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Our final train journey in Italy and of course it came with a small, but not at all inconvenient issue. On our way to Rome and the announcement that due to an on going police investigation at Roma Termini, our train was being diverted and would be arriving 100 mins late. We never did find out any more other than as a result, we are eligible to claim back 25% of all 3 fares as compensation so that’s good.
Arriving at our hotel, not far from the station and it was drop the bags and try to keep up with Lauren for a whirlwind tour of the sights. It was like being between somewhere Travel Guides and GoogleBox. On sighting every domed roof “ Is that St Paul’s?” “No that’s in London” “That must be St Marks” “No that’s in Venice” and on it went.
Anyway, off we went, first to the Quiranle, then the Trevi Fountain for 30 mins of the selfie show provided by anyone with an iPhone, down to the Pantheon, no, not the Parthenon, that’s in Greece, and finally the Colosseum, by which time it was dark and cold as was our collective tolerance levels. But, thanks to small Osteria we came across at a critical moment of our late night excursion, a normalised demeanour was soon restored after a bowl of pasta and a beer.
So with what had to be the fastest visit to Rome imaginable, we were off the next day, bound for Dubai.
Landing in Dubai it was 26C at 11:00pm and it felt good. As this was just a 2 day break, it was full on, especially given than we were right opposite the Dubai Mall, not by accident I suspect.
Day 1 and an early start out to a nature reserve to see the flamingos. Then back to the hotel and Lauren was off on a half day excursion to the desert, 4WD bashing the sand dunes, a mandatory camel ride, desert feast and back to Dubai.
Meanwhile Jean and I did some Mall, bashing of our own. I can only describe this Mall as being like Chadstone on steroids. Then it was the sound and light show of the Dubai fountain along with 1,000s of other iPhone users and self-obsessed selfie takers before a meal of our first green vegetables since leaving Melbourne.
Day 2 in Dubai and Jean and Lauren went off on a full day excursion to Abu Dhabi while I worked on replenishing my vitamin D levels with a long walk around the lake.
No doubt when they get back it will be a lighting dash around the Mall for one last time to show Lauren, another sound and light show at the fountain, dinner and back to repack the suitcases for our flight home in the morning.
So with that, the curtain comes down on our Christmas market adventure. It’s certainly been quite a different type of holiday for us, not the usual activities that we generally aim for, but revisiting some of the places that we had been to before in Slovenia and of course, Italy was particularly enjoyable.
Now it’s out to the airport and the 14 hr flight back to Melbourne and put away the suitcases until next time.
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