Purgatory

I’m not entirely sure what was going through my mind when I booked Europe 2.0. Literally Europe 2020 (hah). Mostly it was OMG FLIGHTS ARE THAT CHEAP AGAIN?! AND MY FRIEND IS GOING TO BE THERE AT THE SAME TIME!? WELL OKAY.

So I booked my flights sometime late-last year and then just didn’t really think about it again. A little bit of “it’s ages away”, with a lot of “I’ve done it before” thrown in for good measure, meant the weekend before I flew I literally had no idea what I was packing or what coat I would use for the weather.

Thanks to Mum, though I’m sure I would have done this that weekend anyway, I went shopping and found everything I needed at once. Excellent review for Kathmandu gear here, and their sales rack! 😍

My first flight was Wednesday night to Australia, to connect to my main airline carrier Etihad for an Abu Dhabi – Amsterdam itinerary. The flight to Aus was OK, 3 hours, nothing to write home about. I waited in Brisbane airport for just under three hours thanks to my flight being a little delayed. It was the flight to Abu Dhabi that killed me. 14 hours, overnight flight, dark and cold and dry and awful. I attempted to wait the longest amount of time imaginable before checking to see how far we’d gotten, thinking at least 6 hours had passed – it was only 2. Straight tears. The flight itself wasn’t too uncomfortable for how long it felt I’d been there, but by golly.

I met a couple girls at Abu Dhabi airport when we got off the plane and were in customs lines, and discovered we were all heading to Amsterdam on the same connecting flight. Even better, our seats were next to and behind one another! So the (what comparatively felt like the shortest flight in the world) 7 hour flight went by like a breeze as we chatted intermittently and saw some amazing views from the window.

I stayed in an Amsterdam airport hotel for the night, with airport transfers and transport being so, so easy there, to give myself a break from the 33 hours of travelling just for before carrying on to my final destination of Copenhagen. The stay at Ibis was just what I needed to refuel to be ready for Denmark. Even in the cold, dark, Winter…

Regards, Alex

Travel Time

This is the section of roof of Hong Kong airport from my little corner I’ve claimed. I really noticed it because I’m currently lying on my back on the floor to get some kinks out and reset it all good.

The first leg to Sydney was awful. I was flying Qantas, and there was nothing WRONG except I remember international travel being cosier. Heck, it’s never pleasant, but I’m pretty sure the seats on the 3 hour flights are smaller than the long-haul. It makes sense, but it was hell. I’m a lot bigger than the last time I travelled internationally, too.

The second leg wasn’t anywhere near as bad. I regret not watching more entertainment to Sydney, as my airline switched and I had a new selection. The new selection isn’t very good, but my neck got a kink from reading too much so I ended up attempting to nap. This didn’t go so well, unsurprising as I’ve never slept in planes. I’m hoping I will be so exhausted on the last flight that I can.

I considered buying a neck pillow. Mum suggested it before I went through security back home, but my head felt like it would just slip off the material of the ones available and it ends up being just another thing to carry so we didn’t go that route. Then with how incredibly uncomfortable I was on the AKL-SYD flight, I looked around Sydney airport but the cheapest I could find was $50AUD and that’s just nuts. Discovered the headrests are fully adjustable in the plane anyway so more or less sorted, not as malleable but still. They’re only $138HKD here but now I just can’t be bothered.

So here I am, lying on the floor of Hong Kong airport like a nerd. Thanking the lord that I wore leggings under my jeans so I can take them off, wishing I’d bought slippers to change into on the flight but also not wanting to punish anyone with removing my sneakers.

P.S. They have a smoking room here. Just a room, inside the airport, dedicated to smoking. I understand it, but it’s just a cigarette hotbox. So gross.

Anyways.

Regards,

Alex