I'm writing on the flight from Frankfurt to New York City right now, feeling utterly defeated.  What originally was a brilliantly planned trip back, starting at 4am this morning, became a nightmare.  I scheduled my return to New York on Singapore's Frankfurt to JFK flight at 8:30am, meaning I had to take the regional Lufthansa flight from Munich at 6am.  Sure, I was sacrificing sleep, but I figured I would be tired enough to sleep in luxurious SingAir biz class, leaving me fully refreshed by my 10:30am arrival, just early enough to run some errands and relax a little on my precious Sunday.  

But plans are always meant to be broken.  My flight got canceled due to mechanical problems.  Without reliving all the painful details, let's just say my colleagues and I scrambled around the airport all day, running from counter to counter, including clearing customs three times, just to get on this Lufthansa flight so I can be back to unpack, pack, sleep, wake up at 5am and fly to Orlando.  I hate it.

Some random thoughts in no coherent form:
- Lufthansa is like the German version of United.  During the whole ordeal (our original flights were booked through them), they failed to make sure we'd get home ok, and all of their ticket agents lack the imagination of ticket agents in the US in terms of re-routing people back.  For instance, a first class customer who asked to be put on a Newark flight was asked, “Are you sure you're willing to go to Newark instead of JFK?”  Cluelessness abound.
- Lufthansa business class – at least where I'm sitting in the bulkhead section, reminds me very much of United biz class, nothing special, preset entertainment programming.  The airport lounges (both at Munich and Frankfurt) were equal to United in every sense of the way.
- There is no wireless Internet on this plane as my colleagues promised.
- Munich is an amazingly rich city.  Beyond the countless Mercedes, BMWs, I saw Ferraris, Porches, everything.  My colleague commented on its rich car culture here and all accounts seem to confirm that.
- In Munich, I was lucky enough to stay at two separate luxury hotels at corporate rates: Le Meridien, which was modern and chic; The Kempenski on Maximillian Strasse which was a classic, with world class friendliness (an extra place given it's in Germany).
- The 2.5 days spent in Italy was way too short and I didn't get to enjoy much of their fine dining, although I did have a fantastic gelato in hazelnut and pistachio flavors.
- The autobahn in Germany has a system that controls the speed limit.  When it detects little traffic, all limits are lifted.  We hit 210 km/h going to the airport, ;)
- My work itinerary didn't allow me to visit any friends from INSEAD.  At least I met one of my classmates who joined the Beijing office.

I realize I sound like a spoiled brat, after all I went to Europe.  But right now, physically I feel like crap.  Exactly one week ago on Sunday, I flew to Orlando.  Then to JFK on Tuesday night to connect to Munich in cattle class.  Arriving in Germany, I went straight to work, and then flew back and forth between there and Italy.  Woke up at 4am on Sunday morning only to take another 24 hours before getting home.  Weekend gone.  Energy gone.  Work week coming.