Roma Roma

I suspect that Rome is one of those places that casts a spell on some people. One is either ensnared, enchanted, caught, or one is not. For me, it happened instantly. I saw the city, in all its enormity thoughout the ages, its squalor, its crumblyness, its beauty, its magnificence, and was caught.

I've heard of such things said of other places, and even professions. We hear about "catching the theatre bug". I went to theatre school, hoping to catch that divine illness, but never did. No oracular fugue state fell upon me from the gods, so I went home again, having failed the test of initiation.

I know someone who was caught by France while on a high school trip. He did not move there, but it changed him forever.

The world is wide and great. So much greater than I ever expected when I was growing up on my Island. I remember the elaborate disdain with which I regarded those who undertook to go away from the sacred Island. There were only two places then: The Island, and Outside. Sensible people, even sensible romantics, simply did not go Outside. If one were romantic, one read books about Outside, with its darkness and chaos and exotic dangers. Otherwise, one knew that everything anyone could want was already here.

It is a rare thing to find an Islander Outside, even now. Most of the people I went to school with are still there. But something came to me, hidebound as I was, from over the water. I couldn't stay, even while the idea of leaving remained unimaginable.

But isn't that the Christian life? To be called away unexpectedly to go somewhere you have never imagined, and would not think to go? To do things that it would never cross your mind to do had you not heard that strange imperative whisper?


Distance: 1352.84 miles Time: 21 hrs 9 mins

* Starting in CHESTER, ENGLAND on NICHOLAS STREET go toward BLACK FRIARS - go 0.1 mi
* At traffic circle, take first exit onto GROSVENOR STREET(A5268) - go 0.2 mi
* Continue to follow A5268 - go 0.5 mi
* At traffic circle, take third exit onto THE BARS(A51) - go 0.1 mi
* Continue to follow A51 - go 1.5 mi
* At traffic circle, take second exit onto TARVIN ROAD(A51) - go 2.2 mi
* Continue to follow A51 - go 0.7 mi
* At TARVIN ROUNDABOUT, take third exit onto A51 - go 4.9 mi
* At traffic circle, take third exit onto A49 - go 1.6 mi
* Continue on A51 - go 6.6 mi
* Turn Left on A51 - go 1.4 mi
* At traffic circle, take second exit onto A500 - go 0.5 mi
* At traffic circle, take third exit onto A500 - go 1.0 mi
* At traffic circle, take third exit onto A500 - go 0.6 mi
* At traffic circle, take second exit onto A500 - go 2.3 mi
* At traffic circle, take first exit onto A500 - go 1.2 mi
* At traffic circle, take second exit onto A500 - go 1.2 mi
* At traffic circle, take second exit onto A500 - go 2.2 mi
* At traffic circle, take fourth exit onto a local road - go 0.2 mi
* Take ramp onto M6 toward STOKE (SOUTH)/BIRMINGHAM - go 81.3 mi
* Merge onto M1 - go 59.2 mi
* Take Left fork onto M10 toward ST. ALBANS/HATFIELD - go 2.8 mi
* At PARK STREET ROUNDABOUT, take second exit onto NORTH ORBITAL ROAD(A414) - go 1.9 mi
* At LONDON COLNEY ROUNDABOUT, take third exit onto LONDON COLNEY BY PASS(A1081) - go 1.4 mi
* At traffic circle, take second exit onto M25 - go 34.9 mi
* Continue on A282 (Portions toll) - go 5.0 mi
* Continue on M25 - go 3.1 mi
* Take exit #3/DOVER/CHANNEL TUNNEL/MAIDSTONE onto M20 - go 47.9 mi
* Take exit #11A/CHANNEL TUNNEL onto CHANNEL TUNNEL - go 25.4 mi
* Continue on TUNNEL SOUS LA MANCHE - go 14.2 mi
* Turn Right on AVENUE DE FRANCE - go 1.4 mi
* Take ramp onto A16 toward CALAIS/LILLE/REIMS PARIS (A26)/E15/BRUXELLES - go 3.8 mi
* Take Right fork onto E15 toward A26/ST OMER/ARRAS/REIMS/PARIS - go 0.5 mi
* Merge onto A26 (Toll applies) - go 163.5 mi
* Merge onto A4 (Portions toll) - go 216.2 mi
* Continue on A35 - go 9.8 mi
* Take Left exit #9/A35/SAINT-DIÉ-DES-VOSGES PAR TUNNEL/MULHOUSE/COLMAR/OBERNAI onto D1422 - go 0.7 mi
* At traffic circle, take third exit onto D1422 - go 1.2 mi
* At traffic circle, take first exit onto D1422 - go 0.8 mi
* Continue on A35 - go 23.9 mi
* Continue on N83 - go 6.6 mi
* Continue on A35 - go 41.1 mi
* Continue on A3 (Toll applies) - go 2.1 mi
* Merge onto A2 (Toll applies) - go 26.0 mi
* Merge onto A1 (Toll applies) - go 4.8 mi
* Take exit #47/GOTTHARD/LUZERN/REIDEN onto A2 (Toll applies) - go 147.5 mi
* Continue on A9 (Toll applies) - go 19.7 mi
* Merge onto A8 (Toll applies) - go 2.8 mi
* Take the TANGENZIALE OVEST/TORINO (A4)/GENOVA (A7)/BOLOGNA (A1) exit onto A50 (Toll applies) - go 19.9 mi
* Merge onto A1 (Toll applies) - go 326.3 mi
* Take the ROMA CENTRO/GRANDE RACCORDO ANULARE/AEROPORTI/CIVITAVECCHIA (A12)/ROMA NORD/RIETI exit onto A1DIR (Toll applies) - go 14.9 mi
* Take ramp onto GRANDE RACCORDO ANULARE toward NOMENTANA/SS5/TIBURTINA/L'AQUILA/A24/TERAMO/A1/NAPOLI - go 5.8 mi
* Take exit #14/PRENESTINA/L'AQUILA-TERAMO (A24)/ROMA SUD/NAPOLI/PESCARA (A25)/FIRENZE-NAPOLI (A1)/ROMA CENTRO/TANGENZIALE EST onto A24 toward #14/ROMA CENTRO/TANGENZIALE EST - go 4.6 mi
* Take ramp onto CIRCONVALLAZIONE TIBURTINA toward EUR/S. GIOVANNI - go 0.6 mi
* Take ramp - go 0.1 mi
* Continue on LARGO SETTIMIO PASSAMONTI - go 0.1 mi
* Bear Left on VIALE DELLO SCALO SAN LORENZO - go 0.3 mi
* Continue on LARGO EDUARDO TALAMO
* Continue on VIALE DELLO SCALO SAN LORENZO - go 0.2 mi
* Bear Right on PIAZZALE LABICANO - go 0.1 mi
* Turn Right on VIA DI PORTA MAGG. - go 0.2 mi
* Continue on VIA PRINCIPE EUGENIO - go 0.2 mi
* Continue on PIAZZA VITTORIO EMANUELE II - go 0.2 mi
* Continue on VIA NAPOLEONE III - go 0.2 mi
* Turn Right on VIA GIOBERTI - go 0.1 mi
* Turn Left on VIA GIOVANNI GIOLITTI - go 0.2 mi
* Bear Left on VIALE LUIGI EINAUDI - go 0.1 mi
* At PIAZZA DELLA REPUBBLICA, take second exit onto VIA VITTORIO EMANUELE ORLANDO - go 0.1 mi
* Arrive at the center of ROME, LATIUM