I had a travel scare, a stressful night and an epiphany. All in 24 hours!
This is the end of June and my trip to Gdansk (a direct flight, just over an hour long) is at the end of September. I pulled up my travel information to start planning my itinerary and budget because one of my travel days falls on a Monday, when some museums and attractions might be closed. That is when I nearly keeled over.
I originally bought the flights last October when Wizzair announced the new route. The fares were excellent and, with such a short direct flight, booking was an easy decision. To save money, I also booked a four-bed female dorm near the Old Town. My accommodation needs are simple: a clean bed, a hot shower, fast Wi-Fi and a good location.
When I checked my booking, I discovered that the flight times had changed. My original flights were in the afternoon and evening; now both are in the morning, with my return flight leaving Gdansk at 7:30 a.m.
I called customer service. They told me I had accepted the changes. I'm not suggesting anyone hacked my account—I may well have accepted them. The problem is that I never received any confirmation of the new schedule, so for months I had been planning a trip that no longer existed. Yes, I probably should have made a note of the changes, but if they had sent a confirmation email I could have avoided a lot of unnecessary stress. The chat agent eventually told me they don't send confirmation emails after schedule changes because the updated itinerary is simply saved to your account.
At first I thought I'd need to spend my final night near the airport. I found a few reasonably priced hotels, but then I reconsidered. I don't like changing accommodation during a short trip. Although Gdansk has good night buses, the airport train leaves from a station that isn't very central and early morning services are limited. Instead, I booked an apartment hotel near the main train station so I can simply walk there in about 30 minutes. I'm travelling with carry-on luggage only. A taxi is always an option, but I dislike using them because they make me anxious.
My new accommodation turned out to be a pleasant surprise. It's connected to the station by several night bus routes, I have a private room with a kitchenette and bathroom, breakfast is included, and public transport to the city centre takes about 30 minutes. The nightly rate is about the same as the total cost of my hostel stay, but being able to prepare a simple dinner myself will probably offset much of the extra cost. I was never enthusiastic about sharing a hostel kitchen anyway.
This morning, over coffee, I realised that everything had actually worked out for the best. I still have three months to finalise my budget and itinerary. More importantly, I'm grateful for the travel experience I've built over the years. I've learned to adapt when plans change. I can research solutions in English, make bookings with free cancellation, find my way around unfamiliar airports and use public transport confidently. Gdansk Airport looks busy enough that I expect plenty of other travellers to be around for my early morning flight. Since I'm travelling light, I won't need to arrive especially early.
The place I booked is Apartamenty Collegia, and it has excellent reviews.
Have you ever had a travel situation like this? What happened, and how did you deal with it?