A groggy Coman wakes and asks me for paracetamol. His head is throbbing, tipped over the edge by that final glass of port. In the darkness I can't find them so we both manage to get another couple of hours sleep before dragging ourselves out of bed at 9.30. We make it to Lemonia for breakfast and just before they close the doors are joined by a sprightly Shellie who, like me, is suffering no ill effects. Clodagh however is less lucky and when she eventually comes into the room, to some peturbed looks from the staff who obviously consider breakfast service closed, she's somewhat pale and wan.

There are all sorts of ways to see Rome. Walking tours, open top buses, coach trips, taxis, bikes and horse-drawn carriage are all available. But they're far too straightforward. We need excitement and danger in our sightseeing goals! So when our friend Stuart suggested that we don crash helmets and hop aboard a Segway tour, I got straight on the internet and booked the four of us - in some cases with a certain degree of trepidation - on to the upright two-wheeled go karts before the ladies could talk themselves out of it!

It's the little touches at hotels that make all the difference. The fluffy bathrobes with the subtle tags announcing they're on sale for an extortionate amount, to remind you not to stuff one in your suitcase; the chocolates on the pillow that tempt you into sinning with their gooey soft centres; the fact they uncomplainingly clean up the red wine you've just accidentally sprayed all over the bed as you trip over the chair (oops)!

So, what could be more quintessentially Irish for St Patrick's Day than fleeing the Emerald Isle and following generations of emigres on an adventure to foreign shores? Well, downing vast amounts of Guinness and sending Jedward to the Eurovision for a start, but that aside, a trip overseas seems like a fine idea. And so when our friends Clodagh and Shellie suggested that we join them on a trip in honour of their patron saint's bank holiday, it seemed rude not to. Especially as Guinness isn't my thing, Coman misses the craic and we can have belated celebration's for his birthday while we're about it!!