Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Want to add a few more thoughts on my return trip from Rome on Sunday.
I want to thank my Pennsylvania friend for recommending that I purchase some 10 year old Balsamic vinegar. I had a couple hours in the Fiumicino (Rome) airport so I checked out the duty-free shops and decided on the vinegar, a couple kinds of Italian chocolates, and some Parmigiano cheese. (they didn’t have the pecorino that I really wanted) They checked my boarding passes and gave me a sealed bag so I could carry the items. My bags were checked long before I could get to these shops. When I landed in Zurich, I had to go through another security check to get to my plane. It was painful to hear the agent tell me that I couldn’t take the $15 bottle of vinegar on board. His compromise was that he could dump it out, and give me the bottle. Thanks, Brenda! I have the EMPTY bottle on my fridge, so I’m reminded every time I open it. (frequently) But the day wasn’t over, yet.
When I boarded my second flight, an older Slovakian women was sitting in my really nice aisle seat in the bulkhead. My command of the Slovakian language was….non-existent, and being a gentleman, I took the middle seat. Imagine that! Just love being touched by hot sweaty stangers on both sides. But not for long.
I scoured the plane for 2 empty seats, and two rows back I found them. The doors closed and out came the heavy sigh. Poor leg room, but great elbow room. Swiss Air has complimentary drinks, so after a couple of glasses of wine, three 2-hour movies, 3 sitcoms, two newspapers, and some writing, we were landing in Chicago, on time.
After an hour waiting for luggage and a bout with my scheduled taxi service and waiting for over an hour, I finally arrived at my dead battery. Sweet! Now I can try my new mobile power source that I had purchased before leaving for Mexico. It paid for itself after the first turn of my key. Thanks, Lord! It only took a little over 2 hours to get from Chicago to Fond du Lac. Absolutely no traffic on Sunday night.
As I pulled into Pete & Sharon’s place, they had cold IPA and fresh grilled bratwurst waiting for me. Gotta Love Wisconsin! A great way to end a long day of travel. Thanks Pete & Sharon!