Three Planes, a Train and an Automobile (a bus)

Made it with only one little obstacle. When I had to sit on my suitcase to zip it I had a feeling that it was overweight. The sort of feeling that you know is right but hope is wrong. Of course when I put my suitcase on the scale I was not shocked to find out that my suspicion was correct. Nine pounds overweight! I gently tried to talk the airline employee to let it slide, explaining that was to be gone nearly a month and needed everything in my bag. She repeated “nine pounds” to me and then said that it was just too much and suggested that I move some items to my backpack to avoid being charged. I opened my bag and was immediately discouraged from messing up my fantastic packing job that enabled me to stuff fifty-nine pounds worth of goods into one little suitcase. I told her I would pay for the extra weight….until I found out those nine extra pounds would cost me seventy-five dollars. Um I think not, especially when it only costs thirty-five dollars to check a whole second bag. This logic makes no sense to me. I was then forced to find the heaviest items that I could find in my bag and carry them in one of the purses I packed. So I walked around three airports with a random assortment of items on my back and in an extra bag. Included in my new carry on were a variety of shoes, a beach towel, books and hair brushes. I had to move fast or I could have probably made more prudent choices. As I re-situated after security I laughed at my choices and would love to think what the onlookers thought of me. I mean it looked like my brown and black wedges were just too precious for me to check. My back was not happy with my choice to over pack at the end of it all.

When I met with Rachel in Rome I was happy that this little issue was mine, hers was much worse. She was sick three times on her flight and we all know the phobia I have of vomiting. Since this phobia is based on my own experience of getting sick on a plane, I am glad I wasn’t even on the same plane with her or I would have had an incredibly uncomfortable trip.

We found the right train, got off the right stop and got on the right bus. All in all we had a successful 24 hours of travel and we are now in Sienna.