Today has been one of our most blessed days. We are in Florence and staying at the nicest "hostel" I have ever stayed in!!! It more than makes up for the character that the 2 Ducks had! I do have to admit, we found bugs in one personàs bed at the hostel, but he was using the travel liner. . . it wasnàt the cleanest, but it was cheap, decent location, not bad. Today, we got up and headed to the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel. It is like 4 miles of art and incredible! Finally after wandering through the halls of the Vatican for seriously like an hour, and seeing sign after sign of Sistine Chapel this way, you get to it and it did not disappoint. They have restored it since I have been there and it did indeed look better. throughout the museum we were all taking our own time, etc. and so we'd wait periodically and then all catch up so it was like that all morning. At this point, let me say, we are all together and fine. . the story has a good ending!!
But, at one point, we all were waiting on the group and I guess Alex thought we were walking when we were still waiting. At any point, right at the very end like 20 yards from the exit, we lost him, but said, "oh, he will be waiting at the exit." We took longer than expected becuase we stopped and got postcards and mailed them from the Vatican. When we left, no Alex. . . we pretty much panicked and then calmed down and went back in to look for him and still no Alex. So, we discussed what he would have done and where he would have been. I sent one person to look in all the stores across the street and i went back in and looked. And still no Alex. So, we think, maybe he thought we went a different exit and so we all trooped together to the front of the Vatican where. . . the Pope was holding Mass!! Yes, we saw the Pope!! We had a reservation on the 12:55 train. And so we waited until like 12:40 and at this point we decide that Alex has gone back to the hostel becuase we got separated and he knew we needed to catch a train. Sure enough, we go back to the hostel and there he is. Taylor called it, when we said, Taylor, what was he thinking? What happened. Taylor said, he thought we went a different exit and looked for us while we were looking for him and then he just went back to the hostel becuase by now weàve been on the Metro so much, everyone would know their way home. sure enough, that is what happened. I was, needless to say, worried sick! But praying that he'd be at the hostel and he was. Alex felt bad for making us worry, but just got confused when we were not coming out and thought we'd gone another way and I had said that we needed to be on the road by 12:30 to catch the train so it made sense.
Bottom Line: trust me, the boys have totally gotten a FULL understanding of why I only had 3 rules. we DO NOT LEAVE THE GROUP!!! I am confident that no one will get separated again, but if it does happen, we have gone over separation drills, what to do when separated from the group. The first action is to wait at the main exit! I will come find you. but since then, they have been really, really, really, really good about sticking together. The rest of the day, I got asked, may i cross the street to get gelato? I am not worred about anyone getting separated. We debated on whether to own up to this now, but you'd hear about it when we get home and the good news is that the lesson is learned EXTREMELY well and everyone is fine. a little hairy for all. i think everyone was worried about Alex and yet understand how it happened. Needless to say, no one has walked alone since! But it was a stressful one to two hours of figuring it all out.
So, we missed the train to Florence we had seats on. . . no biggie. We got seats on the next one and headed out to Florence. This was the first real ride on a train and for the boys to see how this is all going to work out. Well, the train was HOT, HOT, HOT, what is up with Europe haveing no AC??? Seriously??? We had 2 cars. One car had me, Alex, Bob, Sumner, Taylor and Ghandi. The other had Lane, Patterson, Marty, Turner and David. It was a long hot train ride. Like 2 hours? And the weird thing is we closed our window and turned on what little air we had trying to cool our cabin. well, i guess the pressure got too much. All 6 in my car just screamed and grabbed our ears and noses to pop our ears. it was crazy, we went through a tunnel and it was excruciating, but somehow hilarious at the same time. We were cracking up at our exact same reactions at the same time! But a hot train ride makes for a little grouchy traveling companions. . . so, Firenze has several stops. I asked 2 people about when the main station was becuase I kept seeing Firenze on the train signs as we pulled into stations. Well, long story short, I know too late, we got off one stop early. But it was the time we should have arrived in Firenze. but we were one stop too early and 5 minutes away from where we needed to be. .. so we got back on the next train just 5 min. out and we rode the next 5 min. to the main station. Longest five minutes of my life. I said, we donàt have tickets for this train, so we are going to just hope on, stand in the aisle and then hop off at next station in 5 minutes. okay, it was hotter than the first train. we were literally all dripping, and i do mean literally, with sweat. Finally we get to the main station and i hear, just stop the train and let me off. we donàt need to get any closer. just stop the train. . . i was laughing so hard. . . not so sure the boys thought it was funny as I did. I just consider all of this part of the adventure of traveling. things happen. . . you adjust. And then we have the fun of figureing where to stay. i lead my ducks around and say, wait here as I head to the accommodation station at the train station. you can go in and just ask for a hotel, pension, hostel, whatever. a guy was stanind outside and said, need a hostel? (we are so obvious with the bakcpacks). i said, indeed we do, what do you have? Well, he had an answered prayer, literally. . . I mean heaven!! I had been praying on the train that God would bless us with a place to sleep that was safe, and clean and just a good deal. . . hello, Hostel Florence Plus. It is fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We had a swimming pool and immediately that is what we did. We all swam after the extremely hot and tiring ride to Florence, it was just what we needed! AHHHHHHHH new life. . . everyone said it was the cleanest we have felt in 2 weeks. And probably has been. did i mention that in the Roma train station Patterson and David bought new swimwear. . . yes, that is the picture from the "terrace" of our hotel on this article. and to boot, this was only 20 euros. . . 4 cheaper than the 2 ducks. so, we have run the gammit on hostels.
Anyway, after our swim, we had dinner at an outside restaurant by the Duamo in the main plaza. unbelievable. Right now we are all doing laundry youàll be glad to hear. . . or those around us will be glad to smell.
Tomorrow, plan is to see Florence and then head out to Milan with an anticipated arrival by mid afternoon. We'll hop off. See the duomo there, which is one of the 4 largest in Europe and then at 20:35 head to Interlaken and be at Balmers by midnight tomorrow night. Depending upon train schedules, we may fit in another country and city between Interlaken and Barcelona. I will keep you posted. This is my favorite part and beauty of backpacking. decide you only need one day, then off you go. also, this fabuluous hostel has one in barcelona. . . we are so there!
Anyway, i came down the street to update the blog and pictures while they do laundry. so I need to get back. But again, lesson learned, no one is going anywhere without checking in with me. I hope providing you the entire truth doesn't worry anyone more than you may already be, it should actually be an encouragement. . . now the boys have seen that the reason not to leave the group for any reason is things like this happen. No harm to anyone, but because of the confusion, we missed a train. Which ended up working out fine.
So, lots of activity and fun today with a true blessing in the end. everyone agrees that the hostel has been like an oasis in a desert to everyone. Anyway, Taylor jsut came in and said that the laudry guy is kicking us out at midnight so . . . our clothes may dry on the terrace like a clothes line. . again, just part of the adventure.
We are having a great time. . . cannot wait to see more of Florence tomorrow and then Milano! Until later, Ciao!
