So I'm supposedly *attempting* to pack. And I came across one of my lil' notebooks. Actually, about 4 years old now. And it's the book I wrote in when I was sitting in a Frankfurt airport terminal trying to pass 13 hours of transit time on my way to Boston and Mount Holyoke College! Amazing the things we say to ourselves. Check it out. Lol. (As for the picture....we gotta be silly sometimes).
3 years, 8 months ago...The start of my college experience.
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About 11:30am, Frankfurt
As usual, when things get a lil' too unbearable, then one goes a-scribbling. I've been sitting here at Frankfurt Main close to 6 hours (!) now and God knows I'm even tired of waiting till 3:00pm when I can start the formalities for getting to Boston. Get this, I'm sitting in a seat which doesn't allow me much space to sleep (yea, and Mr. Jet Lag's decided to show up now!); I haven't eaten in eons (mainly cos I was asleep when "dinner" was served on the plane); I can't walk around cos I have to look after my hand luggage; I can't buy anything to eat/call anyone cos I don't have the right currency; and every single time I do succeed in getting some shut-eye, I have to re-remind myself where I am and why I'm sitting with a bunch of strangers! Oh, and smart 0l' me forgot to bring spare batteries for my CD player and I can't buy some either (not here anyway).
So, I'm sullenly (and dreadingly) watching my battery run down and boredom seep in! I really really wish I knew somoene here I could talk to, but alas (and when situations get extremely discouraging, you start speaking Old English!Lol) there isn't anyone. I made friends with my seat mate...he even invited me over to his house to pass the transit time (and I'm like "Oh c'mon! My first test so soon?!") But cha, from the way he was looking and talking, he wasn't referring to having tea over at his house, followed by idle chit-chat. Nada. In his own words, "I want us to really make contact." I say, "Nah, thanks, but no thanks...I'll just stay at the airport." He's like "Why, are you engaged?" Like hell yea I am...to my promises to myself! Besides, he was drunk.
The other friend I made was while I was doing transit time. He's South African. We talked loads; politics, Africa, careers, religion, etc. and that helped pass time. Unfortunately, his flight was before mine...waaay before mine. And he only has three more hours of flight time--he's heading to Berlin. Okay, so I reckon I'm all done huh>>wait! Course not! Almost forgot. You should see the lil'uns here (I mean the babies, kids, children?) They looking all cute dragging their lil hand luggages and tryna lose their parents. Lol. One mother actually had a string tied to her daughter's arm (via a handband kinda thing), so the kid couldn't stray too far. OH NO! My battery just ran out!! What to do...what to do! I can't leave my seat, else I might not get it back, and I can't sit here and wallow in my boredom, else...Darn, I don't really have a choice do I? Hmm...Doing transit sucks! Big time!
I hate transits but enjoyed your piece to the max...very good writing!!
ReplyDeletehahaha loved reading this!
ReplyDeleteso funny! and I identify with it so much: 14-hour layover in London. Even though I went downtown, I still had around 7-8 hours to waste. Transit does suck big time!
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