“Andiamo!” I cried as the light turned green, and I felt the car lurch forward. We sped through the streets of Rome, narrowly avoiding collision after collision, weaving in and out of tight spots in our perfectly miniature car.

It was half past 10. I had to be at Termini station by 11 or risk missing my train, the night train out of Rome and up through to the North of the country, then to Switzerland. I glanced at my phone, it gave me an ETA of ten to the hour. “I can get us there quicker,” Simona said with a smile, “I know a few shortcuts!”.

Up until yesterday, it had been a while since I’d last seen Simona, at least it felt like that to me. With all the adventures I have every day, these past few weeks in Italy have felt like a lifetime, in reality I hadn’t seen Simona for about three weeks. Simona lent me a room the first time I came to stay in Rome, and I enjoyed her company so much we stayed friends after I departed. Once I had to return to Rome for my work, I knew I had to see them before I left for good.

“C’mon, c’mon!” I said with a growing frustration. Despite Simona’s reckless driving, the ETA was staying constant at 10 to. “That’s enough time to find my train” I thought in an attempt to calm my nerves, “just how did it get so late anyway?”

The answer to that question, involves a series of events dating back four weeks, to my first train journey down to Rome. I had decided to read ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ by Agatha Christie for the long train journey. I arrived at Simona’s on that first day with the book still in hand, only a few more pages left to complete as I hoped to prove my suspicion on the killer true. “There’s a film of that” Simona said once she’d seen what I was holding, “I have it on my TV, we should watch it!”

So, we did! Both sat cosy on Simona’s living room sofa, surrounded by Simona’s darling cats: Psyko and Simola, we watched the first Hercule Poirot movie and it was delightful!

We turned the final corner on the approach to the station. We were early, I had plenty of time to reach my platform and board my train onwards. Simona’s driving had paid off and she parked the car up across the road from the entrance. The two of us hopped out to say our last goodbye.

“You know there’s a sequel?” Simona posed one night during my first week. After having spent all day working on complex systems, it was nice to spend the evenings relaxing with her and the cats. “Another Hercule Poirot movie! I think it’s called ‘Death on the Nile’?” We found it soon enough on the same streaming service as before and were once again drawn in to a classic Christie mystery. As the credits began to roll, a third movie was suggested to us…

“How about we watch that third Poirot film?” I suggested to Simona when I asked to meet up during my last stay in Rome. “It would be great to hang out like we used to, us and the cats!”. “How about Thursday?” asked Simona, my second to last night in Rome, perfect!

Coincidentally, at the same time as planning my evening with Simona, I was trying to sort out my next great adventure, my method of leaving Rome. I had settled on one thing, I would love to get a sleeper train at some point, and seen as I don’t need to be in Toulouse until the following Monday, I could take that sleeper train to almost anywhere in Europe. I booked my ticket, the 11 o’clock from Termini to Verona, then I would go onwards to Switzerland.

It wasn’t until Wednesday, after I’d spent the evening at a gelateria in the city centre, that I found a flaw in my plan. The C train was being refurbished, and wouldn’t be running when I needed to get to the centre on Friday. I analysed my options, and soon thought of a solution requiring a massive favour.

I gave Simona a large hug. “You are a truly incredible friend. Grazie per tutto!” And, picking up my suitcase, I quickly crossed the road to the station, and my adventure beyond.

“Honestly, I don’t deserve you Simona, thank you so much!” I repeated profusely after Simona said she would help me get to the station the following evening. For now though, there was only one thing we needed to do, and that was finish the trilogy.

We began to watch the third Poirot film, ‘A Haunting in Venice’, but by now it was already late at night. With the hot Roman sun beating down on us both all day, our energy levels were at a minimum, even with Psyko’s cuteness giving us quick bursts of joy. After about 45 minutes of watching, I realised I was the only one who was; Simona was fast asleep. So, being as quiet as I could, I crept out of her apartment, and waited until my final day to complete the film.

Sure enough, friday came. I brought all of my packed bags with me to Simona’s flat and, after a breif cuddle with Psyko, I asked Simona an important question that had been on my mind.

“Why do you do this? Why rent out a room in your house for random people to come stay in all the time?” I felt the question was fair, a common thing for a renter to hear surely, but her response took me by surprise.

“Because I want to meet people. Because I get to meet people like a kind man from Pakistan or an art historian from Mexico. I get to hear their stories and through them, I travel the world.” Simona paused, I was already smiling ear to ear, it was the perfect answer so far, “and because sometimes I get to meet people like you, who I stay friends with, who I care about, and then maybe that will make you come back.” She said the last part teasingly and shot me a toothy grin.

We watched the remainder of the final film, so engrossed in the story, and Simola’s antics, that we lost track of the time. It was now past 10, and we had to go!

Before I left, I took a moment to look at Simona’s flat. A few weeks ago I hadn’t known this place existed, now it was a safe haven for me, now it was where a very good friend of mine lived, with her beautiful cats and her gorgeous veranda. I hope she knows how grateful I am for everything, she truly went above and beyond what any regular renter would do.

I glanced back across the road when I reached the otherside. I saw Simona in her tiny car, speeding off into the distance. I missed her already, and I missed how nice it was to have that little bit of home somewhere so far away.

I made my way to the platforms, and found where my train would be pulling in. As I waited I thought on something interesting. “If they make a fourth film, I’m coming back here, and I’m watching it with them!”

The only place I want to watch it, my home away from home!

P.S. I wasn’t able to get a picture of Simola the cat any time I was there, he doesn’t like people very much so tended to run out of the room whenever he saw me.