Trip to the USA (part one)

Now that we've lived here in Germany for almost five years, taking a trip home is a whole new experience, especially when we haven't been back for a few years at a time. This time it was two years since we've gone and I wanted to go and surprise the family with a baby visit :)

Since we are military we have the option to fly for free on a cargo plane. I've done it several times alone without issue so that's what Johnny and I did for his first flight! We wound up on a C-17, which is a loud, cold cargo plane with little fold-down "jump seats" to sit on. So, earplugs in, we strapped the car seat into the jump seat and away we went!


I have to admit, I was terrified to travel with a five month old. But he did better than I'd have ever imagined. In all we took seven flights in a month and he hardly cried, mostly he just slept.
The advantage to a cargo flight is that when he gets restless I can spread a blanket out on the floor and we can play!


Nine hours later we landed at Charleston Air Force Base and spent the weekend exploring with my mom, Johnny's Oma.

What a pretty town! Right up my ally in the old-fashioned department :)



Our favorite part was the plantation we visited, called Magnolia Plantation. It had a little animal sanctuary and the family was good friends with John James Audubon, who the swamp gardens were named after.

Mom on the tram. It was chilly but the driver had a blanket for us :)


There were several large gators basking in the sun.


And this rooster was obviously the man.


One of my favorite animals :)


In the South, peacocks are sometimes wild and sometimes are raised as protective animals. They are very territorial and very vocal when there is an intruder. Someday we will have some!


Piggy. Ginormous piggy.


Tiny gator.


I'm a sucker for old farm carts.


And random copper swamp musicians.


I lived in Florida for 17 years and never really went to the swamp. It was so, so beautiful and I could have spent all day just watching the birds and the turtles. I'd love to go back when it is warmer and see the trees all green and the flowers blooming.





I really have the bug to travel the States now. I can't wait to move home and do some serious road-tripping! There is so much we haven't seen in our own country, that's in sharp perspective now that we've traveled Europe a bit. Oh, the irony.

Everyone in Charleston was so sweet, I finally understand true Southern hospitality. From there we headed down to Florida, but that's next!