5:45AM WAKE UP CALL TO VATICAN CITY

Wake up call rings at 5:45am… Man its too early in the morning… I open my eyes to see the lights on. We didn’t turn the lights off during the blackout and I remember them coming on during the morning but none of us could be fucked to get up and close them.

Lucy jumps into the shower and as I’m getting ready Lucy phone starts to ring. I’m in panic mode as its too much excitement for 5:45am. Lucy comes dashing out as I hand the phone to her. After much yelling on the phone, not that I could understand a word I shoved myself into the shower to wake up.

We walk towards the breakfast hall and all I could focus on was coffee. I needed strong Italian coffee. We spot the entire tour group standing outside the breakfast hall. At first I thought it was a red carpet event for Lucy and I but soon we realised the breakfast hall was still closed. Who the hell wakes me up if breakfast isn’t served. God this is the whole chaos from yesterdays welcome drinks when people started stressing if there was no electricity there would be no breakfast. Thinking this has stepped into reality I’m tempted to run across the street to the nearest bar for coffee. Someone must have coffee around here?

Luckily the waiter opened the door before the entire tour group ripped his kidneys out and served them on a breakfast plate to each other. Lucy picked a table where we can carry out our operation - “Preparing Lunch”

Below Pictures - 4 Star breakfast:

My first stop was the coffee machine. I made two cappuccino’s from the coffee machine and headed back to the table. I placed the cappuccino’s on the table when Lucy pointed out that Good Old was confused about using the coffee machine.

We watched her as she tried to figure out how to make coffee. Soon the remainder of the tour group gave up and decided to help her use the bloody machine. I explained to Lucy that there was no way she could be confused. It was simple. There was like a max of 5 buttons on the coffee machine. These being - cappuccino, latte, espresso, tea & hot chocolate.

It seriously took her a couple of minutes trying to use the thing. While she was using the machine we noticed the coffee from the machine wasn’t that great.

Above Pic - Good Old @ The coffee machine

I think we were used to good Italian coffee and having this wasn’t good enough. Lucy noticed the waiters making cappuccino’s from a proper Italian coffee machine. We instantly placed an order for two.

Good Old and Ron were sitting at the table next to us. Once good old saw our coffee’s arrive she ordered one as well.

While Lucy and I were trying to wake up Ron turns around to inform us that there are 3 other couples from Australia. We look at him to see if he is kidding as he told us this like twice yesterday in the welcome drinks.

Once breakfast was over we walked back to the room to prepare our cameras for the day. Cabbage Patch had told us the day before that large bags were banned from the Vatican due to security reasons. Luckily I had a small bag to shove my video camera and point and shoot. I decided to carry my SLR around my neck.

We started walking to the bus and Lucy was stopped by Cabbage patch. Cabbage patch complained she had too many bags or something. I was preoccupied with something else whilst Cabbage patch was complaining. Lucy had a handbag and a gym bag. I don’t know what Cabbage patch was complaining about. Maybe it’s the fact your only allowed one hand carry onto the bus. Lucy walked onto the bus regardless.

We sat down to notice a bush in our face.

Later on I realised she reminded me of Kath from Kath and Kim. So hence she became Kath. It was way too early in the morning to deal with a laughing fit.

We drove to the Vatican to be dumped on the door step. The only problem was the massive tour line. We had to walk over a km to join the line and it was only 7:40am. Cabbage Patch informed us that once the Vatican opened the line would move in quickly. We were ensured we would be in the Vatican before 9am.

So we spent the next hour standing against a wall watching the gypsies walk up and down trying to sell a scarf. Somewhere in between there was buskers and Lucy tried taking a discreet photo that wasn’t that discreet!

We walked into the Vatican before 9am as promised. We spent the next hour walking up the hallways admiring the beauty of this artwork. I need a neck massage badly after that.

Journey begins here:

The above statue some how has a link with Kusadasi Turkey.

We entered the Sistine Chapel to view the masterpieces in there as well. Unfortunately no photography was allowed.