Kevnjan's big adventure.

Fri. 30th. Mar. First day of our long weekend before re-visiting Venice. Took a long walk this morning and went along a jetty with huts on stilts from which are suspended large nets which are lifted and dropped by a collection of ropes and pulleys. Never seen them before, only one of the nets was in the water and we hung around hoping to see it lifted out. Didn't happen, one assumes it would be full of fish. I'll probably never know. Pictures on Facebook. The morning was beautiful, clear, bright and sunny with a cool breeze. We walked for miles and after lunch spent the afternoon in the chair, sunbathing. Jan and Julie somehow managed to talk for nearly 2 hours on Skype. How do they do that?? Another long walk this afternoon and gelatto reward. Steak for dinner. Can't wait. Skyped Geert and Maria last night. Another reunion planned for Venice.

Kevnjan's big adventure.

Thurs. 29th. Mar. Spent a peaceful night and set off this morning to see if we could enjoy a couple of hours in the terme, (thermal baths). It was a strange setup which resembled and in fact I think was, also a doctors surgery. We couldn't make sense of it and no-one seemed to speak English, my Italian wasn't up to the task so we headed for the coast. Arrived in Chioggia around midday and found a sosta, close to the beach for €10 per day. There is a hook up but the electric kettle is too much for it, as is the water heater, but with luck we should be able to charge up a toothbrush and watch TV!! The weather was hot and sunny, we took a long walk along the beach and had our first paddle of the year, not ready to swim yet but who knows - another day or two. We took a walk into town around 5 and found a fishmonger where we purchased a dish of octopus salad, which we ate sitting on a bench in the town square. Fish for dinner tonight. It's good to be back on the coast, we've missed the sea. I think we'll spend the weekend here and head for Venice on Monday. That is unless we change our minds and do something else. What a life!!

Kevnjan's big adventure.

Wed. 28th. Mar. Changed the beds this morning and headed for the launderette. Found one just outside Este, on the way to Padua. Spent most of the afternoon washing and shopping. Hell because the weather was perfect again and we wanted to enjoy the sun. Drove quite a way, through agricultural country but picturesque nevertheless. We ended up at Battaglia Terme on the ss16, about 5.30. There was a diversion which totally confused satnav girl and took us out of our way and when we got here the sosta is not what we expected. A bit rough and ready but it will have to do. The town looks lovely, we'll have a look tomorrow, think we might check out the Terme too. Looks like we might be back in Venice by the weekend. Traumatic day so taking a glass of wine today. I've earned it!! Currently barbecuing pork chops and sausages, can't do that without wine.

Kevnjan's big adventure.

Tues. 27th. Mar. Verona today. Jan was very excited because she's fascinated by Romeo and Juliet, which of course Shakespeare set in Verona!! I have to say, I find it odd that people get so carried away, visiting a house which is said to have been occupied by fictitious character but they turn up here by the thousand and eat it up off a spoon. Jan loved it. Revelled in every aspect of the house and the story. What a treasure. It's impossible not to become infected by her enthusiasm. Even to the extent of walking miles to see Juliet's tomb. Very strange!! Verona is beautiful, the whole feel of the place is magical and of course, we had another perfect warm day. The layout of these wonderful Italian towns is always a pleasure to walk around, and walk we did, all day. Got back to the van at about 7.30 and poor old Jan had to cook dinner, just a quickie pasta though. More tomorrow.

Kevnjan's big adventure.

Mon. 26th. Mar. We've spent the last three days on a sosta outside Mantova, in a place called Grazie. There is a santuario, (monastry) there, on the banks of the lake. The setting is beautiful. This morning we walked to it and in gorgeous sunshine enjoyed the peace and the surroundings. The light is perfect and we had the place to ourselves, there's a lot to be said for visiting these places on Monday mornings. Later we returned to the city, parked the van on a car park by the river and set off for more sight seeing. We walked miles and discovered that the river boat we'd planned to ride on doesn't go on Mondays. The weather is perfect, must have hit 75+ today. We're staying on the car park tonight, it's free. We like that. This is the first day of my latest no booze stint. Don't miss it so far. Verona tomorrow. Must say we're beginning to feel drawn to a beach, this weather is too good to waste.

Kevnjan's big adventure.

Sun. 25th. Mar. Clocks went forward last night. Had an extra hour in bed and got up just in time to watch Aston Villa lose 3-0 to Arsenal on match of the day. After a lazy breakfast we decided the van couldn't go another day without a wash. Perfect warm sunny morning, what better way to enjoy it than by washing the van?? Decided to pass on visiting Mantova today and spent the afternoon laying in the sun. Can always do Mantova tomorrow - it's been there for hundreds of years after all!! Barbecued pork chops and salsiccia (sausages) for dinner and ate outside for the first time in months. Summer must be coming. We were engaged in conversation by a German man who was very pleasant and friendly, what a talker though, hardly paused to take breath. Now in van desperately seeking something worthwhile to watch on TV. Hopeless task. Time for whisky. Skype failed horribly again today. Really aggravating.

Kevnjan's big adventure.

Sat.24th. Mar. Awoke to the aroma of manure, the sound of the birds, the blue of the sky and the roar of the traffic. A little of everything then! Took the bus into the city and found a picture perfect centro storico, (historic centre) humming with life, full of people enjoying the warm weather, the market stalls and the town. Found the Piazza Ducale and couldn't resist going into the palace, built in 15th. century and crying out to be explored. Got Jan in free as she's 65 - well nearly, so took an audio guide which was a great help. The palace is full of art treasures and rooms which are decorated in the most amazing fashion. These great old families must have had money to burn. The gardens also a treat. We spent so long in there that we needed a break for lunch and went back in. Seemed a shame in one way as it was cold inside and the day was so warm. Never mind, time for sunbathing another day. Took a walk down by the lake/river and found a gelato and a beer and it was time to head home. Have to come back tomorrow I think. Lots still to see. This sight seeing is exhausting. Must be out of practice.

Kevnjan's big adventure.

Fri. 23rd. Mar. Set out for Mantova at a sensible hour, stopping off at Ipercoop for a little shopping. An hour later we resumed our journey, €60 light. About 6ks. up the road we spotted a Lidls. Can't resist a Lidl, went in and purchased essentials unavailable elsewhere - baked beans, breakfast cereals etc. Refuse to shop again for at least a week!! Made it to Mantova just after 1pm, discovered the free sosta we planned to camp on has been built on. Left town and found a sosta with hook ups and showers, €12 per night. Had lunch and chilled out in the warm sunshine. Sight seeing can wait until tomorrow. This is real farming country, flat and still quite interesting. The whole area seems to have been covered in manure, very fragrant. Fish for dinner tonight, excellent, we do eat well. Looking forward to tomorrow.

Kevnjan's big adventure.

Thurs. 22nd. Mar. Had a silly morning this morning. Jan left the tap in the bathroom running and flooded the bathroom. We then jumped on a bus to go into Parma and after ten minutes realised we were heading in the wrong direction. Got off in the middle of nowhere and had to wait 40 minutes for a bus back!! All part of the big adventure. When we eventually got to the city centre it was lunch time and places were starting to close for the afternoon pausa. We managed to visit the ornate and beautiful Teatro Farnese before it closed and were really impressed with it's wonderful state of preservation until we realised that it had been destroyed by bombs in the war and reconstructed in 1944. Bit of a let down, thought we were seeing a genuine 17th century theatre. Interesting nevertheless. We had pizza and wandered around the fascinating and classy city streets until the cathedral opened and had a look. The art is everywhere, on the walls and ceilings. This place has shot into our top ten. Because of our bus mishap we got back too late to take off today, off to Mantua in the morning.

Kevnjan's big adventure.

Wed. 21st, Mar. Today was a real treat, we walked for miles around Reggio Emelia which took us by surprise. The weather was warm, the city was a mix of old and new, perfectly in tune with each other. The cathedral was attractive and the streets colourful and interesting. It was a great example of what we expect in an Italian town, a certain style, perfectly formed streets and colourful buildings. It's more a feeling, an ambience, that makes you feel comfortable and welcome. Difficult to explain, intangible, but nevertheless a treat. From the park, with it's ancient cypress trees to the piazza, with it's dancing fountains, it all fits together. We sat in the piazza, watched the world go by and ate gelatti, telling each other how lucky we are. We tore ourselves away around 2pm because it was time to head for Parma. All that ham - can't wait.

Kevnjan's big adventure.

Tue. 20th. Mar. Today we walked into Modena from our free sosta about 3Ks out of town. We enjoyed the walk but were a little disappointed when we realised that the Duomo, which is very special, was undergoing extensive renovation and was under scaffolding and tarpaulins. We were able to go inside though and it's probably the most impressive interior of all the churches we've seen. The town of Modena is very smart, lots of fashionable piazzas and loggia. The indoor market is a gem, got some of our favourite calves liver for dinner. Left Modena around 2pm and headed for Reggio Emilia, set up on free sosta about 1K out of town and had a walk in before dinner. Looking forward to examining it more closely tomorrow. Time for wine. Weather could do with cheering up a bit, had to wear long trousers today.

Kevnjan's big adventure.

Mon. 19th. Mar. Sorry about Sunday. I typed it out this morning, lost the internet connection and can't recover it. WE had a misty, damp morning on Sunday, did some housework and killed time until lunch by which time it brightened up a little. After lunch we put on our walking boots and set off along a path up the mountain, through the woods. We were disappointed not to find a single mushroom, in a place renowned for funghi in vast quantities. We did see some deer at fairly close quarters but when they saw us they disappeared as quickly as they came. No time for a picture. After a pleasant but arduous climb we returned to the van and watched Liverpool beat Stoke, first football on our television for a while. The internet connection, even with the cable, was poor and we had to abort our chat with Paul and Barb. Back to van and dinner, with more TV. Monday dawned wet and miserable and we took our time getting ready to leave for Bologna. Sadly, we bypassed Bologna in a search for LPG which was getting low and ended up in Modena a day early. The journey from our site to Bologna took in some of the best scenery we have seen, alpine in nature and very similar to Switzerland. We are now camped on a large sosta, just outside Modena and Jan is in the process of cooking dinner. Time for a drink. Looking forward to Modena tomorrow. Delighted to have internet connection back.

Kevnjan's big adventure.

Sat. 17th. Mar. Happy St. Patricks day. We've spotted the downside of this place. It's so beautiful that every biker in the world wants to drive the route, there is a constant stream of noisy motor cycles roaring past at great speed, this is the way they spend their Saturdays. Dozens of them, wish I could be one of them, it's a perfect road for biking. Our hosts in Italy never cease to amaze us with their hospitality and generous spirit. When we enquired as to bus times into Barberino, the local town, about 12Ks away we were told that the bus was infrequent and unreliable. The family car was put at our disposal, no charge, just take it and bring it back when you're done. The wifi facility is free, unusual on campsites. When the connection failed we were invited into the office and given the use of the cable. We appreciate thise gestures so much, we've found this sort of kindness more and more as our trip has progressed. We visited Barberino and shopped in the local Coop. Had a quick look around the market and got back to sit in the sun. Lazy day, tomorrow really should get the van clean, inside and out. Finished of the wine tonight. Not half bad. Match of the day tomorrow morning. First time in months.

Kevnjan's big adventure.

Fri. 16th. Mar. Left Florence this morning with mixed feelings. On the one hand, we felt the need to escape the crowds and the traffic and the noise of the city. It never ends! On the other we couldn't help feeling that we had not seen all there is to see and were afraid we'd missed something!! The need for a little quiet won. We took the ss65 Florence to Bologna road and headed for an ACSI site just north of Barberini Mugello. It's over 2000 metres up in the mountains and the journey and location of the site are idyllic. We have all mod cons, excellent facilities, perfect views but no internet connection with our dongle. Fortunately there is wifi so we are not incommunicado. Have large pork chops for dinner and have purchased a litre of local red wine in a jug. Will report on that tomorrow.

Kevnjan's big adventure.

Thurs. 15th. Mar. Set out earlier this morning. Arrived in the city in time to take in a small museum at 9.30 Museo Biglio, in the Piazza Duomo, at the back of the tourist office, admission free!! A rare find in Florence. Worth a look, some real gems in there from 13th to 16th Centuries. From there to the Uffizi where we were pleasantly surprised to find we could get admission after only 20 minutes queuing. Very unusual. Spent nearly 3 hours soaking up the sculptures and paintings. Spectacular stuff, and wouldn't have missed it but after a while all the exhibits seem to merge with one another. After a bite of lunch sitting in the sunshine on the steps of the gallery we walked up to the Ponte Vecchio where Janet was delighted to find more jewellers than you can shake a stick at. Found her wolf charm for the bracelet. Walked back through the Piazza de la Signora which is full of more statues and atmosphere. We wanted to see other sites around the Duomo but the admission prices are scandalous and settled for an €8 climb to the top of the dome. A difficult and unpleasant experience, shared with loud mouthed students from all over the world, which has put an end to our climbing activities I think. The view was spectacular but no better than the view from Piazza Michaelangelo. We walked back to the station through a long winding street market full of leather goods and jewellery. Thank goodness the buses were running. Didn't fancy another long walk back to the sosta. Another great day, we really enjoyed Florence but I think tomorrow we will move on. Not finished with Tuscany yet though.

Kevnjan's big adventure.

Wed. 14th. Mar. Another brilliant day. Bright sunshine, big cloudless blue sky, and warm. We prepared a picnic and two flasks of coffee and by just before ten were ready to catch the bus into the city. Well, I suppose we could have got up earlier! So good news and bad news. First the Tabacchi was out of bus tickets. That turned out to be the good news. The bad news? The buses were on strike!! So we set off to walk into town, about 3 Ks. Not a bad walk as it turned out. Got to the station and established that the tour buses were still running and invested in two day tickets at €16 each. A bargain, we took an hour's tour before lunch, which took in the sights within the city. It looked a bit more attractive from the top of the bus, the buildings were nice enough and the streets and river attractive. Then the bus went over the river and up the hill to Piazza Michaelangelo. Suddenly we saw what all the fuss is about. The view was staggeringly beautiful and for the second time in a few days Janet was lost for words. We got off the bus and let it go on it's way without us. This was something to savour. As we made our way to the parapet to get the best views we saw just below us three wedding parties, all Chinese or oriental people, the dresses, the girls were wearing were priceless. Pictures on Facebook. (Jan's instructions.) We took lots of pictures and a video. Had lunch up there and caught the next bus an hour later. Back to town, a quick look at the cathedral, one of the few free sights on show and a look around before getting the second bus tour at 3.15 which took in the town of Fiesole, in the hills above Florence, picture book scenery all the way, typically Tuscan. On the subject of the cathedral, it must be said, the building is enormous, the really interesting parts are roped off and an entrance fee is charged for each part - not really free then!! Still, tomorrow I suppose we'll have to fork out. There's much to see and it's unlikely we'll be back for a while. Have to visit the Uffici tomorrow too. Still at least the buses will be running, long walk home tonight!! Bus drivers!! Better have a glass of wine. Looks like being a busy day.

Kevnjan's big adventure.

Tues. 13th. Mar. Well, we arrived in Florence around 1pm and parked up in the sosta Flog, Il Poggietto, about 3 miles out of town. After lunch spent a couple of hours lying in the warm sunshine and resting. Took a bus into Florence about 4.30 and walked from the station up to the Duomo, (cathedral) about half a mile. Our first impressions were surprisingly low key. Lots of people milling around and an ordinary shopping street. No wow factor. So many of these towns and cities are very beautiful from the first moment you see them. It wasn't until we saw the Duomo in front of us that we felt we were somewhere special. The baptistry, which is in front of the cathedral is equally striking and will have to be visited tomorrow. We walked around the town for a while before dinner, enjoying the ambience of a lovely old town at night. Looking forward to a full day exploring tomorrow. Hopefully the weather will be good again. Time to take wine.

Kevnjan's big adventure.

Mon. 12th. Mar. You've just got to love this country!! After several months of looking forward with eager anticipation to arriving in Lucca and seeing a Puccini recital in the Church of San Giovanni and San Reparata, we went to the booking office this morning to book the tickets. We were informed that the concerts are only taking place on Friday and Saturday. This is in spite of the fact that there are boards 6feet high advertising the fact that the concerts are tutti giorni - every day!! It just beggars belief that with thousands of tourists in the town they can deal so off handedly with people. The tickets are €17 for an hour concert and I seriously considered coming back at the weekend but having spent the day here we decided against it. Lucca is a nice enough town but everywhere you go they want your money, the cathedral, churches and museums all charge admission and when we were charged €8 for a beer and a coffee our minds were made up. So onwards and upwards. Tomorrow we head for Florence where I'm sure we will be ripped off in style. Grrrr.

Kevnjan's big adventure.

Sun. 11th. Mar. Set off bright and early to explore Pisa. It's a place Jan has dreamed of visiting all her life. We found free parking by the river about half a mile from the old town and walked along the river bank in bright sunshine. The view up river from the first bridge was wonderful, the old buildings on both banks are painted different colours, mainly shades ranging from cream to brown, through orange, they seem to be so well maintained, compared with the condition of properties in other old towns. Pisa feels as though it's people care for it. We walked through the old town, through narrow streets of tall buildings, struggling to get a view of the famous leaning tower. We had no map and were just following our noses when we turned a corner and were surprised to be confronted by the tower right in front of us. Janet was speechless, (that doesn't happen often) and it was the suddenness of it's appearance that made it even more special. Again, we knew what to expect but still weren't prepared for the reality. The tower is only one of several similarly wonderful white, marble buildings in a piazza, called Miracoli. (miracle) The cathedral, the baptistry and several palaces, now museums are beautifully preserved and surrounded by grass, unusual in Italy. We walked around, enjoying the scene and taking pictures, sharing it with hundreds of other tourists who seemed similarly taken with it. We paid €15 each for the dubious privilege of climbing the tower. Janet made light of it. It was easy for me after Siena, this tower only had 290 steps!! We had a slice of pizza and a gelato for lunch and dragged ourselves away past lots of cheap nasty souvenir stalls, through the streets of the town, lined with stalls selling everything from antiques to silver to baloons. Great atmosphere. The weather was perfect and the day was great. Left Pisa around 4pm and headed for Lucca. Parked on a car park on the edge of Lucca where Jan made me barbecue two enormous steaks. Lovely way to end the day.

Kevnjan's big adventure.

Sat. 10th. Mar. After a walk around Vada and a visit to the fishmonger we set off up the coast for Marina di Pisa. As you would expect in Tuscany, the journey was pleasant and the views were gorgeous. Sea one side, pretty countryside the other. Livorno was a pleasant surprise. We drove through it by the water's edge and for much of the way the seafront was parkland and grass. We stopped for a while and walked in the sunshine, although the wind still had a keen edge to it. Marina di Pisa is about 15 Ks outside the main town but worth the trip. The sea front stretches for miles and is pleasant walking. Hundreds of people shared our view as they walked up and down eating ice cream and enjoying the spring weather. We checked onto a sosta about 7.30 after skyping with Anthony and Julie and families. Late dinner of salmon was delicious. Pisa proper tomorrow.

Kevnjan's big adventure.

Fri. 9th. Mar. Can you believe it's Friday again? Another week gone, I don't know where. We re-visited San G. this morning. There was an Australian family staying at our sosta. Parents and 3 children, two teenage girls and a boy about 12. They are travelling in a rented van which they picked up in Frankfurt. Must be a bit of a squeeze but they seem to be getting around. They barbecued a whole salmon last night, it was freezing. Still, they come from Sydney so cold weather is probably a novelty for them. We kept bumping into them in the town, it's only small, and they told us they're heading for Pisa. We left the sosta around midday and headed for the coast, we were suffering from sea withdrawl. The journey from San G. to Cecina was unbelievably spectacular. The rolling mountainous countryside just kept coming, mile after mile. We stopped for lunch in a fairy tale spot high up on a hillside with a view back to San G 20 or so miles back. We stopped to shop at a supermarket in Volterra, and could see for ever 360 degrees. We planned to stop the night in Cecina but if it had a camper friendly spot by the sea, we couldn't find it. We're now at Vada, just up the coast and parked by the beach with a chicken in the oven. The sunset was perfect and hopefully we will have a quiet night. I thought I might have a glass of wine tonight but forgot to buy it today. Looks like a whisky then.

Kevnjan's big adventure.

Thurs. 8th. Mar. Started to do blog for Wednesday but lost connection. Had a pleasant morning, explored the biggest market I've ever seen, Jan got her leather belt and had a good look around. Siena was just as attractive by day although to be honest, I think we saw most of the landmarks the previous evening. I paid the €8 to climb the 400 steps to the top of the tower overlooking the Piazza del Campo and took some great pics and a video. We met Geerd and Maria for lunch and enjoyed the whole ambience of the city while sitting in the sunshine and telling ourselves how lucky we are. Gelatti was taken in large portions and a good time was had by all. Last night we were visited by G&M and enjoyed wine, whisky and good company. It's been good to spend time with our friends but today we went our separate ways. We headed for San Gimingiano while they went in search of a cycle race between Siena and Arrezo. San Gimingiano is delightful. A real old hill town with towers everywhere. The views of the surrounding countryside take your breath away. We only spent an hour or so tonight and plan to take our time over it tomorrow. For now, we're just relaxing and watching TV. Think I'll have a scotch.

Kevnjan's big adventure.

Mon.6th. Mar. Winter came back today. We drove to Montepulciano, a wonderful hill top town, our first visit in Tuscany and had to put on coats and hats. There was a cold wind blowing and the temperature was in the low forties. The architecture was fabulous and the views across the countryside spectacular. Everything we'd expected and more. I have a feeling we're going to run out of superlatives before long. We went from Montepulciano to Siena, in the rain, and found a free parking place by a sports centre. Geert and Maria joined us and after an early dinner we set out to walk to the old town. Nearly 4 Kilometeres. Worth every step. These old Italian towns and cities have so much charm and atmosphere by night. Buildings we have seen many photographs of take on a special appearance when illuminated. Can't wait to get back up there and see it in the morning.

Kevnjan's big adventure.

Mon. 5th. Mar. We moved just a few kilometres today to Castiglione del Lago, a town we also visited in October, we are parked on the banks of the lake again and have views which are even better than yesterday. The weather was a little more cloudy but still pleasantly warm and we sat out for lunch and a siesta. Nothing much more to report today, tomorrow we head for Montepulciano, the home of my favourite wine and then on to Siena. The internet connection is much better today, sadly no-one is available to Skype. Sods law. Closing down for the day. Time for dinner.

Kevnjan's big adventure.

Sun. 4th. Mar. Goodbye Perugia, hello again Borghetto, on Lake Trasimeno. An idyllic spot, on the shores of the lake with a view across to the mountains. The journey was short but traumatic with crazy cyclists all over one side of the road and hundreds of mad keen marathon runners coming at us on the other side. The stewards hadn't got a clue and the police and carabiniari seemed as usual, disinterested. A real snapshot of life on Italy's roads. Great fun really! The sosta on the lake is a popular spot with Italian families and they come from all over in their campers to enjoy lunch in the fresh air with other family and friends. Very colourful. We put the chairs out and had lunch in the warm sunshine. We were just dozing off when a familiar van turned up, our friends Geert and Maria had found us and we enjoyed a reunion over tea and biscuits, very English. Later tried to Skype and were frustrated by another dreadful connection, had to give up in the end. Really getting aggravated by this. This morning the connection seems good but of course no-one is available. Such is life for the poor traveller. Enjoyed an hour or two and coffee and whisky with G and M and were in bed later than at any time in the last few months.

Kevnjan's big adventure.

Sat. 3rd, Mar. Re-visited Perugia today and found it charming. A mixture of ancient buildings and streets and modern shops and facilities. It's a pleasure to walk around and was, as we expected, much enhanced by the absence of chocolate festival stalls and tents. The sun shone, it was warm and not too busy. A really pleasant day. I get really aggravated by my internet connection which is great in the morning here and hopeless at night. Doesn't seem logical. We wanted to get stuff done last night and couldn't get online for more than 5 minutes. Very mysterious. Tomorrow we move on, might spend a quiet day and night at Lake Trasimeno before starting the Tuscan adventure.

Kevnjan's big adventure.

Fri. 2nd. Mar. Left Martinsicuro around 11am. Not before Rita and family had hi-jacked us into the house and plied us with coffee and dolce. Headed for the shops and stocked up with food and other necessaries. Who eats all this stuff?? Started off on the ss16 but soon realised that if we were going to make any real progress we had to be on the autostrada. I hate paying tolls but sometimes it has to be done. After a stop for lunch in a layby overlooking the sea we made a decision to head for Perugia in one hit. Made it about 5.30 and were disappointed to find that the smart new sosta, complete with free hook ups is not finished and the hook ups aren't connected. It doesn't seem to have progressed since we were here in October. Not only that but when I set up the laptop I couldn't get an internet connection. The news wasn't all bad however, suddenly the TV is picking up all the freeview channels, first time since we left Switzerland. No more Judge Judy!! Cause for celebration, think I'll have a Scotch.

Kevnjan's big adventure.

Thurs. 1st. Mar. Gave the van a wash today. That's twice in a fortnight. I'm probably tempting fate, last time it stayed clean for 1 day before the rain came. However, the forecast is set fair for a few days and it helps to pass the time!! We walked into Martinsicuro today to buy some fish. I'd forgotten what a long way it is, but the sun was shining, it was warm and the sea was blue, a great way to spend the morning. We had lunch and reclined the chairs for a couple of hours. An even better way to spend the afternoon. Around 5pm we walked up to Villa Rosa to buy some dolce for Rita and the family. They have made us very welcome again, we were invited into the house for coffee. Lovely family. Tried to phone my mother this afternoon, she got back from Australia today. As usual the phone was continually busy. Business as usual there then!! Tomorrow we move on. The adventure resumes.

Kevnjan's big adventure.

Wed. 29th. Feb. Another month gone by. Always glad to see the back of February, horrible month!! Even in Italy, where we thought we would escape the winter, it was awful. Today, the sun shone, we walked miles along the luongomare and coffee was taken in Villa Rosa. I bought some shoes to replace the 'bargain' trainers I brought away with me that lasted 5 minutes. After lunch, in the time honoured fashion, we reclined our chairs and laid in the warm sunshine. About 3.30 though, the sun lost it's warmth and we had to retreat to the van. We walked again this evening, about 5pm, it's so pleasant to have daylight and fair weather to walk in the evening. We like it here, can recommend it for anyone thinking of visiting Italy, miles of sandy beach and good walking. Geert and Maria are in touch, they're back on their travels and in Italy, we think we will meet them in a few days in Tuscany. We're very excited at our forthcoming visit to Tuscany, we've been saving it up for the final stages of our trip and it's almost here. Only 2 months left, hard to believe, but still much to see.