International Travel

So Friday morning around 8:00 am I left my home in Bismarck.
Now I live in ND so I really don't need to check in 2 hours before a flight but I was flying out of Fargo and wanted to give myself a bit of time to see Emily and Andrew and get settled.
So I am scheduled for a 2:30 departure, so checked in at Hector Field (Fargo's Airport) about 1. No line helpful attendants and got through security with only minor problems. Seems the scanners are very leery of sidewalk chalk.
So I am up hanging out by a plug in charging my kindle so I was sure to have enough juice for the long trip. Boarding is supposed to start just after 2. No plane, no attendant, no change in signage. Hmmh. At about 2:20 the attendant showed and the plane was on it's way shortly there after to let passengers off. We got a late start but it wasn't enough of a delay to effect my connections. It does seem silly that little ole Fargo would be the only small hitch in my  travel.
Made my connection with time to spare for a couple phone calls in Chicago and then I was off on a large plane to Germany. I must comment that both of these flights were full but I had aisle seats and was comfortable relatively speaking. Slept very little even on the long leg to Germany. Can't say I didn't try. It would have made the time pass quicker.
Got to Frankfurt Germany on time and proceeded to be confused. I would just have to say it's not a user friendly airport. I had a short stop in the restroom and than moved pretty quickly to find where I needed to be, up stairs, down stairs, down corridors with nothing much in them. Up and down escalators with funny barricades that weren't really meant to block people just bulky stuff you might have to the best I can figure. Took a tram walked a bit more, went through the security scan. This was a little trickier as English was not their first language and they didn't know what my sidewalk chalk was. However they must have decided that either it or I didn't look dangerous because they let me go. Found my gate after more confusion. Down some stairs and on to a bus and drove what had to be a mile or more to the plane. Needless to say they closed the gate within 10 minutes. My two hour layover was spent in minor confusion.
The plane now was blissfully uncrowded and I was able to rest and sleep some in relative comfort with empty seats adjacent to me. Brief stop to let off passengers and add gas in Khartoum Sudan and than on to Addis Ababa. Have to say the Sudan landscape was fascinating.
Nice jet way here at Bole in Addis Ababa and easy process to get a visa and through immigration and customs to find myself well taken care of by an attendent from my arranged hotel accomodation.
Have to say it was a pretty smooth process for this somewhat nervous travelor.