We enjoy some pasta at a local restaurant. By the time we are finished we can barely keep our eyes open, so we return to the hostel to get a decent nights sleep. The three of us share the two single beds, and it works surprisingly well. The things you do when you backpack!
In the morning the cold I managed to catch on yacht week is steadily becoming a throat infection. Rather than let it get worse I decide to find the nearest pharmacy and pick up some antibiotics. I have a discussion in broken English with the lady at the counter. She hands me what I need and asks for three Euro. How simple and easy! I race back to the hostel where we are all stressing about being ready in time for our tour. We zoom downstairs, well when I say zoom it is more like an awkward struggle at a modest pace. The elevator is about the size of my body, so to squeeze in there with a bag and then endure the slow declince down to reception is not a quick nor easy task. We check out and scoff down some breakfast. We then realise our clocks are set an hour behind and we have plenty of time on our hands. Duh. So we play the waiting game again.
At the correct time of 10:15am the guide arrives and after the introduction the tour begins. I strongly recommend getting a tour as the information you learn along the way makes site seeing even more enjoyable. We wander around ancient churches, the Spanish steps, the Trevi fountain, beautiful monuments and finally the Collussium.
Over the course of the day we have made a small group of friends within the tour group. The eight of us decide to grab some lunch before exploring the Collusium. We sit down at a lovely little restaurant and enjoy plates of pasta, pizza and salad. After lunch we go back and explore the ruins. It is so surreal to be here. I wander down to where the ancient floor would have been and gaze up at the magnificence that once was. I am over joyed to be here, it is an amazing feeling. Thousands of years before me this arena would have been packed with spectators about to watch someone standing exactly where I stand, about to walk out and fight to the death. I can't imagine how the gladiators and slaves of the time would have felt walking out into the grand arena, knowing that their fate lies in the hands of one man.
After a full day of site seeing we head back to the hostel to get our bags and check into the new hostel, yellow, which is just up the street. Everyone agrees to meet us there at 9pm for dinner and drinks. The plan is to have a quick nap but in the time it takes us to find the hostel, check in, get to the train station to buy tickets to Florence, get back and get ready it is time to get downstairs for a drink. Kendyl and I are ready slightly early so we get ourselves a drink and sit down outside our busy little hostel to mingle with fellow travellers. It is definately a very social hostel.
After one drink we are happily giggling away like little school girls. By the time our friends arrive we have met so many people at the hostel that it is hard to leave. We agree to meet them across the road for dinner when we finish our drinks. When we finally arrive, they take one look at us and send us to 'the naughty corner', which is a two seater table behind them. The waiter decides he likes us and our feeble attempts at Italian. Apparently speaking English with an Italian accent and using hand motions doesn't count as Italian? We receive priority service, much to the disgust of our friends, and also a free shot of lemon cello to top it all off. We pay our bill and head back to the hostel to dance, have some drinks and witness an Olympic battle of beer pong! I feel like we are in an American college movie - I have to admit, the experience is pretty fun.
The hostel has no aircon so after about half an hour our makeup has evacuated our faces and our hair is slicked back with sweat. We party with the hostel goers for the few hours, and then decide we are hungry. I raid the kitchen with one of the bar staff and prepare a nice healthy feast of pasta, pizza and potatoes for our group. Everyone hoes in and it's a great way to finish the night.
The next morning we check out and stagger our way downstairs. We order breakfast and join some of the backpackers we met the night before. Once breakfast is finished we we once again wheel our bags to the train station and store them while we head off to explore the Vatican. We have been informed prior to departure that we have to cover our shoulders, chest and knees, so we are equipped with maxi dresses and sarongs. We reach the Vatican and after being warned of huge lines, are very greatful to see there is only a couple of people before us and the wait is not long at all.
Once inside the church I am struck with awe, it is absolutely beautiful. Amazing and precise detail lines the church from floor to ceiling. No inch goes without astonishing attention to detail and beauty. The sculptures are almost life like in their stances. Beautiful gold fills the church and lines the walls. The art work is breath taking. After seeing the amazing master piece of the church we leave to find lunch. We then find ourselves talked into another guided tour of the museum and sistein chapel.
The museum, it turns out, is where previous popes have lived and their high profile guests such as sculptors and artists stayed. We walk through Leonardo De vincis lounge room at one point-how amazing. After a wonderful tour we check the time and realize we need to get a move on to catch our train. We race through the sistein chapel, marvelling at the art work and taking a couple of sneaky pictures. We reach what we think is an exit - and then see the huge flight of spiral stairs. So the race to the station continues.
We make the station in time. The girls have a train half an hour earlier than mine, so I sit down and wait to see what terminal I need to board at. Apparently my train is not on the board and with fifteen minutes before departure I begin to stress! I decide to walk up and down the terminals to see if there are any trains going my way. I locate one that doesn't seem to be my train number - but it will do! I jump on and pain stakingly make my way through the cabins, boiling hot and there is no air con. Still not knowing if it is the right train I ask a nearby lady who doesn't speak English. From what I can gather, the train is going to Florence. I ask another man and he says yes - so I am starting to feel better. I walk and walk and walk and finally find a man who speaks little English but shows me to my cabin. My Italian mastery of the previous night would be very handy right about now! Finally I arrive, drenched in sweat to a small cabin with no air con. the cabin is filled with three old men who don't speak English. One helps me store my bag, I thank him and plonk myself down in a seat. I entertain myself with a book on Greek mythology. It is so fascinating and I love learning this new information. So as I sit, sweat running down my face and reading my book I take the time to relax. Soon I shall arrive in Florence (hopefully) where the fun task of finding the girls will begin and the next adventure of finding our bed and breakfast. Looking forward to a nice long sleep tonight!
# Living in Faith, Hope and Love
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