European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 22, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Trave the $10 ticket to adventure by Jim Derheim staff photographer i f you happen to be sitting in a terminal somewhere in Europe waiting have Hope. You will get a flight. Maybe sooner but probably later you will depart this Gray and gloomy place. A in the meantime let me amuse entertain and educate you fellow traveler a with a Story about my one week Quot space a adventure. A monday in april 6 10 . The military Airlift terminal at Rhein main a Germany. At this hour the Coffee shop feels a Little like the equal or. Hot rooms always make me drowsy. Looking around at the Hal dozen passengers slumped in Booths under. The glaring fluorescent lights tells me the feeling is shared. Tired eyes gaze blankly at a. Video screen flashing the latest dance hit by . Hammer. Garble comes out of the overhead speaker As a tinny voice Calls out the next Batch of space a seats. Being the Well prepared passenger that i am i had signed Day. Before. Leave papers in hand i had put my name Down. A for i he maximum number of. Destinations allowed five a with Simonella Sicily at the top of the list. Next were Rota Spain in Ciurlik a Turkey iraqi Ion Crete and f. Anywhere Germany. \ i had no set itinerary i just wanted to go away. And being the Overly cautious Type of space a passenger i had stopped by the sign up counter upon arrival at 5 15 . To double Check that the Simonella flight was. Still on the Day s departure list. It was. All i had to do now was wait for the space a Call watch . Hammer and stare at the remnants of a Ham egg and cheese. Concoction whose taste value did t h -. Its Cost. A a a a a Quot suddenly i m gripped by sheer terror a something must have happened to my southbound flight. Two minutes later i m at a counter where a passenger service representative stands gazing out Over nearly empty terminal. I ask her Quot have you called the flight for Simonella yet Quot she replies matter of factly Quot this flight goes to Iraklion Naples and Rota Vve re not going to Simonella trying to remain Calm i grip the Edge of the counter and ask Quot Why not Quot Quot because we have no need to go to. Simonella today j m thinking Quot but i have a need to go to Simonella . And there dear Reader is where most of us go wrong. Believe it or not is not in existence to ferry us off to a dream vacation via Philadelphia or Rota or Mildenhall England. Mac is there to carry freight and once in a w Hile if there is space available a c-141, c-130, c-5, or if we re Lucky a space a travel is often a waiting game. Here Plush medical evacuation c-9 with windows will take a few of us extra people parcels with them. Now a Little Wiser i make a mad dash to the baggage Check in counter. With seconds to spare i make a snap decision to ride the flight to Rota and dash into the departure lounge. On this morning there Are Only 12 of us including two drowsy soldiers on leave. Spec. Lisa Dickerson and sgt. Rhonda Fisher boo Fric ads from the Frankfurt area who Are aiming for Rota because Quot we be never been there the two Are following one of the primary rules of travelling have plans b and c. Quot if we can t get to Rota Quot Fisher Quot Well go to Italy. And if that does t Vork Well rent a car and drive Down to Quot. A also in the departure lounge is a Young army staff sergeant his wife and two Small daughters. Unlike the Sawy Fisher Dickerson combo they have their hearts and minds set on Simonella. I relate my experience at the ticket counter to the family but Ever hopeful they Tell me that. There is a possibility that they can catch a. Hop out of Naples one of the stops to play that will land them in Simonella. Travelling around Europe or Hack to the United states via a cargo flight is. Cheap costing $10 from Point of origin to destination but it is not in most cases c convenient. There Are Long Waits to desolate terminals where Security forces will not let you leave the base while you wait for your Light. There Are disappointing adjustments 56 stars and stripes travel Europe May 22, 1991
