Led to be lost, in peace and time.

by Mary Louise Mitchell (United States of America)

A leap into the unknown Italy

“Meet at the Orange Taxi Sign”. That was the only email my Step-mom Angie had sent me regarding our very separated flights we had planned for meeting in Rome, Italy. She had gotten there a week before me to visit Padua and Florence with her longtime travel buddy. I was into the idea of having no internet or phone service to actually communicate, and speaking no Italian, I was still confident in finding that Orange Taxi Sign. The plane lands at Fiumicino airport right on time, and I make my way with my carry on and especially bright red suitcase to the outside area. I like to leave space for what can be and what may come back with me, so minimal baggage is a requirement in my book. You might think a guidebook would also assist in this quest, but I’m forever united with not knowing what in the world is going on, as I explore the world. After popping outside one wrong door, I am led down to where the Taxi line is. Behold, a quite astute Orange Taxi Sign. I cheer for myself in mild excitement, as I see many men posted with guns abound nearby. A nearby stand with a caprese panini along with some mozzarella and prosciutto kept me occupied, after I’d noticed I could wade by a table and watch her appear in shock to not see me, as she was not there right on time. Knowing the best joy of travel is lack of awareness of time as it’s happening and passing, I figured it was fine she hadn’t made her way there just yet. With patient delight, I ate all of what I never expected to be so intoxicating for airport food. 20 minutes had passed. Was she lost? She had gotten here a week early to begin her romance with Italy much before I. Could she not handle a simple direction she had given quite clearly? I waited outside after 30 minutes, still not too concerned, but knowing that perhaps my mischief to surprise her in a foreign country with no way of telephoning or texting her might be too much. Personally, I prefer to be lost in a city. Nevertheless, over 40 minutes are clocked and suddenly, she’s here! What a reunion. We took a photo to celebrate the successful mission of reuniting halfway across the world. It is at this time that she reveals to me our next plan and where we are heading to. She spoke of a wonderful place called Levanto, as well as Cinque Terre. We start to make our way to the fast trains, back into the airport, as we realize we need to start running fast. I never anticipated running from train to transferring train, as she had booked ahead of time these timeframes for us to board and the tickets for us to jump each train. Pro tip: Never do that if you need to get somewhere. Just buy a ticket and then board. Though there was a kind of excitement in successfully getting on the train just in time to be on our way to what seemed to be never-ending transfers. 8 trains later, and we are in the Ligurian region. We finally are on a train moving through Cinque Terre, the handful of connected towns she has brought us near to explore and hike from. What became the highlight of my first date with Italy was the town of Levanto. Hidden but a few train stops North from Cinque Terre, hiding behind Olive and Pine tree’s. At first glance, getting off the train, it seemed nothing like Cinque Terre. The town gave off a feeling of nostalgia and preservation. It must have been my encounter with the Medieval Castle that still stands proud and untouched, guarding the town as if ancient pilgrims were still finding way to the next landmark. Staying in a space only 10 minutes from the train station, and with it in full sight, the feeling of every new day came to pass by like a fresh train. No chaos of the city here. A feeling, a rush, of a place I couldn’t wait to feel lost in.