Heike and Stefan have been a couple for many years and have a big goal together: to sail around the world on their own catamaran. One day the time has come, they leave their home in northern Germany behind and set sail. Their happiness seems perfect when they find a beautiful paradise on the island of Nuku Hiva in the South Pacific. Here, their dream of unrestricted freedom in harmony with nature is fulfilled. Their happiness comes to an abrupt end when Stefan fails to return to the boat after an excursion with a local. A never-ending nightmare begins for Heike.

Crooks Hans Georg Pauler and Ulrich Raffcyk raid a savings bank branch in a Hamburg suburb at eight in the morning and take bank employees Anna Klages and Kirstin Bauer hostage. The police initially play for time; more and more people, including reporters, turn up. Pauler and Raffcyk very quickly realize that they can exert pressure on the police via the media and the public. Their demands, half a million marks and a fast getaway car, are met after Pauler is identified and his criminal record shows him to be an unscrupulous character. After fourteen hours, the bank robbers leave the bank unmolested with the extorted money and begin their getaway. Supplied with beer and stimulants, they head for Münster, where Raffcyk's brother lives - a journey with an uncertain outcome for the two hostages.

Caroline Cilburn and her 11-year-old brother Jody have lived with their stepmother Diana in London since their father died. Her older brother Angus works on an oil rig off the west coast of Scotland. Jody misses his big brother very much and tries to persuade Caroline to visit Angus in Scotland. In fact, Caroline and Jody soon make their way to their unsuspecting brother in a borrowed car.

A new job takes young caregiver Madison Carter to New York's picturesque Hudson Valley - or more precisely, to the stately Grant family estate. From now on, she is to look after the lady of the house, Olivia.

In the summer of 1963, US President Kennedy visits the Berlin Wall and the hit song "Schuld war nur der Bossa Nova" plays from the jukeboxes in the pubs. And on the outskirts of a small town in the Ruhr region, a teenage clique organizes a party. Among them are 17-year-old Heike and her friend Gaby. While Gaby is being hit on by loud-mouthed Charly, Heike has lost her heart to Manni, much to the annoyance of dreamy Little Joe, who secretly has a crush on Heike. When it comes out that Heike is pregnant, a scandal ensues.