Goodbye Roma!
I took a quick run out to the closest souvenir shop before we had to check out, as I’d not got nearly enough pressies for everyone at home, and within 10 mins had dropped 80E on souvenirs. Yay!
Since I’d upgraded my Rome – Dubai flight with my ff points, I was entitled to a free transfer to the airport. Since we weren’t sure how long it would take and whether others were allowed to tag along, R took the Leonardo Da Vinci train there and met me there. Mine was an interesting ride – the black mercedes was driven no different to the taxis etc that we’d experienced – zooming around the other cars with no mind that it was about twice the size of them! When we hit the freeway my driver pulled out all the stops, and I saw the speedo hit 160 before the angle blocked it out (the speed limit was supposed to be 110). A fitting goodbye to Italy, I think!
Nevertheless, I got to the airport in one piece, and the driver cheerfully unloaded my bags for me. I checked in and went to wait for R (even though he’d left half an hour before me, the transfer to the train station, and probably the velocity of my driver meant I got there before him!)
We were separated in the security queue as his flight was leaving very soon, but caught up again for a last goodbye at the gate. He reckons there were no tears, but I certainly had a glisten or two in my eyes! Even so, he’s only got a week more before coming home.
After waving R goodbye I drowned my sorrows by spending my last few euros on chocolate at the duty free shop. 🙂 Then I headed down to the business class lounge to drink orange juice and try to ignore the fact I hadn’t had lunch yet (the only food there was croissants and canapes with bread. Bah! They didn’t have free wireless, either. Nevertheless, it was a comfy place to wait and I could plug the laptop in and watch an episode of Being Human while I waited.
Business class on the plane was certainly not overrated. Not only did I not have to queue to board, I was greeted with a champers and once I’d taken my seat, greeted by name and offered more! The seats are not hugely more comfortable sitting up, but there’s more room, and significantly more footroom. I found out the reason for this when I eventually pushed the seat button which made it lie almost completely flat. What a pity I could only upgrade this flight, not the long haul!!
The food was better, too – three courses for dinner, including a dessert trolley that wandered back and forth offering seconds. Nice.
On arriving at Dubai, I wandered up to the business class lounge, but was told that I needed to be continuing in business class to use the lounge, so I went to the Marharba lounge instead. Even though they don’t have showers, they do offer better food than the lounge at Rome!
Then after buying up my duty free alcohol allowance, I headed to the gate. Waiting was definitely on the cards this time, but eventually I took my seat, next to a new mum from Kal whose little boy was the best behaved baby I’ve ever met! No crying at all, happy smiles left right and centre. Amazing! Even so, I didn’t manage to sleep more than half an hour at a time, but I still missed a meal (and drinks – I needed water desperately but had to wait until they’d finished the meal run. What a difference to bus. class!)
I was very happy to get home! Tired, dehydrated and with the beginnings of a cold I’d picked up somewhere en route, I was ecstatic to see my mum coming to pick me up.
It was a great trip, but as always, it’s hard to pack everything you want to do into two weeks.
Two Weeks Away 