Well hey,
The travels have recommenced, and the internet has once again become accessible
(well in Rome anyway) - so let the stories begin...
Right now the big wide world doesn´t seem quite the friendly place of adventure that it once appeared as far back as Monday. I always remember being in Glasgow when the Lockerbie happened (a bit too close for comfort), and well, we´ll always remember being in Rome when the awful tragedy in the States hit. Unbelievable. Have met a lot of freaked fellow travellers - Americans especially. Who knows whats going to happen now.
On a cheerier note, we set off from our beachside home of the last 3+ months on Monday morning, having enjoyed a luxurious last week kicked off by Col´s 26th anniversaire (my age at last!), in one of the mobile homes (YAY! running water! YAY! toilet and shower! YAY! big fridge!) and the luxurious company of not only Paula and friends but also Bridge, Iain and Karen. So a great note to finish on, and nice to share our coin du monde with some pals (having had the Nicols out in early August too).
We caught a taxi, bus, TGV and Sleeper train from Paris to Rome, arriving bright
and bushy-tailed on Tuesday morning (in the same time frame as it took
some fellow Antipodean backpackers to fly in from Seedney!). To be quite honest,
the sleeper experience wasn´t all we had it cracked out to be... we were
envisioning a cosy little private couchette, and had even packed a nice bottle
of french red to celebrate the start of adventures ahead. As it turned out it
was more rundown than the trains in China (with one huge exception: useable
toilets) and we got to share a six-couchette closet with a grumpy priest, a
shy nun and two French gals. Eh well.
Rome has put on some splendid sunshine for our days of exploration. On Tuesday we saw the Colosseum - looking all rebuilt and less-old (but I´m no conservation architect, so will not cast my opinions) and wandered up through the Roman Forum and up to the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps. Yesterday we went to the Vatican, and who was there to meet and greet us in St Peters Square but the Pope himself - addressing the huge crowds and condemning the terrorism in the States. We followed the maze of Vatican museums through the the Sistine Chapel and went right up the dome of St Peters Cathedral for the amazing views of the city, and John Paul´s own back garden (complete with Vatican railway station).
Today we went to the Pantheon which we were well impressed with - the hugest
dome, and real Asterix Roman columns. And we walked along the Tiber nd
through Circus Maximus which was a bit of a dump rather sadly, and then up into
the Palatine hill (where Romulus founded Rome) and all its amazing ruins.
And then our legs ached and we rested.
Meanwhile, the food has been bellissima, and our Italian useless.
Tomorrow we catch the train to Naples where pizza and pasta are said to have been born, so we´ll just have to have some more. We are hoping to get to Pompeii at the weekend, then down to the Amalfi Coast early next week.
Then its Greece. Not so sure about Egypt at the moment - still very keen, but
kinda almost too close to the Middle East for our liking. Will see what
happens.
Anyway, this internet cafe is soaring to an all time temperature high, so I´ll be off then.
Hope all is well with you all.
Lots of love
Gail and Col