On the Road Again or Plane and Train

Sunday April 9, 2023

Well, here we are in the future and I can tell you that things are looking better. Probably because our future is in Italy. Everything so far has gone without a hitch. We were dropped at Newark Airport by Steven at noon. Security was a breeze and we went to the United club where we had two free passes. Start with a celebratory Bloody Mary and some sandwiches, all on the house. We only have 4 and a half hours to drink so we don’t waste any time. We finally can just sit and relax as our planning, packing, and calculating are done. It feels nice. The time goes by fast and we get some last minute phone calls in to our daughter, son, and mom. We walk to our gate at 4:45 and when we get there they are boarding our group so we get right on. We are sitting a row apart as we bought the cheap seats a their last minute seat assignments don’t care if you are traveling together. Their way of scamming more money as the seat next to Carol was empty but they wanted 79 dollars to sit there. We can sleep apart tonight. After a movie and meal, I manage to get about 3 to 4 hours snooze. I awake right before sunrise and get to see massive amounts of snow in the Swiss Alps below.

At the Rome airport, passport control was a breeze. Was I still dreaming or did the cute Italian customs lady flirt with me? We take out a few euros from an ATM and go to find the bus to Roma ermine train station. Our traveling today is not in the least bit over. We board a bus at 0910 and arrive at the Train station at 1000. Unfortunately since everything went so smooth, we now have to wait about 3 hours for our 1305 Train to the boot heel of Italy. We find a table, have a snack and wander around a bit. A light lunch of a couple of rolled panini type sandwiches, a visit to the station grocery store for bottled water, and before we know it, our fast train to Bari is departing. If things continue to go well, we have an hour wait there for our train to Ostuni which will be our home for the first two nights. With waiting for a bus at the Ostuni station, we should be in our apartment by 2030 (8:30PM). Adding it all up we had 5 and a half hours pre departure, 8 hour flight, 40 minute bus, 3 hour wait in Rome train station, 6 hours and 45 minutes of train (counting our 1 hour layover), 30 minute wait for a bus to Ostuni and a 10 minute bus ride. Quite the journey, but we were going to be tired either way so what the heck. At least our day tomorrow will be an easy and relaxing one. Finishing this up now as I am sure we will crash when we stop moving. See you all tomorrow. Life is Beautiful.  And now the rest of the story. In Bari we walked to a kebab place and had a Schwartz Pita which was excellent. Then we found the FAL station we will need to use later in our trip to go to Matera. Get on our train which leaves 15 minutes late, but no problem as it shortens our wait for the bus. Get to Ostuni and a cab driver tells us the bus is not running today even though we bought tickets on line. I think he may be scamming us so do not take him up on the offer which worries Carol. Sure enough no bus comes and it starts raining. I am prepared to walk the 2.8 miles but Carol is not happy. A man who speaks no English tells us not to walk, it is tough and no good in the rain. He calls a cab for us which should be 10 Euros which is what the original cab driver was charging. The cab shows up and the gentleman tells him 10 Euros and that we do not speak Italian to which the driver replies price is 15 Euro. I tell him  10 is all I have , can he please do it for 10. He says OK, puts our bags in the trunk and off we go. The whole way he tries to get me to give him 15, I hold firm, then he says 12, then the price was 10 earlier but now 15. I do not give in and he drops us short of the town center and Carol does not close the door until we get our bags out. We end up walking about a half mile in the rain to the apartment and our host is a few minutes late as she hit an accident. Finally we get checked in.

Carol showers and makes some tea to warm up. Things obviously were going too smooth for this not to happen. I am sure it will be forgotten tomorrow after a good nights sleep.

All Expenses in Blog are total for the two of us.

Expenses

One way Air to Rome 670 USD Bus Rome Airport to Roma Termini 13.80E Arrotolata (a cross between a pizza roll and Paninin) Lunch 9E Water from Store .55E Train From Rome to Ostuni 39.80E Pita Kebabs in Bari 11.80E Bus that never showed in Ostuni 2E. Taxi in Ostuni 10E. L’Alcova di Garibaldi  Studio Apartment 55E

Total Miles Walked 3.3