The flight to Frankfurt was very very good. Some sleeping, some eating, some movies. I watched the Mr. Rogers movie finally and found myself writing down some really important things like "We need children to know that what is essential in life is invisible." and "What changes the world? The only thing that ever really changes the world is the idea that love can abound, and that it can change the world." I like them both but the second one spoke to me because my Mom always says that people are always searching for the meaning of life and that really it's very simple. The meaning of life is love.
But back to Frankfurt. We landed and as we disembarked we had to walk up a flight of stairs with our bags. I wasn't that psyched about that but I was really happy to be there. Then I had to go from Terminal A to Terminal B. No problem. I had lots of time, 2.5 hours actually. So I started walking. And walking. And walking. I mean I walked for about 1/2 hour straight. Through a loooooong tunnel and down one elevator and up another and on a train and on and on forever until FINALLY I got to Terminal B. Yay.
Went up to the gate, saw the sign for Malpensa (Milan airport) and sat down. Whew. All good. Got some food. All good.
Texted Karen who was coming to meet me because taking the train to Bergamo is a bit complicated especially because you are basically comatose when you get off the plane. Then, an announcement. The flight to Malpensa is cancelled. Blah blah something in German Terminal A. Yes. Terminal A.
PANIC!
I grab my stuff and start going back the way I came. Down the long hallway, down the elevator, on the train thing, through the tunnel and then there's another elevator and a line to get on so I see these two guys taking the stairs and I think, Yeah, Stairs! But I forgot that one of the elevator rides was one flight and the other was four. By the time I get to the top I'm about to die and I'm dripping with sweat and I'm worried that those two guys and all the other people racing to Terminal A are going to fill up the plane! BUT, I jam and follow them and make it right behind the two guys and maybe one other guy and get seat 36 D on the next flight out which is one hour later.
Relief. I call Karen, she's worried we won't get the last train out but then we realize I was reading my ticket wrong and 17:50 doesn't mean 7:50 PM because remember, comatose. So we get that all straightened out and then lo and behold we board about 15 minutes early because we have to all walk down three flights of stairs to get to....a bus which then drives all over creation for about 15 minutes so that we can board the plane on the tarmac at..... Terminal B. I hate Frankfurt airport.
However, after a pretty uneventful short flight, I arrived in Malpensa, just one hour later than planned and after customs the doors wooshed open and there was Karen. Relief! Tears!
Karen expertly guides us through Malpensa to airport to the train. She had already bought tickets and had them on her phone. Technical progress in Italia! We make our way to the correct platform and see the train and quickly jump on. It starts to go and we look at each other and say, "Yay!" Very pleased with ourselves. And then Karen realizes it's going in the wrong direction. NOT yay! But not PANIC either. It is just going to Terminal 2 then changing direction to head towards Milano Centrale. Perfect. We relax. Somehow the mistakes - both big and little are easier to bear when you aren't alone.
2025-02-07