what a trip

I am here in Jena, but it wasn't easy.  If an adventure is measured by things going wrong, I think mine would

be just big enough for me. 

In Chicago, US Airways had two gates they listed as departing from, F10 and F8.  My ticket said F10.  All

of the displays said F8.  Neither said they were going to Philadelphia (my next stop), but i was a couple 

hours early, so i didn't pay it much attention.

I went around looking for outlets to charge my phone and get a couple last calls in.  That was easy enough, but

it took me around the concourse a bit.  Then i sat and waited where the displays said to, F8.  Looking out

the window, it was easy to see that F8 was not usable, but i wrote it off.  I figured they could extend

the walkway over all the carts and such.  Time passed and eventually I looked at a guy's watch.

11:15.  My plane left at 11:30.  Something was wrong.  So I got up and walk around the corner to hear the

final boarding call and just get on in time.  I had some goofy tickets too, so it took a second longer at the gate.

What luck I had to look at the guy's watch.

From there, Philadelphia was fine.  Plugged my self in a bit more and called the fam.  Internet still

wasn't free or technically available (that should really be a priority for every airport to have free,

quality wifi for everyone).  so leaving the States could hardly have been easier.

I arrive in Frankfurt tired from the flight (i had an empty seat next to me, but still couldn't sleep).

We all get off and take a shuttle bus to the terminal.  No problem.  My bags are checked through, so all

I have to do is get my way to the next plane.  I walk around and suddenly see the check in area.  It's like

we just got in the airport.  Whatev.  So i wait in a line for a couple minutes.  Wrong line.  So i try

somewhere else, wrong again, but they tell me better where to go.  Still can't find it, so i ask the next

person, bingo.  Finally i get to the Transfer Check-in.  Easy goes it till the lady says, "Oh, you better

hurry.  They are boarding your flight now."

What?  So i hustle through an unnecessarily slow security checkpoint and run down the terminal.  Gladly,

I get to my gate with a small line waiting, so i take a breath, grab a drink from the fountain, and wait.

Again I get a great seat and start to nap away.  

At this point, I am starting to crunch the numbers for my getting to the train on time.  I come up with 80

minutes from landing to train leaving.  Should be do-able: 20-30 minutes waiting for bag, 5 for the bus, 30

minutes through the city, leaving a couple minutes to wait for the train.

But our plane leaves late.  I start thinking I can do it, but just barely.  Get to the train as it leaves.

Then we circle Berlin for about twenty extra minutes due to some computer glitch.  As we fly around over the

white tundra of cloud cover, I begin to doubt my chances.  As soon as we land, I'm ready to bolt.  I'm quick

off the plane.  I follow the crowd through one set of doors and the next.

I keep following the crowd till I'm just about at the street. What? Where's the baggage claim?  Everything 

looks like check in.  So I go ask.  Apparently I went one step too far and missed the baggage claim.

So i walk around a bit to find the Lost and Found.  They send me down the hall, outside, down the stairs,

and to the shady little building for lost baggage.  If you want to smuggle stuff into Berlin, forget your bag

and skip customs by going out the entrance.  I saw at least three people do that.  

After waiting over an hour and a half (that would be 90 of my then 50 minutes to catch the train), my bag

arrives.  Quickly through customs.  Man i packed a lot of junk.  Try walking around a place you've only

been through once, briefly, with three heavy bags, and without a clue where to go.  I saw all these buses,

and i knew i needed one, but which one I couldn't tell.  Finally i break down and go ask the information desk.

Perfect.  Three minutes till the bus leaves for the train station.  Hop on (didn't have to pay, i dunno why but

the past two times i offer money at the front and the driver looks at me like i'm crazy and tells me to just

get on.  maybe he couldn't break a 10, i dunno.  i dont care, free ride.) and ride to the station.  I freak out

a bit because they say we're their one light before we get to the stop.  Look like a dummy trying to get off 

the bus early.  

I know from there I'm ok, I just have to figure out what train to catch.  Sure enough, the guy at the travel

center tells me my ticket is flexible and I can catch the train to Jena leaving in fifteen minutes.  Awesome.

Enough time to call Rocco so he isn't waiting two hours on me.  Wrong.  The train is early, and I'm not sure I have

change for the phone (which i ended up having 11.70 of when i counted later)  So i get on the train, not wanting to miss it,

sit myself down and rest.  The two seats i try to sit in happened to have been reserved, but it's hardly a problem.

I just act confused (easy enough) and scoot over.  What a smooth dream of train, too.  I wanted to stay awake to help

with jet lag, but i couldn't have said my name let alone sit still on a smoothly rumbling ride without dozing off.

Two hours late(r), I get off the train thanks to the guy next to me who points out in my stupor it was my stop.

Get off to see Rocco down the way.  

What a great trip!  Seriously, it was fun.  And now I'm here.  To be honest, it hasn't fully connected that

I'm living here for the next seven months.  It just doesn't seem real.  Or maybe it just doesn't seem like 

that big of a deal.  But it is.  My mind is going about this so lazily, it's almost disturbing.

either way, here i am.  it's cold.  life is a bit strange still.  i'm tired.  and the road ahead of me is

long.  very long.  better get walking then.

.jrs.