Fly like an Eagle

Every year, I go skiing with a group of friends. The group varies a bit in number and names but there is a hardcore group of six, five guys and a girl. This year there are seven of us; one of the guys brought his girlfriend along. Normally we all drive to whatever destination, but this year there were not enough cars. One of the buddies and I needed alternative transportation. After scrutinizing all of our options (train, car rental and so on) we decided on flying to the airport closest to our destination. Now that sounded like good news to me. If you know me, you know I love to travel and more so to fly. I know it is a cliché but I think the journey is at least half the fun. Although, when going skiing the destination is important too, at least the altitude is. This year’s location for our mischief is Oz en Oisans, near Alpe d’ Huez in France.

 

Anyway, I love to travel. I can’t get enough of the hustle and bustle at airports, lovers hugging and kissing, sharply dressed businessmen hurrying along. Despite it being great to fly, today’s security checks and number of people flying make it less attractive to do so. Unless of course, if can you travel the way we did. I booked a ticket online with Transavia.com from Rotterdam airport in the Netherlands to Grenoble, France. Besides the online booking, I also checked in online, the day before we flew. I printed our boarding passes at home and our friends were kind enough to take all of our luggage in the car with them. That meant we didn’t have to drag a suitcase, while also trying to hold on to our ski boots and skis.

We only carried a minimum of hand luggage. With our boarding passes in our pockets, we could head straight for the gate. To prevent any hold ups at the security check, I always wear tight fit pants that don’t need a belt and shoes with rubber souls. I used to wear leather souls but every time I did, the tiny nails made the metal detector light up like a Christmas tree.

 

We had a wonderful one and a half hour flight. The most fun I had was with take off. As soon as we left the tarmac, and during our steep climb through the clouds, we were treated to the best turbulence I have ever experienced. The plane shook like a roller coaster. Ever changing sideway manoeuvres and especially the up and down motions gave me butterflies in my stomach.

I loved it! The seat or more so the position I was in, added to the feeling of a roller coaster. This being a very cheap flight meant I was forced to sit in an unbelievable cramped position. I didn’t have a ruler with me, but my best guess is there were no more then 25 centimetres between my seat and the one in front of me. Let me say it was a snugly and cosy fit, especially when I had two children on my lap. Around me, there was a family of nine, six adults and three little children. When I say little, I mean not one of them was over 18 months. Kids being kids, they didn’t want to remain seated with their parents, but instead wanted to sit on the lap of their aunty and uncle. The uncle had his table down and stuff on it, aunty already had a child, a handbag and book she was reading to the child on her lap. Well, you get the picture: two of these adorable little ones ended up on my lap, one on each knee. I have to say, they behaved like little angels. Didn’t cry during the flight, not even a little sob during take off or landing. Bless them!

 

Upon our arrival, we called our friends who already checked-in to the chalet, to pick us up. We got some jealous looks from other travellers who didn’t have this luxury. Rarely have I ever travelled this smooth. Down in the valley, we stopped by the supermarket for life’s necessities. After an hour or so, we headed in to the mountain with beer stacked to the ceiling of the car. The chalet turned out to be great and very roomy. It is a six-bedroom chalet with fully equipped kitchen. The view is spectacular, I am sorry if I bore you with yet more pictures of mountain ridges.