Day 8 & 9, Mon/Tue 14-15 Jun – We boarded the Military Bus at Vicenza, Italy at 0700 Monday morning and rode for 12 hours. I know we passed through Austria because a sign read Innsbruck. Not sure if we ventured in to Switzerland or not, however there was some beautiful country side to see.

We got to Ramstien about 20 minutes to late to make a flight to Andrews Air Force Base. So we began the waiting game at the Terminal. The Terminal closed at 2300 hours, however they Airman at the Terminal told me there may be a flight to Charleston at 2300 hours, if they could “fix” the plane, so we waited. Really we had to anyway because there were no rooms available at the hotel on base. As luck would have it (or as Alanna would said, prayer would have it) the 2300 flight to Charleston was a go. The plane went wheels up at 0100 in Germany (7:00 pm in Charleston) and 10 hours later we were

getting off the C-17 in Charleston.
Taxi ride to the Charleston Airport, meet up with the Family in the picture, who were also going to Norfolk, and shared a Minivan with them for the 7 hour ride home.

So ends the Alanna and Gil’s European Adventure (and some Misadventures) but overall I think Alanna and I had a good time saw some of the world and she learned a little about different cultures and other parts of the world.

Begain the Trip Home

Day 7, Sunday 13 Jun – Not much happened today, we checked out of the hotel, caught the train and made our way to Vicenza Army Base in Northern Italy.
Tomorrows plan is to ride the Military Bus that go to Landstuhl Army Medical Center, taxi to Ramstein and hope for a flight. It looks like there are several on Tue and the BWI flight on Wed. So we should be home soon.

Day 6 Sat 12 Jun – Today we toured the Eternal City of Roma. It was a whorl wind but we did it, The Coliseum, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steeps, Vatican Museum (Sistine Chapel) and Saint Peter’s Basilica.
We are starting to head back to the East Coast of the good old USA tomorrow. The plan is to train to Vincenza Army Base in Italy spend the night. On Monday morning hop on the Medical Evacuation Bus that goes to Landstual Army Medical Center in Germany, which is next to Ramstien Air Force Base to hopefully get on a plan that’s leaving at 2130 Monday night headed to Andrews Air Force Base in DC. Not quite sure yet how to get from DC to Norfolk, may try the DC Shuttle we could not get on to start the trip or rent a one away car. All kind of depends. Well will try to keep you posted as to the progress heading home.
Ciao

Tour of Paris Complete

Day 4 and 5, Thur/Fri 10/11 Jun – Thurday, we finished up in Paris, Alanna is very good at navigating the Meto, me I can plan the routes but she finds the correct passage way. Good thing I brought her along. We first when to the Arc de Triumph, then walked the Champs-Elysess, walked along the Seine, and toured the Louvre. And a whole bunch of other stuff from the outside.
Then we started a “real” misadventure, a sleeper train to Rome. We booked second class as it cost 50 euro vice first class that would have cost 250 euro. According to the lady the only difference was a little food, and the seats and couchettes are a little more comfy. One point she neglected in the “COMFY” area was that 2nd has no AC. So we spent a LONG HOT ride to Roma. And to top it off the train was like two and a half hours late getting in, it was 20 hours on a train with 6 people in a 6x6 hot box. Let me tell you if you every take a train in Europe First Class is would the money.
Currently we are just “chilling out” (had to use the pun after the hot train ride) at the Hotel in Rome. So we did not do anything exciting in Rome on the first day here unless you consider a taxi ride exciting and when in Roma it is. We have planned our day, take the hotel shuttle into old Roma, ride an open topped tour bus for a most bang for the buck/euro site seeing, tour the Colosseum, back on the bus (it’s a hop on hop of kind of deal) to St. Peter’s Square and the Vatican Museum. We plan to spend a little more time looking at the art that we did in The Louvre, if Alanna will let me.
Everything is going well, just a few hiccup, at the Hotel in Paris, I noticed the bell hop, he had on a uniform, name tag, came out of the hotel as the taxi pulled up, followed us into the hotel, so I didn’t think anymore about it. Checked in and went to get the bag and he was gone, and a different guy was there. The new guy asked for our receipt and of course I didn’t have one, and looking into the baggage room your bags were not in sight. It flashed though my head that the bell hop wasn’t for real and our bags were gone. However, the new guy asked us about the bags and they were around the corner.
We have decided to start planning the return. Sunday we will train (first class) to Naples, it takes 1 hour 10 minutes. There we will find the first thing headed to the east coast, or to Ramstien (they have the most flight to the east coast, or perhaps Rota Spain which also has many flight) not that Naples doesn’t have many flights. When you are using Military Space Available, you require look at many options, do lots of planning and to a certain extent have a little luck.
Ciao

Long Long Day

Day 3 Wed 9 Jun – or is it still day two? It has been a long day. When the maintenance issues we did not leave BWI unit 2130 8 Jun, seven hours later we landed in Ramstien at 1100 (Six hour ahead of east coast time). Made arrangement to catch the train to Paris where Alanna and I walked and walked. However, we can now get around somewhat on the Metro. We stopped at two of the “biggies” that tall tower and Quiaamot’s house. Can barely keep my eye open. Not much sleep on the “Cry Baby” express. Include a couple of pics.

Beautiful Baltimore

Misadvendures :)

Maybe we should rename this Alanna and Gil’s European MISADVENDURES. First off the Tidewater/DC shuttle did not go back to Andrews AFB like it was suppose to. At least we had Southwest Airlines to BWI as a backup plan. Got to BWI AMC Desk marked ourselves present about 15 minutes before roll call. We were selected for the first flight to Ramstein flight. Processed, checked in bags, paid the $30.80 for our flight, when through TSA, and arrived at the gate as they were boarding our seats. AS we taxied to the runway the pilot came on and told us there was a problem with the plane, so we taxied back to the gate. After maintainers worked on the plane for about a hour and half. It was hot on be plane, the babies were crying, and it was cramped. We and missed our window to fly to Ramstein and we would go today 8 June. So we deplaned, and then wonder what was next. After some line standing, (but we had been doing that all day anyway) an announcement was made that we would be put up in hotels tonight, given voucher for lunch, and the hotel would provide breakfast. Alanna and I got to the hotel around 2330 checked in walked across the street to eat a Checker’s Burger at midnight. We go back to the Airport for check in at 1620. Maybe today will be the day. That’s why Space-a is an ADVENTURE.