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!