Thursday
April 21
2005
page 1

2005 BALKANS TOUR

Ben Oostdam

Millersville
Philadelphia
Paris
Budapest

After ample preparations and attempts to reduce my luggage to a minimum, I took off at 15:00 with my good friend Harry Ashley who drove us from Millersville to Philadelphia Airport.
On the way we witnessed an Amish scene which made me wonder why I would travel so far to see something as "historic" and scenic overseas while this beauty was just a short time and distance away from home. (left)
At 17:40 I was in the terminal and Harry on his way back home. Check-in at Air France was easy with my E-mail reservation, but the security inspection line was long and annoying, especially when I had to untie and take off my walking boots before passing through the scanner.
On the plane I had a bulkhead seat so I could stretch my phlebitisy right leg.
Next to me sat a charming 33 year old Belarusian apothecary and mother of two daughters, on her way to meet her Ukrainian husband in Paris. We had a good dinner conversation with several bottles of red wine before trying to go to sleep.
click to wake us up
BLO fecit 20050615
go to: page 2 - contents