Touch Down

No, not the football version.  I've landed in Frankfurt, Germany -- or as we in the semi-know refer to it fully, Frankfurt am Main (the Main River running through it, at least so I've been told since in my few times at the Frankfurt Airport, I've yet to see the river in here..)  Now, why they include the river in their name, I have no idea.  The Chicago River runs through its home city, yet they don't refer to it as Chicago on the Chicago.  Fine, that would be a bit redundant, but you get the point.  Perhaps it's an Old World thing.  Though it's not London on the Thames or Paris on the Seine.  Well, I'm sure they have their reasons.  Anyway, this is only the first leg of the journey, though of course the longest by far.  I next have a puddle-jump to Berlin coming up soon. 

I learned my lesson after my first trip to the IFA tech show.  I took KLM for that, and it was a very good flight.  With one hiccup.

When I booked my reservation, there was about an hour and fifteen minutes or so between flights, after landing in Amsterdam.  I called the airline to check that that would be enough time to make the connection to Berlin.  I was assured it was.  "We wouldn't schedule the flight if there wasn't time," she told me.  And me, I believed her.  Well, okay, in fairness she was "right," but that's where the caveat comes in.

I landed, went through Customs, had their version of TSA check me through again and then...looked at my watch.  I don't recall exactly how much time was left for me to catch my flight to Berlin...I just know it wasn't much, and I had not idea where that gate was in the large Amsterdam airport, but after asking around, I was told it was pretty far away.  And so it was.

I didn't watch fast to get to it.  I ran.  Literally.  Full speed.  With two bags in hand, I tore off through the corridors, checking the gate numbers and directions, turning corners and racing on.  And on.  It probably took me about 10 minutes running that hard and fast -- but I made it.  Sweating and out of breath, but with about three minutes to spare as they were finishing up the last passengers in the boarding process.

So, yes, there was time to make the connecting flight.  So long as you are okay about attempting to qualify for the Olympic sprint team.

On this trip -- and all with an international layover that followed that first one -- I've done my best to leave at least 2-1/2 hours between flights

I find it's a wee bit less rushed...

So, onward to Berlin.  I got an email from the elves back taking care of the homestead, and happily they haven't changed the locks yet.