Travel

Blog Post

After waking up at 8:30am to finish packing I didn’t finish until I was practically being pushed out the door at 2pm. I would have ended up with no clothes if it wasn’t for the help of my mom, dad, and Sara.  So around 2 we headed off to the airport, Hana and Grandpa met us there to say their goodbyes. Took some pictures, shed some tears (on the inside only), and hugged it out until I passed through security. That is when the fun began…

I boarded my plane to Detroit with no problem other than my bag was too big, lucky for me the guy next to me wanted to spread out too so I was able to have a whole seat just for my stuff. When we landed I was still excited and not super nervous because I have flown through Detroit before. This time I had 3 hours to kill so naturally I wasn’t too upset about landing in the opposite terminal as the one I had to leave from. Even after walking my normal slow leisurely pace, I got to the gate 2 and a half hours early, so I sat there for a bit then decided to go get something to eat. I ended up going to this place that is like a 50s diner, I got this chicken tenderloin wrap but instead of a tortilla it was pita bread. That and some fries and a corona to wash it down. It was delicious.

After that, a couple of bathroom breaks, and a bit of wandering around, I went back to the terminal that my plane departed from.  When the time came, I boarded the plane like a big girl and made myself comfortable…well as comfortable as I could. The plane was really, really, hot, especially during boarding. After that though I was so “comfortable “ that I didn’t move for like 4 hours. And when I did move, I sure felt it. I also noticed though, that on my flight to Paris there was a whole group of Canadian rotary students so naturally I thought of Sara. The flight was not only warm; it was pretty long…not unbearably so but just long. I watched 2 and a half movies, Mirror Mirror, 21 jump street, and part of Journey 2. I kept trying to sleep but it was so hot all the time that I just couldn’t get comfortable…not that that is unusual, I don’t sleep well in public, especially sitting up. I wasn’t even drowsy until after we landed and we were taxiing on the runway for 20 minutes. I felt like my mom on long car rides, I just couldn’t seem to keep my eyes open.

Lets just say that as soon as I got off the plane I was instantly more awake. The Paris airport has got to be the most confusing airports I have ever been to. I would not have found my way if the people at the desks weren’t so kind in answering my questions. First, I had to get my boarding pass printed so while I was up at the desk, the lady very kindly wrote down the directions to the terminal…easy enough, or so I thought. Her directions were to follow the exit signs, passport check would be right before the exit, then I needed to go upstairs and take the bus to my gate. Easy Peezy. So I start to follow the exit signs but there are not really any clear labels, not to mention the fact that I had to take a tram to get to the exit. So I took the tram and continued to follow the signs for the exit. I followed a bunch of people to the passport check and waited for what seemed like a really long time before realizing that I was in the wrong line (the lines weren’t labeled). So after line jumping I made it through…before you freak out, it wasn’t like cutting in line, it was more like a merge.  The good thing about waiting in line so long is that I got to meet a lovely family from England or Ireland (I’m guessing based on accets). It was a mom, dad, and two little girls, the mom asked the dad for a tissue but he didn’t have any so I handed her my pack. Then the youngest girl, probably about 3 or 4, said “Daddy she is really nice” then she went over and said the same thing to her mother. I smiled and we made small talk while waiting in line.  Ok, so after Passport check, I am still looking for the exit. This is probably a good hour after I talked to the girl at the ticket counter. So I follow the signs which take me to the baggage claim, after walking back and forth a couple of times I finally found the way to the escalator that took me to the exit. Then I had to find the proper gate so that I could take a shuttle to my terminal. On the shuttle I meet this Spanish man, I think I made him think I know and understand Spanish because when I offered him the seat next to me he said “gracias” and I replied with “de nada”. Then he started to ask me something in Spanish but I couldn’t understand it so I said “Lo Siento (I’m sorry)” and shook my head like I didn’t understand. He was only asking if I was going to Amsterdam and I told him Florence. That was basically it except for the adios at the end.

So I get to the terminal and it is out in the boonies so I am not sure what to do with the 2 hours of down time. I was reading in my kindle when I started to get drowsy again so I decided to get some food. There was this little café/bakery so I ordered Pan de chocolate? And a diet coke which they call a coca-cola light. I took pictures of both of these so check them out below. I forgot to mention that on the flight to Paris, I also managed to spill something on my shirt and stain it yellow. Typical Mary! Anyways. I waited some more and finally board the plane. I ended up getting a window seat, which I enjoyed but at first I had to try to sleep I was nodding off again. I ended up sitting next to a couple of Asian gentlemen who talked like school girls. I don’t know what they were saying, and honestly I probably snored through half of it but they did seem to talk a lot. They were nice though so I can’t complain. I took a little nappy poo then had a coca cola light and the snack s they give  you on the plane…unfortunately, I don’t have pictures but they gave us a pack of breadstick type things with a pesto flavor to them, and a pack of vanilla flavored cookies. I ate and enjoyed the view, all in all the flight was pretty smooth.

When I landed in Florence, it is a small airport similar to our old airport in Bloomington. We got off using the stairs not the walkway, and then we were loaded onto a shuttle bus (it was a tight squeeze with both passengers and luggage). Just inside the door was the baggage claim (this was also really small so it was a mess trying to get stuff off the belt). I got my luggage (it was there thank God), to find out that someone’s bag of something liquid/ gel busted and got all over my luggage. Some on the clothes insisted but mostly on the outside, I can always wash the clothes, I am just glad that I had them. Then I thought I had to go to passport check but they just waved me by, it was the easiest airport experience I have had.

Then I took a cab to the hostel I am staying at (see pictures below) and here I am writing all of this to you. As you can see, it has been a really long day! 

NOTE: I will upload the pictures soon. just read and be happy