Update4/8/11
I'm a terrible person for waiting this long. To be fair we had a small issue with the wifi during the last 48 hours. It's all sorted now. So here we go.
Tuesday morning started at 3:50 am. The things one does for a 45 pound plane ticket on RyanAir. I tried my best to sleep a few hours before my taxi arrived at 4 am sharp - not quite as successful as I had planned. Nevertheless, I got out of bed, put on my shoes- I was in bed fully dressed- then jet out the door to the lovely man waiting for me outside in a big black minivan minicab.
The First Stansted Express train to Stansted Airport leaves at 4:40 am from Liverpool Station. Flight departs at 6:30am. 47 minute train ride. Bag drop closes at 5:40am. Terminal gate closes at 6am. 400 people standing in line at the RyanAir check-in. What do you do? .....
Answer:
First - find a RyanAir employee with a clipboard.
Second - yell over the crowds of disgruntled travelers that you have 20 minutes to get your bag checked, get through security and get to gate 40 for a 6 am gate closing.
Third - ignore employee suggestion to get in line 151.
Fourth - instead run to line 150-pushing your way to the front waving your boarding pass demanding your priority over the 15 people standing in line before you.
Fifth - breath a sort sigh of relief that you weren't trampled, or at the very least verbally assaulted.
Sixth - Sprint to security, looking around frantically for the shortest security line.
Seventh - Huff and puff the entire time you're in said security line
Eighth - Gather your belongings and literally sprint through the airport, jumping over small children's roller luggage, pushing people out of the way on the escalators, weaving through the crowds. - This is what I've been training for !
Ninth - Wipe the sweat off your face because the gate is still open and the plane isn't boarding for another 15 minutes. Awesome.
So I probably ran a quarter of a mile through the airport - which, sadly, I did not count as part of my mile for the day.
15 minutes after "prepare for take-off" my eyes were shut and my mind was deep in meditation. No real sleep,only a bit of drool on the side of my mouth - to be expected.
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| Venice |
Arrived in Venice at 9:30am. Boarded a bus to Maestre train station. Then waited 30 minutes for the train to Vicenza. I tried my best to stay awake for the hour train ride, but was unsuccessful. I was the person sleeping on the public transportation with their head swaying side to side, in and out of consciousness. More drool. Apparently I have a mild drooling problem ?
Even longer story short. Sara picked me up from the train station at 12:30. She dropped me off at her apartment, then went back to work. I dropped my bags in the room, immediately turned on the AC- Yes, the have AC!- then passed out on the couch with Sherman ( Worm) laying on top of me.
After a three hour nap, I woke up still exhausted, and fully aware that I had to run a mile before the day's end. UGH, doesn't even come close to the frustration I was experiencing knowing I had to run after only 3 hours of sleep. I managed to get up, splashed water on my face, looked out the window of my balcony ( see photo below) then realized I'm in a beautiful town in Italy - I need to lock it up and stop being a big baby.
Thankfully after the run I found my second wind. Off to dinner and drinks with Vicenza friends. A well deserved glass ...errrr *glasses of wine consumed me. Goodnight.
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