2geonomads

Friday 15th June 2012
Gail’s birthday!
Blue skies again after wild thunderstorm during the night to clear the humidity and car arrives to take us to the airport at 7.00 am ( looking forward to a lie-in when we get to Italy )

Flight to Istanbul uneventful but the fun really starts when we take the onward Turkish Airlines flight to Milan. Firstly the flight is delayed by almost 2 hours with no announcements as to the reasons. Eventually bus takes us out to the plane and we start getting on board.what followed next was pure farce. Apparently , everyone was getting on the plane bound for Beirut and the bus driver was to blame. As I commented to a Turkish Airlines captain who was also boarding as a passenger we should all have been grateful that the driver was not flying the aircraft.
Gail and I have been laughing ever since about the incident. Imagine sitting on a plane and saying to your fellow passenger ” I’m really looking forward to going to Beirut”and the guy replies ” we’ll, so am I one day but this plane is going to Milan today!”
However, we have to say that apart from this TA have been very impressive with great cabin staff and meals better than on most airlines.

Arrive in Milan with temp at 31 degrees and I have a little altercation with a ‘lady’ at the Bureau de Change when I’m charged 35 per cent interest when changing 70 Turk Lira to Euro! It’s amazing but my Italian goes up a notch in such situations. I didn’t win, of course and I don’t really remember much of what I said except that the words, corruption, Berlusconi and prison came into it somewhere.
Rental car upgraded to Peugeot 508 at no extra cost so off in a very impressive car to Modena where we spend the night before heading further south.

Receive upgrade at Hotel Una and a lovely surprise when a bottle of champagne and choc cake arrives in room for G’s birthday.
A great end to an eventful but memorable day.

Cheers

The Obese Ferret