Let the travel games begin.

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Day One and Two
A relatively easy journey: YEG-YYZ-FRA-PRG, with perfect connection times, just long enough to stretch your legs and not panic about missed connections if flight is slightly delayed.

Random Ned Travel Tip:A great way to ensure not making friends with your airplane seat neighbor is to pull out your hand wipes and obsessively wash your tray table with crazed enthusiasm! It worked, he started leaning away from me when I fervently wiped the tray table, on both sides:-)

I got to travel business class to Toronto, Frankfurt flight was economy but at least I was the aisle on the 2 seater side. I realized I'd never flown Lufthansa before, good German staff, bad movie and TV choices but what do you do? FRA airport is, shall we say, a very efficient airport. Other then bomb testing my camera it was all good. Flight to PRG oversold looking for volunteers but what would I do with a LH credit?

Got caught in the pre security coffee scam; so I stood outside slamming my coffee but it was European good and I'll be damned if I'm going to waste. Bought My collector friend his first Playboy, never even thought of Germany. Just before boarding I brushed the last 14 hours of travel off my teeth and in true Ned fashion ended up with toothpaste all over my front, way to go........

Got "upgraded" to business class between FRA & PRG. I use quotes because if this is an upgrade I'm scared to look behind me! They checked my bag as only allowed one carry on, that makes me nervous, sigh. Hoping I can check in early at the hotel, I need a nap! It's a short flight and according to my time zone it's 02:13, that's why I'm tired! I got a passport stamp in FRA, but upon arrival in PRG there was no customs, period. Made me a bit sad, I was hoping for a passport stamp, I forget that Europe is so open and because FRA was my first point of entry that's all I may get stamp wise, too bad.

The nice thing about earning more than $25K a year is I can afford the occasional luxury, and my cab to the hotel was wonderful. Despite the fact he drove like a true Moroccan in the western world, it was uneventful. Perhaps traveling at the speed of light takes away from sightseeing but I got to the Hilton Prague in what I'm sure is record time! Trafalgar used this property so I decided to stay here to throw in a work splash so I can give feedback to my agents. Beautiful, clean property, I happened to show up when 2 groups had just arrived so it took a few minutes to check in. When the front desk told me they were checking in over 500 guests alone today I was floored! Thankfully the had a room I could check into so I came up and crashed.

After a much needed nap, a still groggy Ned wandered along the Vltava River to see Prague. Map tucked in back pocket I let my senses guide me...... Awwww isn't that romantic and corny? I followed the river then followed the crowds. Whoever said summer is the best season to see Europe was on crack! I've been to Europe multiple times in shoulder and offseason, and now that I've done Ireland and Prague in August, I would take shoulder season anytime. The crowds are mind boggling and the heat in PRG is, well hot! If work restrictions isn't an issue, come in the fall or spring, Europe is amazing that time of year and the weather is still so pleasant. I think there is this perception that it's Canadian cold and that is so far off. Now that I've spent 2 days in +30 I'd take mid teens any day.

I wandered south (in my mind it was south) and saw the famous Charles Bridge, then continued on to Legion Bridge where I ran into a Gay Pride Party. Wow! Some seriously cool costumes, and while I was dying to get a photo of Jill with some of them, asking in Czech to pose with a duck but I'm not making fun of you was not in my vocabulary! The party was on Marksmen's Island and it was hopping!

What a magnificent city. Traditional cobblestone streets, phenomenal architecture, history so old its ancient, and pastries:-) what more could a girl want? I wandered until I was seeing double from fatigue, trying to orientate myself, but failing other than knowing the river was "over there". I conceded defeat and made my way back to the hotel, my body aching from travel, airplanes and just fatigue. Nighty night for this travel goddess.

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