My timings for leaving the hotel and arriving at Athens airport was spot on. I caught a metro to the main bus terminal, then with barely a couple of minute to spare I caught the X95 bus back to the airport which arrived a little after 7am and plenty of time to check in.
Regrettably the airport McDonalds did not have free wifi, which puts it behind most other countries and I have no idea why the security made me open my laptop up and boot it up, I guess I looked extra dodgy with my british passport but wearing a Hawaiian blue floppy hat!
I managed to doze a little during the flight but it was the arrivals and subsequent travel to the hotel that threw me totally off guard. Firstly the misposted our flight so we had to ask where the bags were being unloaded and then I somehow managed to totally skip through customs and immigration without even having to get out my passport, very weird especially as I was on inbound from an International not a domestic flight.
Once into the main terminal I made my way to the information desk where I spotted that a shuttle to the city centre could cost me anywhere up to 115 euros, with a tout loitering outside trying to undercut their lowest price to offer it to me for just 35 euros. Somehow I managed to hide my disgust long enough to be shown where I could get the train for a mere 11 euros and then headed off in that direction, which ended up being up an esculator, a very erratic lift and along a few lengthy travelators.
Finally I was able to join a queue and buy a ticket to the city centre although I still had no place to stay but I figured that I would just try a few cheat hotels or hostels near the train station til I find a place. Famous last thoughts.
My rucksack at the moment, including laptop and rear detachable bag, probably weighs about 13 kilos but this is without most of the straps and padding that it originally came with making it a whole lot more cumbersome and problematic to carry around. After a few failed tries I took to going to an internet place and was totally baffled when I had to register my passport details in order to use a terminal at an internet cafe as per new Italian laws!
An hour later and I realised that arriving with no plan or prearranged place to stay in Rome is probably like dangling your privates in a barrel full of paranas and then pouring blood over yourself. There may be hundreds of places to sleep within the city limits, but with no reservation, travelling alone, for 3 nights and only able to pay by credit card there were few and none were cheap.
Even ignoring anything over a 3 star I was still looking at having to book an entire room to myself, with no places left in the dorms and of those almost all that were left said "payment to be made in cash in full upon arrival", which pretty much threw me at the mercy of the select few that were left.
Finally I booked a place that was near, less than 100 euros per night per room and not for the first time I wished that I had done all of Europe when I had time on my side to make the bookings and when the exchange rate between the euro and the pound was much more favourable. The walk to the hotel passed some very nice looking buildings and if I could just get over the fact everything cost an arm and a leg and keep in my mind that I will probably never be coming back so to make the most of it then I could end up enjoying myself.
No comments:
Post a Comment