The most Stressful Day Yet!!!!

Friday 15/06/07

It was a very Murphy day yesterday, In brief summary;
- I didn't have the right money for the train
- Got separated from Sam
- Had issues with the so called "Quick check-in" at the airport
- The plane was delayed
- Got taken for a ride "almost" literally when catching a so called "cab"
- Went shopping and the rain started pounding down

So to elaborate a bit, it all started when I thought I had the right money to get the train ticket to the airport, but I was 1 euro short! so I had to dash back to Michelle's to ask for some more coinage as the stupid German ticket machines don't accept bills of higher value than 10 euros!!

So we had to get another train which got us to the main station so we could change to the Airport line. Which was leaving at 8:00am and we got there at 8:03 and I saw the train waiting and thought "beauty we have made it" so I made a dash for it, but then as I turned, the doors closed and poor Sam was left on the platform ....

"bugger"

So I got off the next stop and caught another train back to Marienplatz and found my way back ... so we caught the next train to the airport and still made it in plenty of time...

But the next hurdle was looming, we had to Check in our bags ourselves at the machines!! there were staff there to help you but still Sam's boarding pass didn't print so we had to line up anyways.

SO after that things went smoothly till we arrived in Paris at the airport and we exited and this very well dressed black dude came up to us and said "taxi?", we said yes ... SUCKER!!! yes I got Conned!!!

I should have said NO!!! and if ever you are in the same situation I strongly advise you to say NO as well.

So he took us to this black van (chrysler voyager) with tinted windows and another black guy in the drivers seat who was "in training". In the underground car park of the Airport .... Freaky!!!!

I had been distracted by the phone ..so wasn't thinking, I asked him how much it would be (he had just put our luggage in the boot). He said 80 Euros, I said it was too much, it only cost us 45 euros to get to the airport from the hotel a week ago. This time alarm bells started ringing in my head, saying " Abort, abort abort" but it was too late. I managed to bargain him down to 75.

Well both Sam and I had similar thoughts running through our heads like:
- Are they legit?
- Are they going to take us to the right place?
- Are they going to rob us or worse
- Did I have the chicken or the beef?

Anyways they were legit sorta, it was kinda like a limo service, but they prey on the foolish tourists of which I was one. We arrived safely just a bit poorer, about $60 poorer.

SO the moral of the story boys and girls is if you catch a taxi make sure it has a taxi sign on it!!


It was a rather stressful day today was better but much more Expensive ... see next Post