Best Cab to the Airport Since Ever - September 25, Venice

Waking up on September 25 was bittersweet. It would be our last morning in Italy, but after 10 days of Italian culture and new experiences, we were getting ready to return to the familiar. 

Having breakfast changed those feeling a little. If we stayed a thousand days, I don't think I would have tired of the food.

We walked around our hotel's block after breakfast in a final attempt to savor the city. She was quiet and free of day trippers, and the narrow streets and merchants were awaking and readying themselves for another busy day.

After some debate, we decided to hire a private water taxi to save time on what would be a very long day of travel. Bonus: We were also able to view Venice one last time from the water, and felt a little like movie stars!

Our hotel, like most other Venetian businesses and accommodations, had direct access to a canal. The motorboat simply pulled up to our hotel's back door, and we were instantly on our way to the airport.

Seeing Venice from the water in the early morning was a sight I'll never forget.

Riding in style, back to the States.

Real Venetian blinds!

Goodbye, Venice.

Video: There's no taxi like a water taxi in Venice. 

Once we were free of Venice's narrow canals, our captain put the pedal to the metal and we were flying across the waters. Venice became smaller and smaller in the distance. 

In about 30 minutes, we arrived at the Marco Polo Airport. Our water taxi captain expertly maneuvered the very long boat into one of the airport's piers, and we began following the signs to the airport's main entrance. We arrived with plenty of time to catch our flight. I made a mental note to put wine-openers in checked luggage after security confiscated a corkscrew from my carry-on. (D'oh!)

Before long, we were on the plane. We settled into our seats, joking with the younger guy next to us that the airline must have sat the three youngest people in the same row. 

Seriously. There wasn't a single kid on the plane, and almost all of the adults were retirees. Brendan thought I was the youngest person on the flight. 

Another 9-hour flight passed, and we were in Philadelphia, clearing customs and immigration and switching our money back like expert travelers. 

As soon as our phones had service in the Philly airport, I listened to a voicemail from my Dad saying my sister had gone into labor earlier that day. I told my mom I would call as soon as we were in Seattle. 

She had the baby while Brendan and I might have actually been flying over the Midwest.

We left Italy as Brendan and Heather. We touched down in Seattle as Uncle Brendan and Auntie Heather, with lots of new experiences to share with our nephew in the future. 

Not a bad way to end the trip. 

"Welcome back, Uncle Brendan and Auntie Heather!"  - Carl John Landau, born 9/25/2011.