When The Moon Hits Your Eye

Finally my travels have taken me to where supposedly all roads lead. Oh Roma! Where can I even begin to explain the amazing adventures I have had here? I guess the beginning is a pretty good place to start. I arrived in Rome around 11pm and waited for my luggage for about an hour, it finally came. I searched and searched for the shuttle that was supposed to pick me up to take me to the hostel for another hour. After four calls to the hostel and a ton of confusion, I found the driver. I hopped into the car and he spoke absolutely no English. We had a ball playing charades back and forth with each other, smiling because we had no idea what the other was saying. I starred at the huge orange moon feeling like I could reach out and touch it, grinning profusely, not believing I was there, in Rome. We listened to smooth jazz, and that was the perfect pretext for the events which were about to unfold. I finally arrived at the hostel at around 2am, and headed straight for bed. I spent the first night alone, and was terrified that I would not have anyone in my room at all. Luckily the mosquitoes kept me company as they took their time devising an evil plan to make my life one huge blood bag buffet. I think while I was asleep they carried me to their lair, but I cannot really remember as this happens every night.

In the morning (and by morning I mean late afternoon) when I awoke I got my swim suit on and headed straight to lounge by the pool, once again by my lonesome. Luckily, my friend Annie whom I had met in London wanted to meet for dinner in Roma. So I took the train in, but not after failing a couple of times first. I took the train the wrong way, sat at another station for an hour, until the proper train came and I was able to take the 40 minute ride in. We had pizza and red wine under the twinkling stars and lights of Rome. It was absolutely perfect. I met a couple girls staying at the same hostel while I was waiting at the train, so we stuck together for the evening. At the common outdoor area we met two wonderful Argentinians, whom we laughed with for the rest of the evening. I noticed at the table behind us a group of people laughing and carrying on, and deep down I  had a curious suspicion that fate was to bring us together. I went to bed around 3am, expecting to wake up alone once again.

I opened my eyes in the morning to see a cute, blonde man leaving our all female room, and a girl sleeping in the bed opposite me. I lay there for a second chuckling to myself that he thought he was so sneaky, and then she opened her eyes and looked at me. There was a moment where I felt like I was in the parent trap, she was my twin , and we just found out. In that instant I knew we had somehow known each other our whole lives. She introduced herself as Lola another wonderful Argentinian who happened to speak four languages, and we began to gab as girls do about every possible thing in life. We found out we both sang jazz, blues, and soul, had the same type of parents, loved the same exact simple pleasures (except for salsa music), like salty snacks over sweets, and instantly realized we were long lost sisters separated at birth. From that moment on we were inseparable. We decided to head to the pool for the day and chat some more. We talked about the man I had seen leave the room, and his best friend he had been traveling with. Little did I know these men would soon be thrown into my life, and change my world forever.

Around 3pm I met Niels, and Nicolai where the two sauntered into the pool area and greeted us warmly with smiles and chit chat. Both men were from Denmark and I knew they would be lovely because of Anders, my dear friend whom I had met a few years back in school. We spent the entire day talking about our lives, and our travels, happily soaking up the sun in good company. We stayed out late into the evening talking and laughing hysterically at all of our different types of humor. We had the most intimate and genuine conversations with each other, and I knew we would be spending every waking moment together. Our hanging out was like an addictive drug, and no matter how much of the drug we got, it was never enough, and we wanted more. On this same night I met Molly and Laurie, two mates from Great Britain and we instantly went from a group of four to a perfect group of six. I also decided after I met these two, that British humor is by far the best humor. lqtm (only these two will know what I'm talking about)

Over the next week we were all attached at the hip. We went to St. Peters Basilica together. Naturally my graceful nature never fails to show its presence and the first thing I do in the Basilica is trip and fall. I simply could not stop looking at the splendor of the grand place. High walls full of gold etchings, sculptures depicting the life of Christ, and paintings on the ceilings that were breath taking. I looked like a little kid during Christmas in there, smiling at the wonder of ancient time. I was staring up so much that I tripped over a banister, luckily I caught myself before I hit my face on the ground, but not before Nicolai caught what had happened, and was laughing wishing he had taken a photo. We also went to the Pantheon (where Niels lost a flip flop and had to buy new ones which turned out to be much to small), and ate the most rich gelato ever. Niels and I headed back to the hostel exhausted and in desperate need of food and water, as Nicolai waited for Lola to return from her adventure at the airport.

When the Denmarkians Danish men had to leave we all decided we needed them to go out with a bang. Their bus was to leave at 5am to Venice, and then to Budapest. We thought the best idea was to spend the night in Rome. The six of us left and hiked a hill to get the most amazing view of the city. We spent our moments here reminiscing on our time together, and wishing there was more. Once again time proves itself to me that it does not grow on trees. We all learned so much from each other, how to love, trust, show confidence, be proud of yourself, share lives, live, giggle, allow yourself to get lost, follow your own emotional roller coaster, and most importantly take every moment as precious. We left the beautiful view to head for the Trevi Fountain. Here we spent the next hours talking some more, laughing, (as Molly slept off and on on one of the steps). I threw my coin into the fountain, and it felt like slow motion, it was only  a second or two , but I felt like it fell for eternity. We left for the bus station and after a good hours walk (Nicolai leading the way as Niels dragged the 100 pound suitcase behind him) finally arrived there. Here we danced, laughed some more, and tried to figure out their bus information. When the bus was supposed to come at 5am, it did not. Nor did it come at 5:15am or 5:30am. Obviously the boys started stressing, and panicking. Lola stepped up to the plate, as her usual self and handled everything. We slept on the curb for 50 minutes, and awoke to the hustle and bustle of people going to work, starring at us like the homeless people we were. Going to sleep when the sky is painted with night, and arising only 50 minutes later to glorious dawn was spectacular, especially in good company. We then headed for Termini station to wait in line for tickets for the boys. We could not have asked for a more perfect goodbye until we see  you next time. Lola and I said our last words as the boys headed for the train. We each held each other as if we had been friends for a lifetime. As Lola and I walked away we swam in the same emotion together as we headed back to the hostel, quiet, and reminiscing.

I could write forever about the past week and how absolutely magical it was. I could tell you all about the perfect conversations had, the amazing food, the laughter, and how much of a fairytale it all seemed to be. No matter how I describe it, or explain how the story unfolded, I will never truly be able to articulate the time we shared together. The people I met are in my top ten list of people I have ever met! This experience however, has been the most important, gratifying, and memorable of my life. I have so many places I want to go, and so many friends I long to see again. Luckily, I will see the boys again in January when they visit Los Angeles. I will see Lola again when I plan my trip to her home, and as for Molly and Loz I will see each of them during their gap year. The emotions swimming around inside of me, engulfing every part of my being are like nothing I have ever experienced. I have much to think about, and still much to learn, but I am so lucky to be where I am at this very moment. I am not talking physically, but mentally.

Now as  I await the week ahead of me, I know nothing will compare to the week behind me. I do know that I will meet new people here, and they will be wonderful, simply different than the ones I have just said goodbye to. It is still my goal to ride on the back of someone's Vespa, maybe that will be in the week to come. I owe thanks to God and fate for bringing us all together, and to you all, my friends, for making the time here a phenomenon in my life journey. My dream has come true, I am in Rome, and it has been the best place I have been my entire trip. So I guess I will leave this long blog with something for you to think about, something for you to explore within yourselves. The people you encounter every single day could change your life for the better, but you have to meet them and let them first.