Day 44 (August 5th)

Wellll... last night I headed to the place I was supposed to be 3 hours before my flight.. but as always (in my experience so far) the directions were too general (language barrier doesnt help that!!) and I ended up missing the bus... GREAT!!! So I was basically running around like a headless chicken for an hour or so then finally realised I had to catch a cab 80km to the stupid airport (OUCH!!!!!) Luckily I met a &%€$ing Irish guy who also missed his !£&%ing flight and was %$/& &/$£ /"%&%ed off about it :) ha ha ha. So we shared a cab which ended up costing 130 Euros ($260 NZ!!!! ahhhhhh!!). I only had 70 cash and had to sprint as soon as we got to thr airport (it was touch and go if I would get there in time to check in before it closed 45 min before the flight) so I gave the Irish guy 70 and JUST made it to check in.

The flight itself was nice, I had a window seat with lotsa leg room (same deal with no set seats, just grab what you can) and around midnight I arrived in Milan. Unfortunately the next bus into the city (stupid Ryanair and its airports out in the whops..) so I sat down, had a panini, listened to a sermon and waited. OK... Italians must not have very strict sexual harrasment laws or something.. There was a guy and a lady in the ticketing booth where I got my bus ticket, and he was like all over her!! She was all giggly and stuff, and he was hand everywhere!! He even got behing her and started thrusting at one point.. I shudder to think what would happen if an employee did that in another country! Ha ha classic.

The bus got in and I realised the disadvantage of late flights is no ore public transport running (gonna happen to me when I get to London too... grrr...) so I had to catch a cab to the youth hostel. Once I got off the bus a guy came up and asked if I needed a cab and I said yeah, and after some pointing, and me hoping 'hotel de juu-(something)' meant youth hostel ( I guessed it did cozza my german. Once in the car I realised there was no meter, no taxi sign and no anything.. he was obviously just a random guy!! I was a little worried a few times when he started rumaging around with one hand in his baggy jacket pocket.. He coulda taken me anywhere, and I didnt know if he was gonna mug me or what. Altho he was reasonably old and I think if it came to it (and guns werent involved) I coulda overpowered him. That wouldnt have solved my lost in the middle of nowhere and only knowing how to say yes and italian..

Anyway he took me to the youth hostel thankfully and then said 30 Euros (6.5km trip!) I told him he was crazy and he said 'ahhh OK, a, twenty-a', which i reluctantly agreed to, and then proceeded to probably pay him more like 25 coz I was so tired and counting wasnt a happening thing.. I climbed into my little bunk bed and finall got to sleep maybe at 2-2:30.

In the morning I got up at 8 and had breakfast (worse than in France.. just one bread roll and spread, and only juice to drink - oh no! no milk!!) after that I had a shower, packed up and hopped on the Metro into the main city. Milan isnt really that big, and I dont rate it that much. Didnt go into any museums or stuff yet (dunno if Ill have time), but on just the streets, and all that it wasnt that great: There was this one extreme shopping mall that was super grandeous and had all the big Italian labels, each shop with like 10 staff all dressed like models :). The one cool thing though is all the buildings are quite pretty: Just regular apartments have big elaborate balconies with pilars and carvings and stuff.. Its nice!

I went to te main trainstation, and after getting stuffed around by unhelpful 'information' people finally got some information on getting to Rome, booked the train trip (50 euro), and went into the main square with the huge cathedral in it. GUTTED!! Its got a massive scaffold up covering the bulk of the front facade!! Its a totally stunning building, and you could look at it from other sides, but didnt make for the best photographing unfortunately and I didnt get to see what it really looks like from the front :(. But its gorgeous ay! The roof especially!! Its got TONS of little steeples with statues (probably of saints) on the top of each, and heaps of carvings and stuff.. quite breaktaking. I walked around the square a bit and saw some people feeding pigeons, and before i new it some guy had grabbed my hand, dumped some feed in it and was taking photos of me.. he later demanded 5 euro which was stupid, but I gae him 2.. and then a guy gave me a 'free' braclet thing, and then had a conversation and asked for a donation and ot really ratty so I gave him a bit or money too (not the 5 euro he asked for tho): Im gonna have to just say no to alot of people here i think.. I havent had good eperience ith the Italians yet. Ive met a few people who have been ok and a little helpful, but also met alot who have been quite rude, or just want to get rid you off.. Hopefully its better in different cities!

I had a look around in the massive chapel, which had the remains of a saint down in the crypt along with a tabernacle kinda thing. It was really nice inside too! but the outside was the best really!! After this I walked around for a while looking at a few buildings and small fountains and stuff, and around 1 went to a pizzeria and had a calzone out in some covered seats: It was really nice! and the atmosphere was cool too :). I LOVE food as you probably know, and i LOVE italian food as you most probably also know.. so even if I dont enjoy the country as much as others (altho i think Rome and Venice are gonna be great) at least I can enjoy some great food :)!!

I then set off and did a wider loop checking out old historical churches, including one that had this super old room with these ancient mosaic pieces in it, it was really impressive!! also had the remains of some dude dressed up all priesty in a glass coffin too. I found out that to see the original Last Supper by Da Vinci that they found in a church here in Milan you had to book 1 month in advance.. but I still went to the church, and there was pleanty else to see!!! I then bought a Gelato icecream.. *DROOL!!!* the are even better over here in Italy!! And after a little more sightseeing caught the Metro back to the hostel then wandered down here to this little internet cafe. Its now 7pm and Ill probably go get some pasta or pizza for dinner then maybe do a load of washing at the laundry the have at the hostel (no powder though, so maybe not) and then ima take it easy and relax as I am totally wasted, my feet ache and I have a mean knot in my left shoulder :).

Will write about this evenings experiences tomorrow as usual. Catcha later!!