EuroTrip Day 3: Roma

The following is an excerpt from my travel journal:

9-14-09 ROME

"Woke up a little late with a slight hangover. Said bye to my friends that I had met in Naples and walked to the metro. Walked from Dante Metro stop to Napoli Central Station which is in Piazza Garribaldi. At the station, I met a couple from Palo Altothat was having difficulties, and seemed frustrated, and I helped them find our train." They were nice, but looked like idiots with backpacks completely engulfed in duct taped hefty bags. "Train ride was uneventful besides gaining some much needed shuteye. I already miss Naples and hope that I meet some cool people in Roma.

When I arrived in the Rome Termini Station, it was raining. I luckily had my jacket handy, and the walk to the 'Yellow Hostel' was only a few blocks. I was checked into the hostel around 3:00 PM. The rooms are not quite as nice as 'La Controra', but are adequate.

When I was checking out the room, I met a couple guys from New Zealand, and three girls also from there. Apparently, they put me in the Kiwi room of the hostel. The kiwimen want me to go with them on a pub crawl, but with my headache, I don't know if I can commit to that. I decided to think about it while doing a mini walk of the city to help me get a lay of the land.

I walked about 30 minutes to the coliseum, and sat and took in my surroundings. I am so glad that I decided to add this Italy excursion to my agenda. I walked around the coliseum and checked out a few of the ruins and archeological sights nearby. One cool thing about Rome is that there are running fountains of water on the sidewalks around the city, and the water is delicious. After my walk back, I decided to get a panini from a nearby restaurant. When I got back, the Kiwi guys were about to leave for the pub crawl, and I vetoed that idea for myself. The kiwi girls and I decided to go to the 'Yellow' bar downstairs. After an expensive pint of Newcastle, we went to the restaurant next door so they could eat. I was not hungry, so I just had an Italian beer, and another Kiwi girl Molly gave us some wine.

After the restaurant, we went back to the bar, and eventually played beer-pong and foosball in the basement. My Florida Gator beerpong skills whipped every European and Eurasian in the place. After a while, I went off with a group of Americans and Australians to get some more pizza. On the way back, we got a few more beers, Piralta's I think, and drank them on the street. We found a huge truck which was jacked up, and we staged death photos.

When I got back to the hostel, there was a passed out drunk Canadian guy in my bed. I yelled at him the get the hell out of my bed, but he was not coherent enough to give a logical response to my threats. After a little time at the front desk, it was sorted out, and my bed was moved into the adjoining room with the Kiwi guys. I took the time to send a few emails to friends and family, and went to bed, in my new room, which smells like a shoe. The end of another great day in Europe. Tomorrow should be quite busy, tomorrow is my Uber-Tourist day.

Ted Kennedy Statue in Rome?

Staged Death Photo in Rome.

Eurotrip Day 2: Naples Italy

The following is an excerpt from my travel journal for the second day of my European trip in Naples Italy.

Napoli 9-13-09

"Woke up early, and had breakfast at the hostel. Set off to visit Pompeii with 2 British girls, German guy, and a Dutch girl. Took two trains to get there and 45 mins. First was a metro to the Napoli Central, then the circumvesuviana to the Pompeii Scavi station. Pompeii is amazing! The sheer magnitude of the amount of history and ruins there is hard to comprehend. The city is very big and takes a long time to navigate through. The dead bodies were harder to locate then we had expected. Eventually we did manage to find some rather charming specimen. Also, there are stray dogs and puppies all over Pompeii that sleep so still on the marble floors that they too look dead. After we finished with Pompeii, we trained to Sorrento to take a dip in the Mediterranean Sea(my first ever dip in the med). Sorrento is beautiful, quiet and clean. The water of the sea is crystal clear. We had quite a swim out to a rock breakwater where we dried in the sun and dove back in. We could see spear fisherman in the depths as we swam over them. We had a nice spot on a small beach, where we listened to music and played frisbee for about 2 hours.

The Beach and Jetty in Sorrento, Italy.

On our way back to the train, we stopped for gelato, which was excellent. After a train back to Naples, myself and my new German friend, walked through the city for some traditional Napoli pizza. It was delicious. In fact, it is the only thing they eat here."

After this entry, my new group of friends and I played some American and European drinking games for a while with wine, that only cost 2.5 Euros per bottle at the hostel, which was a great deal if you ask me. Then I slept, because the next day, I had a change of scenery. This time it would be Rome.

I had a great time in Naples. Every moment I was there is a cherished memory, that I won't forget. Although before going there, many people had warned me that Naples was dangerous and scary, Never for a moment was I worried or scared, and I found the people to be extraordinarily friendly. And I never met any Italian mafia people although I hear there is a mafia controlled district. I highly recommend a trip to Naples for anyone that is traveling through Italy.

Italy: Women so hot, your face will melt off!

Italy: Also has volcanoes to melt your face off!

Eurotrip Day 1. Naples, Italy

View from my room in Naples

The following entry is an excerpt written directly from my travel journal Day one in Europe:

Roma-Napoli 9-12-09

"When I landed, I already had my bag(I had not checked it, which saved my skin). I pretty easily managed to find the Leonardo Express train to Rome's Termini Station. From there, I had a little difficulty finding the booth to validate my Railpass. Once validated + ticket bought, I hopped a bullet train to Naples. When I got there, I decided to walk from the Napoli Central Station to the hostel(La Controra Flashpackers Hostel) because Google Maps said it was 3Km 30 mins. It was not 30 mins, very hilly, and got slightly lost, but all the Napoli people I met were very friendly + helpful, although a part of the city I walked through was covered in graffiti, and looked post-apocalyptic, like 'Mad Max'. The area where I stayed was much nicer. Immediately after arriving at the hostel, I met several nice people that I will tour Naples and the surrounding towns with. There are a lot of Germans here.

Observation: Naples is loud, people honk horns constantly,

As I write this, horns are honking.

-Traffic in Naples stops for NO ONE!

No such thing as crosswalks. "

Later this first night, I drank a bit of wine with the new friends that I had made, and a few of us decided to hop a few buses to get to an Italian rap concert in the city's main square. We took a jug of wine with us, and had a great time. The Italian language is a romance language. Italian rap music is not a romance language, and sounds pretty gross, but to me, life is about having new experiences, and a rap concert in Naples was a new one for me.

Below is my new North Face Terra 60 backpack on my room's balcony in Naples.

The Flight from Hell

On my trip through Europe, probably the most miserable times were related to time spent at airports, and in my flight to Rome. Although I usually have a great time at airports, people watching and reading, this time was different, I felt like I was on 'The Amazing Race'.

My flight was intended to leave O'Hare Airport in Chicago at 1:50 PM. I was then supposed to have a 1 hour layover in Philadelphia before embarking to Rome. I decided that I did not want to take any risks in missing my flight, so I left my house in the city around 9:30, which was almost pathetically early. I took a bus and the El, and made it to the airport around 10:15. I checked into my Us Air flight, did not check my bag(which was super clutch thinking on my part, and crucial for my trip), and zipped through security. I was reading a book at my gate by 10:45, which was about 3 hours before the flight was supposed to board.

I waited patiently reading my extremely boring book(about an old geezer walking the Appalachian Trail), and about 30 minutes before the flight was about to board, they changed the time on the screen to say that the flight was delayed an hour and a half. Therefore, I would be unable to make my connection, and would have to spend the night in the Philly Airport, and delay my trip. I stormed the desk and sweet talked the lady into booking me onto an Al Italia, which was direct. I was pretty happy about this, as I took a tram from terminal three to terminal five.

When I got to my new terminal to check in, I was told that I would be flying standby on the Al Italia flight, and that the flight was full. The lady at this booth recommended that I go back to US Air and demand to speak to a manager. She also said that I should hurry because 2 other people from my original flight would be quickly on my tail. The race was on! Back on the tram to terminal three.

Back at US Air, I talked to a manager, and told her to get me on a flight to Rome that day. She was able to book me in a confirmed seat on an American Airlines direct flight to Rome, leaving at 6 PM. She said it was the last seat on the last plane leaving for Rome that day. I had made it, I had won my mini Amazing Race.

So I waited for a few more hours, and eventually, it was time for me to board my plane. I was completely ready to leave Chicago, I had been at O'Hare Airport for nearly seven hours, and had eaten three meals there. I walked triumphantly down the aisle with my North Face Terra 60 backpack that I had thought ahead not to check. I walked further and further through the fuselage of the plane for what felt like miles, and as I neared my seat.....Oh Shit... This can't be true....A huge fat man was sitting immediately next to me. What rotten luck.

I not-so-delicately smashed my pack into the overhead compartment, and took my assigned seat in the way back of the plane in the absolute middle seat, sandwiched between the gargantuan man, and a know it all cougar.

For the next nine hours or so, the obese man's enormous arm and elbow were touching my chest. The heat controls didn't work in the plane, and it was hot as Hades in the back of the plane---The man was sweating on me the entire flight. I almost was brave enough to take a picture to document him eating a wheel of cheese during the flight, but I chickened out. The in-flight movie was 'Mama Mia' which sucked, but was only made better by the fact that the sound system did not work in my section, so I did not have to listen to Pierce Brosnan sing. Unfortunately, my reading light didn't work either, so I had nothing to do except think about the amazing adventure that lay before me, as I try to ignore the beads of sweat(not mine) rolling down my right sleeve.

European Trip to be continued....

Next Stage...Naples, Italy.

Italian Solo Itinerary

On September 11th, I will depart on a solo journey through Italy that will conclude with me meeting up with friends for Oktoberfest, a short trip to Austria, and a few days in Prague. Because I am trying to explore the world without going broke, I will be staying in hostels for this leg of the trip. I booked them online, after sifting through a multitude of reviews, and even after that, it is pretty much a crapshoot. I will be happy if I do not see any bedbugs on my trip. The itinerary for the Italian portion of the trip is as below, as for an activity itinerary, I don't like to plan that far in advance. The beauty of a solo trip is that I can do whatever I want, whenever I want to do it.

September 11th: Fly from Chicago to Rome through Philadelphia

September 12th: Arrive Rome approx 8:30 AM

: Train to Naples

September 13th: Stay in Naples

September 14th: Train back to Rome

September 15hth: Rome

September 16th: Rome

September 17th: Train to Florence

: Stay in Florence

September 18th: Train to Venice

:Explore Venice for the day

: Night Train to Munich

September 19th: Arrive in Munich 6:30 AM

Hostels: Naples: La Controra Flashpackers Hostel

Rome: The Yellow Hostel

Florence: Florence Youth Hostel

Before my departure, I have some gear that I am hoping to buy. Included in this list is a new backpack(50-60 L), sunglasses, a money pouch, maybe a new Camera, and possibly some form of ultra-lite summer sleeping bag. I will keep the Adventuring Blog a breast of these pre-planning activities.

Holy Roaming Empire

Yesterday I made a very impulsive decision. I read an article that basically said that anyone thinking about planning a trip should buy airfare immediately to avoid paying more as gas prices rise. I had been thinking about going to Berlin for a trip, but then changed my mind. I decided that rather than spend more time in Germany, which is an absolutely amazing country, but one that I had been to before, I would go to Italy instead.

I did some research and discovered that for people under 26 years old, STA Travel had some affordable airfare to Europe. I found a deal and immediately booked a flight for myself from Chicago to Rome via Philadelphia. I fly September 11th arrive early on the 12th and will be solo in Italy until I meet up with my friends in Munich on the 18th.

This being my first solo international trip, I am a little nervous, but also I am excited. From what I have read, traveling alone is one of the best ways to see a country, and experience the culture. Being a very social person, I don't think I will have too much trouble finding fellow budget travelers to accompany me on day trips to Vesuvius, or Capri, or Pompeii.

My itinerary is still completely in the air, but I know I want to spend some time in Naples, Rome, and maybe Venice, if I have enough time, and depending how much I want to rush myself. I still need to make a tentative travel plan, find places to stay(most likely hostels), buy a eurail pass, and figure out other the more minor details. I will post more details as I discover them, and will post an itinerary if I make one.

International Travel Update

I am still working out the details of my trip to Europe. This much I know: my friends and I will be in Munich(Munchen) Germany for 4 days of Oktoberfest, followed by a few days in Austria, and I think 3 or 4 days in Prague, Czech Republic. Because I wanted to experience a little more, and be less rushed, I decided that I would extend my vacation a little bit earlier, and do a weeklong solo Eurotrip before meeting up with them in Munich. I was about to pull the trigger on some airfare to Berlin before I realized that I might like to see Naples Italy or Rome instead. So, now I am on the verge of another decision, and will probably seek out some advice from fellow travelers, and then pull the trigger on that sometime this week.

If anyone has any advice on what I should be doing on my solo international expedition, send me an email with your input. Adventuringblog@gmail.com