10 pm + 5 hours
I think I'm hungry.
We got back from Rome on the evening of the 24th so here is a little update about Rome.
At 3:30am a car picked us up for the airport. We flew Ryanair from Stansted airport. Ryanair is the cheapest thing possible with no assigned seats and no classes. Stansted is basically the commuter airport a little further out than Heathrow.
I decided not to sleep on Thursday evening since there was no possible way I could wake up and function at 2 am so I napped on the plane. The flight to Rome is about 2 hours, though you lose an hour due to the time difference. I fell asleep but woke about an hour from Rome feeling miserable. There were several failed attempts to go back to sleep until we landed at the airport in Ciampino, which is a 45 min car ride from the city of Rome. As we were going through security and accounting for baggage I continued to feel more ill.
We then had to take a coach to the train station in the center of Rome. During this hour and ten minute ride I tried my hardest to keep myself together. I'm going to say that I'd rather drive a car in London - which is pretty crazy - than anywhere near Rome.
After being released from the hell that was the bus we then walked to our hotel which was on Via Del Corso. The room was not yet ready, and we knew it wouldn't be, and after dropping off our bags and getting a recommendation for a restaurant I soldiered on. I really like Italian food but the forces of nature were just not having it. I tried to eat some soup but only sprite and bread that tasted like saltines were agreeing.
When the room was ready I was allowed to collapse/curl up in my bed while the family wandered around Rome. I believe that they went to trevi fountain, the spanish steps, and the pantheon while I was comatose in the hotel room. When they came back my mom had gotten me an ice cold sprite, a slice of pizza, and some mint chocolate chip gelato. The pizza still wasn't happening.
The next morning we got up at about 6 am (midnight EST) , had some breakfast, and went to the Vatican. I believe I have some nice photos. I was still feeling a little iffy. The weather wasn't too bad - it was warmer than London despite some occasional light rain. After the Vatican museums, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica we got some lunch.
Lunch gets its own paragraph. My mom loves this book by Rick Steve. He is some guy that writes travel books that every american/canadian buys (or rents I saw a few of those) before they go somewhere. It has suggestions on where to eat when visiting a certain attraction and all sorts of things in it. For lunch we went to this pizza place by the Vatican and it is not a lie that the only people who spoke Italian in the whole place happened to be the people who worked there. I saw at least two couples/groups walk in carrying the blue Rick Steve's Italy book. The food was ok. I was able to eat some pretty plain pasta.
After lunch we walked around for a while, the family took me to all the places they had seen the night before, and I checked up on Emmy since she went to the vet. Then it was dinner time. For dinner we had another Rick Steve's adventure but only one other family there had the book to my knowledge. The place was great. I found my food to be a little salty but that may have been because I was still not 100% well.
After dinner we retired to our hotel room and called it a night - this is about when I felt the cold overtaking the stomach flu. I suppose all that walking around in damp, cold weather did not help.
Another early morning and we were off to the coloseum and palatine hill. Both places were very interesting and pictures will be forthcoming. I dislike how they won't let me go to all the places in ruins. I'd be much happier exploring. The coloseum was first.
Our search for lunch on this day took us to a non rick steve's or any other tourist book place near the coloseum. On the way there I saw some gypsies being arrested because they tried to snatch some huge indian guy's bag but he grabbed them as they ran away and held them until the police came. There is also a photo of this. Oh, and for lunch I had a really good margherita pizza.
Then we went to palatine hill, which is where the emperors' would build their palaces. We walked through a good portion of it but soon I really needed to go back to the hotel and lay down. Mom took me back while dad and Lauren stayed out.
When they got back we went to dinner at a pizzeria where we were the only people who spoke english. It was interesting - seemed to be the neighborhood pizza place where everyone knew the waiters and cooks. I think I may have liked the pizza earlier in the day better but I was also feeling worse at this point.
The next morning I was allowed to sleep in, thankfully. After a good sleep went back to the fountain to see it in the day time and go inside the pantheon since the first time a service was being held. Shortly after we had a car come to take us to the airport for our return flight. All I'm going to say about the car ride was I'm really glad we made it to the airport in one piece.
That was Rome and I promise I'll get around to posting some photos since they are much more interesting.
I just yawned and the muscles in my neck cramped up. Weird. I think I should sleep now, considering it is 3 am here in London. I think I've fallen back into the 'no sleep schedule' from 2000 - 2006.
* this entry has not been spell checked and/or proofread.
We got back from Rome on the evening of the 24th so here is a little update about Rome.
At 3:30am a car picked us up for the airport. We flew Ryanair from Stansted airport. Ryanair is the cheapest thing possible with no assigned seats and no classes. Stansted is basically the commuter airport a little further out than Heathrow.
I decided not to sleep on Thursday evening since there was no possible way I could wake up and function at 2 am so I napped on the plane. The flight to Rome is about 2 hours, though you lose an hour due to the time difference. I fell asleep but woke about an hour from Rome feeling miserable. There were several failed attempts to go back to sleep until we landed at the airport in Ciampino, which is a 45 min car ride from the city of Rome. As we were going through security and accounting for baggage I continued to feel more ill.
We then had to take a coach to the train station in the center of Rome. During this hour and ten minute ride I tried my hardest to keep myself together. I'm going to say that I'd rather drive a car in London - which is pretty crazy - than anywhere near Rome.
After being released from the hell that was the bus we then walked to our hotel which was on Via Del Corso. The room was not yet ready, and we knew it wouldn't be, and after dropping off our bags and getting a recommendation for a restaurant I soldiered on. I really like Italian food but the forces of nature were just not having it. I tried to eat some soup but only sprite and bread that tasted like saltines were agreeing.
When the room was ready I was allowed to collapse/curl up in my bed while the family wandered around Rome. I believe that they went to trevi fountain, the spanish steps, and the pantheon while I was comatose in the hotel room. When they came back my mom had gotten me an ice cold sprite, a slice of pizza, and some mint chocolate chip gelato. The pizza still wasn't happening.
The next morning we got up at about 6 am (midnight EST) , had some breakfast, and went to the Vatican. I believe I have some nice photos. I was still feeling a little iffy. The weather wasn't too bad - it was warmer than London despite some occasional light rain. After the Vatican museums, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica we got some lunch.
Lunch gets its own paragraph. My mom loves this book by Rick Steve. He is some guy that writes travel books that every american/canadian buys (or rents I saw a few of those) before they go somewhere. It has suggestions on where to eat when visiting a certain attraction and all sorts of things in it. For lunch we went to this pizza place by the Vatican and it is not a lie that the only people who spoke Italian in the whole place happened to be the people who worked there. I saw at least two couples/groups walk in carrying the blue Rick Steve's Italy book. The food was ok. I was able to eat some pretty plain pasta.
After lunch we walked around for a while, the family took me to all the places they had seen the night before, and I checked up on Emmy since she went to the vet. Then it was dinner time. For dinner we had another Rick Steve's adventure but only one other family there had the book to my knowledge. The place was great. I found my food to be a little salty but that may have been because I was still not 100% well.
After dinner we retired to our hotel room and called it a night - this is about when I felt the cold overtaking the stomach flu. I suppose all that walking around in damp, cold weather did not help.
Another early morning and we were off to the coloseum and palatine hill. Both places were very interesting and pictures will be forthcoming. I dislike how they won't let me go to all the places in ruins. I'd be much happier exploring. The coloseum was first.
Our search for lunch on this day took us to a non rick steve's or any other tourist book place near the coloseum. On the way there I saw some gypsies being arrested because they tried to snatch some huge indian guy's bag but he grabbed them as they ran away and held them until the police came. There is also a photo of this. Oh, and for lunch I had a really good margherita pizza.
Then we went to palatine hill, which is where the emperors' would build their palaces. We walked through a good portion of it but soon I really needed to go back to the hotel and lay down. Mom took me back while dad and Lauren stayed out.
When they got back we went to dinner at a pizzeria where we were the only people who spoke english. It was interesting - seemed to be the neighborhood pizza place where everyone knew the waiters and cooks. I think I may have liked the pizza earlier in the day better but I was also feeling worse at this point.
The next morning I was allowed to sleep in, thankfully. After a good sleep went back to the fountain to see it in the day time and go inside the pantheon since the first time a service was being held. Shortly after we had a car come to take us to the airport for our return flight. All I'm going to say about the car ride was I'm really glad we made it to the airport in one piece.
That was Rome and I promise I'll get around to posting some photos since they are much more interesting.
I just yawned and the muscles in my neck cramped up. Weird. I think I should sleep now, considering it is 3 am here in London. I think I've fallen back into the 'no sleep schedule' from 2000 - 2006.
* this entry has not been spell checked and/or proofread.