I don't blog as often anymore which is likely due to many different things going on in my life and work, but the last trip to Berlin and Barcelona reminded me of why I like the circuit and those little surprises while traveling. The more poker related blog will hopefully follow for "The Hendon Mob", so let's rather focus on the more personal side of the story.
Until 9am on Monday August 26th the odds of me going to EPT Barcelona 2013 were pretty much 1% and a miracle was required. Then I get a Skype message asking if I can jump in for someone else and do the live coverage for a tournament in Berlin (the Triple A Series in the Spielbank, a 333€ Buy-In with 75k€ GTD). I looked over the date for a bit and then agreed, mumbling in my mind to maybe use the pay of that event to fly to Barcelona for a few days to see lots of familiar faces and deliver some chocolate.
Well it turned out that I was thinking out loud ... or rather typing into the very same Skype window and all of a sudden was suggested a deal for both events that would see me taking pictures every day in Barcelona. April 1st? August 21st? It was no April Fools Day joke but rather a late birthday present out of the blue and it obviously didn't take me long to agree. Two hours after the conversation had started, my flight and hotel in Barcelona was booked ... and I was hooked.
Some drama was pretty much guaranteed because I had to pick EasyJet for my flight to Spain and I try to avoid the cheap airlines. They all come with petty fees for pretty much everything and the service in general is by far worse. This trip would be no different but I dodged the trap of 30 chocolate bars and over weight by landing on 20.9 kilos and thus they could not charge me an extra 12€ for 1 kilo too much hehe.
Comparison EasyJet and Lufthansa:
EasyJet requires you to check in online and print out your boarding pass, okay no biggie but why send out six emails about that within less than 24 hours. I already got it the first time and have to work besides! The waiting lines at Berlin Schoenefeld ... lol funny. Is your hand luggage really within the required dimensions? All people ahead of me got pulled out for that double check in a box but since I had a backbag (with my camera equipment inside), they waved me through without this millimeter inspection.
Now if an airline brags in their board magazine about finally introducing the fantastic "pick your seat and pay for it" option, the necessity to pay for food and drinks on a 2 hour flight ... then you likely turn the music a big louder, close the eyes and dream of your destination instead and not how you get there. Oh and yeah, they also walked through and asked kindly for donations towards a good cause. Don't remember what it was, as this part was blocked out on purpose by my brain.
Let's take Lufthansa instead ... no fees for the standard one piece of luggage, they don't bitch around either when you show up with 22 kilos for a flight within Europe. You can print out your boarding pass next to the counter and only have rather short and efficient waiting lines to drop off your luggage. On board you always feel welcome, get a hot meal and drinks for free (yes, even alcohol) and they only walk through and offer some duty free on top. Worth the 50+100€ more per flight? Hell yeah.
The eight days in Barcelona went by way too fast, I could practice some of my very little Spanish knowledge (combined with hand and feet it becomes somewhat effective) and also did the typical tourist geek session where three attempts of pick pocketeers failed. Many others reported stolen iPhones, I was more fortunate (and know their usual strategy anyways) and even put some tan on. Yes ... 26°C in September in Europe.
But the true little gem of the trip happened at the very end - I was not 100% sure how long I would need to get to the airport by train and thus arrived almost two hours before the departure of my flight. The check-in thanks to Lufthansa / Star Alliance was super smooth and fast, security check took maybe 5 minutes in total and I was stuck in Terminal 1 with time to kill. Most of the food seemed rather over priced and I most definitely avoided the vomit zone aka fast food heaven with McDonald's only to spot a sign for Costa Coffee.
I followed that direction and entered a little oasis in a bailey:
Yep, we are still on the airport and can smell the fresh air, enjoy the sun and sip on a coffee. I walk in and get greeted by a big smile "How are you feeling today, hot or cold?". This is how you win customers. I spent almost one hour there because the departure gate was only announced 15 minutes before boarding anyways and saw the two employees joking around, laughing and even giving little dance lessons. Behind the bar, not on the tables. ;) Way too tempting to pass on that opportunity, so I did ask them if I can take a picture before leaving:
Thank you very much for making me smile just before leaving Spain, I definitely want to come back regardless of work when I have improved my language skills. The food is great, the people are friendly and fun besides the crisis in a struggled country and I still have to catch up on all the other tourist attractions anyways.
Hasta la proxima vez. :)
Until 9am on Monday August 26th the odds of me going to EPT Barcelona 2013 were pretty much 1% and a miracle was required. Then I get a Skype message asking if I can jump in for someone else and do the live coverage for a tournament in Berlin (the Triple A Series in the Spielbank, a 333€ Buy-In with 75k€ GTD). I looked over the date for a bit and then agreed, mumbling in my mind to maybe use the pay of that event to fly to Barcelona for a few days to see lots of familiar faces and deliver some chocolate.
Well it turned out that I was thinking out loud ... or rather typing into the very same Skype window and all of a sudden was suggested a deal for both events that would see me taking pictures every day in Barcelona. April 1st? August 21st? It was no April Fools Day joke but rather a late birthday present out of the blue and it obviously didn't take me long to agree. Two hours after the conversation had started, my flight and hotel in Barcelona was booked ... and I was hooked.
Some drama was pretty much guaranteed because I had to pick EasyJet for my flight to Spain and I try to avoid the cheap airlines. They all come with petty fees for pretty much everything and the service in general is by far worse. This trip would be no different but I dodged the trap of 30 chocolate bars and over weight by landing on 20.9 kilos and thus they could not charge me an extra 12€ for 1 kilo too much hehe.
Comparison EasyJet and Lufthansa:
EasyJet requires you to check in online and print out your boarding pass, okay no biggie but why send out six emails about that within less than 24 hours. I already got it the first time and have to work besides! The waiting lines at Berlin Schoenefeld ... lol funny. Is your hand luggage really within the required dimensions? All people ahead of me got pulled out for that double check in a box but since I had a backbag (with my camera equipment inside), they waved me through without this millimeter inspection.
Now if an airline brags in their board magazine about finally introducing the fantastic "pick your seat and pay for it" option, the necessity to pay for food and drinks on a 2 hour flight ... then you likely turn the music a big louder, close the eyes and dream of your destination instead and not how you get there. Oh and yeah, they also walked through and asked kindly for donations towards a good cause. Don't remember what it was, as this part was blocked out on purpose by my brain.
Let's take Lufthansa instead ... no fees for the standard one piece of luggage, they don't bitch around either when you show up with 22 kilos for a flight within Europe. You can print out your boarding pass next to the counter and only have rather short and efficient waiting lines to drop off your luggage. On board you always feel welcome, get a hot meal and drinks for free (yes, even alcohol) and they only walk through and offer some duty free on top. Worth the 50+100€ more per flight? Hell yeah.
The eight days in Barcelona went by way too fast, I could practice some of my very little Spanish knowledge (combined with hand and feet it becomes somewhat effective) and also did the typical tourist geek session where three attempts of pick pocketeers failed. Many others reported stolen iPhones, I was more fortunate (and know their usual strategy anyways) and even put some tan on. Yes ... 26°C in September in Europe.
But the true little gem of the trip happened at the very end - I was not 100% sure how long I would need to get to the airport by train and thus arrived almost two hours before the departure of my flight. The check-in thanks to Lufthansa / Star Alliance was super smooth and fast, security check took maybe 5 minutes in total and I was stuck in Terminal 1 with time to kill. Most of the food seemed rather over priced and I most definitely avoided the vomit zone aka fast food heaven with McDonald's only to spot a sign for Costa Coffee.
I followed that direction and entered a little oasis in a bailey:
Yep, we are still on the airport and can smell the fresh air, enjoy the sun and sip on a coffee. I walk in and get greeted by a big smile "How are you feeling today, hot or cold?". This is how you win customers. I spent almost one hour there because the departure gate was only announced 15 minutes before boarding anyways and saw the two employees joking around, laughing and even giving little dance lessons. Behind the bar, not on the tables. ;) Way too tempting to pass on that opportunity, so I did ask them if I can take a picture before leaving:
Thank you very much for making me smile just before leaving Spain, I definitely want to come back regardless of work when I have improved my language skills. The food is great, the people are friendly and fun besides the crisis in a struggled country and I still have to catch up on all the other tourist attractions anyways.
Hasta la proxima vez. :)
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