Took the five euro bus from airport Fiumicino, sat with an Eritrean and two Turks, feel I am really in Rome now. Stazione Termini was just as bustling as I had imagined. I managed to buy a fresh orange juice and then tried to contact my host, Daniela, with my unused mobile. Bad idea, it's more complex with the travel SIM card in it and I had enormous trouble getting her, but finally, miraculously, she answered, in Italian of course, saying she was leaving the house in 20 minutes so I'd better hurry otherwise she would not be home till after seven.
Mamma Mia, I immediately rushed to the Metro, buying two tickets from the street seller, asked for direction Ballestrina, jumped on and arrived at five to one, still with another bus to take. I asked a woman on the stairway how to get the bus to Piazza Balduina, via Medaglio D'Oro, not knowing what I was talking about, and then she said she was going that way, and to follow. Which I did. I saw the 907 bus I was told to catch, but it went without me, and I stood there stupidly lost and thinking, 'I'll miss her'. Then I saw a taxi, jumped in and said 'Via Attilio Friggeri, ninety four', he looked OK but hated that I put my luggage on his new back seat, (he was obviously in love with his car), and then proceeded to take me to the right address and charged me the right amount, no rip-off there. A good driver and honest. I then tried to ring Daniela from the entrance and finally she answered
'thank god' I muttered, went in and discovered the lift door had not ben properly closed, so I had to climb the four stories. Panting and exhausted, I arrived, and she was quite delightful as I collapsed on her wonderful couch and told her my phone was mal-functioning, not that I was disfunctioning, more to the point.
'thank god' I muttered, went in and discovered the lift door had not ben properly closed, so I had to climb the four stories. Panting and exhausted, I arrived, and she was quite delightful as I collapsed on her wonderful couch and told her my phone was mal-functioning, not that I was disfunctioning, more to the point.
Anyway, I made it, and her apartment is ab. fab. and I have lucked out there. At present I am in the local cafe having a 'the con citron' and typing this while checking out at the local colour. I will come here for breakfast every morning, I hope, and temporarily become a real Romano!
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