Round The World and other travels
A frequent flyer's collection of trip diaries
This is: A Tale of Two Cities (2010)
Farewell to Madrid
I slept a little longer than planned but, as always on these occasions, figured that I must have been needing it. Besides, there was absolutely no rush and it would stand me in good stead for my forthcoming overnight journey to my next destination. As ever, I went down to La Rotonda for breakfast, realising that it was for the last time. The original tentative plan for this morning had been to visit the Prado, just across the street. However I'd given it a fairly thorough going-over during my 1990s visit and now, seeing the tourist coaches already pulling up outside and disgorging their loads made me think twice. While I am perfectly capable of enjoying museums, I need to be in the mood. If I'm not, I find it's better simply to acknowledge the fact and leave it for another time. Thus, despite the return to rather grey weather conditions, I decided that a short walk in the immediate neighbourhood would be a better idea.
Back at the hotel, I set about the task of packing and, after what had been a reasonably lengthy stay by my usual standards, made sure that I didn't leave anything behind. When the time came for my transfer to the airport, I made my way down to Reception and checked out. Although the shuttle driver was waiting and we set off early, he had another pick-up in the heart of the city centre and we ran into some horrendous weekday traffic. There was no real cause for concern, however, as I'd left plenty of time. On arrival at Barajas, I quickly found the Lufthansa premium check-in desk, surrendered my suitcase and collected my boarding passes for the next two flights. I bought a packet of sandwiches, correctly anticipating that there wouldn't be any in the lounge.
(Link to flight log in side panel)
It felt good, on arrival at Munich, to walk down the steps and straight into the waiting limousine. I noticed on this occasion that the driver simply carried a card saying 'Lufthansa First Class', rather than bearing my name, but the first thing she did was check who I was. Interestingly, she was born in England but had been away for 25 years. In no time at all, I was at the First Class Lounge which, while smaller than its counterpart in Frankfurt, operated along very similar lines. I had a glass of Champagne and snacked on a few bits and pieces, resisting the temptation to indulge in anything more substantial. Soon enough, it was time to walk through the clean, modern terminal building to catch the first long-haul flight of the trip.
(Link to flight log in side panel)