What to do on a Transport Strike Day -Brussels

Remember when I said the choice of staying in a hostel far far away was going to come back to haunt me … well it was on a Sunday in Brussels a beautiful morning when I woke up to find out there was non- public transport whatsoever for the day due to a planned strike.

Now the expensive hike rate for the hostels in town on this particular day suddenly make sense … Now I know why the hostel I stayed was so cheap ….

So what can you do on a Strike Day ……. my thoughts on what should I do and actually did….

Try to catch a plane …
You are screwed … book another ticket … luckily for me … my flight was the next day Monday … Phew … but for those that somehow have the unfortunate schedule to be flying on a strike day, take full comfort that the flight will most probably continue without you if you don’t reach that airport in time for check in. Beg someone to drive you there and pay him …  unless its cheaper to book a new ticket for the next day …

Stay in bed and Slack away
I was seriously contemplating doing this for the whole day, just stay at the hostel where I was alone in a 4 bed bunk bedroom with no one around pure quiet bliss write in my journal, sleep … laundry if I had the chance …. A stay in day … a break within a break … but alas this hostel really haunted me for there was no food whatsoever even closeby. I was hungry by lunch and had to go out hunting and after 1km of walk I still couldn’t find any food stall … it was a Sunday … hence most places closes outskirt of town 

Meniken Piss ... I had my lunch somewhere nearby

Do Cabs go on strikes too ???
I really don’t know about this one but I swear I did not see a single cabby the whole day let alone a bus … subway was fully closed  … that plan was out the window quick enough

Try to Hitch Hike to Central Town
I actually started walking in the direction of the main city where I knew plenty of tourist within the old quarters will keep stores open and food would be available. Hunger was driving me now and not really the urge to visit places … so I put my tumb out … with no luck since although outskirt of town it was still in the town …. Quite rare for people to hitch hike in town I guess …. No luck there

Walk to Central Town
This was what actually happen … I walked 3 hours to reach the center of the city of Brussels. Immediately head for one of those restaurants near the old square … cost me 45euro for lunch …. Bah … I was hungry …. I still had to walk back to the hostel I realized

Christmas Shopping
With the amount of time I need to spend walking into town and back I did my last minute Christmas gift shopping for my relative since I was flying to see them the next day at York. Good old Swarovski Crystal … bought three of em and it was done in 10 minutes …

Last roll of the Dice - Casino Brussels
And to shed light in to a gloom day … I visited the casino and got all my Christmas presents for free …. I was friends again with my old buddy after what happened in Netherlands ….

Walk Back home - Don’t forget some takeaway
Alas the slow walk back to the hostel with takeaway in the bag …