Yes... believe it or not, our last full day in Italy was more unbelievable than those that went before it. Just when we thought we couldn't get into any scrapes worse than we had managed thus far, we found ourselves in the middle of the greatest scrape of our lives!
Our day began in an adorable hotel in Florence that we got for 40 euros a night! We headed to Pisa first thing in the morning. I have always wanted to see the leaning tower there. It's kinda one of those things that seemed to exist only in fairy tales or some make-believe land that doesn't exist. I just had to go and see for myself that it is for real. It is. =) We took a bunch of pictures, so now I can show everyone that it is real. =P
From there, we drove up the coast toward Genova, making our way back to Milan so we could catch our respective flights out of MXP (the international airport in Milan). We opted out of taking the Autostrade (pronounced auto strada) and instead took the smaller roads through the towns and countryside. It was a VERY picturesque drive (Tuscany is just GORGEOUS!), but it took us double the amount of time it would have otherwise taken. In the end, we got back on the Autostrade, hoping to make it to Milan before dark, or at least in time to do some shopping. =)
Just as we were approaching Genova, the view to the left of us was breath-taking! We HAD to pull over to get some pictures. The mountains along the Mediterranean Sea, with the quaint little villages in between... I just LOVED it! I had been getting out by myself, snapping pictures and jumping back in the car, but C got out and joined me at this particular spot so we could climb a slight incline and get a better view. We stopped just before a tunnel (there were LOTS of tunnels along that road!) and decided to take a picture of our car, sitting there on the side of the road. It looked so cute! We climbed up and took a couple of pictures. I got one of C and one of a single sunbeam shining on the water.
Then I turned to get another picture of our little rented Fiat, but it was not quite where we left it - actually, it was taking off down the Autostrade! At first I thought someone was stealing our car and everything in it (which included both our passports and all our IDs!), but it only took a second to realize there was NO ONE in the driver's seat! It suddenly hit me, "if no one is driving our car, then the car is driving itself and there is nothing controlling where it goes." I had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomache as I ran down the hill, screaming at the top of my lungs. Caught up in the beauty of the Italian landscape, we had forgotten to engage the parking brake! C and I watched in horror as two, huge, semi-trucks came barreling down the autostrade at 120 kph while our little car crossed two lanes of traffic. The truck drivers were obviously furious with the non-driver, who had just pulled out in front of them. They showed their irritation by doing the only thing they could - they blared their horns as they passed, probably cursing the non-driver all the while. Of course, our car ignored all of this. C and I, helpless to do anything, simply sighed in relief when both trucks managed to miss hitting and flattening our car right in front of us. Before entering the tunnel, little Fiat managed to hit the guard rail on the far side of the road, and came to a complete stop. There were no cars coming at that moment, so we ran to the car, hopped in, and took off.
Unfortunately, guardrails are not very forgiving, so while our car did not get smashed into little pieces by a semi, it by no means made it through the ordeal unscathed. The driver's door no longer opens and the rubber runner on the driver's door no longer exists (but it has been replaced by a very fashionable scratch/dent). Now I know this was bad - more accurately, the worst thing I have EVER managed to do, but there was still an element of humor in it all. We couldn't help it... we just HAD to laugh, and laugh we did. Every time one of us thought about those truck honking their horns at our driverless car, we'd start laughing again. I mean the damage was already done; there was no sense in crying about it (there will be plenty of time for that when the bill comes in!)... might as well get SOMETHING out of that huge expense. And THAT is craziest thing that happened during our short holiday in Italy (thankfully).
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