Round The World and other travels
A frequent flyer's collection of trip diaries
This is: Spring Fever 2008
And seamlessly into Part 2 ...
Yet again, I had my alarm set for an early start. It didn't take me long to pack and check out of the hotel and, in complete contrast to the previous evening, I had very little time to wait for the Hoppa. I had no trouble checking in for my flights in the claustrophobic, low-ceiling front area of the soon-to-be-demolished Terminal 2. To be honest, the only bit of it that I recognised from my last time there over a quarter of a century previously(!), was the layout of the escalators. I cleared Security all too easily and then it hit me : I'd forgotten to pick up my foreign currency at the Travelex bureau. No real worries, though - the airside bureau simply called for someone at the landside desk to bring my pre-ordered currency through. After that minor panic, I found my way to the Lufthansa lounge and had a little breakfast of some cornflakes and a croissant.
(Link to flight log in side panel)
The bus at Frankfurt Airport dropped me off at a point that I was thoroughly familiar with and, a few years back, had arrived at on EDI-FRA flights more often than I care to remember. This time, however, I wasn't queuing for Passport Control; I was in transit. I found the nearest Business Class lounge to my gate and just managed to find a seat - the place was buzzing! It wasn't the greatest lounge in the world, but it was better than nothing and it wasn't that long a wait in any case.
(Link to flight log in side panel)
Formalities at DXB were easy,
thanks to the Fast Track invitation card that I'd been handed by one
of the cabin crew on the flight. The wait for my luggage took a bit
longer, but in good time I was aboard a nice, air-conditioned,
metered taxi and heading through the surprisingly heavy traffic,
given the time of night, towards the Hilton Jumeirah Beach. It was
well after midnight by the time I arrived, but the welcome was very
friendly and the room - make that suite! - was superb
