Tuesday, March 30, 2010

FIGHT THE POWERS THAT BE!!!

This is actually a travelpost, but it also fits into this blog, so I'm posting it here too... to make sure people see it! :) 

Yesterday evening I arrived at the airport in Berlin with my nice little backpack, the same one I had been carrying around for 2 months in 7 (count them, SEVEN) low-cost flights, always as a carry-on, and with absolutely NO PROBLEMS. The bag is pretty small and even fits properly in the box they have at the airport that says "If it fits, take it on board!"

Well, the lady at the counter decided that I couldn't take it on board, and would have to pay, even though the bag WAS in the box! She argued that I couldn't easily put it in the box (which by her description meant in one move, like a nice little suitcase). This is a backpack, so it takes more than one continuous movement to put it into the box, but it fits. She said "I'm not going to argue with you. Will you pay to take your backpack, or will you stay?" I picked up my passport from the counter and left, furious, because NO, I was NOT going to pay.

So I called E. and we started talking about what to do, he went on the Easyjet website to look for their terms and conditions of carriage, and it states clearly that if it fits into the box, you can take it on board. It says nothing about how you manage to put it into the box. Now please, look at the pictures below and tell me if the woman had ANY reason to complain!!!


From one angle...

From another angle... 

The backpack is completely in the box, and you can't even see it!

So I took pictures of the backpack in the box, went back to the woman, put my phone in her face and stated that I was recording this conversation, and started to tell her about the terms and conditions of carriage stated on the Easyjet website. She wouldn't even look at me, she told me to go talk to her supervisor. I did, and again, stated that I was recording the conversation and that I had taken pictures of the back inside the box and that if she didn't let me in the plane I would contact Easyjet, customer service, passenger rights and every "proper authority" I could think of to make my rights heard. I guess she decided she couldn't really argue with me, and that if I really was going to make such a big deal, I could take it on board... so the only words she said to me were "ok, you can take it then" and signaled to the check in lady to give me a boarding pass. The lady, having lost her battle, of course, didn't even look at me, just handed me the boarding pass, and I smiled triumphantly at her and said "thank you." 

Moral of the story: don't try to cheat me of my rights. I already have so few, that I am damn right going to make them be respected! Low-cost airlines make it cheap to take flights everywhere, it's true, but they've got no right to cheat me and make me pay things I don't owe them. 

For all of you friends and travelers out there: don't let them cheat you!!! :) 

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Happiness...


I think happiness takes a lot less than we'd normally think...

Of course, that's a sentence full of pre-requisites. It's hard to explain. I guess what I mean is that we don't need a lot to be happy... we just need the right things.

I'm sure those of you who have lived through this know exactly what I'm talking about...

:)

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Communication-- Friend or Foe?



If you believe in Evolution, you will believe that species developed communication to help them in cooperation and survival. If you believe in Creation, you’ll know the story about the Tower of Babel, when God implemented different languages all at once so that mankind could no longer cooperate and build the tower.

But no matter what you believe, I’m sure you’ll have plenty of examples coming to your head of misunderstandings and communication problems that have caused difficult situations.

So I’m wondering why is it that sometimes it’s SO hard to say the right words to convey what we mean? Even when it’s something you believe with all your heart, sometimes we’re just clumsy, and end up causing more harm than good. Let me give you an example: a couple of days ago I was at the Zurich train station, and this guy was going around saying “Jesus Christ is Lord.” I was a bit surprised, and didn’t know what to think. On the one hand, I was happy and even encouraged that he believed it so much, that it permeated every fiber of his being and he didn’t care if he looked like a fool-- he just had to proclaim what he believed. On the other hand, he was more likely scaring people away and reinforcing the belief that all Christians are freaks.

Thinking about all of that also makes me think about communication between men and women. How can it be so hard sometimes? Why is it that the most important things are usually the hardest to say?

At least I can say I’m happy that sometimes, every once in a while, time is your friend, and what would’ve turned out a disaster if it had been said 7 years ago, turned into something wonderful when said now. ;)

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Expecting and being expected…




One of the things I hate the most is having to wait for someone to pick me up… be it at an airport, train station, whatever. I have some serious expectations about that. I know it’s probably stupid, but it annoys the crap out of me, and makes me feel completely unwanted. Most of the time I don’t need anyone to go pick me up, I can make my way to wherever I’m going on my own, and that’s perfectly fine. But if you volunteer to come pick me up, please don’t make me wait!! My own family makes me wait, and I’ve already yelled at them and told them to just not come at all, I’ll take a bus, taxi, whatever, and go home on my own, cuz I just hate waiting!! Especially since I know they live like 10 minutes from the airport….(This rule has a few exceptions, like if you had to drive 2hrs to get to the airport to pick me up, you’re totally off the hook if you’re late… cuz I’ll already be so freaking impressed that you were willing to drive that far to pick me up that I won’t mind waiting…)


The other day I was at the airport waiting for a friend and I realized something: I’m usually the one traveling, and being picked up at the airport/train station, but I haven’t actually waited for anyone in a while. I started looking around and was reminded of that scene at the beginning (and end) of “Love, Actually“. It’s true. If you want to see special moments, and people being genuinely happy to see someone else, all you have to do is go to the airport. And it’s a pretty incredible feeling to go through the arrivals gate and see someone there smiling and grinning, ready to give you a huge hug, and just happy to see you. Makes me feel loved and cared for…

It’s just one of those moments that are so simple, and so powerful… at least for me.