Day 30 - Siena - Rome

Waiting for Mum & Dad to pack the car, preparing their next show.

Today we spent a good part of the day wandering around beautiful Siena, enjoying the city. We had coffee at Piazza Del Campo, watching the city's population grow with tourists by the minute. 

We then went on the hunt for more keyrings, because Lord knows we have to collect one from EVERY place we have been to.... After the perfect one was acquired we had a look in GEOX. I have already bought a pair of this brand shoes which are really comfortable and this store had their full range, clothes and all, so we went in for a look. 20 minutes later we came out with a shopping bag full... none of which was for me. Nic got a very cool jacket and sneakers and Olivia got a gorgeous jacket (and they didn't have her size in the shoes we wanted so we'll have to find another store in Rome next week) and nothing for me or Ben. What do you think? Do they look like locals?

Did you say "Blue Steel"?

Then we went to visit the Duomo and Museum, pretty impressive. Siena is a beautiful place to be. This is a place we have to come back to again, and we would definitely stay in the same Palazzo.

Music School of Siena

When you come to Siena next, you must order the Ribollita from here OMG

Blue Steel from the Master

Granted this was after a Chianti or two...


We set off for Rome at around 3:30pm a couple of hours behind schedule. Ready to take on the Reputation of the Roman motorist. Ben was feeling confident enough to drive right up to the hotel, unload our bags and clear the car out and then return the car to Termini by 8pm. The challenge was on.

Along the way we stopped at an Autogrille to fill the car up and for a loo stop and while I was in there (waiting for Olivia again) a very OTT, who was certainly a 'someone', a celebrity looking lady walked in ...wow

So then we waited outside the doors in mock pose for close to 5 minutes, Ben with camera posed until she came out. Here we go fellas, finally, here's one for you....

I'm sure when I turned RAI on that night she was on Ballando Con Le Stelle......

Peak hour traffic on a Friday night in Rome the weekend before the Beautification of Pope John Paul II, we can do this! When in Rome they say......


Surprisingly it was ok!

I was the navigator so Ben only had to concentrate on leaving us and the car and the pedestrians unharmed (bugger the motorcyclists, they're crazy and take their lives into their own lives!)

Our apartment is in Via Poli, Hotel Saraceno (Goolgle it and the location) We are a block away from Trevi Fountain. There were people everywhere! The streets are too narrow for a small car let alone having to share it with parked vehicles and pedestrians. For the last mile or so I was dying and all you could hear was me stressing out..... "Ben, you're going to run *** over" (***insert: him, her, the nun, the kid etc here) all the while Ben was laughing. He reckons if he can get Crackshot trucks down one way streets in Richmond and Collingwood, this little car is no trouble at all.

Up we went to our apartment - and WOW it's the grand finale. VERY comfortable. Newly refurbished, big well equipped kitchen, large living room, large master and big bathroom. All with great storage space. Me  Ben on the Sofa bed and the kids in the Master (not quite right is it?)

We stopped in front of the apartments in a no standing zone to unload and narrowly missed our car being towed away. It was 7:20 and this was the first time Ben stressed today. We were desperately trying to get ready so that after we dropped the car off we could walk back and get dinner on the way. In the end, he had to move the car and then run back up and finish putting long pants on and then we made it out the door by 7:30. We had half an hour to get to Termini; not an unreasonable amount of time; but it was Friday night, peak hour traffic and we didn't know the roads. We were cutting it fine, but who are we kidding? As per Kouta style we got there with minutes to spare (one day soon I know we're going to run out of these magic minutes and find ourselves in trouble)

High fiving left right and centre and after a pat on the back for driving from Marseille to Rome (unscathed) we set off to surprise the kids with a glimpse of the Colosseum and then dinner. Their reaction was priceless. I love seeing all this for the first time again through their eyes, it's the best. Makes up for all the spewing, burns and bickering any day.

Bella Roma.