Travel from Birmingham to Athens by Swiss

28 August 2008.

The departure.

As I wrote in a previous entry, this time I took Swiss fright from Birmingham to Athens stopping at Zurich. I paid about 170 or 180 quid. The cheapest combination was 20 quid less than that, but I chose a slightly convenient combination time wise.

It was a morning flight but it was not too early and I did not have to get a cab to the airport. Although we used a private hire from the home to the town (£5 and £1 tip), I could use the train to the airport (ticket was £3).

At the airport, I checked the currency exchange rate of Travelex.

£1 could buy only €1.10! You must be joking!!! It is sooo close to £1=€1 level. Although I had enough euro and did not have to buy any, this rate scared me.

I managed to secure a window side seat (to be able to take pictures for my websites and blogs) and enjoyed a sultana sweet bun and a cup of coffee on the flight from Birmingham to Zurich. The bun was chillingly cold, but tasted rich and nice.

Coffee was pretty good for in flight freebee. It tasted fresh and bitter as I liked.


Then I changed planes at Zurich. I waited about 45 min and embarked (but we waited about half an hour in the plain because of the airport was too crowded).

This is my seat from Zurich to Athens.



For some mistake, they gave me a seat with large leg room. You don't know me in person, but I can tell you I am pretty short and small, about 155 cm high, 48kg in weight. I have never get one of these in my life.

Now, lunch time. We were given this bag. It was warm. I said "What is this?" in my mind. Stewardess said something but I did not get it.



It was a kind of calzone. The stewardess, who was evidently a French speaker, pronounced "calzoné" instead of "calzooone" as in Italian, and that was why I did not get it.



Inside, there was meagre quantity of cheese and tomato sauce. The bread was chewy and not particularly pleasant. Just something to fill the stomach.

We were given also Mövenpick white chocolate ice cream.



I learnt that Mövenpick is a Swiss company. I heard many people asking for normal chocolate ice cream, but white choco ones were all they had. They gave us, however, small Swiss chocolate tablets as well.


The ice cream was already half melted and it was like semifreddo without meaning to be so. A shame.

At Athens airport, I checked again the exchange rate.



€1 for 82.50 p., which is about £1 for €1.20. Evidently the exchange rate at Birmingham airport isn't good. If I need currency exchange, I should not wait until the airport; lesson learnt.