After all this time . . .
. . . I am in bella Firenze! But NOT before a three-hour delay in Denver on Friday, which put me in Newark 20 minutes AFTER my flight left for Rome, and after RACING in a cab from Newark to JFK,WITH with the cab paid for by United and some very efficient and nifty re-booking work by a wonderful United agent (isn't THAT unusual), and a VERY sympathetic Alitalia agent or two at JFK, I arrived with my bags (also a dream chance, since they were checked through to Rome and United actually pulled them off in Newark so I could take them WITH me . . . . , are you getting the drift of my initial experiece for the month?) just an hour before takeoff, at JFK, to a flight that was fully booked, (another person assigned to my seat as well, but that was minor . . . after all, I was ON the plane and they couldn't remove me!) and I sat down surrounded by a bunch of great young people traveling to Italy for weddings and new-romance vacations, etc.
Of course when we arrived in Rome at the airport, and I schlepped ALL my stuff by myself to the train to the Rome train station, I got to the Rome termini three hours later than my scheduled train reservation to Florence, so my reservation fee was lost and I had to re-pay. THIS is why we have travel insurance, as well as for the lost bags. I'm going to file with United and with TravelGuard for these minor charges, and thank the United agent at Newark, named Torry someone, for her incredible efficiency!
I got to the Pendini and a smiling Barbara knew who I was, took me to my room, and I returned the message from my host "mother", who spoke not a word of English but was trying to let me know that I had to change the time of my arrival today at her house. So I'm killing time for another hour.
It's hot and humid and beautifully sunny here, about 85+ degrees, so I suspect we won't have to worry too much about coats.
I wrote this on the 16th, but didn't get dependable internet service until today when I signed up for the free wi-fi at la scuola lingua, so this post will be a bit old, but I'll do some catch-up as well.
Ciao.
Joannah
Of course when we arrived in Rome at the airport, and I schlepped ALL my stuff by myself to the train to the Rome train station, I got to the Rome termini three hours later than my scheduled train reservation to Florence, so my reservation fee was lost and I had to re-pay. THIS is why we have travel insurance, as well as for the lost bags. I'm going to file with United and with TravelGuard for these minor charges, and thank the United agent at Newark, named Torry someone, for her incredible efficiency!
I got to the Pendini and a smiling Barbara knew who I was, took me to my room, and I returned the message from my host "mother", who spoke not a word of English but was trying to let me know that I had to change the time of my arrival today at her house. So I'm killing time for another hour.
It's hot and humid and beautifully sunny here, about 85+ degrees, so I suspect we won't have to worry too much about coats.
I wrote this on the 16th, but didn't get dependable internet service until today when I signed up for the free wi-fi at la scuola lingua, so this post will be a bit old, but I'll do some catch-up as well.
Ciao.
Joannah
posted by Woodswoman Abroad | 9/16/2007 07:16:00 AM
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