It goes like this. I had three hours sleep at most last night and I was worried I'd miss my flight if I didn't get up on time. So I had my two alarms set just incase I wasn't able to hear or feel the alarm. I put my phone under my pillow so I can feel it vibrate and then I have the alarm really low so I just hear it. I tried this out at home before I left and it actually worked. And it was good because it meant that my phone and wallet could only be in one place, and if it's under my pillow it'll be less likely to be stolen. That's a bonus. Everyone was saying but if someone steals my wallet they also steal my phone. True. But it's that large that I'll feel it and notice it anyway so it didn't bother me at all I think it was the safest option. How do I know? I was in Barcelona and I walked down La Rambla twice without having my wallet stolen. I was in the middle of a market full of stolen goods and didn't get my wallet stolen. By wallet I mean my actual wallet, my fake wallet wasn't touched either. My fake wallet is my old small wallet in which I put in my back pocket so it'll appeal more to pick pockets than my usual bulky wallet which the pick pockets should know I'd feel if it moved the slightest. But I'm slightly annoyed that it didn't get stolen the fake wallet. But if my real one did and my fake one wasn't then I'd be more pissed off. So inside the fake wallet was my Victorian Public transport card which has a photo because then it looks like a photographic ID card, an old VISA card which hasn't got any preloaded money and a sample AMEX cars. It looks real to anyone who didn't know because every card looks different and these have numbers on the credit cards.
But then today also marks the end of the phase for me being a solo traveler and I've moved into my next phase of going to visit my European family. It's the day that actually means I get to se family I haven't seen in 6 years, 16 years and most for the first time. Some I never knew existed. As I walked down Plaça. de Gracia this morning from my hostel to the aerobus (bus service to the airport) it hit me then. This part of my trip is over and the next just started. Whatever I've done for the past 28 days has been amazing, whatever I've done for the past 9 weeks has been incredible but whatever happens in the next 3 weeks is probably the most important for me. Blood is thicker than water and seeming as I haven't seen some family in years and some I've never met, it's going to mean a lot.
The flight was easy, I think about 30% was filled so I'm amazed that the flight wasn't cancelled at all. It claimed to be from 7.35am to 9.20 but we landed earlier but by the time I got my bag it was later. I got off the plane and to collect my bag and between baggage collection and the exit is a glass panel and all I could see was Zia Giovanna pacing up and looking out for me. I hadn't even collected my bag and it was 9.25am, she looked like she was worried about me not exiting. But I did. And she didn't recognize me. Tony, who I haven't seen in about 16 years recognized me and it didn't hit me that he was Tony. He kept saying he last saw me when I was 5, I thought he was joking. Then Zia mentioned Christina and that's when it all came back to me. Tony and Christina got married and came to Australia for their honeymoon. We had a dinner for them one night in the garage (as a good wog family does) and all I remember was Tonys purple suit. He hasn't actually changed at all in that time. Zio was lost, we couldn't find him in the airport and Zia was attached to me. But it was all good, it was to be expected.
Once we got back to their apartment block I went to where I'm staying, with my parallel grandparents, Zia and Zio. But that's all good, because the bed I've got is better than most I've stayed in during all of Europe. Probably not better than the Hilton but that's okay. Zia had a massive tray of lasagna ready to cook up and Tony was chatting to me in some English, German and Italian. It's a bit hard to have a full conversation but that's okay. Like mum said, all I need to know is "mangia". I actually freaked out when I saw a table setting for over 10 people but only 4 of us in the apartment.
In comes one cousin, another aunty, another and another. I met for the first time Joel (Jo-Elle for those non Europeans playing at home that need to know how to pronounce it) who is Tony and Christina's son. I saw Christina for the first time in 16 years and then Carmela and Carmelo for the first time ever. I hear so much about them and I've never met them until today and it's just amazing. Guiseppe, who is Carmela's son, so I guess my cousin, came along too. He and Joel speak English which is awesome but they're not exactly fluent but that's okay. It seriously felt like all we did was eat and eat but I loved it. Finally a home cooked meal!!! It's the little things in life that matter.
Then afterwards I needed to sleep once everyone left. Having only 3 hours sleep is a drainer. I slept for about 3 hours and felt kind of blegh and yuck but I needed it I think. When I got up for dinner, Guiseppe came and asked if I'd like to go out later with him drink drinks with his girlfriend as well. Seriously I've traveled this far, I'm up for drinks 24/7. Zio gave me a shot of something when I got there, I don't even remember if it was the morning or afternoon, that sleep ruined me.
Night came and so did the wifi password from Tony and thank god for that. I can only pick up wifi if I sand at the felt door of Zia's and stand only as far as two feet away from it. But that's fine. Tiny and Christina let me over to use their wifi in their apartment which was fantastic but I didn't want to use too much of it and be anti social. Which was good because they called me over to the kitchen for cake which was still warm. Warm cake is better than a warm toilet seat.
Later on I met Alina, Guiseppe's girlfriend. She seemed to blend into the family well, it makes me think how much my family here is so much closer than mine back at home. Not just physically as well, they're all pretty much in one apartment block, but emotionally. Anyway what I discovered is that Guiseppe is more like me than what my cousins back home are, by age, interests and such. But the best thing by far, both spoke English to me tonight, and their English is pretty good too. But the worst thing, we don't live together. What separates us is land and water for 16,000km. But what keeps us together are the Morello and Guarnaccia names.
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