20/11 Trieste to Roma

Sunday 20 November Disembarking in Trieste

Up at 6.30 for a final breakfast and finished packing. Dragged all the stuff forward to the theatre where we waited an extra hour for coaches to arrive. 2.5 hours to Venice, during which we finally got to see some substantial signs of the trees going red and gold. Comfortable enough and we had time to walk back to the station and catch the train. The carriage was almost empty but there were 4 of us in one compartment. Our luggage is sprawled everywhere. We forgot to print the voucher for the hostel in Rome so we have no idea where it is. Have to find internet when we arrive. Mackas wanted a telephone card to access theirs but we managed to get a local with a tablet-thingy to access C’s email and find the booking confirmation. That gave us the hostel name and address and a map image. It was a simple 20 minute walk and we found the owner waiting in the street for us. Just as well because there was no way to get in or attract attention out there.

The hostel is on the first floor of a vaguely Chinese complex – built around a central courtyard. There the similarity ends. The external walls are 4’ thick stone and the internal walls are about 2’6” (ok 75cm). He gave us a map with all the metro stations highlighted and his recommended destinations. Then we got a collection of keys, passwords and tips for gaining access to the complex/block/hostel/room. We were well ready for bed by then and not deterred by the hard bed and lack of soothing rocking we have grown used to.