Thursday, April 14, 2011

Day 1 - The Arrival

"Writing and travel broaden your ass if not your mind and I like to write standing up."  Ernest Hemingway


Well I have made it.  My sojourn started at 11:30 AM EST and I arrived in La Spezia, Italy 1:00 PM CET… the next day.  My trip involved I think every mode of land transportation you can imagine.  But I arrived just in time for the heavens to open up with flashes of light and claps of thunder.  Oh well I need to unpack.

All in all it went well with just a couple of hiccups.  My biggest concern was the plane change in Paris (CDG).  It went as smooth as clockwork, albeit it was quite a hike.  Landed at Terminal 2E and had to go to Terminal 2G.  It was about a mile hike from the gate of our deplaning to the bus stop to catch the shuttle to 2G.  Since friends and family will be following this path in the coming days I went directly – did not pass go – nor did I stop to go…  It was right at an hour to make the transit and rescreen through security.   Not much at 2G, but everything you need and the wait passed quickly. 

Heads up:  There is one common seating area for about 30 gates.  Signs, which are continually updating tell you when to board.  They don’t always announce the flight, but they repeat over and over on the PA system to watch the sign for departure info.  If you fall asleep after a night of travel you better do it with one eye open.

 
The flight to PISA was nice and going over the Alps was beautiful.  The peaks are still snow capped and poking through the clouds - it all appears so magical. 

The airport in PISA is SWEET.  Very simple, very efficient, and very quick… However no passport stamp that says welcome to Italy.  I caught a taxi from the airport to train station.  Would not be hard walk or you could catch the bus, but for 7 Euros it seemed like the right thing to do.  Worked out great – because I was able to catch a train that was leaving in 10 minutes.

To this point I have heard zero English spoken, and the Pisa train station continued the run.   The ticket lady was less than helpful, but was efficient.  5.40 Euros and I was headed to La Spezia.  Future travelers heads up – The train I took left from Track 2 ostese.  This is different than Track 2.  To avoid hauling bags up and down steps make sure you know where you are going.  If it is Track 2 ostese all you have to do is walk out of the station and take a right. And the ostese track is just down a little ways. 

Oh yeah – Before you get on the train get your ticket validated by one of the yellow boxes next to the track.  I got fined 5 euro (hey it could have been 40 euro) for failing to follow the directions.  The conductor was really upset with me, and after a tongue lashing in Italian he stuck a book in my face that explained the process in English to read as he wrote the ticket.  The rest of the ride went off no problem. 
Upon arrival in La Spezia come out the doors and take a right towards the McDs.  A taxi will run you to the hotel for about 9.50 Euros.  Now it is pouring, I can hear church bells, as people scurry beneath my window.  I need to go walk in the rain so I can stay up late enough to make a 8:00 dinner –if I sit much longer it will be sleepy time.  

I did meet up with the departing folks for dinner in Lerici.  Fruit of the Sea over great pasta and ohhhhhhhhh the olive oil.  Local wines - Good Times!  The dinner was extremely reasonable - the taxi ride there and back not so much. 

This is one sleepy puppy dog saying - Caio

1 comment:

  1. This is all training for THE AMAZING RACE!!! get good sleep tonight, there is a whole weekend of wine and pasta and wine(and wine) ahead of you. love you daddy!

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