“Buongiorno, Italy” here I come!

Thursday 2 April 2026 |

Getting out the door …

I love my job, but, one of the few frustrating downsides to being a teacher is that taking leave doesn’t stop you being responsible for the work!

I have completely prepared the seven Business Studies lessons that I will miss while away, and, the first two for when I return to the classroom as I have less than 24 hours from landing to standing (in front of the class).

… after saying goodbye.

I have also endured a few sad and stressful days when I learnt on Saturday that my old cat, Cous Cous, who moved out of home a few months ago (long story) had been found wandering in my street and taken to Animal Rescue. She was thin and limping. I took her home to food and a cosy place to hide under my bed. 

By Monday night it was clear that she was not able to survive with anything less than full-time care and supervision. I was grateful that my son was in Hobart to help me make the difficult decision to end her long-life’s journey. She arrived unexpectedly 18 years ago, rolling down my street as a tiny lost and unwanted kitten. Today, she rolled back out and will be missed.

“Buongiorno Italy” here I come!

Finally, it is 11:30am Thursday 2 April and I am sitting in 5F.

• House sitters settled? TICK.

• Cat buried? TICK.

• Everything else done to be gone  for 5 weeks? TICK

• Are you excited yet? HMM!

I haven’t had time in the past weeks to really think about what I will be doing for the next 5 weeks. And it is strange to be heading off on a holiday where I will be travelling with others, but flying by myself.

Halfway around the world …

Let’s leave this one short.  Depart home 10am Thursday, arrive Rome accommodation 7:30pm Friday plus time difference = over 40 hours.  The same endurance test suffered by travellers everywhere. 

But, it is always nice to be surprised by the world. Maybe I should have, but I wasn’t expecting, on the final Heathrow-Rome flight, to open my blind to see this. The Swiss Alps.

I staggered off the plane in Rome and jumped on The Leonardo Express (Euro 14). A fast train service direct from Fumiccino airport to the Roma Termini central station. 

… to arrive at Casa Cucini.

Our accommodation was a 10-minute walk away from Termini.

We had the Junior Suite at Casa Cucini, which gave us a kitchenette, two rooms, and a balcony for our first 4 nights.  It wasn’t cheap (nothing in Rome is), but at $225 per night, it certainly gave better value than a bunk in a 12-berth mixed dorm. 

We also got a writing desk and lift direct to our room for free.  And a laundry, which Olivia appreciated after 5-weeks back packing around Northern Europe.

We settled in and enjoyed the, mostly quiet, neighbourhood. We did meet an unexpected local.  I was sun drying the crusts of a loaf of bread to make bread crumbs for vegan burgers. 

Olivia surprised a gull/starling/budgie/raptor? nibbling the bread.  Fearing the end of its free entre, it picked up the entire slice and flew off.  The burgers were a little bit crumbly.

Dinner over and wine at hand, we planned our attack on the nation’s capital.