Roming Rome

October 15th -18th

My last destination in Europe. My initial plan for Italy was to travel from Rome, to Florence and fly out of Venice but my budget was getting low and I had India and Hong Kong to go before I hit Lao. So, in the beginning of my Rome trip, I wasn’t too eager to go but it turned out to be great.

My initial thought of Rome whilst on board the plane flying through the country looking from above was ‘Wow Italy is amazing’. We flew over dozens of mountains and valleys that appeared to be occupied by several little villages, it was a lovely sight. As the plane pulled into the airport it was a different sight.

As I got onto a shuttle bus to the train station.. the area did not look so clean. The train ride was easy and finding the hostel was pretty easy too but, the surroundings was pretty dirty.

My hostel was cool, free pasta for dinner every night! and the pasta wasn’t too bad although, we had the same pasta every night during my 3 night stay. Was also cooked by a stereo-typical looking old Italian lady.

Stayed in a 8 buck room but only got to know two cool girls from Adelaid, Melissa and Rebecca. They too lived and work in London for approx. 6 months and now - like me, are travelling around for the next 5 or so months.

We did all the tourist things during the day, visit the Colosseum and the Vatican. We enjoyed the pasta, pizza, foccias and gelateo for lunch and dessert. Actually, there wasn't much of a chose... every second restaurant was either a pizza and pasta shop or a pizza and pasta shop or gelato. The food well, I’ve had better pizza in Australia.

Pretty much walked everywhere from the Spanish Steps to the Vatican. We had a drunken night on Tuesday and missed seeing the Pope on Wednesday morning! Pope comes out and says hello at 11am every Wednesday and Sunday.

We also met a couple of Melissa’s friends who were actually staying at the same hostel! small world indeed! On our second and third night we went out to a bar at another Hostel and there, they had free pizza if you bought a drink! This is where we met Adrian, who too is from Melbourne. He was the barmen.


We met a couple of Melbournians and other travels on Wednesday night while we celebrated Melissa’s 24th birthday.

Overall, was happy I went to Rome and I was actually quiet sad leaving Rome almost cried - but, I didn't shed a tear which, was a big deal for me. Rome was cool but you could do Rome in perhaps 2 days. I miss Rome.