Hi all,
I am sitting in a dodgy looking little internet cafe beside the hotel but on the plus side there are no snooty frenchies giving me dirty looks and the computer keyboard is in the right place so I haven't had to break it yet.
It has been pretty hectic. Our train from Paris was supposed to leave at 6.50pm but didn't end up leaving until 9pm. We got into our cabin which was FREEZING (no jokes - we could see our breath) and made up the little cots. We asked the coachmen if there was heating and he said no. Naturally, looking for the bright side, I assumed (naively) that they would turn it on once the train started. Ha. It was so cold that I was under the blankets fully dressed with the my coat as a second blanket. I was wearing my thick hat, gloves and scarf and I was still shivering. We all managed to doze in a sort of on-the-brink-of-freezing-to-death status for about four hours before being waking to the fact that the train wasn't moving and no one but the people on Contiki were left on the coach. Apparently while we had been suffering silently, the other people on that part of the train had been complaining and had all been moved. They didn't think to move us because we were all "sleeping" and had't complained! We couldn't believe it.
Anyways, two of the American girls (see annoying) decided that they would complain on behalf of all of us and we were moved to other cabins with heating.
To give you an idea of how cold it was, there was frost on the floor outside the doors.
There was serious snow problems also, so the train had to keep stopping so that the next part of the tracks could be cleared. All over, a trip that should have only taken 13hours became a 20 hour journey and a whole saturday was wasted. This, of course, was double disappointing because many sights were not not open on Sunday.
By the time we got to the hotel, which by the way is lovely (4 stars), showered and dressed again, it was after five. We ended up having dinner and then we went for a walk to see the Colusseum at night. It was amazing and I fell in love instantly. Words cannot describe the feelings I felt at seeing it. I have never been more excited and moved in my life. We went back to the hotel, though for me it was with a sigh (I could have sat and stared at the Colusseum all night, the cold be damned) then crashing out of exhaustion I feel asleep watching TV.
The hotel is lovely. I have my own room complete with bedai (not sure how you spell it, but all I could think of was Crocodile Dundee sticking is foot in to clean his shoe). Cracks me up each time I go to the loo and see it.
Today, however, was another story entirely. We got up bright and early and brought a day pass for a hop on hop off tour. We never did actually listen to the headphones though, cos we were too busy taking pictures. Today we saw: The Colusseum (Fell in love again), Trajans column (impressive), the Trevi Fountain (I want one), The Vatican (St Peter's Basilica - huge and extravagant), The Spanish Steps (which were nothing exciting AT ALL), The Pantheon (breathtakingly beautiful), the outside of the Museum (very, very impressive) and this massive face thingy which I forget the name of that you put your hand in). It was an exhausting day but considering I only had the one day to see it all, I did quite well, I think. I didn't get to see the Roman Forum, but that is okay because I have fallen in love with the city and I am definately coming back here.
The weather is warmer, though still cold. I have a cold, but am waiting till I get to England to get some drugs as I can't really figure out what is on the packages. I am keeping warm and my spirits are high. I have made some new friends on this tour and pissed off a couple too (see two annoying girls with no sense of humour or in this case, can give it to others, but cannot take it in return).
I am ready for a proper sleep and am looking forward to some down time. I feel like it has been non-stop for ten days straight.
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