VESPA FOR HIRE

When in Rome, do as the Roman's do. Isn't that the saying? If that is the case, then you need to hire a Vespa.

Given the streets of Rome are so narrow, as are the streets all over Italy, the favoured mode and the best mode of transport is usually the Vespa.

Obviously not for the faint hearted, it would be best if you were an experienced driver and/or were used to the hustle and bustle of a frenetic paced city.

Yes, the rumours are all true ... Italians are crazy drivers. If an Italian is in a rush, they would expect you to go through a red light to make way for them - oh and yes, it does also help if you have ESP ! Having said all of that, if you venture out on a Vespa on a Sunday, then chances are you would have the streets all to yourself. Sunday is rest day for most Italians, so this would be the best time to go out and about the city centre exploring. You can explore so much on a Vespa, with the ease of parking it anywhere and at the same time, you can get to places your feet couldn't reach.

Prices vary and often greatly. If you are not in the mood for a small Vespa and want the true Roman experience, go for a bigger Vespa (usually referred to as a Vespone - in English this translates to big Vespa) and at least then you can double.
This link http://www.scooterhire.it/cat.asp?Cat=2 will take you to Scooter Hire in Rome and gives you a variety of options. Helmets are now compulsory - yes, at one stage (up until 1990) they weren't, so make sure that it is part of your hire costs and not a separate charge !

We actually hired our Vespa from an Internet Cafe (that does photocopying; bank transfers; scooter/vespa hire; translations and of course ... Internet & Phone services) just a street away from the Trevi Fountain. Unfortunately though, these days it is getting harder and harder to find a 'real' Vespa. Instead, you have a thousand of scooters to choose from. But ... if you want to experience the Vespa feeling, forget about the boring old scooters you can hire anywhere and go in search of the real deal.

For those of us who dream of Italy's prized Vespa and can't wait to own one, why not have a look at places like Scootopia in Brisbane - http://www.scootopia.com.au/ . My personal favourite is the Piaggio - an oldie but a goodie (that's the Vespa in the photo up top). The Classic piece has the 'true' figure of a Vespa. As is with all quality items, you are unfortunately looking at a pocket-pinching price. Similar to the Piaggio is the the PX200. One of these babies can set you back around $6,000.00. Is it worth it? Absolutely!

Another Vespa aficionado, Peter Moore from the Times on-Line, raves about his experience riding from the top of Italy down to Rome in his article. It was his lifelong dream to hire a Vespa in Italy. This is a very funny piece about an Australian, a Vespa called Sophia and the in-betweens - worthy of a read. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/destinations/italy/article852845.ece

Happy Motoring !

Read about the history of the Vespa - http://www.happyrent.com/hrincentives/hrieng/vintage-scooter-rental-italy-vespapx.htm This site also has Vintage Car Tours of Italy / Rome.

Photo from: http://www.wikimedia.org/

GLADIATOR GAMES

If you have always dreamed of becoming the next Spartacus, Gladiator School is for you!

Only minutes from the Colosseum, the Gladiator School takes you through the culture, the history, the fashion and the techniques of Rome’s ancient art of Gladiator combat fighting. And just imagine, you can learn all of this and become a qualified graduate (you do get a certificate of proof) in just two hours.

This fun school was even featured in Channel 7’s The Great Outdoors show on 15 September 2007 – however, I am positive that Ben Dark from Getaway did a similar story the previous year. Regardless, have a look at the clip from http://au.travel.yahoo.com/great-outdoors/italy/rome/gladiator-school-italy.html and see for yourself the amount of pleasure those two hours can bring you and your friends.

In fact, http://www.viator.com/tours/Rome/Roman-Gladiator-in-a-Day-2-hour-private-lesson/d511-2466GLAD has many traveller reviews as well as photos – just in case you are not sure whether it is for you. Shane from Ireland visited the school last June and gave the experience 4 stars. He also said that it was “one of the highlights of our trip to Rome. We had a very friendly instructor who made this well worth doing”.

The school runs almost every day, with some days running 4-5 different time slots. It costs approximately $AU120.00 per person, but obviously the more of you there are, and as is with most group bookings, you can get a small discount. Go Learn To http://www.golearnto.com/course/overview/394/Roman+Gladiator+Course+-+3+People have all the details of the Gladiator School and you can book directly from here. Note that bookings for a plac at Gladiator School are essential.

If you simply do not have the time to travel all the way to Rome to become a Gladiator and if it has always been your passion to wear leather pleated skirts or to carry a weapon of mass destruction, then why not simply buy the dvd at http://www.romegiftshop.com/stonpilwitgl.html and do it the cheats way. You won’t have the ambiance or the satisfaction you would from being right there in the midst of the Rome outback so to speak, but you will become Spartacus. After all, isn't determination everything?

* TIP 1: The school is extremely difficult to find, so to ensure that you get to class on time, I would suggest that you take a Taxi, which can cost around $AU25.00 from the City's Centre.

* TIP 2: Also - the school is not that well known (to date), so you might even get to have some real one-on-one time with the professionals!

My Personal Tour Guide. Well, it does help if you are related! My cousin Lu showing me the sights of Rome that the tourists don't get to see.

A Shoe Shoppers dream come true.
Photo by SIMONA



SHOPPING IN ROME

Ah Yes. Shopping in Rome. Hmmmmm.

As I think back to my last trip to Rome, I can think of only one regret. The regret that I didn’t think of posting stuff back home sooner! I thought of it three weeks into our stay and how I cried. I cried at the missed sales (saldi or sconti in Italian) only because I knew that “those boots would take up too much room in my suitcase"! Or ... “I can’t buy that Murano (special Venetian glass) vase that is on sale for $AU20.00 as it could smash into smithereens in my bag. We are talking about something that you can expect to pay $AU200.00 at any Jewellers store here in Australia!

And then the sun came up ... Just post it all home.

They even have insured post ... the lot. However, you need to keep in mind that post offices don’t work in Rome as they do in Australia. Poste Italiane is not a one stop shop. So don’t imagine Australia Post Shops right in the city’s centre. They are a little hard to find and you will need to make one stop for the boxes and another for the postage. Poste Italiane has come a long way in a short time, so before you leave home, have a look at what you can and can't send back home. This is the Poste Italiane Web site:- http://www.poste.it/ Note: Don't stress when you click on the link and it is all in Italian, just click on the English version and although it will be not 'perfect' English, at least you will grasp an idea as to what you at least shouldn't be taking out of Italy.

Anyway, I digress. Where was I? Ah yes, shopping.

Rome offers so much for the everyday traveller as well as for those with the finer tastes in life. I found the best shopping was that just off the beaten track. Having said that, surprisingly, there was so many sales on at the time I was there. Summer sales are between May and September and the winter sales start around a week or two before Christmas and go right through to the new year. If you want to know the best times to go shopping or where to find certain markets, you should take the time to study http://www.rome.info/shopping/ as it covers all the main ingredients for Shopping in Rome. Best deals in Rome / Italy are: Leather products such as hand bags; belts and SHOES! Gold is cheaper in Italy than in Australia and it is of exceptional quality. The staple gold used in Italy is 18ct (Australia uses 9ct). To give you an example, I still wear a pendant I bought in Rome in 2003. It is a small round pendant, decorated with zircons. As soon as the Pandora Jewellery phase came out, all my friends asked how I could possibly have had a Pandora jewel for over 5 years before it really took of in Australia. That my friends, is the progressive and innovative Italy that I love.

If you don't have the time to fly to Rome, then simply shop on line at http://www.bella-italia.com/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/gondola/home.shtml?E+gondola

Another web site that mentions all the right stuff (about Shopping of course) is –
http://www.romexplorer.com/buyguides.html

Take a look at the site and take lots of notes! But above all, enjoy the experience!

*Note: As is the case for all shops, please don’t haggle. It really is insulting.

Here is a shot of an actual sign on the front door of a shop off the Spanish Steps ... The Red lettering reads - "Non chiedeteci il Sangue". Literal translation is "Don't ask us for our Blood", but what it is actually saying is, don't ask us for anything more.

SWISS SWORN IN

Attend the Vatican Square on the 6th of May and you can be a part of a tradition born out of love and devotion. This is the swearing-in of the Vatican’s newest and unique Swiss Guard recruits.

Since the attack on Rome on 6 May 1527, every year on this date, not only are new recruits welcomed to the elite world of Guarding the Pope, but it is also a time to honour the 147 Swiss Guards that over 500 years ago died defending Pope Clemente VII. In fact, on 6 May 2006, the Vatican celebrated a mass that outlined the fall. This mass celebrated 500 years of the Swiss Guard. You can read the mass at http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/homilies/2006/documents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20060506_swiss-guard_en.html

What is extremely interesting though, is that to be a part of this elite group, you need not apply if you are not Swiss. A few other particulars that your resume must address are:-

1. You need to be at least 19 year of age (and no more than 30!);
2. Stand at 174cm tall as a minimum;
3. Not have any facial hair whatsoever; and
4. You must be single!

You must have also undergone some sort of special forces training and according to the Catholic News Service, this is so that you can be ready at a moment’s notice to ‘sacrifice your life for the Pope’. If you fall in to the above category, make sure you attend http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1507569 to see what other 'special skills' are needed before you make that all important call.

So ... you have Swiss Guards protecting a German Pope – Pope Benedict XVI on Italian soil.

However, what stood out the most for me is the Salute the Swiss Guards give once they have been sworn in. They raise their right arm and instead of the victory sign, raise an extra finger ... actually, it’s their thumb. So are they telling us something related to the number three?

When I asked one of the many locals there at the Ceremony exactly what the three-fingered salute stood for, at first I was given a look which said in so many ways ... 'and why wouldn't you know that?' Eventually the lady informed me that the salute signifies the Holy Trinity.

You can read all about the history of this very fancy and honorary tradition at:-

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/swiss.htm

I can highly recommend attending the ceremony. Be a part of a very unique tradition. The ceremony is not only colourful, but it is also very entertaining.

LEARN ITALIAN IN ROME

Fancy learning the Italian language of love whilst you visit Rome? The Italian Ministry of Education (http://www.study-in-italy.it/) sponsors many schools just for you.

One such school, Scuola Leonardo da Vinci can offer you a variety of classes and courses. Situated right in between Piazza Navona and the Spanish Steps (in the Barbarini district), the school caters to short term, medium term and long term students. There are no prerequisites other than you need to book in advance. Once booked, you can even receive a pick-up and drop-off service from the airport or train station. The minimum course is a two week programme which consists of 40 lessons (20 lessons a week, 4 classes per day) and costs you around 300 Euros, which is just short of $AU500 dollars. Go for a long term course of 24 weeks (480 lessons) and that will cost you 2,760 Euros ($AU4,500.00). Remember, once you have booked, you still pay for the class and lessons whether you attend or not. So those of you thinking of partying all night and then not feeling up to attending class ... there are cheaper ways to spend your time meeting the opposite sex! For full cost and date details, visit http://www.scuolaleonardo.com/Italian-language-dates.html

So that teachers can focus on smaller groups, there is a maximum of 12 students allowed per class. However, if private one-on-one tuition is more up your ally and budget - although personally I believe that this would not even give you the same pleasure that a class environment would - then Scuola Leonardo da Vinci also offers you that option - http://www.scuolaleonardo.com/Italian-language-private-tuition.html. Obviously, a hefty price tag comes along with it. You will be looking at a minimum of 40 Euros ($AU66.00) per lesson, requiring a minimum of 3 lessons per day. That equates to $200.00 per day!

If learning Italian is not all you want to do and you would also like to learn a new skill, why not try a class in Jewellery Making; Cooking; Music; Art or Fashion Design. Want to prepare for your fashion parade? This school can also help you with that! Check out all your options at:-

http://www.scuolaleonardo.com/Italian-language

As is the case for all things Italian, there is always plenty of options for cafes, restaurants and shopping all around the school - giving you the opportunity to practice your new found skill of speaking Italian or if it didn't go so well for you, a great chance to experience all things Italian and to meet lots of potential life-long friends.

QANTAS DESERTS DARWIN

Darwin residents will be amazed at how much they are being charged for a simple flight out of their city. In searching the http://www.qantas.com.au/ website for flights from Darwin to Singapore (your usual first stop on your way over to Rome!!), it dawned on me that it was going to be much harder and way more expensive than I ever imagined. I have known for some time that Qantas no longer flies to Rome and although this still shocks and outrages me, I have had some time to adjust to it. But to recently discover that Qantas no longer flies out from Darwin to Singapore - its budget airline Jetstar is the only option, well, to say that I am disappointed is the understatement of the year. You also only have one time slot which you can fly Darwin to Singapore and that is at 1800hrs. On top of that, for a 4 hour, 15 minute flight, it can cost you anywhere between $1,850 and $2,450, one way! That works out to be almost $600 per hour. Ouch!

So that started me thinking ... do the other major cities have the same problem getting out of town and is it as expensive as Darwin is?

The simple answer is no.

Fly out of Sydney and you have a choice of between two or four direct Qantas flights to Singapore. You fly for 8 hours and 15 minutes and all it will cost you is no more than $1235.

Whilst Melbourne and Brisbane also only have one direct flight to Singapore (noting that it is a Qantas flight and not Jetstar) both only cost around $1300.

We all know that unless you are travelling short distances, there are no direct flights out of Canberra to anywhere, let alone to Singapore. So it came as a surprise that even with two legs along with a 10 hour and 45 minute journey, the most you will pay is $1530.

If you fly Qantas out of Adelaide, direct to Singapore, you will pay no more than if you were travelling through Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane. However, if you dare take a detour through Darwin, your trip will almost triple to a cost of $3009.

Want to be a hero and travel from Hobart to Singapore? You will go from Hobart through to Melbourne, then Sydney and finally reach Singapore a whole 17 hours and 50 minutes later. But even that wont cost you any more than $1650. That makes sense ... an almost 18 hour travel route, using so much more fuel and of course paying more wages (given the time travel) is cheaper than a 4 hour flight? Go figure!

So much for Darwin (the closest port to Asia) being a bonus. Nor is the fact that Darwin has an Internationally Airport an advantage - something not even Canberra (you know, the capital of Australia) can boast about!

Qantas has not answered any of my emails so I guess with that ... all I can say is:-

"Have we Darwinians now got the hint?"

TRAVEL ADVICE

Before travelling, ensure that you visit the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade's Smart Traveller web site ... www.smartraveller.gov.au
The travel advisories are listed in alphabetical order and apart from being easy to navigate through, the site is also user friendly. As outlined on the Smartraveller web site, it is a good idea to not only look at the country you are travelling to, but also at the general advice for Australian's travelling overseas - whether by air or by sea.

Currently, Smartraveller advises all visitors to Italy should:-

1. "Exercise caution and monitor developments that might affect your safety in Italy because of the risk of terrorist attack. Pay close attention to your personal security and monitor the media for information about possible new safety or security risks;

2. Organise comprehensive travel insurance and check what circumstances and activities are not covered by your policy;

3. Register your travel and contact details, so we can contact you in an emergency - there is provision to do this right there on the site; and

4. Subscribe to receive free email travel advice updates each time it's reissued".

I can still remember when my husband and I met Jan and Peter (from Perth, WA) passing through Sienna, Tuscany. They arrived in Sienna after a long train ride from Rome (it was one of those 'stop at all stations' routes) totally stunned. They recalled the story of getting on the train at Termini Station, Rome and choosing to sit next to an old couple, at least in their 70's. The couple were absolutely lovely. Friendly and ever so helpful, even though their English was broken, to say the least. They had been on the train for about an hour, when the couple told Jan and Peter that 'the next stop was theirs'. They barely had time to exchange contact details when the old couple grabbed their bags and headed off the train. All Jan and Peter could think of was how lovely the lady gave them her home made biscuits and how the old man was kind enough to lend Peter his brand new handkerchief when Peter started sneezing. It wasn't until they looked at where their luggage once sat, that they realised that the 'lovely couple' had vanished with their suitcases - all three of them! By the time authorities were alerted, astonishingly, the 70 year old's had long been gone!

Morale of the story: Simply be aware, at all times, of all your belongings!

http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/Italy