Venice Airport

Well, I'm sitting here, looking out the window and waiting ...

Apparently there is fog at Dubai airport, that's why we are leaving late.

I'm more than happy to wait, I don't mind hanging around airports.  I'd much rather be four hours early than four minutes late!

Getting here was 'interesting'.

I left the hotel and walked to the water bus stop, waited there maybe ten minutes and the boat arrived.  There were two others waiting, they took their two miniscule cases and got on.  Sidenote - everyone here travels with the smallest size suitcase - carry-on size.  Everyone.  I have only ever seen one other person with a grande suitcase, and they were on the water bus to the airport!  I think European people must either only go on overnighters, or, are going somewhere where they already have stuff, because they aren't going for long otherwise!

Anyway - I get on the boat, drag my case across onto the boat and look down and there are five steep steps to get into the front of the boat.  They are so steep I can't see the bottom step.  The guy tying up the boat was talking to someone at the stop so he was not going to help me, and the driver just looked at me and said "You can't leave that here, you have to take it down there" I looked 'down there' and looked at him and asked if he would help me please. 
"You can't leave that here"
"I understand that, my case is heavy, would you help me please". 
"You can't leave that here". 
So, I start moving towards the stairs, holding on tightly and go down one step and turn around to get my case and he has got it and is pushing it into me!  I looked at him and said "SCUSA!!" which is about when he pushed the case on top of me.  I went down one more step, with the case pushed against me, and then a guy who was already on the boat came racing over and held the case while I got down the stairs then he bought the case down, then he turned around and gave the driver the biggest mouthful of Italian language I have never understood!!!

The driver went to his seat, picked up his phone and starts talking on it while the guy who tied the boat to the landing closed the door to the cabin and we took off.  All the while the guy who helped me was apologising to me for the drivers rudeness.  Nice Italian -v- Horrible Italian.  Nice always wins.

We get to the airport, Nice Italian helps me off the boat and gives the driver another mouthful while I walk off "grazie"ing to Nice Italian all over the place.  I get inside, find where I have to go, check-in then get to security.

I put my bags through no drama and as I am walking through the screener I hear the security man say to the security lady in Italian "That is a stupid dress, it is too long, it is dangerous, she will trip"
So I turned around and in Italian said "I understood what you said (he went red) and I think you are rude" then I picked up my things and walked away.  THANK GOD I didn't trip!!

I've thanked my coat for all its hard work over the past couple of months and dumped it in the bin, had a walk around the airport, had something to drink and am now sitting watching planes leave and people come and go.  It is almost 2pm so another hour and we will start boarding so I will kick back and watch a bit longer.