Lost, confused and hot!

I landed at the Frankfurt Hahn airport terminal at 11:45 AM, but my host thought my arrival was at 2:00 PM. Needless to say, that was not my first surprise....my first surprise is that it is HOT! I just left scandinavia with cool air and mountainside and with my greenpants and long sleeve arrival, the heat, humidity hit me straight on.

Right outside the terminal is the Dome and after several attempts of calling my host, I decided that I would take a stroll around town, both backpack in tow.

By 2:00, I decided that I should figure out where I was to go. With a limited dictionary, no german to speak of...I knew it would be challenging. The bus attendent directed me back to the train station to ramp 10 and then to take bus 155 to Lippewig stop. Little did I know that the train and bus station have no directional signs, stop notification, maps or attendents to speak of. I figured I would catch ramp 10 and hope for the best. I was in luck, my stop was there and I boarded bus 155, not knowing if it was east, west, north, south...I was just keeping my fingers crossed as the attendent and travelers choice to ignore my look of distress.

With just luck, my bus traveled in the right direction....and I landed in Lippewig....a stop, right outside a two lane highway....surrounded by a forest. What to do???? Since there was an old man waiting for another bus, ofcourse I decided to ask him....unfortunately, I didn´t speak German, he didn´t speak English and from what I gathered he forgot to bring his glasses so he couldn´t read my map and I was saying the street wrong. Before boarding the oncoming bus, he was kind enough to point out there was a Kiosk somewhere to the left and with 3 fingers pointing out the kilometers ahead of me. Two backpacks in tow, I walked.

To my surprise, I turned down the right street and took the right left...about 3 kilometers later, with the heat of summer still pounding, I found a small Kiosk. With little room to turn and a nice lady with no English but good eye sight, I pointed out the street address. She obviously knew the direction...thankfully. With churchbells ringing 4:00 pm, she pointed in the diretion of the church, indicated with three fingers it was about 3 kilometers away and with a strong hand directioning right and a quick left, I was on my way...two backpacks in tow.

The churchside street was quiet with houses scattered in a large community setting....did I take the right, Right? After trying to signal help to two German women in their lawns, in two different houses, they scattered inside. I must have just been too much of a sight with a backpack in the front, back, lime green pants, long sleeve shirt and pink tennis shoes.

I continued on my way when a tanned, older women on a bike passed by. I again, signaled a "madam" help sign and she stopped. She stopped, walked, took me through a forest, directed with a strong hand to turn left then right...about three kilometers. As she decided to continue her route...I walked again, two backpacks in tow.

I decided to take the first left and the first right and as I entered the street without any street sign, a man pulled up from the opposite direction with his mango shirt and red pants. The identification of my host, which I was to locate at the train station!!!

Whalla...I made it with timing to boot! I was as surprised as he was and I just laughed....several kilometers later, sweaty and with both backpacks in tow!!!!