Let's Start at the Very Beginning

Because it's a very good place to start, you know.

Notwithstanding the very crazy volcano that saw fit to disrupt flight (and my sleep) patterns for nearly a week over the UK/Europe, my flight left SFO and arrived at LHR on schedule. When I boarded the plane, I found out that in fact, the UK-based crew had been stranded (quite happily) in San Francisco for the past ten days during the ash-cloud mayhem and were very excited to be heading home. I was excited for them. I was excited to finally also be headed out on my adventure.

SO.

After arriving London Heathrow, passing through security (once again) and through the duty-free shopping mall extravaganza that is any European airport (after stopping off for a Galaxy chocolate bar - my favorite- and not available in the states)

I headed off to Rome to eat some Pasta and spend a jet-lagged night. After a long train ride and what seemed like a longer trudge with my heavy (I was tired!) backpack down the darkened streets of Rome, I arrived at the Hotel Saturnia, which was small, somewhat comfortable and had a bathroom that smelled of mold.

 I would say that the shower was the world's smallest, but I've showered in the world's smallest shower - it was in my crew cabin on the MS Zuiderdam. That one is practically spacious comparatively and I couldn't even turn around in it.

  That's a twin bed. Have you ever seen a hotel in the US with a twin bed? They're pretty common in Europe.

But, I was in Rome, had been traveling for nearly a day, was hungry, exhausted and didn't care very much. So after a gorgeous lasagna dinner at La Galina Bianca (a favorite for locals) with fabulously adorable Roman waiters who brought me a complimentary glass of Limoncello (That, being a non-drinker, I had to politely refuse) I showered, ate my yummy chocolate bar and passed out on my tiny bed.

A bit of exploration in the morning took me to the Colosseum, one of my favorite buildings in Rome. I went inside briefly to garner my free ticket to the Colosseum and Forum (both included in the same ticket) - free because it was Heritage/Open doors week in Rome! How cool is that? Because I only had a couple of hours to spare and I hadn't had the chance yet to visit the Forum, I chose to spend my time in the Forum rather than the Colosseum. It was a gorgeous, gray, drizzly morning in the heart of ancient Roman political life.

Ancient Roman Ruins thrill me. Can I begin to even explain why? Do I know? Probably not. But I love them. So as I stood at the columns that mark the entry to the Vestal Virgins' temple, as I walked beneath the intricately carved stones of Hadrian's arch, I couldn't help but lose myself for a few moments in the magic of the whisperings of that place's history.

On my way back to my mildewy shower-smelling hotel room to collect my bags and head to the airport, I noticed a certain man. I noticed him and grinned because he was the same man I noticed a last year, standing in the same spot. A handsome, thirty-something Roman, dressed out like a Gladiator. Full-grown man. Toga. Plastic sword.

Why is that so HOT?

Seriously?

 Yeah, that's the picture I took of Luca... LAST YEAR.

So as I grinned and made to cross the street, he beelined for me and asked me to drinks that night. When he found out I was leaving but I'd be returning in a couple of weeks, he gave me his phone number and told me to call him when I got back so we could go out. His name was Luca. And he was an Italian man-whore. But I totally didn't care. I mean, really, would you? I flirted shamelessly, took the phone number and exchanged the affectionate three-cheek kiss with Luca and then lost his number in my frame pack and headed to the airport on the Leonardo DaVinci Express airport train.

Off to Amman!