trip of the year

Sunday, March 1 was in Burnsville, N.C. for a birthday party. Started snowing that morning, Tamalyn, her friend Mary Jane, Owen (baby) and me where in the car.The plan was to stop at Ikea in Charollette, than drive me to Raleigh airport, where I stay in the Days Inn and take the plane Monday morning to start my trip.
Stopped in Ikea, when we came out in was snowing heavy and getting dark. The roads were slippery and traffic slow. Owen started crying, we were out of his soy milk. Got off freeway in the middle of nowwhere and there was a Target store that had the exact milk needed!
Still driving very slow, snow getting much worse, cars sliding off road, accidents etc. Than the drivers wiper blade gets caught in snow and falls off on highway. We pull off the Interstate to try to find a place to get a wiper blade. Come to a quick stop gas station they don’t have any. Noticed a parts store a block away, went there it was closed, it was Sunday night. I walked to the side of the store to urinate, then I noticed a trash can. I looked inside and there were 2 new wiper blades, still in the boxes! We went back to the quick stop and the guy put it on.
After 10 hours from when we left Burnsville, finally dropped me off at the Days Inn at Raleigh airport. The next morning I went to airport early.There I found out my flight was cancelled because of the snow.
Spent all day Monday March 2, at airport trying to get a flight out, none were available. I called the Days Inn about a room, now they wanted twice as much as the night before! I got a room at the Microtel for a lot less.
My flight the Tuesday March 3 rd was to leave at 6 AM, I put a wakeup call in for 3:30 AM. I went to bed at 10:30 pm. At 1:30 AM Delta called telling me about the itineray I already have. At 2:30 AM alarm goes off in motel saying it is a monthly check of their emergency system! I could not get back to sleep.
I got to airport at 4:30 AM, checked in, flight was delayed an hour, because they had a problem with the Jetway. Arrived at JFK at 9:30 AM, had to walk off the plane in 10 degree temperature, wait for my gate checked bag, no jet way at the part of JFK. Then had to walk outside from terminal 3 to terminal 1.
Could not check in to my flight to Rome, because Alitalia counter does not open till 1 PM. The flight was full of Italians and Italian-Americans, even though it was all reserved seats, it was a mad rush when they started to board. The flight was great plenty of room, good food and drink, lots of room. I was ALMOST FIRST CLASS only 5 rows back of first class! One of the lavatories, the door would not lock!
Arrived in Rome 1 hour ahead of schedule, took a cab to Ciampino airport. Cab ride expensive.Was able to get on Ryan Air flight that left at 9:30 AM arrived in Trapani at 11 AM, instead on 9PM. The cost to change time of flight was expensive.
The airport scene at Ciampino was amazing,hundreds of people all trying to save money on the cheap flights. They were trying to make sure their carry ons would be small enough, so they would not have to pay to check them in. All fighting to get on plane first, because of open seating, no jetways just outside stairs, people running across tarmac.