Hey there out there for all who are interested! I've made it safe and sound to Firenze (Florence) after a 26 hour trip to get here (EEK!)

Despite the craziness of the hours just before getting to the airport, I made it in plenty of time and even had enough time to stop for a quick manahattan in the airport bar [img]wink.gif[/img]

Now any of you who know me at all know that I absolutely love airport bars just because I always meet the coolest people there and this time was no exception. I met this lovely couple that were headed on their way to Deluth for his brothers wedding and before long we were exchanging contact information and doing Jaeger shots just before I darted off in a mad dash to catch the flight. Even though this was the longest leg of my journey it went the fastest because I had the good fortune to get sat next to a wonderful young woman about my age who was just a delight to talk to the entire trip. After 11 hours spent squished in next to each other we were fast friends and once again we parted only after exchanging information and kisses on the cheek and promises to stay in contact once we both returned home (she was heading to visit family in Pakistan... and I thought MY trip was long!)

So YAY... not even halfway to my destination and I've already met amazing new people! The last leg of the flight to Milan passed uneventfully and all I have to say about it is during that couple of hours I managed to read <u>The Da Vinci Code</u> finally.

I hopped a bus (after wandering around the airport for like an hour trying to find the bus terminal - haha) and it took me directly to Milano Centrale where I caught my train to Firenze... however, what I did not realize is that the **** thing would stop at every cardboard box next to the train tracks to let people on and off. It didn't help that the thing wasn't air-conditioned (apparently it was broken in my car) and the windows barely opened (because it usually WAS air-conditioned)and it is like a million degrees and humid as Botswana. [img]confused.gif[/img]

The kicker is that all the Italian people who would rotate in and out would come in, immediately (and without asking) close the window and the door and snidely (in Italian) inform my very ignorant self that the car had A/C and if only I would close the windows and doors it wouldn't be so hot. [img]graemlins/grrr.gif[/img]

So then we'd all sit there for a good half hour or so while they slowly came to the realization that I was not mistaken and indeed the A7C was broken and at some point someone would open the door but not the window (would be too close to admitting to be wrong) and then after a few more minutes of letting them sweat like pigs I'd stand up, smile sweetly, and re-open the window. [img]graemlins/whatever.gif[/img]

So finally I get here to Florence and decide I am just too hot, tired, and sticky to try to find my hostel walking, so I hail a cab and 5 Euros and 15 minutes later I am checked in and standing in what might have been the greatest cold shower of my life...

Ahhh it's the simple things that make life wonderful....

Ok, I'm off to go exploring. I'll try to post again sometime tomorrow night!

Miss and love you guys!

- S.