Day 1 – Arrival in Zürich, Switzerland

Day 1 – Arrival in Zürich, Switzerland

Our summer adventure began with a bit of travel drama. Due to thunderstorms in the Washington, D.C. area, our plane couldn’t land in Philadelphia on time. Once we finally touched down, we sprinted through the airport to catch our connecting flight at Gate A6. Luckily (and unluckily), that flight was also delayed, giving us just enough time to make it. After sitting on the runway for 40 minutes, waiting for permission to take off, we finally landed in Zürich at 10:45 AM, instead of the scheduled 8:50 AM. A little late, but safe and sound — and that’s what counts.

From there, things got interesting. Our VW Polo rental car gave us some unexpected grief on the drive to Säckingen, Germany. Warning signals and flashing orange lights continued to go off every few seconds. Turned out it wasn’t a mechanical issue — just a heavy suitcase placed on the back seat triggering the seatbelt alarms. Classic rookie mistake!

We arrived at my sister’s place, a cozy 2-bedroom condo on Hugo-Herrmann-Strasse, where she welcomed us with open arms. It felt so good to see her again after all this time.

The weather was warm and slightly humid — just right for a gentle stroll. After enjoying a refreshing mixed green salad with Mozzarella and cherry tomatoes, I snuck in a quick nap before we took a walk through the neighborhood. We followed the path along the Rhine River and visited the Old Catholic cemetery where my sister’s husband, Gerhard, is buried. He passed away five years ago after a long and difficult battle with Parkinson’s — a quiet, moving moment.

Later in the evening, we gathered around the table for a delicious curry chicken dinner. In between all the good food and a second mini-nap, we stayed up late talking, laughing, and catching up on life.

I’m especially excited for tomorrow — more Imhof and Kneppeck family members are arriving, some of whom we haven’t seen in years. The reunion is just beginning!Read more