2007-12-03 Why I Don't Like Asking Directions

Today I've been to Frankfurt for a medical examination that's required to get a work permit for New Zealand. The examination itself -- X-ray of my chest, blood sample and being asked if I take drugs -- was nothing special. It's the adverse conditions that make for an interesting post.
I got up at 6:30 AM and left the house at 7:30. Plenty of time to get my appointment in Frankfurt at 9:30. Or so I thought. On the road it turned out that my darn GPS didn't know the street I had to go to. Dangit! At least it could lead me to Frankfurt, and I'd simply ask directions as soon as I got there. Next obstacle: traffic jams. Gah! Not one. Not two. No. Three bloody traffic jams. Three.
It wasn't until 10:30 that I got close enough to asking for directions. Have you ever tried that in a city that's made of one-way streets and construction sites? Here's a selection of what people told me:

Expert: "Yeah, the Red Cross Hospital is down this street. It's really simple. Just turn left into Yadayada Road, then right to Foo Street and drive for 173 meters until you see the chemists at your left. There's a one-way street called Dummy Drive. There you should ask again."

Pedestrian: "Red Cross Hospital? Uh, you're completely wrong here. It's on the other side of the city."

Blondie: "Sorry, I'm not from here myself..."

Eventually, a local told me it's close to the zoo, so I parked there and walked. At 11:30 I had finally found it. Guess who was already sitting in the waiting room... Blondie! According to the documents she filled out while waiting, she is going to emigrate to Australia.
My next appointment (you need to see two doctors -- one for the X-rays and another one for the rest) was postponed from 11:00 to 15:00, so I had plenty of time. Finding the place was simpler this time, because for some strange reasons, my GPS recovered and told me where to go. Guess again who came in when I left. Blondie...
Two more traffic jams on the way home. Never mind. I arrived at 6:30 PM and went to bed almost immediately.

Oh, but they gave me the X-ray photograph. I'm going to try and post it tomorrow.