after we showed our U.S. Passport as we entered Denmark. That process did not take that long—there was no charge that we know of.

About two months ago we signed up and paid for the new required app for U.S. citizens for short visits, tourism, and business in the United Kingdom—that one cost $12.95, called UK ETA.

 

Our Clarion bed looks so comfortable, Soon!

Sleep deprived, but still going strong!

This is where I am right now!

Copenhagen is located on the Øresund Strait, which connects 

the Baltic Sea to the Kattegat and the North Sea

as seen on the 10th floor near our room

Copenhagen in the background

Airport in the foreground

Another view from the 10th Floor

After checking into our hotel at the airport, we were too tired and it was too late to really explore Copenhagen. We will return to the port of Copenhagen on August 19 so we will see what the beautiful city has to offer at that time.  We   did however do what hundreds of Danish people and tourists do, ate dinner at Burger King at the airport.  We walked back to the airport, used their automated machine and paid about 207 krone ($22) for dinner. Wasn’t that creative?

 

So our saga begins—we are all worn out, but tomorrow is another day!

 

TK’s Takes: Coughing and sneezing in the airports and on the planes. No crying children on the flights. One cat, and at least one dog.  A pigeon was enjoying tidbits of food left on the floor at Burger King.

ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA WELCOMES US WITH FREEZING TEMPERATURES!

Saturday, January  31, 2026
Erie, Pennsylvania
4F, sunny

When we left Cincinnati today, it was -7F. We do not need to catch up to Erie weather so quickly.  Son Brian said that was the temperature in Erie on Thursday.  After a quick stop at Dunkin for more coffee, we were on our way home.

Columbus was not far away and by then it had warmed up to 10F.  The roads were dry and the traffic was not bad. We started to see more and more snow along the highway, but it was still 10F when we hit Cleveland.  Thankfully the sun was shining and there were very few flurries along the way. 

Columbus, Ohio, with light traffic

Ohio is flat! 

TK occasionally enjoys hands free driving. That is

an amazing feature--our car will pass another and 

return to the lane without any guidance.

We made a quick stop at Trader Joe's near Beachwood--sure wish we had one in Erie.  Cleveland is a hop and skip from Erie and finally we were approaching Erie.  Still 10F.  It is always a happy day to see that our house is still the same, with Son Brian's care.  

Getting closer to home!

Closer still!

Home Sweet Home!

After unloading the car we headed to Donato's for  a pizza, Janie's favorite.  

TK needed a long rest after all that driving!  So dear Readers, that is a wrap on our January adventure, exploring the world!

TK's Takes: Ohio roads need work.  Later, he asked, "How are we going to last 50 days?"  This was in reference to our upcoming October - November cruise that is 50 days--from Fort Lauderdale to the Mediterranean and back to Fort Lauderdale.  He may have meant how are WE going to last with all this togetherness...

I answered that we had to work on our communication skills.😂😂  Keep in mind that we are also cruising for 27 days in August - September to the British Isles and Northern European passage-from Copenhagen to Boston.  God willing

PITTSBURGH AND A BALD EAGLE

Hampton Inn/Pittsburgh Airport
Moon Township, PA
September 20, 2024
Sunny, 80F

Of course it was an easy drive to the hotel for tonight.  With stops at Grove City and Ross Park Mall, we arrived at our Friday destination with few purchases.  Dinner at Primanti Brothers.  Donna from Wisconsin, where were you?? Kept thinking of the year you met us here when your Pittsburgh nephew was getting married.

We are beyond excited for this cruise, the longest yet, with so many great ports to viist, including many we have never visited.  

Why am I so tired? Thankfully, our flight doesn't leave till about 1 p.m., so we will have plenty of time in the morning to get ready--I have already repacked the luggage.

For Friend Ann, we are leaving the truck at The Parking Spot at 701 Flaugherty Run Rd, Coraopolis, PA--first time there so will let you know how it is:  https://www.theparkingspot.com

TK's Takes:  While driving, he spotted a beautiful bald eagle in flight quite near us---sending us on our way. Luckily I saw it too. No photos.

Bye, Erie. See you in five weeks!!

The Parking Spot

https://www.theparkingspot.com

---

BACHARACH TO ERIE: ERIE GREETED US WARMLY!

Erie, Pennsylvania
Saturday, July 5, 2024
Mainz: 58F at 4:30 a.m./Erie: 80F at 4:20 p.m.

Bye Bye Germany

A Bacharach Sunrise: 5:46 a.m.  German time

Our alarm clocks  both went off at 4 a.m. German time so we could rapidly get ready for a long day.  By 5:15 a.m. we were bouncing our luggage over the cobblestone streets of Bacharach to the train station for our last train ride this trip to the Frankfurt Airport.

Our Global Entry Passport did not make the Frankfurt airport check any easier, of course. I forgot to take my laptop and Canon T7i out of my luggage when I went through security, so that caused a bit of a rigmarole, which everyone appreciated at 6:30ish in the morning.  I also got a very very personal pat down. Even tissue was not allowed in my pocket.  TK always sets off alarms with all of his metal parts. Nothing is ever simple.  

We got to our Gate on time and soon enough we were in the air for about 9+ hours.  TK's seat was changed (we paid extra for the aisle seats and we meant to sit near each other. Not today.)

Note to self: The Frankfort Airport does not have food or beverage shops once you pass through security--all that meant was that when we boarded the plane we had not had ANY coffee or water since our 4 a.m. wake up.  Grrrr.

I think it was about 10:30 a.m. when the airline coffee service rolled down the aisle, with lunch, roast chicken, mashed potatoes, fresh salad, a roll, butter, Le Vache Qui Rit cheese (laughing cow--and one of my favorites) and a brownie.  Three German teenage boys sat next to me and I gave them the brownie. They were very quiet and watched cartoons and slept.  It turned out they were on vacation with their parents to Orlando. I said, "Disney World?"  They smiled and said they did not know, it was a surprise. I thought that was very sweet.

Since I don't sleep on planes, I read a book (will add name later) for most of the 9 hours.  As we were flying, I was thinking, "I don't want to go on a long flight like this for a very long time. Oops, we are headed to England in September. Oh well."

Charlotte never fails to be interesting, whether driving or flying.  We had to go through so many hoops:

**First, Customs does not open we were told until 1 p.m. We arrived at 12:20 p.m. (BUT we were still on German time--). We were not allowed off the plane until 1 p.m. 

[Another note: the times are not adding up because by this time I got confused on US or German time--we really were on the plane for 9+ hours]

[Yet another note: If I were in Germany right now it would be 2 a.m. Sunday so please forgive the confusion] 

After customs we  had to pick up our checked luggage  and use Global Entry to go through security. Again, TK set off alarms and had to get patted down. 

By this time, it was almost 2 p.m., the time our plane to Erie started boarding. Do you think our Charlotte to Erie gate was nearby? Of course not. I bolted to the gate and by the time I got there, with "glow" running down my face, the gate people must have thought I was so haggard that they allowed me and TK to board after the wheelchairs.  Its a good thing we made it in time!  No bathroom breaks for us.

That flight is an easy hour and we landed safely in Erie and son Brian was waiting for us. And even though we are on German time and it is only 8 p.m. and we cannot go to bed yet (although I am close), I decided to do all my laundry!

Our new Starbucks mugs! 

Koln and Munich

#26 and #27 for our collection!

So, Dear Readers, I often forget to do the "last post," but here we are--safe and sound at home again! All eight weary travelers are back home! Thank you for coming along with us!

SMOOTH TRUCKING TO ROCK HILL, SC

Fairfield Inn
Rock Hill, SC
49F

Bye, Bye Erie. 23 January 2019

It was a long day for TK who expertly drove his GMC Sierra through the hills of West Virginia and Virginia, through North Carolina, and just over the line to South Carolina from 8:13 a.m./Erie to 6:35 p.m./Rock Hill, SC.  I have the easy job as passenger. How did we amuse ourselves while driving? We started listening to the psychological thriller on tape, Girl on the Train. That lasted about an hour. We both decided that this book, while it might interest us in another venue, was not the right fit as we drove.

Our favorite, traditional stop, New River Gorge National Park was closed due to the government shut down, so TK promised me a stop at Tamarack so we could eat our tuna pita sandwiches. Tamarack, The Best of West Virginia, is the all time best rest stop, but TK does not like to stop there because I dawdle too much. The stop features WV glass makers, quilts, and so many other arts and crafts done solely in West Virginia. Beauty abounds and I was excited--we had not stopped there in years. To my dismay we were greeted at the door by a man who told us the dining and rest room areas were open, but the rest was closed for inventory. Are you kidding me?????? TK agrees to stop and the most beautiful arts and crafts are not accessible to me. Aargh!! Did TK know in advance? No, I am sure he did not!!

Our selfie, Tamarack, West Virginia 

Tamarack, the Best of West Virginia

After we ate our delicious sandwiches (made by Chef TK), TK got back on the road and turned the radio to 70s music and I read magazines, the Erie newspaper, Erie Reader, and then I  turned to the USA Today crosswords I save over the year.

TK has WiFi in the truck so I read my email and Facebook. I checked out Words with Friends, but Friend Heather was working and sadly did not drop everything to set up a few words!

The temperature in Pittsburgh was about 49F and just a few miles into West Virginia it was 60F. That was a great surprise. Last year we saw snow all the way through to North Carolina. My winter coat, my Cuddl Duds, and boots became heavier and heavier. By the time we got to Charlotte, NC, the traffic did not disappoint. At least we were never completely stopped in traffic.

TK had the hotel programmed in and the ETA was quite accurate--we arrived at our hotel at 6:35 p.m. TK said he was fine, not tired. He did a great job driving. The roads were mostly dry and just an occasional sputtering of rain. It is a bit cooler now, but no more boots, winter coats, etc.!!!

TK Takes:  It was like springtime on the way down, not January!