Reifel
Nov 19, 06, 1:27 pm
Hello everybody,
I want to tell you about a really great trip I made a few weeks ago. It was a flying marathon from friday to monday. Initially, I just wanted to be on the inaugural flight of FlyNiki Vienna-Frankfurt. Of course I could have flown some boring Ryanair from Frankfurt Hahn to Bratislava the day before, but I prefered to make a big routing out of it:
Initially I planned:
27OCT in the evening BA FRA-LHR
Staying overnight in LHR
28OCT in the morning LO LHR-WAW
28OCT early afternoon LO WAW-GDN
28OCT in the late evening K2 (Eurolot) GDN-WAW
Staying overnight in WAW
29OCT in the morning wit DY (Norwegian) WAW-MXP
29OCT in the evening with SkyEurope BGY-BTS
Staying overnight in BTS/VIE
30OCT in the morning inaugural flight with HG (FlyNiki) VIE-FRA
Well, at least that was the plan. As I reconfirmed my flight with Norwgian (WAW-MXP), I got an error message. I called Norwegian and they told to me that my flight has been cancelled months ago, as the don't serve this route anymore. They claimed having informed me and that I had chosen to cancel my flight (yeah sure). As I only had one week to get them to rebook me on Alitalia or LOT, which they didn't, and as time would not have been enough to take legal action. I choose to take the night bus from WAW to VIE with Eurolines. This was quite cheap (approx. 35 €). This would also mean that I would lose my SkyEurope-flight BGY-BTS, but whatever... As long as I get my inaugural. And after all, the bus made the whole thing even funnier.
Okay, enough introduction, let's get this trip started.
On the 27oct I took the suburban train right after work from Wiesbaden to Frankfurt... I arrived at T1 and tried to check in for my Lot-Flight LHR-WAW on a Lufthansa Quick-Check-in-Machine, but this didn't worked. I took the Skytrain to T2... It was 20:30 and not a lot was going on, except an Astana-Flight to a neverheard city (something starting with B and a nevernding name) somewhere in Kazakhstan.
I went to the BA-counters to check-in. There were 3 or 4 counters opened, but no passangers there. The agent was really nice. I explained her that I would be staying overnight in Heathrow and fly the next day with LO to WAW and asked if she could check my trolley through.
Of course, I would have been able to take the trolley as hand luguage, but there were some liquids inside (all you need for your daily shower etc). Therefore I would have needed to check-in the luguage at LHR in the early morning, staying the whole night landside... Checking the trolley through would have solved that problem, as I would be able to get through the Flight connecting center in the airside area and stay there overnight.
She kept on trying but the machine only printed out tags to LHR. She went to check with her supervisor then and took over 5 minutes to come back, but she was unsuccessful, as the responsability in case of damage or loss of the luguage would have been unclear...
I thought I would take the trolley as hand luguage then and try to check it in at the flight connecting center, although I was not sure if this would work.
She then gave me my boarding card with my preserved seart 5A. I spend the waiting time at McDonald's and had a nice view on the quiet apron.
http://img489.imageshack.us/img489/5589/ba915ak7.jpg
27OCT06
BRITISH AIRWAYS - BA 915
FRANKFURT - LONDON LHR
22:25 - 22:55
AIRBUS A319, G-EUPH
Then it was time to pass security. As there was an Emirates-Flight leaving around the same time and only a few counters opened that late at night, there was a lot going on there.
I went to gate D5 and on the way there was another security checkpoint. I thought that that would have been it for my liquids, as the ban is also for fligths TO Great Britain, but they don't even cared. Anyway, this took terribly long.
The gate area was getting really crowed. I was surprised that this flight was booked that well, because it was really light and I could get tickets in the cheapiest booking class in Amadeus the day before. Our A319, G-EUPH would be sold out to the last seat.
Boarding started some 30 Minutes later, without any explanation or excuse.
My seat was confortable, a leather seat with some decend place for my feets.
Pushback stated at 23:35 instead of 22:55. Here again no explanation or excuse, actually they don't even mentined this delay.
We taxied to RWY 18, which annoyed me, as we were going west and 25R was active... That would have been so much easier than taxiing down the whole airport.
The flight itseld was not spectacular. The crew disappointed me... They were almost not seen, not really friendly and when they served food and drinks they were hectic and trying to get the job done asap. Okay, I understand it was the last flight of a long day, but that's not an excuse... The service standard of this flight was really not good. As I had the first row in Eco, I could see in business, there they had a really good service and f/a's were very attentive and helpful.
We got that Standard-Snack-Box with a sandwich. It was with Ham and cabbage and not that bad. The pudding was rather "english" style and therefore something I wasn't used to in Germany. Although it was quite special, it was edible. I took some Coke and Tomato juice with it.
http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/7219/picture001cg3.jpg
The approach was great. I saw a lot of monuments in London along the river Thames. I tried to make pictures, but they don't went out great. Therefore just this picture where you can at least see how much lights there were:
http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/6223/picture002ck8.jpg
In London we parked at Terminal 1 and disembarked through a jetway. We all went trought neverending corridors and I already saw the LOT 735 standing ready with shut-offs lights for the night at Gate 14.
We finally arrived near the exit, but I cut right to the flight connecting center... (as sole passenger of course). It must have been around 23:00 local time, and therefore nobody was there anymore. Cleaners hadn't passed through yet, so there was a mess everywhere.
I standed around as all the screening monitors were still on but nobody there. Then a security guy came and I said that I just arrived from Frankfurt and would fly to Warsaw in the early morning, so that I would need to stay overnight. I also told him I would need to get my boarding card and to check in my trolley.
He told me that all the connecting desks were closed but that I would be able to get in the transit area and just come up again there the next morning at 4:30 to get my boarding pass. He already took my trolley on the screening belt and I just said "but I have some liquids in that trolley". He just asked "what kind of liquids?" and I answered "well the usual stuff, toothpaste, shower gel, foam etc".... He just said "don't worry I don't care"... Oh okay so that's the tight UK security measures :)
Anyway he was really nice and I were happy in the Transit area. I went down the stairs and there were some kind of long-chairs, but all occupied:
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/3612/picture003uj1.jpg
I wasn't really tired yet, therefore I started to discover the airport... That's really something special to walk around a big international airport at night when it's shut down and that there is nobody there:
http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/7640/picture005aa0.jpg
http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/4822/picture004is4.jpg
That was the only area with a drinking water spender. I saw a plastic glass at a closed bar and filled it up as I was sooo thirsty. As I walked around a security guy came and said "hey my friend you can't stay here at night, it's very dangerous over here"... huh? In a closed airport normally nobody is allowed to acces except if he has a valid ticket? Yeah sure... he should have been with me the next night waiting for my bus at the bus station in Warsaw...
I then went back to the area with the long chairs... On the way back I read some emails for 1,50 € for 15 minutes at one of those internet terminals and passed nearby something you would call "gamer's room" of Heathrow... At this moment it just made "pling" and a coin came out of one of those machines were you can put money inside, and there are a lot of coins, which are pushed out of the machine if you're lucky... well I wasn't and therefore the fun ended soon.
Back in the "longchair-area" I discovered something that shocked me. Next to the long-chairs there is some kind of bar/cafe, which of course was shut down. But everything was still there... You just needed to pass by, take a sandwich or some chips or serve yourself a chilled Coke... nobody would have realised!
http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/3440/picture006ow9.jpg
It was around 1 AM and I had to find a place to sleep. Next to the long-chairs I found a great spot:
http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/4044/picture008cg2.jpg
Of course, I din't slept on the plane, but just next to it... I was in heaven!
At 4:45 my cell phone alarm clock rang... I went to the toilet getting fresh for the morning and went up to the flight connecting center. The first loads of passengers were already at security and in the terminal.
I got my boarding passes for LHR-WAW and WAW-GDN on British Midland paper from really rude BMI-agents.
http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/9223/lo286nv5.jpg
28OCT06
LOT POLISH - LO 286
LONDON LHR - WARSZAWA
06:50 - 10:15
BOEING 737-500, SP-LKF
Soon enough I made my way to Gate 14... It was really dork, there was no view on the apron or any windows... Boarding cards are checked before entering the gate waiting area, but this was closed and there were only 2 BMI-staff-members sitting on chairs inside and chatting... A queue formed outside and finally half of an army of security-agents came and we were allowed to enter. Randomly they checked hand luguage and handscreened passengers... Luckily not me...
Boarding started on time. The 737-500 SP-LKF got a load of approx. 50% this morning. I took my preserved seat 17A and had also B and C for myself.
We then took off from RWY 27L on time... I loved the announcement of the crew "in cooperation with British AIRWAYS"... yeah sure, not bad :)
There was no IFE and seats were cloth, very basic blue actually, but pitch was okay and the comfort too. They had the same seats in Business by the way.
According to the captain we would cruise at 27000 Feet and route would be over AMS and HAM. It was cloudy until we reached Holland, and there I saw a lot of Islands and the North Sea.
We got a humid napkin first, and then breakfast was served:
http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/7864/picture010jx1.jpg
It was served in a nice blue box "LOT Cafe" and at first I thought that this is a strange breakfast. There were 2 packed pastries, which seemed rather dry, looking like this crackers stuff with cheese or sesame. The also served some kind of chicken mousse, a fruit cocktail, a choco bar and 2 small mint sweets.
The fruit cocktail was average, but the pastry was really great! It was not dry at all, and not sweet nor salty, so I just put a little but of chicken mousse on the top, had a bit and continued this way...
Then I took a tea and a tomato juice with it. Afterwards, an f/a passed through the cabin with an additional choco bar.
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/5341/picture011jn6.jpg
I was impressed. Service was great and the f/a's friendly and helpful. There were almost only Polish people on board, therefore they always spoke Polish with me until I answered that I can only speek English, but all announcements were in English as well.
A view through the plane with it's light load.
http://img479.imageshack.us/img479/6647/picture012aj0.jpg
On approach we passed the river Wisla.
http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/6758/picture014sw9.jpg
We flow to the south to land from south to north.
A nice villa:
http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/3638/picture015mi4.jpg
Suburbs:
http://img479.imageshack.us/img479/717/picture016yi8.jpg
Shopping center:
http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/5586/picture017xv4.jpg
They'll surely build something here soon enough:
http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/4851/picture018sx1.jpg
Landing and tower:
http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/9158/picture019sv0.jpg
The pilot took the last exit and we parked at the extreme end of the airport (in the north side). The plane stayed there for a long time that day.
Nice bus :)
http://img236.imageshack.us/img236/4208/picture020pu4.jpg
I was really impressed by the service level of LOT. F/a's took their time, came through with a basket of humid napkins first, then served food, then drinks, again came through with some sweets etc.
And always smiling, friendly and helpful. All in one a really enjoyable flight.
After a long bus ride we reached the terminal. We saw a government Tupolev 154 on the way, as well as an old soviet-built Helicopter of the government taxing and finally taking off.
Upon request I even got a new stamp:
http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/6979/passof7.jpg
First of all I went to the domestic terminal. Actually it's just a seperate entry in the same building. On the left you can see the access to the viewing terrace.
http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/5265/picture022sg7.jpg
In the domestic terminal I checked my luguage to Gdansk. When entering you have to show your ticket and ID to a security guy sitting in his aquarium.
There are 3 or 4 counters and nothing else, except a tiny kiosk in the arrival area.
After they weighted and tagged my luguage I had to take it myseld to the end of the row of the counters and put it through a screening machine.
Check-in area of the domestic terminal:
http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/2884/picture048az9.jpg
I still hade some time, therefore I changed a few Euros to Zloty and went to the viewing area. There was a long queue and masses of families using the saturday afternoon to spend the time on the terrace.
It was finally my turn to get screened. I then went up 4 or 5 storey, and bought my ticket for 4,40 Zloty:
http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/3632/wawbesucheras8.jpg
Nice views on the works of Terminal 2:
http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/368/picture024ns5.jpg
Warszawa:
http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/469/picture029kf6.jpg
Terrace:
http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/1397/picture028ew0.jpg
I made some amateurspotting:
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/707/picture025kq6.jpg
http://img479.imageshack.us/img479/7573/picture026zm6.jpg
http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/9508/picture027qf0.jpg
http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/5107/picture030lg2.jpg
http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/4572/picture031ja8.jpg
http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/5930/picture032pz7.jpg
http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/4355/picture033tq7.jpg
http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/3482/picture034gf9.jpg
http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/9739/picture035aw7.jpg
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/9224/picture037ll5.jpg
http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/8986/picture039mk6.jpg
http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/7962/picture040el7.jpg
http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/8136/picture041ma0.jpg
http://img316.imageshack.us/img316/7055/picture042ka8.jpg
http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/899/picture043sx7.jpg
http://img489.imageshack.us/img489/6328/picture044ak2.jpg
There are 2 jetways in WAW, taken by 2 767's. Actually there is a 3th jetway, but it seems to prefer using it as a bus parking rather than for airplanes... What a waste:
http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/3103/picture038dm1.jpg
I found interesting that there is no indication were which airliner type has to stop... You better know it by heart:
http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/4355/picture036fx4.jpg
It got really windy and cold, I therefore left the terrace and visited the Etiuda-Terminal for Low Cost Carriers, some 200 meters away.
There are only 5 check-in desks and a maximum of 10 meters queuing area... I guess if there are more than 2 flights leaving the same time, people have to queue outside....
http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/9780/picture047nw4.jpg
I then went back to the main terminal, which looks nice:
http://img489.imageshack.us/img489/3980/picture021li9.jpg
But inside there is no space at all! It's really time to get that T2 opened:
http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/4067/picture023lj9.jpg
I found a sole quick-check-in-machine of Lufthansa... It had a small LOT-Sticker on it, but nobody used it... Therefore I entered my in LHR issued boarding pass, took a new seat with the next seat empty to it and got a new boarding pass, on LH-Paper...
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/7117/lo3823sw1.jpg
28OCT06
LOT POLISH - LO 3823
WARSZAWA - GDANSK
13:55 - 14:45
EMBRAER 170 - SP-LDA
I then went to the domestic terminal and stayed in the waiting area:
http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/6187/picture049vf3.jpg
A bus came and took us to our plane... In the bus they broadcast music and announcements from the terminal building! The bus was full, since weeks there were no seats to buy on Amadeus on sale. There were a lot of French speaking people, I guess connecting guests from Quebec which came with the LOT-Flight from Toronto.
I was excited as this would be my first flight on the E170, that's the only reason I booked this flight.
We stopped along SP-LDA and I can only say WOW what great looking plane. Not only from the outside, but even in the inside, the seats are great (grey leather), everything looks bright and not cramped and the windows are huge. It smelled good as well.
This flight was really fully booked, therefore the seat next to me was taken.
We started to taxi on time... Views on the new terminal and tower:
http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/3954/picture050by0.jpg
Strange Terminal-construction. Are they planning to build a higher jetway for the A380-upper deck?
http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/6070/picture051ei8.jpg
We took off in northern direction. Look at this huge window!
http://img479.imageshack.us/img479/7032/picture052at0.jpg
Cabin view:
http://img236.imageshack.us/img236/3307/picture054ge1.jpg
Looks sharp:
http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/9202/picture055qu5.jpg
Again the f/a's came with humid napkins first and then came through with this same chocolate bar we had on the LHR-WAW flight. I took an Orange juice with it.
http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/6180/picture053bs2.jpg
An unknown airport near Gdansk:
http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/5963/picture056rp7.jpg
The approach was nice, but I was on the left hand side and could therefore not see the city center or the sea.
http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/4792/picture057xx5.jpg
http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/4991/picture058ey5.jpg
Enourmus cemetery:
http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/4258/picture059cm4.jpg
I was impressed how big this city is. According to the card I thought the airport was very far away in the woods, but actually it's in the suburbs, with big shopping centers and highways in the same area.
In GDN there was only an Eurolot ATR:
http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/3135/picture060gw7.jpg
Our bird:
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/163/picture061mr7.jpg
Gdansk airport is rather small, but very modern, clean and bright:
http://img453.imageshack.us/img453/9015/picture062ob7.jpg
View across the check-in area. People are queuing for a delayed Wizz-Air-Flight to Liverpool.
http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/2/picture063qv5.jpg
There are almost no seats for wait on the Landside in GDN, but on the upper floor there are big windows with nice views on the apron.
http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/1497/picture065xa8.jpg
Our E170 which is getting ready for it's flight to Frankfurt:
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/5739/picture064ca9.jpg
There were also some pictures from GDN Spotters on the upper floor:
http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/1271/picture066tn4.jpg
I then went to the Gdansk City Information counter. The lady was very nice, told me were the bus would start from, sold me tickets with a student reduction and gave my a magazine with maps and a city center-itinerary that one can take. All explanations to the historic buildings are in the magazine. Great! As the next bus would leave in a long time, I went to the check-in counters for the LH-flight to Munich in order to get my boarding pass for the evening already now and get rid of my trolley by checking it in... The check-in-agent asked her supervisor if she could check me in and did! Again, I got my domestic flight boarding card on LH-boarding cards.
The bus to the city took ages to arrive, therefore I took another line to a train station in the suburbs, from which I took the train to GDN. The terminal looks good from the outside, and they're celebrating 1 Million passengers:
http://img506.imageshack.us/img506/7104/picture067eo3.jpg
http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/7662/picture068is9.jpg
Bus tickets:
http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/2497/tixgdansksu5.jpg
Main station:
http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/1969/picture069kj2.jpg
Night came and weather was really bad, so I just made a few pics:
http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/1958/picture070na5.jpg
http://img463.imageshack.us/img463/3601/picture072tz6.jpg
http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/7408/picture073kq1.jpg
http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/7818/picture074fx9.jpg
I could see an Ad for an american diner in the magazine, that sounded good to me, so I went there... Look how the ladies serving drinks and food were dressed!!: http://www.rooster.pl/en/krakow/photo_gallery/
Food was good, and I went back to the station, buying some food and drink for my long bus journey that night at a small supermarket on my way.
I then took the bus back to the airport.
Check-in for my flight:
http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/6435/picture076py8.jpg
http://img473.imageshack.us/img473/7403/lo3826vh3.jpg
28OCT06
LOT POLISH Operated by EUROLOT - LO 3826
GDANSK - WARSZAWA
21:00 - 22:05
ATR 72, SP-LFH
Der was a really nice looking ATR42 of DAT to a city I have never heard off before, FORNO or FORBO...
http://img161.imageshack.us/img161/7213/picture078ix6.jpg
Domestic waiting area:
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/9950/picture080em0.jpg
We were bussed to our ATR. My first flight on an ATR! You enter through the back, and luguage is put in the front part of the cabin.
http://img362.imageshack.us/img362/9383/picture081am5.jpg
http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/8942/picture082jl3.jpg
The flight had a light load, approx 50%, I went up to the front, and took 4D. 4C remained empty.
Seats are not what you are used on the other planes. There are smaller and the not recline.
http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/603/picture083au7.jpg
Flying on an ATR is definately different... has something like an adventure.
Crew hat red uniforms (LOT has blue). We had 2 young female f/a's, both very friendly. For take-off, the jump seat is located inside the wall. Actually it's pulled out the wall on the side into the corridor between the seats, so the f/a looks in the direction of all the passengers... you'll be better not making something not allowed :)
Service was exactly the same than the WAW-GDN leg with LOT. Same napkin, same chocolate bar, only drink service was different, as they only served tea, coffee or water.
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/8470/picture084ko6.jpg
It's quite loud in the cabin, especially if you're sitting next to the prop.
The flight was rather shaky and we arrived on time in WAW. The pilot just led the bird roll out after landing.
Service was nice, above average for a domestic hop of this lenght.
The domestic arrival hall is a joke. It's just a small corrdor with a belt of15 meters long.
http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/3153/picture085lh4.jpg
3 Pax lost their luguage... Not bad for a domestic flight without any connecting passengers :)
A picture of the board of the domestic terminal I took in the afternoon:
http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/8396/picture046jj9.jpg
I then took the bus to the city:
http://img463.imageshack.us/img463/3109/buswawhk2.jpg
The bus was modern, but somebody had thrown up so it was a mess... at approx 23:30 I arrived at the bus station, which is next to Zachodnia Station, a really scary area:
http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/2954/picture086el9.jpg
http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/4200/picture088sa9.jpg
The bus should have arrived at 0:30 but didn't came... Maybe because the change between summer and winter time that night? We kept on waiting... Several busses came: Eurolines to Germany, a really bad looking bus from Ukraine, another from Belarus... And finally at about 2 am our bus came:
http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/3589/picture087ae3.jpg
It was quite full and came from Vilnius, Lithuania and was going to Rome in Italy!!
The stewardess took my ticket, tagged my luguage and gave me my boarding card:
http://img236.imageshack.us/img236/1297/eurolinesvd4.jpg
29OCT06
EUROLINES Operated by KAUTRA, Kaunas
WARSZAWA ZACHODNIA - WIEN ERDBERG
via Czestochowa, Krakow, Frydek Mistek, Brno
00:10 - 14:30
SETRA BUS
I was assigned seart 26, near the back door, a aisle seat. My neighbour was already sleeping, but she didn't smelled, was quiet and therefore a nice person to travel with :)
The bus was modern and seats comfortable, the reclined a lot.
The first part of our journey would lead us through Poland all the night... We first stopped aroung 4 am in Czestochowa on a McDonald's-Parking. Then I realised the passengers behind me had a bag with fish inside that started to smell... Luckily I felt asleep quite soon. Later in the night we stopped at a toll station near Cracow. We reached Cracow at approx 6 am. By the way the bus station there is much nicer and brighter than the dump in Warsaw....
Most of the passengers left us there, including my fish-friend. The stewardess started to make coffee, which was sold for a very small sum to the willing passengers. We continued our way to the south, and the more we came to the Polish-Czech border, the more frightning and empty the area went...
We finally arrived at the boarder. It was old, a complete chaos, busses everywhere (and what kind of busses... There were some of Ukraine, I wondered how they were evern allowed to be on the roads here!). We were allowed to get to the front of the long lanes after the stewardess had run once again through the whole bus telling us to take out the passports and show them though to polish officer in an old kaki uniform. This was really fast and we were off again, arriving a few meters later at the Czech boarder station. Same pocedure here, although the officer took one passport with him to check it in the office, before giving it back a few minutes later to the passengers.
Sadly, no "rare" stamps in my passport this time...
In the Czech Republic the roads were much better. We stopped at Frydek-Mistek on our way to Brno and then they showed a movie with Martin Lawrence in Russian.
We reached the motorway and stopped once again on a brand new parking with a petrol station.
I fell asleep again and we reached Brno at around noon.
From here it's just a small ride on small roads until one reaches Vienna. I decided to take some pictures:
Comfortable seats:
http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/6105/picture090hl1.jpg
Lakes:
http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/1504/picture093mt6.jpg
Landscape:
http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/7663/picture094tg4.jpg
We reached the Czech-Austrian border... Same fast control on the Czech side, the Austrian border control don't even checked passports.
Czech border station:
http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/2821/picture096pe1.jpg
Austrian border station:
http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/2293/picture097zi7.jpg
Windmills in Austria:
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/8137/picture098in2.jpg
Skyline! We're soon arrived!
http://img93.imageshack.us/img93/8921/picture099hr0.jpg
Old Danube:
http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/6315/picture100ru4.jpg
We finally reached Vienna after 13-14 hours through eastern Europe. It was definitely something special to make this trip by bus. The bus was safe, Stewardess helpful, co-travellers "normal" (and not "wierd"), price paid great! And there I think Eurolines is a good product, although you'll better have some time to bring along with you.... I regret not having get more stamps in my passport... I would have had no problems with rather "old-school" border controls.
Vienna:
http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/5355/picture101jy0.jpg
The next day I took the inaugural flight with FlyNiki to Frankfurt... If I find some time I will write a seperate report.
Thanks for reading!
I want to tell you about a really great trip I made a few weeks ago. It was a flying marathon from friday to monday. Initially, I just wanted to be on the inaugural flight of FlyNiki Vienna-Frankfurt. Of course I could have flown some boring Ryanair from Frankfurt Hahn to Bratislava the day before, but I prefered to make a big routing out of it:
Initially I planned:
27OCT in the evening BA FRA-LHR
Staying overnight in LHR
28OCT in the morning LO LHR-WAW
28OCT early afternoon LO WAW-GDN
28OCT in the late evening K2 (Eurolot) GDN-WAW
Staying overnight in WAW
29OCT in the morning wit DY (Norwegian) WAW-MXP
29OCT in the evening with SkyEurope BGY-BTS
Staying overnight in BTS/VIE
30OCT in the morning inaugural flight with HG (FlyNiki) VIE-FRA
Well, at least that was the plan. As I reconfirmed my flight with Norwgian (WAW-MXP), I got an error message. I called Norwegian and they told to me that my flight has been cancelled months ago, as the don't serve this route anymore. They claimed having informed me and that I had chosen to cancel my flight (yeah sure). As I only had one week to get them to rebook me on Alitalia or LOT, which they didn't, and as time would not have been enough to take legal action. I choose to take the night bus from WAW to VIE with Eurolines. This was quite cheap (approx. 35 €). This would also mean that I would lose my SkyEurope-flight BGY-BTS, but whatever... As long as I get my inaugural. And after all, the bus made the whole thing even funnier.
Okay, enough introduction, let's get this trip started.
On the 27oct I took the suburban train right after work from Wiesbaden to Frankfurt... I arrived at T1 and tried to check in for my Lot-Flight LHR-WAW on a Lufthansa Quick-Check-in-Machine, but this didn't worked. I took the Skytrain to T2... It was 20:30 and not a lot was going on, except an Astana-Flight to a neverheard city (something starting with B and a nevernding name) somewhere in Kazakhstan.
I went to the BA-counters to check-in. There were 3 or 4 counters opened, but no passangers there. The agent was really nice. I explained her that I would be staying overnight in Heathrow and fly the next day with LO to WAW and asked if she could check my trolley through.
Of course, I would have been able to take the trolley as hand luguage, but there were some liquids inside (all you need for your daily shower etc). Therefore I would have needed to check-in the luguage at LHR in the early morning, staying the whole night landside... Checking the trolley through would have solved that problem, as I would be able to get through the Flight connecting center in the airside area and stay there overnight.
She kept on trying but the machine only printed out tags to LHR. She went to check with her supervisor then and took over 5 minutes to come back, but she was unsuccessful, as the responsability in case of damage or loss of the luguage would have been unclear...
I thought I would take the trolley as hand luguage then and try to check it in at the flight connecting center, although I was not sure if this would work.
She then gave me my boarding card with my preserved seart 5A. I spend the waiting time at McDonald's and had a nice view on the quiet apron.
http://img489.imageshack.us/img489/5589/ba915ak7.jpg
27OCT06
BRITISH AIRWAYS - BA 915
FRANKFURT - LONDON LHR
22:25 - 22:55
AIRBUS A319, G-EUPH
Then it was time to pass security. As there was an Emirates-Flight leaving around the same time and only a few counters opened that late at night, there was a lot going on there.
I went to gate D5 and on the way there was another security checkpoint. I thought that that would have been it for my liquids, as the ban is also for fligths TO Great Britain, but they don't even cared. Anyway, this took terribly long.
The gate area was getting really crowed. I was surprised that this flight was booked that well, because it was really light and I could get tickets in the cheapiest booking class in Amadeus the day before. Our A319, G-EUPH would be sold out to the last seat.
Boarding started some 30 Minutes later, without any explanation or excuse.
My seat was confortable, a leather seat with some decend place for my feets.
Pushback stated at 23:35 instead of 22:55. Here again no explanation or excuse, actually they don't even mentined this delay.
We taxied to RWY 18, which annoyed me, as we were going west and 25R was active... That would have been so much easier than taxiing down the whole airport.
The flight itseld was not spectacular. The crew disappointed me... They were almost not seen, not really friendly and when they served food and drinks they were hectic and trying to get the job done asap. Okay, I understand it was the last flight of a long day, but that's not an excuse... The service standard of this flight was really not good. As I had the first row in Eco, I could see in business, there they had a really good service and f/a's were very attentive and helpful.
We got that Standard-Snack-Box with a sandwich. It was with Ham and cabbage and not that bad. The pudding was rather "english" style and therefore something I wasn't used to in Germany. Although it was quite special, it was edible. I took some Coke and Tomato juice with it.
http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/7219/picture001cg3.jpg
The approach was great. I saw a lot of monuments in London along the river Thames. I tried to make pictures, but they don't went out great. Therefore just this picture where you can at least see how much lights there were:
http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/6223/picture002ck8.jpg
In London we parked at Terminal 1 and disembarked through a jetway. We all went trought neverending corridors and I already saw the LOT 735 standing ready with shut-offs lights for the night at Gate 14.
We finally arrived near the exit, but I cut right to the flight connecting center... (as sole passenger of course). It must have been around 23:00 local time, and therefore nobody was there anymore. Cleaners hadn't passed through yet, so there was a mess everywhere.
I standed around as all the screening monitors were still on but nobody there. Then a security guy came and I said that I just arrived from Frankfurt and would fly to Warsaw in the early morning, so that I would need to stay overnight. I also told him I would need to get my boarding card and to check in my trolley.
He told me that all the connecting desks were closed but that I would be able to get in the transit area and just come up again there the next morning at 4:30 to get my boarding pass. He already took my trolley on the screening belt and I just said "but I have some liquids in that trolley". He just asked "what kind of liquids?" and I answered "well the usual stuff, toothpaste, shower gel, foam etc".... He just said "don't worry I don't care"... Oh okay so that's the tight UK security measures :)
Anyway he was really nice and I were happy in the Transit area. I went down the stairs and there were some kind of long-chairs, but all occupied:
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/3612/picture003uj1.jpg
I wasn't really tired yet, therefore I started to discover the airport... That's really something special to walk around a big international airport at night when it's shut down and that there is nobody there:
http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/7640/picture005aa0.jpg
http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/4822/picture004is4.jpg
That was the only area with a drinking water spender. I saw a plastic glass at a closed bar and filled it up as I was sooo thirsty. As I walked around a security guy came and said "hey my friend you can't stay here at night, it's very dangerous over here"... huh? In a closed airport normally nobody is allowed to acces except if he has a valid ticket? Yeah sure... he should have been with me the next night waiting for my bus at the bus station in Warsaw...
I then went back to the area with the long chairs... On the way back I read some emails for 1,50 € for 15 minutes at one of those internet terminals and passed nearby something you would call "gamer's room" of Heathrow... At this moment it just made "pling" and a coin came out of one of those machines were you can put money inside, and there are a lot of coins, which are pushed out of the machine if you're lucky... well I wasn't and therefore the fun ended soon.
Back in the "longchair-area" I discovered something that shocked me. Next to the long-chairs there is some kind of bar/cafe, which of course was shut down. But everything was still there... You just needed to pass by, take a sandwich or some chips or serve yourself a chilled Coke... nobody would have realised!
http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/3440/picture006ow9.jpg
It was around 1 AM and I had to find a place to sleep. Next to the long-chairs I found a great spot:
http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/4044/picture008cg2.jpg
Of course, I din't slept on the plane, but just next to it... I was in heaven!
At 4:45 my cell phone alarm clock rang... I went to the toilet getting fresh for the morning and went up to the flight connecting center. The first loads of passengers were already at security and in the terminal.
I got my boarding passes for LHR-WAW and WAW-GDN on British Midland paper from really rude BMI-agents.
http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/9223/lo286nv5.jpg
28OCT06
LOT POLISH - LO 286
LONDON LHR - WARSZAWA
06:50 - 10:15
BOEING 737-500, SP-LKF
Soon enough I made my way to Gate 14... It was really dork, there was no view on the apron or any windows... Boarding cards are checked before entering the gate waiting area, but this was closed and there were only 2 BMI-staff-members sitting on chairs inside and chatting... A queue formed outside and finally half of an army of security-agents came and we were allowed to enter. Randomly they checked hand luguage and handscreened passengers... Luckily not me...
Boarding started on time. The 737-500 SP-LKF got a load of approx. 50% this morning. I took my preserved seat 17A and had also B and C for myself.
We then took off from RWY 27L on time... I loved the announcement of the crew "in cooperation with British AIRWAYS"... yeah sure, not bad :)
There was no IFE and seats were cloth, very basic blue actually, but pitch was okay and the comfort too. They had the same seats in Business by the way.
According to the captain we would cruise at 27000 Feet and route would be over AMS and HAM. It was cloudy until we reached Holland, and there I saw a lot of Islands and the North Sea.
We got a humid napkin first, and then breakfast was served:
http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/7864/picture010jx1.jpg
It was served in a nice blue box "LOT Cafe" and at first I thought that this is a strange breakfast. There were 2 packed pastries, which seemed rather dry, looking like this crackers stuff with cheese or sesame. The also served some kind of chicken mousse, a fruit cocktail, a choco bar and 2 small mint sweets.
The fruit cocktail was average, but the pastry was really great! It was not dry at all, and not sweet nor salty, so I just put a little but of chicken mousse on the top, had a bit and continued this way...
Then I took a tea and a tomato juice with it. Afterwards, an f/a passed through the cabin with an additional choco bar.
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/5341/picture011jn6.jpg
I was impressed. Service was great and the f/a's friendly and helpful. There were almost only Polish people on board, therefore they always spoke Polish with me until I answered that I can only speek English, but all announcements were in English as well.
A view through the plane with it's light load.
http://img479.imageshack.us/img479/6647/picture012aj0.jpg
On approach we passed the river Wisla.
http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/6758/picture014sw9.jpg
We flow to the south to land from south to north.
A nice villa:
http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/3638/picture015mi4.jpg
Suburbs:
http://img479.imageshack.us/img479/717/picture016yi8.jpg
Shopping center:
http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/5586/picture017xv4.jpg
They'll surely build something here soon enough:
http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/4851/picture018sx1.jpg
Landing and tower:
http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/9158/picture019sv0.jpg
The pilot took the last exit and we parked at the extreme end of the airport (in the north side). The plane stayed there for a long time that day.
Nice bus :)
http://img236.imageshack.us/img236/4208/picture020pu4.jpg
I was really impressed by the service level of LOT. F/a's took their time, came through with a basket of humid napkins first, then served food, then drinks, again came through with some sweets etc.
And always smiling, friendly and helpful. All in one a really enjoyable flight.
After a long bus ride we reached the terminal. We saw a government Tupolev 154 on the way, as well as an old soviet-built Helicopter of the government taxing and finally taking off.
Upon request I even got a new stamp:
http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/6979/passof7.jpg
First of all I went to the domestic terminal. Actually it's just a seperate entry in the same building. On the left you can see the access to the viewing terrace.
http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/5265/picture022sg7.jpg
In the domestic terminal I checked my luguage to Gdansk. When entering you have to show your ticket and ID to a security guy sitting in his aquarium.
There are 3 or 4 counters and nothing else, except a tiny kiosk in the arrival area.
After they weighted and tagged my luguage I had to take it myseld to the end of the row of the counters and put it through a screening machine.
Check-in area of the domestic terminal:
http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/2884/picture048az9.jpg
I still hade some time, therefore I changed a few Euros to Zloty and went to the viewing area. There was a long queue and masses of families using the saturday afternoon to spend the time on the terrace.
It was finally my turn to get screened. I then went up 4 or 5 storey, and bought my ticket for 4,40 Zloty:
http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/3632/wawbesucheras8.jpg
Nice views on the works of Terminal 2:
http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/368/picture024ns5.jpg
Warszawa:
http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/469/picture029kf6.jpg
Terrace:
http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/1397/picture028ew0.jpg
I made some amateurspotting:
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/707/picture025kq6.jpg
http://img479.imageshack.us/img479/7573/picture026zm6.jpg
http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/9508/picture027qf0.jpg
http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/5107/picture030lg2.jpg
http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/4572/picture031ja8.jpg
http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/5930/picture032pz7.jpg
http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/4355/picture033tq7.jpg
http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/3482/picture034gf9.jpg
http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/9739/picture035aw7.jpg
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/9224/picture037ll5.jpg
http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/8986/picture039mk6.jpg
http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/7962/picture040el7.jpg
http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/8136/picture041ma0.jpg
http://img316.imageshack.us/img316/7055/picture042ka8.jpg
http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/899/picture043sx7.jpg
http://img489.imageshack.us/img489/6328/picture044ak2.jpg
There are 2 jetways in WAW, taken by 2 767's. Actually there is a 3th jetway, but it seems to prefer using it as a bus parking rather than for airplanes... What a waste:
http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/3103/picture038dm1.jpg
I found interesting that there is no indication were which airliner type has to stop... You better know it by heart:
http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/4355/picture036fx4.jpg
It got really windy and cold, I therefore left the terrace and visited the Etiuda-Terminal for Low Cost Carriers, some 200 meters away.
There are only 5 check-in desks and a maximum of 10 meters queuing area... I guess if there are more than 2 flights leaving the same time, people have to queue outside....
http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/9780/picture047nw4.jpg
I then went back to the main terminal, which looks nice:
http://img489.imageshack.us/img489/3980/picture021li9.jpg
But inside there is no space at all! It's really time to get that T2 opened:
http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/4067/picture023lj9.jpg
I found a sole quick-check-in-machine of Lufthansa... It had a small LOT-Sticker on it, but nobody used it... Therefore I entered my in LHR issued boarding pass, took a new seat with the next seat empty to it and got a new boarding pass, on LH-Paper...
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/7117/lo3823sw1.jpg
28OCT06
LOT POLISH - LO 3823
WARSZAWA - GDANSK
13:55 - 14:45
EMBRAER 170 - SP-LDA
I then went to the domestic terminal and stayed in the waiting area:
http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/6187/picture049vf3.jpg
A bus came and took us to our plane... In the bus they broadcast music and announcements from the terminal building! The bus was full, since weeks there were no seats to buy on Amadeus on sale. There were a lot of French speaking people, I guess connecting guests from Quebec which came with the LOT-Flight from Toronto.
I was excited as this would be my first flight on the E170, that's the only reason I booked this flight.
We stopped along SP-LDA and I can only say WOW what great looking plane. Not only from the outside, but even in the inside, the seats are great (grey leather), everything looks bright and not cramped and the windows are huge. It smelled good as well.
This flight was really fully booked, therefore the seat next to me was taken.
We started to taxi on time... Views on the new terminal and tower:
http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/3954/picture050by0.jpg
Strange Terminal-construction. Are they planning to build a higher jetway for the A380-upper deck?
http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/6070/picture051ei8.jpg
We took off in northern direction. Look at this huge window!
http://img479.imageshack.us/img479/7032/picture052at0.jpg
Cabin view:
http://img236.imageshack.us/img236/3307/picture054ge1.jpg
Looks sharp:
http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/9202/picture055qu5.jpg
Again the f/a's came with humid napkins first and then came through with this same chocolate bar we had on the LHR-WAW flight. I took an Orange juice with it.
http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/6180/picture053bs2.jpg
An unknown airport near Gdansk:
http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/5963/picture056rp7.jpg
The approach was nice, but I was on the left hand side and could therefore not see the city center or the sea.
http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/4792/picture057xx5.jpg
http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/4991/picture058ey5.jpg
Enourmus cemetery:
http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/4258/picture059cm4.jpg
I was impressed how big this city is. According to the card I thought the airport was very far away in the woods, but actually it's in the suburbs, with big shopping centers and highways in the same area.
In GDN there was only an Eurolot ATR:
http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/3135/picture060gw7.jpg
Our bird:
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/163/picture061mr7.jpg
Gdansk airport is rather small, but very modern, clean and bright:
http://img453.imageshack.us/img453/9015/picture062ob7.jpg
View across the check-in area. People are queuing for a delayed Wizz-Air-Flight to Liverpool.
http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/2/picture063qv5.jpg
There are almost no seats for wait on the Landside in GDN, but on the upper floor there are big windows with nice views on the apron.
http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/1497/picture065xa8.jpg
Our E170 which is getting ready for it's flight to Frankfurt:
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/5739/picture064ca9.jpg
There were also some pictures from GDN Spotters on the upper floor:
http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/1271/picture066tn4.jpg
I then went to the Gdansk City Information counter. The lady was very nice, told me were the bus would start from, sold me tickets with a student reduction and gave my a magazine with maps and a city center-itinerary that one can take. All explanations to the historic buildings are in the magazine. Great! As the next bus would leave in a long time, I went to the check-in counters for the LH-flight to Munich in order to get my boarding pass for the evening already now and get rid of my trolley by checking it in... The check-in-agent asked her supervisor if she could check me in and did! Again, I got my domestic flight boarding card on LH-boarding cards.
The bus to the city took ages to arrive, therefore I took another line to a train station in the suburbs, from which I took the train to GDN. The terminal looks good from the outside, and they're celebrating 1 Million passengers:
http://img506.imageshack.us/img506/7104/picture067eo3.jpg
http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/7662/picture068is9.jpg
Bus tickets:
http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/2497/tixgdansksu5.jpg
Main station:
http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/1969/picture069kj2.jpg
Night came and weather was really bad, so I just made a few pics:
http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/1958/picture070na5.jpg
http://img463.imageshack.us/img463/3601/picture072tz6.jpg
http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/7408/picture073kq1.jpg
http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/7818/picture074fx9.jpg
I could see an Ad for an american diner in the magazine, that sounded good to me, so I went there... Look how the ladies serving drinks and food were dressed!!: http://www.rooster.pl/en/krakow/photo_gallery/
Food was good, and I went back to the station, buying some food and drink for my long bus journey that night at a small supermarket on my way.
I then took the bus back to the airport.
Check-in for my flight:
http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/6435/picture076py8.jpg
http://img473.imageshack.us/img473/7403/lo3826vh3.jpg
28OCT06
LOT POLISH Operated by EUROLOT - LO 3826
GDANSK - WARSZAWA
21:00 - 22:05
ATR 72, SP-LFH
Der was a really nice looking ATR42 of DAT to a city I have never heard off before, FORNO or FORBO...
http://img161.imageshack.us/img161/7213/picture078ix6.jpg
Domestic waiting area:
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/9950/picture080em0.jpg
We were bussed to our ATR. My first flight on an ATR! You enter through the back, and luguage is put in the front part of the cabin.
http://img362.imageshack.us/img362/9383/picture081am5.jpg
http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/8942/picture082jl3.jpg
The flight had a light load, approx 50%, I went up to the front, and took 4D. 4C remained empty.
Seats are not what you are used on the other planes. There are smaller and the not recline.
http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/603/picture083au7.jpg
Flying on an ATR is definately different... has something like an adventure.
Crew hat red uniforms (LOT has blue). We had 2 young female f/a's, both very friendly. For take-off, the jump seat is located inside the wall. Actually it's pulled out the wall on the side into the corridor between the seats, so the f/a looks in the direction of all the passengers... you'll be better not making something not allowed :)
Service was exactly the same than the WAW-GDN leg with LOT. Same napkin, same chocolate bar, only drink service was different, as they only served tea, coffee or water.
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/8470/picture084ko6.jpg
It's quite loud in the cabin, especially if you're sitting next to the prop.
The flight was rather shaky and we arrived on time in WAW. The pilot just led the bird roll out after landing.
Service was nice, above average for a domestic hop of this lenght.
The domestic arrival hall is a joke. It's just a small corrdor with a belt of15 meters long.
http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/3153/picture085lh4.jpg
3 Pax lost their luguage... Not bad for a domestic flight without any connecting passengers :)
A picture of the board of the domestic terminal I took in the afternoon:
http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/8396/picture046jj9.jpg
I then took the bus to the city:
http://img463.imageshack.us/img463/3109/buswawhk2.jpg
The bus was modern, but somebody had thrown up so it was a mess... at approx 23:30 I arrived at the bus station, which is next to Zachodnia Station, a really scary area:
http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/2954/picture086el9.jpg
http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/4200/picture088sa9.jpg
The bus should have arrived at 0:30 but didn't came... Maybe because the change between summer and winter time that night? We kept on waiting... Several busses came: Eurolines to Germany, a really bad looking bus from Ukraine, another from Belarus... And finally at about 2 am our bus came:
http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/3589/picture087ae3.jpg
It was quite full and came from Vilnius, Lithuania and was going to Rome in Italy!!
The stewardess took my ticket, tagged my luguage and gave me my boarding card:
http://img236.imageshack.us/img236/1297/eurolinesvd4.jpg
29OCT06
EUROLINES Operated by KAUTRA, Kaunas
WARSZAWA ZACHODNIA - WIEN ERDBERG
via Czestochowa, Krakow, Frydek Mistek, Brno
00:10 - 14:30
SETRA BUS
I was assigned seart 26, near the back door, a aisle seat. My neighbour was already sleeping, but she didn't smelled, was quiet and therefore a nice person to travel with :)
The bus was modern and seats comfortable, the reclined a lot.
The first part of our journey would lead us through Poland all the night... We first stopped aroung 4 am in Czestochowa on a McDonald's-Parking. Then I realised the passengers behind me had a bag with fish inside that started to smell... Luckily I felt asleep quite soon. Later in the night we stopped at a toll station near Cracow. We reached Cracow at approx 6 am. By the way the bus station there is much nicer and brighter than the dump in Warsaw....
Most of the passengers left us there, including my fish-friend. The stewardess started to make coffee, which was sold for a very small sum to the willing passengers. We continued our way to the south, and the more we came to the Polish-Czech border, the more frightning and empty the area went...
We finally arrived at the boarder. It was old, a complete chaos, busses everywhere (and what kind of busses... There were some of Ukraine, I wondered how they were evern allowed to be on the roads here!). We were allowed to get to the front of the long lanes after the stewardess had run once again through the whole bus telling us to take out the passports and show them though to polish officer in an old kaki uniform. This was really fast and we were off again, arriving a few meters later at the Czech boarder station. Same pocedure here, although the officer took one passport with him to check it in the office, before giving it back a few minutes later to the passengers.
Sadly, no "rare" stamps in my passport this time...
In the Czech Republic the roads were much better. We stopped at Frydek-Mistek on our way to Brno and then they showed a movie with Martin Lawrence in Russian.
We reached the motorway and stopped once again on a brand new parking with a petrol station.
I fell asleep again and we reached Brno at around noon.
From here it's just a small ride on small roads until one reaches Vienna. I decided to take some pictures:
Comfortable seats:
http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/6105/picture090hl1.jpg
Lakes:
http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/1504/picture093mt6.jpg
Landscape:
http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/7663/picture094tg4.jpg
We reached the Czech-Austrian border... Same fast control on the Czech side, the Austrian border control don't even checked passports.
Czech border station:
http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/2821/picture096pe1.jpg
Austrian border station:
http://img117.imageshack.us/img117/2293/picture097zi7.jpg
Windmills in Austria:
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/8137/picture098in2.jpg
Skyline! We're soon arrived!
http://img93.imageshack.us/img93/8921/picture099hr0.jpg
Old Danube:
http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/6315/picture100ru4.jpg
We finally reached Vienna after 13-14 hours through eastern Europe. It was definitely something special to make this trip by bus. The bus was safe, Stewardess helpful, co-travellers "normal" (and not "wierd"), price paid great! And there I think Eurolines is a good product, although you'll better have some time to bring along with you.... I regret not having get more stamps in my passport... I would have had no problems with rather "old-school" border controls.
Vienna:
http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/5355/picture101jy0.jpg
The next day I took the inaugural flight with FlyNiki to Frankfurt... If I find some time I will write a seperate report.
Thanks for reading!