Frustrations in Rome

I've not looked forward to Rome. I've been in Italy for 3.5 mths and yet if I'm in Rome, it's only because I'm changing trains at the Termini station. I know Rome need more than just a weekend to see, I know Rome will be busy, I know Rome will be full of gipsies and I know Rome will be hot. But I have to face it like how I have to face my fear. I think taking the bus in a train through Channel Tunnel is an achievement for me. Never in a million years I would think I'd be in a tunnel for 30 mins or more.

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I'm scared of gypsies but like someone told me to look on the bright side, 'I rather be pickpocketed by a gypsy than to be mug'. My first day in London while waiting for Jerry at the Underground entrance, the headline for evening papers said 'Gunpoint mugging soars in London'. I thought to myself 'Welcome to London, darling'. When in Cardiff the headline was 'Body found in river is a Paedophile'. Well... Cardiff isn't a very big place you know..

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And great, in Rome all hostels and hotels would have the city map available, shouldn't be a big deal, but wait, I stayed in a crap place.. I thought I should then try my luck at Termini, wait but I still don't see the tourist information office. Okay, so let's walk, maybe there's one in Piazza Repubblica.. Once there, nope.. the signboards are pointing empty. I asked a couple of policemen and they told me to go back to Termini to look better, so while waiting to cross a busy mainroad at the traffic light, a group of 5 gypsies with 1 teenagers and 3 babies were on the opposite side of me coming my way. Then 1 lady without a baby and a teenager decided to run across the road while cars were going and my heart was beating really fast and then I saw one of the toddler opposite in a gypsy's arm pointed to me and I know I am not in the mood to scream at people or to fight 5 ladies so I walked away to another direction while this one gypsy approached me and said 'Ciao bella' and when she saw me walking away she said, 'ma vaffanculo'.

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Wait, me? I should be the one saying it to them. See this is what happens in Rome, sometimes you get cornered thinking they are begging you for money from all 4 corners of you but reality is one of them or the toddler will be unzipping your bag.

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The first morning I stepped out of my hostel walking in to Termini station I already saw 1 gypsy with 2 daughter aged around 9 or 10 and they were going toward this one tourist chick with a bag hanging across her but the bag was facing behind her. Okay, Rule No 1 while travelling in big cities in Europe, never let your bag out of your sight, meaning if there's anything precious in your backpack, no matter how untrendy it is, let it sit in front of you. So what happened to the tourist chick? One man started calling out to her and warned her so the 3 gypsies walked away, but the man spoke broken English and only had the girl going 'huh?' So I explained to her.

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To be honest, I've never seen these many gypsies in other parts of Italy, not Naples, not Milan, not Venice. Did it freak me out? YES. How do I really feel? Wish I had a gun that I can handle and shoot them all. Why? Because if the Italian law can't take care of them, I will. (quite kidding)

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If you're afraid of getting pickpocketed, do what I do. Walk far away when you see a gypsy coming your way or are around you. And do not put your money in the easiest reachable place of your bag. Gypsies are easy to identify, they dress in a way where they stand out from the crowd.

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Sometimes I wonder why be a gypsy? They should just pose like a traveller and go stay in a hostel and go through everyone's stuff while they sleep. Wait.. why am I giving ideas?

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Anyway back to my Rome story.. At the end I didn't get a map at all, I just took the metro to Barberini and then looked aimlessly for Trevi fountain. As always it is beautiful. I walked for some hours until I got tired then I decided to eat... I miss my spaghetti alla carbonara.. I was gonna buy some mixed herbs for cooking spaghetti and then I realise it was double the price of what me and Priya paid n Florence and it was the same brand. I thought 3Euro for 100gm was expensive but 6Euro.. Wow...

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I went to Vatican too. Took the bus in the wrong direction so it went all the way to St Peter's and back to the train station. hahahaha

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On to my next destination.. Will write soon about it... Love you all!

Time in Belgium - Living carefree moments

As insane at it looks Christian really did carry me on his back while taking a picture with the Ghent train station sign and then he decides to start walking which of course scared the sh*t out of me but it was really really fun and I had a good time laughing. I think the last time anyone carried me this way I was 3 yrs old.

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3 of us visited Brussels on a day trip and well the main square (Grote Mrkt) was fantastic. It's in a way indescribable. Thought of staying there till night falls so that we can see the beautiful light ups in Grote Mrkt, but let's just say it was way too hot and humid to stay out in town for more than 6 hours. Again it isn't about doing this and that, it was more about living. To have the best time of your life may be about experiencing and seeing a world of new and fascinating things but at the same time it's also about spending moments with people that you can call friends. Like how you can be with a good friend and not say anything and yet had the perfect time out together.

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That's what I had in all my travels. Spending time with friends and just being silly and laughing all the while. It's like:

• having the opportunity to help Priya babysit Acacia and Shawn and watching Superman at the cinema with them
• having the opportunity to help with up some chairs and lamps in Jamuna's new house down in Merthyr Street in Cardiff
• having the opportunity to join Priya's near lousy salsa class (hahahahaha I'm quite kidding) and drinking Sangria in a happening Spanish restaurant in Cardiff and not forgetting that we drank every night while I was there like some alcoholics wannabe. I had great fun making her tiramisu and chicken rendang and plain spaghetti with herbs and bacons
• having the opportunity to go clubbing and picnicking in London with Jerry and make him do things with the excuse 'I'm only here for 3 days and that's all I am asking of you'
• having the opportunity to see a bit of local nightlife in Milan and staying with Marco in his apartment in Arese. It's great to see how people live!
• having the opportunity to be driven in Napoli down the mad crazy streets and cruising down Sorrento Coast with Michele
• clubbing for 2 nights in Ghent in a gay club from 3am till 5am. Never have I waited till 3am to enter a club. It's like being young again. Then followed by a supper of french fries
• This sound sick but I had so much french fries in Belgium, pratically everyday with the excuse of making up for lost times when I couldn't get much of them in Perugia. Again it's a signature dish in Belgium eh, so it's a must.
• Having an opportunity to stay with Lars & Christian who's been in Ghent for a while which made it feel like I was living with some posh locals.
• Having the opportunity to visit Evelyn, a Belgian staying in Brugge, a friend of Christian and meeting her big big friendly dog that jumped on me from the back twice and when she does that, she's as tall as me. Long nails to not to mention.
• Having the opportunity to stay in the worst hostel ever, all in Rome, called Backpacker's Hostel which had no locks AT ALL, anyone can just go to your room and I mean NO LOCKS as in no main door lock before the elevator, no door lock to the hostel reception, no room lock, no bathroom or toilet lock. I have a strong feeling they don't even change their sheets often enough and they mess up booking and will put you in whatever rooms that are available and well it's run by a bunch of travellers from 'a certain part of the world' and they are there to have fun, drink, club and act like they own the place. They messed up my booking and my bed was double booked and we only found out past midnight when the staff were sleeping so I had to go to another room and assume a vacant bed (everybody were out partying so couldn't really tell which is vacant or not) and sleep there with my bags in another room

So many more different opportunities that it would take forever to write but yeah.. my journey keeps going and I'm doing things that I will not be doing for a long time to come..

Crossing the English Channel

What is so great about that? Nothing. I just thought the bus would go on a ferry but instead it went into a train. I knew it was doomsday when we got into a train. It meant tunnel. And it meant 30 mins in tunnel underneath the English Channel. For someone who has slight clausthrophobia and fear for tunnels, it was bad news. What's worse? The guy next to me in the bus said 'the train looks like those the Nazi used for concentration camp'. I totally agree. Which made it worse eh. Luckily there was theMexican guy who was chatting to me in the bus so the ride was more manage-able. Ghent is about 7 hours from London and the ride didn't seem that long and maybe because I slept for most part.

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Spent a long night yesterday partying with Lars & Christian and it's great. I'm staying with them at the moment and it's a great apartment right smack in the middle of town centre and we are above Max Mara the retail shop overlooking a nice piazza and the shopping street. It's a big spacious apartment and the guys prepared a room for me. It's even bigger than my room in Perugia. They are treating me like a princess. So sweet eh?

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I am being pampered so nicely. More importantly, I have wonderful reliable friends across Europe that's making my travel so much fun.

Baking in Cardiff

So I've been here for 4 days and the weather is hot lah, what else? I've so far done shopping and shopping and I even been to the museum!!!! What a surprise for someone who don't go to museum!

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I even watched Superman and am determined to marry him, I hardly watch this sorta of movie so this was and must be a calling to marry him. Before that, I'll need to Google for the actor's real name. Anyhow I like the movie! I would suggest that you all go catch it so you know what my future husband will look like. *ahem*

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I visited Priya's mothership, TESCO. Happiness! You don't get this stuff in Perugia okay. You find Ipercoop but there's nothing like TESCO here! Tomorrow we will conquer LIDL!! HAIL ANGELINE!

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Knowing that I'm staying in this town for 5 days, I've been too lazy to take pictures to a point that since tomorrow is my last day, we are going out to get everything done. Going to Fortune House to pass a message for MunYee, going to the Bay to take pictures, going to the park, going to return clothes I bought that I don't want now, going to the council building to take pictures and well as usual we will do our nightly ritual of drinking. Apple cider and Malibu Coke!

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My excuse for drinking is that I won't be doing this when I go home so do as much as I can now. Tomorrow we will do it the English/Welsh style, we will start at 3PM since I've to pack my bags tomorrow night and sleep early cause my bus out is at 7am and I will be travelling to Belgium throughout the day. Madness.

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Coming to Cardiff was a great idea as I get to chill and wake up late and not to mention that Priya's bed is sooo comfy and her room is soo pretty!

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But this is my opinion of Welsh after 4 days of going around town.. Mind you it's Summer, not much students are around.. The locals are strange/bizarre. Italians are crazy but they are nice and they mind their own business and they are a happy lot. But Welsh! A different world! It's like they have inner bitterness which they will take it out on you. It's hard to give examples of what happened, bottomline is.. they are just weird.

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We went for salsa class tonight and it kinda bored us. hahaha The instructor was so-so and the music sounded like RnB instead of Latin/Salsa music. Weird man but at least i got to experience it and we had a Sangria too!!

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Tomorrow is laundry day too. 5 days may sound like a lot but we had been doing so much. Priya is always worried that I may be bored and I have to remind her again and again that I came here to chill. Not hoping to see monuments or whatever. Although I'm still wating for Keanu Reeves to appear before me. Is that too much to ask of the world ah?

Logging on from Cardiff, Wales

Priya's working so I have everything of hers at my disposal. HAHAHA

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I'm happy now cause I have my Laura Pausini CD playing, I hear seagulls outside the window.. Seagulls remind me of many fantastic places especially Perth. I can't wait to go grocery shopping which we will do soon and making tiramisu (I hope I brought enough of the biscuit). I came with a backpack of 20kg, I don't kow how I will fit new stuff into it but I suppose hand carrying another 10kg won't kill me. I'll only break a couple of bones. But for the love of buying candies and chocolates, I will do it. Not to mention I will be shopping at NEXT TO NOTHING for new working clothes!! woohooo.

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For some reason, I don't miss Perugia anymore. I think I left it for good, i think maybe because I've done enough and I've put it behind me. It's strange how I can forget and stop missing something so easily. Maybe that's how it is when you start to travel. I don't know, not like I'm travelling much anyway. Anyhow when I go home I know I will start missing all the great times I had in Europe. You know the kind when you're driving and stuck in a traffic jam and suddenly you just burst into tears because the sky remind you of Perugia or London or the sea remind you of Sorrento or Cinque Terre or because truly you just wish you're somewhere else. Forse solo bisogno un luogo che la gente parla Italiano. Io manco parlare Italiano anche un po strano adesso dove tutto parla Inglese e non ce nessuno che puo parlare italiano con me. Se continua cosi, posso salute mia lingua Italiana arriverderci. Spero di parlare piu quando tornero in Malaysia e non voglio dimenticare tutti che ho studiato in Italia.

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It's weird, it's actually cold in UK. So different from Italy. So smart of me to pack all my long sleeve and send them home.

Why I'll be single for a long time to come - Part 2

Let's just say situation as below don't happen everytime i go out. Only in Europe that there will be 3 different guys who try to pick me up in one night. In KL, don't even expect a guy to reply my question if I ask something in a club like 'Hey what drink is that?' and they would stare at me with the why-are-you-talking-to-me-you-fat-tart look. So ah.. must document... This is the most interesting story and the only one guy I really bothered with.

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Went to a club with Jerry (in picture), laidback and all, no one was dressed up to the nines, cool they played music I knew, 3 guys shared the hightable we docked ourself at. They smiled, we smiled. They said hi, we said hi. They look, I acknowledged. Then Jerry goes on the dancefloor and I'm standing there on my own and McD's would once a while look at me and smile and I would smile.

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After 2 hours, Funny talked to me.

Funny: Where's your fella?

Me: Who?

Funny: your boyfriend.

Me: That's not my boyfriend and he's on the dance floor.

Funy: He's not?

Me: NOO.

Funny: But you like him?

Me: NOO. We're friends.

Funny: You don't like him and you guys are not together?

Me: No we are just friends.

Funny: okay.

(Then Funny goes off to inform Times & McD's)

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Then Times and McD's walk pass me and I ask McD's if they are leaving. I thought McD's was cute. This is the convo. (it was a serious convo and nothing flirtatious mind you)

Me: you guys leaving?

McD's: Yea... But I really wanted to talk to you...

Me: Really? What about? (What I really meant is 'me too')

McD's: Well.. umm I wanted to say hi.

Me: Oh okay.. HI. (At this point I knew I screwed up)

McD's: I'd really like to see you again...

Me: But I'm leaving tomorrow. (What I meant is 'we can meet tmrw, I'm only leaving in the evening')

McD's: You're not from London?

Me: No, I'm just travelling. Anyhow, you have a good night and bye.

(The guy stares at me in disbelief)

Me: Uhh... Well I' going to Cardiff tomorrow to visit a friend.

McD's: Where are you from?

Me: Malaysia.

McD's: I'm going to Perth.

Me: Why would you go to Perth?

McD's: You live there right? (Mind you, we were talking with loud music in the background)

Me: No.. hehahahaha.. Why would you go to Perth? You have a good night.. bye. (Don't even ask me why)

(McD's stared at me in disbelief again)

Me: Uhhh.. You guys come here often?

McD's: No, we were just passing by and we decided to drop by this club. We're Londoners.

Me: Oh okay..

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And somewhere the conversation ended with me saying bye AGAIN and a kiss.

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I think I fared poorly especially when I was interested in the guy too. Then Times talked to me and McD's kinda just left. Then we didn't even say goodbye outside the club cause McD's left for home without Times. I saw him walking out but didn't think he would leave without his friend.

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Dissapointing... I told Jerry that I want him to take the blame for the fact that I did and am not dating a McD's accountant in London. Told him that he spoiled the market cause if not, McD's would have started talking to me ages ago and not let me screw it up at the end.

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Jerry said it's destiny, I told him guys always put the blame on destiny. Anyhow, Priya isn't too impressed that I just spent 3.5 mths in Italy and with only 48 hours in London, I got smitten by a Londoner. Which is weird. I agree. Well think about it.. I could be eating free McD's now. and having a date with a 28 yr old accountant from McD's who's name I don't even know now.

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This is the "i should have said this and not that and I should have done this and not that' moment. I am so pathetic...

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SIGH.

Cinque Terre & Milano

I am sort of done walking down Oxford Street trying to find decent clothes at decent price, who was I kidding. One who spends more money on DVD n CDs than clothes will never change and I didn't! Proud of myself too!

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Anyway now back to the shop that sells explicit t-shirts and then back to hostel to wash my hair. Hate having my hair greasy. Kind of free today, maybe catch a movie or musical this evening. Am trying to talk Jerry into going out tonight, after all it's Friday. Honestly when traveling, name of the days don't matter but must always remember the dates we come and go.

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Anyhow, I did the Cinque Terre hike, proud of myself too. All in 4 hours. Me and 2 girls I met at the hostel in Riomaggiore planned to go to the furthest point and hike back to our town, that is to start with the hardest point but as faith would have it, we started the opposite direction instead because of the infrequency of train. As in, if we start from the furthest point, we would have to wait for 1.5 hours for the train, so instead we just started hiking from our town..

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Good move as the last hike from Vernazza to Monterosso was more of downhill and if we started from Monterosso, I would have took the train home from Vernazza and forget about hiking the next 3 path. Understand? Anyhow, glad I did the hike. it was beautiful, so picturesque, quite unbelievable really.Very tiring as well to the point where we always sleep before midnight.

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Milan according to many is unpicturesque and ugly, but I realise it's like any other town in Italy, not exactly the quality of a city but I felt it was good enough. Not exactly a place to visit for more than one day but all I spent was half a day and that was enough. Marco showed me Milan by night and yes it was great. Not exactly a place I would go back to but I'm glad I did Milan. Btw the Duomo was covered by a scaffold so I had a crap view of it..

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Thought of visiting Genova the same morning but according to a guidebook, everything about Genova was dangerous to a point that it turned me off so bad. Also thought of Portofino, the playground for the rich and famous, but let's just say the 4 hours hike the day before was quite a lot and the swim after that just drained all my energy.

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I have to go back to Italy soon after all I didn't do the islands nor the South such as Puglia, Calabria, Sicilia, Sardegna and what not. Also to swim in Sorrento which I must return and do.

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Time to grab lunch. Pie.. yummy..

Blogging from London

It's weird to hear English in the air all the time. No more Italians, just doesn't feel right. London this round is better than the last. Jerry was suppose to greet me at Victoria station with an a2 cardboard welcoming me, of course as usual, things don't happen the way I want them to. He had to go back to work and my bus was late so we met up much later again with me waiting outside the subway station. Scenes in Love Actually only happens in movies. But maybe one fine day when I fly into Heathrow, I will get the same kind of greeting?

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I'm actually liking London.. haha The vibe is great.

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We went to Leicester Sq last evening and it was the premier of Superman, so I got a photos of the back of Superman while walking on the red carpet. If you wanna meet celebrities, London's a good place to start. Like how I saw the American Pie cast the last time I came to London.

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It's actually cold here and all I have are summer wears that I have been using in Italy. The wind in the evening here is mad. It gets cold. Did I mention that this is where the cute guys are? Man.. It's the bomb. Better than Hong Kong..

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I'm getting pathetic.. Pardon..

Problem with me...

Why I'll be single for a long time to come (if not forever):

• I demand 100% attention
• If you say you will call me at 1pm, you call me at 1pm. Not 1.30pm or 2pm or 4pm
• If you say you miss me, why are you not making your way to be next to me?
• I always say 'okay' when it is NOT okay, and then later I start to get angry and when I realise where I went wrong, it's too late
• I cannot be 'tranquilla', I need to know what's happening tomorrow today, I cannot wait for tomorrow to see what will happen tomorrow
• I don't say everything I want to say which makes me seem like I don't care
• I don't ask everything I want to ask thinking it may be rude or too nosy
• I try to pass myself as the strong one who can handle whatever crap that comes her way and when I say 'okay', what I mean is 'I will live anyhow' but will be very unhappy of course
• I want to know what you're up to 95% of the time. I meant 99.9%
• I'm not losing weight for you

How can I change:

• I need to learn to say what I really feel inside instantly and not after showing temper for 5 mins because by then, ALL IS LOSS.
• If I want a break-up, I need to say it and not make the other person say it and then start crying. Only losers do things like that and I confess, I was once a loser.
• I'm too afraid to say sweet nothings or even how I really feel thinking it may make me look stupid
• I need to work again to put my mind on to more serious things

ITALIA VINTO!!!

It's a greatttttt feeling. After watching for what seemed like 2 hours and then finally watching the goals, it was sweeeettt!
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Yes I betted on Germany and I felt they were the favourite this time but yes I was supporting Italy and it was a grand grand grand feeling. Everyone's celebrating outside which means it's dangerous to be out on the road now so thus I'm stuck in the hostel.
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GRANDE!!!!! GRANDE!!!! I always tell people that when I watch a match, there's never goals and at the end of 90 minutes I really thought I'm a black sheep but I think patience is all we need because WE WON!!!!
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See you on Sunday!!!! We are going to win the cup!!
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I said Forza Italia to some Italians int he hostel and they told me it was a tagline for Berlusconi thus it's not likeable especially in South.. Ooops.. What did I pick up from Perugia.. Anyways, VIVA ITALIA!!!
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Annu, Mun Yee & Tucks, news for you, my ass hurt. Go figure.
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GRANDE ITALIA! VIVA ITALIA!!

Ciao from Napoli

They say Italy is split into 3 parts, if the people had their way, it would be 3 countries. North, Central and South.

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The myth about italians drive like mad people is true in Napoli but not in Central. I don't know how to describe the traffic here in Napoli but imagine KL without traffic lights and everyone being the worst Malaysian drivers. PAZZISIMO.

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Tonight is the match. THE MATCH. Italy vs Germany. I keep saying Forza Italia because I know it's arriverderci moment tonight. People are selling flags, t shirts and even manifestazioni (poster of obituary) of Germany. When someone dies in Italy, there is a poster announcement on the side of the street, so what Italians did was create one for Germany.

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I made a bet with my friend Michele, all for 3 flavours of the best gelato in Napoli. FORZA ITALIA!! Of course I'm betting on Germany. I will keep saying Forza Italia but something tells me it's German's game.

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Off to Pompei tomorrow and Sorrento and the coast the next day. Not doing Capri this time around as I don't want to spend my time on the beach with 1000 other people. Instead I will go to Kapas. GOOD IDEA HUH? I KNOW.

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Baci a tutti,

Angeline