Flying Out

 July 3 - 6,   

My dear friend, AJ, treated me to a mani/pedi along with a lovely afternoon enjoying the sights and sounds of June Farms in the bucolic countryside of North Greenbush. We enjoyed lots of laughter, photo ops and lunch on one of the loveliest weather days we've had. 







I packed up all day Monday, July 4th and tried not to obsess too much about what to bring. I promised myself not to bring too much. 

On the 5th I picked up a couple I've never met before and we headed to my friends Dale and Dan's house. We were joined by one more couple - Curt and Mary Elizabeth, before a private van drove us to Newark Airport in NJ. I should have known this would be a luxury trip when George convinced me to fly business class for the first time in my life. I have flown long overnight flights in economy and its no fun at all, so I decided Why Not? 

Well, we got to go into the priority line to check our bags which took no more than two minutes, then we were directed to the Priority class lounge. What a surprise to see you can enjoy a complimentary bar, complementary buffet, and a choice of seating arrangements. 

      Dan, Dale, and I enjoying the Polaris Lounge at the Newark airport.

We found ourselves a table, got drinks, food, and proceeded to get to know each other. Now, when George asked if I was interested in going on this trip, I told him I didn't really enjoy being the only single person in couples world. He assured me that there would be other singles along. Well, about a month before the trip, it became clear that there would be exactly 2 single people on this trip. George's brother Steve, and me. Hmm... very coupley.

Anyway, I met most of the other couples and then we were summoned to the plane. We had our own little seat compartments with bedding, overnight kit, complementary drinks and I settled in to spent the night.


                          My flying chamber.

                          A glass of Riesling to start things off.


Dinner was fish and veg which I regretted as it seems very risky to eat fish on a plane. There were no digestive issues, thank god. After dinner, I reclined my seat, arranged my pillows and quilt and got ready for a good night's sleep. Well that didn't really happen, as I was much too keyed up to sleep. I did rest and at some point I did nod off, so I must have gotten a few hours of sleep.  When I awoke, it was light out and we were just passing over a coastline. After consulting the flight plan, I realized it was France, and about 6 am. For the next 2 hours I enjoyed my favorite thing to do while flying - staring out the window and trying to identify what I'm flying over. I spotted Paris, lots of windmills, rivers, and agricultural land. Finally I spotted the Alps in the distance and got very excited. They were amazing. I got a nice photo or two as we landed in Zurich, Switzerland.

After a 45 minute rendevous with customs, we were greeted by a team of drivers to carry our bags to the transport to our hotel in Lucerne - the Park Continental. However - as is often the problem when taking an overnight flight - you arrive early in the morning, but hotels don't let you check in until later afternoon. George arranged a tour of Lucerne to help pass the time, and it was quite interesting to see what an adorable town it is. We were all quite tired, but keeping us on our feet and moving is a key component of overcoming jet lag. Did we have lunch? I can't remember. Yes, we ate at the hotel's garden seating and I had a rather dull mushroom pizza. We were finally able to check into our rooms, relax, and plan dinner - fondue!

Steve turned out to be a very kind and outgoing addition to the travel group and as Janice reminded us all many times - he has a drone. I'm fascinated by them so plan to get plenty of info from him before I decide if I want one.

Lucerne is so lovely, no wonder they have very strict rules about foreigners settling here. Most of us decidedly cannot afford to!


Comments

  1. MargaretJuly 24, 2022 at 12:10 PM

    I would fly business class every time, especially for a long flight. I love those comfy and private compartments! Lucerne is a beautiful town and one of my favorite places I've visited.

    ReplyDelete

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