A "Plane" Fiasco
Day 36
Salvete for the final time in the "Roman blog saga," my friends. I've had quite the adventure traveling around Rome and Italy and I hope that my blog has been one on insight and interest for those reading :) But like all good books, there is an end, and this is the final chapter. So let us begin with the oh so crazy day that became the day I went back to the US of A.
Like I had mentioned in Day 35, Chris had been over at my apartment pretty late and I had just thought of staying up since Cat was leaving in about two hours...well, that didn't work. I was out like a light by 4:30am and well...didn't hear Cat leave! So I jolted out of bed at around 8:40am with all the world's panic on my shoulders. My taxi would be here in less than an hour and I still had to last minute pack, get dressed, and shower, not in that order but in my disarray, it could well have been, haha!
After getting my hulking suitcase out the door and down the three flights of stairs from my apartment I sat outside, no clock, no idea if I had missed my cab or not. The catch to that is that the taxi drivers were not going to ring our doorbells, so we had to be outside waiting for them with out luggage. After a good twenty minutes I began to worry since it was after my arranged pick up time, but finally a middle-aged man in a well-dressed uniform of a button-up shirt and some slacks, his mustache slicked into perfect curls, came around the corner with a paper in hand looking rather baffled. Then he saw me and it was like a lightbulb turned on. "Fiumicino?" he asked. And I hopped to my feet with a si! and helped him carry my bags out onto Pellagrino and to the awaiting cab.
Although he had been late picking me up, we made back time in picking up Chelsea, Maddy, and Kenwon before heading out to the airport. Making it to the airport with time to spare, Kenwon and I were the last ones to be dropped off at Terminal 5...way out in the boonies. And it only got better...
After checking out bags, we were told to get on a bus that would actually take us to the real Terminal 5. Wait?! I thought I was in Terminal 5 right now. Now I'm just confused...but onto the funwagon I went. Arriving at the real Terminal, we hung out for our flight to pull into the gate and start to board. It didn't take long, which was nice since I was already about to fall over dead from no sleep and stress. Getting our tickets checked, we proceeded down a stairwell, ramp thing and the whole time I was thinking that it was really odd to be going down to get onto our plane when normally gangways go up, but then again this was Italy.
Getting out of the tunnel-contraption, what awaited us was not a plane at all, but another bus...that would be taking us to our train. At this point, so early in the day, I lost it. I was more than pissed and frustrated that I had to get into a bus to get to my plane. Can't things just be normal for once!? But climbing onto the airplane was pretty neat and I watched all the superhero movies I could get my hands on to pacify my mini rage. I watched Thor and the Green Lantern, and to shake things up, I watched the Iron Lady, which was AMAZING!! Meryl Streep, why are you sooooo good!?
After the plane ride to JFK, we sat on the tarmac and taxied around for about an hour and a half, putting me and Kenwon into quite the pickle since we had a flight that was less than three hours due. So, running off the plane (if one can actually do that, they are quite cramped and all) and into the terminal, we still had to go through customs, check our bags again, and get to our gate...which was on the other side of JFK (and if anyone knows JFK airport....it's HUGE). Getting off the plane, Kenwon and I were directed to go stand in a line that was less than moving...anywhere. What in the world was this!? We were on a tight schedule and this was not helping.
Finally, after about fifteen minutes, we got some guy's attention and he sent us flying through to customs...where another HUGE line and mass chaos greeted us. Well, by this time, our flight was boarding. Kenwon and I were basically AHHHHHHHHH!!!! AIRPORT WHY!?!?!?!?!!? Until I got the attention of ANOTHER guy and his reply to my "Um, sir, we have a connecting flight that is boarding...right now" was "shit." Sigh, well, we got through customs and went to find our bags.
Waiting for your bag is stressful. And with less than 30 minutes to find it, check it, and get onto your plane, it's something awful. And with no cell service, Kenwon found his bag and dashed to the check point (sounds like we're on the amazing race or something) and I was stuck still looking for mine with no way to contact him. PLUS, real kicker, no one would help me. Not even the airport staff. YOU PEOPLE ARE PAID TO DO THIS. Ugh. It's takes a lot to make a Midwesterner angry but they did it. Kudos.
Finally with my bag, I dashed to meet up with Kenwon, tossed my bag into the connecting flight pile, and began the mad dash through JFK from Gate 3 to Gate 23 to catch our flight in 15 minutes.
AMAZING RACE MUSIC BEGIN!!!!!
Sad trombone music begin.
Our flight had been pushed back because several other flights were leaving from the same overbooked gate. Just great. Great....*collapses*
Thus began the montage of flight delays and bad weather. 6:35pm...7:05pm...7:35pm...9:30pm...9:50pm...10:30pm...HOME!! Getting to my hotel in MN at 4am on Monday has never been more inviting...save for I couldn't get to bed until 6:30am :( Oh jet lag, you're going to make these next few days really fun.
Anywho, I'm home now. Sorry about the delay in this blog. It's really overdue, but I got it done! I've been recovering from my wisdom teeth being cut out of my mouth, but I'm doing fine, just a slow recovery. Hope the rest of this summer bring many more adventures :) Some maybe even blog-worthy.
Valete omnes!
Salvete for the final time in the "Roman blog saga," my friends. I've had quite the adventure traveling around Rome and Italy and I hope that my blog has been one on insight and interest for those reading :) But like all good books, there is an end, and this is the final chapter. So let us begin with the oh so crazy day that became the day I went back to the US of A.
Like I had mentioned in Day 35, Chris had been over at my apartment pretty late and I had just thought of staying up since Cat was leaving in about two hours...well, that didn't work. I was out like a light by 4:30am and well...didn't hear Cat leave! So I jolted out of bed at around 8:40am with all the world's panic on my shoulders. My taxi would be here in less than an hour and I still had to last minute pack, get dressed, and shower, not in that order but in my disarray, it could well have been, haha!
After getting my hulking suitcase out the door and down the three flights of stairs from my apartment I sat outside, no clock, no idea if I had missed my cab or not. The catch to that is that the taxi drivers were not going to ring our doorbells, so we had to be outside waiting for them with out luggage. After a good twenty minutes I began to worry since it was after my arranged pick up time, but finally a middle-aged man in a well-dressed uniform of a button-up shirt and some slacks, his mustache slicked into perfect curls, came around the corner with a paper in hand looking rather baffled. Then he saw me and it was like a lightbulb turned on. "Fiumicino?" he asked. And I hopped to my feet with a si! and helped him carry my bags out onto Pellagrino and to the awaiting cab.
Although he had been late picking me up, we made back time in picking up Chelsea, Maddy, and Kenwon before heading out to the airport. Making it to the airport with time to spare, Kenwon and I were the last ones to be dropped off at Terminal 5...way out in the boonies. And it only got better...
After checking out bags, we were told to get on a bus that would actually take us to the real Terminal 5. Wait?! I thought I was in Terminal 5 right now. Now I'm just confused...but onto the funwagon I went. Arriving at the real Terminal, we hung out for our flight to pull into the gate and start to board. It didn't take long, which was nice since I was already about to fall over dead from no sleep and stress. Getting our tickets checked, we proceeded down a stairwell, ramp thing and the whole time I was thinking that it was really odd to be going down to get onto our plane when normally gangways go up, but then again this was Italy.
Getting out of the tunnel-contraption, what awaited us was not a plane at all, but another bus...that would be taking us to our train. At this point, so early in the day, I lost it. I was more than pissed and frustrated that I had to get into a bus to get to my plane. Can't things just be normal for once!? But climbing onto the airplane was pretty neat and I watched all the superhero movies I could get my hands on to pacify my mini rage. I watched Thor and the Green Lantern, and to shake things up, I watched the Iron Lady, which was AMAZING!! Meryl Streep, why are you sooooo good!?
After the plane ride to JFK, we sat on the tarmac and taxied around for about an hour and a half, putting me and Kenwon into quite the pickle since we had a flight that was less than three hours due. So, running off the plane (if one can actually do that, they are quite cramped and all) and into the terminal, we still had to go through customs, check our bags again, and get to our gate...which was on the other side of JFK (and if anyone knows JFK airport....it's HUGE). Getting off the plane, Kenwon and I were directed to go stand in a line that was less than moving...anywhere. What in the world was this!? We were on a tight schedule and this was not helping.
Finally, after about fifteen minutes, we got some guy's attention and he sent us flying through to customs...where another HUGE line and mass chaos greeted us. Well, by this time, our flight was boarding. Kenwon and I were basically AHHHHHHHHH!!!! AIRPORT WHY!?!?!?!?!!? Until I got the attention of ANOTHER guy and his reply to my "Um, sir, we have a connecting flight that is boarding...right now" was "shit." Sigh, well, we got through customs and went to find our bags.
Waiting for your bag is stressful. And with less than 30 minutes to find it, check it, and get onto your plane, it's something awful. And with no cell service, Kenwon found his bag and dashed to the check point (sounds like we're on the amazing race or something) and I was stuck still looking for mine with no way to contact him. PLUS, real kicker, no one would help me. Not even the airport staff. YOU PEOPLE ARE PAID TO DO THIS. Ugh. It's takes a lot to make a Midwesterner angry but they did it. Kudos.
Finally with my bag, I dashed to meet up with Kenwon, tossed my bag into the connecting flight pile, and began the mad dash through JFK from Gate 3 to Gate 23 to catch our flight in 15 minutes.
AMAZING RACE MUSIC BEGIN!!!!!
Sad trombone music begin.
Our flight had been pushed back because several other flights were leaving from the same overbooked gate. Just great. Great....*collapses*
Thus began the montage of flight delays and bad weather. 6:35pm...7:05pm...7:35pm...9:30pm...9:50pm...10:30pm...HOME!! Getting to my hotel in MN at 4am on Monday has never been more inviting...save for I couldn't get to bed until 6:30am :( Oh jet lag, you're going to make these next few days really fun.
Anywho, I'm home now. Sorry about the delay in this blog. It's really overdue, but I got it done! I've been recovering from my wisdom teeth being cut out of my mouth, but I'm doing fine, just a slow recovery. Hope the rest of this summer bring many more adventures :) Some maybe even blog-worthy.
Valete omnes!