Travel considerations

We have not received our passports yet, but it's only been two weeks. We paid every expediting fee offered to get them back lickety split, just to be certain there were no issues...and to take a bit of stress off when that piece is in place for our trip.

I have finalized our travel arrangements. On the advise of several co-workers and friends who have traveled to Europe before, I booked air travel with Lufthansa. They say LF is far and above the domestic airlines when traveling overseas, for service and accomodations. Business class costs about 4x coach, and is pretty high brow for a couple of middle class Okies, but with such a long flight, I had to think first of Eddie's comfort, and ability to get to the restroom... so we are going (further) into debt for Business Class ... and will figure all that out later.

We are traveling on a Airbus 330 plane, that has much wider aisles, and seats that tilt (not quite flat) for sleeping. I think it will be very close to the position he sleeps in now (in the recliner). I have arranged (if they airlines don't make me change plans) to take his custom wheelchair all the way to the gate and onto the plane. (He uses the walker mostly at home, but is very slow and laborious, and fatiguing to him. So he will do most of his traveling in the wheelchair.) During my research, I found that a collapsible wheelchair can be checked at the gate, and stored in a wheelchair "closet" on board the plane. With the wider aisles he should be able to use it on board to get to the restroom. Now what do I do with the walker? Check it as luggage, I suppose. He will use the walker to get around in the hotel room. He loves the tray on his walker, can't seem to do without it, and I'm afraid it will be damaged in the luggage cargo hold. If so, if the tray is damaged, he'll just have to do without it until we get a new one, back home.

Lufthana also arranges their arrival/departure gates close together, so there is no problem with connections. When traveling in the past (domestically) we have had to go to different terminals for connecting flights! What a pain that would be on this trip! I think we are really going to like the German airlines.

I didn't notice, initially, that the final leg of our trip to Cologne was via rail. I chose the shortest trip, with later check in times, fewer connections, and so forth, to best accomodate travel with as little stress as possible. So, before booking, I did a lot of research on German rail service (which I knew to be excellent for able bodied travelers) and apparently they are quite accomodating to disabled passengers as well. They have a special check in area at the rail station, and will have someone place a ramp between the platform and the rail car door opening so you can roll the wheelchair onboard. Included in the rail portion of "airfare", the rail travel is "first class" car. Eddie can ride in his wheelchair on the train, or tranfer to a seat if he wished. And eat at his seat, rather than move to the dining car.

I just found out that the (recommended) best travel to Germany would be to fly out of Atlanta. I didn't know that when I was arranging our itinerary (I'm learning as I go it seems). It seemed many flights left from Chicago O'Hare ... huge airport, kinda scary, I thought... but what the hell, we've gotta go soooo.... I booked our Intl portion of the trip out of Chicago. My thinking (if you disagree, don't tell me now, please!) was that there is that we must arrive at Tulsa Intl two hrs early, then fly to Chi, then arrive two hrs ahead for the flight to Germany, etc. .... way too much for Eddie in one day. So, I used my credit card miles (accumulating for 5yrs now) to fly us first class to Chicago (that only cost me $50 !). We will spend the night there, so he can rest, and leave for Germany at 10 pm the following day. That way it's mostly sleeping on the long leg of the flight, and hopefully, arrive somewhat refreshed. I've spent hours and hours online trying to figure out the most suitable accomodations while in Cologne, and tranportation to/from train station, airport, and two trips to the X-Cell clinic at Eduardus Hospital. I'm trying to look at every aspect since we will be 9 days in Cologne. If a pick a hotel, and it sucks, we'll be stuck with my choice.