Florence Italy

His first time in Italy

January 21, 2023 by allberry2001, posted in Main

And we are off again, this time it was a trip with Grandma and mom. It was my Grandson’s first time in Italy and like all 13-year-olds, the flight was too long. The battery on his devices ran out, and we were flying into Venice, something we had never done before. We had arranged transportation from the airport to “close to our B&Bs”. But due to the weather, the boat ride had been moved to the car and then the boat. We had been told that our first stop would be my sister in laws stop by the company that booked this, seems the driver of the boat didn’t get the message. He dropped us off on the other side of the island and we had to find our way from there, in the dark and rain.

The B&B that the wife booked she “thought” had a lift, but we found out it didn’t. 3 flights of stairs to get to the flat. After a long flight that was a disappointment. The flat had a patio where you could see the tower in St. Marks square so that was a plus. We had 4 days in Venice and by the time we left the grandson could navigate the allies on his own. I think he gets it from his grandma.

The next trip was by high-speed train to Florance, it is so much easier to go by train in Italy than flying anywhere. I think I was more impressed with the train than he was, even though I had made that trip before.

Florence is so much smaller than the other cities we were going to see so it didn’t take much for him to learn his way around.

Then there was Roma, a city I have been to many times before and I wanted to show him everything but with only a few days it was not possible. We saw the big sites and even got lost a few times in the rain, and had to walk from the train station to the Pantheon. That was fun, my phone was giving some odd directions so as a test I let him navigate from where we where to where we wanted to be. In a city with his phone he got us there and I was so proud.

Some of the places I have had so much fun in he got to see, the restaurant that we eat at where I had took his mom years before remembered us as always and we are famiely to them so they always treat us right. Now from the Phanton to our B&B was not that far, and at 13 years old and seeing how he did so well on other streets I asked if he could walk me though going from here to there. After the 2nd day with some corrections he got it correct and could do the walk without us, another proud moment if you know the streets of Rome you know what I mean.

All in all I think everyone had a good time on this trip and its one I will not forget, I hope his mom and him go back and visit without us and see and do what they want.

Off to Italy and they screwed up again

March 21, 2017March 21, 2017 by allberry2001, posted in Businesses, Main

We leave for the airport flying on American Airlines again, the flight that we booked 6 months ago. A vacation we have been looking forward to. Now since booking the flight from Reno to Florence,Italy American Airlines has taken it upon themselves to change our flights twice. When they changed the times and flights AA didn’t take into account the time to get from one gate to another so we had to go to the site and check and change flights to make sure we could make it in time. If you don’t keep an eye on this AA will automatically change you’re flights,so you are forced to keep an eye on this.

Now this vacation was with another couple flying in from another city and we wanted to meet up so we could travel together. So when American Airlines changed our flights the other couple had to “hope” they could get the same flights. We are talking about $1000’s of dollars on the line with bookings and flights. And this is not the first time American Airlines have done this. This more seems to be the normal for this company.

With the last change to our flights there would not be enough time to make a connecting flight so we and the other couple decide to meet in the fist city and stay overnight ( hotel costs paid for by all of us that to American Airlines ) in Los Angels. We leave for the airport after work arrange for someone to drop us off , and we check in and drop off out luggage with AA.

Not 3 mins after leaving the more or less empty counter since we were there so early the AA app informs us the flight has been canceled. The flight we planed to take so we could meet up with the other couple who were already inflight from another city. American Airlines has a number of flights from Reno to LA per day. We dash back to the AA counter and it is now full of people trying to find out WHY the flight was canceled. From what information we could get from the AA employees at the ticket counter whats ” I DON”T KNOW”.

My wife gets on phone to American Airlines and is told by the rep that they didn’t have a crew for the flight to LA. She is talking on one phone and checking the AA app on another and not seeing any flights with AA that have room on the plane for us to make our connections. The AA rep said she could put us on a flight that was leaving in about 3 hours on Alaska Air , this would not be a direct flight from Reno to LA there was a 2 hour layover in another city and would not get us in till after 11pm.

With the amount of times that American Airlines have changed our flights for this vacation, and the times that they have canceled other flights we didn’t feel that they could get us to the destination we paid them to take us to. AA seems to care more about the inflight video looking well then the cattle they have watching it. The distaste they seem to have for the people who pay them lots of money is the impression I get from American Airlines. If you check twitter and other social networks on any given day you will find how they change/cancel PEOPLE’S flights everyday.

To not loss time and money on missed international flights and make it to our next city on time with some time to sleep we booked 2 tickets on Southwest Airlines. The flight on Southwest Air took off 1 hour later than the AA flight that was canceled and was a direct flight to LA.

Update 3/21/17 This is the bullshit i get from Trip Master

Dear Dawn and Erik,

Thank you for contacting us!

Thank you for answering the survey that we sent you and we apologize for the several airline schedule changes that you have experienced with your flight. We have received a notification from American airlines about the partial refund that you requested.

Please note that the type of ticket that you purchased with us was a promotional fare that is more affordable that a regular fare.

We have received a partial refund from American airlines for the amount of $17.74 per ticket as a partial refund for ticket number 001-79and 001-790.

We will credit your credit card ending in for a total amount of $35.48 USD. Please look for this credit on the next 1-2 credit card statement.

Should you need further assistance please do not hesitate to contact us again. Thank you for contacting us!

Thank you Auburn Lipon / Customer Service representative

February 11, 2013 by allberry2001, posted in Main

Left from Rome on the train yesterday, that was the first (real) train I had ever taken anywhere. It was one of the hight speed ones ( 150mph – 241kph ) and I had so much fun. It had a restaurant and a bar car.
Florence it seems is a lot smaller the Rome and it has “town” feel to it but with a lot more tourism vibe. We did go out for a few even with the rain/snow and got a feel for where we would like to visit more once it warms up. Had lunch/wine at a small hole in the wall Muse Cafe and the food and wine were great, the owner runs the place and talked to us in between other customers.Five glass’s of wine and a sandwich $24 euro.