Hydration is the key

It's 5:30 pm in the afternoon. We are about to go to the Spanish steps on our 3rd trip out into the heat. It is currently 36 degrees and pretty much has been since we left this morning a bit after 8.

The watch is currently on 20,807 steps.

All of our training over the last 5 weeks has led to this. One last effort for the day and if the editor doesn't find gelato, there will be problems.

All is good in the world.

Let's go back to the beginning. We left at 8:10, walked for 4 minutes, realised we didn't have our passports so turned around, realised that we did have our passports and turned around, and off we went to the Colosseum. 

In my mind it would be an oval shaped old wall that was falling down. I was a bit wrong.

It was probably the best thing I have seen on holidays. It's hard to describe so I may just go the picture route. We got to do 2 levels. The underground option was booked out. Here is what we saw.

I could talk about the wooden platform with trapdoors and lifts and pulley systems that would miraculously make gladiators and animals appear from the depths below, but I'm not sure that you are interested. 

All the info said it would take 75 minutes to see it all and it was spot on.

Did I mention the heat? The great thing about Rome is the number of water fountains just spewing out cold water from what I overheard from a tour guide as "the ancient system set up centuries ago". Let's go with that. Without them, there would be a lot of people suffering heat stress. There were tents set up around for such possibilities.

There are lots of tourists. Basically, drink, refill, repeat all day. Our first stop once outside was a more traditional push button water fountain. Here is our water line and the ancient form.

From there it was to Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum and a lot of water stops worth of ruins. 

Note: Somewhere near the top, there are 2 small museums. The air conditioning is heavenly. 

Having passed on the toilets at the entry, we did eventually find some near the exit, which was as hard to find as the time we got stuck in Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, as they hide all the exit signs (pre blog days I think).

This area was massive. Steady climbs, plenty of heat, and enough seats in the shade to rest.

Don't get the impression that we needed toilets despite constant water consumption. We were sweating it out as fast as we drank it.

Today we started our program to defeat jet lag. It involves caffeine every 2 hours from 7 am until 1 pm. I haven't been drinking much coffee lately so the morning home made Italian hit gave me the shakes.

From there it was Revvies caffeine strips washed down with water. There were dizzy moments during the morning through caffeine and lack of food. We found a place on the way home that was really nice.

Annette struggled with questions like "do you want that with panini or foccacia?" I chose the latter for her as words were either not going into her head or out. We will blame the heat. It was excellent and will receive a 5 star rating later tonight.

We made it home, put on a load of washing, as it was determined that Annette's clothes also smell of old washing water from Milan, watched YouTube and then headed out again.

This time we crossed the river in an attempt to find out how to get to the airport shuttle in 2 days. It was a worthwhile exercise as Google's way was full of road and footpath closures, making hauling bags on wheels on our last day near impossible. A better route was found. 

A new figurine/ bobble head of Franceso Totti (immortal soccer player in these parts) was purchased as my birthday present and will soon stand on the toilet window sill with other famous figures. 

There was a castle. Ho hum. It was still 24 minutes to the Spanish steps. We went home for a rest instead.

Then to the steps. One turn, then straight for a kilometre. We got there, either walked on 5 or 1 step,

took some photos, found gelato, which was upgraded at the suggestion of the staff member who is coming to Australia with his friends to work on farms (either true or a brilliant ruse to get people to upgrade to a larger triple gelato of panacotta caramello, something custardy and passionfruit). I just went the caramel crunch gelato shake, grande size, because nothing shows courage like ice cream, milk and cream in 35 degree heat at the end of a long hot day.

We got a bottle of the cheapest Limonate and some crumbed chicken on the way home, as well as a new deodorant as Annette's bottle could not quite make six weeks. I'm hoping I have 4 more sprays in mine. I need the space and weight that the bottle will take up. That and disposing my toothbrush will make the difference.

Dinner was called (and I am writing this in the opposite direction to the camera (Mark's attempt at a Jamie Oliver joke that no one will understand)) 'all the food we have leftover in the fridge, and 3 chicken cutlets' with a 'limonate and melted ice block because the freezer section of the fridge doesn't have a door' for two. 

I will be eating Annette's leftovers at 5 am tomorrow when the antidote jet lag app says I have to wake up. Does it not know that I retired and don't care about jet lag? Good night. I have to be asleep by 10.

And quickly, should you care, Rufus Wainwright will be performing in Rome soon. Ask me if you want more information.

And we are just shy of 25,000 steps for the day. I better shave. I'm starting to look like Rufus Wainwright (sorry, but I didn't take a photo of the poster)