i go 2 bed saturday morning @ 2am + wake up @ 5:30am… we are on the bus by 6:30am… we are @ the milan airport a little after 7am… we fly 2 rome… we arrive late… 2 alitalia stewardesses are waiting 4 us + rush us 2 the next flight which is being held 4 us…

once we are in the air we celebrate making the connection, but bondo says: there is no way they transferred our luggage + equipment in that short time… unfortunately he is right… we arrive in palermo around 1:30pm… it’s very hot + dry – like las vegas, nevada… no luggage… some of us leave 4 the hotel, but i wait w jon, kevin + bondo until after 4pm…

still no luggage… on the way out of the airport jon + i are singled out by the carabinieri + taken 2 a room where we are told that nothing will happen (!) if we give them any hashish or weed we have on us, but if we don’t give it 2 them + they find it we will be in big trouble…

so they search my carry-on bag + guitar case + jon’s bag + let us go… we drive 2 the hotel… of the 12 pieces of luggage + equipment we checked in milan, 11 are found + delivered 2 the venue by 8:30pm… my suitcase is missing… i arrive w the band @ 9pm… 3,000 people have taken their seats already… we do a quick soundcheck… i ask the promoter 2 explain 2 the crowd that the delay wasn’t our fault, but he doesn’t think that’s necessary… i do think it is + ask my friend craig, who speaks italian quite well, 2 explain the situation… he does + we begin the concert a little after 9:30pm… the audience is wonderful… after the show, the others choose 2 have a really late dinner after midnight + i go 2 the hotel 2 sleep a full 7 hours 4 the 1st time this week….