Oh Brussels!

Brussels. It has taken me a little while to psych up to write this. Let’s be honest – it isn’t my favourite place. We arrived and all was drama-less. We stayed out at the airport so our flights the next day would be smooth and spent the afternoon exploring the city. We saw all the major sights – the Mannekin Pis (a fountain of a kid peeing – apparently the city’s famous icon – ridiculous), Grote Place (crazy medieval architecture), parks, parliament and the palace, ate incredible chocolate – rose and earl grey – honestly rocked our world, had coffee in an amazing coffee shop (I had an irresistible gelato) and then we headed back to the hotel. I actually really enjoyed the day and we felt Brussels had been well accomplished. Shortly after returning to the hotel we decide to check mum in for her flight BUT ALAS, it wasn’t working! We hear a volcano decided to explode in Iceland and somehow this has meant our flights were cancelled. This is when the drama began – early morning calls to dadda trying to rebook mum’s flights. We didn’t get much sleep...

The next morning we decided to move into the city so we could at least make the most of being stranded. Unfortunately just as we were leaving the hotel mum was struck down by sickness. The subsequent 3 days pretty much consisted of more cancelled flights, mum sick in bed, another hotel, me eating meals alone and new boots.

After I had another two cancelled flights and mum another one, we decided to move into an apartment so we could cook and wash. Hotel hopping was getting tiring. Unfortunately it was another night until we could get a reservation so we found another hotel (this one was fortunately a huge room, I had amazing sushi for dinner and there was thankfully tea and coffee facilities). The next day we got settled in our apartment – two stories, free wireless internet, a laundry in the apartment, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a huge kitchen. We watched lots of Greys Anatomy, cooked, washed clothes, went shopping (loved Zara Home) and checked the internet non-stop – my flight was cancelled AGAIN.

On my final day in Brussels we went and checked out all the UN buildings and the imitation Arc de Triumph – we walked so far but I somehow I lost the map along the way. We had to find a hotel to get a map and realised we had taken a massive detour. It was a fun day though and so great to have mum back on her feet again.

Thankfully, fifth time lucky I made it back to Vienna. Nearly missed my flight after missing my connecting airport bus, then having to push through the check-in queue, getting to the front 20 minutes before my flight, being told check-in was closed and if I wanted any hope of being on that plane I had to RUN. Thankfully I got through security without my liquids being noticed (I had totally forgotten) and I ran for miles (longest airport I have ever experienced), making it to the plane 10 minutes before departure. Crazy day but the good news was I made it home. Wasn’t fun leaving mum on her lonesome with German TV and no computer but being a good little daughter I called her plenty of times and she managed to get up to some pretty amazing things while I was gone.

All in all, an AMAZING trip and an AMAZING mum. I am blessed to have her and spending those few weeks together was such precious time. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.