I packed badly for this trip, leaving too much to lug through Paris-Charles de Gaulle without benefit of a porter. Resolving not to pay over-weight baggage charges I limited myself to one 50 pound suitcase for a week, which meant that my camera travelled in its own carry-on along with a topcoat and an over-stuffed computer bag. And of course it is too warm to wear the coat so it all has to be carried.
The bag was over-stuffed due to the recent addition of noise cancelling headphones to supplement the earbuds I usually carry. On my last trip I was unable to hear the repartee between Grant and Hepburn in Charade (one of the five best movies of all time in my book) due to ambient noise, but in fixing that problem I created another. The case for the headphones is too large for the bag, forcing me to wrestle the thing closed each each time I have to put my seat back up for landing.
And then I had forgotten to have AT&T enable international roaming on my phone, and of course that meant I could not call them or access the internet until I got to my hotel in Milan. One chat session, two calls and thirty minutes later I was back in business. The hotel where I am staying probably made its revenue goal for the month on the surcharge on those calls.
Best of all, some really unclear on the concept Italian anti-terrorism law prevents my laptop from connecting to my mail server directly the way I usually do it so I have to use a web browser interface (just as I assume the not at all inconvenienced bad guys do). That one took a special trip down to the hotel's business center. At least I was able to use the time to re-charge that now-working phone since I brought the wrong electrical gizmo for it and have three devices and my camera sharing one power converter.
But, hey, that is all behind me, including the 100 euro ($130) cab ride into the center of the city (can you tell I had not flown into Milan before?) and today I hope to see a sock maker, a knitted necktie maker, a jeweler and my shoe-loving friend Francesco of SW1 before catching the train to Florence this afternoon (that is the Milan station, one of the more beautiful in the world, in the photo).
Hopefully it will be sunny enough for photography and I will have a hand free with which to take them.
Photo: Trey Ratcliff
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8 comments:
Will, Milan train station is to die for I agree. I got stuck there for about 3 hours last summer and there is no better place to be stuck. Enjoy the travels Sir and I love the blog. Keep up the (hard) and good work.
Along with Charade lets not forget To Catch A Thief as one of our all time favourites.Witty dialogue,glamourous location and Grace Kelly who along with Audrey Hepburn are in my opinion the ne plus ultra of film stars.
Will,
I used to carry Bose noise cancelling headphones, but I have switched to Etymotic in-hear buds. They have a flanged bud that blocks most sounds. I still use my 2-yr old hf2 (the version that is iPhone compatible), but it's probably even better now. You can even get custom buds...
JDelage
Ah the multitude of electrics and electronics we now seem to travel with. My friend recently purchased an iGo multi-device power supply. It saves bag space as you only need one power supply and small adaptor tips for all of your devices.
Second, watch out for pick pockets and other petty crime at the Milan train station. It's rampant and they will target a luggage wielding tourist like yourself. I was robbed there a few years ago by a gang of two: One distracted me while the other came from behind to grab my briefcase that I has stupidly put on the ground next to me. Be on contact with your luggage at all times and stay safe!
If it was easier it would not be Italy. Hope you made it to G. Lorenzi, a favorite toy store.
I am sorry but the Milan station is a fascist pile, as any Italian will tell you. The two outstanding stations are Florence SMN and Roma Termini, bosh masterpieces considered masterpieces.
Bose is now advertising ear bud noise canceling headphones. Don't know how effective they are, but that's an option combining the best of both, likely achieving some of the best of both with some of the worst as well (high cost, not extremely effective at noise canceling, but small to carry).
An old saying was when you travel pack only what you're prepared to lose completely...theft, lost luggage, misrouted bags, forgetting things at various places...etc
Couldn't care about the electronic stuff, but if I lost my shoes or suits I'd need therapy for several years.
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