a 20 hour ferry to Italy. Barcelona-Civitavechia was the route.
We have to be in the terminal at 7pm. But then we are told the ferry will
get in at 10 due to bad weather. So we walk along the port and find a
German Hot Dog restaurant. Then we walk back to the terminal in a cold
and sharp wind and light rain. After a grueling 1 1/2 hour wait, at 11
oclock we were instructed to take our bikes to the car waiting area, but
then a docksman told us to put our bikes on a bus that takes the other
passengers the short way to the waiting ferry. We board the boat via the
truck ramp, while they are still unloading huge trucks, which was loud
and crazy. We stored our bikes in a little room down in the car area.
Then we haul our bags up into our cabin where we dump the stuff and go
off to explore.
The boat even had a sun deck! But what for? It was so windy and cold we
could barely stay out side long enough to get that far! Enough of the
cold so we go in to check out the disco/bar. When we get back to the room
we each take a pill of Dramamine. I fell asleep to the huge crashing and
rocking up and down of the boat with each wave we hit.
When we woke up in the morning at 11 we had a half a bowl of cereal. Then
I went out to prowl the ship some more. But I had trouble walking because
of the bouncing. The ferry would go maybe 10-15 ft up and down and when
we smashed into a big wave the whole boat shuddered.
The ship was gigantic! It took 2 minutes to walk to the main lounge from
our room(which is only half of the whole boat).
At one point I was walking past the duty free store and the keeper shouts
at me that there were more people on the boat that spoke English. So I
asked if she knew where and she points to two guys looking at magazines
across the shop. So the four of us talked for a while before heading to
bed at about 6 pm because we have to be out of the cabin at 1 in the
morning.
Some lady comes and opens our door to get us up at 11:30. So we go and
sit in the main lobby to wait to get off the boat.
At 3 we are in the terminal trying to find a guard. We were found by the
English guys. We ask the guard of we could sleep in there. He said yes
so we set up and I give Grayson(the non crazy English speaker) my pad.
An hour later the guard comes to tell us that we have to go because he
was going to lock us in so we pack up and dragged the gear over the the
train station and caught the 5 o'clock train.
When we pull in to the Rome station we walk over to the nearest cafe to
wait for the proper time to get the keys to the apartment. I retaught
Grayson how to play Cribbage. He caught on quickly. Some how the four of
us sat in the little cafe for four hours.
When it was time to go to the rental agency to ge the keys and the
location of the apartment we packed up and trudged off into the rain again.
After the 45 minute walk over here to the appartment we spread stuff out
to dry in the calm and peaceful apartment. Yeah, we are in Rome!
Another exciting Saga in the Adventures of Erich Trickel and his parents!
Until next time folks!
Erich Trickel
Reporting live from the Rome apartment!
