Travels with Kathryn

Today is the 27th December, and I am writing this on train 2 of 2 to Vienna airport before hopefully catching flight 1 of 2 to Istanbul, then onto Colombo. If all goes to plan, I will reach Sri Lanka after just under 24 hours of travelling…

But that is Christmas over for another year, presents were unwrapped, we feasted on goose and only just about managed to not set fire to James’ new appartment:

Today I was off! This is the travel plan:

My first train from Sankt Martin im Innkreis at 7.40am (way, way too early), and I had been concerned as Austian railways kept sending me messages that there was a cancellation or change to my booking. Turns out that this was wrong, or it was such a minor change I did not notice! This was the little two carriage local train as I watched the sun rise over icy landscapes.

At 8.42am I arrived at Attnang-Puchheim to catch my 9.01am intercity train to Vienna airport, which I am now on. Attnang-Puchheim is the Rugby of England, i.e. many train lines interchange here, but no one seems to actually live here. This is possibly because it exists in clouds offreezing fog – far colder than our darkness change from Munich airport on Christmas eve. This is a busier train, although evidently a number of people (including a large group of Chinese tourists) are having what I assume are short breaks in Austrian cities as they got off at Linz. We now have more people with suitcases who I assume are travelling with me to the airport.

It is now 12.30 and I have just eaten a bowl of overpriced pasta in Vienna airport. An uneventful journey on my second train, although there is obviously some construction going on at the airport as I seemed to walk miles to Terminal 1 to check in (which took all of 2 minutes), then back on myself to Terminal 3 where my gates are. I am being reminded of Geneva airport – these are the gates where you have to come through border control i.e. it is all those horrible non-EU types. Also similar to Geneva there is very little in the way of shopping or eating options, mostly uninteresting looking sandwiches and then just drinks. However, there were 2 pasta options, and I found them!

Well, some time has now passed in that I am writing this from Sri Lanka! But let me backtrack a little. My flight from Vienna to Istanbul was full and whilst I felt a bit guilty by not swapping with a lady and baby from her window seat to my aisle seat, I felt less guilty in not swapping with the man who wanted his wife to sit next to him but she was also in the middle seat. I said no to him too. In my defence, I felt I did the decent thing and put up the aisle arm rest to give them both more space. Anyway, I knew I had a tight transfer time in Istanbul – 70 minutes to be precise, and whilst I felt I had limited chance of making it, I was going to do my best. My anxiety levels were not helped by the plane landing 20 minutes early and then spending 25 minites taxi-ing to the gate. However, just before the seatbelt signs had been switched off I leapt up and hustled to the front of the plane (in front of the business class passengers which I am not sure they approved off) so I was first off the plane. Walking up the snorkel I tried to overtake an offical lady – and she asked me if I had a transfer, I said yes, she said Colombo, I said yes and she directed me off to the left. I was then greeted by a man saying Colombo? I said yes, and he said go left 2 minutes. It genuinely was 2 minutes, and I arrived at the gate just as they were starting to board. A miracle!

Full credit to Turkish airlines, they really were organised. I would also add that they had some of the best inflight food I have had in a while (pasta on my first flight, and chicken on my second) and extra points for a bright orange amenity kit (including mini toothbush, socks and slippers) and Molton Brown handcream in even the economy toilets. Most impressive. It was an 8 hour flight to Colombo, but not the best body clock timing wise as I would arrive at 6.30am local time which would be 1.30am body clock time so whilst I tried to sleep I was not overly successful.

On arrival into Colombo (not standing until the seat belt signs had been turned off this time) I was greeted with Christmas, and perhaps more amazingly, that my bag had also made the connection (huzzah) and has now been retrieved.

On arrival to the hotel at 7.30am (after an excellent Uber ride) I was told that if I could wait as a group were checking out after breakfast (the other Intrepid group) that they would clean a room and I could check in. Also waiting was a lady from my group who also turned out to be my room-mate. Most convenient. By this time it was 10am and I was flagging somewhat so I had a shower and settled down for a nap. The tour officially starts tonight so I will start a new post for the plan and the off.

More to follow…