I have one more night in Rome before I head of Naples!
I thought I'd really love it but unfortunately I didn't. It was just okay. Like, I didn't like the streets or the people or the atmosphere.
My hostel was nice. It was in an apartment, I know it was very homey. Like, the other hostels I'd stayed in hotels were like, but with lots of room for people, but this is just like a share house. I do not really prefer it because i like my privacy. Like, if I stay in my room, I do not want anyone to be Able to tell and judge me on it.
But the people are all really nice, it's a very community feel.
Unfortunately I didn't get to see much of Rome, just out of sheer laziness. You know sometimes you just lose all motivation and just don't feel like doing things and you just feel mad at everything? Like, I did the Colosseum in a rage, it was crazy. Like, everything was pissing me off. Every time someone cut in front of me, I felt like Homer in that Simpson's episode where he's controlling his rage and bumps keep popping out his neck.
The people I met in the Hostel were nice, and I did some of the sightseeing and evenings with them, but it wasn't the same as the friendships I made in Santorini. Those guys I really think I could have been best friends with in another lifetime.
I just felt a lot more threatened in Rome, less safe. In Athens I felt like that too, but more in a people staring at me kind of way. Here, it felt like people were constantly sizing me up, seeing how much money they could con me out of.
I was good at avoiding it most of the time, but it's so tricky. People start doing something for you and then you kind of say no, but they just keep doing it and then they turn around, stick out their hand and say '10 euros'. It pisses me off because most of the time, it's stuff I don't want or like what just happened. I was at the train station, it's huge obviously. It's Roma Termini, basically the terminus of Rome. All trains meet there in the middle of the city. I was running a bit late (sue me I was trying to boil eggs to take with me for lunch) and then I didn't realise how difficult it would be to find where the trains actually were. It was like being inside an airport. And then finding what track. Basically, I have my two bags, backpack and duffle bag, I'm sweating and I finally get to the right place, 12. And then a guy comes up, takes my folder out of my hands, asks where I'm going, I say Napoli because yeah, Naples. He says okay, and starts walking with my folder down the train. I know it sounds stupid, but these things happen fast and I was scared the train was about to go so I just hop, skip and jump after him as he strides down the train to the eighth carriage.
In Australia, that's what infomation guys do! They help you find your place, only they are actually employed by the station. But not in Rome. The guy gets to the right carriage, hops in with me and asks for money.
I sigh internally, but say okay, pull out my wallet and give him two euro. He says no, ten. I say no, I don't have ten. I did, but not actually a ten dollar note, only a twenty and thats still way too much for two minutes of walking next to me. Like, the carriages are numbered, I could have found 8 just as quickly. Plus another time I tried to ask for change from a two euro for a one euro bottle of water, the guy just changed his price and said, it's two euro now. So I wasn't giving this guy a twenty euro note. Most likely I'd hand it over, he'd grin, say thanks and hop of the train, leaving me stuck.
He was quite threatening. Like, he was right next to me in the alleyway in the train. I fished out the rest of my coins. I don't know how much it was, but mostly just small change. Probably a few more dollars. But I said, look, sorry, no, I'm not giving you my 20, you didn't say it would cost 10 euro, I don't have it, take the coins, I'm sorry. And then I backed down the alley way to find my seat, scared he would chase me and just keep demanding.
Thankfully he didn't. He did grab my arm but not hard.
I just didn't really like Rome. I thought the people were rude and demanding and didn't really make me feel welcome or comfortable in the city. I wouldn't mind coming again one day but for now, it's not on my list anymore.
I thought I'd really love it but unfortunately I didn't. It was just okay. Like, I didn't like the streets or the people or the atmosphere.
My hostel was nice. It was in an apartment, I know it was very homey. Like, the other hostels I'd stayed in hotels were like, but with lots of room for people, but this is just like a share house. I do not really prefer it because i like my privacy. Like, if I stay in my room, I do not want anyone to be Able to tell and judge me on it.
But the people are all really nice, it's a very community feel.
Unfortunately I didn't get to see much of Rome, just out of sheer laziness. You know sometimes you just lose all motivation and just don't feel like doing things and you just feel mad at everything? Like, I did the Colosseum in a rage, it was crazy. Like, everything was pissing me off. Every time someone cut in front of me, I felt like Homer in that Simpson's episode where he's controlling his rage and bumps keep popping out his neck.
The people I met in the Hostel were nice, and I did some of the sightseeing and evenings with them, but it wasn't the same as the friendships I made in Santorini. Those guys I really think I could have been best friends with in another lifetime.
I just felt a lot more threatened in Rome, less safe. In Athens I felt like that too, but more in a people staring at me kind of way. Here, it felt like people were constantly sizing me up, seeing how much money they could con me out of.
I was good at avoiding it most of the time, but it's so tricky. People start doing something for you and then you kind of say no, but they just keep doing it and then they turn around, stick out their hand and say '10 euros'. It pisses me off because most of the time, it's stuff I don't want or like what just happened. I was at the train station, it's huge obviously. It's Roma Termini, basically the terminus of Rome. All trains meet there in the middle of the city. I was running a bit late (sue me I was trying to boil eggs to take with me for lunch) and then I didn't realise how difficult it would be to find where the trains actually were. It was like being inside an airport. And then finding what track. Basically, I have my two bags, backpack and duffle bag, I'm sweating and I finally get to the right place, 12. And then a guy comes up, takes my folder out of my hands, asks where I'm going, I say Napoli because yeah, Naples. He says okay, and starts walking with my folder down the train. I know it sounds stupid, but these things happen fast and I was scared the train was about to go so I just hop, skip and jump after him as he strides down the train to the eighth carriage.
In Australia, that's what infomation guys do! They help you find your place, only they are actually employed by the station. But not in Rome. The guy gets to the right carriage, hops in with me and asks for money.
I sigh internally, but say okay, pull out my wallet and give him two euro. He says no, ten. I say no, I don't have ten. I did, but not actually a ten dollar note, only a twenty and thats still way too much for two minutes of walking next to me. Like, the carriages are numbered, I could have found 8 just as quickly. Plus another time I tried to ask for change from a two euro for a one euro bottle of water, the guy just changed his price and said, it's two euro now. So I wasn't giving this guy a twenty euro note. Most likely I'd hand it over, he'd grin, say thanks and hop of the train, leaving me stuck.
He was quite threatening. Like, he was right next to me in the alleyway in the train. I fished out the rest of my coins. I don't know how much it was, but mostly just small change. Probably a few more dollars. But I said, look, sorry, no, I'm not giving you my 20, you didn't say it would cost 10 euro, I don't have it, take the coins, I'm sorry. And then I backed down the alley way to find my seat, scared he would chase me and just keep demanding.
Thankfully he didn't. He did grab my arm but not hard.
I just didn't really like Rome. I thought the people were rude and demanding and didn't really make me feel welcome or comfortable in the city. I wouldn't mind coming again one day but for now, it's not on my list anymore.
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