2 settimana

So as week 2 comes to pass many here are amazed I have stuck it out so far. For them, dealing with the crazy Italian bureaucracy is a way of life and they fully expect nothing to happen as it should...at least quickly. That said, having tested my patience,my ability to comprehend Italian and just my disbelief in the lack of common sense,people were fully expecting me to either leave or go postal. I cannot ever remember thinking to myself "are you kidding me?" so many times in the span of 2 weeks. 
But I not only have survived but even impressed my "it's not possible" friends..the speed in which I have arranged an apartment , utilities,scooter,and now a car with insurance is becoming legend. Since I arrived with no real plan for housing or transportation I think I did ok. 
So now that I have settled in, figured out the quickest way around town to my favorite cafes',and where the daily markets are for food I'm starting to have some fun. Not that I always don't when I'm here but it so different when you think..wow, I live here. You're not rushing trying to cram stuff in before your vacation is over...just letting life slow down a bit and enjoying it. The scene here forces you to kick it down a notch.I love SB but sometimes you seem like you have to stay on the gas to keep up. Hard work if fine but having passed the half century mark a few years ago, I want the next 50 to take it's time . So for now it's "tranquillo" and ciao for now...

Una settimana

So, one week into the adventure and I'm still here..if. I thought the airplane madness was bad,nothing could prepare me for the trials  of Italian paperwork . Just trying to get basic stuff for the apartment was an exercise in patience. So, three major things are controlled by one office..gas,water,trash..not sure where the electricity comes from but it's on!
Ok, arrive at the offices first thing..excellent,there is like only 5 people in there. I tell the guy handing out the numbers that I need to get these 3 things set up. No problem,they are all here..just 3 different people. So I have to take 3 separate numbers. Hmmmm. Within 1 minute the first number dings..blue233. Wow, that was fast! As I get up the next number I have dings ..red 107. Damn how do I do this? So I go to blue guy and he is the trash man..first question..where is a copy of your rental contract? Good question..don't have it yet as it is being processed. He says " no contract,no trash" so I call the agent and he says I don't need it..uh,right. I hand the phone to trash guy and then words fly. Next thing I know I'm on my way to the agents office for a copy of the contract. 1/2 hour later I'm back in the office.. Take my 3 numbers again..amazingly,trash guy dings first. Ok..here ya go bud, the contract. He replies "ok,looks good but you must first have gas service to get trash" ...are u kidding me? So I go back out and wait for gas girl to ding me. She does within minutes....her first question is" who was the last tenant in this building?" like I would know that.....another call to the agent..he doesn't know but will try to find out. Great..
While I'm waiting, gas girl suggests I go to water girl while I am waiting for a reply. Cool, these guy are figuring it out. Arrive to water girls cube..first question.."what year was this place built?"  really!?!?
Another call to secret agent,who by the way, told me I would not need any additional paperwork when I left his office the day before and put 500€ cash in his hand. Ok get info, water girl hooks me up and says water will arrive later today. Gas girl dials me in and say gas will be turned on in the am..and my friend garbage guy? He goes over every inch of the contract, the floor plan(even measuring each room with his ruler in case someone lied about room size) and finally say I have right to put trash in the community dumpster out back. 
By noon the next day, everything is rockin' and things are lookin up.now to stock the fridge and pantry. 
Next adventure...getting some wheels!

Arrivo!

This turned out to be my "good Friday". The flight from DC was flawless..arrived in Copenhagen to clear blue skies. A quick 1 1/2 hour flight to Malpensa airport and I have arrived! Overcast skies greeted me but I am happy to be here. Finally. And a nice surprise awaited me when I got here..stumbled over to the SAS baggage office where I had to report my 2 missing bags( with pretty much everything in them) , as I was filling out the paperwork, the guy doing it informs me the bags are actually sunning themselves in Roma. Authorities are on the way to pick them up and get their lazy butts up here to Varese pronto! Very good news but I'll be content when they are in my hands..
So it's a Friday nite in Varese...off to the Break Bar to visit with my friend ,Beppe, and to plot the next few days adventure..
Namely, getting an apartment,car,bike,and my luggage.
As they used to say in my old 'hood...
"Bozos Circus is on the air!!"

Same old scene....

New day, same airport. 2 bags still completely missing in action. Gave up on the bargain ticket, I need to get going! Dropped a quick $1100 for a one way to Milan on SAS. So I'll get to see Copenhagen and then finally Iatlia...I hope! As for the missing bags with 6 months worth of clothing and my laptop..well I hope they're having fun out there and they and better come home soon.
Next post SHOULD be from the land of pizza and wine but ya never know....

No fun.....

And away we go........
A nice 6AM flight out if SB..or so I thought. Its got good potential as a friend has given me a "buddy pass". Good and bad. Good,because of the price,bur bad because you fly standby. So, I arriving at the airport and check in. For starters, the flight looks full. Bad. Upon checking in I find out my 2 suitcases are both 10 pounds overweight for standby passengers. To make them follow me it will cost $200 PER BAG! Really. So I figure, whatever, the flight was still a bargain. So the counter guys says" if you had another bag,we could split it up and it would only cost you $100 for the extra bag". Hmmmmm. I DO have an overnite bag in there..so I pull 20 pounds out of the 2 suitcases. The y both weigh in at 49.5 pounds..right under the limit. Then he looks at my duffel and says " well if you just carry that on then there's no fee! " Happy! That drama solved I now have to hurry to catch the plane. One seat left on the fight and I get it!! Perfect..on my way to LAX and hopefully I'll get on the next plane to Washington DC. 
So at LAX,standby again, I am #14 and there are only a few seats left..I wait till the end and miss getting on the flight by 1 person! Arrrrggg!
Ok, theres another flight in an hour and now I'm high on the wait list..
The next flight checks in full but the sun is shining on me as one person does not show and I get the last seat! And the flight is so full my 20 pound duffel has to be checked! Cool, one less thing to drag around....oh wait. One more piece of luggage for potential loss...we will see what actually arrives in Roma....but for now I am stranded in our nations capital..NO FUN!

Getting closer...

Only a few days left in Santa Barbara.enjoying the summerlike weather a d getting a few last minute rides in between to to move and pack. The anticipation is mounting..