12th September (Diary according to Daniel Hiles)

I was up and ready 1st today and 'lazy' Liz had only just woken when I went for shower!! Set off for a brief final walk around Venice, grabbed breakfast from market stall and mini-market. Mike half spotted a headline of America under attack on a copy of USA today. Mike then went to find a paper to read on a train but the news stand seller was going mad and saying only yesterday so we walked off. A few minutes later we saw a headline in Itallian and saw a picture of the trade centres collapsing. We then walk for a couple of hours before heading back to pick up bags, buy lunch for the train and go to station for 13:29 train to Rome. Expecting great things! The train was annoyingly slow-stopping for ages at stations=2 hours late Try to find out stuff from terrorist attacks as we only saw pictures on Italian papers-guy on train did his best to fill us in. Arrived at hotel expecting to find 'Discover Roma' hostel, actually find 'Pensione Serena' unsure what this means but think that they are linked. Machine/man behind reception appears to work 24 hours a day!! Went to nearby restaurant recommended by hotel man/machine for "special price". Had pasta and beer, mike had veal but bit disappointed as didn't come with anything. Set up for 1st explore round Rome, found unimpressive monument-NOT! And Trevi fountain which was beautiful. First impression-think I'm going to like it here.