On flights, and things i forgot

Buona sera amici!

(Don't know if that's right, and pardon for the lack of punctuation in this email, but this italian keyboard is seriously spinning me out!)

So... I'm in the computer room in the General House of the PDDM Sisters (praise God for sister Bernadette who got a blister running to the airport to meet me this morning so i didn't have to catch the train & bus to her place alone). So far, my main concerns (i.e. not being able survive my flight, losing my luggage on the transit from Frankfurt - Rome, not knowing how to get from Fiumicini airport to the place I'm staying) have all been ironed out, thanks to God's handywork.

The flight wasnt too bad - found myself at window seat (thanks for the tip Eddoes) next to a German couple flying back to Berlin. They'd spent a month in Australia so they were really nice to me and didn't mind me climbing over them for my random toilet visits during the 22 hours to Frankfurt.

We all got ridiculously frustrated when, on the first leg of the flight, the whole Qantas entertainment system went down (i.e. no movies no music), so thank God i had music uploaded on my phone (yes it was on flight mode).

Experienced a bit of turbulance here and there (made sure I skulled down any drinks that were on my pull-down tray every time the seatbelt sign started flashing), but all in all a safe trip, lots of eating, lots of (uncomfortable) sleeping... and when the entertainment system was back up i was thoroughly impressed when they had JT's "Future Sex Love Sounds", Panic at the Disco and Eskimo Joe albums uploaded. Also managed to watch half of "Sunshine" and a few episodes of "Chaser's WAR on Everything", "Family Guy", and "House".

Frankfurt airport was funny (the whole hour i spent there) - funny coz I found a magazine called "JOY" in one of the newsagents, and on the next shelf a magazine called "SCHMUCK" ... and then a whole shelf full of oversized sausages next to bags with the labels "WORLD OF NUTS". Gotta love those Germans.

The moment I walked off my Lufthansa Air flight I knew it was Summer. Walking out of the airport and straight to the station, I was greeted with hot, humid Italian air, the scent that reminds me so nostaligically of the first trip here 2 years ago, Christmas, and cute European guys who leave a nice scent of aftershave in their wake as they brush past you in the crowds.

It's been amazing... Summer is thriving (quiet though, because everyone in Rome is on holidays to escape this ridiculous heat), but I love that the air is still hot when I went for a walk with Sr Bernadette this evening...

(Jonna im sorry but i might return on your wedding day covered in mosquito bites - i forgot about insect repellant.)

I love:

- that its Summer!

- the PDDM sisters I'm staying with are so beautiful in their crisp white accents. Sr B introduces me as Gioia (pronounced Joy-ah), because that's Italian for Joy. They speak to me in rich, thick Italian and astound me with the speed of their conversations. Hearing Sr B speak fluent Italian is also a spin-out. Really cool too though!

- the bus trip to their house took me past the Colloseum, the Roman Fora, about ten different ancient monuments, and it was a flashback to our 2day race around Rome in 2005, which makes my insides tingle. I miss Eddoes, Nez and EJ who were always so funny everytime we found a new monument to climb or take snaps with.

- the fruit is tasty and fresh. Already I've feasted on plums, red pears and juicy watermelon... and it's only day 1! Ah yes... the Summer fruits...

- just around every corner in this city there is something awesome to look at. Tonight after my 3 hour nap and a delicious dinner, Sr B and I walked up to a fountain, that also had a panoramic view of Rome at dusk. Talk about breathtaking!

Wish I'd brought:

- An English-Italian dictionary (or a personal interpreter... too bad I can't take Sr B around with me everywhere I go... I just look at her blankly when anyone starts talking - she's an angel and saint-in-the-making I tell you!)

- More shorts

- A different pair of sandals (these black ones aren't gonna survive the next 3 days, i can tell)

Next on the agenda:

Tomorrow morning i leave at 6am for a 3day tour to Naples, Pompeii, Capri and Sorento. Pray that this tour company ain't just an Internet scam, that I survive the next 3 days flying solo on the West Coast, and that I don't lose all my money... because there's really none left.

Buono notte Australia!