Forced Kick-Back in Algiers

12 April 2026

We arrive at the Houari Boumediene International Airport and use a concrete walkway to our hotel.

Farewell Dinner

While the farewell dinner officially marks the end of our tour, this trip, for an unknown reason, the dinner was held last night in Oran. I say unknown because our leader, Kamel, is not saying farewell nor is anyone on the tour. If there is a farewell, it is to the local Algerian guide. Who doesn’t join us for dinner. Who made this last minute decision?

I am making a sad face rather than a happy dance. I scheduled a later flight and extra night because of what would have been a very long last day with farewell dinner. That decision was a costly one for me. Had it been in the original itinerary, I would have left a day earlier.

Great Group of Travelers

Final dinners always manages to be a cheerful affair. Everyone seems grateful to have survived a couple of weeks without illness, injury, or an international incident. Most look forward to sleeping in their own beds and using their own showers. Routines are fondly called to mind. Home begins to sound very appealing.

And yet, without fail, no matter the group or the country, the conversation always turns to the same subject: where next? I have yet to travel with a group that didn’t already have one eye on the next destination. Between bites of dessert, people are plotting future routes, comparing climates, and casually announcing plans that involve deserts, jungles, or countries many at the table remember with fond thoughts. 

The tour may be ending, but the travel itch always remains alive.

13 April 2026

Return Flights

One of the least charming traditions of traveling Africa, Asia, or the Middle East becomes the return flight. It requires scheduling seemingly designed by secret planning within airline board rooms by people with a cruel sense of humor and no concept of human circadian rhythms. International departures almost always leave in the wee, wee hours of the morning, that magical time when even the airport janitors look surprised to see you awake.

And after carefully deciding on my desired schedule, the booking systems joined the fun. I want to leave on Monday at 1:40 a.m.—perfectly clear to any human being. The algorithm, or the Skippy chatbot, however, seems deeply offended by my logic and insists I must mean Tuesday morning. No amount of pleading, clicking, or whispering sweet nothings to the screen will convince it otherwise. To the machine, midnight is not a time; it’s a philosophical crisis.

This inevitably leads to my calling for help. Even with a direct line to a real human at United, it still took forty minutes to persuade the system that Monday at 1:40 a.m. is, in fact, still Monday. Which raises the eternal travel question: why is the hardest part of crossing three continents explaining what day it is?

As a Traveler, Always Be Prepared

I made a decision: I did not want to travel for hours to Algiers, join the Farewell Dinner, then head to the airport (which is just across the street), before flying for over 30 hours. That pain needed to be averted. I could be 30 years younger and I still wouldn’t want to do it. 

In the past, Gabrielle and I have checked out of the hotel late, hung around the city or lounge, then gone to the airport. That strategy worked, until….

The tour planned on being in Algeria for 15 days. Thus, we needed a 15-day Visa. However, by leaving at 1:40 am, it meant we would depart this country as illegal aliens. Our Visa runs out at Midnight on Sunday the 12^th of April. We overstay that Visa by 1 hour and 40 minutes. Our tour advises us to purchase a 30-day Visa. Being one not wanting to tempt fate, we purchase a longer Visa – at twice the cost. That comes to slightly less than 2$ a minute. 

Kindly, the local tour agency arranged for us to use the room to 6:30pm, unfortunately too late as room is already paid for night. Another sad face as the math says the room costs $1.24 a minute for those extra few hours.

And so it goes. Always be prepared, and bring extra cash.

Monday, Our 1:40 am Flight

Saturday night message from Lufthansa:

“The union Vereinigung Cockpit has announced a strike at short notice for Monday and Tuesday, 13th and 14th April 2026.

If you are affected by flight cancellations or rebookings, we will proactively inform you by email latest by Sunday morning, 12th April 2026, about the current situation.“

It seems our saga continues.

Long story short – I relax in the luxurious Hyatt Regency. A long shower, clean clothes. All things to cherish as the long travel journey begins. And it does appear it will begin as scheduled.

Monitoring Lufthansa, it appears the plane has departed from Frankfurt destined for Algers. Fingers and toes crossed. I look forward to that 30-hour trip – as opposed to stranded in Algers. Unlike Albert Camus, I love Algers but I don’t want to live here.

What does one say, all’s well that ends well?

Walk to the airport at 10pm. Face numerous security checks, Passports, Visas, scans, pat-down. From Check-in to lounge took about 40 minutes. The Cirta Lounge near Gate 23 open for Lufthansa business class. A place to get some water, use bathroom and relax before boarding.

A feeling of relief as we clear final security. We’re seated and destined for Frankfurt. All’s well – as long as the pilot doesn’t bail.

Flying Amid Chaos

Lufthansa operated with efficiency and we arrive early. Not enough sleep but some. Had row to myself. At FRA, the EU border registration completed last year, we walked the mile to our connecting gate.

The Senator Lounge becoming like an old friend here. Chipper airport and lounge staff for this early in the morning.

We still have miles to go before we truly sleep.

Stop 2: Chicago

Gabrielle and I are both in Polaris so able to stretch out and sleep. Less than two hours for me. Try, try again. The future of 16 more hours flying East into another morning seems bleak.

Presence of ICE not seen. Good! TSA is back and getting a paycheck. Even better! With Global Entry we zip thru lines, have only carryons, security fast, out and on our way in 35 minutes. Biggest requirement of our time is walking to the Polaris Lounge.

Have a few minutes in lounge. Then, Gabrielle and I go our separate ways. She to Duluth, me Denver.

Stop 3: Denver

I’ve reached a milestone in flying. This flight will push me beyond One Million Miles accrued with United. Not the auspicious Million Miler Club, which seems impossible to attain without the advantage of a lifetime of business travel. All in all, over 50 years of flying, I only have about 400k on United. It requires a lot of butt in the seat time to reach Million Miler status.

However, the earned Million Miles come in handy when flying family and friends. When I began to fly in 1972, I would have loved someone with a big mileage wallet.

Home

I tend to sleep best on this last leg of international flights. It has been a really long day. I appreciate yesterday’s hotel rest before embarking, but wish I was home rather than face another 3-hour flight then my drive home.

Can’t think of it as 30 hours later in Algiers. My mind will likely melt.

The plane’ll take off tomorrow

So ya gotta hang on ‘til tomorrow

Come what may!

Tomorrow! Tomorrow!

I’ll book ya tomorrow!

When flights feel just one click away!

Since wagons rolled out westward slow,

Now we just board and go, go, go—

Still somehow delays find a way…

Tomorrow! Tomorrow!

I’ll plan ya tomorrow!

Though I’m tempted to leave today!

Bags packed and maps all in view,

Dreaming of somewhere new…

But maybe I’ll wait—just one more day!

Tomorrow! Tomorrow!

My trip starts tomorrow!

Or tomorrow’s tomorrow… okay!