code: def _get_instance(self):
          
          try:
              instance = self.compute_driver.ex_get_node(
                  self.running_instance_id,
                  zone=self.region
              )
          except ResourceNotFoundError as e:
              raise GCECloudException(
                  'Instance with id: {id} cannot be found: {error}'.format(
                      id=self.running_instance_id, error=e
                  )
              )
  
          return instance
docs: Retrieve instance matching instance_id.