We begin our journey in Roma …
16kms; weather mid-20’s and clear.
From our base in Testaccio, a walk along the Tiber, towards St Peters.
From there, along Viale Angelica, the reverse of the final section of the route of the day when we arrived in Rome in November 2017, having walked (almost the entire journey) from Aosta.
We purchase our credentials from Ciclofficina n.9, Viale Angelica 297.
We reverse our path back to St Peters, where it is set up for the All Saints day Papal address the following day. There are a lot more people in Piazza San Pietro than the day we arrived almost 6 years ago. We didn’t join the queue circling the piazza for a visit inside – our main purpose is our first stamp.
The Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi (to the left in front of the Piazza) is open, and our first stamps are added, complete with the date in Roman numerals – we appreciated that he took on this task with a flourish that matched our level of excitement.
We then proceeded through the crowded streets past the sights of the first 4 kilometres of the route heading south.
Past the Victor Emmanuel II monument, the Roman forum, the Colosseum, and the Arch of Constantine, as far as the Circus Maximus. At this point we veer off the route to head back to our accommodation.
While we knew there may be physical challenges ahead, unfortunately the actions of a careless person at the transit airport led to a knee injury for DC on his journey over. First, a hip and shoulder from behind then tripping him up with their wheelie-bag, the culprit continuing on his way leaving DC on the ground. Thankfully, on arrival at the departure gate, an attentive flight attendant set him up with some ice, and organised a swap of his seat, as that knee was already swelling up.
DC arrived in Roma with a marked limp and a painful, swollen knee.
Yesterday, lots of rest and ice (frozen chopped pumpkin- I couldn’t see frozen peas in the supermarket).
This morning, the swelling and pain had improved and he was walking without a limp; he has managed the distance today, slowly with rests. We will watch it closely and see what happens.
A dopo.
Richo and DC 