If you have a little free time on you, say… hmm 5 days, Vilnius in Lithuania is a wise choice. Prepare yourself for a little Eastern European input with some amazingly modern western influence at every third corner. Prices are very affordable, locals are very gentle and hospitable. It’s a country with four million people in it, so obviously it is very homey. Practically everybody knows everybody.

If you take my advice you book a flight with the local low cost carrier, Baltic Air, it is simply part of the fun. They fly from Budapest with airplanes with a size of an airplane, but four times smaller. It is a good thing because those planes have a way of flying that makes you regret your rich breakfast and especially the coffee you poured on top. To top the fun, Lithuanian stewardesses and stewards (the ones with the ballerina like moves and voices) have a special mission. I think they are assigned by the Lithuanian people to spread their language. Let me illustrate a little conversation I had 4 times during a two hour flight.

Steward: Hskimas miaus blabal kaus.

Me: Excuse me sir, I don’t speak Lithuanian.

Steward: Hskimas blabal kaus miaus! (pointing at the favourite part of my trousers)

Me: Pardon me sir, I don’t speak Lithuanian. (The hell does he want?)

Steward: Hskimas blabal kaus miaus! (pointing in a more dedicated manner)

Me: Try English, mate.

Steward: Your belt, please.

Me: I like it this way.

Steward: Hskimas blabal kaus miaus! It means buckle your belt please.

Me: Oh sure. Thanks for reminding.

Steward: Achu.

I suppose Achu means thank you. Actually it has the same probability to mean “prick”, but I am just a hopeless optimist. Back to traveling in general. The Vilnius airport is a nice one. A small one, but a nice one. Forget the signs and the cute little TV’s with funny text on them. Personally I followed the crowd and it lead me to the baggage claim against the signs, before I picked my favorite bag off the delivery thingy under the TV that said “Frankfurt”. Probably they got confused. I mean we did arrive from approximately the same direction, as long as South-West is an accurate one. I guess the pilot just did not bother to tell the Vilnius airport crew that they are wrong. Gestures like this save a lot of paper-work for everyone.