We got up for breakfast at around 7:30, but the cafeteria wasn’t open yet, so I had to (gasp) pack before I had coffee. That was not fun. The breakfast room opened around 8:05, and I could finally have my caffeine fix. We had been discussing all three days about the automatic pancake machine in there, so I decided to try it. Basically, you waved at it, and it made the pancakes. They were not the most delicious thing ever, but there was Nutella to go with them…

As we were already packed, there was not much left to do after breakfast. We went up to the room to collect the luggage and back down to reception. We had a transfer arranged at 9:00 and we were ready with a few minutes to spare. Check-out was fast, and off we went towards the airport, after saying goodbye to the nice Spanish lady with the card issue. I’m not sure if it had snowed outside Vienna or what we saw on the trees was hoarfrost, but everything was white once we got onto the motorway. I totally missed whatever our driver was saying because I was trying to take pictures of the landscape – but he talked a lot.

When we reached the airport, the check-in counters were not open yet. We were flying with Iberia, which does not have a permanent crew there, the counters did not even have the lights on. It took them longer to open the counter than to actually check us in, and the worker was confused because we were only checking in three suitcases even if we were four people. The poor lady looked absolutely exhausted – maybe she had stayed up late.

Security was “collapsed with a crowd” and they told us to go through the kids gates – I don’t think I have seen any “collapsed” security so empty… But we made it through okay. We found our gate at literally one end of the airport, and left our things with one of my parents while we scattered off to look for lunch. The flight was at noon, so we had to buy something either at the airport, or on the plane. I found myself a chicken sandwich that looked rather nice. I would later learn the word for “spicy mayo” in German… Good thing I got a Coke to go with it. I also bought a “no kangaroos in Austria” magnet because I did buy a tote bag last time I was around, but I can’t seem to find it.

The flight back took off on time at 12:20. It was uneventful, we just landed at 4S instead of 4. We knew this was going to happen this time, so we had counted on it – in the end, that was the reason I managed to convince my family to have lunch on the plane. We did not get out of the airport up until 16:00, what with picking up the luggage and all. I think I made it home around 19:00, and boy was I beat. I love my family, but travelling with them can be a bit too much…