Been up now for 28 hours and need some sleep. Will just put down some thoughts.
Not very many people I met so far speak much English, so it's kind of been sign language and nodding. I just went to a restaurant for dinner and didn't have a clue what was on the menu. The waitress hardly spoke English, and although I had my Italian book with me, none of the words on the menu were in the book. I knew what Spaghetti Bolognese was, so I ordered that. It was good, but it wasn't spaghetti. It was long flat noodles. I'm not much of a pasta person, so what am I going to do for the next three weeks? Yikes. I saw "sweetbreads" in the Italian book, so I'll have to memorize "animelle alla salvia" so I know NOT to order it.
I had really good company on the plane on both flights which made the time pass very quickly. Cor was Dutch, going home to Amsterdam for a week while his farm in Barrhead dries out. Another Dutch lady from Vancouver was on the Alitalia flight beside me. Didn't ask her name.
Didn't have to go through any customs in either Amsterdam or when I got to Rome.
Had a lurch in Edmonton. I took two suitcases because one big heavy one would be too hard to lug around, especially where I'm staying without elevators. Standing at the counter checking in, found out that none of the European connector flights want you to have more than one piece of luggage. I had to pay KLM in Edmonton $120.00 for the second suitcase. I have two more connector flights on the trip where it looks like I'm going to have to pay the same thing. Don & I brought the big suitcase with us in the car just in case, but once I was at the counter checking in, I didn't feel like going back to the car to re-pack everything. I was over 50 lbs anyway.
I'm sitting here conking out now. Better go to bed. If I get a good night's sleep, jetlag shouldn't be a problem. It's 7:15pm here right now. Even if I get up early tomorrow morning, I should be adjust to the time change by then.
Took some pictures, but don't feel like adding any right now. Must sleep ....................
