Posts filed under 'Travel'
Today, I asked a total stranger for money, I think for the first time. Not a lot of money, 2 euros in fact, but it was quite a humbling experience.
The situation was as follows: I was already slightly late for a plane out of Porto’s Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport on the return from part of the Camino de Santiago (more on this in future posts), and had planned on taking the metro out to the airport, since I was told this was the most convenient way. Problem was, I had just before spent the remainder of my cash, planning to pay my metro-ticket by card.
I get to the metro, use the machine, 2 euros for a ticket to the airport – so far so good. This is where my troubles start. First, the machine would not take payment from my Visa-card. Figuring it was a glitch with the machine, I went to the ticket office, only to be told that the Porto metro does not have an arrangement with any international card companies, so I would have to either use a Portuguese card or pay in cash. Had I known this earlier, I would have had no trouble having 2 euros on me at that point for various reasons, but again, I had planned to use my cards to pay for that ticket. I felt rather frustrated that I had to take out cash again – paying a 5-euro fee – only to pay a 2-euro ticket, not to mention the time-crunch.
I look at the time, and it’s getting dangerously late past the time I had planned to leave for the airport. Granted, I always have more safety margin than most, but then again, I was in a town I did not know at all, with a language I did not speak at all, and having spent some time earlier on getting into the town centre, which was not a trivial thing.
I walk out, start looking for an ATM, and see none. I see two people who look to be likely to speak some English – a man and a woman, probably mid-thirties, who seem rather urban in their appearance.
I approach the couple – I assumed they were a couple first, though later I got the feeling they weren’t – and ask the man if he speaks English. He confirms, is quite friendly, and I ask him where I can find an ATM. He thinks a bit then points to a couple of streets down. I think at that point the whole time-thing had got me so panicked, plus the ridicule of taking out a 10-euro note – with fees – to pay for that ticket, that I ask the man: ‘I’m really sorry to ask this of you, but I only need 2 euros for a ticket to the airport’. I don’t remember exactly what line followed after, but it was probably something along the lines if he could possibly spare that.
The man looks at me – sunglasses and suddenly a rather startled look on his face – in disbelief. He seems very surprised, and almost displays a suppressed outrage. He answers something along the lines of ‘well … that’s not my … I don’t have 2 euros’. He then starts telling me that there are like 10 banks down the street if I only go a few streets down. It’s not overt, but it seems rather clear he doesn’t buy my story, and that he just wants to point me to the nearest ATM asap and get rid of me – quite possibly to continue his conversation with the woman. Though I’m not quite fixed with the cronology, I think I added at this point that the train company would only take Portuguese cards.
At this point I’m pretty sure the hopelessness of the situation is emanating from my face, and I mutter something along the lines of ok, thanks, and start turning to find a bank.
Then the woman starts talking. She asks if I have time to reach my plane then. I don’t think I even register it consciously at that point, but in retrospect, it was such a breath of fresh air to have someone who actually takes my story at face value break into the conversation. I don’t remember what I answered, but I think I displayed frustration again over only needing 2 euros and having to find ATM’s and go through that whole thing. This could have been the time I told them about the cards as well. The woman thinks only briefly, and then says she has a metro-card that should have enough credit on it to get me to the airport.
The guy did not seem to appreciate this turn of events, and started looking decidedly frustrated. Thinking they were a couple, I took the cue and said it didn’t matter, I’d just find an ATM. She insisted, however, it was no trouble, in fact, she had 2 euros that I could have as well as the card. That way, the ticket would be cheaper – 1,5 euros – since an extra 0,5 euros is paid for the chip-card. So the woman gives me the travel-card – and the 2 euros, in spite of my objections due to not wanting to displease the guy. I take it, not knowing what else to do. And frankly, it solved a big problem for me. So there I am, from having nothing and having little time to get to the airport, to suddenly having all I needed to get there, due to the trust and kindness of a complete stranger.
I called this post ‘from the other side’, since I am rather more used to being on the side of the road where I’m asked for money as I pass by people. Do we believe people who have a good story to tell and wants money for a ticket? I certainly had my doubts a few months ago when I paid a not too expensive train ticket for a couple of girls at 2am on a train station, where they claimed their Visa-card had suddenly stopped working. Are we generous enough to meet their needs anyways? I have an inkling feeling that even if she hadn’t bought my story, that woman might have still given me those 2 euros, and that guy may not have, even if he did believe I was in that fix. Of course, those 2 euros were ultimately my responsibility, but that’s not the point. The point is that I had a real need for them, and due to the kindness of a stranger, I was saved from a lot of hassle, and possibly – or at least so it seemed at the time – a missed plane.
The experience also left me feeling a bit weird as I sat on the train. I almost had the feel and posture of a beggar accepting money as I took the 2 euros and thanked the woman. It definitely did something to my pride to have to ask someone for that. I am not sure that’s a bad thing, under the circumstances. I most certainly did not want to go back when I found out that I did not need the travelcard she gave me after all, but it seemed like the right thing to do. It seemed strange approaching those two people again, expecting one to await me coming to up the take, while the other to openly await what I had to say.
The ironic part of the story is that as I’m sitting at the airport writing this, I just found out Portugal runs on GMT, as opposed to Spain where I traveled from this morning, so I was altogether an hour too early in the first place.. 
In any case, the story and its content at the time is no less real.
I will keep that ticket as a reminder. To the stranger, whoever you are, I thank you. This made my day!
juli 7th, 2011
I recently travelled through Manchester airport, which apparently was awarded ‘UK airport of the year 2010′, as touted by numerous posters at said airport (see also their awards page). In the bag drop queue, I had to wait quite a while for the couple in front who had a number of issues getting the whole family, including kids and prams, checked in. While passengers were getting slightly annoyed – I will admit to being part of that group – such things happen, of course.
However, when I got to the security line, I started to get the feeling something was different here. Big posters sporting full-body scanners were put up, saying something to the effect that at this particular airport, enhanced security measures were in effect.
Being slightly concerned about the radiation effect of said full-body scanners, I thought to myself that I can always opt out, as is possible in the states, believing this to be an option in the UK too. Sure, an enhanced search is not altogether pleasant, but better than receiving an unnecessary dose of radiation.
However, while I was in the queue – a long queue – I looked up some info on my phone. It turns out that if you refuse a full-body scan in a UK airport, travel will be declined. And that, while the airport maintains that the scanners are completely safe (stating that the amount of radiation received is equivalent to that of 5 minutes of background radiation), highly competent researchers have posed serious questions with regards to the potentially cancer-inducing effects of these scans.
As I walked through the queue, I considered my options, should I be selected for a body-scan. Having some time to reflect, I came to the conclusion I had none. If I resisted the body-scan, I would not be allowed to travel. £100 out the window, and no way to get back to Denmark. If I went through the scanner, potential long-term health-effects. I looked with envy on the business-class travellers, and the aforementioned couple with the kids and the pram, who somehow got onto the fast-track security line, which, besides providing a vastly more expeditious security process, was completely devoid of these scanners.
I was not selected for the body-scan. Unlike many of my fellow travellers. The worst thing about the experience was that I did not have a choice. Had I been been selected, I would have been compelled to go through with the scan.
On reflection, this is probably the first time government agencies have resorted to imposing potentially health-damaging security checks on its population, let alone the vastly upgraded privacy intrusions. Sure, the liquid restrictions were annoying, but they did not impose any harm on me, other than having to throw out the occasional face-wash that I forgot to take out of the hand luggage Nor are the metal-detectors or the x-ray machines harmful to us in any way. Enter the body-scanners. Radiation-exposure is now mandatory in order to fly.
The reality is that there is some debate on the health effects of the scanners. In addition to the mentioned expert comments, there is a recent case of scanners in the US having emitted much higher radiation than they should, or at the very least being measured incorrectly. And there are the comments of scientists in this wired article, not exactly inspiring calm. As the icing on the cake, Bruce Schneier, a well-renowned security expert and cryptographer, makes some interesting comments on the effectiveness of these new security measures (though he admittedly elsewhere believes them to be safe health-wise).
Bottom-line, I am sceptical towards new technology that is being rushed in, proclaimed safe, and put to mass-use in the name of security. Mass x-ray scans of vast amounts of people is certainly not something to be undertaken lightly.
marts 17th, 2011
It’s funny how you just happen to run into people at certain times. Today, I had the pleasure of meeting Hugh and his family from Ireland on the busride from Stansted to London. Very nice people. I was even invited to stay at their place for a night if I was ever in the area, and have an authentic Irish experience. I might just take them up on that offer
april 7th, 2010
It never ceases to amaze me how both Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) and Ryanair can both vigorously proclaim that they are Europe’s most punctual airline. Ryanair blasts it out their speaker every time the plane touches ground on time, and SAS sports it all over their advertising posters. Reader-centred hermeneutics anyone?
april 7th, 2010
Just stopped by the Royal Library in Copenhagen, in search for some resources, namely a Hebrew Bible and some lexica. I got more than I hoped for; they have the stuttgartensia, Koehler Baumgartner and a number of other reference works I recognize from Newbold – and also some pretty nice facilities 
However, I must say, the Newbold library actually quite well competes with the theology section in the diamond – which is no small feat.
Ok, sitting in the researcher’s study area now; need to get serious…
december 16th, 2008
So, yesterday, the Danish airline company Sterling went bankrupt. This was not totally unexpected, seeing as the ownership is Icelandic, but it still sucks when you’ve got tickets with them for going home in the Christmas break and coming back again in January.
This will probably give me a loss of about 60 pounds, but it could’ve been a lot worse. Especially since I was originally supposed to be in Copenhagen this week, coming home on a Sterling flight Sunday…
Funny thing is that today and yesterday, I received bank transfers (ok, technically not bank transfers, but returns on my credit-card) from Sterling giving me back the remaining taxes and fees on the tickets for this week, so it appears they can still disperse money (I had requested this before the bankruptcy though)
Long live Sterling. It shall be exciting to see whether we will face a time of increased competition as new competitors try and move in on the gap Sterling leaves behind (as suggested by one veteran in the industry), or whether SAS will be benefited by a near-monopoly situation on some of the routes. As it turns out though, Norwegian is already moving into the market, so things tend to point in the former direction. Hoping for cheaper plane-tickets in the coming season (and perhaps slightly more realistically priced tickets so we won’t have to endure another fall)
P.S. Hope I’m not breaking copyright with the image. However, if I was, who would there be to sue me anyways? :p
oktober 30th, 2008
Returning from Denmark last Monday, I had a short stop at London Waterloo, where I had the pleasure of paying 30p to use the bathroom, and there have an encounter with the so-called Dyson Airblade.
As I was drying my hands in it, I read something like ‘The Dyson Airblade uses up to 83% less energy than conventional warm air hand dryers…’ Smart. Apparently, it also burns your hands; or at least, that’s how it felt. Ok, I’m exaggerating a bit, but I could feel the evening and the next day that part of my hand had been exposed to a too high temperature.
This is how it works: Air flows horizontally like a ‘blade’ (hence the name), and beneath is a hollow space, so effectively, you dry your hands by moving them up and down, allowing the ‘air-blade’ to dry them. This worked fine. Until I thought ‘let’s try this again’, and suddenly my hand got pulled to the side of the ‘blade’ (where the air is coming out). A piece of advice when using the air-blade: Keep your hands firmly in the middle
oktober 25th, 2008
Before the weekend, I had the pleasure of travelling out from Gatwick airport. This is rapidly becoming my favourite airport in the London area. Not only is it easy to get to from Bracknell, but it has one truly amazing feature: The Café Est.
Here you get excellent Italian food with a great view over the runway. When you step into the caf̩ Рwhich is really a restaurant Рyou suddenly loose the cheap feeling you usually get from airport places, but still retain the air travel goodness feeling.
My two favourites are the pizza with Goat’s cheese and various vegetables (for an amazing £8 at an airport), and the penne funghi. The last-mentioned is served in two sizes: Main course and starter. As it turns out, both times I’ve tried the starter size, I’ve had more than enough to eat. Have a look at my half-eaten plate:
Yes, this is the starter-size. Not only does it feature an amazing white wine cream sauce with aspargus and wild mushrooms (not only ‘champignon’, but real exciting mushroom-sorts), but it is served with (if you wish) gracious amounts of parmigiano on top, as well as freshly ground pepper. All for the price of a little over £5. This place is truly a find, and remain one of the reasons for which I treasure Gatwick airport so much.
oktober 22nd, 2008
Apparently, then, in Heathrow, they do have taps with quite hot water in it. Only, they are not labeled. Ouch! (okay, this was a bit overstated, but the water was definitely borderline hot)
(relating to the former post ‘Health and Safety‘)
august 26th, 2008
Saturday evening, we booked tickets for a classical concert in the Vienna State Opera (Staatsoper) with the Vienna Mozart Orchestra. Sadly, Marit had to remain at the hotel and take care of the sleeping Benjamin, so we were 2 people short. As it turned out, we got seated on the second row, even though we had not booked seats in this category, so that was quite nice
The building itself is an experience. Somehow, I had the feeling I had seen it in some movies, but I have a suspicion that I was really thinking of a larger place somewhere in eastern Europe.
The greatest experience, however, was the music. The first 15-20 minutes I could not even make myself take a picture, as I just wanted to listen to the music. It struck me that this should not be something you capture for having a special memory, but rather the only way you enjoy classical music – live. It really is a totally different (and much nicer) sound experience, and you catch nuances of the famous works that you have not noticed before.
The Vienna Mozart Orchestra played extremely well, and both the classical costumes as well as the musical qualities contributed to making it a fantastic experience. The preferred mode of play seemed to be a somewhat understated, but still very nuanced sound, lying just beneath the real breakthrough of an audial (if that’s even a word) climax. It made me wonder if they could actually play with full strength or if the orchestra was simply too small, but in their very final extra-performance where they offered us “An der schönen blauen Donau” and “Radetsky March”, they seemed to be of the opinion that while Mozart apparently cannot be played in full strength, Strauss can
Along the concert, I was wondering if their somewhat understated interpretations were not purposeful and thus would have awarded them 9 out of 10 points, but clearly I was mistaken, so in my mind, they now have gotten full marks for playing in a very controlled just-below-breakthrough mode all through the classical works of Mozart.
In the end, a great evening. And so much more fun to listen to the works of Mozart than visiting his house. This is where Mozart truly comes alive!
august 25th, 2008
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