Flight to Brussels

July 7 2007

Brussels, Belgium & Languedoc, France

Being the compliant good citizens we are, we embarked on the first leg of our journey to the acclaimed Will Rogers World Airport with plenty of time to spare. In reverence to the TSA and all the extra security measures being taken to outsmart Al Qaeda, we arrived around 10 am for a 1:20 flight. We anticipated long lines, strip searches and untimely delays having been alerted by the fear mongering media. We were checked in, through security and waiting at the gate by 10:10.

I feel safe now.

Atlanta was another story. Although we had no security issues, having not left the secured area, we did have a major concourse change to navigate having arrived in the trailer park basement regional jet jungle of Hartzfield International. We managed the 30 minute sprint to our designated gate only to be informed of a gate change to the opposite end of the concourse. This was not noted on the electronic flight boards throughout the airport and only indicated by a handwritten sign at the gate. Guess Delta had to let go of their flight information data entry people to emerge from Chapter 11.

This was further complicated by a tight connection of only 40 minutes. Lo and behold, shocking as it seems, the flight was ultimately delayed another hour.

Nevertheless, I'm grateful to have gotten my Atlanta sprint in.

We finally boarded the flight to Brussels which was packed. We always seem to have the good fortune to be seated next to the unhappy child with healthy lungs. The screaming continued well into the initial beverage service - which by the way, alcoholic beverages are no longer free on international flights. However, by this time, I would have bought the kid some Dom Perignon, just to shut her up!

The meal was decent. The attendants were civil and managed to crack a smile. All was well until after dinner when the sun-damaged bejeweled Belgian woman seated in front of me reclined.

Being nearly 6 feet tall and seated in Blood Clot Coach Class, this felt like being pinned in the wreckage of a car crash for 8 hours. I thought they would have to summon the Jaws of Life to extricate me.

The Rozarim my doctor prescribed was of no use. I was simply too miserable to sleep. The movie was some stupid Sandra Bullock flick. The Made in China elastic face mask Delta gave us was too tight and, frankly, I feared it might be tainted with anti-freeze or some other toxin.

Finally, dawn broke somewhere over the UK. We arrived in Brussels on time in spite of our departure delay. Gotta love those tail winds.

My legs felt like they had been reattached. To walk and breath freely without fear of tuberculosis was like a dream come true.

We really thought we were out of the woods and finally on vacation. Sailed through immigration and found our baggage claim carousel without incident.

Time passed..... The carousel went around and around, and around some more. An hour had gone by and no bags. A driver was to meet us outside of baggage claim to take us to the hotel. We feared he was long gone and that our bags were still in the Hartzfield Regional Jet Jungle. But alas, a charming Sebastian Cabot look alike appeared flashing a sign with out names on it. We waved wildly in his direction.

We explained our baggage dilemma and delay. He calmed our fears by explaining that Belgian baggage handlers have July off and poor starving college students fill in for them. Sometimes after a long night of Belgian Beer consumption, they don't always show up for work and/or aren't always the most efficient in transferring baggage. In another 15-20 minutes, our bags finally arrived.

The trip to the hotel in the smart and oh so spacious BMW Sedan was heavenly. Arrival and check in at the lovely hotel went smoothly. We collapsed in our comfy bed for a 2 hour nap and proceeded to enjoy a fabulous al fresco lunch of sole, mussels and lamb in a mustard cream sauce.

After a brief stroll, we're collapsing again before dinner. It's Sunday and not much is open.

Don't expect this everyday. I just needed a good air travel rant.

Tah, Tah for now.