Aug. 10 : day 25:

Budapest plane in Helsinki

I am up at about 5 am doing a few last minute things. No breakfast today, Jancsi has made me a sandwich for the airport. I do have 2 cups of rose hip tea. Everyone has packed; me for Canada and Jancsi and Gyorgyi for a 2 day holiday in Sopron Hungary near the Austrian border. I have been there several time.

We leave the house at about 6:45 and arrive at about 7:15 at the Budapest airport: Liszt Ference. The flight line is good but when I go to check my bag it is slightly over the 23 kg and I have to remove 1 thing and put it in my carry-on it weighs in at 22.9 kg fortunately. Gyorgyi and Jancsi and I say fond goodbyes and I thank them for their warm hospitality over the 2 week stay. I also thank them for the going-away gift.

At the security check something sounds when I go through, so I am thoroughly checked...possible a paper clip fastened to my ticket was the problem. The Hungarian security is very thorough.

Now I am off to spend the last forints on tokaji and palinka. I find a good deal in the first store. The bottles are sealed in a special bag for Helsinki and Toronto.

After eating my sandwich and having a bottle of water, I am ready.

The boarding goes quickly and I find that the seat beside me is unoccupied...wonderful. I can use my net book to type this.

Breakfast is fruit juice and a combo-sandwich of tuna salad and egg salad on a very fresh bun and coffee. Everything is served quickly since the flight is only 2 hours and maybe a few minutes.

We take off on time... unusual but good. The weather is a little hazy because of the dampness in the ground and all the rain.

After breakfast I realize that there is only 1 WC and there are really only 4 seats for first class... nobody in them. It is a very short jet... not sure the type of plane maybe a small airbus. Sorry they also have one in the front.

We arrived in Helsinki on time and with no problems. However, as soon as I got off the plane, they told me that my flight to Toronto will be delayed by 3 h because of a typhoon in Japan ! Apparently my plane is coming from Tokyo then to Toronto ...I hope it has enough fuel to make it.

Fortunately, there is free WI-FI at the airport in Helsinki. I also am using a little-known area with power and seats and a lounging seat...where I can lie almost prone. So I can keep busy for some time as they update me on the flight. ... to be continued