Return to Switzerland (1/7-9/1983)

Friday, January 7, 1983

Opened a Money Market Checking Plan at the bank. Called Arlene and Thom. Returned the record “Chariots of Fire” to the library and mailed a Christmas ornament to Arlene. At 17:45 I said goodbye to Mommy, Frank and Paul. Daddy and Terry took me to the airport. My 18:35 flight was delayed to 19:00. There were only 10 of us on this flight and the ride was very up and down, making me nauseous. I searched for a vomit bag, but there was none. We flew way out over the Atlantic Ocean before landing at JFK at 20:10, so I made it without puking.

Now I was in a hurry to catch the connecting bus to the Capital Air terminal. Checked in at 20:30 and was sent to Gate 9.

JFK to BRU Boarding Pass

Passing through x-ray was a mess because the x-ray machine was running backwards. You handed your luggage over the barrier, then crossed under an arch to the other side of the barrier, walked back through x-ray, then again through the arch to get your bags. Once at the gate I went straight on board. No free gifts this time! The stewardess couldn’t read my boarding pass, but because someone was sitting in seat 6B, it was assumed my seat was 16B, on a wide DC-10 plane. Fifteen minutes after I sat down, the plane left the gate, and another fifteen minutes later at 21:15 we were in the air. As we took off, the movie projector housing shuddered and the movie screen flapped. They offered headsets for the music and movie, but I didn’t take one. I had my own music! During dinner of a real fatty veal with vegetables and rice, and a salad, the guy next to me started talking. He started with the shocker that he had a headache because of having too much cocaine last night! I politely nodded. Yeah, too much cocaine, drinking and smoking marijuana in Chicago with his black girlfriend. He was a German who had worked there for a year for Ford, but was recalled back to Germany. He managed to bring up cocaine a few more times, including to tell me cocaine was $25 an ounce. He also hoped the police didn’t catch him because he had much cocaine with him! What if I was a narc! (Or too bad I wasn’t a narc!) I put on my headset and dozed off. The movie was “The Man from Snowy River” with Kirk Douglas.

Saturday, January 8, 1983

We were awakened for breakfast at 2:00. Landed in Brussels at 3:30, or 9:30 local time, after only a 6-1/4 hour flight. Taken from the plane to the terminal by bus, long corridors, long passport lines. Stood a half hour watching other airlines’ baggage go round and round. When the Capital Air luggage finally arrived, the crowd was so thick I couldn’t get through to grab my bag the first time it went around. Asked a man to grab it as it came the second time, and someone else grabbed my black bag for me. The customs officials were all busy checking into luggage, so I was able to walk out free. Changed $60 into Belgian francs and down at the train station I bought a 55 BEF ticket to get to the Nord station.

Brussels Airport to Nord Station ticket

There I bought a ticket to Basel for 1387 BEF/$27.

Brussels to Basel train ticket

There were only hot dogs at the Nord station, so I hopped a train to the Midi station to get a ham sandwich. Caught the 12:12 train to Basel. I fell asleep and awoke to find a French customs official diligently searching the backpacks of two guys sitting across the aisle from me. A woman official walked past and nodded at my passport: “Ah, Americaine!” She did the rest of the car while the first official was still going through the backpacks. Arrived in Basel about 18:25 and bought a half price ticket to Biel for 8.50 CHF/$4. I had to break a bill to get 20 Rappen for the toilets. One toilet’s coin machine was stuck, one in the lock position, and the third was occupied. Two girls who were with the occupant took their turns, then three old ladies barged in ahead of me. Finally mission accomplished and I boarded the 19:15 train to Biel, arriving at 20:30. Back at the Personalhaus/staff residence, Marsha C left a note on my door saying my keys were in a cup in the kitchen. I went into my room to see a plumber’s plunger in my sink, a note from Marsha, my mail, pots in the cupboard, and food in my refrigerator compartment. Had turkey soup, wrote Marsha a thank-you note and went to bed at 23:00.

Sunday, January 9, 1983

Marsha C and I had brunch of rolls with butter and jam as we talked to catch up on news. We have decided to try to take one big trip a month, and a couple week-long trips. We walked down to the lake to sit for a while. The fog lifted to show blue skies and a hazy sun. Walked over to the harbor and Nidau Castle. As we walked homeward along the canal, we met Sylvia W. We followed the lakefront and went up Seevorstadt to the café at the corner of Zentralstrasse for coffee (hot chocolate for me). Caught the 19:25 bus at Mühlebrücke to return to the hospital. Marsha made beef stew for dinner.