Once again I appear unable to sleep on a flight. I am exhausted but there’s too much else going on and it’s freezing. I should have remembered from my flights to Milan. if I’m cold the Italians on this flight must be freezing.

So everything went well again so far!

Bed at 7.30, woke just after 9pm and again a few times and up with the alarm at 2am.

I was showered, hair washed and ready to to go so only had to get changed and close up my bags. Craig got up with me, bless him, it was lovely to have the company.

I left the house about 2.35am and drove over to Edinburgh Airport. That took about an hour at 10 minutes at that time of day. I thought the roads were surprisingly busy.

The only hiccup is that I think I may be in an NCP car park that’s payable on departure. I’ve pre-paid but they made me take a ticket and my gut tells me I’m in the wrong one. It might be fine. Guess I’ll find out on Tuesday morning after midnight when I land 😆

I chose a seat on the LHS of the plane so I could get to see sunrise.

I am soooo tired. I’m going to try and sleep again.

Claire sent me this after I’d gone to bed last night… I sent her this a while back and it still makes me laugh out loud!

Assume this is us over the Alps

So I landed just before 10am and managed to get on the bus to Rome Termini at 10.30.

This got me into Rome at 11.30 and it took me about 20 minutes to find the bus stop I needed.

Not surprisingly everything is in Italian and the local buses don’t have English at all.

I got out the City Mapper app to try to plan my journey.

It’s a strike in Rome today and everyone said the bus might not come.

So I got a bit frustrated trying to find the bus but actually it was all good. I just need to trust that I can find my way and I’m fine. Breathe through when I think I might start to get anxious. Someone will speak English eventually!

This is where I’ve travelled today.

Once you’ve done it once… it’s so much easier. Once you get into the routine of transport abroad, it’s just like public transport back home. You just have to trust that it will work out.

Melanie met me at the bus stop near her apartment and took me to her home.

It’s beautiful and so special for me to be saying in an Italian home.

She had made a lovely pot of homemade soup. We had lunch and a coffee. It’s great to catch up but I am tired.

It took everything in me to get back up and head back out. My body is screaming for sleep but I can’t waste a second now that I’m here.

I’m here for Melanie’s Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow so I’m currently on the number 8 bus heading back into Rome. I’m multitasking as I’m standing on a bus AND writing this AND trying to stay on top of my stops 😆

Now that I’m out, I’m so glad I have done it. It would have been so easy to stay in the house and sleep. Life is too short.

I’m passing through Trasstevere which seems to be pronounced Trast-avery which makes me smile every time they say it!!

I’m headed for Piazza Navona.

The fountain is being refurbished for Rome 2025. There is a lot of work underway for Rome’s Centenary celebrations. I went to look at the other foundation in Piazza Navona instead.

This city is full of history! I love it!

I then made my way round to the Pantheon.

It was too busy the last time I was here… but today I’m going in!

It’s only €5 entry and you have to wait in a big queue until they let you in.

It is breathtaking. I’m so glad I got to come in here. I’m writing this real time so I’m sitting right here just now.

This is the fountain outside the Pantheon.

I decided to walk back to Melanie’s… it was just starting to get dark.

I spotted the Vatican off in the distance.

I have had the best day. I’m so proud of myself for going out again this afternoon. I feel like I have this solo thing back under control after a couple of wobbles.

Happy weekend!

Stay safe everyone ♥️♥️♥️