Traveling is fun

Unpacking in our hostel in Rome, I've stayed here 3 times, it might as well be home away from home. The pictures aren't too hot. It's a risky thing to do to break in a new camera on an important trip. I took it out of the mailing box, flip through the instruction manual and off I went with it in tow. Sophie said, 'what's wrong with your pictures? I said, 'I don't know'. I discovered more things about the camera as the trip progressed, I said to her, 'did you know I can do this or that with the camera.' She said, 'you didn't know that? No, I just found out. I came back and read the instructions again and learned a lot more. Da....

Every night, I would log and journal the day's events. It's easier, this way I don't forget anything. The mind is not too sharp these days.

You know you're in Europe when you see ham hocks being hung everywhere. This is nothing, wait till you see the hams in Barcelona. We love Barcelona, I regret having put off seeing Barcelona till now. I will definitely return to Barcelona and soon.

Free water, to drink and to wash your fruits. All in a day's work at Campo de Fiori, Rome.

I've always wandered into the Campo de Fiori, late in the afternoon after all the vendors have packed up and gone. This is the first time I've been here and the action is in full swing. It was really fun, I love markets and market days. Throughout this trip we would be in a lot of markets.

They call it an 'ape' pronounced as a-pe. You see them everywhere in Italy.

The multi colored spice market. They have the most incredibly smelling spices.

The jewelled shapes and colors of all kinds of chilli peppers.

Fraise de bois, how I can resist it, I had to buy some. I paid 2 euros for a little container, cheap when compared to 5 euros in Barcelona.

The small fruits, the blueberries, the blackberries, the little strawberries, mmmmm...yummy.

More chili peppers, they shine like jewels. It's an fascinating sight.

An old Fiat, we did see some new Fiats, they were the same size and shape.

Via Guilia, it's nothing to write home about. It is 500 years old.

Heading to the Vatican museum, we had to pass St Peter. We didn't stop, I've been in there 3 times already.

The circular staircase at the Vatican museum. I had thought to sign up for a conducted tour of the Vatican museum but at about 70 euros per person, I decided against it.We went early, around 9am and got tickets pretty fast, at 14 euros per person, we winged it on our own.

Traveling is fun but very tiring. I like to pack the day with doing something, we'd leave our room at 9 in the morning and wouldn't return till 8 in the evening. The only time we rest is between places when we're on a bus or a train. I always get sick because it's so stressful. I'm always in charge of the organising and making sure we get from place to place. Sometimes I make changes during the trip like seeing something else besides what was planned or moving on ahead of schedule. This trip we cut Perpignan short by one day and added that day to Barcelona, it was a brilliant move.