Alexander's

The flight is booked out. You will have to take a later one and then come to the company on your own.

Maybe not the best start of a new work week, but at least I get to sleep in a bit.

Vienna airport really is nice. Hardly any queues and a lot of bored security personnel. I only have carryon luggage and not a single metal part on my clothes, so there really should not be any holdups — or so I thought.

Sir could you please step over here.
Why? The security thing didn’t even ring!
Please just step over here.

First I was groped by some ham fisted security guard. Then my shoes got an extra careful inspection.^[1] Finally the baggage checker greeted me with a smile.

Apparently my hand cream had a volume of 150ml — when I bought it. Of course the fact that only about 30ml were left, was irrelevant. After all it’s about as likely that I build a bomb from 30ml of hand cream as it is from 150ml. Also the disappointment that there was nothing in my shoes or my suite or my bag might have been too much for the bored security personnel.

Now I know why it’s called “business class”. Inside the plane I was surrounded by elderly gentlemen working on laptops. More room to work and fewer cute girls to chat with.

So I fished out some paper, opened my pen and immediately understood what’s so great about my ball pens — the super smooth flow of the ink. I guess in the USA there would have to be a remark on the pen.^[2]

Please do not use in reduced pressure environment

When I finally arrived in Stuttgart I just wanted to clean up and wash my hands.

Is anyone surprised if I tell you that the toilets were broken?

I start to understand why people are not so happy to travel for work.