Day 116 - Cleared for departure

6 April 2022

I am reading yesterday's post. So many errors. I won’t change them. They will be a reminder to not post after drinking.

Blue skies. Rain forecast. Drop the washing at the laundry and head to the new regular for coffee. I am in a bad mood. I drank too much yesterday and slept poorly. Shell has decided the best remedy for my condition is to annoy me. So far it isn’t working.

“But I am very poorly today & very stupid & I hate everybody & everything. One lives only to make blunders.” ― Charles Darwin

We head to Salvator Mundi and await Dr. Piperno. I doubt there is anything he could say that would prevent our departure. We get the all clear. He writes us a letter outlining the surgery, why we needed it, and the required rehab. This letter is all we have to justify overstaying our Visa. I hope it is enough.

Grab some lunch. There is a couple at the table next to us. They are fighting. No raised words. Much tension. He grabs the keys and a backpack as her lunch is delivered and walks away. She eats alone. Afterward, she is sitting there staring at the ground. She is the only person at her table and the place is busy. Teenagers start sitting at her table. Finally, she is surrounded by half a dozen young people. She heads off. I am reminded of Indian mynah’s. The way they swamp a tree branch another bird sits on until it is harassed to leave.

“Now something so sad has hold of us that the breath leaves and we can't even cry.” ― Charles Bukowski

Home and we have all our panniers inside ready to repack. It has been six weeks since we last used them. Cold weather gear has been sent home and we have a few summer shirts for the weather ahead. We will repack them tonight. I can’t be bothered right now. We read our books instead.

We grab a thank you gift for a host and a farewell Aperol from the tea shop. Pick up the laundry and home to pack the panniers. We are ready to go. The trains tomorrow are complicated. The reason we have not seen bicycles at Termini station is that they are not allowed. We will ride to Roma Prenestina and catch a train to Tivoli. From there to Pescara. A change and on to Bari. The next evening on the ferry to Albania. Hopefuly.

“Scientists peered into data and concluded that we should all be worried.” ― Bret Easton Ellis

Read. Finish the book. Bed.