It’s February and it’s time to start flying again. Tomorrow (Sunday) morning I’m off to Memphis on Delta for a week of meetings in the lovely? city of Southaven Mississippi. First time in Memphis and I’ve picked a week that starts off with a huge snowstorm snarling air traffic all over the Eastern US. The schedule has me leaving Toronto at 12:35pm for a flight to Atlanta and then, less than one hour later, hopping a MD-88 to MEM. What could go wrong with that much time between connections. Plenty. Investigating alternatives now should I not be able to make that second flight.
In the new age of airport “security” a 12:30 departure means I have to be at Pearson by 9:30 am to see the latest instalment of Security Theatre as performed by US Customs and the good folks at TSA. TSA as we all know stands for Totally Shitty Attitude so I can expect to poked, prodded and degraded for a few hours. Of course, it could also be our CATSA folks – CAnadians with Totally Shitty Attitudes. Either way I’m sure I’ll enjoy the show.
Once in Memphis, it’s a quick drive to Southaven which is just across the state line so I hope to be in the hotel in time to watch most of the Super Bowl. First time watching the big game in the US so I’ll be able to see all those multi-million dollar commercials that we don’t get up here.
Meetings Monday to Friday and then back to the airport for a 6:30 pm flight back to Atlanta and then home with a landing scheduled for midnight. And just for shits and giggles, I get to do the same thing all over again 2 weeks later.
Flight reports to follow.
EyeNo Flying Is Fun, Travel
Downtown Einsiedeln
Not much happening today. Making sure my body clock is resetting. It’s snowed off and on today but nothing much is sticking. Walked through town and picked up a few things at the local market.
EyeNo Travel
Snow in Einsiedeln
Well I’m here. The picturesque town of Einseideln South of Zurich. The flight across was terrible. No sleep and cramped quarters. By the time I got in, I was dead tired so I just grabbed the train and headed straight for the hotel.
Once we started climbing up into the hills there was something just not right. Was that snow??? Sure enough it started snowing and it hasn’t let up yet. Big wet flakes that make it hard to see but at least they’re not building up on the ground. The picture is from the balcony of my room at the Drei Konige Hotel. Utilitarian accommodations but at least I can duck outside for a smoke.
This day is a right off so I’m going to grab some sleep and see if I can get on Swiss time.
EyeNo Flying Is Fun, Travel
Steve Miller Band song stuck in my brain today. Getting ready to board my old friend Air Canada flight 878 to Zurich. The travel freeze has thawed so it’s off to Switzerland for another week of meetings.
Unfortunately the days of business travel are long gone so I’ll squeeze into seat 21A and *try* to catch a few hours sleep on the way over. Landing around 8 in the morning Swiss time which gives me 1/2 day before I can even check in at the hotel in Einsidelen, about an hour by train away.
Got the new Dan Brown book to waste some time if sleep won’t come.
Next post from Swissieland.
EyeNo Flying Is Fun, Travel
Let’s close the book on this one. Flight from Zurich to Toronto took 9 hours and 5 minutes. The plane was only half full so I got 2 seats to myself. Not enough to stretch out (like some lucky bastards who grabbed the middle row did) but much more comfortable than normal.
Turbulence across the Atlantic was pretty brutal for about an hour. Always fun to watch those big-ass wings flex. We took off in cloud and I didn’t see the ground or water until we were about 5 minutes from touchdown as we crossed Lake Ontario.
I shot off the plane and managed to get through Customs in about 5 minutes which must count as some sort of record. We landed at 1:15pm and I was home by 2.
Delivered chocolates last night and this morning so I can now say that the trip is officially over!
EyeNo Travel Toronto
Just over 4 hours until we depart Zurich for the 9 hour flight back to Toronto. Another crummy night’s sleep but today I don’t care. Tonight I get to sleep in my own bed again.
I’m really upset that I’m missing the big press event at the museum today. We finally unveil the new name – Canadian Air & Space Museum – and kick off our celebrations of the Centennial of Canadian Flight. I hope that the place is packed and everything runs smoothly.
Time to get ready to go. Grab a quick shower. Finish the packing. Grab the shuttle bus to the airport. Buy the chocolate (I can’t leave Switzerland until I buy chocolate). Check in at Zurich is always a pain as they never seem to have enough people on the desks. Air Canada farms out their passenger services to an outside company and I’ve never been terribly impressed with their customer service skills. Once I endure that it’s a quick trip through passport control (why, oh why can’t Canadian Customs be so efficient) and the 2 minute train ride with the mooing cows and yodelers. If you’ve ever been through Zurich airport you know what I’m talking about.
Seat 21K today. On a Boeing 767-300ER this puts me squarely over the wing. Smoothest seat on the plane. Catch a few catnaps, watch a movie or read a book and then I’ll be home. Home. What a wonderful word.
EyeNo Flying Is Fun, Travel Canada, Toronto
Moving day. Woke up this morning in Einsiedeln to the sound of a band crashing and banging up the street at 5am. It’s some sort of winter carnival here in Switzerland but it really doesn’t seem to have a timetable.
A day of meetings (last one!) so I had to make the trip from Schindellegi to Kloten so that I’m closer to the airport for tomorrow morning’s flight. For the first time in all my travels here I boarded the wrong train in downtown Zurich. Figured it out within one stop but it left me a 45 minute wait until I could get the right one going the other way.
Finally made it to the Allegra Hotel in Kloten – surely my favorite hotel here. Bright, colourful, comfortable and smoker friendly!
One more sleep and then Air Canada can get me the hell out of here and back home where I want to be.
EyeNo Travel Canada, Travel
Actually got a good sleep last night. Very surprised when the alarm went off this morning. It’s a good thing I got some sleep because the subject of today’s meetings is very, very boring. It has no relevance to the business we do in Canada but it’s mandatory that I learn it.
The snow finally stopped overnight and, while not sunny, the sky is much lighter than yesterday which helps the whole staying awake fight.
EyeNo Travel Canada
This is what 3:30 in the morning looks like in Einsiedeln Switzerland. Not a pretty sight is it?
I was dog tired last night and hit the sack at 9pm. Slept great – until 1am. Now I’m wide “awake” and dreading the fact that I’ve got a full day of sitting on my ass in a meeting to look forward to.
So what does one do at this time of the morning? Watching TV is an option. The hotel has tiny little TVs with 16 – count ‘em – 16 channels. None of which are in English. Usually you can get CNN International or BBC but not here. I can watch Law & Order with German dubbing (surprisingly good) or these surreal soft-core pornfomercials which include naked tug of war, naked poker, naked rhythmic gymnastics, etc. wrapped around 15 second ads trying to get you to call on your “handy” (cellphone) and talk to beautiful girls who are waiting to satisfy your every aural desire.
I’d love to have a coffee but the idea of in room coffee makers hasn’t made it to this part of the world yet. Everything in the hotel and the town is locked up tighter than a drum so I’m sucking back Coca-Coca Light and hoping for some sort of caffeine rush. The alarm goes off in about 45 minutes and I know I could lay down right now and fall fast asleep.
EyeNo Travel
First day of meetings is over. It started snowing at midday and continued throughout the trip back to Einsiedeln. Very pretty, very much a pain in the ass when you have to walk up steep hills to the hotel. Cobblestone, snow and dress shoes do not a good combination make. Tomorrow I’m wearing my Timberlands (should go well with a tie).
As is the usual, tonight’s dinner will be anything but Swiss. Probably a pizza. It’s not that I don’t like Swiss food; it’s just so dam hard to find. Lots of Italian, Chinese, Thai, Mexican, Greek …… but hardly any “traditional” fare to be found at night.
Here’s another picture I took yesterday that gives you a little better idea of how much snow they have here.
EyeNo Travel
It’s February and it’s time to start flying again. Tomorrow (Sunday) morning I’m off to Memphis on Delta for a week of meetings in the lovely? city of Southaven Mississippi. First time in Memphis and I’ve picked a week that starts off with a huge snowstorm snarling air traffic all over the Eastern US. The schedule has me leaving Toronto at 12:35pm for a flight to Atlanta and then, less than one hour later, hopping a MD-88 to MEM. What could go wrong with that much time between connections. Plenty. Investigating alternatives now should I not be able to make that second flight.
