Ultimo Giorni di Italia

Been a week of extremes … last Sunday we were perched on the side of Vesuvius in the 28 degree C heat, surveying the Napoli harbour and visiting the still ruins of Pompeii.  This Sunday, we spent driving Via Aurelia through snow showers towards Lavange.  Today it’s sunshine and a temperate 14 degrees… ‘but who’s a complaining.’

Cally is a mountain climbing champion – her only failure, along the marble pebbles tracks of San Guisto camping near Castra.  The last slippery slope proved too much, fellow Swedish campers told us later that the camp owners usually use a jeep to haul caravans etc up the hill.


We've enjoyed deep fried quail carcasses stuffed with spinach and herbs, roast lamb chops, courgette flower fritters, a taste of Tuscany including home-made Sambucca plus the ‘must do’ – pizza Napoli.

Picking up from the last blog, we stopped in the beautiful skiing village of Pecasseroli because SatNav lady decided we needed to see Parco Nationale de Abrezzo.  Jeremy Clarkson would’ve been proud of the girl.  The looks on faces of motor cycle enthusiasts and villagers as Cally shimmied her way around U-bends will keep us laughing for years.  Lloydy reckons it’s the most stunning drives he’s ever done … and he’s been over Arthurs Pass, NZ (the scariest).

"Oh look", says Lloydy "... we're heading for the Torr on top of that hill"

An hour later...

We thought we'd stop and look at some of the road we driven over!

And we contined to climb

  

Believe me ... this is not the top ... note the biker eying us up!

In Pompeii we made friends with two kiwis (Toby from Nuhaka and Anna from Oaamaru) and enjoyed a few bottles of Chianti.  They thought we were over the top with our mapbooks, guides blah.  By the end of the evening … acquired details of potential camping site for themselves.

Kiwis everywhere ... our friend Toby out back....

For the disbelievers who still think we're hid at a secret location in Bristol!

Blown away bu the cart wheel tracks on roads in Pomepii

We drove to Rome initially through Napoli.  Unbelievable as it took two hours to get 38kms.  Every corner held a surprise - narrow street, thousands of glassy-eyed pedestrians, horn-tooting drivers you’d want in the world.  Every third car dented – so many we were tempted to make a photo montage.  Wouldnae get it on a page. 

We arrived at the Happy Camping site dazed having circumnavigated the area as nobody would stay at a place with such a naff name ... but yes ... another memory to add to the map-reading, guide book FUps.

Autumnal shot of Tiber Bridge and Island

Standard pose in every city we've visted

Parking on busy Rome Streets

Rome is stunning sleek and jam-packed with history but every corner has at least 10 Chuggers and Lloydy for the first time in his life was out-bested for the princely sum of €10.

After a short stay we moved on to the Tuscany area – Firenzi (Florence), Pisa and Sienna.  It's as gorgeous as all the books say.  The Tuscans are a proud of their food and wine so it would have been rude not to indule.

Protesting about US Dollars being pumped into Florence for restoration?

PS – Italia blew the budget - again!

Bellvere Bridge - over the river of gold, Florence

Pisa bell ringing practice

It’s a reality check for us … trips past the half-way-mark now heading North … but a day later in the week at the Toulon vs Stade Francais game will ease our pain.