Flight and Day 1

Well the first day has come and gone. The flight was well…a flight – Adelaide-Melb-Hong Kong- Italy (Cardano al Campo) – Italy

I’m about 60km away from Milan.

It was about 30hrs in total – long flights but my props go out to Cathay Pacific. A small hiccup at Adelaide airport where I was about 14kg over my limit hehehe at $60aud per kilo that’s a lot. After a bit of discussion they were nice enough to offer that if I locate a box and split it up a little that there will be no charge – AWESOME!! – So I asked around 4 shops at the airport and located a box. I already bought some box tape with me just in case so that was no probs. It all got on and no charge so cooool. The flights were awesome – food was great – I had three seats in the plane from Hong  Kong to Milan (12 hours) so I could get a kip in which was good and on demand movies makes ti;-me fly – sorry in advance for typos – im just thinking and typing and cant be bothered being correct I mean – I don’t want to interrupt my genius thoughts of creativity with attention to punctuation J.

Arrived at airport and called my hotel – they came in a picked me up and brought me to a little hotel in the middle of Cardano al Campo which is about 15min from airport.

I wasn’t tired so as soon as i got my bicycle and stuff in the hotel I was on foot and stepped outside, 32 degrees and thinking ‘Oh yeah, I don’t know where anything is and I can’t speak Italian’.

I needed a bicycle shop and supermarket. I pulled out my iphone and started my already loaded euro gps and located both. I have no phone reception but I purposely loaded the phone with all the maps so it just needs gps so that’s good. I won’t lie – It was intimidating stepping outside and not knowing a word of Italian and finding my way around. But thanks to the almighty iphone gps maps navigating was simple and confidence building knowing I don’t need to rely on asking everyone.

Got a few bibs and bobs from bicycle shop with sign language hehehe and located supermarket. I know i’m in Italy when I’m hearing couples arguing in the car with hand gestures (babadeeboobadee boobadee baabedee) hehehe. It’s a lovely little town to walk through. After two hours of walking around my intimidation was clearing a little and I was finding my feet and started smiling like an idiot thinking of how lucky I am to be here. The first word (as a red head) that I had to learn was – crema solare hehee  I needed to find sunscreen hahahaha damn pale skin. So I ended up shopping for a bit of food for basic supplies and some bicycle bits and sunscreen – not too bad on foot and just off the plane hahaha

Oh yeah – I ordered a coffee and ended up with a short black AND a small cappuccino hahah they were both nice hehe

I went back to hotel for a bit of a kip and then put my bike together – it is all in one piece WOOT WOOT.  Now basically all I need to do is some mapping for the next few days and pack my panniers – that is a tomorrow job.

After I awoke, I went downstairs and asked around for a nice place to eat – one phone call later and an old man came and picked me up and took me to his restaurant. It was a lovely little cafe and I couldn’t believe I got picked up hahahaha. I ordered a pizza (of course) and a coke zer with some water – $15AUD – can’t beat that really hey – it was a large pizza too of which I could only eat half. Looks like lunch tomorrow is catered for (gotta watch the $ ya know). Who says Europe is expensive – a free lift to the restaurant only to spend $15 WHAT THE – perhaps the euro crisis is so bad they need a taxi service to retrieve the customers hehee. I know I am in a little town therefore prices are not inflated but thats pretty cool. When I go to the more populated areas im sure that it will increase.

Walking around I was feeling like it was surreal that I am here with my bicycle going WTF!!!

So my first experience straight off the plane on my first day: As my cousin says, I smelt culture all around me hahahah Cars are on the other side of the road, families cycling to the supermarket, proper paths for bicycles only, beautiful laneways and houses, the hot sun (although I like winter i’m not complaining, friendly people, beautiful pizza and coffee – AWESOME!!

I know my blogs might get a little shorter in time when i’m on the road but i’ll make the most of the hotel and free wireless whilst I can – before I hit the less populated areas with no internet.

Until tomorrow friends

The first PIZZA

seat, handlebars, brakes, gearing, all to be reassembled and adjusted

The hotel ascot

stepping outside for the first time

litle village rubbish truck – i almost want to pick the thing up hehehe

A gym in the room WTF

The airport

HELLLLO ITALY