Well, today we have to head back home. I've really enjoyed this trip and feel quite relaxed. However, the trip back is always exciting as well...
We took a little van back to the airport, along with several other people from our tour. We get to our terminal, go inside and check in at the counter. Now, it's time to turn in our VAT forms as well as spend the last bit of Lire. Find the VAT counter and are told we have to go to a different counter first, which was right next to them. We go to that person and we are told that since we aren't leaving the country directly from Italy (we're flying to London first), that we can't do the VAT thing there, we have to do this in London.
Not much else to do but go to our gate. Of course, the flight is delayed quite a bit so we sit and wait some more. Finally board the plane and head to London.
We arrive in London and are already running late for our flight so we try to get through the customs line as quickly as we can. Once through, we have to run to our plane--no chance to file our VAT forms. I'm not a happy person and am grumbling to myself as I board the plane. Must have grumbled out loud--the flight attendant asked me what was wrong. I tell her about not having time for the VAT and how the whole VAT thing is all a scam. She just laughed and said "Yeah, you just figured that out?" Grrrrr. She did say that we can take care of this when we land in Boston.
Long flight back though I must have dozed most of the way. I know I watched the movie though I couldn't even tell you what movie it was.
Finally land at Logan Airport in Boston. It's a mad rush to get luggage so we decide to take care of the VAT issue first and THEN go get our luggage. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way and we're sent back to get our bags first. We finally see our luggage, grab them and run back to the VAT line, which is now getting pretty long. Here's the part that nobody tells you about---in order to get your VAT refund, you have to pay Duty first. In other words, YOU don't really get the money back, you just change which country gets the money! So we pay the duty and get our VAT forms stamped and head home.
That week, I mailed in the VAT forms and to this day (August 28th), I have yet to see my refund. I've been told by several people that it will most likely take around 9 months to a year to receive the refund. Lovely. My best advice is to forget the whole VAT thing.