I did not return to hotel or joined the rest of the tour
group. I wandered alone on the street, trying to collect the images of Italy
before heading back to Singapore. I enjoyed the scenery and continued to walk
and walk along the street till suddenly I found myself near a large expressway
with lots of traffic. I started to try to find my way back to the hotel, after
finding myself tired. This was when I find myself LOST!
Oh no, where am I? I became frantic, here I am in a
non-English-speaking city alone, trying to find myself back to the hotel. The
worst thing was that I have only my credit card with me with all other
belongings including handphone in the hotel. As a result of hotel-hopping throughout
the vacation, I did not even remember the name of the hotel or any other
prominent features of the hotel.
I walked till I reached a shop manned by a middle-aged
Chinese lady and her son. I was elated, thinking help is on the way. I asked
where the lady came from and her answer was “China”. I told her I come from
Singapore and was lost. She took out a
local map with 3 small photos of a hotel in the inserts of the map. She asked
me which hotel I stayed. I looked at the 3 hotel photos but could not even make
out which hotel I stayed from the photos. Randomly, I picked one hotel with a
Roman general on top of the hotel.
Then to my disbelief, the lady told me that this map I was
staring at right now was the exact map a young man, who was also lost, used to
navigate his way back to his hotel and reached his hotel only after 2 days!
Before I could seek further advice from the lady and her son, it was party time for the Italian crowds and being shop-owners, the duo had to entertain their guests.
I was left to my own devices.. it was then I woke up, heaved a sign of relief to find that it was just a dream.