Although I’m sad
to leave Athens, I must be on my way. I don’t want to miss my flight so I ate a
quick breakfast (more croissants, butter and apricot jam), and took two boiled
eggs, an apple and a pear for the journey.
First hiccough of
the day. I bought a return metro ticket when I arrived here for 14 euro, but do
you think I could find it? I searched every pocket and nook and cranny. No
ticket. I walked down to Monastiraki thinking if I told the ticket office I had
bought a return journey for 14 euro but couldn’t find the ticket, they would
give me a substitute. How else could I
know it was 14 euro, and why would I bother making that up? However, I had to
pay another 8 euro for the return journey, the silly part being I didn’t have
to scan the ticket anywhere nor was there a ticket inspector on the train. I’m
sure everyone doesn’t even worry about tickets!
Luckily I only had
to wait less than 5 minutes for a train, and it wasn’t crowded. There were two
kids on the train; the boy was playing accordion and the little girl was
collecting money. I gave them the last of my loose change (less weight to
carry!)
Second hiccough.
With little warning, the train stopped at Doukissis Plakentias, and everyone
was told to get off and wait another 20 minutes on the platform for the train
to the airport. I have no idea why. I hurriedly clambered off the train with my
suitcase, backpack and Thai bag, which by this stage was full of all my outer
clothing. The Airport train finally arrived –it was obviously bound for the
airport as it had lots of racks for suitcases. Unfortunately, I couldn’t lift
mine up onto the bottom rack so just found a seat with space for it beside me.
Of course, this train was packed. Another boy came along playing accordion, but I told him I'd given all my money away on the last train. I don't know if he believed me but the funny part was he was playing exactly the same song as the last boy! They must all go to the same music school! I chatted to a Japanese couple who were
heading home today. We talked about Japan- I sound like such a world traveller!
People I meet admire me for travelling on my own-it’s such a confidence
booster.
Once at the
airport, I find the Lufthansa check-in desk which says you must get boarding
pass from the machine. Bugger that! I waltzed up to the desk and explain
machines don’t like me and expected her to direct me over to one, but she says no
problem and prints my boarding passes all the way to Lisbon and checks my
luggage through as well! Lovely! I won’t have to worry about lugging a suitcase
round for 5 hours in Frankfurt.
I have another
couple of hours to wait until boarding so go to the correct gate to wait. I
called into the bookshop on the way- I’d love a book to read in Frankfurt- I'd probably
finish it in 5 hours- but couldn’t find anything that I hadn’t read or wanted
to read or was in English, so remained bookless.
I started to get
peckish so thought I’d peel an egg and eat it. Third hiccough, well, more of a
choke actually. First bite and it gets stuck in my windpipe. I thought I was
going to die in Athens airport. I couldn’t breathe, I was coughing and
spluttering, and eventually dislodged the offending piece! Of course, I had to
abandon my water at security so didn’t have any to wash it down with! Everyone
was looking at me, but no one offered to help.
More waiting- the
plane was late, very late. Eventually, we all boarded as quickly as possible
and the plane started to reverse out before everyone was seated! They are
really trying to catch up lost time. I’ve never seen that happen before. The
stewards were hurrying trying to get everyone seated before takeoff!
Up, up and away! The
plane was completely full, but I had a comfy window seat. As we ascended into the clouds, I took one
last look at my beloved Athens. The sea was a deep turquoise today and looked
stunningly beautiful. I wished I could have taken a photo, but it probably
would have just been me reflected in the glass, knowing my photographic skills.
Surprise! It was
after 3pm, but we were served a meal! Something cheesy and delicious, with a
bread roll and a Greek sweet thing, but only a 200ml bottle of water. I
devoured the lot! After passing over
Tirana and Kosova and Linz, we arrived at Frankfurt airport. I tried to find
the allotted gate for my next flight, but of course they don’t get chosen until
one hour before the flight. So I found a comfy seat, hooked onto their free
wifi, and even showed another lady how to do it, and lay down across a few
seats with my head on my Thai bag and my knees over my backpack. I was actually
the most comfortable I have ever been in an airport and snoozed the hours away.
When I roused myself to go to the toilet (what an ordeal with all of this stuff
and no one to leave it with), I checked the board and found my gate- 10 minutes
walk the sign says. Well, probably 15 for me!
I didn’t have long
to wait until we were called to board. I was over waiting and just wanted to go
home! If I wasn’t meeting Stacey tomorrow, I’d be looking for a flight! As I was boarding the plane, I spot a
Lufthansa Technik guy doing something to the plane. He then climbs up and
pushes in front of me to get to the cockpit. I said to the hostess, “That
doesn’t look good!” to which she laughed and replied “It’ s OK!”
The plane quickly
loads; my window seat is beside half a family- the other half is on the other
side- so I swap seats to the other side. When a couple sits beside me, I
quickly decide to occupy the three empty seats in front of me, before anyone
else has the same idea. As we are taking off, there is an ear-piercing high
pitched noise that doesn’t stop. I’m looking around and asking “what’s that
noise?” No one looks the least bit perturbed, so I mutter my final farewells
and “love you’s” to everyone, before stretching out and falling asleep
immediately, thinking if this keeps up all the way to Lisbon, and we actually
land in Lisbon, I’m going to wake up with a headache for sure. I slept the whole way. I never did find out
what that noise was, but I’m telling you, in all the flights I've taken over the
years, I’ve never heard a noise like this! The hostess must have woken me to
put my seat belt on, I looked out the window and saw the lights of Lisbon, then
promptly fell asleep again. I didn’t even wake up when we landed! I must have been tired. I woke up just as the
last passengers were getting off! I sleepily followed everyone to the baggage
carousels, where there was still a 11 minute wait until the first bags arrived,
so I dashed to the toilet before collecting my bag and joining the queue for a
taxi. There’s no way I’m going to catch the metro at midnight when I don’t even
know where I’m going! I hop in the front
of the taxi and make (very) small talk with the driver. His English isn’t great
and my Portuguese is non-existent! My airbnb host has told me the fare would be
about 15 euro, so I’d kept 20 in cash from Athens for this very purpose. When
he stops in front of my airbnb, he says 33 euro, and shows me a blue laminated
excel sheet filled with numbers and points to 33! I couldn’t even read it! I
pulled out my 20 and said this is all I have. Of course, he doesn’t have card facilities.
He started arguing and I just kept saying sorry, my friend told me it would be
15- I was going to give you a 5 euro tip! He eventually gave up and accepted the 20. I’ve
since found out another cabbie tried to charge one of the guests here a
whopping 60 euro. I don’t feel so bad!
Maria, my airbnb
host had stayed up to greet me and took my suitcase up the stairs to her first
floor apartment. All I wanted was a shower and a comfy bed. She provided both!
The hot water is an old-fashioned gas one where you have to light the pilot
light first. Maria showed me how it was done and I decided if it was not lit, I’d
be having a cold shower or staying dirty! I was asleep the minute my head hit
the pillow. I’m over travelling! 8 weeks
is enough.
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