We left Calgary bright and early on Saturday Morning (Sept. 13, 2014) and flew our usual route that again had nothing to do with our destination! Why you ask? Because we fly Airmiles. Yes we are sponsored by our bank so to speak. We spend like crazy on our Visa card (paying the bills off as we go of course) to rack up the valued Air miles so that we can travel.
As a result we fly with American Airlines and their affiliates which often makes our first stop Dallas,Texas. I swear that if we were flying Calgary to Edmonton we would still have to go to Dallas first!
After our wonderful time in the oh so familiar Dallas terminal we ventured onto stop number two which was Charlotte, North Carolina.
Jim finds his people in Charlotte N.C.
This would have been perfect if we would have had time to visit with our good friends who live down there but that was not to be. The only good felling was knowing I was close to my ancestral primates as you can see in the picture above. This is the home of NASCAR and the sport (my sport) of stock car racing!
Add in the fact I had been developing such a good cold over the last few days being anywhere around Jim at that time could have proven fatal to your very existence.
On Sunday we finally got on with the trip and headed with our last leg on to Rome!
Generally speaking in a perfect world one would have had a great sleep on the aircraft thus making the jet lag experience a thing that only others talk about, this was not to be.
As with modern aircraft anywhere now a days unless you have about $4000.00 to shell out you end up in the "Sardine Class" which some refer to as the "Cattle Section!"
Squeezed into the Sardine Class!Most of you can relate to this I am sure. If you are a male and over 5'7" tall this is known as barbaric torture on a flight lasting any longer than about two hours! As depicted in the photo above, one has to squeeze into their seat and remain there.
It amazes me with today's modern technology as proven by Honda and others how they can make the inside of such a small car so roomy! This technology is apparently not shared with the airlines.
If this was a restaurant the Fire Marshall would have said ok, no more than 200 people can be in here at the same time. But this is a commercial airline so let's squeeze in 342 people and see how miserable we can make them!
Travelling on airlines can get old.Have you noticed over the last few weeks that aircraft have been diverted on several occasions to different airports because of fights breaking out on-board? Then they have the nerve to blame it on the passengers!
One inventive guy had a device so that the seat in front of him could not recline into his already too small space. He too was removed by police! I still can't figure out how not to put my elbow in the persons lap beside me? But so goes the tales of modern transportation and we were about to live it all over again.
On TV commercials they (lie to you) show passengers lounging in their chairs with their laptops on their tables and enjoying the flight with a refreshing drink and meal. Are you kidding me!
In real life have you ever tried sleeping on one of these? First off even with the chair reclined your head only fits in about 2 positions neither one of which is approved by the Canadian Chiropratic Society. After 4 hours women in shorts & skirts are noted to have purple legs and huge ankles. Walking the isles and doing exercises near the bathroom (like the good old days) are no longer allowed by the FAA due to our friends from the Middle East slowly trying to take over our way of life.
In fact you will notice that on Trans-Atlantic flights the reason why it takes so long to get off the flight at the end is due to the morgue people removing all the victims of blood clots.
I almost forgot that I was molested at the airport by an immigrant in a security uniform! Oh, Am I allowed to say that? The rest I know I would offend someone so I will leave that there.
Ordered to I raised my hands in the air while his female partner stood there smiling at me, he fondled parts of me I had long forgot existed! Only because my legs were still numb (fooled you didn't I).
"All I want to do is go on a holiday" I cried!
Then I woke up with my neck so sore I expected my head was detached and laying in my lap. Yes lil Jimmy it's true you are still on the flight from you know where... Somewhere over the Atlantic.
I guess I did doze off but for no more that 15 mins I am sure!
About nine hours ahead of our home time now, we finally landed at our destination Rome!
Full of excitement we sat in our chairs to watch the crowd of hundreds spring to their feet in anticipation the doors would somehow quickly fling open and they would instantly be rushed out of the winged monster! We knew better. Remember my story about the "morgue men!"
After about 8.9 minutes we were still in our seats while the others were lined up wondering what happened to the doors.. when the pilot came over the air to announce that the Bridge guy failed to show up to work so they were looking for someone who knew how to attach it to the plane. That's another rule of flying, nothing happens fast so why get in line thinking that it will?
EUROPE THRU THE BACK DOOR.
So before I forget... many of you may think we are rich (because of all the travelling we do) and the answer is simply no. We do it very frugally so that we can do it. One way is in thanks to our sponsors at Visa for the Airmiles we get. This trip cost us $90 a couple in airfare!
Rome felt so good. In many ways coming back to Italy for me is like the feeling you get when you go back home. I'm not Italian but I do love Italy! I love the culture, the food, the hussle and bustle and did I mention the people! It's just fun here in so many ways. Add in the history and location and you have one of the best locations. Don't forget I did live in a Sorrento apartment for two months the last time we were here, so in a way it does feel like home. The memories do all start flooding back once you are out walking the streets.
As we wandered through the airport we went through customs and Immigration. Wondering what this would be like today I laughed as I went through... the officer was too busy talking to his girlfriend on his cell phone to do anything but stamp my passport and away we went. Luggage was easy and we wandered out to the public area where the crowds were waiting for us. Cruise ships, limos, tours all holding their signs and then we saw them!
Julie and Tony! The whole reason we are here!
You see a year or two ago the four of us decided that one day we should tour Europe together.
This was now the time. Julie and Tony hale from my ancestral country of England and now live in Marrorca an island off the coast of Spain. You may know them from our last trip to Europe or perhaps you have met them as they travel often to Calgary. In fact Julie lived in Calgary for many years at one time and is a wonderful cousin of mine (Jim's).
So, they met us here in Rome with their car and now the true adventure is about to begin! It seems a bit funny at this age but I think we actually all have more fun travelling at this time in our lives! So stay tuned to this Blog as we record and share our adventures over the next couple of months. We will travel Italy, Greece and other parts of Europe yet to be determined!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Leave us a comment, we'd love to hear from you!