Rome

My arrival in Rome after a fancy train ride was at the Alessandro Downtown Hostel. This place dubbed itself as the ultimate party hostel of Rome, this was immediately confirmed by the people at reception where I received my free shot and pitcher at the hostel bar. Everyone aparantly gets a free shot, but the receptionist was also named sam, so I also got a pitcher as well.

It was amazing what I managed to squeeze in, in two and a half days here. Considering all the drinking I did, and that I was staying in a big party hostel with 6 people per room. Actually the hostel was one of the better ones I'd had on the trip. I never had a problem getting a shower, the room was big, there was a big kitchen with free breakfast, and I meet a lot of other travelers. But somehow everything I didn't look up in the during the day was stolen. Weird things like my wet towel, my comb, flip flops (which were nasty at that point because I'd used them in showers for a month.)

Rome was kind of the worst part about Italy. I still had fun, but it's just an old big city. Lots of ruins ofcourse and I went to the Vatican on 6/6/6. It was just too much to resist. I still had to wait 2 hours to get into the Sistine chapel. There's was this american girl in line who was a guide for a small group. She kept stopping people who were trying to cut in line and people who were trying to buy their way in with other guides. This is a common practice in places with long line. But when we were almost to the front, she let a british family of 4 buy their way in for 25 euros a person. I thought for sure someone would speak up, but when no one did - I took it upon myself. I called her a hypocrite for stopping others, the whole line behind me started to back me up. She was apologetic and offered to let me go ahead, but I said no. After we got inside she came to talk to me quietly off to the side. She told me that's how she makes her money. I said I knew what she was doing, I've been around the block. No problem, just don't call out others for doing the same I said. We chatted for a minte, she was from Dallas. Ha! I can't escape Texas.

Another night of drinking with instant friends that last night. I made sure to splurge on good meals that whole last full day. Italy really lived up to it's food reputation. I feel like I'm just getting into traveling. Just now really getting comfortable with it. Maybe I just feel that was because it's ending. I know I've got to back to Los Angeles and return to a normal life. How terrible!

The next morning I have breakfast and hang out with a few friends. I really like this hostel. It's the first really social one since Barcelona a month ago. I was in no mood to be social back then. And the one in Rome is like 70% girls. It seems that every american female college graduate makes Italy the priority on their European trip.

The train to the airport. One 11 hour flight. Wait 2 hours in Atlanta. 4 more hours then I'm back home at midnight. It's thursday and I stay up all night and don't fall asleep till 6 am. The boredom sets in. Ah yes, another adventure comes to an end.