Left Venice today and made tracks for Rome.

Renee's colleague advised me to allow 1.5 hours to get from the hotel to the train station. I don't know how he managed to take so long because it took me half an hour maximum. This included walking from the hotel to the Rialto vaporetto stop and catching the vaporetto to the train station.

I love the fast trains - it's such a good way to travel and only took 3.5 hours from Venice to Rome. The seats are wide and very comfortable and easy to sleep in. Airlines should take note.

If you are after a scenic train trip, then the train from Venice to Rome is not for you as at least half the kilometres travelled are through tunnels as the train crosses (goes through) the Apennine mountains. However, after Florence the scenery became very scenic and hardly a tunnel. I do love the Tuscan countryside. Talk about solar power - whole fields of solar panels!

I went to catch a taxi to the hotel when I arrived at Rome's train station. The driver looked at me as if I was mad when I advised of the hotel I wanted to be driven to. He was very good in not taking me as the hotel was 50 metres from the station (which he explained and pointed me in the right direction). Needless to say, I walked to the hotel!

The Hotel Massimo D'Azeglio is more my style/class of hotel - big room; lots of space.

I can't get over how much cheaper Rome is compared to Venice. I arrived at the hotel at 4.30pm, dumped my bag and went to a cafe for a coffee. In Venice a latte cost a minimum of 4 euros, whereas in Rome today I paid 1.30 euros for my latte.

I sill want a 'smart' car.

Albatross tour - Italy, the Deep South and Sicily...
I met the other guests I will be travelling with for the next 18 days at welcome drinks and then all together for dinner. 18 of us in all and all Aussies. There is only one other single lady and I am glad I paid the single supplement - she's a real loud mouth.

Long day tomorrow as we cross the breadth of Italy from west to east coast but plenty of comfort stops. Not 'technical stops' as they called toilet breaks up north.