day 32: up in the air

It felt great to check in my backpack (still 15 kilograms) and travel in style and comfort. We left Rome Italy for the eleventh and last country, Norway. Øyvind was excited to show us his home. Jerrain and I are equally - if not more - thrilled to be in Norway for the first time.

We transitted in Oslo airport for a couple of hours where I had one of my most expensive lunches on this trip. For 190nok (approximately €24), I had two chicken legs, mashed potato and a bottle of lemon tea.

Finally, we landed in Bodo. After a quick detour to the supermarket and a short tour of Oyvind's home, we went up to a mountain just five minutes away to enjoy the midnight sun. At 12.30am in the morning, it was bright enough to see the mountain across the sea. We could not see the sun because it was too cloudy but it was fascinating just being in daylight when it was so late. To top the amazing view, we enjoyed a bottle of Riesling and crisps while we sat on the mountain.

At that moment, I knew Bodo stole my heart. With the moutain and the sea, it was difficult to stay faithful to Interlaken as my favourite stop in Europe. And this was just the first evening.

• Location: Rome Italy and Bodo Norway
• Cost: €14 train to FCO airport, €1.10 crisps, €5.90 baci chocolates, €4.90 sandwiches, 190nok lunch at Oslo Airport
• Highlight: Sharing breathtaking views with Oyvind and Jerrain over Riesling (and coke for Oyvind who was driving).

day 31: romantic rome

No shorts. No sleeveless tops. No short skirts. No recording devices. And no talking. The glorious Sistine Chapel, demanded respect from its visitors. Regardless of its restrictions, I would comply because it was an awesome experience.

I could not imgine how Michelangelo could have painted the chapel in four years. And today, I was admiring something so spectacular that was done in 1512. It was breathtaking.

Our Italian guide, Andrea, brought us through the Vetican Museum and showed us many excellent tapestries, sculptures, and paintings. My favourite was the ceiling paintings that looked three dimensional.

We were starving after the three-hour tour. We jumped into a taxi and found a pizzeria in the middle of the market square at Campo de Fiori.

A slow stroll to the Colosseum passed several other beautiful key architecture, some half ruined.

We walked nine hours today. My feet hurts.

• Location: Rome, Italy
• Cost: €40 Vatican tour, €13.80 pizza and sprite, €9.50 taxi, €2 isotonic drink, €2 orange juice, €17 dinner, €12.50 muscato.
• Highlight: We ventured around Trastevere, a less touristy area across the river. Cozy restaurants lined the small alleys, with lovely alfresco seating under trees and surrounded by flowers. I had Coda alla Vaccinara, which was a braised tail in tomato and vegetable gravy. It was very delicious.

day 30: gone gondola-ing

Venice is beautiful. I love being on and around water all the time, finding little old bridges at every corner, and staring down long narrow lanes. It was beautiful last night on the water bus but Venice during the day is absolutely romantic.

The gondola ride was spectacular. Sebestiano, whose gondola we picked, was a young twenty-ish year-old guy who showed us several significant historical and interesting buildings, such as Cassanova's house or the canal-side villa which was used in the filming of 'The Italian Job' movie. It was lovely being on a private boat. I especially loved navigating around the smaller and quieter canals, and going under the bridges. Some bridges were so short Sebestiano had to bend down.

After the relaxing gondola ride, we strolled through the main road to Rialto bridge and San Marco square. We realised then that we were a little short on time before our 4.27pm train. We thought we could take the water taxi back until we found out that it was €60! So we took the water bus instead which was a pleasant (but stressful) 40 minutes ride down the canal to the rail station.

Fortunately we made it in the end, by a pretty good margin I must say. We ran 300 metres across a crowded square and bridge, picked up our bags from the hostel and sprinted to the train station.

The four hour train ride flew by. Oyvind taught me some simple phrases in Norwegian in preparation for our stay in Bodo. With Oyvind's iPad, we screened South Park and the House of Flying Daggers.

After checking into Legends Hostel and meeting our New York room mates, we went for authentic Roman food to celebrate. Jerrain got news that she graduated with first class honours!! I am so proud of her!

• Location: Venice and Rome, Italy
• Highlight: The 40-minute water bus ride, enjoying the wind and sights.
• Cost: €2.50 hot chocolate, €7.90 spaghetti carbonara, €40 gondola, €11 reservation fee for train to Rome, €6.50 water bus, €3 orange juice on the train, €31 hostel, €30 dinner, €6 drinks.
• Train: Venezia Santa Lucia to Roma Termini 4 hours.