Smooth sailing or flying as it were for the trip.
Took an Uber for the first time and thanks to KM, we had a $20 off voucher, so the ride was around $15 to the airport.
Virtually no line to check in, flight took off on time. Singapore Airlines are sensational. We thought Emirates was good last year. Singapore Airlines are even better, in every possible way.
Changi Airport was very good as well. I can understand its best airport in the world rating. You'd swear you were in a 5 star hotel going to the toilet. Speaking of which, Lorraine managed to not only get lost in the toilets at Changi, she even got lost out of the toilets on the plane coming to Rome.
Leonardo di Vinci Airport Rome was also good. As always, they feel sorry for disabled people so we shortcut the line going express through customs saving around 30 minutes. We also get to board first at the terminals. Saves a lot of stuffing around as I do find it difficult moving in the confined spaces of the airplane.
After collecting our luggage we headed over to pick up the hire car. We had ordered a small car in keeping with the desire to make it easy to park. The car we ordered was an Audi A1, which for anyone who knows is made by parent company VW and based on the same platform as the VW Polo and Skoda Fabia of which I own one. I figured if I was going to be in unfamiliar surroundings, a familiar car was sensible.
Well when the lady at Europcar heard what we were planning to do drive wise she insisted on a free upgrade to a mid size BMW 218D SUV. Very nice I must say and will be much nicer as we drive along the Autostradas. Its also not too large as I managed to park it outside the Palazzo del Velabro when we arrived.
Pictures are a few on the plane of us, some through the window particularly a good one of the snow covered Alps that run down the middle of the country, a couple of Rome from the plane, selfie of us picking up the car, on the Autostrada coming into Rome, one of us driving on the streets (Lorraine's having a heart attack from fear) and Piazza Navona where we had lunch today.
The two of the car parked outside the Palazzo show the Via (lane or alley) I am parked in. Bear in mind I reversed parked it there by reversing into the Via. The end of the Via where the rear of the car is pointing is basically a right angle around the building that only bikes and motor bikes can negotiate, cars, even small ones cannot get through. So if you want to park in front its a challenge that rewards the brave and punishes those who cannot reverse a car. You have to drive down a narrow Via first into a dead end, then reverse out of that and around two corners to place your car out front, with about 12 inches either side of this car. Putting the Vespa there last year was a little easier to do.
Tonight its off to Cafe Normale around the corner, a very unassuming place with sensational home cooked meals.
Tomorrow its Florence in the Tuscany region and hopefully see a bit of the Giro d'Italia if we time it right.
Sean and Lorraine
Photos
Google Compositions
2017-05-13~14 The Journey
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