|
|
|
In Chicago, we ate a quick hot dog with all the trimmings and then boarded the big 767 for the 9-1/2 hour flight to Roma. Kathy had made the reservation with American Airlines and she had been checking the seat assignments for weeks. At last check, it appeared as if the final unbooked seat was the one between the two of us. So we were pretty sure it would be a full flight in coach. When they finally the closed the doors, however, a miracle! The middle seat was open. We were still afraid someone would decide to switch to it (like the big tall guy with size 14 shoes who had a mysterious metal box where his feet should have gone), so Kathy put an empty barf bag on her lap and managed to look green. Nobody wanted the seat after seeing that.
After wine and dinner and more wine, Kathy and I took turns lying down in the seat and trying to sleep. Occasionally, someone would walk by and say, "Well, they must have bought that middle seat. How else could that be the only open space on the whole plane?"
Dinner and wine were followed three hours later by breakfast and coffee. When you're flying East at 1,000 Kph, nighttime is short.
Return to beginning of the Italy tour