RARECATION: The Beginning...(Part 1)

Finally I am going to Europe for a short study-visit with some friends! 11 days around Europe. 

Trip begins from Munich in Germany - Switzerland's Rhine falls and its Alpine regions - Italy's Lake Como, Verona and Venice - Bovec in Slovenia - Hallstatt and Salzburg in Austria and finally back to Munich for a visit before departing for Lagos, Nigeria. 

All in all, it will be a ~2000km journey which we will be cooking our own food...make our bed...recharge the on board batteries...fill the tanks with water...empty the grey water tanks (used water)...clean the WC, all those on daily basis, because all of us will be travelling on these....

C1 Euro mobil by DRM

A motorhome! Camper van! Basically a motorised vehicle with living accommodation...just like a turtle or snail! Runs on diesel, manual transmission and a left hooker (left hand drive). It's a FIAT Ducato van which had been converted for the purpose. Plus driver and the sleeping co-driver, another 4 passengers seated at the back facing each other with a table between them. Just like the train's buffet car. It's 90euros perday to rent one of these things. 

Interior of the camper van

Top: travel mode
Bottom: sleeping mode

Anyway, the trip was organised by SNAP (Saiful Nang Academy of Professional). You can check their Facebook page. Look for SNAP Club. I saw the advertisement about this trip way back in May and registered a few days later. 

I met Saiful Nang (SN) and Syibli, attended some of the classes for digital photography when I was back in Malaysia for Ramadan and Eid. Bought my gear, practiced and packed when it was time to go....took me a few days, though.

It was the longest good bye for me and the children. Especially for Ben. Huhuhuhu. At the airport, checked in at the counter, say good bye to Madam and head for to the KLM lounge. 

It was around 8.30pm when the unthinkable..well I mean it's pretty normal here in Nigeria but at the airport? I mean when suddenly...'poof'..blackout..The airport was only lit with emergency lights but as a result the flight had to be delayed (restart the check in system etc) STRIKE ONE!

Before...

After...

When it was our time to depart, from the window I could see it was raining heavily. Nevertheless, we taxied to the runway when suddenly over the aircraft's intercom..."dames en heren....(ladies and gentlemen).... the pilot informed that a storm coming our way and would wait until it had passed before we could take-off. STRIKE TWO!!

KL 588 LOS - AMS (A330-300)

the bridge to the aircraft..freedom!!!

KLM's goodie bag

Well, we managed it anyway..it was the longest take-off in my life. Felt the aircraft so big, slided a bit during take off. Since this was a KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines) flight  and they really love their cheese (dairy products)...so it was to the point I felt like I was Jerry (Tom and Jerry..geddit?). The rest of the passengers were ready to sleep...but Nooooo...I can still munch and the crew was happy to offer me with more cheese and crackers while watching the inflight movie -...can't remember what, but it was an old cartoon movie. OK..I remembered! It was the "Emperor's New Groove"...

Asked for fish (seafood meal)

salt and pepper dispenser

cheese and prune...good combo

the stirrer for the coffee 

"Property of KLM"
Do not remove from the aircraft...(on the blanket)

It was a night flight.. but with the movies and song selections, I was hardly asleep. Nothing much to see from the window...but the turbulence..and even before looking at the flight info, you would be guessing right...the aircraft was flying over the Saharan desert. It was dark except for some lights here and there. But once you cross the Mediterranean sea...

Welcome to Europe!
What you see is the French's south coastline

An hour before we land, we were busy having breakfast when the captain went online and apologise for the delay from Lagos. He mentioned about the passengers with the connecting flights to certain cities will not be able to do so, but for me to Munich...it will be ok. 

everything gone except for the plate on the top left..
love the yoghurt

Hah!..it was a near miss. My name was all over the Schiphol airport's (Amsterdam) public address system. I forgot people call me by my surname, Sahid. It was Mr. Sahid. It took me a while to register but it was a do or die dash to the waiting airplane. I was the last one to enter and immediately we were on our way to Munich exactly 7.15am....

KL 1791 AMS - MUC

Munich! Müchen. The home of Bayern Munich, which incidentally is Ben's favourite team. The moment we descent below the clouds..it was grey until the last moment...the runway. It was the foggiest I've seen but, at last I'm in Germany! Aheh!!! Just an hour plus journey by flight from Amsterdam. 

Terminal 1 E. Left the aircraft, a Boeing 737-800...pass the sky bridge, the big German Shepherd dog by the gate (sniffing the bags)..straight to the bag conveyor....but, MINUS MY BAG! STRIKE THREE!!! Arghhh!!!!!

What can I do? Except to register myself at the missing luggage counter just beside the conveyor (how convenient). Fill in the form...and information regarding the contents of the bag. The officer on duty informed me that it will probably arrive in the afternoon. No problem there...only my worry is that I will delay the rest of the group to the next location. Nothing much I can do except to inform SN and Syibli about the setback....

There you have it...zero mileage and drama all the way from Lagos to Munich. What lies ahead? Another 2000km stress free trip? I do hope so.