Woke up 5:30 am Wisconsin time.
While driving to Green Bay I share with Jim that James’ flight was 1 1/2 hours delayed out of Portland. We had a great window of four hours, which was becoming less and less generous. Called James, really early his time, woke him up and said he needed to do carry-on rather than checked-bags. He had to repack and then immediately leave for airport.
So happy ending , we all met up with little or no time to spare. So many things could have gone wrong and later they did!!!
Jim breezed through nasty TSA screening at O’Hare. James and I got stuck in another line. After an hour in line and becoming best friends forever with people in front and back of us, we had to practically strip naked and be scanned. Seemed I was a problem, oops the wine opener I’ve been carrying around in my briefcase since 1997.
Now we need to walk from TSA to furthest gate. After a mile, arrived during final boarding! All the time getting urgent texts from business associates needing documents signed immediately, REALLY?
Now on Austrian Airlines, kind of a nice flight. Ten hours, James and I don’t sleep on planes. Jim caught a couple of cat-naps.
Arrive this morning: stinky, red-eyed, and disoriented. Vienna Airport is huge, totally disorganized and mystifying. After a mile of walking we found the rental car locations. Couldn’t find “Dollar Rent A Car.” Not really “Dollar” but “Hertz,” a little tiny sign indicated the association. Who puts rental car locations miles away from baggage claim? Also one has access to ones car through a obscure VIP Door? And…the knob is broken the second time you need to use it?
The need for a second time was the acquisition of euros. We have always just taken withdrawals on our bank cards, so not incurring ridiculous charges. Couldn’t find a single ATM in the airport that would accept our cards, until a knowledgeable banker divulges…”Go to main floor, take elevator to second level, when departing turn left and around the corner you will find the only machine that will take your card, SERIOUSLY! A little tiny machine tucked in a corner!!!
Anyway we got our car, a nice manual transmission Peugeot, all three of us drive a standard transmission and we love the feel of a nice car. Luggage arrived no problems, we’ve got money, we’ve got a nice place to stay, so it’s now time for bed. We’ve all been awake for 30 hours minus some cat-naps but what the hell, we’re on vacation, we’ll catch up. Please don’t judge us if we’re wiggy. Well, we’re always “wiggy,” but at least, this time we have an excuse.
Above pictures are something we will probably not be able to get in CZ. Sushi Bar in O’Hare airport.
thanks for normalizing all my bad flight stories!