Sarah, our house/pet sitter to be calls Cynthia at 1:45 in the morning but we get some sleep. Our taxi was waiting at 7:40 as requested. Freenow is a mobile app for calling official white taxis.

Driving to the train station we get a quick tour of many sights including the old Roman city.

The train station is very modern and large. Even an FAO Schwartz store. We find a place where we can sit while awaiting our track number (there are 24 main tracks and some others on another level.)

Once we know where we need to be we go through the security gates. Only ticketed passengers beyond this point.

Luckily we are in the first car so we do not have to walk far. Free coffee and biscuits but no tea.

We ride for about an hour before we begin to see vineyards, and after another half hour,we arrive in Florence where Darrel and Nora join us. We had booked assigned seats so that we can meet on the train.

At Venice-Maestre station we get off the train and use Google maps to find the Sixt car rental shop. The man who helps us get a car is the nicest and most helpful car-rental agent we have ever met. It took a while to do it all but we got a Morris Mini Countryman. It is perfect. David immediately drives over a curb attempting a u-turn but gets used to driving pretty quick. We take a long and scenic and sometimes rainy drive to Ortisei.

We arrive about 6. Dinner starts at 7. Perfect. Because we made our reservations separately they have assisgned us to separate tables and it cannot be changed tonight. Ditto for breakfast the next morning. But the Negronis flow, the Brunello is sufficiently aged and the food is wonderful.