Saturday 29 March 2008

Round the World Five - Day 24 (Sat, 29 Mar)

Itinerary:
Arrival: Frankfurt International Airport Time: 14:20 TERMINAL 1 Stops: 0 PNR: LGHJFY Journey: 10.30 Airline Ref: Z9LBOB Baggage: PC
Seat Info: Ms Jan Ford Seat Nr 03A Non smoking
Airline: Lufthansa Flight: LH4856 Status Confirmed
Departure: Frankfurt International Apt Time: 16:50 Seats: 1
Terminal: TERMINAL 1 Class: Business
Arrival: Manchester Time: 17:30
Terminal: TERMINAL 1 Stops: 0 Journey: 1.40
Baggage: PC

Slept reasonably well on the almost flat bed on the Lufthansa flight, arriving Frankfurt on Saturday afternoon. Just one more flight and I'm home! Explored the terminal aimlessly at Frankfurt for a while then made my way to the splendid Lufthansa lounge to await that final connection to Manchester. We arrived at Manchester on time. I was getting a bit bleary-eyed by then, but I did notice that Manchester was about the dirtiest airport I'd been through on this trip. There was only one immigation officer on duty but, since I was the first in the queue, that was no problem. I expected to find a delay in the baggage hall, but my case was one of the first to arrive within a few minutes (so, Manchester, you may have been scruffy on that occasion, but at least you were functional).

Alan had just walked into the arrivals hall to run me home and was amazed, like me, that I'd got through the terminal so quickly. I was very grateful for a quick trip home. An excellent end to a wonderful trip. Well, there was a touch of farce as well.

I mentioned briefly earlier that I'd lost my purse in Cuba (losing credit cards which I had to 'stop', a little money, the visiting cards of various people I'd met on my travels and my front door key). Before leaving Cuba, I'd remembered where I'd hidden a front door key in the garden at home, so I thought I'd be alright. By the time we arrived home, it was pouring with rain (welcome back to England, Jan), so I got a little damp before I triumphantly recovered the key, pleased that I'd correctly remembered the hiding place. Alas, what I'd not remembered was that, since burying the key, I'd had the lock replaced, so the key I'd found was useless. Bemused and bedraggled, I contemplated my possible actions when Marion arrived by car with my dog, Tai and, most importantly, her key. All dampness was forgotten in the happy reunions which followed after the door was opened and the security alarm turned off. So, I really was home!