Oh, the joys of living and working in Europe......

[DFW]

Ah, it’s tourist season (and strike season) again. This morning, I got to the airport a little less than an hour before flight time. At 5:35 AM that’s usually more than enough to zip through security. Usually. Today wasn’t usually.

There was a line to check in baggage that was two hours long (at 5:30 in the morning!!), and a line for security that stretched almost across the whole airport. I was miraculously tossed into the “priority” line, even though the airline I was flying with has no such designation. I barely made the flight, but since I had no checked luggage, when I made it, everything made it. I am now back at the Barcelona airport, where my 1 hour 50 minute flight back to Düsseldorf is delayed by just about again that much. If I make it home by midnight, it will be a miracle, and I live a 15 minute drive from the airport.

I had things to do in Belgium tomorrow, but my ever-vigilant (you can tell he’s in the private sector) travel agent called me in the taxi to the airport to tell me that all public transportation in Belgium would be on strike tomorrow, so nothing was going in or out of there unless it was on the back of your own private Roc or a team of friendly Kebnekaise geese was willing to take a collective detour, and Nils Holgersson had the day off.

I made some calls, blew off Belgium, and rerouted directly to the Netherlands where I will spend the night.

If I’m lucky, the strike will be over by Wednesday night, so that my train down to Paris on Thursday, which passes through Belgium, will again be running. I have stuff to do on Germany on Friday, so it would have to be a MAJOR happening to get me to blow that off.

Anyone who thinks this gig I’ve got is all the best scenes out of a James Bond movie needs to understand that there is a flip side every now and then.

[Polly Hennessey]

1. I am feeling exhausted for you.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. If ANYONE can do it, it's you, my dear DFW!

Still, I am sorry that these situations come up and then you're caught.

Do take care!

[ret5hd]

3. I kinda had the "Mission Impossible" theme...

running through my head.

[DFW]

10. It's more like-----

Show me the way to go home
I'm tired and I want to go to bed...........

[ret5hd]

18. What a great song. Thnx.

I love being reminded of long forgotten (by me) stuff like that.

[alwaysinasnit]

4. Oh, the life and adventures of DFW! I think a well-deserved libation is in order.

[DFW]

11. I'm screwed there, too

I don't drink alcohol

[alwaysinasnit]

14. Well, what about a non-alcoholic Shirley Temple?

ingredients

4 -6 ounces ginger ale
1 ounce grenadine
1 ounce lime juice
1 maraschino cherry
1 orange slice

directions

Pour ingredients over ice in a tall highball glass.
Garnish with a maraschino cherry and a orange slice.

[DFW]

15. That works!

or better yet: Tastl Wachauer Marillen Nektar!

Of course, they are a small production, and don't ship beyind Austria, Germany or Switzerland.

[alwaysinasnit]

16. If ever my kids travel to that neck of the woods, I will have them check it out. Thanks!

[panader0]

5. What about just driving in your Aston Martin?

[DFW]

12. Just poke through the Pyrenees at 400 mph

What if there's a detour and I miss it? At that speed, I end up in Portugal!

[asiliveandbreathe]

6. Enjoy your stories ..traveling can be challenging..as you so eloquently

demonstrate..for business, and deadlines.. not so much. Traveling for pleasure, especially after a couple years shut down..son (ret 21 years Navy), and DIL (from Philippines) travel today out of Phoenix to LAX, and then on to Australia..oops..

While still in AZ last night, "It’s midnight Sunday night…I got an email from Australia saying my documents were incomplete. What the? Anyway…it dawned on me…WE DON’T HAVE A VISA!!! So after an unhealthy blood pressure spike, they have this thing called an ETA, which is basically a visa but not really. We had to download and upload stuff, but the approval was immediate…WHEW…I saw a lot of money flash before my eyes…"

They will spend 3 days down under, after a 15 hour flight, then on to Manila..final destination Cebu and DIL family ..back through Australia..and home July 18th..they have traveled thru S. Korea in the past, as well as Taiwan.

I do not rest until he lands..but, that is being a mom..happy travels to you..

[DFW]

20. Asia and Oceania make Europe seem like a postage stamp.

Here we don't have 15 hour flights--just 15 hour delays!

[FakeNoose]

7. I know this sounds "too" American, but wouldn't driving be faster than flying?

I mean, there are no security checks when you drive your own car. Am I right?

[DFW]

9. Well, it's 860 miles, and a 110 minute flight.

They have speed limits in Belgium and France, so figure the 8 months in jail I'd get even if I DID have a car that went 400 miles an hour might put a real dent in my schedule--if the French cops had anything that could catch me, that is.

[FakeNoose]

17. OK friend, I get it 😉

I hope your luck improves.

[DFW]

19. After Monday, I'd say it can ONLY get better

(Famous last words, right?)

[appleannie1]

8. My son was involved in international sports car racing.

Met his wife in Le Mans. Like you, everyone thought he was the great world traveler and got to see everything. Reality is that he and his team rented a car at the nearest airport and drove straight to the hotel and from there to the track. The only thing he saw was the road between both of them, usually early in the morning to the track and late at night to the hotel,. When your job involves traveling you don't have time for much else.

[DFW]

21. Sometimes, it's little more than dots on the map.

Sometimes I get to enjoy a little of the scenery, but not often. Barcelona, København (Copenhagen) and Zürich are happy exceptions, because those whole cities are scenery.

[DFW]

13. 2 AM, but I'm back in Germany

Time for bed. Thanks for the advice everyone. Besides the fact that I tend to nod off if I drive too long, I can't afford a car that goes 400 miles an hour, and if I did, I'd probably never use it, and even if I did use it, my obituary would be in the works by the next day.

[malthaussen]

22. You don't need a car that goes 400 mph, you need your own plane.

Never to late to get a pilot's license!

-- Mal