The Blog Mill

Cagliari. (pronounced Caliaree). I brought only a backpack of stuff to last me a week, and no pre-shave since it wouldn't make it through airport security. I did bring my razor, but opted not to use it. I just scruffed it out.

My stay in Cagliari went perfectly. An omen of good fortune for my final major trip (Italy) within a trip (Europe/Aix).

As you may recall, I departed Aix fleeing from my allergies.
As you may or may not know, I sleep through plane rides of less than 2 hours.
As I awoke, I discovered that my allergies were hardly bothering me.
Victory 1, Total Euros Saved: 0 €

My traveling companion, Kim, and I quickly happened upon the bus going to town from the airport. It appeared to be full, and our fears were confirmed when the bus driver waved us off. But then he pointed to the back of the bus, where we clambered aboard without paying (we had planned to pay at the front).
Victory 2, Total Euros Saved: 4 €

I thought I had sufficiently prepared for the trip, but as we were riding the bus into town, I realized that I didn't know where in town our hostel was. While chewing this over and scouring my reservation for directions, a fellow french youth, William (no really, not Guillaume) began talking to me (he in English, me in French). He was also going to our hostel, but he had even less info on where it was than I. But he had an iphone with wifi access. This technological coup and a friendly Italian cab driver who spoke neither English nor French joined forces to point us on our way, and we quickly found our way to our hostel without a hitch.
Victory 3, Total Euros Saved: 4 €

There was an unfortunately long and slow-moving line to check into our hostel. Finally, however, the second receptionist behind the desk decided to check people (us) in, and it quickly became apparent why he had only been helping earlier. In struggling to find our reservation, he never asked us for International Hosteling Cards, which we didn't have. I did not realize at the time, but this hacked three euros each off our travel expenses.
Victory 4, Total Euros Saved: 7 €

When I went in to my room, I discovered that I had been upgraded from the 6-person suite I had reserved to a two-story, 4-person suite (which is normally private). Moreover, only one other bed was taken (by a polite, unintrusive Italian), and the other two that I didn't take remained empty throughout the night (Yes, Kim slept in a different room, because at the time of reservation, Hostelworld claimed that there was only non all-female space open).
Victory 5, Total Euros Saved: 7 €, plus room upgrade

We got up dark and early in the morning (before 5 am) to catch our flight to our next stop. This entailed taking the first bus back to the airport. We arrived at the bus station about 10 minutes early, during which I only fretted mildly. Although, as far as we could tell, none of the buses were marked to go to the airport, there were other people waiting with baggage as well, so we weren't too concerned. However, when we tried to get on the bus, the bus driver asked us for our tickets (in Italian). Neither of us knew Italian, but we got the point. I hesitated for a moment before asking "Dove?" (where?), silently thanking all my high school friends who found it undyingly witty to ask this stupid question in any context.

The bus driver told me to go into that building over there, turn to the left, and ask under the window. I did so, and quickly returned with the needed tickets and boarded the bus.

I turned to Kim.
"Did he say that in English?"
"Say what?"
"Where to go to get the tickets?" I specified.
"No."
"You're kidding me..."

I understood what he said to a point that I didn't know what language he was speaking.
Super Victory 6, Total Euros Saved: 7 €, plus room upgrade