So, I have been awake for about 21 hours and I feel fine ... makes adjusting to the US time zone a lot easier. Travelling was rather uneventful (well the flights anyway), except, for once German efficiency failed, and the flight to Washington DC was about 30 minutes late.
That was not the problem - the problem was the 1 and half hour queue at the immigration desk. Talking to a few fellow passengers, we were all in agreement that the Germans have really got this area covered well. It is very rare to get this kind of a delay at the immigration counter. Off course, they have less paperwork (actually no paperwork), no fingerprints and no photos. But where they really score is in the distributed nature of the immigration desks - they are not centralised in one area, as is the case in Dulles International Airport.
That said, Frankfurt airport is not the most pleasant connection. Actually, the problem is more Terminal B, the main non EU hub for Star Alliance planes. There are few amusements, but there is a Hagen Dazs shop to keep one satisfied, for a short while at least. Terminal A, which seems to be the EU hub is a lot nicer, and resembles a lot more like a shopping mall than an airport to be honest.
My hotel, from the outside resembles somewhat like a typical motel portrayed by Hollywood. It is not bad at all inside though - free WiFi, way too many TV channels to count, a balcony and a really comfortable room. And knowing the area (after staying for 2 weeks close by) is a bonus. Not a bad find at all!
2 comments:
Perhaps I've just had bad luck, but my last three trips have been through Frankfurt airport and a lot of things went miserably wrong. My first experience was terrible, although granted the weather was crap. My second one and the connecting flight was delayed by about an hour. My last one they took so long to get the luggage through that I missed my connecting train, and then the following train arrived an hour late.
And I must say the signage is poor -- you'll be directed to gates B1-36 and then further down the signs for B20-36 go missing until you find another sign again in some random corner.
Terminal B has too many quirks. I think part of it has to do with the need to have the "American Quarter", which amusingly is next to the casino. Incidentally, I think gates 20 to 30 (or something close to those numbers) make up the American quarter :)
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