the flight cost an euro flight (plus tax)

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Leaving Ljubljana this afternoon after a short meeting with a local Slovene friend who I met early in Ukraine. It was nice to see a familiar face. Then purchased the bus ticket heading to the airport way too early for the cheapest flight I ever bought in history for Brussels. The check-in was fine and I was given boarding pass right after without a seat assigned. This is one of the no frill low cost airlines that have emerged recently especially in Europe. The flight was fine and we landed in Brussels in the late evening and took the airport bus to the center Brussels. I did not have any euro cash with me to cover the fare and had to pay an extra euro to pay by the credit card.

Arrived in the center Brussels closed to midnight. Rushed to find the metro entrance and purchased the ticket from the automatic machine for the ride. The train pulled in and I jumped in without learning if this train was heading to the right direction to where I was trying to go. After a minute or two, I recomposed myself, checked the map and believed I was on the right train. It was a non-stop train ride to Rogier station where the hostel is located. Emerged from the station, I had no idea which direction to head to. Wanted to stop by the Sheraton hotel to ask for direction at the conceirge desk but it was already closed and the reception was busy. SO I decided to head straight and looked at the map and the street signs to orient myself. Luckily, a local saw my puzzle and offered for help, vaguely, but I finally managed to find out the right hostel to enter.

I was tired and tired. At check-in, I was told I did not have reservation in advance and I had to pay before I could check-in or be given a bed. I was patiently trying to tell the receptionist that I was tired, and did not have any cash at the moment and I could leave my credit card here for proof of payment, and would pay cash in the morning once I located an ATM. But the answer was a big NO. I was told to get cash from an ATM about 15 minutes around the corner. At the same time, I was asking the receptionist also if I had a package waited here for me here. To my disappointment, nothing was here yet. I was requested to check with the day receptionist in the morning.

Got the key, went to the room, made a bed, after a quick shower, I called it the night and went to sleep right after.

Spend the next day to frequent Belgium post offices trying to see if my package from the States had arrived here. No success. The airline ticket on my onward journey and the visa for Vietnam was in that package. Without that package, I would have been stranded in Brussels and Europe and sorted thing out before moving forward.

I called my sister at home to find out when did she send out the package and which delivery service company was used. It was US postal service. I got the tracking number. Checked the US postal service website and was informed the package had arrived in Belgium in yesterday noon.

Wandered around town without much interest of enjoyment. Realized I had not been to this section of Brussels before. It is high rise buildings and home of the world trade center.

Came back to the hostel in the early evening and approached the receptionist casually telling her whether a package was here for me. She ducked below the desk and pulled out a stack of mail and I saw the large blue-white US postal service envelope and knew I was lucky. Thanks godness, my package had ARRIVED. I then was onset going on forward to Asia to continue my journey.

I had the most beautiful sleep without any worrying. I was exciting to be on the road again and would be able to make it to my original homeland.

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Photos

Brussels St. Michael cathedral

the most famous landmark in Brussels
The manneken pis