So I didn't sleep well the night before I left Budapest. I was up most of the night, ate breakfast at 6:45a, then got some pitiful sleep until around 11a. Then I had to check out of my room. I left my luggage at the hotel and wandered over to Raday utca, which is a pedestrian street near my hotel. There are a ton of cafes and shops. It was hot as hell...like 97 degrees. I just took a stroll, took a few pictures, then went back to my hotel, slept in a chair for an hour, and waited for the Airport minibus.
When I got back to the airport, it was mass chaos. It first appeared that you couldn't check in for your flight until they opened a specific line for it. In other words, you couldn't just go to any counter to check in...there were specific ones for your flight. But after hanging around for 15 minutes, I finally saw some automatic kiosks and used one to check in.
I ate Sbarro...there was no real Hungarian food at the airport. Then I got online for a few minutes while I waited for my flight. Little did I know what a hellish ordeal I was in for.
I got on the plane and was in an aisle seat next to an Irish girl. There were several children in my immediate vicinity. Now don't get my wrong; I like specific kids, like Matty. But I hate when kids misbehave and their parents let them get away with it. The kid directly behind me, who is riding on his mom's lap, starts screaming. Screams for 20 minutes. He finally calms down and he and his mom constantly jostle my seat for the rest of the flight. The kids across the aisle fight and shout occasionally too, while the one behind me screams randomly.
We finally get to Amsterdam...I think, oh I'm saved! But then we sit at the gate for 20 minutes because there is too much lighting to let us get on the jetway. The kid behind me runs up and down the aisle like a little demon imp, trying to get in the cockpit. We finally get off, go through the customs rigamarole, and then go try to find out which belt our luggage is on. Look at the board...no Budapest. Still no Budapest 20 minutes later. Finally I ask a rep who directs me to the right belt. I wait forever there for my bag...seems the storm is keeping the baggage guys from unloading bags.
I go to my hotel near the airport, which is crowded with people trying to get a room due to their flight cancellations. Glad I had a reservation! I ate quickly, took a hot bath, and passed out. Up early to go back to Schiphol to catch my flight. Again the airport is packed. It takes me an hour to get checked in and get through customs. I met a cute Continental pilot in line. He and his colleague were trying to get back to LA to go to work...they'd been in Italy.
Finally got through the mess, grabbed a quick bite, bought some books and mags, and headed to my gate. At Schiphol, the security process is decentralized...there's a metal detector and Xray machine at every gate. So I'm going through security in yoga pants, a tee shirt, and sneakers, and I set off the metal detector somehow. So I got the complete pat down from a cute little security agent. And I mean she patted me DOWN:) Is it bad that it's the most I've been touched by another person in ages? Sad...
Anyway, I'm in Zone 1, so I move to get on the plane. The little ticket scanner rejects my boarding card. Based on my previous day, I'm thinking, oh shit, what now? They take me aside and another agent goes and checks his computer. He comes back and says, we changed your seat. I'm still thinking, am I getting screwed...like the middle seat? But NOOOOO! First class, baby! My medallion status got me upgraded, which has never happened on an international flight. It was heaven...personal tv, big blanket, fully reclining seat, decent food. Hell yeah.
So I got into ATL this afternoon and it took a good hour to get through customs, get bags, etc. I have been doing laundry, uploading pix, etc. since then.
Thanks for reading my travel blog...I'll let you know when I'm going on another trip!
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