Leaving home was not as sad as I had expected. I assume it's because I woke up later than intended and before my father took me to MARTA (train) I spent several minutes taking failed pictures with my sister and pups...
Also my sister literally LOVES taking pictures. She yells "SELFIE!" and then starts posing.
Walt wanted to be in the pictures as well..
So I have taken three flights and traveled for like 24 hours straight. I booked through student universe which has great deals but then I guess not the most efficient connections but I actually REALLY enjoyed my trip. Minus the whole exhaustion thing but it comes with the territory.
ATLANTA
The airport was kind of a mad house, but I got through security with plenty of time and was boarding at the T terminal so I didn't have to traverse the whole Atlanta Airport which was a nice change. That was about the only positive thing about my flight to Chicago though. I made the horrible mistake to be a kind person and switch with spots with this guy that wanted to sit with his wife.... I didn't realize that his seat was the last row so I had a very erect seat which made for a very uncomfortable neck cramping nap.
CHICAGO
So it makes me sad that a lot of my friends have moved away from Atlanta, but then when you do have multi-hour layovers, chances are you will have friends in that city! And if it's a great friend she will come take the train to meet you at the airport then take a cab with you to fulfuill your craving for deep dish pizza and if you are reeeeelly lucky she may even bring you snacks and mini wine bottles :D 🍷🍷🍷🍷
So thank you Stephanie for making the effort to see me! It was the perfect way to spend my 4 hour layover ☺️ Even though the waitress at Giorgiano's hated us.
So I flew American Airlines ATL-CHI and then CHI-MAD I flew Iberia which is the Delta of Spain. I was so lucky because I got a window seat ANDDDD the guy that was originally sitting next to me moved seats which means I got a whole row to myself for the 8 hour flight. I didn't sleep much but the complementary wine and a couple movies made for a lovely evening.
Side note: Everyone should watch The Woman in Gold. It was a GREAT movie. I don't know if it was the wine or the subject matter but I was bawling my eyes... I did also cry during the new Cinderella movie which makes me think the wine definitely had an effect...
MADRID
Spain was so happy to see me again I got a rainbow 😜
I literally woke up with a headache which is embarrassing. Le sigh what I would do for my nonhangover days..😔
I only had two hours in Madrid so I wasn't able to leave the airport but I bee lined to one of the cafes to indulge in some Spanish cuisine. Coffee, Spanish tortilla sandwich, and freshly squeezed orange juice plus people watching while reminiscing on the months I lived in here made for an excellent breakfast. It was so great to hear the Spanish accent and expressions again.
A few things that my short time in Madrid reminded me of:
1. boys love dem jean shorts. Tight and mid thigh just like I remember but it appears that the latest fashion is with a little cuff at the bottom.
Such a pretty airport.
More details on what I did my first day will be posted later. Except I did eat a gyro for dinner #diningallaroundtheworld 😁
2. fedoras are all the rage
3. the coffee is delicious and tiny and strongggg. so it's probably for the best that they aren't American size.
4. Children do their own thing and parents do very little to discipline/control. Watched an 11 year old flicking off the camera in a family picture being taken by who I assume was the grandmother.
Also, in true Spanish fashion, our flight boarded 40 minutes late. At least they don't waste any time sitting at the gate with everyone on the plane.
ATHENS
Of course I had an aisles seat, and since it was a trip within Europe, the plane was significantly smaller and I could not move my seat and when I finally did fall asleep the lady in the middle aisle had to go to the bathroom 😑
Like three and half hours later, WE MADE IT! It was like 220pm when I got there? There was a one hour time differene from Madrid.
They have smoking boxes in the airport. Makes them look like they are in time out.
WHAT A RELIEF when my bag came. I was worried with all the connnecting flights that it would get stukc somewhere.. and as a backpacker where ALL of my shit was in there, literally would have been the worst.
It took me few tries to find the bus area for bus x95 and of course because I have never been here I was unaware you had to buy your ticket before getting on. Luckily the bus driver was very helpful (I am sure I am not the first lost backpacker he's helped) and gave me one on line. He drove like crazy man but I ended up standing next to him the whole way there to chat about what should be done and of course some basica Greek phrases.
The bus dropped me off in Syntagma Square and I guess I must have looked very lost again beccause this old man started talking to me. Supposedly he worked as a Greek professor but his missing teeth made it seem unlikey... regardless he was very nice and not sketchy and told me about Lycabettus Hill where I can go and see all of Athens. That's on my list now. I imagine at sunset it would be beautiful!
From there, another bus, 2, was to take me close to the hostel I was staying at: Pagrati Youth Hostel. One of the things I really like about traveling by myself is that I can act like a fool and I have no one to embarrass. And by fool, I mean try to use the 4 Greek words I learned and ask for directions from everyone. I knew I was supposed to get off at Filalou, but there was no map of the stations on the bus and they weren't annoucing them either, not that I would have understood anyways. I asked this girl about my age and it turns out she lived in the area that my hostal was in and volunteered to basically walk me to my hostal. Thank you Marietta! Even though I still somehow got lost for another 15 minutes and asked probably another 4 people until I finally just put it in my phone hahah I think I walked passed it several times -_- But whatever, I eventually did find it!
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