Italy vacation day #1

In retrospect, things could have been a lot worse.  Really and truly but today was a toughie.
We got to the airport with plenty of time and got checked in…not a single hitch, until boarding time.  Our plane was delayed 45 minutes due to what sounded like Pisa airport construction but I didn’t see any upon our landing….this was SO not a big deal.  We finally flew out and landed in Pisa.   Here’s where the fun began.  LOL
It’s hot in Pisa…near 90 with heat indices of ????  Yeah I know my Texan and Floridian readers are saying big deal.  We walked about an hour from the airport to our hotel.   I ended up carrying Emily on my back about half the way here.  They were not ready for us to check-in (we were early) so we  left our bags and got some needed lunch.  checked in a went to the bus terminal to get to Camp Darby (military base).  Here’s where we got hairy, skeery.  They didn’t understand where it was we wanted to go and we got on the wrong bus.  Finally the bus driver told us where we could get off to take a taxi.  By this time it must have been at least ten million degrees out there….ROTFLOL. 
We waited for the taxis to arrive…it was supposed to cost 14 euro per car and we needed two due to family size.  Tyler and I  took the two littles in the first car while dh waited with Garret and Courtney for a second taxi.  We were literally around the corner from Camp Darby….we could have walked there  during the time we waited for the taxi.  I paid the taxi and he told me it wasn’t enough….I had given him 15 euro.  I said yes, you told us on the phone it was 14 euro….and he said NO 40 euro…and proceeded to give me a hard time.  well I didn’t have more euro to give him..not enough at any rate.  Pat had the rest of the euro.  so I made him wait…he was ticked and so was i…..the second taxi arrived finally and Pat paid them after arguing with them and talking them down to 70 euro total.  This was almost $100  BTW.
we arrive at Camp Darby to find that things were closing and so we separated  for Pat to get us a ride back to Pisa and I took the kids to get groceries.  This was a bad idea….Pat and I had had “words” about the bus issue and the taxi issue and well, I was mad and so was he. 
When I finished grocery shopping, I got instructions for a free shuttle to Pisa from base leaving at 1915…couldn’t find Pat.  I thought he had LEFT me there alone with the kids….so I loaded them up and took the shuttle which was a “trip” to say the least.  He didn’t want to take me to the train station.  It was on his route so he did reluctantly and I didn’’t recognize a thing.  So I didn’t get off….and then we recognized the stupid bus terminal and he let us off there.  Crazy driver….German drivers are sooo much better and that’s a crazy thought in and of itselff but that is a conversation for another time.  seriously….LOL.
How many of you know how bad I am with directions.  HMMM…if you don’t, I am bad….we couldn’t find the hotel.  strange city, 5 kids, NO ONE speaks English, scared to death, getting dark and way past bed time.  Finally we got some ladies to show us where we were on my funky little map.  And from there Tyler and Garret got us to the hotel.  Where I fully expect dh to be and he wasn’t.  scary.  I had the hotel manager help me find the MP’s number on base, got hold of them and they had already been in contact with Pat. 
Needless to say, Pat is NOT talking to me.  sigh.  Tomorrow is a better day. ;-)