I made it here. Some kinda way. So I’m just gonna live blog this, no editing or organizing. I’m in my hotel bed in Santorini (Thira), Greece — it’s after midnight here — so let’s do this while it’s fresh.
As much as I travel, you may be surprised to know that traveling causes me anxiety. At times GREAT anxiety. Simple explanation: I’m a maaaaajor control freak, over planner, over organizer. I plan contingencies for even my contingencies. And there is so much on travel day that is out of my control. Therefore, anxiety. Lemme clarify: not clinical anxiety (I don’t think?). I just mean the state of being anxious. Anyway, usually my anxiety is self-contained and I can let travel mishaps happen without my world ending. However, the more complications or uncertainty there is (late flights, tight layovers, missed connections, lodging up in the air, no plan for ground transportation, language barriers, stuff like that), the more likely my travel day anxiety will go from a 2 (which is where I hover on any travel day, even with completely solidified plans and all the time in the world) to a 10. Or higher. Today was about an 8. Anytime I have to run through an airport with my out of shape, extra hippy self, that’s an 8 for me. I don’t run. I don’t rush. I’m never late. 8.
Here’s how my day went, in pictures, because that’s way more interesting:
I love trains. My journey started this morning in a snow frocked Germany, taking a train to Nürnberg Airport. So far so good.
So here’s where the day starts getting dicey. Swiss Air booked me on a 40 minute layover. I knew that was a bad idea and I was worried about it all week. But I also thought hey, their system booked that. They must make that connection every day. Short story: no more layovers less than 1-hr. At least not in major international hub airports. Long story: Not only was the connection already tight, my flight leaving Nürnerg departed 14 minutes late. I did NOT have 14 minutes to just spare all willy nilly. AND when we finally landed in Zurich (my connecting airport), we didn’t even pull up to a gate. We parked in some kind of airplane parking lot purgatory with 50 11 other planes and had to wait for a bus to take us to terminal. Needless to say, I had to get my Jackie Joyner on through Zurich International. And according to the BMI, I am morbidly obese. So this was not a fun activity. Ended up making the gate though and they were at the tail end of boarding. That’s too close for me. #AthensBound
Athens airport was uneventful. Two hour layover. Strong wifi. I should have used that wifi to figure out my ground transportation and lodging in Santorini because oh, did I mention, I hadn’t even booked any place to stay until last night. Oh and also, I did it in a rush so I only booked one night. Apparently, I’m winging this trip one night at a time. That is fine and even preferred for a lot of travelers. But for me, refer to paragraph 2 of this post. I’m in my hotel for the night now but not having someplace to stay tomorrow set and confirmed makes me kinda wanna lose it. Like full on Britney Spears 2007 lose it.
After a bit of wandering around, glad to find Harry who called my hotel and chatted with me until the hotel driver picked me up from the coffee shop.
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It was dark when I arrived. It’s still dark. So I have no idea what Santorini even looks like yet. Can’t wait to get out and about tomorrow.
I have no hotel for tomorrow, no hotel for Athens the next day, nothing booked for either location, no transportation and I don’t speak Greek. HOWEVER, as haphazard as this day has felt, I’m not actually worried it. Everyone has been so nice and helpful to me. Plus I have cash, two credit cards and a nice smile! So I’ll be perfectly ok.
– Austin
Great start-enjoying “my” trip so far- as always be safe
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