Vienna is as beautiful a city as has ever been created by man. Keeping a low profile in amongst surrounding European neighbours, it exudes an air of quiet sophistication. Its' people are hard working and professional. They seem to enjoy life with a restrained pleasure that make them seemingly unaware of the unique splendour their city contains.
To really appreciate a city, one has to ignore it. The city needs to be insulted by your apparent disinterest. Invariably this will make it displays its' hidden beauty as if to make you accept your mortal use as a tourist to umm and ahh at its' magnificence before scoffing at you and treating you with indifference.
Friday 29th June 2001, 10am. After a trip that seemed to last forever I landed at "Schwechat". After what seemed like a half an hour walk, arrived at the baggage claim area. Busying myself with exchanging money and a fruitless search for a smoking zone came to the realisation that only 3 people, including myself, were left gawking at the empty carousel. It was apparent that my baggage was lost again.
Australia seemed a million miles away. Nine hours from Melbourne to Singapore, eleven to Frankfurt and two to Vienna had taken a lot out of me. Having the simple pleasure of smoking removed while being squeezed into a seat of tight comfort to a midget takes one's sense of humour away. The missing bag was of little consequence, but an extra burden was not fair.
It took an hour to solve the disappearance of a bag, all that was required was to walk out of the customs area and, for the first time ever, meet my internet-lady-friend. I was not quite sure if I could recognise her, but I was sure that I would be the only one left. That should make her identification of me easy.
