From Rome to Amsterdam, Ups and downs of the first day

Hi all ,
I am on my way, left Auckland for Singapore on a 10 hour flight, comfortable with moderate sized people on either side. A 4 hour sleep in the transit hotel, helped me to survive the 13 hour flight to Rome arriving just before 8 am.
Got the bike and found a quiet spot in front of the terminal to assemble it. This was a mistake as the terminal is air conditioned and the outside temp is already mid twenties.
Shock horror unpacking the bike discovering that the front pannier rack is broken on one side and the large front gear has a nasty bend in it. It is obvious that the bike had a fall or was thrown.
I decide to assemble it, opposed to repacking and taking the shuttle into Rome in search of a bike shop. The first thing I do is cut my finger putting blood all over the bike and the inside of the bike bag. I straighten the gear with a small spanner to enable it to pass through the front derailleur. Then I tie the front rack to the handlebar to prevent it sagging onto the front tyre with a running shoe lace.
I carry a selection of old shoe laces on every trip, and know now why I do it.
I manage to pile all the gear onto this contraption and manage to ride the bike without falling over.
It has made the bike very unstable and it is very hard work in the heat and especially up hill.
I only got hooted once and am grateful this is Italy and not New Zealand.
I find rest, refreshments and shelter in several petrol stations along the way, the latter one after a huge thunderstorm with torrential rain. I manage to make myself useful mopping up the water coming in through the leaky windows.
At Ladispoli I find a bike shop just before 3 pm but as usual the shop is closed till 4 pm. I decide to wait which turns out to be a good decision. I buy a rear rack for 20 euro about 1/3 of the price in NZ.
In my jet lagged state I manage to break the head of the mounting bolt and have to go into the shop to ask for help. The lady gets one of the mechanics on to it and in addition to getting the broken bit out, he mounts the rack, straightens the gear properly, checks the gears and the brakes and declares the bike fit for the journey. To my surprise the lady charges me 5 euro and I have a job giving her 10 euro for over an hour work.
I ride on much more balanced and comfortable, keeping my eye out for an hotel or B&B. I find a small hotel in Santa Marinella for 55 euro without breakfast, about 15 km short of my planned destination of Civitavecchia. After shower I have a pint of Guinness and a huge plate of spaghetti at the restaurant on the first corner and fall into bed at 10.30 pm.
This morning I cruise into Civitavecchia and find out that the ferry to Arbatax only sails on Wednesday and Friday so my yesterday problems have repercussions for today as well.
But one has to be flexible and I decide to take the overnight ferry to Cagliari instead leaving at 7 pm tonight arriving at Cagliari at 8 am. Cagliari is at the southern tip of Sardinia.
 I have a cabin and look forward to a relaxing night aboard and I am cruising !