Remember the Verona (train station)

If anyone recalls Verona, they might recall me writing on a piece of notebook paper late into the first night. This is what I was writing; it was recovered from the masses of paper while packing for the move.
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So I'm on a trip in Verona, Italy - and I'm writing here cuz I forgot my journal, so this'll do.

First, we're late to the airport and have minus 2 minutes to get to the airplane. So what do we do? We bolt, all of our bags weighing us down (me with 3 - sigh) from nearly one end of the airport to the other...to stand in line at Gate 50. I could barely breathe, but there we were on time, at least as much as was necessary. Ok, so that was the first thing that "almost" went wrong. So, we get on the plane...

No, wait. First, we are out on the tarmac and it's raining. Then, we get on the wet metal stairs and they start shaking. Dear Heavens, this is so wonderful! So, we get on the plane, which has a two-inch aisleway. The first four seats (two and two) are free. Now, let me paint the picture: we sit down and the attendant - this lanky Brit of a guy - tells us multiple times that we need to store our bags. So, we put them under the seats. But, oh no, he comes back! We were so very confused, until he finally reveals it - we are sitting in the exit aisle! But of course...that makes perfect sense, now. So, we stow our bags above our heads, and soon find all the gems of this Ryan Air flight.

Here we go: when you lean back on the aisle seat, the middle seat bounce forward and vice versa; when you attempt to drop down the food tray it just falls - literally falls into your lap; if you tap the corner of the food tray, it wiggles from side to side; when the plane finally takes off, it's this deafening roar and then it feels like it's going to fall to pieces. But, you trust it for some reason. Then, upon arrival, while we're sitting on the runway, they tell us to leave our seatbelts open! Does this make sense?! But on the whole, the flight was fun, pretty smooth and nice. Save for the landing, which made it all worth it.

First, the decending plane yet again begins to tremble to its death, yet still you're sitting there like "oh, it's all good. She'll hold." Then, you land. Oh my gosh! We hit down, and bounce, and hit again. I could not stop laughing - same on the take off.

So, we get in and there's this issue with Widge and I have no Euros and getting tickets - but we do and I'm sort of just vegging on the trip; thinking of Verona's beauty shrouded in darkness, thinking of Chris and his pain - my pain - and his disloyalty, listening to Widge singing Jimmy Eat World, thinking how him and Avi would be sort of cute together. Then, sitting there I think, "wouldn't it be funny if the train station were outside?"

We get there. It is.

The main section closes, and again it's raining (tarmac scene again in Verona, too). We walk about for a while, and Ande looks at a map (WHY?!), and we find a tiny cafe. Beautiful! A caffe latte... but the guy asks me a question and I feel sort of timid. But all's well: caffe latte with 2 sugars redeems me. Then, it's back to the scary-sorta-hallway in the train station to eat bread with flora, and an apple, wipe my teeth with toothpaste, and begin this little gem.

So this day ends and only gets better. A guy offers us hashish, tells us to tell no-one, and comes back to watch them play Egyptian Slap (wchpsh). At this comment, Avi goes to slap me and rips a huge one. A dog pees on all the corners of the scary-sorta-hallway, and someone asks for a light. All the random goodness of sitting on a cold Verona train station floor with a complete stranger after caffe latte and the best plane ride ever, playing cards and writing this random journal. And so, I leave this now to join the strange fun.

I love Verona thus far. It's so random, it's so great - and it's raining again. And, I'm spending the night in the train station scary-sorta-hallway. Not to mention, the pee in the floor and how water comes from the roof to flush toiltes.

Life is good!