Wow - thanks everyone for the advice! Octavian, I'll pm you as soon as I have my schedule worked out (I'm a little slow at these things!). Jack, my travelling companion is not an older man (else I would have taken Ian! {giggles}) but rather my aunt, who hasn't been to Rome since 1964! But Alan was recently there and says not much has changed since the 60s, really.
I had been thinking of NOT going to the Vatican (living in the north makes you a little crowd-shy) but having had about 15 recommendations now, guess I had better! I keep hearing 'hire a tour guide' and a close friend has a name for me so that sounds like a must-do.
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Looking at Jack's picture just makes me wonder how surreal that whole experience must have been. Did it always feel like a (bad) dream?
