Twice as Nice. Getting there.

Just when I thought today was going to be uneventful - just a flight to Nice and nothing worth writing about - the second leg, Munich to Nice, turned out to be anything but boring. 

After the boarding pass check, we followed the signs: left for Business Class, right for us humble economy travelers. Except… the door to our plane was firmly shut, lights off, looking as if the crew had clocked out for the night. So, like a confused school of fish, everyone shuffled back to the business gate. Ten minutes later, someone finally pried open the middle door, sending us into the aircraft where people were now attempting to navigate the aisles both ways at once - like salmon swimming upstream, but less coordinated.

Finally, we settled into our seats: Scott by the window, me in the middle, and then… him. My neighbor. A man who had clearly been on a bar hopping and liquid diet since noon (it was now 9pm).

Here’s a quick highlight reel:

• Tried chatting me up with the “Are you American?” opener
• Carried a newspaper, which he enthusiastically shared with me by spreading it all over my seat and insisting I appreciate the comedic genius of Trump and Biden
• Leaned so far into my seat that I briefly considered charging him rent
• Rehearsed the airplane’s mechanical noises - yes, including the landing gear - like a preschooler
• When Scott and I returned from the restroom, he asked if we wanted to get back to our seats before actually moving out of the way (because standing in the aisle for the remainder of the flight sounded like such a solid plan)
• Demanded the crew provide the exact minute of our delayed arrival in Nice, as if he had a midnight board meeting waiting for him on the tarmac.

After we landed - shortly before midnight - we grabbed an Uber to the hotel, ready to collapse.

Of course, the day had one last surprise. I’d booked a standard double room, but apparently they were fresh out. Instead, we were handed a key to what can only be described as a broom closet with aspirations of being a hotel room.