17 May – A short drive to Lake Garda but significant in that we managed to buy an Italian gas bottle thus giving us gas for all of Italy and we do not need to think about gas until we get to Germany. Luca (the manager of our camp in Iseo) put us onto his mate at a garage where we bought the extra bottle. We are now carrying 3 bottles (40kgs) all with different gas and all requiring different regulators. We almost need a dangerous goods licence!! Lake Garda is very sophisticated with posh shops and spectacular boats and marinas. Our camp was 5kms past the main town on the lake shore. After lunch we cycled back, along a cycleway following the shoreline, into the town for a gelato and a look around. We ended the day with a lie in the sun and a swim in the camp pool. The temperatures are now climbing with a maximum of 30 C.

18 May – Left Lake Garda and skirted around Verona (Romeo and Juliet’s city) chopping and changing roads with ramps that were closed for road works, which is the curse of the GPS system. We are now back on the coast of the Adriatic Sea at Chioggia. We were hoping for a swim in the sea but the beach is being reclaimed before the whole camp is washed away. The pool was great however! In the evening we cycled into Sottomarina (our local town) for a look around. It is not very impressive with a slightly Spanish/British water front. All amusements and beach huts. Chioggia across the canals is a different story and we explore it over the next couple of days.

19 May – Up early and away before 9:00am to Venice. The trip consisted of a cycle to Sottomarina, local bus to Chioggia where we purchased a 12 hour pass, ferry to Pellestrina, (the next island) and back onto a local bus for a trip up this island to the next ferry. To our surprise the bus drove straight onto the ferry and we crossed to Alberoni and drove the length of the island to the next ferry at Lido (confused!! How do you think we felt??) This ferry took us into Venice. (Trip time 1:40) What a site. It is very hard to describe Venice but it is beautiful, spectacular, surprising, unusual, smelly and stunning all at once. We walked for miles thru the alley ways and along the canals. There are no cars, buses or trucks. Everyone and every thing is transported by ferry, boat, water taxi or gondola. Around every corner is another great sight. Navigating on foot is a little hard as there are only a certain number of bridges, so avoiding dead ends is challenging. We had lunch in a lovely sunny square. There are great churches everywhere and again the interiors are beautiful. We got a bit foot sore so we rode up and down the Grand Canal using our pass. How the boats etc navigate this busy water way without colliding is a miracle. At 5:00pm we started our return trip and stopped off at Chioggia where we sat in square and had a beer and bruschetta at a great outdoor restaurant with the locals. The short bus ride back to our bikes was a giggle with all the locals helping us with our navigation! Back to camp 12 hours after we left, exhausted!

20 May – A quiet day after yesterday. Val washed everything!! We had a swim in the pool before lunch. They close the pools from 12:30pm until 3:00pm for everyone to have a sleep! We cycled along the canals to Choggia. A great old town which is a fishing port set on a series of canals. Back to the camp for another swim and a relaxing night.

21 May – Our intention was to relocate across northern Italy to the west coast (Mediterranean) at La Spezia along the motorway toll roads taking 2 days. Before we left Chioggia however, we had to try and find our painting. Explanation required! We had bought a great little pen and water colour painting from a street artist in Venice. As it turned out he was a great rugby fan and in fact had played with John Kirwan and Craig Green in Treviso. Val told him that she played golf with Craig’s mother. A small world! He wrapped the painting and we carried it back on the numerous buses and ferries back to the camp. The next day we realized that we did not have the painting so we had to try and remember where we last had it. I boiled it down to either where we picked up the bikes or at the restaurant in Chioggia where we had a drink etc. So today we checked both locations and the waiter at the restaurant remembered us and was thrilled that we had come back for our painting. The trip down the toll roads was so quick that we covered the 360 odd kms easily and are now at a camp at Sestri Levante, a train ride from the Cinque Terre. After a cycle into the local town we decided that this is a great area and we will spend some time here.

22 May – We cycled into town to sort out our trip to the Cinque Terre and a possible ferry boat to Portofino. Fortunately we had not tried to get to the Cinque Terre today as the railways are on strike. Much anger and confusion at the railway station! After lunch we went to the local beach and waited for the ferry to Portofino. The water was warm and eventually we boarded the ferry for the 1 hour trip, via some other ports to an Abbey at San Fruttuosa. We had a ¾ hour stop over there so we had a swim in the crystal clear water. Back on the ferry and around the corner to Portofino. This is a picturesque little town which reminded us of St Tropez in France. After 4 hours we were back in our camp where we managed to book our passage on the ferry from Southern Italy to Corfu in Greece. (30 June)

23 May – We set off early for a cycle to the train station and a ride Monterosso, the first village on the Cinque Terre. This literally means 5 villages which are part of a world heritage park. The only way to visit these villages is either to walk the coastal track, by ferry or train. The villages are perched on the cliffs mainly where there is access to the sea and harbours. After buying our pass, and being told that one part of the track was closed, we set off for the first section up and down steps and along the coast. The walk to the second village, Vernazza, took us 1 hour 20 with spectacular coastal views. The villages are very crowded as many either travel by train or by ferry. It was very hot so we had a swim in the beautiful clear water of the harbour before a great pizza for lunch. As we left the village for our walk to the third village the track warden informed us that this section was also closed for maintenance and that we would have to take the high track. This was a long climb up a steep section of unformed track in the sun. We passed many walkers going in our direction but more coming the other way. A great number were Americans, mostly complaining. They never seem to be probably setup. Either they are equipped as if they are climbing the north face of the Eiger or they in slip on sandals, Gucci hand bags and white long pants. Walking poles are also very popular but highly impractical on steep climbs not to mention dangerous to fellow travellers. We arrived at Corniglia and then had to catch the train to Manarola where we had planned to stay the night. After some enquiries we were told to ask at the restaurant for a room and found a nice apartment right in the main street. We had to wait while it was being cleaned and filled in the time with a swim in another great harbour and a gelato. These are becoming very addictive! Both the gelatos and the swims! Drinks in a bar overlooking the harbour watching the sun set and a great traditional meal at a little restaurant.

24 May – After a traditional Italian breakfast we walked the short distance along the Via del Amore (Road of Love) to the last village of the 5. We caught the train back to our favourite village (Vernazza) and had another swim and lunch before a train trip back to our camp. The Cinque Terre was well worth the effort with fantastic villages set in unbelievable settings. We can now tick it off our bucket list.

25 May – A very quite day recovering with, haircuts, washing, and vehicle checks. After lunch we cycled down to the second beach in this area, Riva Trigosa, and spent a relaxing couple of hours enjoying the sun and the swimming. This has been a great camp/area to spent 5 days in!