Travel In and Out of Style

On the way out, I had VIP treatment. And it was valid for the way back too.

I can recommend the VIP lounge at Malaga airport for space, peacefulness, and drinks. As breakfast goes it wasn't great, but then breakfast at the hotel was fine. I just needed the drinks and a comfortable seat.

Lots of VIP Seating, not many VIPs

I heeded the call to get on the plane and was one of the last to board. No problem, I was in row 1. The lady I was seated near (the seat between us is converted into a small table) I had seen in the lounge. She had placed a large cup under the coffee machine and pressed "coffee". After some time, the machine proudly deposited a small puddle of black liquid in the bottom of the cup. There are tiny cups for this selection, the 'coffee' probably looks better in them.

After watching my "cappuccino" she returned to chose the same. We laughed at her first choice, and so chatted briefly on the plane. Indian by birth, she was visiting her son and his family in Spain and was returning to San Francisco. In America, coffee means coffee.

I was by the window. The sun was shining. Here is a shot of Malaga and the port as a view you probably have not seen before.

Sunny Malaga.

I sat back with more drinks and waited for lunch. A polite stewardess asked me if I was ready to have breakfast. Why not? even if it was my third!

At Charles de Gaulle Airport there was a train strike. From being VIP on the plane I was now waiting on platforms for any train in my direction. What few were running all stopped in Paris so I got off and sought the normal platform for my onward journey. A lady who asked me for help had come from Adelaide. She was expecting a 2hr TGV ride only to find her train was cancelled. She had a ticket to Gare du Nord but needed to negotiate the Metro to Montparnasse. Her luggage was huge! and she must have been very tired by now. I began to feel more fortunate. We squashed into the very full train, glad to get a seat. VIP was now 'very impoverished progress'.

My next train finally arrived advertising that it went just 1 stop further on; but in the event this was untrue. With just 1 more change I was home, only 90 minutes later than I expected.

I can recommend the VIP airport treatment. The trains come under the category of 'experience'.