Flying is becoming a terrible ordeal. I don’t know whether this statement stems from advanced age or the fact that flying today really is one of the most terrible ordeals you can imagine.
Flying with an animal on board in the cargo hold adds to the stress factors of air travel. For us, everything went wrong from the beginning.
The check-in computers were all out of order, and we couldn’t get the stickers needed to put on our luggage. No personnel available, so we went to the check-in queue in the hope of getting some assistance.
The queue was several hundred meters long, our dog Marta barked in her transporter and showed signs of having to pee. We finally got ourselves and the substantial luggage checked in.
After a successful pee-round with Marta outside the airport building we finally got to the point to check her in. A polite young man took us to an elevator where another dog was already waiting for further transportation. He told us to leave the dog there, and that everything was all right.
I protested, because normally there is a security check and the animal has to be taken out of the cage. Well, he confirmed that this is the way it has to be done. So we left our dog there and went to the zigzagging fenced-in queue at security for two-legged animals.
My husband had just removed his belt and his shoes when his name was called on the loudspeaker. He should contact information. So off he went, and I put on my shoes again and decided to wait for him.
After a while, I called him on my Nokia. He was holding our dog while security staff were checking the cage for safety! After security we had to walk at least one kilometre to the boarding gate.
We sighed with relief when we finally boarded the plane that was full to the last seat. After a glass of cold red wine, and some abominable sandwiches (which we had to pay for) it was time to sum up our journey.
Obviously, the competition from Ryanair and the like challenges companies like Norwegian to the extreme. We, like many others booked late and thus had to pay full price for our tickets, whereas those wise people booking in time get what they have paid for.
We just have to face it; gone are the days when, after boarding, you got warm white terry towels to wipe your hands on, and a good cooked meal.
Can you travel by boat or train from Málaga to Helsinki with a dog? That´s the question we ask today.
But it’s nice to be back in our dear Almuñecar. The sun is shining. The garden looks at its best, and we only have to choose between the many cultural events the town has to offer. Today, I will make grilled sardines and papas a lo pobre. Jum!