The Diary of Getting Home

I just worked my last trip of the month out of my new base, Frankfurt. As I was done for the month I planned on flying right back to the states, known as a 'turn and burn' among commuters. This meant working a flight from Chicago to Frankfurt, then flying as a passenger from Frankfurt to Washington DC, then making my way to Maryland. 

0930- Land at Frankfurt-Main Airport after working an 8 hour flight from Chicago. Hooray that we actually have a gate versus a 'remote stand'  ( parking on the tarmac and being taken in buses to the terminal).

1000- Queue up at the transfer desk to check in for my flight home. Watch a Lufthansa agent  being told to f$&^ off by a crabby Greek passenger. Nice.

1030- Finally get checked in for a seriously oversold flight home. Hope floats..

1045- Attempt to redo the makeup which must have fallen off as I served breakfast.

1100- Make way on the Skytrain to the pier where my flight is leaving.

1100-1145- As I am still in uniform, apparently serve as the information desk for where flights to Romania leave from, where the toilets are located (that I CAN answer) and whether or not their seat is a window seat on their flights, among other questions asked in 2 languages.

1145- Befriend another crew member hoping to also get on the flight to Washington.She is waiting for her transfer to Frankfurt as she lives in Bremen and is based in Washington DC (not as unusual as it sounds).

1200- Realize the only way the 2 of us are making it on this flight is to ride the jumpseat as NO passenger seats will be open on this bird. Rats..Smile sweetly and beg for the jumpseat.

1220- Board the plane home, introduce self to cabin crew and cockpit as jumpseater. 2 minutes of smiling and chatting with the pilots nets me a spot in their crew rest area for the flight- which means a bunk to sleep on rather than a jumpseat (thanks boys!)

1230 until landing- Lapse into a coma.

1500 EST- Land in Washington Dulles airport.

1615- Catch the Washington flyer bus to the train station, having missed the prior one by 3 minutes.

1640- Board the metro to Union Station, to catch the commuter train to Maryland.

1800- Finally figure out where to buy ticket at Union Station, grab a pretzel and lug bags onto train, thank you to the soldier who hefted my bags onto the train!

1900-Make it to Point of Rocks, board bus to stop close to home

1945-Home...........Lapse into second coma.