And now for something completely different...

Finishing up in Perugia was one of the most surreal experiences of my life. It was one of those things that you never saw coming and when it did happen it just never registered. In fact, I still don`t think it`s registered. All I know is that at 1 in the morning we all gathered in the Piazza, shot off some champagne and waved goodbye while the majority of the people we had gotten to know shipped off. Then it was just a handful of us not knowing quite what to do and the rest of the town carrying on as always.

I spent most of the night with the last of Via Graziosa, bidding them goodbye as the sun was rising and then passed out until late the next morning. At some point, I was meant to be kicked out of my apartment, but judging by their efficiency I`m sure the apartment is still waiting for a little love, and so I took full advantage of finally having the place to myself.

When the time came, I grabbed my bag, waved goodbye to my home for the past four months and hopped a train to Rome. Rome was OK. There were lots of rocks. Andrea joined Clare and I for most of the day as we bounced around - threw a euro in the Trevi Fountain (at this point I`m tempted to go back and search for that thing), marveled at the Colloseum through the big fence with a huge entrante fee slapped on it, waited in line for the Vatican for two hours only to get turned away (but waiting really is the attraction, right?) and finished it all off with an amazing Italian feast. We`re talking buschetta, caprese, pizza, pasta - the works. And it was phenomenal.

By 9pm, it was time to squeeze in to our six-person cabin on the night train which was, miraculously, filled to capacity for the first time. Not only six people, but two morbidly obese Americans who "clearly should have ridden first class" (USA represent!), a man struggling with very long limbs, a small Chinese woman huddled in the corner, and Clare and I in the middle seats gasping for air. For eleven hours.