Our travel agency had arranged a private transfer to the airport so we did the check out at the unearthly hour of 2am and waited with our luggage in the dark lobby with just the sleepy receptionist who I had woken up a short while ago. Our pick up time was 2.30am, it came and went and no sign of car or driver. I called up the emergency number listed on our voucher and the person informed that the driver had left and should be reaching shortly. Of course he arrived just as I switched off my phone; it felt like we were the only persons travelling to the airport at that hour through nearly empty streets with hardly any vehicles.
Our driver zoomed through the streets to reach the airport in half an hour. Imagine our surprise when we reached only to learn that the check in desks open just two hours before the flight, we were three hours early. Everything was closed and the few tourists at the airport were all trying to get some sleep in the chairs.
With just one cafe open in the whole place we had no choice but to sit there with our luggage. I ordered some coffee and we waited for some food as there was none. They told us that we could get fresh baked goods in an hour so we waited at our table for an hour and then picked up some sugar coated pastries which were welcome as we were both hungry.
With 2 hours before our flight at around 4.50am we headed back downstairs to our Swiss check in desk. There were just 2 young girls in the queue before us. After waiting in vain for 15 minutes we enquired with the clerk to be told that their system was down....how nice!
Another hour of agonizing wait later their system finally started working and we could check in. Then we headed to our departure gate, past the security check which was minimal.
Boarding the small plane taking us to Zurich we were both a little sad that it was the end of our journey. We got coffee and juice on board the plane....and of course a Swiss chocolate. The plane was partly full at that hour 6.50am, again the two of us were the only Asians on board, .
Zurich was cold and drizzling once again, we cleared passport control and the security check and headed to the gate for our flight to Mumbai. I picked up some chocolates from the Sprugli store and we both wanted something to eat but every cafe was crowded with no available seating space, so we decided to wait for the plane to get fed.
Our plane was on time at 9.45am; again an A-300 and we had similar seats on the right hand side of the plane this time. We were served breakfast and I settled down to finish my movie – Julie & Julia. Post which I got the chance to watch Django Unchained, lots of blood and gore as expected being a Tarantino flick. Then I switched to a comedy.
Once we landed we cleared immigration and headed to the duty free to fulfil our shopping list for family and friends, then hands laden with bags we headed to the conveyor belt. Our bags are almost the last ones off the plane. We both take prepaid cool cabs and say our goodbyes, my cab has to stop for fuel ...of course ...and then I am finally home after 9 days... the cats just glance at me as if I never left....
In hindsight I wish we had spent more time in Salzburg and Florence, the two places I felt we just got to the starters and missed the main course...both have lots to offer but we were time constrained. Also instead of taking trains maybe flying would have been faster for some of our longer journeys. Lesson learned for the next trip....I definitely want to visit Venice again, just to sit on San Giorgia Maggiore Island and soak up the Venetian air...and the views of Venice. That is something I will treasure forever, the breeze in my hair and the sun glinting off the water in the lagoon. Also a slower pace next time as we have seen the Must See's on the list for each place. Savouring the destination, instead of zipping through it is the charm. I think we got to do that only in Venice our first port on the first day. Still it was a dream come true for me, having only ideated about visiting Venice for ages, now I have left my footprints on the isle.
No comments:
Post a Comment