Roman Holiday

We made it to the Spanish Steps quite late on and re-enacted the famous movie scene with Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn, albeit with a bit of a limp and less glamourous clothes.
My dream of going to Rome had come true thanks to Squidly who had given me a long weekend in the the 'Eternal City' for my birthday. I'd had to wait some months for the trip as she'd actually given me the gift whilst we were in Tasmania but I'd been trawling through the guidebook she'd also gifted me during that time deciding upon the sights I desperately wanted to see from the vast array available.
We were staying near Piazza Navona which is right in the heart of the city and afforded us a perfect point to begin each day. The piazza itself is rather interesting given it's oblong rather than square shape and beautiful fountains at either end; unfortunately the central Fontana Dei Quattro Fiumi was being renovated and so was not clearly visible.
From there we ventured off to find the Trevi Fountain and marvelled at the sculptor's prowess, tossing a coin in for good luck.
It was at this point, having got ourselves an ice cream cone, that we began our trek for the Spanish Steps. Never leave me in charge of a map. Or rather don't let me pick what I think is the destination. I had actually navigated our way perfectly to where I thought we were supposed to be going but it was in this venture that I was unsuccessful for I managed to find the Palazzo delle Esposizioni, interesting in it's own right I'm sure but not as beautiful as our intended sight. To make matters worse I had badly sprained my ankle on Rome's cobbled pathways in an effort to get to this false location!
As is often the case with Squidly and I we opted to stop at a small ristorante for a drop of red wine. We hadn't intended to dine, let alone stagger out of this charming little eatery some three and half hours later, but the copious amounts of their house red willingly poured by the head waiter whether we wanted it or not made sure of that. With a renewed vigour, the alcohol had given us heart and killed the pain in my now swollen ankle, we set off again for the 'Scalinata Trinita dei Monti' and this time struck gold in our venture. The steps trully are beautiful and the atmosphere is electric, they act as a huge meeting place for young Romans, giving you a feeling for what the locals do on a Friday evening. It's understanding cultures and local people that appeals to me rather than "the must see" spots around the world but so far Rome had oozed culture through it's most famous sights as they are what seems to attract locals and tourists alike.

Packing Light

With a long weekend city break ahead of us we planned to pack light. 1 pair of trainers, 1 pair of jeans, 3 t-shirts and 3 dress shirts, 3 days underwear, phone charger (for photos), guidebook, passport and tickets. Everything else should fit in my pockets.
I could get used to this type of travel. Having spent 6 months hauling a suitcase and/or cricket kit around various destinations I found it refreshing to think that I could just step off the plane at the other end, not bothering to collect any luggage.

Online

Back online with stories to tell I'm going to embark upon an Herculean effort to recount my tales past and current.

Please bear with me whilst I stagger through the potholed, barren landscape that is my mind...