A Trip Across the Pond

I knew this trip was coming. I was hoping it was going to be postponed at least a week, but no. Congratulations on your new marriage, now go to Bosnia. LOL I told everyone I went with that I DID NOT want to hear anyone complaining or talking about being homesick. They had NO RIGHT and I didn’t want to hear it.

This is the 4th trip I’ve taken away from S. This one, I think, is as bad as the first one. It’s farther. There’s a HUGE time difference (6 hours ahead). And I’m not even on the same continent. He gets home from work just as I’m getting into bed. Yeah. It really sucks. We send a few texts here and there, but they’re not all that cheap. I have a plan, but I’m sure I’ve surpassed the 50. I haven’t even tried to call. I’m trying to save money and it’s not cheap! Yes, I get $10 a day for phone calls, but that’s like 2 minutes?

Okay. So I flew out Saturday. I didn’t get on the 6:20 that everyone else was on. It was booked when I tried. So, I was on 5:30 to Newark, then to Munich, then to Sarajevo. Supposedly. I’m sitting there waiting for my plane and I notice the couple from India is hurriedly packing up their stuff. So, I check the board. My flight is delayed… 2 HOURS! Yeah. There’s no way I will be able to make my connecting flight to Munich now.

I stand in line. An hour. To try to get on the 6:20 with everyone else. Yup, there’s a few seats left, they’re boarding soon. The ticket needed to be reissued because it’s an international flight. I think this is key. So, I hi-tail my arse from D14 to C02. Thankfully, a helpful man in a transport cart helps me part of the way. Now, remember, my foot is still hurting me from before the wedding.

I make it. My CWs are sitting there waiting. The plane was delayed due to the quick jet-stream and they haven’t started boarding yet. YEAH! I have about 20 minutes to gather myself before they start boarding. I’m in section 4 so there’s no way I’m going to get to board early. But when they call my section, I forget about overhead bins and we’re chatting. Then, “Oh yeah! Overhead storage for luggage!” We hurry up and get on the plane. I’m in the last row. In the middle. Yay.

Here’s the thing about being the last seat of the plane. They airlines should be more accommodating to you. They start everything in the front, and by the time they get to those unfortunate enough to have to sit there, we’re shafted. No choices for meals, drinks, snacks, room to lean back, etc. This time I didn’t even have arm rest room! Jackarses on either side of me hogged the rests the whole flight!!

They handed out drinks and the tiniest pretzels I’ve ever seen! Then it was dinner time. I had what was glorified spaghettios, salad, and bread. It was okay. I was hungry. I did enjoy the on demand movies the whole trip. It wasn’t easy not watching the new ones, but S hasn’t seen them and it’s not fair to him for me to watch a new movie without him. At least that’s what I feel, anyway.

I also typed up some of the wedding story in the iPad. It was nice to have the case that allowed me to keep it at an angle, making it easier to type. I didn’t have that before and I am very grateful to have the iPad on these trips. Like right now, I’m watching Lady and the Tramp on it. There’s only so much History channel and Avatar a person can watch away from home.

Finally, we land and panic sets in. I can’t find my passport. I’ve search every pocket, every nook every cranny. EVERYTHING! Where the F did it go?? I’m screwed, not I’m beyond screwed if I can’t find this thing. Seriously, WTF did it go?? I look EVERYWHERE! They usher me off the plane, they’ll search it. I decide to just start dumping EVERYTHING I have out onto the runway. FINALLY! Some reason, it was in my book. I don’t even remember doing that. At all.

By this time, everyone’s off the plane, away from the gate, and gone. So, I start following the attendants. Finally, I hear my name and see them all standing at Lufthansa. That’s the next leg of the trip. Munich to Sarajevo, in about 2 hours. Wow am I tired. Coffee is a must PRONTO!

We stop at a café in the airport. I get a latte and a gorgeous croissant! The latte is in a bowl. Just saying. Holy layers of flaky goodness. You haven’t had a croissant until you’ve had one in Europe. I’m totally convinced at this point. Granted, I haven’t frequented fine bakeries in the DC area, but I’ve had croissant everywhere I can and I can say this was THE BEST one I’ve ever eaten. I’m sure they’re better in France, but this was to die for!

We sit another hour and chat. Then we wander to our gate for the last leg of this trip. For some reason, the boarding pass I had wasn’t any good. They didn’t issue new ones when we got to the counter. *shrugs*

Take off was okay. Clearing the Alps? Not so much. HOLY TURBULENCE! I felt like I was at Six Flags or something. I laughed. It’s the only thing I can do. If I think about it too much, I’ll be afraid of flying and to me, that’s just silly. So, I laugh. Apparently, others with us on the trip didn’t. N looked like she was going to toss everything she’d eaten that day when we got off the plane.

They served up a sandwich. It was cream cheese, turkey, and tuna with peppers. Interesting. I may play on this when I get back. It really was interesting flavors and tasted pretty good.

There weren’t many on the plane. So, it only took a few minutes for all the luggage to be unloaded. And…I’m waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And nothing. Yeah. For some reason, I knew this was going to be the case. I had no intention of seeing that bag Sunday. Thankfully, I packed all my undies and one change of clothes in my carry on. BUT no deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, etc.

We were ushered to the hotel. I was so thankful to see a bed, but they wouldn’t let us sleep. The time change. *shrugs*

So, we had about an hour before we headed to get something to eat. We toured the mall a minute and stopped at a store where I could get some essentials for work the next day. Then we walked to the restaurant. Tavola is in the old part of Sarajevo. Old Town Sarajevo is a web of markets, restaurants, shops. If you want it, it’s there. Well, except for an authentically dressed doll and a tea towel. I may have to settle for a tote bag, but we’ll see what I can find.

Anyway.

We had this really nice wine. It was a CarskaZilavka from what I can gather to be Podrum Grge Vasilja winery. It has a really pretty label and was a very interesting white. Work talk ensued with discussions of the situation that had just taken place and what our plans were for our trip here, what the plans were for the program here, and what the plans are for the trainings here. Cleaning house, so to speak.

I ordered a chicken breast with Gorgonzola sauce. Oh.My.God. was it fantastic! I didn’t realize I would see so much Gorgonzola on the menu in one country. I think there’s at least one recipe with this cheese in it at every restaurant we’ve been to. The chicken was tender and moist and the Gorgonzola sauce was creamy and had that perfect bite that this cheese has. It was served with some roasted potatoes that were pretty darn good, too. I didn’t eat it all. I wanted to eat it all. I wanted to lick the plate, but didn’t. I’m not trying to gain 800 pounds while here and eating out every day for 2 weeks will be tough.

Especially since I know it’s not low fat.

I can’t remember if we did dessert or not. I don’t think so. The desserts here are fabulous! I can literally eat my weight bakLAva. That’s how they say it here. But I don’t recall eating any that night.

We wandered the streets a bit to see two churches in the old town. We saw the eternal flame. This city has been hit hard by war, and rather recently. It’s mind boggling to think that this town was in the middle of a war in MY LIFETIME. I can’t imagine how I would feel in Iraq or Afghanistan. Thankfully, I won’t be visiting either of those places.

I was never so happy to go to sleep, but I wanted to stay up until it was a normal sleep time for me or at least normal for when I would be getting up. I usually sleep 7 hours. Not matter what time I go to bed, I will wake up 7 hours later. Case in point, last night I was out by midnight and was up at about 7:10 this morning. 11? Up by 6. That’s just the way I’m wired. So, I typed away and tried to stay up until 11. Boy, did I crash hard after lights out. I don’t think I even turned one bit. What culinary adventures would await me on Monday? Who knows!