Rome -- 4/15/11 Wrap Up

Up early on the last day. My flight leaves at 11:50 and the bus to the airport arrives around 8:50. I make sure to pack the last of my stuff before going down for breakfast.

After the meal I go upstairs to get my stuff but my card key doesn’t work. Huh? I realize that I’m checking out today but the room doesn’t have to be vacated until noon and it’s not even 9:00. No matter. There just happens to be a maid down the hall who is kind enough to let me in with her key. I quickly gather my stuff and bring it to the front desk to check out.

Part of check-out in an EU country is that you have to pay a tax upon leaving. I knew this beforehand so I was ready with 48 euros (12 for each night). Turns out it’s just 12 euros total. Cool. The restaurant bill was also on the final bill (I knew it would be) and was just another 16 euros.

I left the bags by the desk and figure I’d do one last look around the neighborhood before the bus arrives. The day is a little overcast but not bad. Taking a left out of the hotel, I spot yet another street fair. I do a quick look through (leather jackets for 48 euros? Hmm) then head back to the hotel.

Just as I round the corner, a man is staring at me. He calls my name and I can see the bus parked in front of the hotel. Thinking that it was still only around 8:15, I thought he was early.

Nope.

Turns out I was late! Again! How is that possible? It was that fricking alarm clock again! HOW?!?! One of the first things I did when I got back on Wednesday was set that clock ahead by an hour so I knew it was right. Upon further reading the instructions, I found out that the clock is German and hooked into some kind of satellite. Every morning at around 2:00 it taps into that satellite for the correct time. It decided that it liked to be set for an hour earlier than Rome time (though oddly enough, I set it to the correct time in GA and it’s been right ever since).

Now I’m annoyed. I hate being late. As I sit on the bus, I keep checking the clocks on the street to confirm that it is indeed 9:15. I just hope I didn’t make anyone late for their flights.

The driver is yet another incredibly efficient navigator of Roman streets. We make two more pick-ups, one of them in an impossibly narrow little back alley, and then he swiftly gets us to the airport.

Fiumincino is way too crowded for a Friday morning. I make it to the gate, wonder for a minute if I have to check in or not, then dodge and weave all the other passengers. Really annoyed now.

An attendant tells me I don’t have to wait in line to be checked, then when I go to board I get stopped anyway. The lady asks me where I’m coming from (?). Uh, Rome. Isn’t that where we are? She does a quick check then waves me through. I walk right past the two men checking through luggage and take the escalator down to the flight.

This flight, unlike my flight in, is packed to the gills. First the captain says we’ll take off in 30 minutes, then he ups it to an hour. Oy. Like the flight isn’t already long enough.

When we finally do get into the air, it doesn’t take long for the guy in front of me to decide that the plane is his personal bedroom. He puts his seat back, instantly crushing my legs. He promptly ignores me and the lovely Italian man next to me as we try to get him to put the sit back up. Now I’m annoyed and in some pain.

I try to make the best of it but it is a very long flight. The man next to me gets up frequently, allowing me a chance to stretch my legs. At one point, when rude guy in front of me gets up because his tray table doesn't work, the Italian man actually pushes the button on rude guy’s chair to let the seat back up. Such a nice gesture almost restores my faith in humanity (not that I ever really had any). The relief on my knees doesn’t last long though when rude guy returns to his seat and once again reclines in it. Sigh.

The attendants serve an extra snack at some point since the 10 hour flight ends up being 11 hours because of the delay (a nice touch especially since they don’t charge for it). This plane has the individual screens on the backs of the seats with the remote so you can choose what to watch. There is no sleeping for me – too uncomfortable and it’s still daylight. I end up watching Red again (like that flick) and almost get through The Princess and the Frog when the landing procedure turns the movie off (daggummit!).

We finally get to Philly. Don't think I've been to this airport either. I like the rocking chairs spread around the airport. After picking up a Philly t-shirt, I chill in one for a while before I head to the gate for my connecting flight to ATL.

The lady sitting next to me starts scaring me about the flight, telling me about the storms that have been running throught Atlanta over the past few days and that our flight will probably be delayed or even cancelled. I was getting nervous espeically since the airport hadn't bothered to update their signage for the flight. I'm already tired, it's late, and I really don't want to get stranded in Philly. To my relief, we board on schedule and get out of there without incident.

The flight is mercifully brief with no knee-crushing or turbulence. We land and I head through Customs. Not too bad and I’m again grateful that I didn’t check any luggage. I thought I might get grief for the olive oil and vinegar I’d bought as well as the limoncello and the rose that Mano gave me. No big though. I have to stop at the animal and agricultural booth but after a brief search they clear me through.

Going through Security is almost pleasant – well, as pleasant as a strange woman groping you can be. Since I’d once again set off the metal detectors, I have to endure yet another search. The woman is very nice and tells me everything she’s about to do before she does it. I had already told her beforehand that I had bobby pins in my hair and was wearing an underwire bra so she knew what she was looking for. I had to thank her for her courtesy as Lord knows I’ve been groped by rude airport security in the past.

I take MARTA back to my car and wearily drive home. It is always good to come home from travel to see that the house is still standing. I unpack a little before collapsing into an exhausted sleep.

In the time since my return, I found that the cats fared well. They were also nice enough to wait until I returned to start vomiting on my newly shampooed carpet (thanks guys!). My left shin was swollen and painful for days after the trip (still don’t know what that’s about) and it took me at least a week to get my body clock back in line. I kept wanting to go to bed about two hours after getting home from work. Never experienced that kind of reverse jet lag before but I prefer being off-kilter at home rather than overseas.

Lessons learned from Rome trip:

1. Always bring a watch.



2. Always have all maps at the ready for urban hiking. Study them thoroughly before going out.



3. I must make better accommodations for my legs, particularly on those long transcontinental flights. I already know that nothing is designed for me so I need to either save up enough money for first class or at the very least arrange to sit in the first row of coach. I really can’t tolerate anyone else reclining in my lap or carelessly crushing my knees. No more leaving things to chance.



4. Don’t be afraid of the Metro. Rome is one of many cities that has a great public transport system. There is no shame in being a bus-riding tourist.



5. Even for international flights, check-in is remarkably easy so long as you don’t check any luggage (standard rule for European travel: take half the clothes and twice the money).



6. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, when touring the Colosseum, take the elevator. Seriously.

So that’s it. If you’ve managed to get through my entire tome you know why I titled this trip ‘The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Rome is amazing and awe-inspiring and exhausting and confusing. I would definitely recommend making the journey. I might go back myself (after a really long rest).

Hope you enjoyed the blog. Thanks for your attention.