Bandy World Championships
Almaty, Kazakhstan
26 January, 2012
11:45 depart to Subaru dealer to drop car for recall and windshield replacement while away; plenty of time to get to MSP by 13:00 for group check-in. Arrived at MSP at 12:20, only to find most of the players there ... apparently they had moved the check-in time, but neglected to inform the referee team.
Flight delayed, but no worries aobut connection in Chicago O'Hare (ORD).
Airbus 320 arrives from Denver and they herd us quickly onto the plane, and we're airborne at 16:00, and I'm back into the rules book.
18:00 and we're boarding the plane at ORD, bound for FRA (Frankfurt) on a Boeing 777-200. Seated next to Nick, Brother-in-Law of Papa Joe Warren (soccer teams goalkeeper);we've got to get Joe into playing bandy. Full flight with a few middle seats remaining near the back of the plane. At 19:00 we're pushed back from the gate, and we taxi and wait until 19:35 for take-off. Flight time is indicated to be 7hrs 42min.
I break out the rules book again, and study until the dinner service. After dinner, I begin the movie 'The Debt' and settle in to my middle seat. Finally, with five hours remaining, I decide to take the sleep aid and get four good hours of sleep. Awake over England to the sunrise on the eastern horizon which begins with a nice pink glow. Breakfast service has begun, and we enjoy a cup of bery yogurt and an apple (sort of) turnover, which is quite dry. Two cups of coffee and a glass of water finish off the meal, accompanied by the Botswana episode of Top Gear (can't get enough of those guys and their jackassery).
As we've touched down and braking on the runway, the countdown timer signals the 7:42 flight time ... amazing how accurate the navigation is for such a long distance. Local time 10:15 Fri. Jan 27 (03:15 Central time).
Friday, January 27th: Frankfurt Airport
The plane is wheels stop just short of the jetway at 10:35, and we deplane by the rear door down stairs to awaiting articulated busses. Construction abounds at FRA Terminal 1 with construction of additional jetways for the multi-level Airbus A380. As our bus takes us around the tarmak, there is an amazing structure housing a Lufthansa hanger. We arrive at another termial for transfer to Lufthansa from our United flight at 11:00 where we get our new boarding passes. This process takes thirty minutes, and we're then off to clear security at 11:35. There is no waiting, so this goes quite smoothly. Kevin, however, is taken into a security office to rifle thru his carry on bag.
We get to our gate for 13:10 boarding but decide to carry on to another lounge that has clear view of the flight line. Unfortunately the Camel Smoking Zone does not have fully negative air pressure, and the smoke lingers in the air. It is amazing how sensitive we have all become, now that smoking is not allowed in public places.
No free wireless, so I update this travelog, and return to study the rules book, and await boarding, just over an hour from now.
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