A six and a half hour hour flight, faster than we thought, a mixed bag of fellow travellers, grandparents going home, young parents and a preponderance of older adults just travelling - destinations unknown.
Usual routine for European flight: get on, sit down, and then....read, listen to music on personal devices. One hour into the flight get a packaged dinner, three hours of lights out, another box of food (breakfast) then another hour until touchdown.
Touchdown and wait for three hundred people to leave, did we mention that our seats had been preselected for their position on the plane - two seats by themselves in a row of two, at the back of the plane - great bargain at $40 a piece. Anyway the plane had taxied for twenty minutes (how big is Schipol Airport anyway - too bloody big!) and a walk that was twice as any in YYZ (Toronto). Finally get to baggage claim 18 and yet another wait - total waiting time 70 mins. Clear customs with nary a glance from the one Officer at the gate and on to the car rental. Quick paperwork and then another long walk to the car.
Get the car, make sure the (in)attendant marks down the huge gash in the rear quarter panel, familiarise oneself with the controls and we are off to Aalst. Two hundred and thirty one KMs. With Doris the GPS lady telling us exactly where to turn we made it in just over two hours. Speed limits are variable but range from 90 to 130 KMs very good for an impatient person.
Check in at the IBIS in Aalst and the room is ready, Doreen immediately closed her eyes and slept, I was off to the bar for a coffee. It arrived in a small Euro cup, just enough milk to turn the black less black, two cubes of sugar but it was a caffeine jolt equivalent to any four RedBulls. Welcome to Europe! Mitigating the price was the free croissant and the two little dessert goodies that came with it - just what was needed.
What with Doreen's eyes refreshed and mine not closing, because of the coffee, we are ready for the Family Stuff this afternoon and tomorrow
That's all for today next post after the weekend when we fly to Spain.
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