I left my house in the pouring rain today heading to the airport. Scott Chase and Hayes were at the airport to send me off. As they were standing over to the side in the waiting area and as I was almost to the security check, yelled to them " OH, I've changed my mind, I don't think I want to do this after all." Scott says well, OK you don't have to. Pause.... no, I want to go, bye, I'll be fine. And off I went.
Raining cats and dogs but the plane took off with great speed and then stopped on the run way then started turning around. Low groans from all passengers as we expected to have to deplane. The captain told us he was starting over at the end of the runway again because he had to break for "wildlife" on the runway. Yes we are in Alabama.
Getting to Charlotte I rode the special assistance shuttle to my next gate. I have found with my fibromyalgia this little bit of independence that I give up is really a big help. Most of the time traveling on this little golf cart through airports other passengers slowly move out of the way but today was different. The driver had been using something different for about 2 weeks and boy did it work. He said another traveler had given him the idea. As he drove through the crowed airport terminal he used a little had bell to ring to let others know he was coming up behind them. We moved along with good speed thank goodness as my plane was getting ready to board as I arrived at the gate.
On the plane and headed to Frankfurt Germany. I usually don't sleep well on the plane but thank goodness I got several good hours of sleep and arrived in Germany the next morning.
Passport check and I am ready to head to the next gate. Another American family traveling with the high school and college age sons were on the same flight. Between planes before boarding to Italy the sons went to "have a smoke" and didn't get back in time to board the plane. We were not at a gate but on a bus from one plane to the next because of a tight connection. The plane with the Mom and Dad on board left Germany with out the sons. "Smoking-a bad habit" the parents tried to call their sons' cell phones but they were "out of coverage area". The flight attendants were talking with the parents and I think the boys were on another flight soon. Hope they all got reunited.
LANDED in ITALY. I went to the rental car place and there it was... a real cutie.... my little car for the week. It is a Fiat PANDA isn't that a cute name for a car, Panda. But the color of the car is strawberry. Not red, not burgundy, it is a pearlized strawberry color and let me tell you it is Cute!
Got the directions and headed to the villa where I am staying. Only got a little turned around on the autostrada but then found the right direction and arrived early about 2:00 at the Villa.
I met first on of the other guest, a man named Andrew from London who is staying here with his wife. They are not in the cooking school part but rather as he told me in his wonderful British accent, no my wife and I are here on holiday for the week just to be Lazy.
I like that idea too.
Mimma greeted me next as she came out of the house with Ciao Ciao ,Ciao Bella Kathy from America. She helped me get settled unloading my car. Next in her farmhouse kitchen she offered me a platter of cheese AND a Diet Coke. I knew instantly l liked her. The Diet Coke I had on the plane was bottled in Afghanistan, this one tasted better. Mimma was getting ready to cook with some people from America that were not staying at her villa but had signed up for a one day cooking lesson. They owned a restaurant in Massachusetts I think I remember her saying.
I will tell you more about Mimma later in the week.
3:00 in the afternoon, it is raining a soft slow rain, and jet lag has set in. After offering to help in the kitchen LOL I know, what if she had taken me up on the offer to help LOL, and seeing that Mimma was busy, I decided a nap was just the right thing.
A few hours later I felt much better and my voice had returned with a little rest.(For those of you reading this that don't know sometimes as part of my fibromyalgia, when I am tired or have done too much I loose my voice- no fun).
Still raining a little I get in my little strawberry Panda and dive a few miles down the road to the closest little village called Castillano. It is Sunday night at 8:00pm so most stores were closed. I stopped in a little place where I instantly knew I was the only American there. I had on a white short raincoat and everyone else there was wearing black or gray-yes this is Europe alright- they way everyone dresses here. I found a seat took my raincoat off and then I was not the outsider since I was dressed in black pants shirt and shoes. Ha
Lots of men young and old were watching football on TV though we would say they were watching soccer. A young mother at the table next to me was there with her 2 boys probably 8 and 6 yrs old who were both wearing a hoodie with the name of the soccer team that was on TV. I did a little more people watching and sat for a while to make it worth my while since I had driven in circles for 25 minutes trying to find a parking space. I guess that is why the locals walk a lot instead of driving cars. Later I found out there was a play next door and the parking spaces were limited.
Back at 10:00 at the villa and I am settling in for the night. I will describe the villa later this week also. Sleep is coming to me again so I will close.
Ciao,
Kathy in Tuscany
ps, I have no cell phone service yet...
Raining cats and dogs but the plane took off with great speed and then stopped on the run way then started turning around. Low groans from all passengers as we expected to have to deplane. The captain told us he was starting over at the end of the runway again because he had to break for "wildlife" on the runway. Yes we are in Alabama.
Getting to Charlotte I rode the special assistance shuttle to my next gate. I have found with my fibromyalgia this little bit of independence that I give up is really a big help. Most of the time traveling on this little golf cart through airports other passengers slowly move out of the way but today was different. The driver had been using something different for about 2 weeks and boy did it work. He said another traveler had given him the idea. As he drove through the crowed airport terminal he used a little had bell to ring to let others know he was coming up behind them. We moved along with good speed thank goodness as my plane was getting ready to board as I arrived at the gate.
On the plane and headed to Frankfurt Germany. I usually don't sleep well on the plane but thank goodness I got several good hours of sleep and arrived in Germany the next morning.
Passport check and I am ready to head to the next gate. Another American family traveling with the high school and college age sons were on the same flight. Between planes before boarding to Italy the sons went to "have a smoke" and didn't get back in time to board the plane. We were not at a gate but on a bus from one plane to the next because of a tight connection. The plane with the Mom and Dad on board left Germany with out the sons. "Smoking-a bad habit" the parents tried to call their sons' cell phones but they were "out of coverage area". The flight attendants were talking with the parents and I think the boys were on another flight soon. Hope they all got reunited.
LANDED in ITALY. I went to the rental car place and there it was... a real cutie.... my little car for the week. It is a Fiat PANDA isn't that a cute name for a car, Panda. But the color of the car is strawberry. Not red, not burgundy, it is a pearlized strawberry color and let me tell you it is Cute!
Got the directions and headed to the villa where I am staying. Only got a little turned around on the autostrada but then found the right direction and arrived early about 2:00 at the Villa.
I met first on of the other guest, a man named Andrew from London who is staying here with his wife. They are not in the cooking school part but rather as he told me in his wonderful British accent, no my wife and I are here on holiday for the week just to be Lazy.
I like that idea too.
Mimma greeted me next as she came out of the house with Ciao Ciao ,Ciao Bella Kathy from America. She helped me get settled unloading my car. Next in her farmhouse kitchen she offered me a platter of cheese AND a Diet Coke. I knew instantly l liked her. The Diet Coke I had on the plane was bottled in Afghanistan, this one tasted better. Mimma was getting ready to cook with some people from America that were not staying at her villa but had signed up for a one day cooking lesson. They owned a restaurant in Massachusetts I think I remember her saying.
I will tell you more about Mimma later in the week.
3:00 in the afternoon, it is raining a soft slow rain, and jet lag has set in. After offering to help in the kitchen LOL I know, what if she had taken me up on the offer to help LOL, and seeing that Mimma was busy, I decided a nap was just the right thing.
A few hours later I felt much better and my voice had returned with a little rest.(For those of you reading this that don't know sometimes as part of my fibromyalgia, when I am tired or have done too much I loose my voice- no fun).
Still raining a little I get in my little strawberry Panda and dive a few miles down the road to the closest little village called Castillano. It is Sunday night at 8:00pm so most stores were closed. I stopped in a little place where I instantly knew I was the only American there. I had on a white short raincoat and everyone else there was wearing black or gray-yes this is Europe alright- they way everyone dresses here. I found a seat took my raincoat off and then I was not the outsider since I was dressed in black pants shirt and shoes. Ha
Lots of men young and old were watching football on TV though we would say they were watching soccer. A young mother at the table next to me was there with her 2 boys probably 8 and 6 yrs old who were both wearing a hoodie with the name of the soccer team that was on TV. I did a little more people watching and sat for a while to make it worth my while since I had driven in circles for 25 minutes trying to find a parking space. I guess that is why the locals walk a lot instead of driving cars. Later I found out there was a play next door and the parking spaces were limited.
Back at 10:00 at the villa and I am settling in for the night. I will describe the villa later this week also. Sleep is coming to me again so I will close.
Ciao,
Kathy in Tuscany
ps, I have no cell phone service yet...
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