Isla’s IPad Was Last Seen 37km Away.

It was an early start and a 20 minute hike to the train station with our backpacks. We’re already looking to dump things to lessen the load we carry.Today we are heading to Italy. We will spend majority of our holiday in Italy enjoying the Italian summer. So no need for warm clothes and blankets.

Our train from Spiez to Milan is on time and when we climb on, we realise we are on the Swiss part of the train not the Italian. We can’t physically get to our seats as the train is split in 2. The conductor assures us and others that we can get off in Brig and race to the other part of the train. We are not the only ones. There are others who did the same. We meet an Indian family who are in the same boat. We all laugh when we get ready to throw ourselves and our luggage out the train. The Indian man yells “our time starts NOW”. When we climb on to find our seats, we see other people are sitting in them. Awkward! We had heard this might happen. The Italians waved their hands and spoke fast. Dismissing us. Mike stood his ground and showed them our seat numbers on the tickets. They moved.

We sat next to a Swiss couple who ended up chatting to us the entire ride. They wanted to see Australia but has genuine fears of all the deadly creatures. We didn’t share we’ve had more snakes in our yard than I can count on one hand. They asked to swap details. The guy said he wants to send us Swiss food. He said he can do it twice a year and declare it as a gift. Don’t stress Hilary, he’s not forwarding drugs. Just chocolate. Hopefully!

We got on pretty well with them and even Kayden joined in the conversation asking questions and in return explaining cricket and Aussie Rules. They told us they’d like to host us for a Swiss winter in their family ski cabin. We returned an invite to stay with us for a Perth summer at the beach. Isn’t travel amazing?? We became Facebook friends. We shall see!

We get off in Milan and transfer to our final train ride. It’s three hours long. Max and Isla sit in front of us and chat and giggle the whole ride. We notice Isla is getting more confident. No way she would have sat away from Mike and I just a week ago.

Our train runs along the coast past beautiful seaside towns. We fly past small bays with coloured umbrellas with people sun baking on rocks. Viva Italia!

As we arrive in Cinque Terre and our village of Monterosso we are immediately hit with a wave of heat, the smell of friend seafood and people in very little clothing. Everyone is wet from the beach.

We walk to the old village and it’s hot and busy. As we pass through a tunnel it starts to be less crazy and more and more beautiful. Welcome to Italy kids, it is like we’ve gone back in time.

We approach our air bnb and the host is waving to us from our balcony. She greets us warmly. The apartment is hot. I can feel sweat trickling down my back. She shows us around the apartment. She’s left a bottle of wine and breakfast muffins for us. The apartment is in the most amazing location. Right amongst the top restaurants and a hop from the beautiful beach.

As soon as she leaves we crank the air con. It’s ice cold. We are all on cloud nine. Until we discover Isla can’t find her iPad. Oh no. Where is it? Mike starts to swear. This panics Isla. I’m speaking to my parents via WhatsApp video for the first time. They tell me they’ll politely exit and let me deal with the unfolding drama.

Shit! Shit! Shit! Max yells out that Isla’s iPad is 36km away in a place called La Spezia. She’s left it on the bloody train. What do we do? We sit on the bed and try to lock the iPad, call that train station and google how to register a lost item. It’s panic stations as it feels like time is not on our side. We both start ranting at the kids that we’ve done everything for them. All they had to do was take care of their stupid devices!

Mike and I decide to race back to the station and hope we can communicate our problem to someone there. It’s sooo hot and my feet are still not used to my new Birkenstocks. We leave the kids in the apartment. Let them stew!! We take Kayden’s phone and realise we should have brought kayden with us. He’s more tech savvy at using the tracking.

At the train station it’s busy but we find some staff. We try our best to communicate the problem and show them the iPad on the “find my” tracking thingy. They make phone calls. We don’t hold much hope. The iPad could be on its way to Rome. They talk and talk and talk in fast Italian. Hands waving.

The young lady tells us the train we were on is actually heading back past us on the way to Milan. The tracking is slow to update and we see the iPad has moved. We stand and wait for the train to arrive. The staff tell us we can’t go on in case the train takes off, so we do our best to explain where it could be. The train pulls up and one staff member tries to hold up the train while two others jump on. We have a minute to get the iPad before the train departs

again. Success! They locate the stupid thing. I cry and say “grazie, grazie, grazie mille”, a thousand thank yous. “Prego” they respond, no worries.

We hug and joke we should have a drink and let the kids stew longer. But we return home. We’re hot and need to diffuse the situation at home. Isla is so relieved and apologises a thousand times. Crisis averted.

Our lovely host has arranged us dinner at a nearby restaurant. But first gelato! It’s everything we wanted. Max and I go make a booking at restaurante Ciak. The young Italian guy questions my surname over and over. Max and I don’t really know what to say. He doesn’t seem to believe we are Rossi’s. I don’t think my lack of Italian and his lack of English can explain I married a Rossi. Turns out Rossi is the most common surname in Liguria which is where we are.He probably wonders why we look the way we do and can’t speak Italian.

At dinner we ooo and ahh as we eat copious amounts of fried seafood with freshly squeezed lemon. Both popular in the region. We eat pesto pasta for Kayden, spaghetti vongole for a Max and I, ravioli for Mike and Isla who struggled with the menu choices was lucky enough to get spaghetti pomodoro with mountains of parmesan made just for her. My limoncello spritz is strong and Mike’s beer is cold. Our first night in Italy is drawing to an end but one more special moment is the entire village turning up to celebrate their patron Saint.

We watch on as they walk through the town singing and playing music. I find myself getting misty eyed. What a place to live. What a fantastic introduction to Italy for the kids. Max cannot

get over it all. He keeps repeating “this can’t be real”. It’s real my darling boy and your surname is Rossi! Run with it bello.