Hot, smelly, polluted and crowded...

Ok where to start? I have finally made it to Italy and although I have not been here even five days, I have to say I'm pretty disappointed. It’s polluted, swelteringly hot, unorganised, crowded, smelly and it is the most unsafe I have ever felt in my life. It’s not all bad though, and it’s my own fault for coming here in the middle of the high season! I landed in Rome, and immediately got on the bus to hell. Remind me NEVER to drive in Italy; it would freak me out for life. Lanes mean nothing, stop signs mean nothing, and pedestrian crossings definitely mean nothing. You just have to start walking in to the middle of the traffic and hope to survive.

My first hostel in Rome was really dodgy, and didn’t even have a sign. First I had to walk with my huge backpack, past homeless people sleeping in shop doorways and then couldn't find the blimmen building. It just had a tiny piece of paper on the buzzer, and you had to go in the dodgiest elevator to the 5th floor. As I got there pretty late, I just crashed straight away. The next day I meet some Americans at breakfast, (if you could even call it that; juice and a small bun) and they took me under their wings. So I went with them to the Pantheon, Coliseum, Roman Forum and out to dinner in a nice Piazza across the other side of the river.

Jill and Mike, the Americans in front of the Pantheon

Jill and Mike, were lovely and didn’t make me feel like a third wheel at all. I got to see a lot more of the city than I probably would have if I was just by my self. I was a little worried that they thought they were stuck with me, but they assured me that it was nice to have some different company as they had been travelling together for the last two months. So if you're reading this you two... thank you very much for all of your kindness and I wish you all the very best for the upcoming nuptials!!

My hostel in Naples was more of a hotel and was fantastic. Although it was in a dodgy area, I ended up having the whole room to myself on my first night which was sooo good to actually get some sleep. As I hardly got any sleep in Rome. I visited Pompeii, a historic Roman city being excavated and Sorrento an unabashedly tourist town on the side of some cliffs. Sorrento was really nice, it was good to get out of the doom and gloom of Naples. A bit expensive - but nice views and pleasant atmosphere.

I have come to loathe Naples with a passion. While in the trains people walk through the carriages playing the accordion, and thrusting their children at you (some only look 18 months old) who are clutching plastic cups for you to give them money. When I was in McDs (the only place I could find actually open on the National holiday) a girl came right up to me and was begging for my food. I felt positively awful, I didn't know whether to ignore her or be a 'stupid tourist'. Then some man started shouting at me in Italian through the window, I think he was angry that I was even in the building, let alone also eating. On my second night in Naples I meet an Australian and a Venezuelan. We were all solo female travellers and so we went out to dinner. The Australian could talk Portuguese, and so she could somehow communicate with the girl from Venezuela who spoke Spanish and a little Italian, and basic English. At the restaurant we drew a bit of attention from the locals and so they joined in and the process of translation was hilarious. In order for the waiter to communicate to me, he first had to talk to the Venezuelan, then she talked to the Australian then the Australian told me what the question was, and to answer it was the reverse. The locals then got in to a very loud argument about which wine we should have, as they had conflicting opinions over which was the best.

Next day I headed to the port, and got my tickets to get out of Naples ASAP. Short and brief blog I know, but just wait till you hit the epic blog for Sicily.