I say interesting not because i saw alot, well i did, but at least not in the morning. Let me explain.
I knew that my friends from Sydney who were Gappies in the UK were travelling and meeting me in Rome. I also knew where they were staying, because i was staying with them for two nights. I thought, seeing as the next day we were going to the Vatican to see the Easter service, it would be good to drop them a note and try and catch up with them. I tried all their mobiles, to no avail. The place they were staying had a dodgy phone and that also didnt work. And so i decided i would take the morning and go and see them, it wasnt too far, and quite close to the vatican and other things so i could go from there on the rest of my day. Good plan eh?
I read the instructions, catch the train to Cornelia, get off, catch bus #246 and get off right in front of the campsite. Easy. Simone dropped me off at the metro station. There was a crowd of people and i rushed to the front to see what was going on. All of the gates were closed and nothing really seemed to be moving or happening except people yelling and shouting at the guards. I looked inside the station and there were about 50 policemen, military and gaurds standing on the top level of the station. Just my luck, the only way into the city is cut off by a terrorist threat! Anyways, using my Ralph Guthrie taught ingenuity, i looked at my maps, and then decided that i had no idea, and hopped on the bus that everyone else was getting on. I looked for street names and landmarks the whole bus trip, and realised that i had got on the, as dad would say, 'scenic' bus route. But no worry, i knew where it would drop me off, and i would re-evaluate from there. I got dropped off, caught another bus to a station, got on the train and went to cornelia. A 25 minute metro ride had taken 1.40 hours. But that didnt phase me, this was an adventure, haha, i love the way i kept my spirits up for some reason! I found 246, it only went one way, so i was doing well. I knew the camping place was number 831 Via Aurelia, so i thought aurelia was a good stop to get off at. Little did i know, the bus ONLY went on via Aurelia! But i got off at this stop, looked around, and asked, what i got was: 'si, si, only tre kilomet up road'. Great i thought! So i waited for the next bus (25 minutes!) and got on. As soon as i got on, i was eyed by two shady characters in trenchcoats. Knowing better i put everything inside my jacket and zipped it up. They did run into me and try to steal my stuff, but i pushed them off, only to be insulted by a punk gang, who were down with the two Christopher Lambert looking gentlemen. Luckily, for my life that is, we were at the next Aurelia stop, and so i hopped off. I thought this had to be it! It was called Aurelia, and a couple of k from the last one. After 20 minutes of searching i asked a cop who said only 500 meters up the road. No problem right? The problem was the nice roadside path finished and turned into highway. However, a very shaggy dressed man carrying a bottle in a brown paper bag walked off the footpath and onto the highway, and so in a lame attempt to bring Hash House Harriers to Rome, i followed him. There is a great shot of me skipping down the highway, i think i posted it. But about 1 km later i finally saw the place, and crossed the highway (which by now was easy compared to walking on the 2 inch shoulder! Only 3 hours after having set off! Haha, yes it was an adventure!