I’ve never done well being awake in excess of 24 hours (let alone 30 or 35, I lost count). Can’t sleep well in cars or planes... Took off an hour late and landed on time in Madrid (that was different). Madrid’s airport was cool. Big terminals with lots of shopping (but no Starbucks, believe me I looked!). Starbucks came up in discussion a few times but more about that later.
Americans have many good qualities but teaching children multiple languages isn’t one of them. Sitting in an airport restaurant (Madrid) having just dealt with the check-out person’s (he might have been from Spain but with the European Union, who knows?) roll of the eyes at my attempting to order a salad by sign language and then his speaking English (to my great relief) was the beginning of my chagrin over not having studied more with the Italian language CD that Grace had purchased. Paying was easier as I could look at the register display.
Okay this is already too long.
We got to Florence (small airport), got a brand spanking new Peugeot 5008. Bob took time a couple days earlier looking for an Alfa-Romeo but none would fit 4 people and their luggage (darn!). The Peugeot only had 24 kilometers on it and a new car smell that seemed real (Kelly told me a while back the smell comes from a spray can, oh well).
Then it broke down. Water and anti-freeze at Bob’s feet was somewhat unwanted and unexpected. SHEE-TA!
Sitting somewhere in the Italian countryside wasn’t terrible. Doing it after being awake for what seemed like a week (yes, sometimes I exaggerate), being hungry, and really needing a glass of wine made it not so much fun. Everybody was cool and we came up with credible plans to deal with the situation. Not exactly a minor feat considering no one had any more sleep than I did.
Eventually, we got to Betty’s Villa (Noeth likes driving the ziggity-zaggety) and there was food and wine (and a bathroom). Yes! (Did we play greedy?)
No comments:
Post a Comment