I’m typing this blog entry while waiting for the flight from Frankfurt to Casablanca. I’ve been awake for 20 hours now and I’m sliding inexorably into a state of consciousness that I can only describe as traveler’s delirium. The lights are too bright, the conversations are too loud, and the seats are too hard. I am staring obsessively at the clock wishing that I could bend time to my will and fast-forward to the loading and departure times.
So, what has transpired in the last 24 hours? My “day” started with packing. Yes, I’m one of those people who packs the day they depart. I like the challenge and the risk of it. I almost forgot my power adapter, but – tragedy averted! My sister picked me up, then we picked up Mom, and then we were off to the airport.
It was blowing a gale when our flight departed but I didn’t really connect the dots between that and what it can do to an aircraft until we spent 10 minutes plunging up and down in a “patch” of turbulence. (I love how “patch” minimizes the sheer horror that is turbulence.) I was holding onto the head rest of the seat ahead of me in complete inarticulate terror. I must’ve looked a sight because the stewardess, who was facing us, mouthed “Are you OK?” to me. All I could do was breathe and not scream and not blow chunks.
We had a rest at Vancouver before boarding our flight to Frankfurt. Unfortunately I was seated next to a guy who had an incredibly annoying tic – he constantly sucked air through his teeth, making a piercing whistling sound that I could hear even while wearing headphones with the volume cranked. I asked him to stop but he denied being the cause of the noise. However, I saw him open his lips and inhale – precisely when the noise occurred – on numerous occasions. I gave him a few murderous looks, which sometimes resulted in a period of quiet, but toward the end of the flight he amped it up and I couldn’t stand it anymore so I asked the cabin crew for ear plugs. I was able to enjoy three hours of quiet, but I couldn’t sleep because I couldn’t stop thinking about ways that I could "accidentally" cause him severe bodily harm during the departure procedures.
After the flight landed our tour group rendezvoused with a local guide and tour bus, who we had hired to take us on a day tour of Frankfurt. The weather was foul so we spent most of the tour on the bus. We went to a gasthaus (pub) and everyone ordered soup – it was just one of those days. I had an amazing bowl of goulash soup with a slice of rye bread. Some of our group tried the local apfelwine. The rest of us tried the dark and light varieties of a beer brewed in Frankfurt.
After lunch some of the group went with the guide to see Goethe Haus, a museum dedicated to the famous German poet J.W. Goethe. Mom and I weren’t really interested in seeing Goethe Haus so we walked around town. The gasthaus where we had lunch is in the large town square where they hold the large Christmas Market. City workers were busy getting ready for the market. The first thing they do is set up and decorate a 4-story tall Christmas tree. City workers were also hanging decorations on street lamps in the streets and in the smaller Christmas Market. So, the city was starting to look very festive. It was also full of people shopping their hearts out, which put us both into a festive spirit.
After the tour we returned to the airport for a 5-hour wait for our flight. I was planning to sleep but couldn’t – my body clock was saying “Bing! Time to wake up!” So, Mom and I sat about talking and watching the comings and goings in Europe’s second-busiest airport. It really is a fascinating – but noisy! – environment.
So, in a few minutes we’ll start boarding our flight to Casablanca. We’ll arrive at 1:30am their time (10:30am our time), which will make it a 24-hour transit. Tomorrow is going to be a challenge as well, with our tour of Casablanca starting after breakfast and not ending until we reach Rabat in the late afternoon. Wish us luck!
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