MILES & MEMORIES

Our Schengen visa was issued by Iceland. Our plane tickets were for Paris. This is a move that is technically legal, emotionally reckless, and a masterclass in bureaucratic Jiu-Jitsu. It means explaining to a stoic border agent why your first point of entry is a country famous for croissants when your visa is from the land of Björk. For appeasing the travel gods, we booked our exit flight from Copenhagen.  Arrival: Logistics Before Romance From the airport, we opted for a long-distance coach—the civilized middle ground between lavish and broke. Pro-Tip for the Discerning (or Cheap) Traveler: From Beauvais (BVA):  This airport is famously not in Paris. The official shuttle bus to Porte Maillot is your most direct path. Book online via the airport's site or a third-party like Terravision to use a QR code and avoid the terminal scramble. From Charles de Gaulle (CDG):  You have options. The RoissyBus is a dedicated airport-to-city line. For a more "local" experience, RATP bus...

September 24, 2024 – Uber Adventures This was it—my first-ever trip abroad since moving to Ireland, and we were heading to Croatia! I had managed to get my very first Schengen visa through the Croatian embassy. The master plan was to explore Croatia, head over to Italy, then Switzerland, and finally catch a flight back to Ireland. The journey kicked off with a 4-hour flight. By the time we were nearing Croatia, my wife was fast asleep. I, on the other hand, was wide awake—especially when the Ryanair plane hit the runway with what felt like a pretty hard landing! As the pilots threw the engines into reverse to slow us down, everyone onboard started clapping. Caught completely off guard, my wife woke up from her deep sleep and instantly started clapping like crazy, with absolutely no idea why everyone was cheering! Once we landed at Split Airport, we didn't waste any time and booked an Uber from inside the terminal. Our driver was a lady named Zorana. Split Airport has a bit of a tri...