Getting things sorted out.

Yesterday morning was a bit of an early one for Travelling Companion and I,  since she had a boarding time of something like 6:25.   I managed to drop her off outside the departures door at around 6:05 a.m. which for Vienna was plenty of time,  but if it were Toronto,  would be a disaster.  Even though I grumble about a couple issues at the Vienna airport (like the convergence of pedestrians and cars)  they have their shit together when it comes to getting passengers on their planes.  You need to show your boarding pass to get from the check-in area to another area reserved for passengers only,  (not sure what you would call it) and then they have the normal security at the gate.   That means you’re not lining up with every other passenger in the airport.  There’s only the other nitwits that are on your flight.  With it being such an early flight to a city like Bonn,  the chances are that your fellow nitwits are business travellers such as yourself,  and aren’t about to hold up the line by doing stupid things.  I could tell many a tale of some of the stupid things I’ve seen at security,  but I don’t want to wear my fingers down to the bone.  We’ve been doing this “heightened security” thing for ten years now,  and people are still wearing cheap jewellery,  leaving their belts on,  and trying to take a jar of gravy to the folks back home.  
Not kidding about that last one. 
Saw it in Schiphol. 
Swear to God.
Thankfully I had gone through before her....


The last two days have once again been driving days,  but before the Sister-in-law and I could head off to Slovenia yesterday morning,  I had do that vignette thing that I mentioned last time.  I took my official looking document,  along with the detailed invoice from getting the wind shield replaced,  and found the OAMTC,  that is situated just off the ring.  This is the same place I had to go to way back when, in order to get a “translation”  of my Ontario driver’s license.   It has that Triple “A”  feel to it,  since it is a driving club as well,  but they also sell luggage,  travel insurance,  have an emergency service,  and sell bicycles.  Yes,  bicycles. 
Turns out I was missing a document,  (does anyone ever plan on mentioning these things?) the nature of which is still a mystery to me,  but as I calmly pointed out to the silly little dimwit behind the desk,  I only have so much patience.   These things are for sale at most gas stations,  and as all car expenses are covered by the arrangement made by the Company that Cannot Be Named,  I just bought another one when I fuelled up,  and stuck ‘er on the wind shield.   We’re good to go.

I’m willing to try doing it the stupid bureaucratic way once,  but if I know there’s another way,  then the solution is simple.  I just need that sticker on the wind shield.  I don’t care who pays for it.  Well,  mostly.
So that meant that we really didn’t get on the road until some time after 10:30 a.m. (I think)  which meant getting into Sava at around 2:30.  I wasn’t really paying attention to when we left,  since I knew ahead of time that I’d be camping out there for the night.  The last time I did the run to Slovenia to take Sister-in-law down for a visit,  I came home on the same day.  Apparently that didn’t sit too well with our hostess,  as she felt I should spend the night and rest up. 
Whatever.

She has finally figured out though,  that I will consume no alcohol before heading out once again,  but that certainly doesn’t preclude her from having us try all kinds of “Schnapps”  before,  during and after the evening meal.  All home made,  by the way,  and all highly deadly.  Of course the wine with the meal was home made too.  I was certainly no where near inebriated by bed time,  but I probably should have been in order to not hear every freakin’ train that went by.  Doesn’t really help on the drive home when you’ve been kept awake most of the night by all the passing trains, but I did keep my eyes open the whole time.  That’s usually a good thing?

If you take a gander at the map  (and I hope this works)  you’ll notice that the green arrow that I stuck there,  is mighty close to the train tracks?   Yes?  Not so bad in the winter time when the place is buttoned up,  since the house has these thick concrete walls,  but it got pleasantly warm yesterday afternoon,  and I wanted the window open.   Fool.

(on edit,  I noticed that my arrow is off just a tad,  but you get the idea?)

I’ve been doing this run enough times that I really no longer need to put on the GPS,  unless it’s to check to see what the estimated arrival time might be.  It’s actually quite accurate that way. 
Earlier on though,  we made the mistake on leaving the thing “engaged”  when coming back towards the Austrian border,  only to discover that some of the newer section of road is missing.  Didn’t realise what was going on,  and ended up driving through part of Maribor in order to get back onto the main drag.  
That was a drag.
Didn’t do that again.

You can see below what happens if you just choose to stay on the highway,  by following the signs and using some common sense.

Ya,  we’re just flying in the air it seems.   Happened once in Italy,  and I prefer to just shut the thing off,  rather than hearing such nonsense as,  “If possible,  make a legal U-turn”.   (said with a proper Queen's English accent).  It’s too bad that the system doesn’t have any way to “learn” the new route,  but it’s just too dumb for that.  Probably just as well,  since I’d sooner leave the ultimate driving decisions up to yours truly, even if I do screw up once in a while.   I find that any time one gets in trouble using a Sat Nav system it usually involves the absence of a bit of common sense.  Didn’t I say that?
Thankfully the car no longer has that annoying “Service past due”  thing come up every time I start it.  Talk about being “smart”  and dumb at the same time.  I had the oil changed at the first interval,  but there was no way to reset the stupid thing unless it went to a dealership.   Muggins here doesn’t go to the dealership.  Sorry. 

I’ll try and weave a tale of some more Slovenian snippets on the morrow*,  since I presently feel a nap coming on.

Y’all come back now.


*um…read, “tomorrow”?  
It’s just English. 
Don’t be confused.


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