Greetings from wintry Netherlands. We're off to Prague!

When I booked this half term break, I imagined three full days showing our daughter the main tourist attractions of a beautiful city. Travelling in February seemed like a clever idea to avoid the crowds. But I am the fool. For one thing, it will be subzero temperatures and snow this week. Moreover, turns out young lady has exams the week after half term! Yesterday she threatened to stay at Grandma's. But Grandma is having her basement spare room extended and realistically Grandma might take the revision coordinator duty a touch too seriously.

So we've filled suitcases with school books and thermals. We've promised to cut down on the tourist activities and assist revision at least twice per day. Furthermore young lady isn't obliged to join any of the prebooked activities because the money is spent anyway and education comes first. I'm hoping she will at least come to the castle. We'll see.

Alarm is set for six o'clock. Train at 07:18. See you tomorrow!


Grandma's spare bedroom extension.

As we rolled up to the station, the train was arriving. The last few weeks there have been works on the line to The Hague Central Station, so our little station has become the starting point for trains to Schiphol. So it was busier on the platform than it might otherwise be on a Sunday morning.

Just passed Leiden and should be getting to the airport before 8am.

Priority check-in for Austrian is at row 4 which handles all of the Lufthansa group as well as LOT and TAP. There's only one desk which seems odd until we noticed the banks self service check-ins in rows 2 and 3. Although I have the boarding card in the app and Google Wallet, I like a printed copy, call me old fashioned.



At security I forgot everything I knew. Absolute blank then suddenly woke up to realise I needed to remove jacket, boots, belt and watch. Standing in the scanner with my arms akimbo, the man says "anything in your right trouser pocket?" Yes my house keys! What a noob I am.

Now enjoying the relative peace of the Star Alliance lounge no. 27. It has the same offerings as the Oneworld no. 26 next door but is far far quieter.

Unfortunately, the hot food is not even warm and there doesn't seem to be any sauce for my bacon bap.


We've claimed this nook.









I seem to have forgotten cheese, a fork and the gin.

There are spirits hidden in a corner behind one of the coffee machines, but no great selection of mixers. No gin ginger for me this morning. Probably for the best.

Inbound flight landed at Polderbaan and was a little late to the gate. Boarding should have been at 09:30 but gate still closed.

Despite a small plane, E195 all the seats at the gate are occupied, so we're hanging around the entrance to tensas for the emachines.

Boarding was painless. There were no people needing assistance nor groups with young children. Two others apart from us in C plus a pilot positioning. Plenty of room in the overhead.

I pulled out the safety card and catering magazine but then decided against balancing them on my knees for the full photo. Instead here is a lazy shot while boarding continues.



I'm reading now that snow is expected in Amsterdam later and that KLM has preemptively cancelled 150 flights. Tbh, looks all clear and sunny from my perspective. So that will be capacity issues at the deicer again.



Next stop Vienna in about two hours.

If you just take your young lady to the top 5 at least she will get a flavour. Is she a Harry Potter fan?
If so the church and castle are a must. The bridge, of course, town hall/square, and the clock.

If you are into jazz then the jazz dock was fantastic the last
time I visited.

Despite the 15 minute late arrival, efficient boarding had us caught up somewhat. There was a bit of a faff with finding space for all the cabin baggage. As usual people ignored the instructions to put personal items under the seats and so it is a bit of tetris for the crew to fit everything. To be honest, I sort of enjoy it in a way, feigning internal outrage at someone in row 9 filling the overhead by laying out his duffel coat lengthways which means some late arrival to row 11 can't quite find space for his just a smidgen oversized metal reinforced corners roller.

After push off, we waited a while for a slot. In front of us was a British Airways A319 but it turned east to another runway. We would likely have been on that plane if I had picked any warm destination for this holiday.



Drinks service was prompt. Again no ginger ale so I made do with sprite. Initially I asked for Fuxbau gin, but it's not part of the C cabin offering. I received Beefeater instead.



Meal was a good effort I suppose. Chicken was not rubbery at least and cake was not too dry. It's quite uninspired: flying to Austria and receiving schnitzel, boiled potato and sachertorte for brunch. You could say the same about BA with the full breakfast and the afternoon tea, had BA not enhanced those away recently.

Service was actually very attentive on this two hour flight. Friendly and helpful. Lumbar pillow located quickly when requested, top up offered as soon as glass was empty. Dishes cleaned away when empty, not waiting for whole tray. Consistent quality of service as well, if I compare to my flights in September.



And as we land it's 11:50 exactly and we've easily made up any lost time.

She enjoyed the films but not as fanatic as her cousins. But thanks for the tip, I will mention the connection to her

Speaking of Pottery, coincidentally another young lady on the bus wearing this backpack.

Well I am fairly disappointed with the senator lounge here in Vienna, at least on the Schengen side. Considering it's a home airport for the alliance.

Firstly the queue for both business and senator lounges seems to be also the queue for transfer queries. There were two ladies at the desk however one is only for First Class and HON circle. So we had to wait for 3 groups to discuss their options, none of which lead to any of the people in those groups actually entering the lounges. Not that we were in such a hurry, or begrudge those needing assistance, just seems odd. Or it was bad luck.

Secondly, it's quite small and busy. Many tables where empty plates and glasses are not removed, so you are not sure if you can sit there or if someone is coming back to that seat.

Thirdly, no obvious gluten free options like sealed bread or crackers. Wife and daughter had eaten on the plane but it's the principle.

Fourthly, there is no ginger ale. Grr.

Me too. I was there because of the IRROPS with Lufthansa. There are better *A lounges but not in Vienna.

Our next flight was OS645 VIE-PRG also on an Embraer 195. There was a 20 minute delay since this metal had earlier done duty VIE-TIR-VIE but even before that it had been late arriving into Vienna this morning. We arrived at the gate around 3pm which would have been boarding denied if the plane was on time. This kind of situation can be strange sometimes. When I am absolutely sure our plane is delayed because I watched the inbound land on FR24 and they can't possibly turn it around in 5 minutes. But somewhere in the back of my mind there's an irrational fear that we'll turn up at the gate and the agents will say "you should have presented yourselves at the gate at the appropriate time". I think this is because I flew so much easyjet in the early noughties. The flight experience is quite different on such a short hop. Firstly the plane was half empty. Just a drink and cardboard box with some sandwiches that, if presented on a ceramic dish and spaced out a bit, might be called Afternoon Tea. Such a cynic.


​We landed only 9 minutes late. Suitcases unloaded and now we're off to find the Uber.

Have you tried KLM on AMS-PRG route? 😁
Also, you can order a special meal on OS. But KLM doesn't give you that option (or at least I haven't found it, and trust me, I tried).
Enjoy Prague! It may be a bit tricky for gluten-free options as Czechs love their bread. I recommend trying a place called "Kantyna". They brew their own beer (not sure if it's any good as ai always have a glass of wine there) and have a great beef carpaccio.

We're flying via Munich on the return, hope it will be better.

I haven't flown KLM since '96!

I did order special GFML on OS but MrsWiSK didn�t take the photos. On the first flight it was rice with a tasty ratatouille, she says. On the second it was self constructed sandwich with rucola, avocado, pomegranate and feta.

I have booked the three dedicated gluten-free restaurants that I could find. Thanks for the recommendation for Kantyna, have added to list.

The Uber was very smooth, there are terminals as you come out of the the arrivals hall. 645czk so about 26� I think. The driver was quiet and efficient driver making good use of bus lanes. There was a moment where we went through a tunnel and came out onto a bridge to the old town. Very dramatic. We made good time and arrived at Marriott within 30 minutes.

At the hotel Milan, a giant of a man, helped with our bags. Check in desk was very friendly and thanked me for my loyalty. Milan showed us the way to the lifts, showing us the Artisan restaurant and brought us to our room. Nice fellow, will have to pin some czk to tip him tomorrow.









The little desk has been set up for revision.

We've just had a most excellent experience in the M Club. Young lady wanted to eat the mini bar crisps in the room, which is �4 for a small pack of ready salted and I said why don't we check what they've got in the M Club. So we went down and there was the most helpful waitress who had been told by guest relations about our gluten free needs. They offered to make gluten free sliders and the chef came out with a tray of six. Young lady grabbed crisps and mixed nuts while I got the drinks. Finally ginger ale! There was no free pour gin but the helpful waitress brought me two measures of gin and a large prosecco for Mrs. There was plenty of options otherwise, all clearly marked for allergens.


Sliders!


Loads of things for grazing.

We took the tray upstairs and the girls feasted on sliders. I'm wondering if we even need to go out to eat!