Air India... continued....

It's impossible to list all the lessons learned on that trip. It's safe to conclude that it did indeed change my view on life, and it expanded my knowledge on some very important subject matter, i.e. Air travel, beer consumption, and world history. 

To be safe, we decided not to include Air India in our next travel experience, but that is was only appropriate to patronize American Airlines. Upon our return to the states, we knew our next adventure would include the South Pacific. Just how and when was always up in the air, but with the events of this week, it's just the "how" that we are still unsure of. We know we just need backpacks, a plane ticket (the correct one), some surfing experience, and some sundresses and we should be adequately prepared. September 2, 2009 is the day of departure from the states. Armed with my first one-way ticket, I felt a sense of liberation much like skinny dipping in the Adriatic Sea , or deleting a phone number from your phone you decide you never need again....

It all began with Air India...

I think to properly tell this story, I must start from the very beginning. Of course, I could start from the VERY beginning which would take us back to high school, but we won't go there. Instead this story will begin one spring day, in a place far from where I am right now. One of my best friends (Erin) and I decided to go abroad and visit our friend Kelli who was studying in Ireland. Lots of planning, and two massively large suitcases later, we found ourselves on our first international adventure. We found our way to Limerick, Ireland from the Shannon International, and dragged our let-lagged feet and oversized suitcases through campus. We had decided while in Europe to make the most of our time there and the night before leaving, we booked two flights to London and Rome for the week. After a night in Ireland, we started our first "backpacking" experience.... which was very poorly planned as we packed a weeks worth of life into a SCHOOl backpack. Clearly at this point we had a lot to learn, but the fabulous thing about backpacking is with a backpack on your shoulder (even a school backpack) ANYTHING goes. Any attire, any hair-do, and you can even not shower for days and people will understand because you are BACKPACKING. 

Thus began my love affair with international travel and the concept of "no plans." It seems while on the road, one has a sense of confidence that cannot be maintained on the home turf. I mean, you can talk to anybody, go into Westminster Abbey in sweat pants and a t-shirt, and drink beer in a local pub nightly without feeling like an alcoholic. After my mini sized backpack experience, I decided there must be more to come, despite the upcoming senior year of college and then the "real world."

Once we all got back home to Sioux Falls, we began jobs, internships, and preparations for our last semesters of college. On one of our many trips to B&N (Barnes and Noble) one night, a brain-child was born.... after graduation we should really backpack, like with real backpacks. Seemed like an excellent idea at the time, and of course, we had plenty of time to save money, and prepare.....

On all breaks we would meet at B&N and discuss our plans.... about 37 different itineraries were drawn up: London, to Italy, to Germany, to France, etc. We wanted to see so much, and how could we fit it into a MONTH??? 

Little did we know how fun senior year would be- mini road trips and bar crawls seemed to take a precedence to the upcoming backpacking experience, thus draining my "fun money" funds quicker than I thought. On Easter break, while sitting in my mother's kitchen, I had a mini panic attack and realized magnitude of my life at this point: Graduation, boards, job. I had no time for backpacking, and I certainly didn't have the funds.... With tickets to Heathrow and a Eurorail already bought, I decided I could forgo the whole experience. A wise woman (named Jean Snyders) told me "it will work out" and I should go anyway...

I need to point out about my parents is that they do not share my love of travel, and I don't think they truly understand why I have to do it, or how important it is to who I am. Although they don't understand, they let me do as I want (always with reminder "We are NOT helping you pay for this...") and they don't say too much about some of my decisions. It's one of the best gifts they can give me, because they don't stand in the way of my dreams.

Somehow, on May 25th, 2007 I found myself at Eppley Airfield, saying good-bye to my mother, sister, and my crazy, but oh so adorable nephew, Isaac. As Kelli and I sat in the waiting area for our flight, we knew our lives were about to be changed, but little did we know what the universe had in store...

We boarded our first plane via American Airlines to Chicago. As the attendant pulled my ticket, I remember saying "uh sir, were you supposed to take that?" 

"yes, m'am, we keep this one."

I did not object, even though I had a sneaking suspicion that ticket said "O'Hare to Heathrow" on it. 

"It's ok Snyds," assured Mutch, the clearly more seasoned traveler of the two of us. And we entered the plane, saying good-bye to the great plains. 

**************Insert Air India**************************

"You are not getting on this plane." Stated the scowling Air India attendant. 

I felt like all eyes were on us, the two young blonde girls who clearly were NOT from India. 

"But my itinerary says Omaha to London."

"I'm sorry, but you don't have your ticket from Chicago to London, this says Omaha to Chicago."

"SHIT!" I knew something was wrong in Omaha, and now they tell us I cannot get on the plane but Mutch can."

Do  we separate and hope than American Airlines can fix this disaster for me and meet in London tomorrow, or do we both miss our plane in the chances that NEITHER of us will go...

To save time, I won't go into all the details, but insert Mary Ann, a kind-hearted flight attendant from American Airlines realized the error of AA in OMaha, and kindly put us on a flight to London the next day. That's ok, we thought. We could cancel one night in a hostel we had planned in Frankfurt, and just miss a day in our trip....

This one mishap set a whole series of events in motion: Putting us in London on a bank holiday, severely limiting our chances of getting out of the city for less than 600 pounds. 

It led us to getting to Frankfurt THREE days late, which put us in the path Dylan, the Aussie who convinced us to go to Budapest. The first real deviation in the trip. 

Me: "Is Hungary even safe?"

Mutch: "Of course it's safe for two young twenty-something females..."

On 8 hour train to Budapest:

Mutch: "So Snyds, did you get the hostel booked for tonight?"

Me: "Um, I am pretty sure there was NO availability"

Mutch: "There's... no... availability...??"

Me: "I'm sure they take walk-ins?"

Mutch: "What was the name?"

Me: "Um... I think it had 'Island' in it?"

Mutch: "oh ok, we'll... figure it out!"

I feel that conversation is truly representative of our travel style. Completely irresponsible, yet it works. We always find ourselves a bed. We haven't gotten sold into sex slavery yet, and we still have all extremities. You have to believe in the system...

Budapest is place I truly fell in love with backpacking. One night at an open-air club, I remember dancing all night with friends from our hostel. As the sun began to rise, I remember thinking (of course in a rather intoxicated sense) how for these days I had not been concerned with the prospect of the past, and I certainly wasn't concerned with what lay ahead : BOards, Job, working world. I recall thinking "what a beautiful world we live in." And how lucky we are now to be able to experience it on a much larger scale. 

That whole trip taught me a lot of valuable lessons:

- Human kind is good, all over the world.

- A drunken decision is usually a good one. Usually.

- We should ALWAYS take advantage of free refills and free toilets in the States. ALWAYS. 

- The best and swiftest way to travel is the Deutschbahn. No questions asked.

- NEVER fly Air India, even if it's cheap, even if they offer free booze, and even if they play Bollywood films (although I oh so kindly give Air India credit for placing us in "fate's" hands). 

- There are no hangovers in Europe. Consequently, drinking multiple nights in a row will happen. 

- Always bring a towel, when traveling. It is difficult to sunbathe with a hand towel or wash cloth.

- A "Sleeper train" does not mean you get to sleep. Nor does it mean you get a bed, or a sheet, or a pillow. 

- Do not be afraid of machine guns in Hungary. Always have your passport ready. 

- People somehow peg you as an American, even before you open your mouth.... No matter how hard you try to look Australian...