I finally gave up and got up at 7:14, while K slept until 7:35. We dressed and put a few things in our bags, before our daughter J came over from her room next door to go to breakfast at 8.
I do love a European breakfast buffet, particularly a German one. The cold cuts and cheese make a wonderful breakfast sandwich. There was great pastry, too. The chocolate cake has not been on the buffet everyday. It was nice to see it again.
We went back upstairs to brush teeth and get everything together. This is one of the latest flights we've ever had leaving Europe. It was nice to not have to rush.
We checked out at 9:15 and stepped outside to find it grey and damp. K and J managed to get the big luggage up the stairs to the upper street level. There was no way I could have done it.
We got to the station at 9:22 and just after that it started to rain. We took the elevator down to the platform.
For once, we did not have to travel to the main train station to catch a train that would wind up going past the hotel on its way to the destination. Instead, we caught the S1 going out to the Flughafen (airport) at 9:27. We settled into seats and watched as we passed through the wet outer sections of town.
Someone on the train realized that this train had two destinations that were not in the same direction. At 9:58, at the Neufahrn station, a mass of us rushed off the train and hurried to the back sections. The front was going to Freising. The back went onward to the airport. Good grief! Good thing the guy realized it.
At 10:08, we arrived at the train station at the airport. We were greeted by these lovely decorations.
We retraced our steps from our arrival and it felt a little shorter this time. At 10:38, we checked in and found our tickets marked with TSA Pre, just like at home. Then, we had to go deal with the tax stuff. We found Customs (Zoll) at B, while we were flying out of A. The customs agent didn't even ask to see anything, even though the girl in front of us had had to open her whole suitcase. There was no one to take the envelopes for Global Blue or Planet, the people refunding the taxes. So, we had to drop them in two different mailboxes and hope they get where they needed to. We were finally finished at 10:55.
Then, it was back to A to go through security and go to the waiting area for gate A20. Along the way, we saw something you won't see at any US airport- a smoking room. They look like they are exhibits in a museum or a zoo.
We found seats at 11:20 in what is definitely the dullest waiting area I've ever seen. We had seen no signs telling us how to get to the Christmas market at the airport, but, from what I could tell, it was outside. We killed time by reading, walking around in the area, which was not large, and going through the specials at the duty free shop that was there. I got myself a Coke Zero, some sale candy, and a Coke for J for 6,60 Euros.
It was obvious that we were not getting on the plane right here, but were going to be taking a shuttle bus out to the edge of the tarmac, where the planes were parked. I don't know if they will be able to get on the planes right here, when they finish all the construction.
I was less than thrilled that I had to walk down stairs to get to the shuttle, knowing I'd have to climb stairs to the plane. What do they do with handicapped people?
At 12:28, we were on the shuttle bus and soon were driving through the rain and construction out to the plane. Luckily, it stopped raining, when we got off and got in line to board, but it was cold. This was the first time I'd seen a plane's name on its nose. We noted with pleasure that, even though we've never been in a Rolls Royce, our plane was powered by their engines.
At 12:48, we were seated on the right side of the plane in first class again. We had seats 3C, D and F on FI 533 to Iceland. The flight attendant welcomed everyone on board and said that the plane was named for a crater in Iceland.
At 1:10, the plane was pushed back, albeit five minutes late. At 1:24, we took off and the plane, or at least first class, was not full.
The flight attendant soon came around to take a drink order. The drink menu is long, but I had to order the Icelandic Christmas beer. It was good, but, boy, were the snacks spicy!
I started watching the very violent Romeo + Juliet, with Leonardo DiCaprio ( who has a German mother) and Claire Danes, before they brought the lunch that we had ordered back home. The food was good, but I had major issues with the headset. I had to hold up the cord, so that the sound would not drop out and it often jumped back in the movie. Very frustrating.
As we neared Iceland, we started to get some great views. As if the ads that run on the entertainment weren't enough, these views made us really want to come and visit here. Icelandair has a deal that lets you fly to Europe and break the trip in Iceland for a few days without extra airfare. That's something to remember.
We landed in Reykjavik at 4:04 pm their time. At 4:07, we reached the gate. Since we were no longer in the EU, we had to go through passport control, but not customs. Interestingly, the path to the next gate led through the duty free shop. We had a few minutes to look around. K found some small bottles of local alcohol that would make good gifts. I found a crocheted Santa, that J said I shouldn't get because we hadn't really been to Iceland yet. I pointed out that when we did return, it wouldn't be Christmas and we might not find this. She relented, but said it could not go on the travel garland, until we had really visited the country.
At 4;40, we were at the gate, where there were two lines. we got in the shorter, figuring it was for first class. They did a check-in, looking at our passport and boarding pass, before letting us into a room that was much too small for the whole plane. I did manage to get a seat, which my back appreciated. I got a look at a lovely sunset.
To get to the plane, we had to go up an escalator and out onto a long, glassed in gangway. There, we had to wait a bit before they let us on. Finally, around 5, we were seated on flight I689 in seats 5 A, B, and D, the latter of which was a single seat with an aisle on either side. J had been quite anxious to try it out.
Before the plane was pushed back at 5:25, K and I were served sparkling wine.
The plane took off at 5:35, and after the ads, I started watching Spiderman Far from Home, which was rather good. The snacks that they brought around were good, if spicy. Dinner was soon served and once again, it was what we had pre-ordered. K had chicken and I had a delicious roast beef. Neither J nor I like salmon, so K wound up eating the three side plates of salmon, but he liked them.
The flight was quite comfortable. The attendants walked around with trays that had water bottles and Christmas lights, which looked quite nice shining through the bottles. They came around a couple of times with snacks and I really liked the Icelandic chocolate with malted milk balls in it. I don't think I can fly coach to Europe again!
I watched Shazam, because I liked the young kid from TV, who was in it, but it was a good movie, too. Then, because I'd never seen it and thought I should find out what it was, I watched There's Something about Mary. It was funny and sweet.
One advantage to flying home at this time of day is that you are awake enough to appreciate the view. We passed all kinds of lit up cities and civilization on our way down the east coast. They were quite pretty.
At 8:01 EST, we landed at Orlando International Airport. I had filled out our information on the Mobile Pass app and right after we landed, I hit send.When we reached Border Control, there was no line to deal with, because we got in the lane marked for the app. J has the Global Entry designation, which we are going to get, when our TSA PreCheck expires, so she didn't have a line either.
What we did have when we passed Border Control at 8:22, was a long wait until the luggage even started to appear. We finally had all three of our bags at 8:51.
We made our way to pick-up area for the shuttle to the car. We didn't have too long await, as we were on our way at 9:10. At 9:22, he dropped us off in front of our car and K tipped him $3. We loaded up the trunk and got going at 9:28, arriving home in a very quick 33 minutes.
The phone said that I walked 6,160 steps for a total of 2.1 miles and climbed 2 floors. (I'll never know where it gets that.)
We're exhausted, but what a fantastic trip! Other than the lack of snow, it was all I hoped for. And tomorrow is Christmas Eve. What a terrific lead in to our holidays!
