We have been planning this trip for months, dreaming of it for years and now it was a matter of minutes before we finally landed in the Leonardo da Vinci airport.
I wiped my sweaty palms on my pants nervously as I looked out the thick window. There it was! As we came through the low clouds, I could finally see. This is a moment I will never forget. But as excited as I was, I was also nervous. Silly little fears kept creaping into my mind. I quickly pushed the fears aside and focused on this moment. I was actually about to step out of the plane and visit one of the most historical cities ever!
Once again a little fear gnawed its way into my party… how do you say “Where is the bathroom?” in Italian?
I thought back to the night before. I do not think I slept more than three hours. We had stayed up late in out hotel room talking about the trip and watching TV. This was the first plane trip for us kids, and as we watched the television, Dad stopped on a show called “Lost”. The show was about a plane crash. Kinda ironic… I was already a little nervous…
Back to reality… my dad leaned over and told me to look out the window. I saw the airport and all the people running around… wow! I can’t believe it! I sat straight up in my chair, gripped the armrests, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. I was finally here, in Rome of all places! As I opened my eyes, I saw the seat belt light blink off. Finally we were released from out prisons. What had only been hours had seemed like a lifetime of waiting. For the first time in a long time I looked around me and noticed many people. Some looked happy, some looked like they did this every day, but I can guarantee that no one in this crowd felt the same way I did at this moment.
We quickly exited the plane and made our way into the airport. I got my first whiff of Italian air as we walked down the walkway…hmm; it was very humid and hot, almost like walking into and indoor pool room. I loved it! We quickly made our way out the doors and waited for the car service. A little girl smiled at me as we waited. Then i realized that although we all speak different languages, we always have one thing in common, a smile. The car picked us up and we were on our way to the hotel. As we drove by, i saw a little glimpse of the Coliseum.
This was just the beginning of an experience that I will never forget. The beginning of a long dreamt fream. So many days crept up to this moment. I inhaled deeply… I was finally here.
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