The touch down by LH 423 @ Frankfurt airport in the early morning of a cold Saturday was fairly smooth and I felt quite refreshed inspite of being awake throughout the flight time. As I collected my things and got ready to get down, I chked my boarding pass of my next flight and was delighted to see the gate number printed in it. Generally, I wait for 4 hrs to know the terminal/ gate number. Peace. Now all I have to do is to proceed towards gate B22. Easy peasy..la la la.I started walking briskly along with fellow passengers. After walking a 1/4 mile or so, the arrow mark showed a right turn. Good, I walked and walked and walked!!!..another 1/4 mile done. Now the pace a bit reduced, I looked up for the elusive B gate. The arrow pointed straight. Continued walking and came to the moving belt. After moving for a good 5 minutes in two lengths I proceeded with confidence, hoping to find the immigration lounge for B gates. No. Its just not there, and I was asked to proceed further, now slightly less than a 1/4 mile, the arrow now pointed upwards for a change. Took the escalator and without much emotion, I looked at the long fairly empty airport hallway/corridor whatever it is called. As I walked further, a group of Japanese tourists entered from a side gate and suddenly the corridors were lively and I felt better. All only for a short while for when they reached the gate Z they abruptly stopped and entered the lounge there. Pheww..without losing heart I walked as if my only goal in life that morning is to walk and find a gate which is just not seem to be there. I noticed I was walking alone now. I was slightly disturbed by the silence and the dark sky outside the glass. It has been a solid 25 minutes walk now. I got sudden doubt if I was proceeding in the correct direction. And I wondered what if I had to retrace the whole route. When paranoid the brain behaves stupidly I guess.
I halted for a moment and looked around for an airport staff. Yes there was a girl sitting on a high stool, half asleep with a monitor in front. I tapped on the desk and showed my boarding pass, and asked 'B gate, is this the way??..'Yes pruceed this way' she waved her hand straight..ahh..I did 'pruceed' only to find another escalator, but this time to descend. There there..I was kinda getting anxious now. When I hopefully got in to the lounge, wait..it was a train terminal..Oh God. Got to take a transit train. All this journey to get in to this train!!!!..well, no worries as long as I get to the B gate. 5 minutes later I was again ascending and following arrow. B1-19. What??..where is the rest??.. I walked further, the hallway/corridor turned 90 degrees and I walked walked..hey presto..there it was. The immigration lounge. There wasnt much people around. Lane 6 please..yup. I removed my jacket, and as I was placing it in the tay, the officer asked if I had any 'lickwid' inside my box, and the 'leph ttuph' to be kept outside. Sure, I did the same and walked thru the metal detector, fully dressed, with shoes and socks on..Wow. Havent even removed my wrist watch. Not bad. Atlast the gate B22 was in sight. The chairs were empty, and I could smell the freshly baked buns.breads from the nearby restaurant. I just sat down, took a deep breathe.As I turned around all my discomfort disappeared , when I saw the beautiful sun rising, as a pleasant orange ball, with its reflection on the airport glass, making it look like a double sunrise!!!!..and it indeed made things easier and I got ready for my long journey back home.
