Lonesome Feeling

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billrunnels

Distinguished Member
B-17 Bombardier
8AF, 303bg, 360bs
1,124
1,368
Oct 13, 2017
Minnesota, USA
In the late 1970s my wife and I received an invitation from the Italian Government for a cruise on the Mediterranean. We and four other couples from different airlines departed Chicago, IL on AirItalia for Rome then bused to Naples. When in the process of checking out of the hotel the following morning we were informed the Cruise Line had gone on strike. So with the help of an AirItalia representative and his wife we improvised. Isle of Capri, Pompeii, Amalfi Drive, Salinero and Rome. We were told we had special rates at a class hotel in Rome, Peter Sellers and Ernie Borgnine were there, which proved to be wrong. No special rate at check out and they would not take my American Express Card. As a group we pooled our money to pay the bill. Standing in the Leonardo da Vinci Airport with $28.00 in my pocket was a lonesome feeling like no other. We had an uneventful return trip to Minnesota.
 
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That sounds like quite an experience even if things didn't go as planned. Sometimes I look back on things that I thought were just a pain at the time but now im just glad to have had the experience.
 
What a coincidence!
Back in 2012, I vacationed in Southern Europe and on my return, Alitalia airlines screwed up my connection from Sophia to Rome to Los Angeles and I ended up sleeping overnight in the Leonardo DaVinci airport.
It was a long, humid night and their seats/benches in the terminal are metal.

I was fortunate, however, as I had enough cash on hand to get dinner/snacks and stuff to take the edge off the disaster...
 
I'm seeing a trend developing here with Alitallia airlines. I think I know which airline not to book if I ever travel to Europe.
 
michael rauls said:
That sounds like quite an experience even if things didn't go as planned. Sometimes I look back on things that I thought were just a pain at the time but now im just glad to have had the experience.
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I think we had a better trip than the cruise would have been. Pompeii and the Blue Grotto on the Isle of Capri were especially impressive. So were the attractions in Rome.
 
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michael rauls said:
I'm seeing a trend developing here with Alitallia airlines. I think I know which airline not to book if I ever travel to Europe.
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Service on their flights was excellent. On the flight from Naples to Rome the flight attendant was taking drink orders. I was up to my ear lobes in wine so ordered bottle water. She looked at me and said "sir don't you know water will cause rust". She was delightful.
 
billrunnels said:
I think we had a better trip than the cruise would have been. Pompeii and the Blue Grotto on the Isle of Capri were especially impressive. So were the attractions in Rome.
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That does sound like a good time. I'd like to go to those places someday myself.
Been to Philippines and Canada but never Europe.I know my wife wants to go to Europe. She lets me know from time time.
Don't know if you've ever been to the Philippines but it's a great place if you don't mind the heat and humidity. The poeple are delightful. They verry much seem to hold Americans in high esteem I think largly because of libaration during the war. MacArthur is still a household name there at least amongst the people I met even the quite young. Kinda sad I think more Philippino children know who MacArthur was than American ones.
 
I was in Europe a few times and had plenty of fun. Mind you it was at the expense of the US Navy and really not much of an enjoyment cruise but liberty call was fun enough.
There was Naples, La Spestzia, with a stop in Taronto and a host of places that I don't remember along with a few stays at Sigonelola.
 
Never been to the Philippines but I am sure it would be a great place to visit. Can understand why MacArthur would be their hero. Hope you and your wife can enjoy the European points of interest one day in the future.
 
My most memorable bad trip was when I went from DC to the Stanford Research Institute for a conference. I had really bad cold and they held a major earthquake in my honor. After we evacuated the building we were using it took me two hours to drive the 10 miles to the hotel. I had a very well equipped hotel room, but with the power off the only thing that worked was the electric shoe polisher. Dinner that evening consisted of cookies I had bought the day before and water from the tap. My rental car key broke in half.

The next morning the TV news was saying over and over:

"Before you go to catch an airliner, call first, many flights have been cancelled. Before you go to a movie, call first, the theater might be closed. Before you go to work, call first, to make sure they are open. Before you go to a restaurant, store, shopping center, or mall, call first, because they might be closed. Also, be sure to call us here at the station and let us know what conditions are like in you area."

"And most importantly of all, remember, we are still under emergency conditions, so STAY OFF THE PHONE!"
 
Took this photo as a reminder of my overnight stay at "Hotel Leonardo DaVinci". It was warm and muggy inside the terminal, but it was much worse at the fountain - but it was the only place where you could sit and have a smoke.

They say that in time, you'll look back and have a laugh about situations like this. It's been 6 years so far, and I'm still waiting...

 
Thats as bad as it can get !
 
billrunnels said:
Thats as bad as it can get !
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Not quite! On one of my trips from DC to CA, to be best man in an old friend's wedding, I came down with the flu the evening of the reception and had to board an airliner the next morning and fly all the way back to DC, with the flu. I probably infected the whole airplane. And then walk home from the Metro, carrying my bags. First thing I did when I got home was throw up.
 
WOW It did get worse.
 
Back in '69 my roommate and I pooled our money, bought an Austin American and had it delivered in London. With our travel Bible Cooks Tours on $5 a day we toured the UK, France, Italy, Austria, Germany, etc. Paris and a good bit of Italy were the same type of rip-off.
Checking in for the night the manager spoke perfect English and all fees were agreed upon. Then in the AM he'd lost all his English and the prices had doubled.
In Italy we stopped at a small outdoor cafe for lunch and ordered just wine. While we were drinking it the waiter brought out a large bowl of cheese in small balls and a plate of bread. DAs that we were, we assumed (since we had not ordered yet) that this was a "complimentary" apiteaser (like chips and salsa at a Mexican Restaurant). After an hour or so of bread and cheese we asked for our bill and nearly fainted. EACH small cheese ball was priced at $0.50 and the bread was $0.25 a slice. That was the single most expensive item during our entire 4 month trip.
 
A friend of mine was assigned as a civilian engineer to a USAF base on France in the 1960's. He and his family took a trip through Spain and one evening, it getting late, they reluctantly checked in to a hotel in a small Spanish village, there being no guidebook recommended facility within reach. The hotel was a converted castle and they were surprised to find that their rooms were huge and featured marble furniture. Eating at the hotel restaurant that night, they found the food quite good and were presented with the bill at the end of the meal. My friend could not speak Spanish and the manager could speak no English but both could get by in French. He looked over the bill and it seemed quite reasonable, but he did not understand one charge which amounted to something like $6.50. He asked the manager what it was, who replied "Is it too much?" My friend replied that he did not know since it did not seem to be traceable to any item of food they had ordered. It turned out the $6.50 was lodging for four people and garaging of their motor car for one evening. The total bill, including lodging and the meal, was something like $14.00. He gave the guy a $20 bill and told him to keep the change.
 
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