In this day and age, travel is a challenge at its best and a nightmare at its worst. From long lines at security to flight cancellations and delays, we can never know what to expect as passengers. And the farther we wander from home, the more challenging it seems to become. I fully believe that the best traveler is the most informed and with some research under your belt (and an adventurous spirit,) you can deal with anything the travel gods throw at you.
We arrived at the airport in Faro, Portugal hours before our 11:00 am flight hoping that we could somehow swing our short connection tickets from Lisbon to Paris. Since we’d have to re-check our bags in Lisbon, the on-ground time was just too short so we were stuck with a five-hour layover. I already knew from my research that with our TAP Airline tickets and 25.00 euros each, we could access the ANA Lounge and all its amenities. We took the escalator up to the lounge and after paying at the reception desk, we wandered around the spacious seating area. It was quite busy but we were able to find two seats together and even outlets to charge our laptops (remember to pack adaptors in your carry-on bags.) Other than a very brief stop at the British Airways lounge at Heathrow, this was our first lounge experience in Europe and it was certainly worth the price.
The large seating area offers a variety of options including both low and high back chairs and couches. Many have a view of the runway. The left side of the lounge is divided into smaller areas that offer a variety of reading materials, beverages, and food, all of which are self-serve and complimentary. The food offerings aren’t anything fancy, mainly sandwiches and fresh fruit, but everything we tried was tasty and filling. The wine and champagne selections were quite nice and the coolers were stocked with Portuguese beers.
To the right of the main seating area are the restrooms, showers, tech area, and private booths. As I was looking around, I found a vacant one and grabbed it for a much-needed nap. The booths are very basic with a sloped couch, shelf, light, and power outlet but they provide a great space to relax and recharge. As the booths are behind a wall, they are fairly quiet but I do recommend having your own earplugs handy. For me, having a place to snooze was well worth the admission fee especially since our departure time was pushed back an additional one and a half hours.
After our lengthy stay at the airport, the two and a half hour flight went by quickly and we landed in Paris just before 9:00 pm. Unfortunately all of the flight changes and delays resulted in the cancellation of our pre-paid car, so we ending up taking a taxi. Be prepared to give your driver your hotel name and address including the arrondissement (district) number. As we were staying in an apartment, we gave him a printed map along with the address. If you can fly into Orly instead of Charles de Gaulle, take it as the smaller Orly is much easier to navigate. It’s also closer to the Latin Quarter (Left Bank) where our apartment was located. After such a long day in airports and on planes, we dropped off our bags and hit the streets for a walk. The cool night air melted away the stresses of the day and we enjoyed some drinks and cafe sitting before heading back to get settled and unpack.
4 Countries in 16 Days 