This may sound a little corny, but it works. If your local library has foreign language sections, check out some German children's books. They introduce some basics to the language. Do this, along with a basic German 101 high school type textbook. While studying this, go to some German language websites and just click around. You'll be surprised what you can pick up by just seeing the ads, etc., and putting two and two (zwei und zwei) together. German is very similar to English in many aspects and you should have no trouble picking up some of the basics of the language. And, regardless of how well you speak it, it shows great respect to the German people when they hear you trying to use it, and they will respect you and treat you better for it.

Haben Sie eine gute fahrt!