As some of you know, I can be a bit wordy, so I will do my best to let the pictures sit in for my 1000 words here.

First we (my boyfriend Adam decided to make the leap and come with me) moved some stuff into storage for the year. And some of us did some skateboarding…

It turns out we have more stuff than we thought, despite selling a lot of it! After much schlepping we got it all into a 10x15 unit, conveniently avoiding the rain but unfortunately we couldn't escape the 90 degree heat…

Adam didn't think we could fit the last load of storage stuff along with our 2 checked bags each, but I am a car-tetras MASTER, so we did:

Eventually we made it to O'Hare International Airport…

After a quick scramble to get an airport COVID test because we didn't realize we needed one in addition to being vaccinated, we rushed to our gate and were finally on our way to the Keflavik International Airport…

Where the sun rose majestically over Iceland…

We landed and stumbled through the adorable Icelandic airport and just had time for a quick earthbound bathroom break before boarding the next flight to Berlin Schönefeld Airport. I tossed and turned and eventually gave up on sleeping to watch another movie…

It proved rather challenging to be a sleep deprived translator and suitcase hauler, but we ended up finding our way to our hostel, and after some showers we dragged ourselves out into the city. We managed to get new SIM cards and eat dinner and dessert before it became clear that Adam would have to carry me back if we stayed a minute longer. We were in bed by 8, but that was almost sunset, so I was proud of us. Here we are by the Spree River.

The next day we met our airbnb host for our temporary apartment in Rostock at the Berlin Hauptbahnhof (main train station), and then got on the train:

The schlepping of our sum total of 8 heavy bags had almost finished, as we transferred to the tram at the Rostock Hauptbahnhof. Then we just had to roll the loot down the cobbled streets and up the 4 flights of stairs up to the apartment we were renting. Thus began our exploration of Rostock, starting with the amazing view from the bedroom window:

And continuing on to a refreshing local beer on the harbor…

To a ferry ride across the Warnow River (as it flows into the Baltic Sea)

So basically: Wir lieben Rostock! ("We love Rostock," as the sign behind Adam's head says)