Day 2 in Rome - Wednesday 11 September

Another lovely day in Rome, with temperatures in the late 20s! We joined the Barrows at breakfast, and then headed our separate ways for the day.

David and I strolled down to the Piazza del Campidoglio on the top of Capitoline Hill and site of the Capitoline Museum, and used our Roma Pass to tour there for more than 3 hours. We started in the Palazzo Conservatori section and especially liked the special display about the amazing man, Archimedes - it was fascinating how clever he was (Leonardo da Vinci got ideas from his work) and how he met his demise.

 



We had some lunch at the museum (slices of tomato, olives and chunks of mozzarella for me, a bread roll for David, and we shared a fresh fruit salad. The views from the cafe terrace were great. Then we wandered further around the museum and down into the Tabularium (built in the first century BC to hold the archives of Ancient Rome). There were interesting displays on the way around but the views from here out over the Forum Romanum were fabulous, and sad to think that this was where Julius Caesar was murdered! Also incredible to think that this was where the Roman Empire was run from.

From this area we made our way to the second section of the museum (Palazzo Nuovo) where we saw more displays, including the statues of the 'Dying Gaul' and the 'Capitoline Venus'.

Next we followed Rick Steve's guide book advice and took an easy route into the interesting Santa Maria in Aracoeli Church, and then around the back of the Victor Emmanuel building where the views over the city were great, but even better when we rode the elevator right up to the top of the monument - fabulous!

 

We wandered back down towards the Capitoline end of the Forum, passing the replica of the She-Wolf statue feeding Romulus and Remus, and filling our water bottles at one of the many water spouts/taps/fountains around Rome (this particular one is called 'il nasone' ('the big nose'). We'd made good use of these water supplies yesterday, too. Walking in the heat is thirsty work, and the water from these taps is amazingly fresh, cold, and does not taste of chemicals.

We decided to use our Roma Pass for our second free museum, at the Colosseum. Even though we visited there in 2009, we went again, bypassing all the queues. Mind you, we did end up having a frustrating time queuing for audio guides, and wishing we hadn't hired them. But we got there in the end, and marvelled at the information about this incredible building and what went on there.

By now it was 4:30 pm and we needed to have some refreshment, so we headed over to a cafe at the bottom of the street we're staying in, and I ordered a lemonade and some ice cream. David ordered a giant 1 litre beer (that I thought he'd never be able to finish) and shared my ice cream.

Then we hobbled back to our room and freshened up for dinner with Jan and Steve. I couldn't face hopping on a train to get across town and then walking the rest of the way to the fabulous gluten free restaurant I'd found yesterday, so we found a nice little local cafe. Now we're back in our room, all packed and ready to head by train to Naples in the morning, and transfer from there to Amalfi.

Day 1 in Rome - Tuesday 10 September

Our accommodation at the Locanda Colosseo is small but comfortable (I chose it from booking.com reviews), and conveniently located on Via Cavour, very close to the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, Trajan's Column, and the Victor Emmanuel Monument. There is a Metro stop nearby and the huge Termini Station is a 15 minute walk away.

When we were dropped off, we went in the entrance to the building, and tried to work out where the B&B was. There was one of those really old lifts where you have to shut all the doors and you can see out of the metal cage as you ride, and we went up to the first floor. We had a friendly welcome by a staff member.

After we'd settled into our rooms (facing the street on Via Cavour, but with shutters to cut out the street noise) we wandered out to find the Metro for Jan and Steve so they could catch the train to their early Tour of the Vatican Museum the next morning. Then we sat down and caught our breath over some cold drinks, before heading out for a walk further afield to get our bearings and find somewhere for dinner.

Thinking things were closer than they looked on the map, I led the others past the excavations along the Via dei Fori Imperiali, around the Victor Emmanuel Monument, to an area near the Campo de Fiori.

  

 



I found a gluten free restaurant I'd seen recommended on Trip Advisor, and we enjoyed pizzas for dinner at Voglia Pizza. Initially thinking we'd share pizzas, the waitress convinced us that we needed one each... it turned out that they were huge pizzas. This restaurant had a full GF menu including pasta and dessert, but we were too full to enjoy anything more. I was quite awake, but the others were exhausted, Jan even falling asleep momentarily with her head on the table! Nevertheless, it was wonderful sitting at a table outside with the temperature still 28C (it had been 33C when we arrived in Rome). We fell asleep instantly that night, once we put our heads on our pillows!

For our first full day on Tuesday 10 September, we had a lie in, David waking around 6:30 am, but then sleeping in a further two hours and being amazed he'd slept so late. He obviously needed it! We went two doors along to the little cafe where we handed over the voucher from our B&B and were given breakfast - we chose coffee, juice, yoghurt, bacon and eggs. Then off we went, exploring.

My first priority was to check out the notorious Termini Station, to find out its layout, and the likely platform for our train to Naples on Thursday. We bought a Roma Pass that gives us unlimited train travel while we're here, free access to two museums, and discounted access to others. David bought a bottle of water at a little supermarket, noticing the price of DAS beer supplied in Countdown supermarkets was not very different to the local price here - amazing. We got some small change so I could have a Euro coin with which to access the public toilets (coin operated, no change given).

Then we caught the Metro to the Spagna stop, and had a proper look at the Spanish Steps (we'd only seen these at night during our visit in 2009). See if you can spot David (not Wally) in the photo.

Then we climbed to the top for some great views over Rome. We kept following the road that skirted around the Villa Borgese Gardens, and wandered into one section, coming out at Piazzale Napoleone I and spectacular views over Piazza Del Popolo and across the city to the dome of St Peter's.

As we walked down to the Piazza Del Popolo, we came across a museum exhibition (possibly the same as one we didn't get to see in Christchurch) about 'The Genius of Leonardo da Vinci'. It was excellent.

Then we wandered through the Piazza, through the arch/gate Porta del Popolo and into Piazza Flaminio. By now, David was desperate for lunch (it was around 3pm). The only food seemed to be pizza, no bread rolls or decent sandwiches where we looked, so (of all places) we ended up in Burger King where David had a wrap and I had a smoothie, and we shared some fries.

Next, we caught the train around to the Ottaviano stop, near St Peter's. We thought we might have another look inside St Peter's, but the queues were too long, and then it started to rain. The temperature had been a balmy 33C (but not unbearable at all).

I had also been looking for another highly rated GF restaurant, and found it just in time. We ducked in out of the rain and sat down for a drink. The menu looked good for GF, but it was too early for dinner. Then we headed back to the Termini on what were now very overcrowded trains. We gave up doing one transfer because the train was jam-packed, and walked the rest of the way back from Termini to our B & B, with the rain just beginning to set in more.

We collapsed back into our room and blobbed for an hour, had showers, did the inevitable laundry in the shower, and then shared a bottle of bubbly with Jan and Steve (gift from our hosts) before wandering out to find somewhere nearby for dinner. We ended up in an Argentine restaurant where the food was over-priced but we had a pleasant time (they also understood the 'sanza glutine'). Jan reported that the wind at home had blown in a window at their house, so we're wondering what things are like at our place.

Travelling from Christchurch to Rome - 8 & 9 September 2013

It was good to meet up with Sally, Salehe, Suzie and Rob at the airport (along with the Rattrays who were seeing them off). It was amazing to think that, out of a whole plane, we were sitting in the same row as Sally for the flight. They're heading off to Africa and Salehe's home town of Tanga where they are continuing work from their last trip, building Sally's community house to help the local people.

After a good flight, a lovely gluten free meal (that was vegetarian, as well as minus anything that looked like dairy) and a bumpier touch-down than any I've had in Wellington, we had a three hour wait until the long flight to Dubai. Coffee was off the menu, as there was no way I wanted to compromise any chance of sleep. We were all exhausted from all the stress of getting ourselves away on this trip. It had taken about an hour in the air before I felt myself relax slightly, and half a glass of wine helped even more. I have to say I was not feeling excited yet, with the prospect of a 14 and a half hour flight to Dubai.

Before we boarded our flight to Dubai, Sally gave each of us a Bowen Therapy on our calf muscles - amazing, we were so lucky!

It was a shambles boarding at Sydney with no speaker system working. For the long flight, Jan's TV system wasn't working, so somehow we all got a couple of gourmet chocolates each by the crew to make up for it.... I watched the first half of 'Monsters University', but found the background aircraft noise enough to make hearing difficult, so didn't finish, and I had a few mindless games of 'Ticket to Ride'. David watched three movies. Over a period of about 5 hours, we got some good snatches of sleep, with interruptions, but I felt better after that, than when I had boarded the flight.

I had the same GF meal as out of Christchurch, except fish instead of salmon. My 'midnight snack' was two slices of thick, dry GF bread with lettuce, Aussie tomato, cucumber and a slice of salmon which made it barely palatable. The breakfast of scrambled eggs, mushroom and tomato was better, and included (surprisingly) a yoghurt - up until then everything else had been lactose free. There was even strawberry jam to put on the two rice crackers that I received with each meal instead of bread!

Salehe came for a visit to our section during the flight and said they'd had an awful flight because of crying children - we had been really lucky. With about an hour to go before arriving in Dubai, a message came over the intercom asking if there was a doctor or nurse on board - that sounded worrying. And sure enough, when we caught up with Sally and Suzie at Dubai airport after disembarking, they told us that an elderly man in the row just across from them (another of those coincidences) had appeared to have a heart attack. Sally had given him an external dose of Rescue Remedy, and both she and Suzie had offered support, limited by the rules the staff had to obey. He recovered quite well, but two hours later he got worse again and that's when they had asked if a doctor was on board (there was, and they took over). Very sad and scary, and Sally looked absolutely shattered. We hoped to catch up with her again before we left for Rome, but didn't manage to. I hope she got some sleep before heading to Daris Salam... And I hope they are safe while they're there.

The flight out of Dubai to Rome was announced on board as leaving on time, but for some reason it was nearly 20 minutes late. Nevertheless, it was a good flight, and my meal (as it always is out of Dubai) was so much better. Another fish dish, but with a sauce, other interesting flavours, and even a chocolate mouse and a chocolate. Sounds silly to get excited about it, but those of you who are gluten free will understand why I talk about the meals, and get excited about a dessert other than fruit salad!

The six hour flight to Rome was good. I noticed that we didn't fly over Syria, but skirted around the edge. I had a solid hour and a half sleep as we flew between Istanbul and Italy - this set me up well for our arrival and first evening in Rome. David was able to catch some sleep too, even after the air hostess spilled tomato juice all down the side of his lovely Kathmandu shirt, and jeans - agh! It's seemed to wipe out pretty well, thankfully.

Customs in Rome was interesting - it basically doesn't exist! They give (literally) barely half a glance at our passports, and there's no mention of what you should declare. You just collect your bags and walk out!

We found the driver that I'd organised with our Bed and Breakfast/Hotel, and were quickly on our way into Rome. Yes, QUICKLY - this guy put his foot down and went for it, right up the back of any car in front of us, jamming on the breaks a few times (with us and four heavy suitcases in the back. Jan was freaked out, Steve was bemused, but David and I knew you just had to trust that it would be OK. And, sure enough, before we knew it, we were at our accommodation at the Locanda Colosseo B & B!