The 5 hour train ride to Rome made me tired, hot and restless. I'd read a book, listened to my iPod, read a magazine, thought about London's future, revisited the past - and although not homesick at all - I felt the need to exercise my mouth with people I knew. You'll be surprised to know I'm literally speaking 70% less here than to what I normally do back home (shock horror, I know). Goes with the territory of travelling alone I suppose.

I'm based in Trastevere, a homely neighbourhood out of town resembling that of Islington perhaps, specifically hand-picked for its reputation, its nightlife/restaurants and less touristy shmuck. My bnb, called Roma Trasteverina, is amazing - best yet in Italy for me (good ol' Tripadvisor, you've gotta love it). So what you've all been waiting for... I ate dinner alone in one of the busiest pizzeria's in Rome on a Saturday night! I haven't failed to notice that there are couples everywhere in Italy, and people expect a guy to come following behind me and, to their surprise, when they realise Mr-Wrong (ahem, I mean, Right) isn't carrying my bag, navigating me with a map or looking lovingly at the back of my head, they stare like I've just acquired a third eye; No malice intended I'm sure and I guess it is *the* romantic country, but objectively speaking I suppose it can appear a little strange. One guy even asked me whilst sitting with his wife, 'What are you doing eating alone in Trastevere?'. I explained, 'Relaxing on my holiday, enjoying life's pleasures and visiting an area I've heard a lot about, simple as that'. That shut him up ;) Chaos ensued around the restaurant, I had to wait 15min for a table outside. I was put right next to two other couples, which as mentioned before, is totally normal here.. And I get chatting to Selenia and Angelo, two psychologists living in Rome. Everyone is so friendly in Italy, coming from London that's such a foreign concept. Angelo was chatting away with me and his girlfriend offers to host me next time I'm in Rome. I mentioned I was trying to find a certain Piazza after dinner to meet some people and they walked me there, no questions asked! I think *this* is what's missing from London - a sense of altruism. Anyway, the food turned out average but the company was lovely. So I met Riccardo and his friend Lucia, two local Romans who have an interesting take on life, for drinks around Piazza Trilussa and then to the Campo de Fiori, equivalent to our trendy urban spots like Shoreditch where all the cool kids hang out. Regardless of coming from the Big City, I was feeling a slightly overwhelmed by being alone in Rome, the 32 degree heat didn't help the case! So this evening was just what I needed. Rome was buzzing, already so intriguing...

Having only two days in Rome and fitting in a million sites is a tough call. I visited Porta Portese in the morning, a market where you can get anything from an LED light for your remote control car to a half-priced stolen Louis Vuitton handbag. Afterwards, I hopped on the bus to the Colosseum (well, it wasn't that easy actually, confusing public transport system here). The heat was painful by this time. Paid a little extra to skip the two hour queue, got a guide, who was a little rubbish in all honestly. But walking around imagining what that must have been like thousands of years ago was fascinating. It's a shame only 30% of it exists now. We thankfully swap tour guides (it's like they read my mind) to David, a half-English, half-Italian free-spirited, charming Roman. Him and I have lunch together after and I have to admit, it was refreshing to have someone who 'got' my dry British sense of humour - that normally gets lost on non-Brits (not their fault really, we Londoners think we're well funny, innit?).

David recommended some gems around Rome for me - it went something like this: A *stunning* candlelit church with beautiful high-ceilings drenched with colourful painted stories, pizza at Pantherai restaurant hidden deep into an arched tunnel, cappucino at Cafe Eustachio where blissfully not a word of English was uttered, finished by a trip to the Pantheon - a must-see for any visit to Rome purely as an example of an 'almost complete' version of what it stood like when it was built in the ancient Rome period.

Tomorrow is another day - it will bring at least The Vatican City and Trevi Fountain, I know that for sure. The rest I'll tell you once I know myself.. ;)