From Bologna to Florence

When I wake up the next morning, partially in the interest of avoiding my new "friend" Mike for a few days, and paritally because the weather was rainy and terrible for additional sight-seeing, I decide that I will in fact take the whole day to make the short, one-hour trip to Florence. I'm tired, the constant travel is starting to wear on me, and my whole body could just use the rest.

I wake up early so I can shower and try to pack all the presents I bought into my ever-expanding bag. I am only semi-successful before I have to go to "breakfast." I take a break to go eat my crunchy roll and make-shift cappuccino and guess who's in the common area? My 19 year old puppy. I say hello, follow up on his pizza experience from the previous evening, and then choose a seat on my own - a few tables away from him and the Argentinian girls.

Apparently this was non-verbal behavior for: come over here, tussle my hair and sit down with me. Augh. (Hair tussle? Really? Uh, invasion of my space!) Inevitably the conversation turns to "the plan for the day" and I tell him I've decided to head to Florence today. He looks at me shocked and says, You jerk! To this I reply - Why am I a jerk? I've already seen Bologna, it's a terrible day to be walking around, and I'm ready to move on. He says, You're going alone? And I say, Well Mike, I've managed these three weeks before I met you on my own, I think I'll be alright. He's miffed, but gets over it instantly. Perhaps he has realized I'm not clingy?? I don't think so, but one can only hope.

The rest of the day went smoothly, other than a tiny mishap with my bus ride to the train station (remember earlier when I said the bus stopped at the main station and I followed the Swiss dude to the tracks - yeah that was my plan, only the bus didn't stop at the station. That must have been the "strike special." When I noticed we were leaving Bologna and getting near the freeway, I dinged the "let-me-off-now bell" and crossed the street for the next bus going the opposite direction. Yeah, it took me over an hour to make a 15 minute trip. Arg. At least it was the middle of the afternoon and I was in no particular hurry. Those are ideal conditions in which to be lost). Once I finally made it to the train station, I booked my ticket, made it to Florence and even found BOTH the TI and the hostel with no problems. I just might be getting the hang of this...