Forced Exile Continues

Ok, in case you noticed I am not winging my way home in a shinny B777 or A330. I am still in Prague.

For some odd reason that has not been passed to me USAir did not fly aircraft into Frankfurt yesterday for me to ride home on today. So, cancelled flight once again and my new expected return day is Monday the 26^th. That's right, you are not seeing funny objects on the screen there, that is my new date out of exile.

What can I say.

At least the surroundings here are nice, the Hotel is quite accommodating and they have retroactively put me on their own little rewards program (4 more nights and I get one free).

I have run low on supplies, Coffee, H&S shampoo, lotion, baby powder and socks. I did get some of my laundry taken care of so I have plenty of underwear, although I may send more out before the weekend.

I have been making my own coffee since you can't find typical American brew here. Mostly cappuccino or espresso, there are several Starbucks but I hate that place and won't even patronize it way over here. So I packed a pound of coarse ground coffee and a French press which has served me well over these many days. The pound of grounds I brought lasting until this morning. I have since made the walk to the local TESCO and procured some more grounds, they are a much finer grind but the press seems to be doing a good job anyway and the taste is well, good, very good indeed.

I also needed socks, the white cotton variety which I had only two pair with me: the pair I wore over this way and the pair I was going to wear going back. I do have many black pairs (5 in fact) but those are for business/work.

I have been good doing work but that is fast losing its charm. How much time can one man spend in a single Design document before he goes nuts? Two additional 'strandee's' from my company are heading here today from Vienna. They were on their way to the UAE but were held up also. One has a ride back tomorrow and the other on Saturday. A 4^th company employee who was in the UAE and got as far as Frankfurt before the mass groundings occurred made his way to Madrid and is now scheduled out on Saturday.

I have checked ALL points of exit by the US major airlines, Rome, Madrid, Amsterdam but no one has room. The earliest coach seat I saw were on Lufthansa flights out of Rome but they had to stopover in Frankfurt and switch to USAir aircraft which, well are just not in country.

I did look at Cargo/Freighter ship passage but they are as expensive as buying 1^st class airline tickets and I don't think they would get there any faster. Well, maybe they will if that dam volcano does not stop spewing.

Well back to the Design document. Until my eyes go cross.

BT: Jimmy T sends.