Let me start off by saying there will be quite a few blogs that I haven't posted yet, so they will be filled in once home. But this needs to be posted now.
Enjoy :)
So things have not worked out as I intended in Turkey. After getting off the airplane I was told to go to the transfer desk where they would help me out with the hotel. Once there this very pretty young woman in a hijab informed me quite coldly that I could have picked a flight tomorrow morning from Germany to Turkey and in that case they would have provided me with a hotel. Erm...ok. But since I didn't I wasn't going to get one. I told her that there would have been no need in that case anyhow.
She snapped at me that that wasn't Turkish airlines fault and that I should have planned better. I stared at her for several seconds flabbergasted and trying to calm myself down but that didn't work AT ALL.
My temperature rose quickly and I told her, much as I told the gentleman in Frankfurt that on the webpage it was pretty clear that any transfers over 8 hours would mean a hotel being provided and that no where was it written that one had to plan their trip better. And then I told her that her advice to me, although possibly sound, wasn't appreciated nor relevant since I wasn't planning my trip around Turkish airlines expectations anyhow.
She told me she couldn't help and I wanted to say "f-U" but decided not to although when she just about dismissed me as if she was done, I leaned in with both hands on the desk and said to her in clear precise words "where do I go to get a visa and then a hotel. YOU can tell me that much" at which point she quickly gave me directions and off I went but not before I heard her mutter something like "rude american". Shoulda shanked her. Resolved, i headed to the visa counter to get one and then out to purchase my own hotel.
Well that too didn't work out. My passport expires on 3 months. To enter Turkey, one has to have at least a 5 month cushion on validation.b The nicer man there said he could "make it happen" if I paid extra. What was extra? 140 bucks. For a 17 hour layover plus the expense of transportation and hotel? No thanks.
So now I'm stuck in the airport for 17 hours. 17 very long and painful hours. I don't even know what to do. My first instinct has been to cry, the second to find someone and wring their necks but to release pent up hostility but instead I'm contemplating just sucking it up and dealing. That'll probably be the only real option anyhow because in situations like this bawling won't help and neither will committing murder.
With this only option firmly in place im going to sink myself into...I have no idea what.
I know there's a lesson to be learned here although I'm not sure what. I did everything I was supposed to which included research, figuring out what the plan would be and calculated time and expense but just because of some expectation that this stupid airlines has for their travelers that are unsaid and unwritten, Im stuck.
Nope, I won't smash my hands through a window although that's my first compulsion. I'm not going to hold on to the rage. I won't let this phase me or break me. This is just another adventure that I can blog about. That's how I need to look at it and think that at least I'm safe.
And why the hell are they playing Careless Whispers by George Michael here?!? What the heck when did I get pulled back to the 80s?! Mother of god this is pathetic.
Woosa...
Serious woosa...
Hmm. Interesting. In this cafe they have three different flavor of San Pellegrino. Just sitting out on each table. I wonder if I drink it they would charge me or whether this is a freebie. I'm seriously doubting the free thing but it's a bit curious and misleading.
Man I so wanted to see the Blue Mosque :(
Ok but no point in focusing on something that can't happen. I'll have to move on.
There are a lot of bored looking people in this lounge. I wonder how many hours they'll be here. Probably not as long as me. I wonder what it'll be like here at 12 am or 2 am. Probably creepy as hell. I think at that point I'll find the mosque and stay there and sleep. If they don't like it they can kick me out but that's my plan.
Ok so things panned out. Either I didn't understand what the woman at the information desk told me or she didn't understand what I asked. I thought I was being clear but oh well...after half heartedly eating at the food court and making some weird observations of people around me. Here's what I texted to S:
There are some weird tickets here tho. A woman is in front of me, she's wearing yoga pants, a tank and sneaks with white socks. And a red backpack and a pink bra. And her face looks like she's been sucking on a lemon for all her life. Clearly the next miss America or universe.
And there's a huge gaggle of head scarfed women in the table next to me and they are all glaring at me because my sweater apparently is cut a shade too low. Hence I'm wearing my scarf around myself like a shawl. 😳
There's also a big family in front of me and I think he's the matriarch, he keeps giving me looks over his kids shoulder. I'm almost tempted to wink at him to see what he does but he's fugly and I don't need that sorta life altering experience.
Ok so back to what I was saying. After eating I wandered around more aimlessly checking out shops and whatnot when all of the sudden I see signs which said "Airport Hotel". And I followed the arrows and lo and behold...I've rented a room for 15 hours for 200 USD. Yup. And worth every last red cent too. The idea of huddling around in a creepy empty airport all night long honestly was giving me the heebie jeebies even if I was assuring P and S that I was fine and this was "just another adventure".
Even I don't need this sort of adventure. Ever.
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