There’s Here!

And I’m probably going to go for a nap.

Seems that SOMEBODY had that Christmas morning kind of excitement going on this morning,  and was up and had turned the coffee on not too much later than 5:30.

Normally that whole coffee program is my deal,  but with the caveat that well,  I have to get out of bed first?  

Checked on the flight on line,  and saw that it was going to arrive a bit early, at around 8:05,  which turned out to be somewhat optimistic in the grand scheme of things,  but no matter.   There’s always a certain amount of waiting around when it comes to these things.   Usually it’s me waiting for T.C.,  so it was nice to have some company for the wait.

It didn’t seem to be all that busy at first,  but as the international flights all started to arrive,  the arrivals area was getting to be more and more crowded. 

 

If you know whom to look for after you click the pic,  then good for you.  If you’re not one of the chosen ones,  I’m sorry.

 

Leading up to the arrival,  all the while watching the arrivals board,  waiting for the flashing lights to indicate when the plane had finally touched down etc.,  I was approached by a young lady asking for directions.   This might be because I tend to hang back? Maybe I look like I could be approachable?  Not sure.   She was very pleasant,  both in her demeanour and looks,  and was speaking a language that didn’t make a whole lot of sense to me at first,  but I got the idea she was looking for Gate B.  That part made even less sense,  so I thought maybe she was just a wee bit confused.

Since we just happened to be in a German speaking country,  (and I still didn’t really know where the heck she needed to go)  I proceeded to try and give her some directions to either the outside taxi stand or to the trains. That didn’t seem to have the desired effect,  as  I was getting that blank look of a person who has no clue what you’re talking about,  so I said,  “Perhaps English would be better?”   Well yes,  she did speak a little English, and was wondering where Gate “B” was, (see, that’s what I thought,  but it was some Slavic tongue that wasn’t quite lighting up all the lights in the ole language centre….)   since she had to catch a connecting flight to Düsseldorf. 

Um ya see,  if you’re out in the arrivals area,  past the point of no return,  you can either rent a car and drive to Düsseldorf,  or take a train, or maybe there’s a bus?  But getting back on a plane means you need to stay on the other side of that “point of no return”?     I wouldn’t say that and stress the person out even more than she already was,  but it was a thought that briefly crossed my mind. 

All I said was,  “Oooh,  that’s a good question.  I’m not 100% sure,  but I think you shouldn’t have come out through those doors.”    

I don’t even think she said anything at that point,  since there was that moment of realisation that she had taken a wrong turn, and that was why there were no signs to the gates!  After that second or two when I could quite clearly see her come to this realisation, she made a hasty retreat back through one of the doors,  never to be seen again.  This was good,  since if she had re-emerged,  that would have meant I was dead wrong.   We didn’t want that.

Oh,  and if you’re wondering how that’s at all possible?   Well,  security is done at the gate.   There isn’t one big “Cattle Call”  like at some airports,  where you have to line up with each and every person who is ever going to be flying anywhere that day.   No,  here in Vienna and in most of the other airports I’ve been in so far in Europe,  you only have to line up with the clowns who will be on your flight.  It’s a good time to size up just who the idiots are,  since T.C. and I always breeze through, (knock on wood) get a good seat in the departure “pen”, (kind of reminds me of preparing livestock for transport)  at which point I quite enjoy watching all the shenanigans as people who apparently have never been to an airport in their lives,   proceed to do all manner or really dumb things as they attempt to go through security.   Quite entertaining really,  but only if you’re not behind them. 

 

Speaking of being entertained while in your comfy seat, our departure from the parking lot was somewhat memorable because of the freakin’ wind chill!   I swear I put two,  two Euro coins in that stupid machine,  and then it had the nerve to tell me I still owed €1,90.   The total cost started out at €3,90!   Grrr.  Somebody owes me two Euros!  The thing was,  the wind was just pickin’ things,  my eyes were getting kinda watery,  and I just wanted to get out of there.  Ya,  that was fun.   It seems it was quite entertaining for my three passengers as they sat nice and toasty in the car.  “We couldn’t figure out what you were doing.”  Right.  Well,  apparently neither could I.  Glad you enjoyed the show.

*******

 

I seem to have a number of pictures of guests in the back seat of our car. 

 

Just for fun,  they brought along a can of Tim Horton’s™ coffee.  Always good.  Along with a copy of Friday’s Globe and Mail.   I think I know what I’ll be reading for the next few days! 

 

We already have fly swatters and cling wrap,  what more could I want?

 

Well,  at this point it seems I’m the only one who is awake.  We’ll have to see about that.

 

Keep those sticks on the ice.

 

Thanks for stopping by.

 

 

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