C’è Sempre una Prima Volta

There is always a first time

Thus spoke the security guard at the embassy gate when I told him, breathlessly, with a huge smile on my face that “It was my first time!”

I’ve actually only driven the motorino completely by myself one time. I drove it to work one day when I was going to work late – since there wouldn’t be much traffic. It was actually quite an accomplishment considering that until that point I had only ridden it around in circles in an empty parking lot … and I wasn’t entirely sure how to get to work. Fortunately, it was an uneventful drive. I found my way and arrived safe, sound, and exhilarated at the front gate of the embassy. (And the marine guard complimented me on my leather motorcycle jacket.)

The motorino is not as easy to drive as the Italians make it look. They weave between cars, around cars, and maneuver in tight spaces with the greatest of ease. Although, it should be taken into account that they have been riding around on these things since they were 16 … so, they’ve had more practice than we have. Ryan has had the harder task of learning to drive the motorino with extra weight on the back. (Me … even though I weigh almost nothing, of course.) So, for a week or two, I let him practice by driving to work, and I walked or took the bus. Now we ride in style!

We went out to Trastevere for a ‘date night’ recently – and driving the motorino there made all the difference. Trastevere is a really cool, fun area – but it’s pretty inconvenient to get there. There’s nowhere to park, it’s in an area that you can’t drive to (because of traffic restrictions in historic areas),  we have to change buses at least once to get even close, and it takes an hour. On the motorino … it’s a straight shot, we park right next to the restaurant, we arrive in 20 minutes … and I finally understand what my girl friend meant when she said that climbing onto the back of a motorino in high heels and flying through Rome among the beautifully illuminated monuments … is a date night in itself.