FRA (to YYC) on Sept 11 (Was: European Mobility Week)

On Tue, 09 Sep 2003 03:26:09 -0700, David wrote:

I won't be changing my travel plans that week, I will be visiting the
Frankfurt Motor Show by car as originally intended.

Ah, the motor show.

I had been wondering why all moderately priced hotels with reasonable
access to/from the airport seemed to be unavailable on the evening from
Sept 10 to Sept 11. Anyway, I ended up booking a place without carefully
looking, which turned out to be in the middle of nowhere, close to Bad
Homburg. That was a break in a trip back from OHA, on the way home, which
I could not do without an overnight, except if leaving very early in the
morning.

Still, I checked the location before my trip. From bahn.hafas.de, I
figured out it was a one hour trip, using two S-trains and then a bus. To
add insult to injury, my flight got delayed by about an hour, apparently
but surprisingly, I guess, because of traffic control delays. So I
arrived at FRA at 10 pm.

Went to the train station, bought my ticket and enquired on the odds of
finding a cab (rather than taking a bus) to my hotel at the train station.
Was told good luck, it's in the middle of nowhere. Better to take a
U-bahn to some other place, with a pub close by from where to call a cab.
Which I did. There are these occasions when one would almost start
believing in god; anyway, arriving, in short sleeves, in the rain, right
out of the station, there comes a cab with its "free" light on.

Next morning, I ask at the hotel before leaving. They recommend the train
ride as I had originally planned. Bus trip easily repalced by a ten
minutes walk. Which I do. First along the river, then in the middle of
the fields, until yes, the train station is indeed there in the middle of
the fields.

Train is ten minutes late. But it's 8:15 and my plane is at 10:30. Jump
on. Next station, the train stops, and then nothing happens for a while.
Eventually, an announcement in German which I don't catch, and some 30% of
the people on bord start leaving. I ask; apparently there has been a bomb
alert a couple of station down the line and traffic is suspended until
further notice. Better to get off and look for a cab if I am to get my
flight. So, off I go.

Again, a station more or less in the middle of nowhere. People waiting
for the bus. Bit of a mess. Three women in a car, looks like they are
offering a ride to some other folks. But these other guys are two or
three; they won't fit all in the small car so they give up. (All of this
being my interpretation looking at the scene.) Anyway, the three ladies
obviously are trying to be as useful as they can and to use the full
capacity of the car. So I approach them; they ask where I am going, and
take me on. With my bag barely fitting on my lap, by eh, these people are
wonderful, not the time to be picky about a minor discomfort.

They actually go to the same U-bahn station where I got off last night, so
I do actually understand what is going on, and yes, I am on my way.

Finally checking in at 9:50; turns out the early flight to YYZ is actually
at 10:50, not 10:30 so no problem. Sequential number 229 on a 330, but
probably not full. Upgrade still available - actually the seat beside
mine turned out to be empty. Not too many people at FRA, BTW.

Rest of the trip uneventful. Until arriving at YYC, that is. First, we
get to wait for landing because of a storm. Then eventually we get
diverted to YEG for refuelling. YEG looks pretty dead, except for a
Martinair 767, a British forces L1011 and a couple of local flights.

Got home 75 minutes late, no big deal.