Let's start at the beginning: the United checkin counter at Dulles airport. Luckily Kate and I got there 3 hours early, because it took almost 2 hours to convince the lady behind the counter to take our cat. She didn't like our paperwork so we had to call the vet. Our cat carrier wasn't up to code, so I had to take a knife and cut air holes in the back of the carrier (United mandates that airholes on all four sides of the carrier - our's had them on just three). It was definitely a scene with Reid running around the airport, kate holding our cat Madison, Madison screaming for her life, and myself on all fours with a box cutter borrowed from TSA cutting airholes on the back of the now empty carrier. In the end, Madison was allowed on the plane.
And the plane took off, but only after a three hour delay AFTER we had boarded the plane. It increased our 7.5 hour flight to 10.5 hours. Reid was a champ through and through.
Madison made it to the other side. I was trying to find an ATM in order to put in a Euro to get a baggage cart when I heard this meowing. I followed the meowing until I saw this pitiful white ball of fur curled up in the corner of her carrier. The carrier was randomly next to an incorrect baggage claim. There was no one around. That's not entirely true, there were random Italians stepping over the cat carrier in order to get to their bags quicker, but just not any baggage crew. Oh well, that's Italy, I thought.
On the way from the airport to our apartment our van got a flat tire. The driver pulled into a local mechanic shop off the highway. He hopped off, slipped the guy some cash, and the crew got to work. While we were still in the car the crew jacked the van up on a lift, switched out the tire, and away we were again off to Rome. Oh well, that's Italy, I thought.
We finally got to our new home. It was beautiful but empty. We needed food and sleep. Olivia from work was a life saver and showed us the local grocery store. We learned how to buy produce and how to check-out. That evening, kate was boiling water for pasta when the stove top blew up. Turns out the glass top on the stove was just ornamental - no one told us... Luckily no one was hurt, but shattered glass was throughout the entire kitchen. That night Reid had a healthy meal of apple juice, some grapes, and a granola bar. Our heads hit the rental bed (flat pillows, scratchy sheets, and rock hard mattress) and we slept our first night in Italy. Living in the world's eternal city, things can only get better.
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