When in Rome...

Avoid this contraption at all costs. The Archeobus looks great, and a glance at their pamphlet makes you think you will be given a luxury coach ride around all the interesting archaeological sites in and around Rome.

The reality is that you will be stuck on top of a green roller-coaster, where the ancient monuments will whizz past so quickly even setting your camera to 'sport' mode will not be enough to get a blur-free snap.

As for the informative 'guide', well if you are lucky enough to be able to hear her over the crackly PA system to which your ears will be wired with a pair of worse-than-useless disposable green ear-pods (and don't turn to look at anything, or they will be ripped form your ears, depositing the earwax onto the lap of the person sitting next to you), she will spend most of the journey chatting-up the driver. She will begrudgingly take 30 seconds form her social calendar to give you the most glib account of the archaeological wonders Italy has to offer. This usually amounts to the name of the object, which you have probably deduced yourself by reading the sign nailed to it.

As we travelled up the Apian Way - the most important ancient Roman road - you will pass many fascinating constructions along the way. To this day, I haven't a clue what they were; seems they didn't warrant a commentary.

Your treat for the day will be a stop at the famous aqueduct. Here you will be told you have 10mins to have a look around. Don't expect the guide to come with you and explain what you are looking at, nor should you expect any signs explaining the ingenious Roman aqueduct system - it seems the spot you get to look at is just the end of a dirt track where they don't have to pay the council for the privilege of using it, as it is little more than a place to turn the bus around. I did notice a tennis club next to where we stopped, and the 'guide' made use of that as a personal refreshment break.

Then as you get back on board (and in my case it was back on board a different bus - seems they wanted to combine 2 half-filled buses into one full one and give the driver and guide from the now empty bus some quality-time to 'catch-up'), you are treated to the names of all the places you almost saw the first time, but in reverse!

How exciting.