Airport Chairs - Ryan Air Strikes Again!

Remember those iMob cards that guy gave us when we first got to Venice? Those were 24 hour cards…and during our time in Venice (as well as most places in Europe) paying for public transportation really isnt something people have to do…it’s a risk as occasionally people do come around to verify you have paid for your transportation…during our entire trip, we had yet to see someone representing their country’s government to check for free riders…like us. Today, it happened. The very next stop after we had gotten on two individuals boarded the boat and started verifying everyone’s iMob card…somehow we managed to be completely passed by and didn’t get tossed overboard.

We planned prefectly (as always) how to get to the airport, how long it would take and everything and what happens? Take a guess. Originally we were set to take off at 1230 but after an annoucement was made in Italian, everyone got noisey so we were unable to hear the English translation…we finally got the rundown of the situation…Our flight was delayed due to technical difficulties. So we waited…for 5 hours. Ryanair rescheduled the flight this time (thank goodness) for 515pm…it was then they finally told us what happened, what the technical problem was…when it landed earlier, a bird went through one of the engines and protocol is to get a mechanic to check it and make sure its safe to fly. I am prefectly fine with that. However, since Ryanair is such a small airline and flies into small airports, they don’t just have extra planes to replace the damaged one with…so we wait. And since these small airports don’t have large planes flying into them all the time, qualified mechanices aren’t on hand…so after we find out that a bird flew through the engine, we are told that a mechanic had to be flown in from London…We’re in ITALY!!! They’re telling me that there isn’t a qualified mechanic closer than London to check the engine? 515pm becomes 545pm which becomes 615pm…RyanAir strikes again!

During the extra time we had to spend in the airport I had some time to think about things…things like who designed the chairs for airports? You know, the seats for waiting passengers at the gates and terminal areas? Honestly, have either the person who designs them nor purchases these seats ever spent more than five minutes in the chair? Seriously. I’m curious. It would seem not because had they done so, they would have taken that clay model, squished it into a tiny ball and thrown that ball out the window into rush hour traffic to be run over multiple times until there is no remnant left of it. Maybe its just me, maybe I just have a body that can’t contort into a swiss army knife like Jody but from what I know about myself and the human body, im pretty sure I wasn’t meant to bend in the way I think might possibly make these seats more comfortable. And whats with the arm rests? At least on the plane they got it right…at least you can put them behind the seat and sprawl out if there is no one else in your aisle…no such luck at the gate. No cushion for comfort, low back so your neck and shoulders have nothing to lean up against…so if you even thought about resting your head you have to slouch so low in the chair that by the time your neck reaches the back of the chair, your legs are causing congestion as people try and walk by as your butt is nearly ¾ of the way off the chair making the small of your back the support for all your weight. Ironically enough, the airport is where most people spend a majority of their travel time. That’s right, its not in traffic on the way to the airport (unless you’re very unfortunate), its not in the check in line, security line, coffee shop line, its not even the duration of your flight…60% of the time you spend traveling consists of time spent in the airport terminal at your gate…comfy chairs anyone?

We made our flight, got into frankfurt and found our hotel which was near a Chinese resturant where we stopped in for some take away…it was late when we got in so although we had originally thought we’d be able to see a little more of Frankfurt we couldn’t. We did however, come up with a list of things that all people should know and grow accustom to in Europe. Here they are:

List of Things to Get Used to:
1. Spaniards are the most obnoxious of any nationality
2. You will always be underdressed compared to Italians and French
3. There will always be a long line to wait in
4. Tourists will block your view of anything you may want to take a photo of
5. Don’t bother with ‘Excuse me’ when you bump into someone
6. When waiting in a que (a line), push your way to the front, everyone else does
7. Bathing is overated here, ergo its optional
8. Every inch of room will be used up in a subway car, mind the demonstrators
9. Cross streets with aggression
10. They know you’re a foreigner if you wear tennis shoes, flip flops, have a clean cut hair do or have skin exposed, wingtips are the shoe to wear and bedhead is best
11. Digging deep through your nasal cavity to scratch your brain in public is acceptable
12. When driving in a rotary and see your turn, just go for it or you’ll be turning circles like we did
13. Learn how to say “Without gas” in whatever language it is you’re heading towards, trust me
14. Skin tight pants are cool
15. Dogs are better behaved here than children are in the States

Finally, if any of you are interested in seeing more photos of our trip, please visit the links (copy and paste them into your bowser) below to my facebook page where you can see a wider variety and much bigger in size.

Germany: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2073523&id=28201752&l=d57ee21ae1

Spain: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2073526&id=28201752&l=83d616d022

France: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2073545&id=28201752&l=6d97c52c56

Italy: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2073597&id=28201752&l=1e2c8330e8

Eiffel Tower: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2073606&id=28201752&l=060756381b