Well we made it after another basically sleepless 12 1/2 hour leg. Lobbed at 6:30 am to a cloudy but dry Rome. I loved Italian customs as they had a line for "nothing to declare" and basically it is unmanned and next to the exit so you just stroll though - 20 mins after landing.
We book a guided 4 hour tour through our airport transfer and were treated to a complimentary Italian breakfast of pastries and cappuccinos in a side street in Trastevere - beat the Malay shrimp curry ensemble which remained untouched.
The tour was gobsmacking beginning with the Bath of Caracella, Circus Maximus, The Forum (heart pumping stuff very emotive), Fontana di Trevi, The Colloseum, The Pantheon (as per the Forum completely gob smacking) and finally went past St Peters on the way to our apartment.
The digs are amazing high ceilings, marble floors, feeling like Caeser (I will make sure I stay away from the senate building which Silvio is currently using to house his concubines.
Feeling in the zone big time and I now realise why everyone told me what a great adventure it would be.
100 photos first day - gees could be a long slide night