Chicago To Frankfurt

70 lbs!  That's what I'm allowed for 3 bags that I check.  70 lbs each and, as you can see - I nailed it spot on!:)

It's kind of fun going through the journey of list making, collecting, packing and then weighing.  The list making and collecting are the easy parts.  The packing involves puzzle solving, muttering, rearranging, stubbornly cramming and then much sitting on and bouncing on the tops of bags as I attempt to pull and manipulate zippers around corners and middles.  

And then the weighing.  That part makes me laugh - but always in retrospect.  I have a digital hand held scale that I can do myself.  I turn on the scale, pick the bag up from the handle with the scale and then wait for a few excrutiating seconds to finish blinking and then I quickly read it.  However, I'm sometimes leary that the battery is working and so I always do a manual scale.  The manual scale is another hand held one that's kind of like the scale at the grocery store in the fruit and veggies section with the little hands that flip to the numbers.  For some reason my handscale has two hands, a black and a red - it's the red one you read - don't even know what the black hand is for.  

What happens with this hand scale is that I have to get my mom to come.  Then I have to put a towel around the handle because they stupidly put this thin metal handle that tears through your hand if you're holding it alone.  Then I have to brave myself and ask "are you ready" to which she always replies "yes". Then I make sure the hook is on the handle and I gather all my strength and pick the bag up.... And then I stand there and stand there and stand there until I start yelling "what does it say!" To which mom always replies "maybe 68 no it's 71 no it looks like its 75 no 65" to which I very nicely remind her "IM HOLDING A 70 LB BAG!  WHAT DOES IT SAY?!!!!" To which she then says "am I reading the red one or the black one?"  It's then I usually drop the bag and we have to have a discussion about the things she needs to remember to look at before I pick up a 70 lb bag:). I actually love that time together - memories:)

But - as you can see from the scale I put my bag on today - we hit 70 on the dot!  Thanks mom!:)

I'm on a plane to Frankfurt right now.  It's about an 8 hour flight and I never sleep on it.  Not for lack of trying.  And then I just give up.  Ill land in Frankfurt, go to my next gate and then board a plane for about an hour flight to Budapest - which ill sleep on!  Go figure.  I'm usually using this time for catching up on reading or something from work.  Today I'm taking time to do a little blogging.

The day started with some work that I had to finish.  A dog park visit before I left poor Calvin.  Getting ready.  Finish packing.  Drop car at dealership.  Pick up by sister.  Drop off at airport.  Wait on curb for Ioanas friend to swing by and drop off his iPhone (for Ioana) that he just replaced. The fun part was getting my bags in to check in....

From

To....

Dog collars!  Incredibly useful for walking the dog or connecting and walking your bags:). I should market it, I know:)

So - I finish blogging.  Finish a chapter in my book probably in time for breakfast (which another international trip tip of mine - stay healthy pre flight and I bring my own food on -- never eat their junk after one awful round of food poisoining. And I down vitamin c drops like candy to keep away all those sick people germs - cough cough - yuck!). I have to catch up in my M'Cheyene Bible reading plan - and then figure out how much time I have once I land to get to my next gate.

I think there's about 2 hours left on the flight.  That much closer to second home:). Yay!  Once I hit the ground well navigate the way to Jodi's and figure the bags out and then get back in the car to head to Cluj, Romania!

And now it's 6 am.  Just landed and deplaned and was amazed that we didnt have to take a bus to the terminal!  Since 2005 I've flown through Frankfurt at least two times a year and its usually always involved landing and taking a bus to the terminal!  However - guarantee I'm now at the gate for Budapest and it will involve taking a bus to the Budapest plane!  Ah well.

And you can tell its September in Germany when the leiderhosen and drindls come out!  Contrary to the American misconception - Oktoberfest is NOT in October!  It's actually in September!  Did I just blow your minds!:)

And here to bring you sexy Oktoberfest we have the tousled hair manequins Fritz and Liesel.... Can't you taste the bier and nockwurst?!

And now my eyes are screaming - no more technology!  So I'm signing off from gate A50 at Frankfurt am Main, Germany.  Somewhere between here and being there....

Ill try to post again somewhere along the way!

Auf weidersehen!

.....................

And I figured that I won't be getting wifi until Budapest so - indeed - here is literally the start of the city of Budapest!  It's 8:50 am and we just touched down!

Thanks for praying me in safely!