The abduction of Caramen T.

Flying to Belgium
August 14th, 2018

I booked a flight to Belgium and started to make arrangements for the trip.

Flight booking for trip to Belgium.

It was like something supernatural was warning me the whole time that booking this trip was a bad decision.

I was looking on the internet for a flight from Thailand to Belgium.

It was already midnight.

I found a flight that suited me (Lufthansa) and wanted to book the trip as there were only 2 places in the air plane left.

I had done financial transactions with my Credit Cards many times and I had also PayPal.

But for this transaction, my Credit Cards were refused.

"I should contact the issuing bank" was the message every time.

I rang the airport and asked if there was an other possibility to book this flight as my Credit Cards were refused.

“No problem, Sir”, was their answer.

I could make a down payment for the reservation and pay the rest the next day.

But how could I make a down payment if my Credit Cards were not accepted?

Finally, they accepted my word and gave me until next day midday to make the payment at the bank.

The next day, I started to prepare our luggage, make an appointment with a taxi company to drive us to the airport, find somebody to take care about our house, go to Immigration and ask for a “Re-entry Permit”, go to the bank to make the payment for the flight, etc.

A lot of things to handle in a very short time and in my condition.

I made a reservation for a taxi to come and pick us up at 5PM.

The taxi company sent me a picture of the taxi and the driver.

The taxi company said that the trajectory from my home to the airport would take about 3 hrs.

I was supposed to be at the airport at 22:00 hrs.

Thus, leaving Korat at 6pm would leave sufficient time go to the airport.

Picture of the taxi and the driver.

My daughter prepared a document for David Fried, a friend and her mentor, who was going to watch my house and feed her fishes while we were in Belgium.

She was worried about her fishes if David would not take good care of them.

So, she wrote on a paper what David needed to do.

Note from my daughter about how to take care of her fishes.

20180814 111831: Reservation for a taxi.

The taxi company called me, but they spoke only Thai.

So, I let my daughter speak with them.

20180814 163701: Taxi driver asking for directions.

20180814 164913: Taxi arriving home.

The taxi driver was a “new” driver in the company.

The taxi was equipped with a GPS system and a steady radio connection with the company.

The taxi had 5 hours time for a trip which would usually take at most 3 hours.

Time enough?

NOT!!!!!

The taxi driver would stop every 2 hours for 15 minutes to stretch his legs and smoke a cigarette.

The taxi driver was also constantly driving with a tablet on his lap and chatting with his girlfriend/wife.

In the mountain area, road works hold the traffic up and traversing the mountains took 2 hours where it would have taken about 45 minutes.

Although I explained to the driver that we were going to miss our flight, he didn't react to it.

Approaching the airport, it was heavily raining and the taxi driver changed his speed to “crawling speed”.

The result was the we arrived at 22:30 at the airport and it was too late to board the flight.

I was desperate, but the lady at the desk was very friendly and would offer us a seat in the next flight from the same Airline, Swiss Air, which would take off at 9 AM the next day.

We could book that flight and she would wave off the VAT and the additional surcharges.

I booked that flight and to avoid the taxi joke again, we slept on a coach at the airport (as my daughter suggested).

I send also a message to my brother with the new landing time in Belgium.

Screen picture of the flight schedule.

In the mean time, my Cardiologist in Belgium had already arranged a reservation with the doctors at the hospital.

As I was sitting in the airplane and out of the reach of my SIM card in Thailand, I missed the following emails.

On Wednesday, 15 August 2018, we arrived in Belgium.

My brother (Luis) and his wife (Mina) were already waiting for us.

Arrived at his house in Diepenbeek, late in the evening, we ate dinner and went to sleep early.

Our bedroom in the attic.

At my brother's home I could connect WiFi and I send a confirmation to my Cardiolog.

My daughter had a chat with her teacher.

The teacher was aparently not informed by the directors about my daughter's flight to Belgium.

Beebee Sattaphan Aug 16, 2018 3:47am	Samuiiiiii
Beebee Sattaphan Aug 16, 2018 3:47am	Are you still in Thailand?
Beebee Sattaphan Aug 16, 2018 4:08am	Your friend said u going aboard with your dad.
Mar Cosmo Aug 16, 2018 7:00am
Mar Cosmo Aug 16, 2018 7:00am
Mar Cosmo Aug 16, 2018 7:01am
Mar Cosmo Aug 16, 2018 7:01am	This place internet is DEAD
Mar Cosmo Aug 16, 2018 7:01am
Beebee Sattaphan Aug 16, 2018 7:03am
Mar Cosmo Aug 16, 2018 7:13am
Mar Cosmo Aug 16, 2018 7:13am
Mar Cosmo Aug 16, 2018 7:13am	There are also greenhouse
Mar Cosmo Aug 16, 2018 7:13am	👌👍
Beebee Sattaphan Aug 16, 2018 7:57am
Beebee Sattaphan Aug 16, 2018 7:58am	Glad to hear from u. Take care and hope your dad will get very well soon.
Mar Cosmo Aug 16, 2018 4:48pm	Okay