Tonight I’m finishing off booking my next trip. As the old expression goes, “God willing and the creek don’t rise” I’ll be going to Santorini, Greece to attend a photo tour of the island.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. “She’s crazy!” (Well, I am actually.) “Why is she going there?” and probably even some of, “She never mentioned Greece before.” It’s true, I didn’t. But, I’m going. It’s one of those places that was always on my radar. As is typically the case, a trip popped up and I just could not pass it up. So, Greece it is. I’m Santorini bound! Wish me safe travels, good light, and all of that if you’re so inclined, please, for I can use all of the well wishes I can get.
The next days will find me both excited about the upcoming prospects of photographing the Greek countryside and also taking on a frenzy of activity as I prepare for my workshop. I’m already tied up with things like booking travel, ordering flash memory, getting lots of last minute items together, plus a host of research and going over in my mind what type of work I’m inclined to do there. All of that plus, well, tonight I booked the Blue Van. (Exciting, I know, but that’s the life of an international jet setter I guess. I mean, I have to get myself to the airport somehow, right?)
I’m so glad they have flights from Austin direct to London now. Makes it easier for me to visit places like Athens and Santorini. It’s just one less flight hop I have to make, not to mention I get to fly on the dreamliner which, you know, it’s nice.
As an aside, British Despair, I mean, um, British Air (yeah, that’s it) offers some kind of service called “Premium Economy” which is not much more expensive than the seats in the back but offers you a large screen TV in front of you plus a bit more “wiggle room” for your legs. I’ve opted for this “Premium Economy” class, since it was only $100 more and, had I booked regular ole’ generic “economy” I would have had to pay $75 more for baggage (or so.) For $25 and a 9 hour flight to and fro, I figured it would be money well spent.
One of the decisions I now face, thanks in part to this new “Premium Economy” foof, is that I get to decide upon a meal. One might think this an easy task, but, man, the page for meals is oh so confusing. They have ovo lacto vegetarian meals (I think this means eggs and milk but no meat) they have Muslim meals (no pork.) They have Hindu meals (no meat.) They have vegan meals. (You know what they call a fat free, gluten free vegan brownie? Compost….kidding, I’m kidding. Actually, maybe not so much.) They have an entire web page devoted to all of this meal foof, not to mention another web page where they tell us how we have to take off our shoes before boarding the planes (I think this is on account of being American but don’t quote me on that.)
All of this shoe-less ovo lacto nonsense prompted me to tell my mother the other day, “You see, Mom,” I said to her on the phone, “you thought you gave birth to a daughter but, in actuality, I’m about to become a shoeless Hindu on board a flight from Austin to London’s Heathrow airport.”
How much you want to make a bet they will still somehow manage to screw up my meal and give me a steak sandwich mid-flight? These things, why they always seem to happen to me, but I somehow manage to just make the best of it whenever I can.
But, Santorini bound I am. I’ve even got the Blue Van reservation number to prove it. British Despair or not, I’m flying away soon to Greece, Santorini to be exact.
Until next time…