Kidnapped

 Sunday 20th April 2025

Today we were leaving for Split and were to have a wheelchair take us from the hotel to the boarding gate,  (no lounge today......)  Last night the airport concierge advised someone would be at the reception to pick us up at 6.30 am.  But then the hotel concierge actually took us up to our room and said he would meet us at the door at 6.15am. A little confusing but hey, surely they all know what they are doing.........

(Side note: we were advised at Sydney that our luggage was going straight through to Split and not to Frankfurt as we had thought and packed for. We had to ration our clothes etc for the extra night without our main luggage. A little stressful but no biggy, relatively....) 

After a nice night in the hotel, we were getting organised for our 6.15am pickup when the hotel concierge and companion knocked on the door at 6.05am. OK , good to be early so off we went in the wheelchair (me not Paul, he walked behind as he should).

The hotel concierge kept making remarks about how there were a thousand guests in the hotel wanting his assistance but that he chose to help me instead?? A bit odd but whatever, I am special!

As we went past the hotel bar, he shoved fruit juices and nut bars into our hands and  offered coffee  and more food(non gf). Somewhat odd but OK..

As we neared the airport check in areas, it was obvious the hotel guys (henceforth to be known as the Mario brothers) had no idea where to go or what to do. We needed to organise boarding passes etc but they were kinda clueless. And then we needed to go downstairs so off we went down the escalator. Me in the wheelchair going backwards with one of the guys holding me from the back and one from the front.  This was despite our protestations.  Surely this is not safe!! I am in a $%^&* wheelchair etc. WTF?

Anyway at this stage the airport concierge who had come to collect us a bit early at 6.25 as arranged, found us and an argument ensued between the Mario brothers and the airport concierge. It was a bit of a tug a war as to who was going to assist me. (I am so $%^ special).  The airport guy almost left but Paul managed to convince him to stay and take the controls of the wheelchair. It was a bit of a fight still but he won out in the end.  He knew exactly where to go, had all the security clearances etc. 

He also mentioned that it was definitely NOT safe to take wheelchairs down escalators and we were definitely not covered by insurance had there been any mishaps. Der.  We decided the Mario brothers kidnapped me as they were wanting another generous tip like the one  received the night before.  OK, I could be generous and admire their enterprise, having a go etc for the big money, but no they almost killed me.

Finally in the gate lounge, we were hoping to have a nice breakfast before the flight but the only cafe anywhere near us had nothing gluten bloody free. unbelievable but we were expecting something on board the plane to Split so i would be fine.

But no, the plane had not been provided with the info regarding my gluten freeness so there wasn't a special gf box of food for me.  I was able to eat some prosciutto from the normal box. Yeah!

We arrived in Split to lovely weather and an easy exit from the airport, sans wheelchair. The taxi cost about 80E which I though was expensive until the taxi driver found us an hour after he had dropped us off with the jacket Paul had left in the taxi. That was lucky.

While waiting to enter our accommodation at 2pm, we went next door to the Pub Fabrique and had a lovely lunch, one of the best gluten free pizzas i have ever had and a gluten free beer. They also let us store our big bags of luggage while we got organised. They were very helpful.

Eventually it was 2pm and we were able to use our codes to get into our accommodation. City Rooms Riva. The only hotel i had booked this trip and it wasn't  a hotel.   Very much like the apartment i had booked in Rome last trip except smaller and older.  There was meant to be a reception desk but it was unattended. It was Easter Saturday after all. We were desperate for the internet so we could find out where to meet the ship for the start of our cruise tomorrow.  After many attempts to find the site, we were even more desperate. No sanguinity for either of us, one more than the other.

Paul tried to contact the travel agent on Easter Sunday and did eventually get a response from someone somewhere in Australia. He could not help even after much 'encouragement'.  He did promise that someone would contact us on Easter Monday morning with all the details. This did not seem likely but..

We went for a lovely walk around Split to try to find the dock and maybe the ship. It was all close. Shit hotel/apartment but great location!!!! 

And then dinner time and more sight seeing:

Dinner venue

very pretty spot and it was right next door to our apartment. GREAT LOCATION

nice gin and tonic. God i needed it

black cuttlefish risotto

nice gnocchi

and we noticed lots of cats in Split.. Reminding me of Orphy, apparently doing well with the cat sitters.Good.

So at the end of the day, we are not sure if we will find the boat tomorrow, but hopeful that if we walk along the dock, we will run into it eventually. And who knows, the travel agent may get the message on Easter Sunday and ring us on Easter Monday. Yep....