After a long, long class on Friday, two friends and I raced downtown to wait for an hour at the train station. We stopped for lunch on the way at Quick Burger, which is France's version of McDonald's with a touch better quality. Two hours later and our train stops at Bordeaux, our first stop out of three. We run out of the station with a little over an hour to make our flight, which we had already mapped out with an estimated 10 minutes travel time between train station and airport.
10 minute taxi cab ride became a 30 euros 35 min voyage. The freeway was backed up because rush hour happens in France on a Friday afternoon. Luckily, our driver was wise and drove through town, which took a lot longer. Laura and I flew out of the cab while Janet paid. The platform was number 61, and we got in line for security. We ran around the airport like idiots having near asthma/panic attacks. As we were waiting in line for security, we asked a man working there if we had enough time to go through and make the plane. He looked at our tickets and said we were fine.
Except we weren't.
When we got closer to the check station, the woman checking stuff through the x-ray machine noticed our tickets were through Ryanair, and she was kind enough to let us know that we were in the WRONG part of the airport. Have I mentioned we wasted about 10 or 15 precious minutes waiting in the wrong line?? So off we were, running frantically again without a destination or plan. We saw the unhelpful man who gave us the wrong information previously and asked him for directions to Ryanair. Now that I think about it, asking him probably wasn't the best idea, but we'd asked a few of the people working in the shops who responded to us with looks like we were crazy.
Anyway, Ryanair's security is in an entirely separate building, and we bolted for it. When we arrived the security people there laughed at us because we were panting from all the running and panicing (two of us are asthmatics, including myself). They let us go through with a scold to be at least 45 minutes early. Technically they are required to close the gate at this point. I still am in shock we made it. Nate missed his flight with Ryanair, and he got there 30 minutes early.
We had some direction issues when we arrived in Bologna as well. Nate booked the wrong hostel, so we had to stay with my two friends in a twin bed on the floor. Hurray for being unorganized in foreign countries!!
Everything worked out well, and I had an amazing time in Florence. The food and wine was so fresh, cheap, and delicious. I bought a new dress and two scarves.
When we arrived back in France from Italy, it felt a little like coming home. Odd sensation since, ya know, France is a foreign country too. At least I (somewhat) know the language here.
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