Apologies for the rude title.

So, are you fucking kidding me, France? What's with those people and strikes? The leftist in me kinda supports them for sticking it to the man and defending their rights, but come on! Why does there always have to be trouble interfering with my travel plans? Air France technical staff was on strike when I last went to Finland (Nov 2012) and I lost 120 euros in ticket changing fees because of it, and then the consulate went on strike and that almost cost me my visa, and now it's the French air traffic control staff's turn, from June 11 to 13, and because of that all airline companies are reducing flights from and to the country by 50%. I only leave on the 16th, but I'm not sure they will stick to the announced dates.

So I checked the real-time flight updates on their websites, and today's schedule doesn't look good at all. The first morning flight (7 am) on which I'm traveling on Sunday left at 8h11 (which, if I had been traveling today, would have made me missed my connecting flight to Helsinki) and ALL the other flights to Paris are cancelled. Same thing is more or less supposed to happen tomorrow. It's so fucking annoying. It wouldn't be so if it didn't happen ALL THE DAMN TIME!

Anyway, I should count myself lucky for buying a full ticket Algiers-Helsinki (via Paris). The last few times I traveled I would buy two different tickets for the whole trip, and if I had done that this time I would either miss my connecting flight and have been stranded at the airport until I could get a new ticket (and who knows how long it'd take, and how much) or I would have paid a lot for a ticket change, and then it's more or less the same risk. This time, Air France has the responsibility to find me a seat on another flight to Helsinki, if I miss mine because of the strike. But let's hope it ends when they said it ends, right? >:{

So, in order for this blog not to be entirely angry and frustrated, I'll talk about uninteresting stuff.

I think I'm more or less ready for my trip. At least as far as the clothes I will take are concerned! I need a new suitcase and my mother is going to buy me one today so I can start packing soon. I bought a couple of baby undershirts (or something similar) for Jaana and Tommi but the problem is they are very summery and the baby is due in October. Maybe I'll buy something warmer when I'm Finland. You'll be pleased to know that one is white and red (with pink hems, but still!) and the other is green and purple No pink! I still have to buy presents for family members but I can do that either on Thursday or Saturday.

Speaking of Saturday, I have a very busy day then. A salon appointment at 10 am which should take two hours (lots of waxing!) and then I'll go to a different salon to get my hair done, then some quick shopping and then I'll have to get myself ready for the wedding that evening. My parents are well aware of my traveling schedule (except they think it's for work ) and are planning accordingly. My mother and I are leaving at 7 pm (it's a dinner party, then a proper wedding party) and luckily the venue (a fancy 4-star hotel, because they're so rich) is exactly 1 minute 30 second drive from our old apartment (so we'll all be staying the night there, to make things easier). Since it starts so early I think I can get away with going back home around 10 pm (even though celebrations will probably barely be starting by then, as Algerian night weddings finish around 4 am) so I can catch some sleep. My mother would probably rely on one of her friends to drive her home since it's so close to our place. Anyway, since my flight is, as I said, at 7 am I'd have to be at the airport at 5, which means getting up at 4. Hope I manage to fall asleep early enough to get at least five hours of sleep in, because I don't want to look or feel or act like a zombie the following day.

Timo and I are trying to plan out the days I'll be there. Should be quite fun. Though the day following my arrival will be spent shopping for presents for my own family (I don't like doing that, but I feel I have to) and looking for a dress I would wear at my cousin's wedding in September. I've found some gorgeous one of Esprit's website but I'm not sure if I will find them at the store, or in the right size. I really don't like shopping for clothes. I get frustrated very easily and then start hating even the pretty clothes and want to go home. It's a nightmare for Timo, who already doesn't like shopping that much. I'll try to be good this time. We're also having lunch that day at "our" Pakistani restaurant, with one of his friends, Kalle (I'd met him once, last year, and we've been chatting a bit on FB so I think we get on well.)

Work is being annoying, as it always is during the week before I go on leave. Suddenly everything is urgent! I'm trying to manage everything as best I can so things can run smoothly even when I'm not there, and I think I'll succeed. Even if I don't, I'm way past caring at this point.

This should be the last blog post before I leave! Cheers!

ETA: Well that was quick. Air France just emailed saying the strike comes to an end tomorrow because apparently they fixed stuff. Now I feel like all my anger was wasted but YAY!