Day 1: From Boston to Budapest

The group at dinner!

Well, it is 7:30 pm in Budapest.

I woke up on Wednesday, around 5am, and left for work.  It was a busy day at Saugus High as grades were due...and because I was leaving later that night for our trip.  The day seemingly dragged, but eventually, the last bell sounded and I headed off to the two meetings scheduled for teachers.  I left the school and headed home.  I checked my bags for a final time and departed for Logan Airport.  I got there just after 3pm.  I like to make sure that I am there early in case of any issues.  It was only a few minutes later when people started showing up too.  Their excitement was noticeable.  Our numbers slowly grew and each traveler checked in.  At just about 5, we were all checked in and ticketed.  We met for a group photo before heading into security.

Some of the kids were pre-selected for the TSA pre-check program.  They quickly made their way into the terminal while the rest of us waited our turn in the queue.  Terminal E, the international terminal, has changed significantly since I've started traveling regularly.  We found ourselves walking to gate E10.  It is in a newer section.  Some of us grabbed a quick bite to eat, others sat around playing Uno, and others tried to sit patiently awaiting our plane.  We were delayed a bit.  The plane was late, but it finally did show up.

Our transatlantic plane.

The last four to board!!!! 

We all got settled in an awaited our flight.

Lufthansa is a pretty good airline.  The seats were bigger than expected, the plane was new than expected, and the comfort level was much better than expected.  As we took off, I noticed that most of the kids were playing around with the "seat back" monitors.  There was an option that allowed you to watch exterior cameras on the plane.  It was pretty neat.

An hour into the flight, or so, the crew started serving dinner.  I chose the Pasta.  It was a little spicier than I thought it might be, but it was pretty tasty.  The reports I got from the Chicken option were pretty positive too.  After dinner, most of the kids settled in to sleep or to watch a movie.  I tried to sleep as well, but don't think I got much shut eye.  The total flight time was just over 6 hours.  You can understand why it seemed like the flight ended quickly with our arrival in Munich.  The transfer between planes was simple. Munich is a large airport, but it is well designed and organized.  Before we knew it, we were waiting our flight to Hungary.

Brian trying to catch up on some rest and social media?

Some nappers and others waiting for the second flight.

In line to board our Hungarian flight.

I think everyone slept on this flight.  I know I nodded off for a bit, but I was awake when the passed out a light snack.  Honestly, I don't exactly know what it was.  It was a sandwich with a ton of mayonnaise, but it wasn't real mayonnaise. I thought it was spicy, but it might have been sweet...it might have been tartar sauce.  The only other thing in the sandwich was a super thin slice of salmon.  I took a couple of bites, but realized it wasn't for me.

That flight was only an hour and before we knew it, the naps were over.  We assembled at the baggage claim, retrieved our luggage and proceeded through security.  Awaiting us, on the other side, was Gina.  She is our Tour Director.  She welcomed us, called our bus driver, and arranged for our departure.  The plan was to head towards downtown Budapest and take a walking tour of the city.  The weather was nice, but it was windy as we walked along the Danube and the Parliament building.

Gina giving a quick explanation about the history of Budapest.

This building was the second-place winning design in a contest for their Parliament building.  It was liked so much, they built it too.

A remembrance pool for those who perished while try to overthrow Soviet rule in 1956.

The two images above are directly across from each other. One is Ronald Reagan, the other is the final monument standing from Soviet occupation.

Our walk took us to an Easter market near the city center. There were a ton of shops and food stands.  We didn't have a lot of time, but some people grabbed a quick bite.

Our adventure took us onto the Hungarian Metro next.  We rode four stops down on the blue line (I cannot even pretend to tell you stop names) and walked a little bit to our dinner spot.  For most of us, the first course was a soup with beans, carrots, and paprika.  It was followed by Chicken and Potatoes covered in a cream sauce.  I ate quickly.  I was more than a little hungry in Hungary.

Now, I am sitting in the little cafe on the first floor of the Hotel Arena.  It is right next to a soccer stadium.

 
We are meeting soon to cover additional rules, emergency procedures, and tomorrow's schedule.  On the agenda will be a good night's rest.  The first real post of my blogs are almost always quick recaps.  I am usually too exhausted to think critically and tonight is not exception, lol.  This hotel has a pool, and so, some kids might take a quick dip, but for the most part, it will be an early curfew tonight.

The kids, and I know it is early, have been wonderful.  They haven't complained about the lines, long day of travel, or airline food.  They've been smiling and chatting away.  Their laughter is omnipresent (although I hope it isn't tonight).  The chaperons and I were commenting on how great of a group this is.  We've got a long couple of days ahead of us, but it is sure shaping up to be a great and memorable trip.

Thanks for your time!!!

Mr. Lavoie, currently in Budapest pestering his students with puns.