Helluva Trip

I made it back to Munich but, oh, what a trip!

Aug 8 12:30 Leave Connecticut by car
Aug 8 17:45 Arrive PHL Airport, drop off rental car
Aug 8 18:00 Check in for 20:20 Flight to MUC, note 2 hour delay, ugh (in retrospect would have been happy for that)
Aug 8 18:20 Duty Free Shopping Spree
Aug 8 18:40 Settle into Envoy Lounge for 2 hour delay
Aug 8 21:30 Head down to gate to await boarding
Aug 8 21:40 Arrive at gate to find another delay tacked on, now departing 23:30
Aug 8 21:50 'Free' snack at closing snackbar
Aug 8 23:30 Announcement: We have two broken airplanes. Whichever is fixed first we will use for the trip. :-O Start to think about calling it a night and rebooking on Lufthansa, cost be damned. I don't want to die on a rickety old USAir plan somewhere over the Atlantic.
Aug 9 00:30 Tickets are collected. Still waiting to board.
Aug 9 01:00 Board and promptly fall asleep. Wake up for take off. Skip nostalgic farewell to Philadelphia skyline in lieu of falling back asleep.
Aug 9 01:12 Awakened by pop in ears and sudden rush of heat in the cabin. Convinced this could be my last flight ever.
Aug 9 01:14 Pilot announcement: We cannot maintain air pressure. The repair didn't work. We are circling and heading back to PHL. Sigh. At least we aren't going to die.
Aug 9 02:10 After circling for about an hour (I assume dumping most of the fuel) we make a landing back in lovely Philadelphia.
Aug 9 02:15 Announcement: Please stay on the plane. We will try to make the repair again. We don't know how long it will take but will refuel and wait.
Aug 9 02:20 Call M. Tell him the story. Fight urge not to run screaming from US Air Deathtrap. Tell him I love him in case we never see each other again.
Aug 9 03:20 Dinner meal served. In the absence of anything else to do, I eat it.
Aug 9 03:35 Announcement: Still working on the plan. Have to change flight crew. New crew expected at 05:00. Please deboard. You can take your pillow and blanket with you.
Aug 9 04:00 Fall asleep in waiting area. Wonder for the 100th time in my life, why do they only have seating with arms.
Aug 9 05:00 New flight crew arrives. Sky is pink and snack bar is reopening. Announcement: Crew here, fix nearly completed.
Aug 9 06:00 Wake up in time for boarding due to loud German kids arguing.
Aug 9 07:00 Take off (again). Plane fishtails for about an hour due to turbulence. Still convinced we might die. Fall asleep anyway.
Aug 9 21:21 Land in MUC. Never so happy to see it. Envious of all the people on Lufthansa planes, far outnumbering us.
Aug 9 21:45 Luggage is waiting before I clear customs, a sure sign I am back in the land of order and timeliness.
Aug 9 22:30 Joyful reunion with M.
Aug 9 23:30 Showered, fed and in bed.

Total time: 29 hours out of my life.

Posted from Munich