Kaliningrad. Car rental.

Kaliningrad. Car rental.

So, our heroes lost their time buffer, documents, and a lot of nerves. At the airport, Alina and Vlad boarded the plane, flew to Kaliningrad, and got the suitcase from the belt. But when getting into a taxi, it was missing. I mastered the route to Putilkovo without a license in order to retrieve my license. Now I need to buy tickets that supposedly do not exist.

Arseniy at the mic.

The previous post was heavy, and still not enough. Let’s continue.

I reached the Aeroflot desk, explained my situation, and asked for help. During the conversation I naively assumed I was talking to a professional who cared. Naive. A ticket was found. Flight two hours later than Alina and Vlad’s.

Seems things are improving overall. Time to handle details, for example the rental car. Right now it is supposed to be waiting at 19:00 at the airport. But I will arrive two hours later, around 21:00. I send WhatsApp to the rental desk and explain everything. No one replies, but in three minutes a young man from rental calls me on WhatsApp.

I explain 21 instead of 19. I propose hypotheses: since I am late, maybe today is impossible; maybe tomorrow; maybe I can come to their office. Long pause. The young man calmly explains that at 21:00 their rental desk is already closed. Pause. I try to generate more options. Pause. He says an employee could bring the car to the airport, but 21:00 is outside working hours.

I give up. Accept another Pause as fate. But there is a special service: out-of-hours car delivery, paid separately. I ask, "How much?" already suspecting another Pause. Correctly. While waiting, I have time to imagine selling a kidney, liver, immortal soul. Instead I hear: "500 rubles." Mentally cursing the young man to the seventh generation where, apparently, Stanislavsky himself lived, I agree on delivery around 21:30.

This call with the descendant of a famous dramatist happened on the travelator. While all this goes on, I reach the shuttle. It is a small train moving between terminals. I have a backpack, a duffel, a shoulder bag, and a tablet in my hands. Shuttle is crowded. Tablet starts ringing. Vlad says mom asked for a photo of the tickets.

I start arranging all my gear to take a photo. Great timing: calls keep coming and block camera access. Eventually I manage. WhatsApp checkmarks say photo was sent and received. Shuttle arrives. I spill out, juggling all bags and answering another call. Vlad says photo did not arrive. I say I sent it and it was received. That was our productive conversation.

Phew. Spoke it out. Putting the mic aside. Maybe Alina picks it up.

#vacations #kaliningrad