So a new adventure begins!
We arrived for check in with nothing left behind (like my laptop last time!). Checked in and bags checked through to Ljubljana (the capital of Slovenia). Was handed the baggage tags and tucked them away. Uneventful flight via Hong Kong and Frankfurt. We knew we had no baggage to pick up as we noted our bags had been checked right through and we had this printed in our travel itinerary and had checked with the AirNZ bag checker - who although she didun';t know where Slovenia was, assured us we would collect our bags at Ljubljana.
So we are always thinking this would be a simple thing at Frankfurt. we are travelling to another country from Germany, so it's just a simple thing. We arrived at Terminal 1 and would transfer to Terminal 2 via their air train and wander/stroll in a leisurely fashion to our gate. Arriving refreshed if not a little tired and board our next short international flight. What could possibly go wrong? Read on....
On arrival we knew we needed to go to the 'B' Series of gates and we assumed this would be somewhere on the international side. Then last the actual gate popped up B13. So we went searching for that. We found a line with about 100 people in it with 90 minutes to go until boarding. It said "passport control". That's when the sinking feeling occurred. The line was moving so slowly it was ridiculous as each person was given the 3rd degree about their length of stay/travel plans etc. When it has moved about 5 metres in 30 minutes we knew we were in big trouble. We tried begging people to let us up the queue, but many were in the same boat us us and would likely miss their connecting flight, so no dice. We absolutely knew that we had missed our flight and didn't reach the end of the queue until after our flight has departed - meaning I had missed my first flight in 52 years! Aly went in the meantime to check the other passport control queue to found it jam packed with people and moving just as slowly.
So, we emerged from the queue (Q1) in to Germany (at the public check in area) knowing we had another long wait in store... The inter terminal train had an issue of some sort so we had to queue for some time to get on that (Q2). We headed to airport information who sent us to Lufthansa (who are apparently the ticketing agents for Adria Airlines) and in the meantime contacted House of Travel in NZ who said we were best to try an sort it with the airline first and ring them back if we couldn't.
So we arrived at the Lufthansa ticket office and waited to be called (Q3). Lufthansa said they could not open our ticket details, so we would need to go to Cathay Pacific who would reticket us. That (of course) was in Terminal 1. So back on the Airtrain (Q4) which was running a little better by now, but we always seemed to have the knack of arriving just as the train was leaving... So reported to Cathay Pacific who were just opening (no queue) and their met our eventual saviour. She was a bit grumpy asking why we missed our flight etc, but then got on with sorting us out after I carefully explained what had happened. After about a 20 minute wait she advised us she had wait listed us to get on the 3:30pm (next) flight to Ljubljana and had confirmed us on the flight after that at 8:30pm. So for the first time (at about 11am) we asked about our bags. We were aware that they would not have travelled without us and would have been offloaded from the fight we missed. "Do not be concerned Mr Douglas. They would have been offloaded from your missed flight and will be in a holding area. Now I have reallocated reservations, your bags will be transferred to the new gate and if you are successful in your wait listing, they will be loaded on the plane. Otherwise they will be transferred to the next flight that you are now confirmed on. All will be well". Though we maintained a calm demeanour, having had not the best of times in Frankfurt so far, I was a little concerned our bags may not follow us later.
But I have to say this woman was an absolute saviour by sorting the tickets for us - and for no charge which was also greatly appreciated.. At least we has some surety we were going to get to Ljubljana that day. We would miss the pre trip drinks if we got on the 2nd flight, but such is life! She did instruct us to head back to the Lufthansa ticket office to have our wait list boarding passes issued. So, back to Terminal 2 but with spirits considerably lifted. Reported to the ticket office. Of course there was a queue (Q5). We were then told that the ticket office was not where we needed to be. We needed to report to the check in counters. There was (of course) a long queue (Q6). After about another 30 minutes we had our standby boarding passes in hand and were told to report to the gate (now B13) at least 30 minutes before the flight was scheduled to depart. Of course we again mentioned our baggage situation and were told the same story - don't worry, your bags will be sorted. We had about 3hrs to wait, so grabbed a shower and headed towards the gate. Through security (very thorough including full body scan for all and personal pat down for me) (Q7) then to passport control for our final queue (Q8). Then at the last minute we realised we did not have to go through passport control to get to Slovenia. The gate was just around the corner. Again we had assumed we would need to go though immigration as this was an international flight. Oh well - queueing over for now. So we went to the counter when they set up for the wait listed flight and explained our circumstances. They were great (and sympathetic of course) and asked us to come back with 30 minutes to go. Fingers crossed! The flight was delayed significantly as we later found out that departure runways had been reduced from 2 to 1. With 30 minutes to go I re approached the desk and was told we would know in a short time. The staff were great and kept checking passengers (by calling names) to ensure they had arrived for the flight. We were so relieved to be given our boarding passes a short time later. Of course we mentioned our baggage again and were were assured all would be well.
5 minutes later some people arrive at the gate looking rather flustered. They were on a late inbound flight and were told they had missed their flight to Ljubljana. They were of course less than happy about this and we were busy looking the other way....
Soon after we boarded the bus to be taken out to our aircraft. On arrival we carefully checked any luggage we could see being loaded for our bag. No sign. Perhaps due to the hugely efficient luggage system in Frankfurt they had already been loaded? We were about to find out. Our last queue (Q9) for the day was the 30 minute queue to take off from Frankfurt.
We arrived at baggage claim to pick up our bags and I wandered over to the lost baggage area waiting to see if our bags turned up so we could be at or near head of the queue. Sure enough no sign. So another 30 minutes filling in the inevitable paperwork and wondering what the hell we were going to do if the motorcycle gear did not turn up.... Then is was a taxi to the hotel and dinner with fellow tour participants.
Day 2
I was up early the next day and managed to log on to the tracking system for the lost bags. Great news! 3 of our bags had been found at Frankfurt (no surprises there) and were scheduled to be on the 9:20am flight to Ljubljana! So great news, but then the guessing game started about which bag was still missing! Luckily Mike and Denise had scheduled in an extra day at the start for sightseeing and the inevitable hire/insurance paperwork.
So we had a wander around the old part of the city and visited the castle which had a great summary of the complicated history of the region, which included Slovenia gaining Independence on the 1990's immediately followed by as 10 day war! Pretty hard to relax though until the bags were actually in our possession...
When we arrived back at the hotel after lunch, our 3 bags had arrived! So with much relief we realised the trip was doable with most of the riding gear (including both helmets) safely in our room. Just one one to go now, which by now had been found in Frankfurt and was booked on the 3:20 flight out. After filling in the bike paperwork we headed out for dinner at a local brewery with fingers crossed for the final bag turning up before we had to depart first thing in the morning.
Day 3
In the morning we headed by shuttle van out to pick up the bikes. I had been allocated a BMW F800 GT Touring model and Alyson had a BMW F800GS very similar to what she rides at home. Most bikes were similar to Alys, with some taking the option of a larger R1200GS model. The bikes were in great/as new condition so much better than the Turkey ones (mine had done over 100,000km). Mine had just 1500km on the clock and Alys was 22,000km. Check in completed and it was off to explore the roads. Mike and Denise use a corner marking system so no one gets lost - well that is the theory.
I spotted a corner marker just after I overtook a truck on the motorway heading out of Ljubjlana and ended up with an Aussie companion having to push the bikes back about 200 meters to the off ramp to continue on. As was usual for these trips clear plans are in place when this happens in that you have a van at the back of the group and also a map and a list of hotels with you in case you get lost. 15 minutes later were were back on track and on the correct road. The roads were great. Nice gentle sweepers to allow you to get used to the bike and of course riding it on the right side of the road and working out the intricacies of roundabouts and intersections.
We travelled through to the Plitvuice National Park after crssing the broder in to Croatia. Border crossings arer quite relaxed. They dont even require you to remove your helmet os they can ID you. It's juts a look at your passport at the Slovenia and croatia booths as you go through. We wwerre all through (18 bikes/24 people in about 20 minutes). Then is was check in to the hotel and a bus/walk/ferry around the national park which was very nice.
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