This is the second post in a series about our first anniversary trip down to Berchtesgaden National Park. We had far too many adventures to fit everything into a single post, so I’m writing an individual post on each day.
Our first day was set aside specifically for travel. With a few road trips under our belt now, we have learned to always add additional time to the Google Maps ETA — especially when most of the driving is in Germany. In an effort to not feel rushed and to prepare for any potential frustration the autobahn might cause, we didn’t make any other set plans. Our only objective that first day was to get to our AirBnB.
I often have to refrain from laughing when people back in the States ask me about what it’s like driving on the autobahn. While there are certainly sections where people are FLYING and moments when I’m thankful I follow the rules of the road (more than once I believe we would have died had I been in the left lane — cars driving so fast they would not have had time to stop before hitting us!), I usually associate the autobahn with heavy traffic on road trips.
Fortunately, this drive was a relatively smooth one. It was sweaty (our air conditioning was out) and quite loud (we also needed to get our muffler fixed), but we survived the stickiness and I actually enjoyed it being too loud to carry on a conversation. To Scott — yes, you read that correctly. 😉 It gave me a large chunk of time to just think, allowing myself to get lost in my mind. And not in the negative, “I’m spiraling!” kind of lost, but rather in the positive, contemplative reflection traveling often inspires.
The first few were a bit stressful, but I’ve grown to really love these long road trips in our current home country. And throughout Europe in general! Not only are they a great way to enjoy the scenery, but road trips also mean something else…rest stops. In the same way that I geek out over grocery stores, I have begun to nerd out about stopping at rest stops and gas stations in foreign countries. I love them here!
To me, they are yet another way to experience a different culture.
I will never forget the first gas station we visited in France. We were heading to the Black Forest and it’s actually quicker to get there if we cut through France. We were in the market for some hiking snacks, so pulled into a gas station to see what we could find. Considering our location, I jokingly wondered if they’d have quiche. I had recently gotten a kick out of eating quiche lorraine in Lorraine, so already had quiche on the brain. We walked straight to the prepared foods section and there it was. Oh, how French! They even had a microwave on site if you wanted to heat it up. I ended up opting for a salad, but could not get over that that was legitimately an option.
In addition to the appealing food, I like that you can pull directly off the highway to reach these places versus having to exit and drive a little ways. They are like our rest areas back home, but instead of only having bathrooms and a picnic table, the McDonald’s, convenience store, gas station, etc. is all right there. I also appreciate the extremely clean bathrooms at these rest stops. You have to pay for them of course (like you do almost everywhere in Europe), but you receive a voucher you can use toward any purchases you make in the store. It’s become customary for me to collect everyone’s vouchers and put them toward an espresso macchiato and more than likely, a brezel, before we hop back in for the next leg of the trip.
It’s funny how your mindset will change from place to place. Back in the States, I usually tried to make as few stops as possible on road trips. But over here, I look forward to when we can stretch our legs again, giving us an excuse to experience yet another rest stop or gas station along the way.
Though this was a 6+ hour [silent] drive, it didn’t feel that long. Before we knew it, we were upon our destination — with the towering Bavarian Alps welcoming us in!
We stayed in the adorable, alpine spa town of Bad Reichenhall. Our guidebooks recommended staying in the town of Berchtesgaden, but by the time we booked, everything there was full. That turned out to be a blessing in disguise! It put us approximately 25 minutes away from everywhere we wanted to go, but this wasn’t just any drive. It was a jaw-dropping, stunningly beautiful journey in every direction. Had we stayed closer, we would have missed some of that beauty and likely a few other adventures you’ll hear about later.
Our rental was wonderful, too. It was actually bigger than the pictures (when does that ever happen!?), had an amazing porch with views of the Alps, and was within walking distance to restaurants. It was modern, clean and even had a rainforest shower. In case you didn’t know already, we love a quality bathroom when we travel. 😉
For those of you planning to visit the area, this is the apartment we stayed in. If you’re new to AirBnB, use this link to sign up. You’ll get $29 off your first stay! And I’ll get a little bit, too. 😉
Once we brought our bags inside, it was time to make a dinner plan. While I didn’t spend too much time researching our little spa town, I definitely did some research. Especially when it came to food. 🙃 According to Internet reviews, Masala, the local Indian restaurant, was getting a rave report. Our AirBnB host also recommended it in his welcome binder. And it’s within walking distance? We’re in!
We had AMAZING Indian food when we were in Mildenhall, England in March, so despite the good reviews, I wasn’t getting my hopes up. Much to our delight, it was delicious! And the service was wonderful, too. If I had to rank one over the other, the food in Mildenhall was better. But this took a close second! We dined al fresco and even FaceTimed with Scott’s brother for a few while we we waited on our meal. When we got back to our apartment we were able to video chat with one of Scott’s sisters, too. And spent the majority of the call [happily] watching our little nephew run around their home.
After weeks of being apart, it felt so good to be a couple again. I was thrilled for the special experiences we had planned for this vacation, but honestly?
I was just as excited about doing normal “couple things” together, like grabbing dinner and catching up with our loved ones. 💕
This day that I had originally written off has “merely” a travel day, turned out to be a rather lovely one. And laid the perfect foundation for the rest of our trip!
Reisen, Abenteuer, und Love. 