All Roads Lead to Rome Eventually
All Roads Lead to Rome Eventually
31st August 2006
This was the day of our departure for Europe. Sheila has completed most of her packing the previous evening, while I figured that I would have plenty of time in the forenoon as we were not leaving until after lunch. My assessment proved to be correct and it only took me a couple of minutes to carefully sling my stuff in my case.
Adam had gone to work as usual having packed his bag before he went to work.
Rosalind, Sheila and I left their apartment at 1534, with Khun Boon Chuay driving, hoping to pick Adam up at his office on the way to the ‘old’ airport. We picked Adam up no problem but as there was five of us in the car and four cases I had to have my case on my knee for the trip to the airport, I was pleased that mine was the smallest and lightest.
The roads were quite busy as usual, but once we were on the tollway it was a quick 30 minute trip to the airport. It is an axiom of mine that on every trip something will be forgotten or left behind by someone. The secret to successful travel then is to try and ensure that the forgotten item is not a critical one. This time was no exception: we had got the cases out of the car, waved goodbye to Khun Boon Chuay and just moved the cases into the terminal when Rosalind realised that she had left her ‘cabin’ bag in the front of their car. Rosalind quickly telephoned Khun Boon Chuay hoping to get hold of him before he got back onto the tollway from which there is no u-turning for about
40 km.
Meanwhile Adam and I put the four cases through baggage screening and took the bags to the Singapore Airlines booking counter for our SQ973 flight at 1800 to Rome via Singapore. We had just got the boarding passes issued when Khun Boon Chuay arrived at the kerbside and Rosalind was able to retrieve her ‘cabin’. I thought this was a god omen as we had our travel ‘crisis’ and it had proved to me a very minor one.
Adam and Rosalind took us into the ‘business class’ waiting lounge for about 20 minutes before we boarded which is a nice way to relax before take off.
It is only a couple of hours flight to Singapore during which I watched the movie ‘Romance and Cigarettes’, I describe it as a bit of a ‘chick flick’, but for naughty chicks. Because of the duration of the film was longer than the flight I missed the last fifteen minutes, but I am not devastated and not at all keen to see what I missed. Sheila was watching ‘On a Clear day’ and oblivious to the fact that most of the cabin could hear her unrestrained laughter. I made a not to watch that film during the next leg of our journey.
At Singapore airport Adam and I got some Euros from the currency exchange bureau. Because of the volume of Euros that Adam got, he was given a clock set into a metal model plane, which Adam gave to me, and I earmarked for Eric on our return to Bathurst. Eric Andrews is currently studying for his pilots licence and as we call him Biggles this model bi-plane seemed most appropriate. Adam also gave me a leather bound pen from Balmain of Paris which was a gift from Singapore airlines to its valued customers. I earmarked that one for me.
Adam and Rosalind took us into the first class lounge where I sat guard on our cabin bags while the other three went shopping for various essential items.
For Adam it was some books to read on holiday. For Sheila mostly is was just looking at shops, but also trying to get her frequent flyer credits added to her account as the travel agent had stuffed up yet again. Sheila returned from her window shopping while Adam and Rosalind continued theirs. While Adam and Rosalind were away an airport attendant with a wheel chair came across the Sheila and said “Are you travelling to Manchester madam?”
If looks could have killed he would have needed a stretcher not a wheelchair.
Sheila does have problems with her legs sometimes, and she did not say a word, but the withering stare communicated Sheila’s distain for the wheelchair or perhaps it was the idea that she might have be a person who would go to Manchester. Adam went with Sheila to the service desk to ensure that her frequent flyer points would be credited for the Bangkok to Singapore flight and also ensure that it would appear for the rest of the flights.
Although we could have eaten and drank as much as we liked we all abstained apart from mineral water. I worked on a couple of cross words from some ‘Lovatts’ crosswords books, that I had been sent by Christine Lovatt as a thank you for a thousand questions and answers that I had e-mailed to her. Sheila and Rosalind helped with a couple of answers and it proved a useful pastime as we waited the three hours for our flight to Rome. There were a very loud Australian couple half the room away from us, but everyone in the room was party to their conversation whether they wanted to be or not. Sheila was dismayed to hear from them that they would be on the same flight as us t Rome. We hoped that they would be no-where near us during the flight.
They were not for which we were very grateful. It was a very comfortable flight to Rome and the twelve hour flight seemed to pass quite quickly. I did watch the movie ‘On a Clear Day’, it is great in the same genre as ‘The Full Monty’ and ‘Brassed Off’ and I thought as good, almost. It took Sheila and I a little while to sort out the mechanisms of the bed operation, with a little help from Rosalind, the illuminated blue button was the key to getting it the flattest and back into it’s pod to provide a screen from noise and light. This enabled us to get at least four or five hours sleep and arrive at Leonardo Da Vinci airport at Fiumicino airport. I wish the Italians would make up their minds at to whether it is Leonardo Da Vinci Airport or Fiumicino airport then provide the appropriate signage, a portend of significance.
We had no difficulty in getting through immigration other than the staff more concerned with their hair and their mates than helping travellers. We boarded the train that provides the transportation from the arrivals terminal to the baggage collection, they are very frequent and speedy, but alas our luggage was quite a bit longer, though it all arrived. After retrieving our luggage we entered the ‘rat maze’ the best description of the design of the airport. We were in search of the car hire companies; we missed out on the cheese on our first attempt as we by-passed their location and then had to back track through the maze. Not withstanding the fact that this was the second time that we had been to Rome airport and hired a car albeit a couple of years previously.
When we got to the Europcar counter Rosalind Sheila and I sat while Adam went through the process of getting the car. It never is a simple process in Italy and this was no exception as we could see Adam’s body language change and first one then two other staff members ‘helped’ while other customers came and went.
Rosalind and Sheila did not want to be photographed after an overnight flight from Bangkok. Adam is in the middle at the Europcar counter ‘negotiating’ with the staff.
It was an extended process with them starting at an apology for not having the BMW that Adam had requested, apparently there is never a guarantee that you will get the type of car you request. Adam was then offered a range of unsuitable vehicles that would have been no use for the four of us with all our cases. Eventually Adam agreed to take a Mercedes E series that proved to be an excellent car in all respects.
I had prepared a detailed trip schedule to guide us from the airport to our hotel, Regina Hotel Baglioni in the Via Veneto in Rome.
However as we left the airport Adam seemed very confident that he knew where he was going and how to get to the Via Veneto and did not appear to need to consult the map or my explicit directions. I assumed that he had studied the detail route map that I had prepared and given to him. It is an old adage that one should never assume anything as it makes an ASS out of U and ME. Notwithstanding its age the axiom proved to be true once again.
Adam had not studied the map and when he turned off the Grand Annulare, ring road earlier than I expected I thought perhaps he had worked out a quicker route.
Nah, he was flying blind and when I say flying I mean it, if Adam if geographically embarrassed his response is to drive faster and faster. I call it the snooker table strategy where by a players figures that if they hit the balls hard to make them go around the table enough times, eventually they will fall down a hole.
We did see parts of Rome that we had not seen before and specifically suburbs to the south west of the central district whereas we needed to be in the north west of the city.
The map given to us by the hire company was of no use partly because by that time we had no idea where we were on the map and although we could se street names there was no index of streets with the map so no way of pin pointing our location, especially while low flying.
After an hour or so of driving we managed to coordinate our location with a site on the map and I could start to navigate our desired direction.
Unfortunately there was a large demonstration by a few thousand hunters complaining about some restrictions that were being imposed on their hobby. I suspect that it was an EU membership requirement and given their disruption to the traffic and our progression I was all for the restrictions whatever they were. Every time we needed to turn left the road was blocked off or was ‘one way’ the other way and we were herded towards the main railway station. Gradually we managed to work our way north west of the city via Republic Square and enter the Via Vittorio Veneto about half way along the length of the street. Driving up the Via Veneto, on the right hand side we spotted our hotel on the other side of the road on which no u-turns are possible. We had to drive out side of the old city wall to the Villa Borghese gardens before Adam could turn back and be on the correct side to access the hotel, with our fingers crossed for valet parking.
Adam was very relieved when the hotel staff on the forecourt said that they had valet parking and would park the car for him.
The following is a description of the hotel from their brochure:
Regina Hotel Baglioni in Via Veneto, the heart of Rome famed for the Dolce Vita lifestyle of the 50’s and 60’s is just a stones throw from the magnificent gardens of the Villa Borghese and the famous cafes of the capital. The elegant Regina Hotel Baglioni is the home of class and sober elegance; today it is the favourite destination for those who travel and search for Italian style and luxury. The 143 rooms and suites show the passion and taste in art and furnishings which give an air of supreme comfort to guests
On the next few pages I included some pictures of various suites that are typical of the style.
I am not able to upload photos at the moment but pictures of the hotel may be viewed at www.baglionihotels.com I will try again another day with the missing photos
This was our bedroom.
Registration was no problem though I still think it is strange to have to show ones passport when registering. Our luggage was being delivered to our rooms and meanwhile a bellboy escorted us to a lift and took us to the first floor while announcing “Scuse me but we need to take another lift”. We dutifully followed him along a corridor turning numerous corners and then entered another lift. We exited on the second floor and proceeded on another trek while the bellboy compared the room numbers to our keys. When we came to a dead end he apologetically announced “Scuse me but we need to go back down and take a different lift, I am a sorry there has been some changes”. I hoped that the changes did not include our rooms being ‘disappeared’. We went back to the first floor and then via a different set of corners to another lift and then a small labyrinth until we arrived at our rooms. I was a little concerned that we would never find our way back to reception and I quipped “could you please run some string from our room to the front door so that we can find our way in and out?” Nothing, no smile no acknowledgement ah ce la vie or whatever is the Italian equivalent.
We were thrilled with the rooms that are well appointed and large. Everyone was starting to relax and agreed that we should shower, get changed and then lunch at a nearby sidewalk café.
Adam, Rosalind and Sheila’s right hand and ladybag outside Regina Hotel Baglioni on the Via Veneto
Our lunch venue on the Via Veneto
As we had lunch Adam announced, much to the consternation of Rosalind and Sheila that we should not waste the day and asked us to nominate any building that we would like to see. Rosalind and Sheila were still expressing their views on a possible ‘route march’ around Rome while I nominated the Pantheon. Adam assured us all that it was very close so off we marched Adam in the lead with me a close second and the ladies lingering behind as various shop windows caught their eyes.
It was very sunny and hot and when we found ourselves at the top of the ‘Spanish Steps’ Sheila was somewhat dismayed as walking down the steps is hard on her knee joints.
We were all very impressed with the Pantheon the sense of history is almost overpowering
31st August 2006
This was the day of our departure for Europe. Sheila has completed most of her packing the previous evening, while I figured that I would have plenty of time in the forenoon as we were not leaving until after lunch. My assessment proved to be correct and it only took me a couple of minutes to carefully sling my stuff in my case.
Adam had gone to work as usual having packed his bag before he went to work.
Rosalind, Sheila and I left their apartment at 1534, with Khun Boon Chuay driving, hoping to pick Adam up at his office on the way to the ‘old’ airport. We picked Adam up no problem but as there was five of us in the car and four cases I had to have my case on my knee for the trip to the airport, I was pleased that mine was the smallest and lightest.
The roads were quite busy as usual, but once we were on the tollway it was a quick 30 minute trip to the airport. It is an axiom of mine that on every trip something will be forgotten or left behind by someone. The secret to successful travel then is to try and ensure that the forgotten item is not a critical one. This time was no exception: we had got the cases out of the car, waved goodbye to Khun Boon Chuay and just moved the cases into the terminal when Rosalind realised that she had left her ‘cabin’ bag in the front of their car. Rosalind quickly telephoned Khun Boon Chuay hoping to get hold of him before he got back onto the tollway from which there is no u-turning for about
40 km.
Meanwhile Adam and I put the four cases through baggage screening and took the bags to the Singapore Airlines booking counter for our SQ973 flight at 1800 to Rome via Singapore. We had just got the boarding passes issued when Khun Boon Chuay arrived at the kerbside and Rosalind was able to retrieve her ‘cabin’. I thought this was a god omen as we had our travel ‘crisis’ and it had proved to me a very minor one.
Adam and Rosalind took us into the ‘business class’ waiting lounge for about 20 minutes before we boarded which is a nice way to relax before take off.
It is only a couple of hours flight to Singapore during which I watched the movie ‘Romance and Cigarettes’, I describe it as a bit of a ‘chick flick’, but for naughty chicks. Because of the duration of the film was longer than the flight I missed the last fifteen minutes, but I am not devastated and not at all keen to see what I missed. Sheila was watching ‘On a Clear day’ and oblivious to the fact that most of the cabin could hear her unrestrained laughter. I made a not to watch that film during the next leg of our journey.
At Singapore airport Adam and I got some Euros from the currency exchange bureau. Because of the volume of Euros that Adam got, he was given a clock set into a metal model plane, which Adam gave to me, and I earmarked for Eric on our return to Bathurst. Eric Andrews is currently studying for his pilots licence and as we call him Biggles this model bi-plane seemed most appropriate. Adam also gave me a leather bound pen from Balmain of Paris which was a gift from Singapore airlines to its valued customers. I earmarked that one for me.
Adam and Rosalind took us into the first class lounge where I sat guard on our cabin bags while the other three went shopping for various essential items.
For Adam it was some books to read on holiday. For Sheila mostly is was just looking at shops, but also trying to get her frequent flyer credits added to her account as the travel agent had stuffed up yet again. Sheila returned from her window shopping while Adam and Rosalind continued theirs. While Adam and Rosalind were away an airport attendant with a wheel chair came across the Sheila and said “Are you travelling to Manchester madam?”
If looks could have killed he would have needed a stretcher not a wheelchair.
Sheila does have problems with her legs sometimes, and she did not say a word, but the withering stare communicated Sheila’s distain for the wheelchair or perhaps it was the idea that she might have be a person who would go to Manchester. Adam went with Sheila to the service desk to ensure that her frequent flyer points would be credited for the Bangkok to Singapore flight and also ensure that it would appear for the rest of the flights.
Although we could have eaten and drank as much as we liked we all abstained apart from mineral water. I worked on a couple of cross words from some ‘Lovatts’ crosswords books, that I had been sent by Christine Lovatt as a thank you for a thousand questions and answers that I had e-mailed to her. Sheila and Rosalind helped with a couple of answers and it proved a useful pastime as we waited the three hours for our flight to Rome. There were a very loud Australian couple half the room away from us, but everyone in the room was party to their conversation whether they wanted to be or not. Sheila was dismayed to hear from them that they would be on the same flight as us t Rome. We hoped that they would be no-where near us during the flight.
They were not for which we were very grateful. It was a very comfortable flight to Rome and the twelve hour flight seemed to pass quite quickly. I did watch the movie ‘On a Clear Day’, it is great in the same genre as ‘The Full Monty’ and ‘Brassed Off’ and I thought as good, almost. It took Sheila and I a little while to sort out the mechanisms of the bed operation, with a little help from Rosalind, the illuminated blue button was the key to getting it the flattest and back into it’s pod to provide a screen from noise and light. This enabled us to get at least four or five hours sleep and arrive at Leonardo Da Vinci airport at Fiumicino airport. I wish the Italians would make up their minds at to whether it is Leonardo Da Vinci Airport or Fiumicino airport then provide the appropriate signage, a portend of significance.
We had no difficulty in getting through immigration other than the staff more concerned with their hair and their mates than helping travellers. We boarded the train that provides the transportation from the arrivals terminal to the baggage collection, they are very frequent and speedy, but alas our luggage was quite a bit longer, though it all arrived. After retrieving our luggage we entered the ‘rat maze’ the best description of the design of the airport. We were in search of the car hire companies; we missed out on the cheese on our first attempt as we by-passed their location and then had to back track through the maze. Not withstanding the fact that this was the second time that we had been to Rome airport and hired a car albeit a couple of years previously.
When we got to the Europcar counter Rosalind Sheila and I sat while Adam went through the process of getting the car. It never is a simple process in Italy and this was no exception as we could see Adam’s body language change and first one then two other staff members ‘helped’ while other customers came and went.
Rosalind and Sheila did not want to be photographed after an overnight flight from Bangkok. Adam is in the middle at the Europcar counter ‘negotiating’ with the staff.
It was an extended process with them starting at an apology for not having the BMW that Adam had requested, apparently there is never a guarantee that you will get the type of car you request. Adam was then offered a range of unsuitable vehicles that would have been no use for the four of us with all our cases. Eventually Adam agreed to take a Mercedes E series that proved to be an excellent car in all respects.
I had prepared a detailed trip schedule to guide us from the airport to our hotel, Regina Hotel Baglioni in the Via Veneto in Rome.
However as we left the airport Adam seemed very confident that he knew where he was going and how to get to the Via Veneto and did not appear to need to consult the map or my explicit directions. I assumed that he had studied the detail route map that I had prepared and given to him. It is an old adage that one should never assume anything as it makes an ASS out of U and ME. Notwithstanding its age the axiom proved to be true once again.
Adam had not studied the map and when he turned off the Grand Annulare, ring road earlier than I expected I thought perhaps he had worked out a quicker route.
Nah, he was flying blind and when I say flying I mean it, if Adam if geographically embarrassed his response is to drive faster and faster. I call it the snooker table strategy where by a players figures that if they hit the balls hard to make them go around the table enough times, eventually they will fall down a hole.
We did see parts of Rome that we had not seen before and specifically suburbs to the south west of the central district whereas we needed to be in the north west of the city.
The map given to us by the hire company was of no use partly because by that time we had no idea where we were on the map and although we could se street names there was no index of streets with the map so no way of pin pointing our location, especially while low flying.
After an hour or so of driving we managed to coordinate our location with a site on the map and I could start to navigate our desired direction.
Unfortunately there was a large demonstration by a few thousand hunters complaining about some restrictions that were being imposed on their hobby. I suspect that it was an EU membership requirement and given their disruption to the traffic and our progression I was all for the restrictions whatever they were. Every time we needed to turn left the road was blocked off or was ‘one way’ the other way and we were herded towards the main railway station. Gradually we managed to work our way north west of the city via Republic Square and enter the Via Vittorio Veneto about half way along the length of the street. Driving up the Via Veneto, on the right hand side we spotted our hotel on the other side of the road on which no u-turns are possible. We had to drive out side of the old city wall to the Villa Borghese gardens before Adam could turn back and be on the correct side to access the hotel, with our fingers crossed for valet parking.
Adam was very relieved when the hotel staff on the forecourt said that they had valet parking and would park the car for him.
The following is a description of the hotel from their brochure:
Regina Hotel Baglioni in Via Veneto, the heart of Rome famed for the Dolce Vita lifestyle of the 50’s and 60’s is just a stones throw from the magnificent gardens of the Villa Borghese and the famous cafes of the capital. The elegant Regina Hotel Baglioni is the home of class and sober elegance; today it is the favourite destination for those who travel and search for Italian style and luxury. The 143 rooms and suites show the passion and taste in art and furnishings which give an air of supreme comfort to guests
On the next few pages I included some pictures of various suites that are typical of the style.
I am not able to upload photos at the moment but pictures of the hotel may be viewed at www.baglionihotels.com I will try again another day with the missing photos
This was our bedroom.
Registration was no problem though I still think it is strange to have to show ones passport when registering. Our luggage was being delivered to our rooms and meanwhile a bellboy escorted us to a lift and took us to the first floor while announcing “Scuse me but we need to take another lift”. We dutifully followed him along a corridor turning numerous corners and then entered another lift. We exited on the second floor and proceeded on another trek while the bellboy compared the room numbers to our keys. When we came to a dead end he apologetically announced “Scuse me but we need to go back down and take a different lift, I am a sorry there has been some changes”. I hoped that the changes did not include our rooms being ‘disappeared’. We went back to the first floor and then via a different set of corners to another lift and then a small labyrinth until we arrived at our rooms. I was a little concerned that we would never find our way back to reception and I quipped “could you please run some string from our room to the front door so that we can find our way in and out?” Nothing, no smile no acknowledgement ah ce la vie or whatever is the Italian equivalent.
We were thrilled with the rooms that are well appointed and large. Everyone was starting to relax and agreed that we should shower, get changed and then lunch at a nearby sidewalk café.
Adam, Rosalind and Sheila’s right hand and ladybag outside Regina Hotel Baglioni on the Via Veneto
Our lunch venue on the Via Veneto
As we had lunch Adam announced, much to the consternation of Rosalind and Sheila that we should not waste the day and asked us to nominate any building that we would like to see. Rosalind and Sheila were still expressing their views on a possible ‘route march’ around Rome while I nominated the Pantheon. Adam assured us all that it was very close so off we marched Adam in the lead with me a close second and the ladies lingering behind as various shop windows caught their eyes.
It was very sunny and hot and when we found ourselves at the top of the ‘Spanish Steps’ Sheila was somewhat dismayed as walking down the steps is hard on her knee joints.
We were all very impressed with the Pantheon the sense of history is almost overpowering
posted by John Lunn at 6:59 PM
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