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First day in Rome after little to no sleep

First day in Rome after little to no sleep

Old Mar 31st, 2012, 11:27 AM
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First day in Rome after little to no sleep

We are arriving in Rome at 7am after a transatlantic flight from US. I doubt we will get much sleep. We can not check into our hotel until 2pm so I am wondering what are folks usually up for on that first day. I want to make the most of it without overdoing it.

I was thinking of the Pantheon area or Trastevere.

My son is really excited about the coliseum but I thought that might be best for Day 2.

When does the jet lag usually set in?

I am traveling with my son (age 10) and sister and Mother (active 70 year old).

Thanks!
Amy
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Old Mar 31st, 2012, 12:10 PM
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No sitting down. Other than that, whatever you care to do.

I suspect it is too late, but I avoid this type of arrival day schedule. For example, if Amalfi Coast is in my itinerary, I would rearrange the sequence of visit to go straight to the first destination. I could then convert the time to kill into time to travel and by the time I arrive at the first destination, it is time to check into the hotel. The high speed train seats are more comfortable than cafe or park benches and it is usually also safer to doze off than in an open public place.
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Old Mar 31st, 2012, 12:26 PM
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NO SITTING DOWN? WITH A 70 YEAR OLD? HELLS BELLS!

I've seen no sleeping recommended but these poor people will be on their knees if they can't sit and have the odd cappucino. and not a good start for granny.

amya - you probably won't get through passport control, bagagge collection and customs until after 8am, when i would sit down and have breakfast at a cafe in the airport. then get the train to Termini and get to your hotel to leave your luggage - by now it's probably gone 9am. [BTW, have you tried asking your hotel if you could check-in early? they can only say no!]

so you've got about 5 hours to fill, which with plenty of breaks for drinks to replenish your fluids after the flight, and a decent lunch, is probably about the right amount of time for a gentle stroll through the centre of Rome - campo dei fiori [first, because the market will shut by lunchtime], Pantheon, piazza navona, trevi fountain, spanish steps. if granny runs out of steam, you could leave her in a cafe whilst you and your son do a bit of exploring by yourselves.

there - many of the major sights and all it's cost you is a few euro for drinks as you walk along, plus lunch - which you had to eat anyway. feeling tired but don't want a drink? - pop into any church that you pass and see what you find in there. We've done this often in Rome and they rarely disappoint.

PS - do make sure that you take the opportunity to use the toilets when you stop for drinks. there are few public toilets in Rome, and your mother is not likely to enjoy using the few that there are!
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Old Mar 31st, 2012, 12:42 PM
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We arrive early too--in the morning from the US around 10 am. There is a Segueway tour of the highlights we are planning on taking in the afternoon. Thought it wouldn't be too tiring. It is not hard to get the hang of--we have done one in another city. Your mom may like it, but the boy may be too young. Don't forget, you are going to be happy and excited to be in Rome and that may carry you for a while. Have fun!
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Old Mar 31st, 2012, 12:55 PM
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What is all of this fussing about "granny"? She is, according to the OP, an active 70 years old. She should be fine but none of you should push yourselves too much.

The best thing to do on arrival day after a long flight is to stay outside in the fresh air and stop for refreshment when you are hungry or thirsty or need to rest. Choose outdoor cafes if it is a nice day. Don't push yourselves but try to say active. When you can check into your hotel, try to resist the temptation to take a nap. Have an early dinner and go to bed early. You should be much better by the next day. The suggestion above to wander around the Piazza Navona area and the Pantheon is a good one. Or if your hotel is not in that area, walk around your neighborhood to become familiar with it.

We have found that, while we are pretty tired the first day, if we follow this pattern we are usually fine by the second day.
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Old Mar 31st, 2012, 12:57 PM
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No sitting down? Good luck! For me that first day is a good one for open air bus tours. Although there is one in Rome, I don't think it's like the one in Paris or London. I would also not do a segwey tour that day. When I haven't slept my reflexes are slow and I have actually fallen down stairs once.

The best thing is to give yourself a break, try to stay in the sunshine, and take it slowly. You can probably drop your bags at the hotel, even if you can't check in right away.
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Old Mar 31st, 2012, 01:05 PM
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We do just about what mamcalice recommended.

We let the hotel know about our early arrival and they usually give us a complimentary breakfast or, at the least, coffee and some pastry. We let them know that we don't want any old available room just because we arrived early.

We leave our luggage and go out and walk around and try to get into the time zone. Napping does not work for us for some reason and makes us more tired and less inclined to go out and get fresh air or stay awake for dinner.

I wouldn't try to do too much or visit something that requires a tour or a long visit - make it a leisurely few hours of walking, resting, indoors and outside and you should be okay.

Have a great trip!
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Old Mar 31st, 2012, 01:05 PM
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What is all of this fussing about "granny"? She is, according to the OP, an active 70 years old. She should be fine but none of you should push yourselves too much>>

well how many 70 year olds do you know who would fancy walking round rome for at least 5 hours without sitting down?

in fact, Mamcalice, we seem to agree about everything, including having plenty of stops for drinks/rest. i was just being considerate - we don't want the trip to get off on the wrong foot, do we?
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Old Mar 31st, 2012, 01:15 PM
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You don't say where your hotel is. You want to be close to it because sometimes your hotel will let you check in early if they have a room ready, or at least will let you crash in their breakfast room. Last time I was in Rome I spent my first jet-lagged day wandering around Trastevere. It's great just to hang out around Santa Maria in Trastevere. If you have the energy you can always go to Santa Cecilia as well (though prepare to get lost). However, unless you are willing to take a taxi, I wouldn't recommend it. Too hard to get lost.
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Old Mar 31st, 2012, 01:39 PM
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When I head to Europe, I plan on the first day of being outside and in the sun (or shade). This helps your body adjust to the time zone difference. You don't have to do a lot, just find a park and watch the world go by.

I also take melatonin on the plane. I will usually add a sleeping pill not long after boarding the plane.

I usually find that I have little or no jet lag if I stay outside. I also make it a point to stay up until at least 9PM on the first day.

I do violate all the other 'rules' about light food, no alcohol, etc....
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Old Mar 31st, 2012, 01:48 PM
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Are you going in summertime?

If so, it will be very hot. I would scope out a few places near your hotel that are very cool -- literally. Churches are cool. So are museums. I realize with your young son that you will have to choose which ones will be most amusing to him, but that is what I recommend.

I also recommend that you not stray too far from your hotel, because the front desk is likely to be able to fix up your room for you before 2pm. You won't get into town until 9am, and you should have a lunch spot picked out (near your hotel) for 12:30 pm. So you really only have 3 hours -- at most -- to fill the time.

Where is your hotel? People here could probably recommend some air conditioned or cool spots nearby of interest to a 10-year-old.

For what it is worth, my mother -- who is older than yours -- flew to Europe on a 10 hour flight, didn't sleep a wink, and was fresh as a daisy all day long upon arrival. But everybody is different -- including your son. You might all need a nap that day. Drink plenty of water on the plane and in Rome if it is hot when you arrive. Both young people and older people sometimes need more water than middle-aged people on flights.

So where is your hotel?
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Old Mar 31st, 2012, 02:25 PM
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zeppole - I disagree. One really needs to be outdoors the first day or one won't be able to minimize jet lag.

Naps will screw the body up even further.

Force yourself to stay up and jet lag will be minimized.

Having take over 30 trips to Europe, and having learned the hard way, it's something that works for most people.
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Old Mar 31st, 2012, 03:17 PM
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I've learned the hard way after many trips to Europe, that there's no good way to plan that first day. Yes, find a place to have lunch near the hotel. But after that, see where the day takes you, There may be no escaping a nap, especially if severe grouchiness sets in! One time, my 16-year-old son nearly fell asleep in the middle of lunch. We sent him back to the hotel, and they were able to get a room ready for him midday. Anyway, those first few days are rough going. Just get through them the best you can, but don't beat yourself up if it doesn't all go according to plan.
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Old Mar 31st, 2012, 03:27 PM
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Rasta,

I'm an American who lives in Europe, so I take several trips to the US every year and fly back.

People are individuals. There isn't a dogma about this. Zillions of travelers like myself take naps upon arriving in Europe. "Forcing yourself" isn't the way to go for everybody.

Now people have heard both sides, and adults will make up their own minds. Listen to your body, not people with funny fictitious names who post fictitious dogma on the internet.
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Old Mar 31st, 2012, 03:53 PM
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I've always written off the 1st day after being up 24+hrs.

In general I'd be in my Rome hotel ~1PM, shower and then nap for ~4hrs.

Relax for a while and then go out nearby for dinner with a good bit of wine.

Back to hotel to watch TV and asleep by midnight.

Next morning I'd feel great and my bodyclock was now on local time.

That's what worked for me YMMV. Regards, Walter
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Old Mar 31st, 2012, 04:57 PM
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I know people will jump on me for this, but I have more than once, and especially when traveling with my young son, bought an extra night in a hotel or apartment so we'd have it available for early morning arrival. Not having to cart him around half the day in who knows what shape or weather( or ourselves either) was well worth the cost. That way we could rest or not and do what we needed to do and our trip started smoothly.
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Old Mar 31st, 2012, 05:26 PM
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Don't assume you won't be able to check into your hotel. By the time you get there it will be 9 am or later and they may well have a rom available. Even if not yuo can check your lugage and they will often offer yuo a free breakfast at this point.

If not, I would walk around the immediate neighborhood of the hotel, explore for shops, restauants, churches (yes, go in an sit down) and hae a light, early lunch. I would then go back to the hotel, check in, unpack a little shower and nap for a couple of hours. Then go out again to do a little light sightseeing (piazza Navona or Pantheon would be fine and have an early light dinner. Then a nice long night.

It' important to get some sunlight on the day you arrive - but I don;t agree with pushing yourself all day and not sleep until 10 or 11 pm - when you are that exhausted is still makes problems with your circadian rhythm.
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Old Mar 31st, 2012, 05:52 PM
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I've never travelled to Europe with a 10 y.o. or a 70 y.o. (although I can almost see 70 from here!). I only know what works for us (coming from the U.S. West Coast).

If we take a nap or even think of just stretching out on the bed "for 10 minutes tops," then we're toast and have trouble getting on local time for days. We must stay awake until at least 9-10 p.m. the first day. We eat light, drink lots of water and little alcohol but on the local schedule.

We don't plan anything very ambitious for that day. (I agree with you about the Colosseo.) We mostly just stroll around and orient ourselves to the city/neighborhood, especially if it's a new destination for us.

Where is your hotel located?

jubilada's idea works well if you think anyone will be dead on their feet, want a shower, etc. One room would be enough to get you to the 2 p.m. check-in time.
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Old Mar 31st, 2012, 05:55 PM
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We will be arriving at 7:30 AM which might be 9:30 AM because Italy sprung ahead 3/24. I arrived in London once about the same time and was ready for a nap by noon. Ditto for Stockholm. There we got off the plane and got on a tour bus. I was looking for a bench to take a nap. That trip taught me never to join a tour upon arrival. Better to fly in a day or two earlier, clear one's jet lag, rest, and be ready to tour when the others show up. PARADISE gave excellent advice about renting a day before arrival to accomodate your son and Mom to say nothing about you. If you can do it now, it will be worth the extra money.
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Old Mar 31st, 2012, 06:34 PM
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plan #1 -- use the kid and the grandmother to your advantage. make sure one or more of them is crying as you drop off your luggage at the hotel. if loud enough, there's a very good chance that the staff will let you check in right away!!

plan #2 -- do the hop-on, hop-off bus and get the lay of the land. i think that i recall that they are air conditioned. you can see a lot of the sites of the city and just relax. mid-way through (by a site your son is particularly interested in, hop off and have a gelato or lunch.

hotels will almost always let you check in at least a little bit early-- so try back when you come back around to your hotel on the bus.
i hope it all goes well-- and that you somehow arrive in rome well rested.
kawh
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