I usually try to be the first one to check in online for a flight so that I can have an emergency exit row seat (I’m 2 meters tall so a normal seat is very cramped). As always I went to the KLM website a bit more than 24 hours before the flight. I tried to check in the flight but as usual (before 24h) it gave some error, so I didn’t really mind and waited until it was 24h before my flight. Instead of giving me the check in website it told me “Your flight has departed.”. Whaaaaat!?! For some strange reason I thought my flight would leave the 10th instead of the 9th! I must have mixed up the arrival date with the departure date or something! In a big stress I called the KLM/NWA hot line. After waiting for 30 minutes I finally got a hold of one of their agents who connected me through to another agent. Again I had to wait another 15 stressful minutes. This agent told me I forfeited the flight by not showing up. I had no right for a new ticket and would have to buy a new one (costing over $1600,-). I was shocked and asked her what to do. She was kind enough to talk to her supervisor and in the end could come to an agreement that I could get a ticket for the next day for “only” $250,-. I of course took the offer and am now writing this message from my couch at home.

On my last day in New York I went to Brooklyn to have a look at the bridge.

Two more days and I leave for my holiday to China… Will the jetlag ever end…